October 13, 2021 Update (PS4 EU&US)

All PS4 servers will come down for the following update on Wednesday, October 13, at 8:00am PT (5:00pm CEST). Downtime for this update is expected to last up to 3 hours.

Nanite of the Living Dead (Oct. 13 - Oct. 31)
Spooky sights, sounds, and SpacePumpkins will make their way to Auraxis.
 * Shadowy Sanctuary  - The Sanctuary social hub has received a seasonal makeover. Sights, sounds, and mask-wearing denizens abound.
 * Trick or Treat!  - A holiday mission unlocks free Halloween masks that provide bonus experience when worn during the event!
 * Halloween Directive  - Conquer the new event challenges to earn a Terrifying new title, and a deadly new camouflage pattern.
 * Squash the SpacePumpkins!  - Throughout the battlefields, seek and destroy these gigantic SpacePumpkins for bonus experience and directive progress!
 * Seasonal Cosmetics  - Check the Depot for seasonal cosmetics, like vehicle horns, camouflage, weaponry, and more!

Seeker HLX - Heavy Crossbow
The Seeker HLX Heavy Crossbow is now available as a primary weapon to the Light Assault and Infiltrator classes. It fires hardlight bolts with power and precision, and comes with a variety of ammunition and attachment options to customize its role on the battlefield.

Demon Seeker HLX
For a limited time, the Demon Seeker variant will also be available, complete with unique sounds and FX. The Demon Seeker HLX grants progress toward the Exceptional IV and Halloween directives!

Halloween Melee Weapons
Unlock grim new holiday pickaxes for each empire. Pictured from left to right, Guillotine (NSO), Bonecleaver (NC), Eviscerator (TR), Doomsayer (VS).

Lighting Falloff
We've updated our lighting volumes to use a different kind of falloff. Moving from our previous quadratic light falloff to a (mostly) linear falloff model softens how "hot" the center of the lighting volume is, and reduces how sharply the light diminishes over range. The quadratic falloff we were using prior to this update made it more difficult (and expensive) to light interior spaces, as we needed to use more, smaller lights with higher intensities to fill the volume of space. The new falloff technique provides us with more control over lighting environments in the future, and softens the current lighting in-game to balance out the harsh extremes.

New Lighting in Menus
We've started using new lighting in the character select, character create, infantry, and vehicle loadout screens that provides more depth to our character models (and looks better all around.)

Shadow Quality
This is more of a fix than an update. We identified a change from a few years ago that essentially knocked every shadow quality level down by one. "Ultra" shadows, as an example, weren't really the intended Ultra shadows, and it was never reachable in the in-game settings menu, but was still possible to set in the UserOptions.ini. With this update, players' shadows will be bumped up a level, so you may need to adjust your shadow quality settings again once you are in-game.

High-Pop (Conquest) Alerts

 * When a continent has more than 800 players on it, a "Conquest" Alert will immediately fire off that uses the same rules of a typical Meltdown.
 * Populations do not typically reach this threshold on PS4, but it's noted here for posterity.

Koltyr

 * Koltyr will now be added to the continent unlock rotation during times of low population.
 * Depending on how low the current global population is, large continents still in the Unstable state may also be spun down to help funnel players into Koltyr.
 * We plan to make additional threshold changes to ensure this doesn't become all-Koltyr all-day for an extended period of time, and those changes will follow in a later update.

TI Alloys

 * Ti Alloys, on Indar, has been re-enabled on the lattice.

Gun Game - Uncommon Daily, Black Market

 * This mission asks players to earn kills with increasingly challenging weapons.

Default Equipment
We've made some tweaks to which equipment new players receive at the start of the game. A couple of the areas we wanted to address were the lack of infantry anti-air in the earlier stages of the game, the unwieldy nature of certain starter weapons, and the lack of default vehicle equipment. Those changes are listed in the Infantry and Vehicles sections below.

Default Utility and Defense

 * Standard vehicles have received rank 1 Fire Suppression as the default utility item.
 * Standard vehicles have received rank 1 Nanite Auto-Repair as their default defense item, except for the Sunderer, which has received rank 1 Deployment Shield.

Bastion Fleet Carrier

 * The Bastion now has temporary invulnerability for up to 90 seconds after it is called. If the Bastion is ordered to move or attack, the invulnerability will be dispelled early.
 * Mauler Cannons no longer have knockback.

Lightning

 * The L100 Python HEAT has replaced the C75 Viper as the default main cannon.
 * L100 Python HEAT direct damage from 525 to 575.
 * L100 Python HEAT reload speed from 2 sec. to 2.5 sec.
 * L100 Python AP gravity from 4 to 5, to fall in line with other tank cannons.

