Patch Notes - 1.4.85 - 18-OCT-2016

by Alexander Garden in [ Patch Notes ] on, Oct 17, 2016 10:00 PM UTC 212  comments


Upcoming Patch - Tuesday October 18th @ 10AM - 1PM PDT
Patch Number: 1.4.85.0
Standalone Client Patch Size: ~1.2 GB
Steam Client Patch Size: ~900MB
Please note that due to compression differences the Steam patch size may be larger than the standalone client patch size.

Quick Links
• Huntsman
• Terra Therma Update
• 2016 Customer Appreciation 'Mechs
• New Cockpit Items, Titles, and Badges
• Decals
• Optimizations
• Gameplay
• 'Mech Pattern Retrofits
• Other Fixes and Changes
• Patch Files (Direct Download)

Greetings MechWarriors,

The Huntsman has arrived, and is now en-route to the MechBays of eligible MechWarriors. While the Huntsman traveled a circuitous route to creation, it has amply filled the original vision that inspired its design. Its excellent balance of speed, armor, and firepower has made the Huntsman a highly-regarded and extremely potent Medium OmniMech, prized for its flexibility against a wide range of opponents and battlefield conditions.

Terra Therma is the latest map to undergo a design and beautification pass. The changes to Terra Therma are significant; while the name remains, Terra Therma is almost entirely a new map and experience. 

The content featured as part of the 2016 Appreciation Program is releasing in this patch to all eligible MechWarriors! We greatly appreciate your support over the last year, and we very much hope you'll enjoy this bonus content. 

The Art team continues their work on Pattern retrofits for the remaining 'Mechs without full Pattern Support. In this patch all variants of the Blackjack, Firestarter, Highlander, JagerMech, Quickdraw, and Victor 'Mechs now have full Pattern support.

Rounding out the patch we have a comprehensive optimization pass for connecting, loading, and performing actions within MechLab, an array of new Cockpit Items for purchase, a set of 23 new Decals with which to customize your 'Mechs, and much more.

As a final note, when compared against our previous patches over the last year this October patch features relatively fewer fixes and changes for 'Mechs and Maps. For these patch notes we have opted to collect the majority of fixes and changes into the single 'Other Fixes and Changes' section.
Looking ahead to December the team continues to work on bringing you the long-awaited revamp of the Assault Game Mode, a brand new Quick Play game mode, new features for Faction Play, a ground-up rework of the Skill Tree system, and more. We look forward to revealing more about these and other items at Mech_Con on December 3rd!

Read on for all the details of this October patch, and we'll see you on the battlefield!

- The MechWarrior Team






Huntsman (Clan Medium)

While the Huntsman traveled a circuitous route to creation, it has amply filled the original vision that inspired its design. Its excellent balance of speed, armor, and firepower has made the Huntsman a highly-regarded and extremely potent Medium OmniMech, prized for its flexibility against a wide range of opponents and battlefield conditions.

Release Date for MC: January 3rd 2017
Release Date for C-Bills: February 7th 2017

Huntsman Module Slots (all variants)

• 'Mech Module Slot(s): 1
• Weapon Module Slot(s): 2
• Consumable Slot(s): 2
• 'Mech/Weapon Slot(s): 1 (only available after unlocking that variant's Mastery Skill tier)

Huntsman Variants

HMN-Prime [S]
The HMN-Prime [S] is a Special version of the HMN-Prime, featuring a unique Pattern and a 30% boost to C-Bill earnings. The HMN-Prime [S] is only available through the Collector Huntsman Pack, and will not be made available for purchase in-game.

HMN-Prime
The HMN-Prime is the standard version of the HMN-Prime [S]. It does not possess the 30% C-Bill boost or the unique Pattern of its [S] counterpart. Until its release date for in-game purchase the standard HMN-Prime is only available through the Standard Huntsman Pack.

HMN-A
Until its release date for in-game purchase the HMN-A is only available through the Standard or Collector Huntsman Pack.

HMN-B
Until its release date for in-game purchase the HMN-B is only available through the Standard or Collector Huntsman Pack.

HMN-C (Reinforcements Add-On)
Until its release date for in-game purchase the HMN-C is only available as a Reinforcement Add-On to an existing Standard or Collector Huntsman Pack.

HMN-P (Reinforcements Add-On)
Until its release date for in-game purchase the HMN-P is only available as a Reinforcement Add-On to an existing Standard or Collector Huntsman Pack.

HMN-PA "Pakhet" (Hero Add-On)
The HMN-PA is the Hero variant of the Huntsman, featuring a unique Hero Pattern and a 30% boost to C-Bill earnings. Until its release date for in-game purchase the HMN-PA is only available as a Hero Add-On to an existing Standard or Collector Huntsman Pack.








Check out the WebM video below for a look at the new layout and environmental features of Terra Therma.

