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- America's Army: Special Forces (Vanguard)
- Release Notes (Version 2.2)
-
- ==========================================================================
- What's new
- ==========================================================================
-
-
- New Multiplayer Missions
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Included in this version of America's Army are two new
- multiplayer missions. Both of these new missions are
- Special Forces missions containing both the Special Forces
- playable Soldier class, as well as the Indigenous Forces
- playable class.
-
- - SF Oasis:
-
- Enemy forces have established a remote desert outpost
- from which to launch reconnaissance patrols and
- conduct ambushes. A Special Forces operational
- detachment alpha (ODA), along with the help of
- Indigenous Forces, must perform Reconnaissance of the
- area in order to identify the location of this
- guerilla base. Once identified, they must then egress
- to a rally point in order to upload their
- reconnaissance reports to HQ.
-
- - SF Taiga:
-
- Enemy forces purchased a small number of SAGGER
- anti-armor missiles for use by insurgent forces.
- They are hiding these missiles within civilian camps
- skirting a mountain road. These missiles will enable
- the insurgency to ambush both civilian and government
- convoys at extended ranges. A Special Forces ODA along
- with Indigenous Forces have been deployed to locate and
- destroy SAGGER missile caches in order to disrupt
- enemy combat operations within the area of operations.
-
- ==========================================================================
- What's fixed
- ==========================================================================
-
- Client:
-
- - Fixed various client crashes
- - "JRTC Farm Raid" filters correctly in server browser
- - Running in 16-bit windowed mode no longer has render errors
- - Fixed reflex sight accuracy
- - Fixing "ROE" URL on support page and new-map URL
- - Disable "set" command for non-config variables (devmode
- exploit)
- - Fix Auth Failure messages that have a URL
-
- Server:
-
- - Minor memory fixes
- - Fixed various server/client crashes
- - Remove "query" exploit
- - Fixed server stability issues
- - Fixed Admin spectate command
- - Memory Leak fixes
- - Fixed pb admin commands
-
-
- ==========================================================================
- What's changed
- ==========================================================================
-
- - Admin kicks no longer give ROE
- - Admins can join Min/Max Honor servers
- - Admin text is displayed as red
- - Allow normal user to be admins on Leased servers
- - Disable player color codes
- - Add option to restrict by groups
- - GameSpy: Display third-party icon
- - GameSpy: Display groups field in server info
- - Allow Auth to set third-party flag
- - Added "Invalid Group" failure message
- - Save Group information to savefile
- - Notify the player before joining a server that has Group
- restrictions
-
-
- ==========================================================================
- ==========================================================================
- Previous Version:
- ==========================================================================
- ==========================================================================
-
- America's Army: Special Forces (Downrange)
- Release Notes (Version 2.1)
-
-
- ==========================================================================
- What's new
- ==========================================================================
-
-
- Character 'Ragdoll' Physics
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- New in this edition of America's Army is the implementation
- of the Karma Physics Engine. This new feature applies
- real life physics to all player characters in the game. This
- produces real-time unique animations for each character
- during gameplay. These unique animations are calculated
- using real life physics as well as many other factors
- including, the gun/bullet type used, the distance from a frag
- grenade, the damage location on the body, etc.
-
-
- New U.S. Weapon - M136 AT4
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- The M136 AT4 is the Army's primary light anti-tank weapon.
- The M136 AT4 is a recoilless rifle used primarily by
- Infantry Forces for engagement and defeat of light armor.
- The recoilless rifle design permits accurate delivery of
- an 84mm High Explosive Anti-Armor warhead, with negligible
- recoil. The M136 AT4 is a lightweight, self-contained,
- anti-armor weapon consisting of a free-flight, fin-
- stabilized, rocket-type cartridge packed in an expendable,
- one-piece, fiberglass-wrapped tube. The M136 AT4 is man-
- portable and is fired from the right shoulder only. The
- round of ammunition is self-contained in a disposable
- launch tube. The system weighs 15 pounds and can be
- utilized effectively with minimal training. The Opfor
- equivalent is the RPG-7.
