Hello everyone!

We have just released patch 1.14.5 to address an issue where some users were seeing a gray box that would block the main menu. The patch is available now, and should download to your devices automatically.

Today we've released a small patch (version 1.14.4) to address some backend changes that will help us prepare for the big update we revealed in the Sitrep below. The patch is available for download now, and should download to your device automatically.

We are also updating our Privacy Policy, and consolidating our End User License Agreement, Custom Content Agreement, and Software License Agreement into a single new EULA. We recommend you review the updated End User License Agreement[onwardthegame.com] and Privacy Policy[www.meta.com] that will take effect on October 10, 2024 for new users and on December 10, 2024 for existing users (who downloaded Onward prior to October 10, 2024).

It’s been awhile Onward Community,

We heard you have been missing our monthly updates. I am happy to finally be able to provide you with some long awaited updates on what we are working on. Strap in and get ready because this is going to be exciting.

I bet your first questions are “Why the silence?” and “What is taking so long?”. The answer is simply, there was A LOT of backend work and artwork that needed to be done. Additionally, there is a good amount of prep work to do when gearing up for OUR BIGGEST UPDATE to date! Especially with the expectation that it will be released in the first half of next year.

We are thrilled that we have now moved to a part of the development process where we have some of the work put together that we are able to show off to you. We won’t be divulging all the information at once, so make sure you look for our future publications.

We are talking brand new, higher fidelity models, textures and interactions for 40+ Primary Weapons, 10+ Secondary Weapons, and 65+ Weapon Attachments. That amounts to over 115 objects. And that’s just what is currently in the game. We are going to show you examples of two of the updated weapons today.

You can see how big an upgrade it is in the images below of the M1014, L86A2, and MRS. The difference that has been achieved is really impressive when you compare the previous and new looks side by side. In the Devs’ Desk we go over what is required for this to be achieved.

The visual overhaul applies the same updates to both Quest & PC versions.
M1014[onwardthegame.com]
L86A2_LSW[onwardthegame.com]
MRS[onwardthegame.com]

This visual overhaul is much more involved than some people might think. Our process is not simply adjusting some resolution settings and adding some improved lighting techniques. To give you an idea of what exactly is involved, we have listed out some of the steps it takes to complete just one item.

Modeling:
Create a new high-poly model to ensure authenticity and accuracy in scale, with enhanced attention to detail and realism.

Texturing:
Develop detailed textures and materials that respond more realistically to lighting, improving the visual quality.

Material Adjustments:
Fine-tune in-game materials to achieve optimal realism under various lighting conditions.

Art Review:
Review and adjust the artwork as needed, ensuring that it meets the visual and quality standards.

Integration:
Apply the approved art to the game and define all interactions and behaviors, with corresponding updates to the code.

Quality Assurance (QA):
Conduct thorough testing to ensure the new models function as expected and look great in-game.

Final Adjustments:
Make any necessary adjustments and corrections based on feedback from QA to ensure the best possible result.

These steps also don’t account for any time needed for bug fixes or back-end work needed on other systems these items interact with.

In order for us to keep moving forward on some of this work and other work we have in the pipeline, we will be releasing a patch for the game in the next week or so.

This upcoming patch will be exactly like Patch 1.14.3, a backend update that will not affect anything that is player facing. It is additional tool(s) & foundation work for future development features to be implemented.

It can be confusing to see an update queued and not see anything new or updated to the game, please know it should not affect your gameplay in any way.

We are excited that we are far enough along to be able to provide you with a sneak peak into the hard work that has been done so far. We are looking forward to showing off even more as things continue to develop and more work is completed.


While the team is deep into development work on upcoming features, we are continuing to review and approve community Custom Map submissions. If you are interested in adding your own environmental content, join our Discord[discord.gg]!

There you can review the custom map makers guide we have provided on how to get started in the process. You can also meet other custom map makers who are happy to help new and returning creators. There is even a group who host custom map contests, if winning the coveted purple pen is something that you want to strive for. Having your work go into the game and enjoyed by the community can also be a rewarding experience.



We will be hard at work and continuing to make progress on these and other features that we will share in the future.