Heavy Machine Gun Resistance

 * Resist type 4 reduced from 87 to 80 for the ANT, Chimera, Lightning, Vanguard, Prowler, Magrider, and Sunderer.
 * Resist type 4 reduced from 87 to 80 for the Colossus.
 * Resist type 4 reduced from 75 to 70 for Scythe, Reaver, and Mosquito.

Default Sniper Rifles

 * The XM98 has replaced the VA39 Spectre as the default sniper rifle for the Vanu Sovereignty Infiltrator.
 * The M77-B has replaced the 99SV as the default sniper rifle for the Terran Republic Infiltrator.

Default Rocket Launchers

 * The Nemesis VSH9 has replaced the S1 as the default rocket launcher for the Vanu Sovereignty Heavy Assault.
 * The Hawk GD-68 has replaced the Shrike as the default rocket launcher for the New Conglomerate Heavy Assault.
 * The ASP-30 Grounder has replaced the ML-7 as the default rocket launcher of the Terran Republic Heavy Assault.

GD-22S (NC LMG)

 * The GD-22S has replaced the NC6 Gauss SAW as the default LMG for the New Conglomerate Heavy Assault.
 * GD-22S' default color is now blue, instead of black.

T9A "Butcher" (TR Directive LMG)

 * Projectile velocity from hipfire is now in line with its projectile velocity while aiming at 570.

Defector (NSO MAX)

 * Speculative fix for lockons with the Hummingbird lasting long after the projectiles have died.

Cortium Bomb (Tactical Slot)

 * Reduced maximum damage of Cortium Bomb against completed construction objects from 9000 to 5500.

Nanoweave Armor (Suit Slot)
Dev Note: We're aware that this change has been discussed a fair deal in the community recently, and are open to making modifications in the future as needed.
 * Equipping Nanoweave now reduces base movement speed by 10%, and Heavy Assault Shields are no longer affected by Nanoweave's resistance reductions.

Ammunition Belt (Suit Slot)

 * Ammunition Belt now increases the reload speed of primary and secondary weapon slots by 15%, on top of its existing benefits.

Flash Grenade

 * Base blind duration from 8.5sec to 6.5sec.
 * Made the fade-out quicker after the effect expires.

Quick-Det Flash

 * Base blind duration from 4.5sec to 4 sec.
 * Made the fade-out quicker after the effect expires.

Projectile Sizes
Fixed projectile sizes that were smaller than the standard on the following weapons:
 * JVN-X3 Hydra (Javelin Primary)
 * The Executive (NC Auraxium Pistol)
 * The Kraken (NS Auraxium Rocket Launcher)
 * Skorpios (VS Auraxium SMG)
 * Shuriken (TR Auraxium SMG)
 * Tempest (NC Auraxium SMG)
 * Eclipse VE3A VE3A (VS Auraxium Carbine)
 * TRAC-Shot (TR Auraxium Carbine)
 * 19A Fortuna (NC Auraxium Carbine)
 * Darkstar (VS Auraxium Assault Rifle)
 * T1A Unity (TR Auraxium Assault Rifle)
 * Gauss Prime (NC Auraxium Assault Rifle)
 * MANA Anti-Vehicle Turret (Engineer Deployable)

New Implants
The following implants are now available in ISO-4 Recyclers and Basic/Deluxe Implant Packs.

Berserker - Exceptional Implant (MAX only)

 * You now take 20% increased damage at all times, and your health constantly regenerates at a rate of 50 per second.

Scavenger - Uncommon Implant

 * Wielded melee or sidearm kills will immediately restock 12/15/20/30/30% of your primary or secondary weapon magazines for free.
 * Rank 5: Dying will fully reload your primary and secondary weapons from reserves.

Springstep - Rare Implant

 * After reloading your weapon, you are able to jump higher and sprint 10/12/15/20/20% faster for the next 1.5 seconds. Additionally, you enter sprint almost instantly from this state. Shooting will end this effect early.
 * Rank 5: Receiving fall damage will instantly trigger Springstep.

Cold Heart

 * This implant has been overhauled.
 * Crouching momentarily will now douse your suit in coolant (you can move around after.)
 * While in this state, burning damage is reduced by 90%, you no longer appear map-based recon detection, and your movement speed is reduced by 10%.
 * Firing a weapon will immediately end this effect.

Experimental Stims

 * This implant has been heavily revised.
 * Using a Stim (Medical Kit, Restoration Kit, Infradine) will now temporarily provide you with the benefits of either Rank 5 Safe Fall, Vampire, Battle Hardened, Heavyweight, or Response Jacket, chosen randomly from the list.
 * A HUD notification will appear, displaying which implant is currently active.
 * Only one benefit may be active at a time.

