Changes in the mechanics of projectile damage

Hello!

Today we are starting to test major changes to one of the game’s core mechanics — the way weapon projectiles deal damage to vehicle parts. These are important changes that will affect many aspects of the game, as well as answer many of the questions and suggestions that you have shared with us.

We remind you that all the new features described in this news are not final and may be changed before they are introduced into the game or may not make it into the game at all.

Important Information

First of all, we’d like to note that these changes are experimental. The decision on their implementation/improvement/cancellation will be made based on the results of several stages of testing. For the same reason, there may be some audio-visual flaws present on the test server. There may also be errors related to damage dealing or with the work of any perk.

We would like to separately note that such important changes will go through several stages of testing:

• The first stage begins today, where we want to introduce you to the updated mechanics, without implementing a lot of balance changes for certain weapons.
• Then we plan to make necessary adjustments based on the testing results and implement balance changes to parts in order to bring them in line with the updated conditions. All changes will be tested together by the development team and our volunteers.
• Once all the main work is complete, we will open the test server again for all players to present you the results, collect your feedback, suggestions and comments and finalize some of the aspects.

The feedback of everyone who takes part in the mass testing of the changes is very important to us. Please report any balance problems or bugs you encounter related to the updated mechanics in the feedback thread. Your active participation will greatly help us in working on this significant change for the game.

Important: In order for us to collect the most complete and reliable statistics, we ask all test participants to take part in the “Get the scrap metal!”, “Get the wires!” or “Get the batteries!” battles (PvP missions) as much as possible.

Raids, displayed on the map within the test server, does not work for technical reasons.

How do the mechanics work now?

Now, when a projectile hits a part, it can deal damage to the following parts in its path. The durability of each part hit is deducted from the amount of initial damage (“bullet damage” or “damage from projectile contact with the part”). The projectile disappears at the moment the damage from the hit is depleted or after two meters from the point of contact with the first part in the projectile’s flight path. The point of detonation occurs on the first hit.

There are additional mechanics, such as shifting the explosion point after parts are hit, or dealing damage excluding the durability of parts (perk of the “Scorpion”), but basically the damage is dealt as described above.

Reasons for changing the mechanics of projectile damage

The two-meter limitation, after passing which the projectile disappears, has led to the appearance of the so-called “screens”. The “screens”, in turn, have led to lightweight, low-durability parts being just as effective, or even more effective, than heavier, more durable ones. Also, due to the two-meter limitations, many weapons cannot reach their full potential when playing against “screens”.

We would like to fix this and make sure that the damage mechanics are devoid of such restrictions, and durable parts are more effective in terms of car armouring.

We’d like to take this opportunity to ask you for your opinion: how do you feel about the so-called “screens” and a 2-meter limit for a projectile? And do you think that this restriction should be abandoned, considering that damage and part durability are adapted to the new realities? Please share your opinion about the results of testing in the comments to this publication or in the special thread.

Changes in the mechanics

First, it’s important to clarify that the introduced changes are relevant for projectiles that have flight speed and size. The so-called “hit scan” (instant damage to a certain point), which is relevant for most machine guns and shotguns, works according to the old principle. Changing it is less useful in terms of impact on the game, but it can have a significant effect on the game’s performance. Explosions also have a “hit scan” mechanic and remain unchanged.

Main changes:

• Projectiles no longer have a 2-meter limit and continue to fly until their firearm damage is depleted or until the projectile’s “lifetime” ends. The amount of firearm damage inflicted is spent according to the previously described principle — through the subtraction of the durability of the destroyed parts.
• The explosion, if any, occurs after direct (firearm) damage is exhausted. This will also create situations where a projectile hitting a lightweight part from the edge of the armoured vehicle will destroy it and, without encountering other parts, will fly further without exploding.
• The mechanics of the “Prosecutor” and “Executioner” perks work in such a way that the first 2 “pins” of the part are pierced by the projectile without taking into account the durability of the pierced parts (and therefore without loss of damage). Then the calculation of the durability of the destroyed parts begins (according to the general principle, like with all standard projectiles).
• Reworked the calculation of damage dealt by “Scorpion”. This is because, without the 2-meter limitation, its projectile could deal a potentially huge amount of damage. Now after a part is pierced, the damage multiplier is not static as before, but constantly decreases with each pierced part. The size of the multiplier depends on how much damage the “Scorpion” projectile didn’t deal to the previous part. This way, “Scorpion” will be able to deal more consistent, but at the same time, limited damage.
• On the test server the “Scorpion” projectile doesn’t pierce through the cabin.

Additional information:

• The perks related to projectile hits work on the first contact.
• The perk of “Yokai” activates on projectile detonation, not on the first contact.
• The impulse is applied at the last contact, that is, when the projectile can no longer destroy the part with firearm damage.

Please, pay attention that parts' and mechanics' descriptions haven't been updated on the test server. 

Changes to parts

There will be frequent changes to the parameters of the parts on the test server. This is necessary in order to test the mechanics and adapt the game to its realities. It’s far from certain that these parameter changes will ever make it to the game servers.

Currently, there are only 3 changes to parts that are planned to be added to the game on the test server:

• Fixed an issue where the damage absorbed by “Omamori” was further reduced by the resistance upgrade, the talent of the co-driver “Grizzly”, or any other similar perk.
• Fixed an issue where the “Avalanche” projectile didn’t lose direct damage when destroying vehicle parts.
• The perk of “ST-M26 Tackler” will now be implemented through resistance rather than by damage blocking. This is due to technical features and optimization.

How to get to the test server?

If you have ever participated in testing features on a special server, then just start the Launcher from the folder with the test client and wait for the update to complete.

• Create a new folder for the game on your hard drive.
• Download the Launcher from this link. The file name should not contain numbers indicating that the file is a duplicate. Please note that you should launch the file that does not contain any digits (1), (2), etc. in its name. If, when starting the installed launcher, you are logged into the live game servers, you need to delete all downloaded launchers from the download folder and try again.
• Start the Launcher and install the game into the folder you created (for example D:\Public test\Crossout).
• After the installation is complete, start the Launcher and log into the game with your username and password.
• The progress of your main account will be transferred to the test server (including parts in storage and levels of reputation with factions).
• After logging into the server, to transfer progress from your account, press the “Esc” key and select “Copy account data”.
• Please note the schedule of the test server:
  • Monday, February 27, 2023 from 15:00 to 19:00 (GMT)
  • Tuesday, February 28, 2023 from 13:00 to 19:00 (GMT)
  • Wednesday, March 1, 2023 from 13:00 to 19:00 (GMT)
  • Thursday, March 2, 2023 from 13:00 to 19:00 (GMT)
  • Friday, March 3, 2023 from 13:00 to 19:00 (GMT)
  • Saturday, March 4, 2023 from 13:00 to 19:00 (GMT)
  • Sunday, March 5, 2023 from 13:00 to 19:00 (GMT)
• Any progress you make on the test server will not be transferred to the live game servers (INCLUDING ATTEMPTS TO BUY PACKS).

After testing the changes, we invite you to leave your constructive feedback on the planned rework in THIS THREAD (it will open a bit later after the launch of the test server).

The public test server is intended only for testing of the upcoming update, and may not accommodate all players without exception. However, absolutely anyone can join the server, as long as there are free spots.

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