Be on the lookout for more

Hello Onward Community,

Please forgive us for the radio silence lately. After we released Patch 1.14.3 we jumped right back into the trenches to work on the next update. We were happy to hear that the patch was able to resolve several issues you were experiencing. After the release of 1.14.2 the team devoted a huge effort into starting work on various areas of the game. This made it difficult to update areas of the game while that work was unfinished. We were thrilled that we were able to work around some of those things and get that patch out to you. Especially with all the work we have currently, which we will go over next in the Devs Desk.

Simply put, we have A LOT to do. We are touching a lot of different areas of the game. Front-end, back-end, assets, mechanics, & more. With the size of our team people are wearing multiple hats, and it’s going to take quite a bit of time to get these items ready. All of these systems are connected to each other and sometimes working on them doesn’t provide us a lot to show off in the earlier stages.

We know it’s not the exact news you wanted to hear, but we wanted to provide you with a reason for why things have been so quiet. We will likely remain quiet for the next few months with our heads down trying to get as much done as possible.

We are excited to show you what’s next! As the features develop into more shareable states, we will be happy to show them off to you.




Stationed in the Mess Hall

Hello everyone!

We’ve just released a minor patch, version 1.14.3, for Onward, that brings compatibility with a small but important upcoming change to the backend systems.

While you may not notice any changes in-game, this patch will ensure a smooth experience as we continue to develop the game.

Stay sharp!

Hello Onward Community,

We have just released patch 1.14.2 to address a number of issues that have been affecting gameplay for many of you. This includes fixes for various exploits, gameplay states, and maps. Details can be found in the change log.

The hotfix is available for download now on all platforms.

Change Log

• Fixed an issue that allowed two players to assume the Corpsman role in the same fireteam, leaving another fireteam without Corpsmen.
  
• Fixed an exploit that allowed players to become effectively invisible after using the syringe.
  
• Fixed two exploits that allowed players to clip through assets and reach out-of-bounds areas.
  
• Fixed an issue on Cargo that would prevent players from extracting with the helicopter in Mercenary Mode
  
• Fixed an issue in Gun Game where a random player would progress in the game when another player uses the “give up” button
  
• Fixed an issue on Quarantine where players would suddenly die as they hit a kill box when extracting with the helicopter
  
• Fixed an issue in Assault where the “Return to Battle” message would remain visible after a player was killed due to being out of bounds, and then respawned
  
• Fixed colliders and LOD issues on Bazaar
  
• Fixed several instances where a player could get themselves stuck on various maps

Hello Onward Community,

We hope everyone is continuing to enjoy Mercenary Mode. We were very excited for everyone to try it out and see the reactions to the new style of gameplay. However excited we were, our original intention was not to have the game mode fill every filter on the server browser. Thank you for reaching out to us quickly to let us know this was happening. We worked hard to address it quickly and released Hotfix 1.14.1 to resolve this.

Shortly after the release of 1.14 we were informed of some major bugs, such as a new invisibility glitch, that were being used by players to exploit and disrupt games. We tried very hard to get a hotfix out to address this, however, when looking more into it we decided that we wanted to fix some additional bugs and issues that the community has been encountering. In the meantime, you are encouraged to use the in-game functionalities to report players if they are using exploits like these and we also encourage you to use the vote kick player system so they don’t continue to disrupt your games. In the Community Center we go over best practices for reporting players and steps for how to deal with unwanted players.

This month in the Dev’s Desk we’ll be revealing the information about what will be included for the next patch.

After the launch of Update 1.14 we were made aware of some critical issues that we wanted to address quickly. As we started to look into the exploits, we decided that there were a few more things we wanted to make improvements on and additional fixes for as well. Based on the amount of things to include and the time it would take to complete some of the items, this will not be considered a hotfix and will be released as Patch 1.14.2.

Typically before an update launches a portion of the team is already working on the next things for Onward. Due to how much work is needed for the next update, it took a bit more time for some team members to shift tasks and start to work on some of the fixes that we wanted to include in this patch. We understand that the community has been asking frequently for some of these fixes and we are happy to be getting this out to them.

Patch 1.14.2 will include these featured fixes:

• Fix for “Invisibility” exploit
  
• Fixed various locations throughout maps where players were exploiting to get into unintended areas
  
• Fix for issues players are experiencing when reaching out of bounds areas
  
• Fix on Cargo in Mercenary Mode where players were unable to extract
  
• Added some Server Filter improvements
  
• Fix for issue in Firefight where two players were assigned as the Medic
  
• Various Collision & LOD fixes on maps

We are working on wrapping up the final parts of the patch and hope to have it out to you soon.