You can also check out the Sneak Peek video from NGNG for a more detailed fly-through and view of the new Terra Therma.

As the last of the 'original' maps to undergo a modernization and update pass, Terra Therma has fittingly undergone a complete redesign at nearly every level. Therma has always been one of the more divisive maps in MechWarrior Online; while the elevated heat levels alone are a deterrent for some, the previous layout and design of the map, with its single, centrally-located caldera, weren't conducive to promoting a diversity of gameplay options. Our primary focus of this redux was to address the most common complaints and issues with the previous Terra Therma, and the result of these changes has transformed Terra Therma into an entirely new map.

The central area of the map, previously home to the relatively high-elevation caldera in the original map, is no longer the focal point of Terra Therma; there are now four primary areas of engagement in which players will be likely to meet in combat. These areas are spread throughout Terra Therma, with clearly defined pathways, landmarks, and cover to help guide the action and provide players with multiple opportunities for their approach.

Terrain
• New textures
• New geometry
• Out-of-bounds lava sea

Breakables
• Rock spires
• Gates and fences
• Lava crust
• Walkway lights

 Other Additions
• An array of effects and map features, such as fire twisters, ashes and embers, sporadic volcanic rock ejecta, and lava formations
• Dynamic lighting cycle
• New ambient audio for various regions of the map






The 'Mechs and Reward items featured in the 2016 Appreciation Program are now available for eligible Pilots!

Active Player Reward Items
• 2,000,000 C-Bills, 1 MechBay, and 1 Cupcake Standing Item

MechWarrior Credits Reward 'Mech
• Blackjack BJ-2 w/ MechBay (Loadout and Quirk details)

Inner Sphere Reward 'Mech
• Cataphract CTF-3L w/ MechBay (Loadout and Quirk details)

Clan Reward 'Mech
• Hellbringer HBR-F w/ MechBay (Loadout and Quirk details)

Top-Tier Inner Sphere Reward 'Mech
• Stalker STK-3Fb w/ MechBay (Loadout and Quirk details)

Top-Tier Clan Reward 'Mechs
• Summoner SMN-F and Summoner SMN-M w/ MechBays (Loadout and Quirk details)

Ultimate Reward Items
• Atlas Head Standing Cockpit Item
• Kodiak Head Standing Cockpit Item
• Silver Gatling Warhorns

Standard, purchasable versions of the Atlas and Kodiak Head Standing Cockpit Items are also available with this patch.
Standard versions of the 'Mechs featured in the 2016 Appreciation Program (without the Loyalty Pattern and C-Bill boost) will be released for in-game purchase at a later date in 2017; the exact date of release for in-game purchase is yet to be determined.



This patch brings an array of new Cockpit Items from the Huntsman Pack, the 2016 Appreciation Program, and in celebration of Halloween.


Atlas Head (2016 Ultimate Reward): Not Purchasable


Kodiak Head (2016 Ultimate Reward): Not Purchasable


Silver Gatling Warhorn (2016 Ultimate Reward): Not Purchasable


Year 3 Cupcake (2016 Active Player Reward): Not Purchasable


Atlas Head: 750 MC


Kodiak Head: 750 MC


Nobori Standard Bearer (Huntsman Standing Item): 750 MC


Hunters Knife (Huntsman Hanging Item): 500 MC


Pyramid Warhorn (Huntsman Warhorn): 750 MC


Pakhet Idol (Huntsman Early Adopter Hanging Item): 750 MC


Zombie 'Mech (Halloween Standing Item): 750 MC


Jack-O'-Lantern (Halloween Warhorn): 750 MC




Huntsman Standard Pack (and Collector Pack)

"The Tracker"

Huntsman Collector Pack

"The Seeker"

These Titles and Badges are only available through their associated Huntsman Pack. The Collector Pack comes with both.




23 new Decals have been added in this patch, spread across the Basic (180 MC) and Special (500 MC) categories.

We know there have been a lot of player requests for specific Decals, such as numbers, letters, and various other Decal ideas. While October's patch is fairly light on new Decals, November's patch is planned to fulfill many popular requests!

Factions
• 4th Tau Ceti Rangers
• Eridani Light Horse
• Fighting Shamrocks
• Harlock's Warriors
• Khasparov's Knights
• Lexington Combat Group
• Lindon's Company
• Little Richard's Panzer Brigade
• Lone Star Regiment
• Narhal's Raiders
• Reed's Brew
• Rivaldi's Hussars
• Smithson's Chinese Bandits
• St. Cyr's Armored Grenadiers
• Storm's Metal Thunder
• Team Banzai
• The Filthy Lucre
• Tooth of Ymir
• Wilson's Hussars

Creatures
• Goat

Faces
• Samurai Face Mask 1
• Samurai Face Mask 2

Miscellaneous
• Executioner




The system that manages communication between the MechWarrior Online servers and your MechWarrior Online client has undergone an extensive technical overhaul in this patch.