Symbiote

 * This implant has been overhauled.
 * When you receive small arms damage while your personal shield is active, you will now heal for 50 health. This effect triggers once every 8/7.5/6/4/4 seconds.
 * Rank 5: Receiving common explosive damage will now restore 50 health immediately, and has an independent 4 second cooldown.

Ocular Shield

 * Reduces duration of Flash/Concussion/EMP grenade effects by 45/50/60/75/75% (up from the original 15/18/23/30/30%)
 * Rank 5: You can no longer be blinded or concussed by your own grenades, instead of making you immune of these effects for a short duration after using a Stim.
 * No longer reduces the effectiveness of Concussion Grenade's slow, EMP grenade's shield damage, or Flash Grenade's CoF penalty, only the duration of the applicable affects.

Avoidance

 * Spitfires no longer target you at all, instead of only reducing the range at which they target you.

Heavyweight

 * Fixed an issue where the knockback protection would only trigger if you had an active personal shield.

Assassin

 * This implant now marks targets you damage at all ranks.

Nanomesh Specialist

 * Rank 5: No longer pauses personal shield regen while your overshield is active, instead of reducing overshield recharge delay.

Paratrooper

 * Rank 5: Passively grants rank 1 Safefall, instead of providing temporary fall damage resistance on Rocklet Rifle reload.

Sidewinder

 * Rank 5: You now backpedal 35% faster, instead of being hidden from Thermal Optics.

Misc. Changes, Fixes, and Additions

 * The Drop Pod has been added to the vehicle loadout screen vehicle list.
 * Revamped the visuals on most small arms projectile tracers in the game.
 * Most NS weapons now tint projectile FX based on faction assignment.
 * You can now deploy the Dervish from Koltyr.
 * Redeploying for the first time now correctly shows the death screen indicator on the map screen.
 * Liberator Racer Airframe's description no longer mentions an "optional" afterburner.
 * Fixed an issue with the Archer Anti-Materiel Rifle reload animations in first person.
 * Switching weapons after firing from a scoped weapon no longer breaks certain animations.
 * Terminals in Sanctuary now have visible names above them.
 * Shield bars will appear above targets that have shields while spotted. The ranges at which you can see health/shields still adhere to how it is on Live.
 * Made minor adjustments to the sky at night to increase visibility during the darkest hours.
 * Voice overs have been removed from "First Time Events".
 * All the FTEs that appear now have a new audio signifier when they slide in.
 * You can now see who is speaking in voice chat while on the map screen.
 * Using Join Combat will place you in a Drop Pod.
 * Vehicles should no longer take damage from invisible vehicle debris.
 * VR Training now harbors lanes of Nanoweave and Flak Armor equipped targets, and Heavy Assault will occasionally be spawned with active overshields.
 * Models displayed in loadout screens now always use the highest quality graphics settings.
 * The female UI idle animation no longer periodically freezes.
 * The Outfit Map resources are now filtered off by default.
 * Fixed an issue where construction objects being built would have invisible pieces.
 * Updated Sergeant Lumifiber Trim icons.
 * A7 nodes will now be granted the moment it's decrypted, instead of requiring a second interact.
 * Destroying enemy Chimeras with primary or secondary weapons no longer award Magrider kills.
 * Javelins now have a 30 second cooldown when pulled from a terminal or ANVIL, in line with other vehicles.
 * Fixed broken filters for NSO-related items in the Depot.
 * Magriders/Harassers with the PPA equipped will no longer see the Sunderer's ammo dispenser FX on their vehicle.
 * Dervish and Javelin can now make use of the Cert Explosion Horn.
 * Added a Drop Pod filter category to the Depot.
 * Steel Rain should no longer suspend drop pods in the air.
 * Fixed an issue preventing squads from recruiting after they've converted into a platoon.
 * Battlefield Superiority mission should no create an invisible objective.
 * Skyfall on Auraxis mission should no longer create an invisible objective.
 * Bolt-action rifles should no longer detach from the body during third person rechamber animations.
 * Chimera has been given unique vehicle audio.
 * Chimera no longer uses a higher criteria for earning vehicle damage experience.
 * Cleaned up various geometry bugs related to the Containment Site.
 * If a player's last quick spawn was destroyed, you're now required to go to the map to select a new spawn point.
 * Ikanam Biolab no longer attempts to hide spotted indicators depending on if you're above or below ground.
 * Spotting a Dervish or Flash XS-1 now plays voice callouts.
 * Updated the outdated Spawn Beacon tutorial string.
 * AR-N203 and CB-X75 hand and magazine animations are now synced during the reload.
 * Typing in Mentor Chat when you don't have access to it will now show an error.
 * Defector's Time Bomb ability now rapidly disperses heat while active.
 * NSO Liberator's Contrail customization slot is now properly named Contrail.
 * Nanite deposit timers no longer go into the negative in certain zones.