Onward can be played in a variety of different ways. Players range from hard core PVP players, jumping in with a buddy for some rounds of Co-Op, to spending time practicing skills on the shooting range. Players have also developed other ways to enjoy the mechanics that Onward has developed in areas like Free Roam. We want to ensure that people are able to play in these modes and enjoy their time in the game.

Sometimes people don’t play the same way or may join and not understand the rules of the mode. We want to encourage players to resort to communication first rather than retaliation. If efforts are made to communicate to a player about their behavior and they go unchanged, please report the player using the in-game reporting tool and then start the vote kick process to have them removed from the lobby.

For major offenses that do not follow our community guidelines or break the terms of services (such as racist/hateful language, hacking/exploiting, pattern of harassment) submit a report to our support team.

• Capture a video or image of the violation that includes the player name
  
• Email the video to customer support - dpisupport@meta.com

If video files are too large you can send a link to a google drive location or upload it to YouTube as “unlisted” and send the video link in your email.

For a player to be removed from the lobby someone needs to start the vote kick process and at least half the lobby needs to agree to have them removed by also clicking on the “Kick” button. To start the process, click on the player's name on the scoreboard and choose “Kick” from the options. This will bring up a kick button that is visible to other players in the lobby. Communicate to the other players in the lobby that you have started a vote kick and why you want the player removed to encourage a quicker response from other players in the lobby.

We want to ensure everyone is able to enjoy their time in Onward and get the most out of their play sessions.


Locked and Loaded

Hello Onward Community,

We have just released hotfix 1.14.1 to address an issue where Mercenary Mode servers weren't being filtered properly in the server browser. The hotfix is available for download now on all platforms.

• Fixed Mercenary Mode servers populating the server browser even when co-op modes were not selected in the filters
  
• Updated the description of the co-op filter in the server browser to clarify co-op includes Mercenary Mode

Future Mercenaries,

Are you ready to pick up your contract? Before you head out, check out all the features and fixes that have been included in this update.

In the previous Sitreps we focused a lot on providing details about Mercenary Mode. We also showed you new images of the updated bazaar on our social channels. There are more features and updates that we haven’t mentioned yet. We will be highlighting some of the major ones below. For the detailed list of changes and fixes check the Change Log.

We continued our efforts to enhance our existing maps. Bazaar is a fan favorite for a lot of reasons. We wanted to take the things that people love about Bazaar and enhance them. Not only did the graphics get improved throughout, we also made improvements to layouts for cover and how you approach objectives. Additionally, the overall ambience has been improved. The addition of props & signage, lighting updates, and enhanced environmental audio help you feel more immersed in the environment.

Comparison Shots of Bazaar from v.1.13.1 and now in v.1.14*
*Images taken on Quest 3, can be found on our website (https://onwardthegame.com/devblog.html).


Mercenary Mode is now available. You can access this mode in the Multiplayer or Single player section of the main menu. This mode is a completely new way to play PVE in Onward. You start in the new Hideout location, you choose the mission you will go on, you pick your rewards, then you move on to the next mission. The choices you make throughout the contract are extremely important. They will end up affecting how well you score and ultimately, if you win or fail. There are two different types of contracts, Standard or Endless.
Standard = 5 Missions + Final (6 Missions Total)
Endless = 5 Missions + Final + More (keep getting new missions until you fail)

This new game mode also offers some new unique interactions when fulfilling objectives. For instance, if you are on a sabotage mission and you get too close to the signal jammer it will lock up your tablets and cut off radio communications.

The bots also have been improved and are not to be taken lightly. You will need to have a plan, tactical approach, and consistent communication throughout the missions in order to be successful.

There are two global scoreboards (one for Standard and one for Endless) that can be viewed when in The Hideout. At the end of each mission you will be given a ranking and score. Scores are based on your and your team's performance during each mission. They are determined by a combination of Survival Rating, Time, Objective completion, and Enemy Kills. Like our other global scoreboards, these will reset on Midnight (PT) Wednesday Mornings. More detailed information about Mercenary Mode can be found in our February Sitrep.

Do you have what it takes to complete the contract?
Are you skilled enough to make it on the scoreboard?

After the improvements that the AI went through in update 1.13, we wanted to continue to make

• improvements to them. These updates should help them become more challenging and also bring new dynamics when fighting against them.
  
