BLITZ

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Welcome Soldiers! Our next update arriving this week brings with it a new game mode that is aimed at making server seeding easier and low populated servers more enjoyable. With this in mind in mind our design team have created Firefight, a game mode that will pit two teams against each other in a small-scale battle similar to Frontlines. Battling over a single sector, teams will need to advance on the area in order to locate the three objectives. Both sides will have 20 minutes to capture objectives and gain as many victory points as possible to determine the winner. Players have the option to create Command, Infantry and Engineer sections in Firefight, with the smaller battles not requiring support from Artillery and HMG detachments. With this team setup, players will have closer engagements as infantry have the opportunity to move up to the front unhindered. This brand new game mode arrives with version 0.12 and will make early games and low pop servers more enjoyable, by concentrating players in a smaller and more condensed frontline. Stay posted for Firefight to arrive later this week Soldiers - We'll see you in the trenches! BUY NOW ON STEAM

Yes, optimization will be an ongoing effort through Early Access and beyond. Expect each update to help with performance

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Welcome Soldiers! The development for Beyond The Wire is now fully engaged towards the next stretch of updates, and we have our latest recap to show exactly what work has been kicked off since Operation Two release. While a reduced number of devs worked to get small updates out to prepare for the free weekend, the rest of the team have started on this next phase of content for the game. Check out the progress below! Canadian Expeditionary Force Infantry NCO Character Model After finally revealing our roadmap recently, we can start sharing the work done for the faction so far! With a unique uniform arriving with this force, the art team have finalised the character models, which already look fantastic! The CEF would never be complete without the iconic Ross MK III, and they will be arriving in Beyond The Wire wielding this famous rifle. Renowned for its accuracy for the times, we are sure our players will enjoy deploying with this firearm! It wouldn’t be right to leave you without showing the Smith & Wesson either. The Hand Ejector 2nd model – modified for .455 Webley rounds will be one of the first weapons the Canadians will be equipped with when heading out Beyond The Wire. The early stages of development are well underway for the debutant battle for the Canadians – Vimy Ridge. The level design team have pulled together the majority of the white boxing with the level taking shape with the unmistakable ‘pimpled’ ridge line dominating the area. Playtests on this new field of battle have already started internally to ensure the map delivers a truly unique experience. A new favourite map for many of the developers, we think the community will also love taking part in this battle! Animations Animations for BTW are still being crafted as we introduce new weapons and polish existing animations. Both the Hotchkiss 1914 and Modele 75mm field canon are now rigged with full animations. We know you have been keeping an eye out for the French weapons, and they’re on the way! Customization and Progression Our last livestream showed some of the concept images for our new customization and progression system coming this summer. Showing here the proposed new main menu and how the new Headquarters sub-menu will look. While this system is currently being iterated on, we love the style already but you can expect the final version to be different! This new system is taking substantial work on the front end, but the engineering team have also been working hard to ensure that the tracking of player actions and stats in-game ensure a stable framework for this new system, which will be bringing with it a brand new scoring system and end of round scoreboard! We will be going into detail with a dedicated blog on the progression system, so stay posted for that soon! Another change coming with this overhaul will be an update to loadout icons. Aiming for a more fitting theme, our artists have designed these new icons for player roles which will look fantastic against the backdrop of our new menu! Tanks That’s right, tanks will be entering the fray later this year as well, and work has begun in getting a working prototype inside the maps. While the work to implement such game-changing features will take some time, we have been excited to share what has been done so far! Showcasing a male Mk IV patrolling the fields of Combles reveals the progress so far, with independent track control to replicate the realistic movement as well as having working, operable cannons. While the systems needed for damage models and penetration values are still to be built, having a running tank able to drop into our levels means we can begin the process of moulding the game and any existing maps for these new additions. As always Soldier, stay posted for more articles as these new toys move closer to completion. In the meantime, we’ll see you in the trenches! BUY NOW ON STEAM