-
-
- New 'Tournament Mode'
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- This version of America's Army features new tournament
- mode features, which are accessible either via the command
- line or a GUI interface. It will include an adjustable
- pre-match warm-up period with an in-game notification that
- the match is beginning. The time remaining until the
- tournament start is also displayed on the score screen,
- as well as in-game reminders, and a final 10-second
- countdown.
-
- Tournament Mode
-
- The new tournament mode has the following features:
- - The ability to launch tournament mode via the command line
- - Tournament Squad Leaders with special permissions
- - A pre-match warm-up time which does not count toward the
- tournament score.
- - Score screen is displayed at the end of the match, and the
- match does not automatically restart.
- - Time until the tournament starts is displayed on the score
- screen.
- - Messages remind the players how much time is remaining
- before the tournament begins.
- - Ten second countdown reminder before tournament starts.
- - Tournament and warm-up start messages.
- - The ability to control tournament functionality via ini
- file settings
-
- New Admin functionality:
- - The ability to set/remove Tournament Squad Leaders
-
- New Tournament Squad Leader or Admin abilities:
- - Restart the tournament when the tournament is over or
- during play
- - Force the start of the tournament
- - Force the start of the warm-up period
- - Force the start of the tournament with a 10 second count
- down
- - Mute a players on same team or whole team
- - Place players on team
- - Place players on specific fire teams in specific classes
- - Set the Tournament start time
-
- Generic Steps for Starting a Game in Tournament Mode:
-
- 1. Set the ArmyOps.ini file settings for the tournament.
-
- In the [AGP_Gameplay.AGP_GameTeamObjective] section set the
- following values:
- - TournamentWarmupTime=1
- - TournamentStartTime=2
-
- TournamentWarmupTime will be the number of minutes to wait
- until starting the warmup period. TournamentStartTime will be
- the number of minutes to wait until starting the actual
- tournament. Make any changes to the standard roundspermatch
- and matchesbeforecycle variables as desired.
-
- * NOTE: There also exist a preset tournament configuration
- file called servertournament.ini located in the
- 'System' folder.
-
- 2. Launch the server in tournament mode.
-
- This is done by launching the server with the Tournament or
- LanTournament command line flags. An example command line
- would be:
-
- server LANTOURNAMENT pipeline.aao log=server.log
-
- * NOTE: There also exist a tournament server batch file
- called RunServerTournament.bat that contains
- a sample command line for running a typical
- tournament server. This file is located in
- the 'System' folder.
-
- A server launched with the TOURNAMENT flags will be set up for
- internet play. A server launched with the LANTOURNAMENT flag
- will be set up for lan play.
-
- 3. The two leaders of both teams must connect to the server.
-
- 4. Log into the server as an Admin.
-
- 5. Admin designates the Tournament Squad Leaders for each
- team.
-
- One player from each team must be designated as a Tournament
- Squad Leader. Select the Tournament tab from the in-game menu.
- This displays a list of all of the players currently on the
- server. To add the player as a tournament squad leader first
- highlight their name in the list. Then select the team to add
- the player to and click the Add button. Then click the Set
- button next to the team leader section to set the player as a
- team leader.
-
- 6. Squad Leaders add team members to their team.
-
- Once the admin has set the Tournament Squad leaders, they are
- able to perform their tournament commands. First they must
- select the members for their team.
- To add a player to a team first highlight the name of the
- player to add to the team. Then select the team to add the
- player to and click the Add button. Repeat until all team
- members are added to teams. (Note: admins cannot be added to
- teams).
-
- 7. Squad Leaders assign team members their fire teams and
- classes.
-
- To add assign a player first highlight the name of the player
- to be assigned. Then select the appropriate unit slot from the
- drop down box (Squad Leader, Fireteam Alpha, Fireteam Bravo
- etc.). Then select the appropriate class within the unit from
- the drop down box (Rifleman, Grenadier, etc.). Finally, click
- the Add button to place the player in the specified slot.