• Added an automatic rifleman class for bots
  
• Bots may now flashbang before moving through doorways
  
• Improved the bots' ability to go around corners
  
• Improved bot defensive behaviors

The new bot class and behaviors have been added to all Co-Op modes (Hunt, Evac, & Mercenary)

Mercenary mode added new objectives into the game, 5 to be exact. This gave us an opportunity to design an enhanced way for players to understand what intel was available to them during their missions. During development it was decided that we would create updated tablet icons so the players could easily see which objective they were trying to complete for the mission and how to locate it.

The icons are larger and more distinguishable to the objective type. Another one of the big improvements is they now also indicate elevation. This means the icons will be able to indicate if the objective is above, below, or on the same level of your current location.

When testing the new icons and functionality, it quickly became apparent how beneficial these new icons were to gameplay. For that reason, we have updated the objective icons throughout the game. The updated tablet icons have been applied to the following modes:

• Co-Op Hunt
  
• Co-Op Evac
  
• Uplink
  
• Assault
  
• Fire Fight

There is a lot to discover with the new game mode. In addition to all the work that was put into Mercenary Mode and the features that it uses (such as AI and Icons) the team worked on loads of bug fixes and other improvements throughout the game. Details can be read below for all the changes that went into Update 1.14.

• Improved the performance of the licenses screen
  
• Fixed an issue where a player couldn't start a server after having previously lost connection to the internet during a previous attempt to start a server
  
• Fixed an issue where a host was unable to select a map after being made host during a map transition
  
• Fixed an error message popping up when attempting to start a server with a custom map that requires an update
  
• Fixed an issue where the Center Marker setting fails to take effect when players modify the setting from within the tent
  
• Fixed all servers briefly showing as 'closed' in the server browser when a player is joining a server
  
• Fixed map vote options being restricted to custom maps only after changing a lobby from Private to Public
  
• Fixed an issue that would prevent players from joining a public server if that server had previously been private
  
• Fixed a permanent hang that would occur if players first tried to join a full lobby, and then entered the tutorial
  
• Fixed an issue where a lobby host could not reselect custom maps in certain cases
  
• Fixed several issues that caused weapons to jitter when players use the Virtual Gun Stock setting
  
• Fixed players experiencing an input offset in the main menu and tent after changing the desktop mirror screen size on PC
  
• Removed the option to invite PC players to private lobbies as this functionality was causing unintended behaviors. It has been updated to be consistent across all platforms
  
• Fixed the caster instructions disappearing after loading in as an observer on PC
  
• Fixed caster mode lacking character model highlights, bullet impact events and first person smoke visuals on PC

• Updated objective icons for the tablet and added elevation indicators
  
• Fixed the Volk scoreboard being visible in Coop matches
  
• Updated several descriptions in various menus and the tutorial that showed outdated or incorrect information
  
• Fixed the timeout button being visible in the tent between rounds in competitive lobbies
  
• Fixed the grenades selection being retained on the UI when setting progression to 'Fixed Decreasing' throughout Gun Game
  
• Fixed an issue where the FOB didn't have the correct art displayed during a map vote
  
• Fixed the incorrect Uplink icon being used in the tutorial
  
• Fixed turning instructions not appearing in the tutorial if a player has smooth turning enabled
  
• Fixed the 'Gunstock Calibration Settings' button being overlapped by the loadout list in certain circumstances
  
• Fixed the 'Calibrate Gunstock' button does not shifting to the other side of the screen when gripping the tablet with the right hand
  
• Gameplay
  
• Fixed an issue that caused the reason for failing an evac mission was not being displayed
  
• Fixed players being able to exceed team capacity by grabbing helmets at the same time
  
• Fixed an issue where a player would become unable to interact with objects after detonating a C4 explosive during spawn-in
  
• Fixed an issue where a fallen teammate would not show up on the tablet
  
• Fixed users being able to move at a time where they shouldn't be able to in the tutorial, after they injected themself with the syringe

Co-Op

• Bots can now flashbang doorways
  
• Improved the bots' ability to go around corners
  
• Improved bot defensive behaviors
  
• Added an automatic rifleman class for bots
  
• Fixed bots not reacting consistently to players who repeatedly grabbed and let go of the ballistic shield
  
• Fixed bot movement animations being odd in different ways if bots were traveling short distances
  