These improvements follow in the steps of previous improvements to the system for Saving changes to your 'Mechs seen in the July 19 patch, and are similarly geared toward improving fundamental components of the MechLab. Additionally, these improvements should further help to improve connection times when returning to MechLab from a match or Testing Grounds session; an increase to those connection times came in with the improvements to Saving, and we have been working to bring them back to acceptable levels.

Every aspect of the MechLab that involves some action will see a reduction in the amount of time it takes for the client to process that action. For some scenarios the changes will be drastic; for others, much less noticeable. The degree to which you may perceive these improvements will also depend on personal factors such as your connection speed and the amount of content in your MWO account. That said, on average, we expect these various optimizations to be noticeable to a large portion of the active playerbase.
Under the previous system, purchasing a single 'Mech through the in-game store could take upward of 15 seconds to fully complete, even when running on a fast connection. With these optimizations in place, the same action under the same configuration now takes a second or two at most.

• Entering MechLab, both for the first time of the initial login, along with returning to it from a match or Testing Grounds session should be significantly faster.
• Purchase actions such as buying a Weapon, 'Mech, MechBay, or any other purchasable item should be much faster, with a reduced need for the 'Refreshing Data' process.
• Similar improvements should be seen with saving changes to a 'Mech and unlocking Supply Caches.

Known Bugs and Issues potentially addressed with these Optimizations:

MechLab: Fixed an issue where Disconnecting from an active Match could cause the visual In-Game flag to not be present on the 'Mech.
MechLab: Fixed an issue where an item that had been removed from a 'Mech could fail to appear back in the Warehouse Inventory until the client had been reloaded.
Private Lobby: Fixed an issue where the 'Searching' alert would sometimes not display for a player if they were attempting to purchase an item.
Skills: Fixed an issue where players could get stuck with the 'Unlocking' message.
Skills: Fixed an issue where 'Mechs could lose already unlocked Basic Tier Skills after being sold back.
Social Window: Fixed an issue where the Online Status for players in the Social Window could be incorrect.
Store: Fixed an issue where purchasing multiple 'Mechs in a row in could cause the client to be stuck at 'Refreshing Data'.
Unit Chat: Fixed an issue where players who are logging in would trigger a "Player has joined the Unit" text alert.
Unit Chat: Fixed an issue where the MOTD would not appear.

Many of the above issues have been long-standing, and for the most part have proven difficult to replicate in the past. For that reason the above issues are classed as potential fixes; if you see any re-occurrence of the above issues after installing the October patch, please get in touch with our Support services at technical@mwomercs.com.




Consumables: Fixed an issue where Consumables could be used after your 'Mech had been destroyed.
Faction Play (Scouting > Attackers): Fixed an issue where the DropShip could arrive when first starting the 10th Intel Capture, instead of waiting until the 10th Capture had completed.
Zoom: Fixed an issue where entering Zoom Level 1 could momentarily cause Zoom Level 2 to appear.
Zoom: Fixed an issue where quickly entering Zoom Level 2 could momentarily cause Zoom Level 1 to appear after reaching Zoom Level 2.

Quirk Changes

8 'Mechs are receiving changes to their UAC Jam Chance Quirks in this patch:

Dragon DRG-5N + DRG-5N [C]: UAC Jam Chance decreased to -40% (from -30%).
Enforcer ENF-5P: UAC Jam Chance increased to -20% (from -30%).
JagerMech JM6-DD: UAC Jam Chance increased to -20% (from -30%).
Mist Lynx MLX-D: UAC Jam Chance decreased to -40% (from -30%).
Nova NVA-B: UAC Jam Chance increased to -20% (from -30%).
Shadowhawk SHD-5M: UAC Jam Chance increased to -20% (30%).
Warhawk WHK-A: UAC Jam Chance increased to -20% (from -30%).
Wolverine WVR-7D + WVR-7D [L]: UAC Jam Chance decreased to -40% (from -30%).




Blackjack (all variants): Can now equip all Inner Sphere Faction Camo Patterns.
Blackjack BJ-A (Hero): Can now equip all Standard Patterns.
Firestarter (all variants): Can now equip all Inner Sphere Faction Camo Patterns.
Firestarter FS9-E (Hero): Can now equip all Standard Patterns.
Highlander (all variants): Can now equip all Inner Sphere Faction Camo Patterns.
Highlander HGN-HM (Hero): Can now equip all Standard Patterns.
JagerMech (all variants): Can now equip all Inner Sphere Faction Camo Patterns.
JagerMech JM6-FB (Hero): Can now equip all Standard Patterns.
Quickdraw (all variants): Can now equip all Inner Sphere Faction Camo Patterns.
Quickdraw QKD-IV4 (Hero): Can now equip all Standard Patterns.
Victor (all variants): Can now equip all Inner Sphere Faction Camo Patterns.
Victor VTR-DS (Hero): Can now equip all Standard Patterns.