-
- All players should be assigned to a Fireteam and class.
-
- 8. The Warm-up period begins automatically.
-
- Players can play normally and warm up during this time. Warm
- up has no bearing on the score of the tournament. This time
- may also be used to verify that all players are on the correct
- team in the correct classes.
-
- 9. The Tournament begins automatically.
-
- A countdown will notify the players that the tournament is
- starting. Once the ôTournament Startingö message appears and
- the round restarts, the tournament has begun.
-
- 10. Tournament Ends, Tournament Score is displayed.
-
- When all rounds have been completed and the tournament is
- over, a screen will appear displaying the winner of the
- tournament and the final score. This screen will continue to
- be displayed until the tournament is restarted.
-
-
- Advanced Tournament Options
-
- Admins and Tournament Squad leaders with the proper
- permissions can perform certain tasks which control the flow
- of the tournament. The normal flow of a tournament is
- automatic, however these actions may be performed if the
- normal flow needs to be altered. The actions are performed by
- clicking the corresponding button in the Tournament Tab of the
- in-game menu.
-
- RestartTournament - Restarts a tournament during play or after
- the match is over. The tournament will start over and all
- scores and values are reset.
-
- StartTournament - Forces the start of the tournament.
-
- Warmup - Forces the start of the warm-up period.
-
- CountDown - Forces the start of the tournament with a 10
- second count down.
-
- Depending upon the values set the in the ArmyOps.ini file,
- Tournament Squad Leaders may be able to perform additional
- commands. Admins may always perform these commands. The
- following are some of these commands:
-
- tournament SetStartTime newstarttime
-
- This command will set the time in minutes until tournament
- start to the specified newstarttime value.
-
-
- Advanced configuration file (.ini file) settings:
-
- These settings are listed in the following format:
- [Type] [Variable Name] [Default]
- [Description]
-
- int TournamentWarmupTime 1
- Number of minutes to wait until starting the tournament warmup
-
- int TournamentStartTime 2
- Number of minutes to wait until starting the tournament
-
- bool bTournamentSLCanAddToTeam True
- Tournament squad leader can add players to teams
-
- bool bTournamentSLCanStartTournament False
- Tournament squad leader can force tournament start
-
- bool bTournamentSLCanStartWarmUp False
- Tournament squad leader can force warmup start
-
- bool bTournamentSLCanStartCountDown False
- Tournament squad leader can force tournament start with 10
- second countdown
-
- bool bTournamentSLCanRestartTournament False
- Tournament squad leader can restart the tournament
-
-
- Advanced Admin/SquadLeader Commands (built into GUI):
-
- Command: RestartTournament
- Argument Type: N/A
- Description: Restarts the tournament either in progress
- or after it has ended
- Usage: "tournament RestartTournament"
-
- Command: StartCountDown
- Argument Type: N/A
- Description: Forces the tournament to start with a 10 second
- countdown
- Usage: "tournament StartCountDown"
-
- Command: SetStartTime
- Argument Type: int
- Description: Sets the time until the tournament starts
- Usage: "tournament SetStartTime newstarttime"
- (newstarttime = minutes until the tournament starts)
-
- Command: StartWarmUp
- Argument Type: N/A
- Description: Forces the tournament warmup to start
- Usage: "tournament StartWarmUp"
-
- Command: StartTournament
- Argument Type: N/A
- Description: Forces the tournament to start
- Usage: "tournament StartTournament"
-
- Command: AddToClass
- Argument Type: string or int, int, int
- Description: Places a player on a fireteam in a specified
- class
- Usage: "tournament AddToClass PLAYERNAME UNIT_SLOT SLOT_INDEX"
- (PLAYERNAME = The name or player ID of the player,
- UNIT_SLOT = 0,1,2... 0 = Squad Leader,
- 1 = Fireteam Alpha, 2 = Fireteam Bravo, etc.
- SLOT_INDEX = 0,1,2... 0 = First slot in the unit,
- 1 = Second slot in the unit, etc.)
