Echo Pass Season 1 is now live!
Thanks to all of the Echo Units who helped us test our PTS builds and shared feedback with us.
Highlights
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Echo Pass
Season 1 of the Echo Pass is now live and will run until May 23, 2021 at 10:30AM PST. Echo Pass features a brand new reward track available to all players to unlock rewards throughout the season, with the option to convert to Premium and unlock additional rewards. The Premium pass will cost 1000 Echo Points and nearly triples the amount of rewards users can earn throughout the season. After each season, all progression resets and a new set of rewards become available for players to earn at the start of the next season.
Echo Points and how to purchase Echo Pass Premium
Echo Pass Premium can be unlocked by purchasing “Echo Points” in-game at the Customization Podiums or through Oculus DLC. Players can currently redeem Echo Points in a couple different ways:
● Unlocking access to the Premium Echo Pass via the Customization Terminal — the Premium Echo Pass costs 1000 Echo Points
● Premium Echo Pass users can then purchase tiers of the Echo Pass — each tier costs 200 Echo Points
Echo Points can be purchased in various bundles:
● $4.99*- 500 Echo Points
● $9.99*- 1000 Echo Points +50 Bonus = 1050 Total Echo Points
● $19.99*- 2000 Echo Points +140 Bonus = 2140 Total Echo Points
● $49.99*- 5000 Echo Points +450 Bonus = 5450 Total Echo Points
Players can expect more ways to redeem their Echo Points coming later this year!
Leveling Rewards Update
Rewards unlocked through Echo Arena and Echo Combat Levels are now universal, with new unique rewards for Arena and Combat profile levels. Previously, players had to level their Arena Level and Combat level separately to earn these rewards. While Arena and Combat levels are still split, you are no longer required to go through an individual leveling path to unlock all of the content.
We have also added new variants of the Series-11 Chassis, a unique bracer (Vintage), and a unique booster (Vintage). All users who are already level 50 will have access to these new items. Players will also have access to their Booster from the Series-11 Chassis, and the Series-10 Booster for users who own Combat.
Customization
Following player feedback and requests for additional customization options, our team has overhauled the in-game customization system. When the patch is live, all players will be in a default (gray tint) state. Make sure you visit the revamped Customization Terminal to update your Echo Unit chassis and equip our new customizations!
Body Customization
Chassis
You can now choose a unique chassis that will work universally! If you need to swap bodies, it will now be done automatically in-game instead of at Body Swap Terminals. Please note to access the Echo Combat chassis you have to own Echo Combat and a VR Ready PC or Quest + Link.
Boosters and Bracers
Two of the areas players see the most often in-game are their own arms and the backs of other players. Our team added Bracers (on players’ arms) and boosters (on players’ backs) for players to customize/choose from.
Heraldry
Banners
Banners have been reworked to highlight accomplishments in-game. In the Arena, they will appear on the walls when a player scores a goal.
Tags
Tags rest below the players username in the Lobby and during matches. These can be fully customized, though players can primarily choose their desired tag shape.
Patterns
Patterns and tints can now be applied to banners, tags, and some chassis.
Emblems
Formerly known as “decals”, players can choose to apply these to banners, tags, and some chassis.
Emotes
These are the same emotes you know and love with the same functionality.
Medals
Medals are rewards for reaching a specific milestone in game or can be earned during promotional events. Players who previously earned a badge in the VRML or the Quest launch event will now have a medal instead.
Titles
Titles are text based rewards that are displayed above a player’s banner and nametag.
Universal Chassis and Tints
Players can now use any chassis and tint when playing Arena and Combat. To ensure team clarity is prioritized, we have added Outlines for your team color on the Rift, and new team specific Shaders for Quest and Quest 2. Expect more updates to these in the future!
As mentioned in our previous PTS dev log we know some users preferred having different customization on their legs or helmet, however our new customization system has improved longevity and will provide more options in the future.
Customization UI
In addition to overhauling our customization system, we’ve refreshed all of our customization UI. Players will now see new customization screens, an interactive customization dummy at the Customization Terminal, Echo Pass progress screens, and Echo Pass Purchase screens.
Competitive Ruleset — Standard Chassis
To maintain the competitive nature of VRML and other tournaments, a new option has been added to the Private Match Terminal in the Arena. By setting the “Standard Chassis” option to true, all players will be swapped to the S11 Chassis, each body will be tinted a default Orange and Blue, and Outlines / Shaders will be disabled. This setting is enabled by default.