Arctic Cheetah (all variants): Fixed an issue where the Rook Cockpit Item clipped through Mounted Light Items.
Grasshopper GHR-5H (C): Improved the placement of the Small and Large Pulse Lasers in the default Loadout.
Hunchback HBK-IIC (C): Replaced the half-ton of C-AC/10 ammo with C-Ultra AC/10 ammo.
Phoenix Hawk (all variants): Fixed an issue where footprint marks could sometimes not appear.
Stalker (all variants): Fixed some occurrences where Mounted Cockpit Items could obstruct the Weapon Door indicators. Final fixes for the few items which still conflict will arrive next patch.
• Frozen City: Fixed an issue where a DropShip would remain visible.
• River City: Fixed an issue where a DropShip would remain visible.
Camo Spec (Colors): Pack-associated Color Categories, such as Invasion or Phoenix, will no longer appear for Players who do not own those Colors.
Crash Fix: Fixed a rare crash that could occur when attempting to submit a large text string through in-game Chat.
Decals: Fixed an issue where Decals could be placed onto a 'Mech while the cursor was not hovering over a valid portion of the 'Mech.
End of Round Player Stats: Negative Match Performance entries will now appear with a minus sign, along with the existing red text.
Faction Play (Group): Fixed an issue where the Faction Badge of the Group Leader could appear outdated, compared to their true Career and allegiance.
Faction Play: Improved the animation of the spinning Planet while waiting for a Match.
Favorites: Fixed an issue where force-closing the client could cause recently-saved 'Mech Favorites to not save correctly.
Faction Play (Distribute MC): Fixed an issue where long Player Ranks and Player Names could appear cut off.
Leaderboards: Fixed an issue where special characters couldn't be entered into the Find Player field.
MechLab: Fixed an issue where the 'Mech XP indicator for the current 'Mech could disappear after launching a Quick Play match while viewing the Skill Tree for that 'Mech.
MechLab: Fixed an issue where the AMS was counted as an Offensive Weapon.
MechLab: Fixed an issue where AMS wasn't counting toward the 16-weapon limit.
MechLab: Fixed an issue where the values for the 'Performance Diamond' were not visible.
'Mech Stats: Fixed an issue where the down arrow was not functional.
Performance and Stability: Fixed an issue where memory leaks and crashes could occur under rare circumstances while damaging a 'Mech.
Private Match: Fixed an alignment issue with the dropdown arrows for certain Filters.
Private Match: Provided a more specific error message when attempting to accept a Private Match invite while in a 'Mech that is still locked into an ongoing game.
Private Match: Fixed an issue where Full Teams could remain set to 'No' if a second player with Active Premium Time left, and the Lobby Leader with Active Premium Time was remaining.
Social Window: Fixed an issue where double-clicking the close button would cause the Social window to re-open.
Social Window: Fixed an issue where sending a Friend Request would fail if a space was present at the end of the name.
Social Window: Fixed an issue where the Social icon would not blink when receiving a Private Lobby invite.
Stock Mode: Fixed an issue where launching into a Stock Mode match in any 'Mech with a Jump Jet Capacity Quirk, with 'Ignore Quirks' active, would cause the player to disconnect.
Unit (View Coffers): Fixed an issue where the Coffer Balance could appear as -1 for a Player if the Unit Leader had unassigned and reassigned their Rank Privileges in a certain order.
Weapon Groups: Removed the MechLab cart 'Save' button when viewing the Weapon Groups screen to avoid confusion about which Save button is used.


Patch Files (Direct Download)

To make the patching process easier for players with limited download caps, we'll be providing direct download links for the patch file(s) that comprise this patch. This will allow you to download the patch file(s) elsewhere, for manual injection into the MWO patcher through a Patch Cache folder.
Aside from allowing you to download the patch file(s) elsewhere, on another connection, there are no additional benefits to performing the patch this way; the patching process itself will be the same.

This direct patch download process will only work for players running the standalone client. It does not apply to players running MWO through Steam.


How to use these patch files

• Download the above file(s)
• For sake of ease we recommend creating a dedicated folder for the patch file(s), such as 'MWO Patch Cache'
• You do not need to unzip or unpack the patch file(s)
• Launch the standard MWO launcher
• Click the gear icon in the top right of the launcher window
• Choose the 'Specify Patch File Cache' option
• In the field that appears, paste or enter the location in which you saved the patch file(s) and hit OK
• For example, C:\Users\<username>\Documents\MWO Patch Cache
• Click the blue Patch button
• The launcher will now check the Patch Cache folder you defined. If it locates the required patch files, it will unpack and use those files to apply the patch.
• Once the patch is complete, launch the game!

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