Game Update 0.131 – Multiplayer synchronization overhaul

Greetings dinosaur hunters! This update focuses heavily on multiplayer performance and synchronization. We have reworked significant parts of the networking behind players, dinosaurs, vehicles and other synchronized objects to make movement and behaviour more consistent between players, including in sessions with higher latency. Alongside the networking work, the update includes improvements to vehicles, dinosaur scaling, dinosaur ragdolls and gameplay fixes.

Multiplayer & synchronization

• Major rework of player movement synchronization for smoother and more consistent multiplayer movement
• Major rework of vehicle and SUP board movement synchronization for smoother and more consistent multiplayer movement
• Improved dinosaur synchronization when network updates arrive out of order
• Improved dinosaur movement prediction during temporary network delays
• Improved synchronization prioritization between client players and the host
• Optimized synchronization of stationary vehicles and SUP boards to reduce network traffic
• Improved vehicle engine RPM synchronization for more consistent audio
• Improved multiplayer behaviour under varying latency conditions

Vehicles

• Vehicles now apply slight braking while idling to reduce unwanted rolling down slopes
• Exiting a vehicle now checks that there is enough free space for the player, helping prevent players from appearing inside rocks or below the terrain
• Improved overall vehicle movement consistency in multiplayer
• Satellite phone fast travel can now be used after discovering at least one destination
• The helicopter can no longer be called when no valid satellite phone destinations have been discovered
• Increased player visibility when inside a car

Dinosaur Scaling

• Dinosaurs are now scaled according to their weight, making rarer and heavier dinosaurs easier to identify

• Dinosaur sizes are now more consistently related to their real-world counterparts, while remaining larger where appropriate for gameplay and lore purposes

Dinosaur Ragdolls

• Dinosaur ragdolls now preserve momentum from death animations, making transitions into ragdolls more natural
• Added more death animations to dinosaurs

Missions & Contracts

• Added 3 new missions for the early game. 1 in Moreau and 2 in Tenebris.
• Increased contract currency rewards by 50%.

Gameplay & World

• Server settings are now retained when rehosting a game
• Custom maps now more clearly indicate that they cannot be used for challenges
• Improved Diplodocus hit areas
• Improved Spinosaurus hit areas
• Improved Spinosaurus and Sarcosuchus positioning logic while swimming
• Spinosaurus and Sarcosuchus now have attack animations while in water
• Fixed a large rock on Moreau disappearing from certain viewing angles
• Added missing collision to pipes on Tenebris
• Various grass colour adjustments
• Added a notification when attempting to use scope zeroing without the required skill unlocked

Other Improvements & Fixes

• Fixed sound configuration issues affecting Utahraptor and Dilophosaurus
• Improved handling of invalid dinosaur sound configurations
• Various multiplayer stability, synchronization and optimization improvements

Thank you to everyone who has been playing and sending us feedback. We will continue improving multiplayer synchronization and the overall hunting experience based on what we see and hear from the community. Good hunting!