• Fixed players clipping through the exfil helicopter as it flies away
  
• Fixed bots not animating for non-host players when throwing a grenade
  
• Fixed bots dropping pistols with invisible magazines
  
• Fixed a crash on Egress related to picking up a weapon that had been dropped by a bot
  
• Fixed the TT-30 and Five-Seven not being used for AI side arms
  
• Fixed bot footstep sounds being absent if a player wasn't looking at them

Core Modes

• Fixed an issue where a player could successfully complete a Fire Fight mission even if they had dropped the hard drive prior to boarding the helicopter
  
• Fixed an issue where players would get stuck in the Tent after being defibrillated by one user and then killed by another during Fire Fight matches
  
• Fixed the hard drive being able to fall through the helicopter ramp in Fire Fight
  
• Fixed issues that occur when placing a hard drive in an elevator in Fire Fight
  
• Fixed the hard drive lacking sound effects when being dropped
  
• Fixed an issue where a player would get stuck on a black screen if they spawned in as the uplink was being sent in Assault
  
• Fixed an issue that caused the tablet code to not change after a round of Uplink was reset

• Fixed the skybox remaining visible when players are blinded by flashlights during ongoing Spec Ops matches on Night maps
  
• Fixed performance issues in various maps and in the tutorial
  
• Fixed several instances where players would get killed by an over enthusiastic anti-exploit measure on Turbine, Bazaar, FOB Bassett and Downfall maps
  
• Fixed several instances where a player could get stuck on FOB Basset or during the tutorial
  
• Fixed several buildings appearing too bright on Quarantine Day
  
• Fixed multiple instances of LOD-popping on Cargo
  
• Fixed two instances of air drones being able to fly into unintended areas on Bazaar
  
• Fixed several collider issues in Bazaar
  
• Fixed a culling issue in Bazaar
  
• Fixed the Standing Dual Floodlight bulbs at the basketball courtyard appearing to be turned off, even though the light was on
  
• Fixed an issue in Abandoned that would cause players to always spawn in the same location
  
• Fixed several missing colliders on FOB Bassett
  
• Fixed inconsistent lighting in certain places on Cargo and FOB Bassett
  
• Fixed gunshot sound effects not being differentiated between indoor and outdoor areas in Bazaar
  
• Fixed a set of power panels lacking collision in Bazaar
  
• Fixed inconsistent bullet decals on Bazaar
  
• Improved shading and lighting in Bazaar
  
• Fixes z-fighting on the awnings in Bazaar
  
• Fixed brick wall textures changing as the player moves around them in Bazaar
  
• Fixed floating power lines in Bazaar
  
• Fixed the skybox being overly bright on Shooting Range night on Quest
  
• Fixed the flashlight not illuminating when pointed at the ground in Downfall
  
• Fixed culling issues in Abandoned
  
• Fixed an inconsistency in lighting for the weapons cases on Bazaar
  
• Fixed the loading screen for Cargo Night using assets for Cargo Day
  
• Fixed culling issues on Abandoned
  
• Fixed the ammo box spawning outside of a player's reach in FOB Bassett

• Changed the flashbang effect so that it produces a dark red visual effect instead of a white one
  
• Fixed a performance issue that caused a momentary frame drop when NVG was enabled for the first time
  
• Fixed a performance issue that caused a momentary frame drop when picking up a weapon with an active flashlight, or when activating a flashlight for the first time
  
• Fixed smoke plumes not appearing to a player who is observing another player in the tent
  
• Fixed intense reflections being visible when looking at chem lights or scopes
  
• Fixed the Night vision goggles appearing black in loadout and gameplay
  
• Fixed players being unable to lock the bolt on the G3A3 and MP5 if that weapon had previously been dropped by another player
  
• Fixed several instances of Night Vision Goggles not properly illuminating dark areas in various maps
  
• Fixed shields being pre-gripped in the non-dominant hand when users choose to spawn with the 'Hold To Grip' setting disabled
  
• Fixed flashlights appearing to be turned off if a player joined mid-way through a match

• Rarely, Mercenary sub-modes can become desynced across users when a user joins an active session. Once you start a new lobby this should be resolved.
  
• Players can sometimes experience inconsistent drops in performance in very populated servers on Bazaar
  
• Some players can become stuck in a black screen when the host is transferred to a player who quit the app when in hideout. Starting a new lobby should resolve this.
  
• Some Oculus PC players can experience black screen flickering with NVG on during gameplay.