-
- Command: AddToTeam
- Argument Type: string or int, int
- Description: Places a player on a specified team
- Usage: "tournament AddToTeam PLAYERNAME TEAM_ID"
- (PLAYERNAME = The name or player ID of the player
- TEAM_ID = 0 or 1 0 = Assault, 1 = Defense)
-
- Command: Mute
- Argument Type: string or int
- Description: Toggles the muting of a player or all players,
- Works just like admin mute, only Tournament
- Squad leaders can't mute players on the other
- team
- Usage: "mute all" or "mute PLAYERNAME"
- (PLAYERNAME = The name or player ID of the player)
-
-
- New Stryker Armored Vehicle
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- This version of America's Army introduces the Army's new
- Interim Armored Vehicle, a.k.a. the Stryker. The Stryker
- vehicle is currently implemented as a stationary vehicle
- with a fully functioning .50 cal turret usable by the
- player. The Stryker's turret is accessible from inside the
- vehicle and has full zoom capability. These new Stryker
- vehicles are available in the "SF Arctic" mission. The
- Stryker turret zoom in/out keys are defaulted to the
- MouseWheelUp and MouseWheelDown keys, however they can be
- changed through the settings menu.
-
-
- New Multiplayer Missions
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Included in this version of America's Army are two new
- multiplayer missions. Both of these new missions are
- Special Forces missions containing both the Special Forces
- playable Soldier class, as well as the Indigenous Forces
- playable class.
-
- - SF Village:
-
- Insurgent forces have acquired multiple weapons caches
- and are holding up in an abandoned desert town. A
- Special Forces A-Team, along with friendly Indigenous
- Forces, must infiltrate their position in town and
- seize these weapons caches in order to degrade enemy
- capability to arm insurgent forces.
-
- - SF Arctic:
-
- Coalition forces transporting arms and ammunition
- struck an improvised explosive device (IED),
- immobilizing one of their vehicles on a high-
- altitude mountain road. A Special Forces A-Team, along
- with friendly Indigenous Forces must now protect their
- essential materials and supplies from an assaulting
- resistance force who wishes to capture those supplies.
- The Stryker vehicles accompanying the supply convoy
- have taken defensive positions to help defend the
- immobilized convoy.
-
-
- New Realistic Suns Including Lens Flare
- -------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Sun lens flares portray the real-life effects that you see
- when looking toward the direction of the sun. Their
- introduction has a really exciting impact on gameplay and
- in a variety of ways.
-
- When looking in the direction of the sun, this has a
- slight-to-moderate impact on your character's vision. Sun
- flares add a much greater immersiveness to the game,
- brightening-up your gamma momentarily. Needless to say,
- sun flares have a much greater impact on certain levels/
- missions. They are not limited to SF-only maps and are
- retro-fitted to previous/existing maps including
- Radio Tower and SF CSAR.
-
-
- Class Selection Page Enhancements
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- New in this version are 2 new enhancements to the in-game
- class selection page:
-
- - 'SWAP' feature
-
- Players can now request to swap weapons/classes with
- your teammates simply by hitting the 'Swap' button
- next to his name in the in-game class selection page.
- Once your teammate acknowledges your request to swap
- classes, your positions will automatically switch.
-
- - Weapons Mod Set Quick-Select
-
- Players can now select their weapon mods set directly
- from the class selection in-game menu rather than
- having to go back to the main user interface.
-
-
- New RPG and AT4 3D Ironsights
- with Adjustable Range Settings
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Both the RPG-7 and the M136 AT4 have new 3D ironsights in
- this latest version of America's Army. These weapons also
- both have the new functionality of 'adjustable range
- settings' based on the distance to target. Players can
- now adjust the ironsights based on the range to target,
- and then simply aim directly at the target when firing.
- The RPG/AT4 can be set to the following ranges: 100, 200,
- 300, 400, and 500 meters. The range adjustment keys are
- defaulted to the MouseWheelUp and MouseWheelDown keys,
- however they can be changed through the settings menu.