Nametags
Our team took some time trying to streamline nametags to improve readability.
Player levels have been removed from nametags and are only visible in the Echo Pass Menu or the Arm Computer. For Echo Combat players, levels are available in Arm Computer in the Combat Training Area or during a match. Badges have been removed from nametags and in their place titles and tags can now be displayed.
New Community Values Intro
A new starting experience has been added to the game. All players, old and new, will engage with this experience to help build a warm and welcoming community for all of our players in Echo VR.
Staging Area
The entrance to the lobby has turned into the “Staging Area”. This is a new, private zone for you and your party, where players can better prepare for their first steps into Echo VR.
Updates
● Arena and Combat Medals Bonus XP is no longer called out in your Arm Computer, but it is still earned.
● New splash screens have been added when the player launches Echo VR. These screens will have information on new features or important updates as well as legal information.
● Helpful loading tips now appear while players are transitioning.
Customization — Deprecated Items
Along with the new customization system, players will notice the old Badge system no longer exists. These have been converted to “Tags”, and while we enjoyed this system, we wanted players to have more free-form expression for their identity. We have taken the previous elements of badges, such as their backgrounds and converted them into Patterns. These can now be used on your Chassis, Banners, and Tags.
Deprecation of Win7 support
As of today we officially ended support for Windows 7 for Rift users. More information about this, including where to find Echo VR’s recommended specifications and Oculus’ minimum/recommended specifications for Rift/Rift S can be found here.
Bug Fixes
Global
- Addressed various performance and stability issues.
- (Rift) Resolved an issue where players would rarely become unable to punch in Arena matches or the Brawler’s Den
- Fixed an exploit that allowed players to hold a block indefinitely.
- (Quest) Fixed an exploit that allowed players to break the solo speed cap.
- Fixed LOD pops when viewing player Chassis from a distance.
- Fixed a visible seam within the ‘Mummy’ pattern.
Menus
- Fixed a hang that could occur when attempting to enter the Lobby while experiencing connectivity issues.
- (Quest) Fixed the ‘Input Release Distance’ setting not persisting between boots.
- (Rift) Fixed inconsistencies in font size in certain submenus.
Lobby
- Fixed an issue that caused changes to a player’s customization to revert after joining a party.
- (Quest) Fixed Terminals incorrectly displaying a Combat button during the NPE for Quest 2 players..
Arena
- Fixed an issue that would sometimes cause players to become invisible when switching to a team after having been a 3D spectator.
- Fixed the disc sometimes bouncing at unexpecting angles when thrown into a ramp.
Combat
- Fixed an issue causing the Payload UI becoming misaligned under certain circumstances in Fission.
- Fixed misalignment and font size of the “Team Victory” text on the post-match Scoreboard.
Known Issues
Global
- The post-match tablet does not accurately display unlocked rewards when leveling up or reaching a higher Tier in the Echo Pass.
- Post-Match Tablet displays “Invalid” and “Lvl 1” for users at level 50 for both Arena and Combat matches
- Player nametags may fail to appear in the Lobby and post-match celebration room after Arena matches.
Menus
- (Rift) Changing Anti-Aliasing settings causes a performance drop, which may lead to a crash.
Lobby
- Players may experience hitches when navigating through various areas of the Lobby for the first time (particularly when moving through the automatic chassis swap thresholds in the Combat Training Area).
- Equipping a bracer too quickly after removing a bracer may cause the newly equipped bracer to temporarily lack visibility.
- (Rift) Players cannot be invited to a party from their Lobby social tab if they are not on your friends list.
- Players will incorrectly be presented with a purchase confirmation prompt when pressing the “Locked” icon displayed on Customization items not associated with the Echo Pass. These items are free to unlock by earning XP and Arena/Combat levels, and do not require or allow purchase. Please refrain from attempting to spend Echo Points on these items; only Echo Pass rewards can be unlocked with Echo Points.
Arena
- Grabs may occasionally fail to stop or add momentum in AI Teammates VS AI matches.
Combat
- The game may occasionally become stuck on a black screen as a 2D spectator in Combat matches.
- The rewards tablet may display the player’s Arena level and experience at the end of a Combat match.
*Prices are shown in USD, exchange rate and local taxes may apply.
