Hey everyone.
So I know many of you are eager to see what 1.16 has in store. I know it has taken a very long time for this update to come out. There are some things I would like to discuss just to clear up some confusion as to why the update has taken so long, in addition to what to expect in the update.
First of all, 1.16 is by far going to be the biggest update the game has received. We are planning on adding a multitude of new content and features. All of this takes a significant amount of time to put together, build, and code. The damage system has been entirely revamped to be a lot more realistic and in depth. Because of this, every single item in the entire map has had to be refurbished and replaced. In addition, significant work has been done to the map it’s self, not only by adding more varying levels of terrain and lakes, but also by expanding the area of the map it’s self. Currently, the map is 20 x 20 baseplates, or 400 total. In 1.16, the map will be 25 x 25 baseplates, 625 total. I would love to make the map even bigger, however I’m unsure of how to do so without suffering performance issues (the game is unable to utilize things like streamingEnabled or a custom chunk loading system, as it would interfere with other components of the game). The map will also feature a good amount of entirely new content, like trees and shrubs, as well as new structures, powerlines and other unique items. Another huge feature coming to the game in 1.16 is unique chaser vehicles and equipment. This includes but is not limited to intercept vehicles, probes, and camera equipment. As is the case with most aspects of this game, we want to make sure we are thorough with the incorporation of these items into the game. We plan on giving the intercept vehicles a unique interface that allows players to selectively engage the hydraulics and anchoring mechanisms. Probes will be able to record windspeeds and possibly other variables in future updates, and some probes will be equipped with cameras that will allow the player to view a live feed of the probe at any time once it has been deployed and activated. Also planned are the following:
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Addition of the SKYWARN gamepass, which will allow players to report different phenomenon (funnel clouds, tornadoes, wind, hail, etc.) and have their report show up on the radar at the location it was reported at.
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Addition of the chainsaw gamepass, allows players to cut up fallen trees to clear roadways.
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Significant overhauls to lightning, powerflashes, and other environmental components.
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And much, much more less intensive but still important bug fixes and additions to the game.
As stated previously, this will all take a significant amount of time to incorporate into the game. I do apologize for the length of time it has taken, but Siryzm and I can not afford to work on this game non-stop. We have our own lives to tend to in addition to working on other projects. I am unable to give a time frame for when the update will be released as of right now, but it will be worth the wait. Thanks for your patience and understanding.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to ask them on the group wall, I’ll try to respond to what I can.