Echo VR- Surge Patch

Highlights

Patch 22.0 brings updates and Surge to Echo VR.

Summary

• New Echo Combat map- Surge
• New Echo Arena Private Match options
• Gear balance changes
• Bug fixes

Surge

Surge is a brand new Echo Combat Payload mode designed to weave combatants through tight, close-quarters battles and large, Comet-friendly no-mans-lands while pushing everyone’s favorite flamingo towards George, its gargantuan father.

Surge’s Payload track is about 15% longer than Fission’s, averaging around 10 minutes to complete, towards a flamingo 155 meters tall. With playstyles accommodating all, Surge will leave you saying, “One! One! One! One!”

To celebrate its launch, Surge will be the only map available for public Echo Combat matches from 10:30AM PT/ 17:30 UTC May 9th to 10:30AM PT/ 17:30 UTC May 10th, however Echo Units can still battle on Dyson, Combustion, and Fission in private matches during this event!

Echo Arena Private Match Options

There are some new custom game mode rules that Arena players can play with in private matches. On the podium players will see the following new options.

First, an option that has been long requested, will allow players to easily restart games quicker when a player disconnects:

• DISC LOCATION — The starting disc location which can be neutral, blue or orange.

We are also exposing time and when it stops so players can customize how quickly the action continues:

• GOAL STOPS TIME — Choose whether or not scoring a goal will pause the game timer
• RESPAWN TIME — How long it takes for a player to respawn to their base after scoring a goal
• CATAPULT TIME — How long players wait for the doors to open to launch out of their launch tubes

Multi-round support — Players can now configure the game to have multiple rounds in a match.

• ROUND COUNT — How many rounds in the match
• ROUNDS PLAYED
  - BEST OF– For odd games play half + 1 (e.g. win 2 / 3) and for even games first to win half
  - ALL — Play all the rounds e.g. play the third round regardless of who won the first two
• ROUND WAIT TIME — How long players wait between rounds before the doors open out of their home base
• CARRY POINTS OVER — Choose whether points get carried over between rounds or they are reset to 0
• OVERTIME — Players can customize when over time is triggered in multi round support
  - MATCH END — Only played at the end of the match
  - ROUND END — Played every round
  - NONE — Never played

In case of restarting a match and getting back mid match, players can also configure the round score:

• ORANGE ROUNDS WON
• BLUE ROUNDS WON

Gear Balance Changes

Pulsar

We’re increasing the Pulsar’s projectile speed to make it more reliable when tracking targets. Max spread has been increased to help push its strength towards the mid-range. Finally, we’re shifting some of Pulsar’s damage so we reduce the amount of burst damage throughout the game.

• Headshot damage multiplier lowered 2 ⇒ 1.5
• Arm and leg damage multiplier increased 0.9, 0.75 ⇒ 1, 0.85
• Projectile velocity increased 60 ⇒ 80
• Max spread increased 0.75 ⇒ 1.25

Repair Matrix

Repair Matrix has been too strong and dominating the meta for some time now. We are continuing to look at RM internally, but we want to address the live environment sooner rather than later. Heal duration has been increased while the heal amount remains mostly unchanged. The change aims to make RM weaker when engaging and being engaged on. (Shoot the healer!)

• Cooldown increased from 30 seconds ⇒ 35 seconds
• Heal amount increased from 107 ⇒ 114
• Heal duration increased from 8 seconds ⇒ 12 seconds
• Radius reduced from 9 meters ⇒ 8 meters
• Healing per second reduced from 13.375 hp/s ⇒ 9.5 hp/s

Instant Repair

Instant Repair is slightly too strong. We are looking to tone down the amount of healing it is currently doing so it provides players with breathing room to escape a sticky situation, but without a clear get out of jail free card. Lowering the heal amount while slightly lowering the cooldown to compensate.

• Heal amount lowered 65 ⇒ 50
• Cooldown decreased 35 seconds ⇒ 30 seconds

Nova

We are looking to tone down the amount of burst damage the Nova is currently putting out, while also making it more forgiving at slightly longer range. As such, we are adjusting the damage volume to make dealing and receiving damage more consistent.

• Headshot damage multiplier for projectiles and cone lowered 2 ⇒ 1.5
• Refire delay increased from 0.5 ⇒ 0.6
• Damage volume size(start/end) adjusted to better match spread 0.45, 0.45 ⇒ 0.15, 0.75

Updates

• Players will now be sent to the Main Menu, with a message explaining what happened, when another player logs in to the same account and enters the Lobby.

Bug Fixes

Echo VR (General)

• Fixed an issue with Free Cam in 2D spectator where the D-Pad strafing controls were inconsistently weighted
• Fixed an issue where alternating between POV and Follow cameras in 2D Spectator would switch to a different player
• Fixed an issue where players would receive an incorrect error message when attempting to join a full server

Echo Arena

• Adjustments were made to some color tints to help differentiate players on the opposing team
• Fixed an issue where 3D Spectators did not see the Disc tracking UI
• Fixed an issue where the ambient disc SFX could be heard by a 2D spectator regardless of their relation to it

Echo Combat

• Adjustments were made to level camera placement for 2D spectator on Fission
• Fixed an issue where 2D Spectators could not see or hear the Detonator when it exploded
• Fixed an issue where 2D Spectators could not see player outlines when behind level geometry
• Fixed some audio issues with the Arc Mine’s “arming” sound effects
• Fixed an issue where Arc Mine’s range bubble would sometimes appear for enemy players for a Private Payload match
• Fixed an issue where the Arc Mine tracking UI would carry over from a match into the lobby
• Fixed an issue where a deployed Arc Mine would remain in the map for a player that switched teams in a private match
• Fixed an issue where repeatedly swapping weapons would lead to lingering sound effects
• Fixed an issue where a Private Payload match would not progress to a tie breaker round
• Fixed an issue where the celebration room would not fully load in for a Private Payload match
• Fixed an issue where the Payload wouldn’t move when a 5th allied player would hold on to it
• Fixed miscellaneous graphical issues for Dyson
• Fixed an issue that would cause player stats to accumulate during Scrimmage mode