-
-
- New 'Auto Slow Mode' Toggle for Zooming
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- New in this version is new functionality for toggling
- 'auto slow mode' for zooming. You can now go to slow mode
- and raise your sights by pressing the zoom key instead of
- pressing two different keys (zoom and slow mode keys).
- This new feature allows automatic switching your player to
- æslow walk modeÆ while zoomed in and auto-switching back
- to æfast-walkÆ when they un-zoom. There is an option
- added to the settings menu to toggle between this new
- system and the old system.
-
-
- New 'Combat Reload' Including 'Plus One' loading
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- When a player has an applicable weapon and reloads with a
- non-empty magazine, they now retain the round in the
- chamber and the magazine that was removed is decremented
- 1 round. With proper timing this also allows for a faster
- reload time as the player's animation will not have to
- clear the chamber and tap the forward assist with a round
- still in the chamber.
-
-
- New Alpha-Spectate Enhancement
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- New in this version is an enhancement to regular spectating
- mode. When spectating a player in 3rd person, the player's
- chararacter will now become transparent as your camera
- position comes closer to the player character model. This
- prevents graphical clipping and allows the spectator to
- focus on the action surrounding this player's character.
-
-
- New Demo/Kiosk Mode
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- New in this version of America's Army is a Demo/Kiosk
- mode. This 'Demo Mode' allows for the game to run demos
- either at the press of a button or after a customizable
- set time limit. This demo mode allows for the gameplay to
- be demonstrated without having internet connectivity.
- Player created demos can be used in this demo mode as
- well.
-
- * NOTE: If you enable 'Demo Mode', you restart the game
- for this setting to take effect.
-
-
- Extras Included
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Gamespy Arcade:
-
- GameSpy Arcade is the fast, free way to find games and
- opponents America's Army online. Join millions of other
- players just like yourself!
-
- SeeMePlayMe:
-
- SeeMePlayMe is an online gaming and chat program that allows
- you to connect or create custom game servers. SeeMePlayMe
- supports online multiplayer gaming, voice, video, text chat,
- and room creation.
-
- Xfire:
-
- Xfire is a free application that makes it easy to play
- AmericaÆs Army with your friends. Xfire shows you when
- and where your friends are playing online and lets you join
- their game with one click.
-
- * NOTE: If you have patched from an earlier game version,
- you can find these 'Extras' setup files in the
- game's root installation directory. (Default is
- C:\Program Files\America's Army)
-
-
- Other Additions
- ------------------------------------------------------------
-
- - Bullet/Explosion decals on terrain
- - Display as OpFor option for Spinny Weapon Weapon Mod
- page
- - Added locational damage for projectiles. Players no
- longer take global damage from getting hit with
- projectiles. They now take damage based on the speed of
- the projectile and the area of the body hit. For
- instance a player hit in the head with an RPG round will
- now die, but a hit to the arm would not be fatal.
- - Added delayed shell ejection. Weapons with delayed shell
- ejection (M203, M24, Mos, BS1 etc.) will now ejects
- spent shells. Bolt action weapons now correctly eject
- shells when working the bolt.
- - Added config variable "PlayerAdmin" under section
- "[Engine.AccessControl]" to list players authorized to
- be player admins.
- - "admin ban" command.
- - "admin banlist" command.
- - "admin unban" command.
- - Added America's Army Europe (NATO) Server icon
- - Server Browser Filters: PunkBuster, America's Army
- Europe (NATO)
- - Controls Options Setting: "Auto Walk Zoom"
- - Audio Setting: "Use Default Driver"
- - Player Count is displayed next to each team (Assault and
- Defense)
- - Smooth zoom transitions for 3D sights and 2D ironsights
- - code-based Weapon Cyclic rate control for smoother
- weapon animations
- - Added a folder for demos.
- - Player Start: IF Advanced Marksman (VSS Vintorez Sniper)
- - Server will now re-authenticate itself at the end of
- every match.
- - New Arctic IF player textures.
