Major Vehicle & Multiplayer Update + New Double Barrel Shotgun

Developer Notes

Vehicles receive a major overhaul with new two-handed steering, gear shifting, revised throttle inputs, improved handling, enhanced haptics, and better engine audio for an overall more intuitive driving experience.

The new Double Barrel Shotgun is now finished with fully interactive break-action barrel. This is accompanied by an additional way to reload ammo in all guns from the Vest.

Alongside these additions, this update includes extensive improvements to multiplayer networking and performance, and overall system cleanup.

On another note, in regard to the ongoing development of the game, I post daily development updates on Patreon where I share what I'm working on and the progress I'm making on Alien Dawn for anyone that wants to follow along.

I'd also really love to hear from you about how things go with this new update, especially if you get a group together to play online!

Alien Dawn Discord: https://discord.com/invite/2DJ9tebEUP

Vehicles

Added

• Added 2-Handed Vehicle Steering
• Added increased friction when driving on Asphalt
• Added more details to Vehicle Haptics
• Added Re-Zero Seating Location Input in VR

Fixed

• Fixed Physical Hands enabling and jittering while driving
• Fixed Client not going to Third Person when entering a Vehicle on Desktop
• Fixed Items Spawning from NPCs and repeatedly colliding with Vehicles while driving

Revised

• Revised Vehicle Engine Audio to respond to Throttle Input combined with Gears
• Revised Vehicle Screen Display graphics
• Revised NPC behavior when hit and launched by Vehicles

Weapons, Reloading & Equipment

Added

• Finished the new Double Barrel Shotgun
• Added new physical interactions for the break-action mechanism
• Added new Inventory Slot Type
• Added Desktop Inventory Icon
• Added to First Play Map

Added new Double Barrel Shotgun Sound FX

• Insert
• Eject
• Open
• Close
• Fire 1–3

Added Reload of multiple Shells in one Reload on Desktop

Fixed

• Fixed Pistol Mags ejecting properly on VR Client
• Fixed SuperShotgun loading on VR Client
• Fixed Flare Gun Shell loading
• Fixed Grenade Launcher Shell loading
• Fixed bug where you could Grip Mag when Mag was not attached

Revised

• Revised collision on Double Barrel Shotgun
• Revised how Multi "Mag" Slot Guns work
• Revised Desktop Reloading

NPCs & AI

Added

• Improved AI Navigation Mesh at Radio Tower
• Revised Zombie LOD distances for higher quality

Fixed

• Fixed NPC Proxy Actors not fading out on Client
• Fixed NPCs spawning without an AI Controller
• Fixed NPC Proxy Actors not spawning the real NPC correctly
• Fixed NPCs spawning with incorrect default settings when streamed in from Proxy
• Fixed NPC animations being paused

Revised

• Revised how the NPC Streaming Pool loads NPCs
• Revised how NPCs are killed and launched when hit by Vehicles
• Revised Client-side NPC Bullet Hit Detection
• Removed outdated NPC Functions

World & Interaction

Added

• Added Crouching Height Offset setting
• Added complex collision to Alpha Base Sliding Door

Fixed

• Fixed collision on RV blocking Players' Hands from Door Handle
• Fixed angular swing limit of Furnace Door
• Fixed Sliding Doors on Client
• Fixed some Items not highlighting properly
• Fixed ISM Scatter Blueprint spawning warning

Revised

• Increased complexity of large Rock Collision so Characters don't float above them
• Shortened distance for Inventory Slots to highlight and activate from Hands

Multiplayer & Networking

Added

• Added additional Network Optimizations through Config Files and Console Commands

Fixed

• Fixed Radio Exfil called by Client VR not working

Revised

• Revised Vehicle Seating Replication in VR
• Revised Mag Gripping from Vest and Backpack Replication

Optimized

• Optimized Physics Actors Replication
• Optimized additional Vehicle and Network systems