- - Dropped weapons now lie on their side and match the
- slope of the terrain they have landed on
- - Added an External Link message if you try to connect to
- a legal map that you don't have
- - Added a dialog box that asks if you want to enable PB
- the first time you run the game
- - Added turret death message
- - SF Sandstorm: added new animated palm trees and louder
- ambient wind sounds
- - IRC in-game chat enhanced with new text characters and
- colored text.
-
-
- ==========================================================================
- What's changed
- ==========================================================================
-
- - Binoculars no longer breathe cycle
- - Players can now use the 'password' text box in the
- Server Browser for both the admin password and the
- game server password
- - Single Player defaults to SF instead of IF
- - Improved team swapping. Will now fulfill players change
- team requests better
- - code-based Weapon Cyclic rate control for automatic
- weapons
- - Weapons are now dropped realistically when the player
- dies
- - Adjusted physics for rocket projectiles.
- - RPG rounds now dud 10% of the time instead of 20%
- - Rocket Projectiles trails now go out when their
- propellant runs out.
- - You can't get idle kicked for a round that lasts less
- than 20 seconds
- - Internet browser list no longer clears when you close
- menu (it still clear when you go to the LAN browser or
- switch levels though)
- - Adjusted the Ak74 iron sight position to provide a
- better sight picture and reduce model "jitter"
- - The dialog box that tells you that you're trying to join
- a PB enabled server now allows you to enable PB and
- join the server
- - Various scope/sniper tweaks.
- - SF Sandstorm: removed the M203 from this map
- - Adjusted many map weapon loadouts and spawnpoints (esp.
- frag nade loadout)
-
-
- ==========================================================================
- What's fixed
- ==========================================================================
-
- - Shells can no longer climb walls if you're too close to
- a wall
- - Nightvision is disabled when broll is on (exploit)
- - Fixed 'duplicating weapons' exploit
- - Fixed many map exploits
- - Missing Fonts (double quotes, special ASCII characters,
- etc.) have been generated and integrated (IRC)
- - Fixed a bug where the an RPG round would float in mid-
- air if spawning on an IF.
- - Fixed a bug where player animations were playing the
- wrong speed in multiplayer.
- - Fixed a bug where the M24 would stay zoomed after firing
- while moving or changing stances.
- - Map loading time should be decreased
- - Audio Settings: Default Driver cannot be chosen if
- Hardware or Hardware + EAX is chosen
- - Fixed "Gun half up" bug
- - Fixed shell casings not spawning sometimes
- - Fixed rifle range crash bug
- - Soldier "spinny" Weapon and Weapon Mod should not appear
- in odd instances (loading screen, etc.)
- - PunkBuster enable/disable unified between Internet and
- LAN server browsers
- - Server browser filtering tweaks
- - Sniper qualification now test rifle range score as well
- as sniper training
- - Fixed duplicate grenade getting dropped just as grenade
- is thrown
- - Weapon or grenade geting stuck if sprinting right after
- spawn, or right after switching to grenades
- - Disabled Console Commands: PAUSESOUND/UNPAUSESOUND (possible
- exploit)
- - Gamma can't be set higher than 1.5 in the .ini file
- - UI weapon mods should no longer sometimes disappear and
- reappear in levels
- - RemoveClassInventory properly removes items when non-SF
- qualified but in an SF slot (Sandstorm grenades)
- - Fixed weapon reloading bug
- - Server Browser: password is always passed on Server Join
- (for admin and/or game)
- - Server Browser: Check for MILES-only servers
- - SF CSAR: fixed 5 known map exploits
- - Adjusted 1st person spec view interpolation (smoother
- view now)
-
-
- ==========================================================================
- Known Issues
- ==========================================================================
-
- - Weapons occasionally overlapping in hands when
- spectating other players
- - RPG will occasionally be seen as backward when
- spectating other players
- - UI Spinning Weapons sometimes stops spinning after disconnect
- - Karma bodies sometimes disappear when they land on certain
- StaticMeshes
- - Spectating camera may not rotate around some Karma bodies
-