Welcome to the community Gustavo

Welcome Soldiers! Earlier this month we finished up the Operation Two release with our first Community Feedback Survey where we asked our players to answer questions to help developers get a decent understanding of the sentiment across the community. The questions revolved mainly around the major changes that happened with Operation Two, with a final section engaging players to write their wishes for the future of the game. With 900 responses, this article will show the full results from the form with no interpretation, so everyone can see how the community feels about various features and mechanics. Section 1: General The first question asked players about their general time in Beyond The Wire. After the first 7 months of Early Access release, the majority of our players have played less than 50 hours (65%) with over a third of players having more than 50 hours in-game. The next question aimed to see how the community perceived Operation Two as a whole. Thankfully over 85% of players said the update was good or better! This is reassuring for the development team to see the changes being made are welcomed. The third question for this section asked players to state how much time they have played in the update. Over half of the respondents have played below 10 hours (63%), with the rest netting over 10 hours. Finally, for this section, we wanted to see how the community feel generally about the update. It is reassuring to see over 75% of players felt an improvement in the game with this update, although a smaller percentage (16.6%) said they haven’t noticed a difference. Section 2: Gameplay The second section sought to gauge the sentiment on a few of the mechanic changes and new systems introduced. The first question asked if players preferred the new interaction system, changing a few inventory items and player interactions into a single keybind. The large majority of our players (49.2%) feel this change is an improvement, while a number would like to keep the system with some changes (31.8%), with the final 19% preferring the old inventory system. The next question engaged the players on their opinion of the new hit detection audio feedback system. The overwhelming majority like the system (68.4%) and 21.1% want to keep the system but improve it. The remaining 10.5% of players stated the audio had a negative impact on their experience. As we continue to tweak gun handling we asked the community their views on the new sway values. While 37.5% liked the new handling, most players didn’t notice the change and the final 7.3% would like to see sway values changed back. The following question asked if players had noticed their engagements happening at closer distances due to the damage drop off. The majority stated they had indeed been engaging the enemy at shorter distances, with the remainder saying their firefights had been the same as before the update. The last two questions on this section revolved around the latest revisions of our game modes. First we asked if the community had found the Frontlines game mode more enjoyable since the overhaul. Again the majority said they have been enjoying the new version (64.6%) and 29.9% saying they hadn’t noticed a difference. The final 5.5% said they haven’t enjoyed the game mode more this update. A follow up asked if the new Preparation Phase in the Assault game mode was worthwhile. 62.1% said yes, with 23.7% needing more time in the game mode to judge properly. Just 14.2% said the new phase was pointless. Section 3: Maps The two questions in this section were written to identify which of the new maps was performing the worst for players, as well as which map from our collection was the favourite. Out of the 3 new maps that released with Operation Two Poelcappelle has the worst performance (46.1%) followed by Sechault (28.3%) and finally Combles (25.5%) which appears to have the best performance. For the first time, we have asked players to share their favourite map. Interestingly Zonnebeke is the community’s favourite map (22%) with Chateau-Thierry being the second (19.3%) and Poelcappelle being the third favourite map. List: Zonnebeke 22% Chateau-Thierry 19.3% Poelcappelle 15.6% Combles 12.5% Sechault 12% Ansoncourt 7.4% Frise 6.5% Cantigny 4.8% Section 4: Performance This section sought to identify the performance of the game. First, we asked overall how Operation Two performed compared to the earlier build. Most players noticed an improvement with 50.8% saying the game now ran better. 37.6% said the game ran the same as before, with just 11.6% of players noticing the game ran worse. Secondly, we tried to seek out which issue was giving the players the most frustration. Map optimization was the biggest area of concern (42.6%) along with network issues (40%). Worryingly, 17.5% of our community have had crashes ruin their experience since the update was released. Section 5: A Look To The Future The final section was aimed at the future and asked players to write their wishes for the future. A multiple-choice question closed out the form to see which types of content our players would like to see in the future. This list was written to gauge what content the community deemed important and perhaps reflect our development decisions for the immediate future. More Factions 65.4% More maps 57.8% A new theatre 57.2% Customization and progression 51.7% New game modes 38.9% Steam challenges 15.8% Thanks to all of our players who submitted their feedback, it has given our dev team a great snapshot of the current situation. We will continue to share these surveys when large updates make changes to the game. Stay posted for the next one arriving later in the year. See you in the trenches, Soldier! BUY NOW ON STEAM

The settings for auto/manual bolting aren't working in the online environment at the moment. In the training range it does work, however everyone is forced to manually cycle the bolt for the time being while playing on a server. We do plan on having that as a working, selectable option in the future.

Welcome Soldiers! It is with great excitement that we reveal our latest road map, and for the first time give a broader view of how Beyond The Wire will look in the future. While we have discussed plans sporadically during streams and discussions with the community we decided it was time to lay the future down so our players can see all the interesting features being planned and where Beyond The Wire is headed. With Operation Two closing out the first 6 months of Early Access, we are ready to present the journey ahead for Beyond The Wire. Throughout Early Access we will continue to release Operations to deliver relevant and fascinating content that delivers a new experience on the Western Front, with new diverse battlefields, iconic weapons and important factions all changing the battlefield around them. Supplementing these larger releases will be smaller updates to fix bugs, make UI improvements, introduce new weaponry for existing factions and make general quality of life and optimization improvements. Note: This roadmap is subject to change dependant on community feedback and development requirements. The major pieces to identify in our new roadmap are the two Operations that follow For King and Country. This summer brings Canada's 100 days, releasing the Canadian Expeditionary Force along with our initial customization and progression system and new weapons for existing factions. Following this operation players will see the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps joining the fray along with a first iteration of vehicles, flamethrowers and a multiplayer campaign. Throughout Early Access, there will be ongoing improvements to client and server optimization, sounds & special effects and continued level polish as we improve the game in all areas. Our long term development plans which go beyond the 1.0 launch will see us aim for air battles, a COOP mode against AI and a brand new theatre, opening a new front of World War I. We will reveal details on all these new features and operations in due time, so remember to stay up to date on our development recaps and future updates on the game. See you in the trenches, Soldier! BUY NOW ON STEAM

We're hoping to have our rendition of "I Vow to Thee, My Country" in the second volume of our OST. We don't have a timeframe on when that will be released unfortunately

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Welcome Soldiers! Operation Two: For King and Country arrives this week, and storming into mainland Europe comes the British Expeditionary Force. Mobilised after declaring war on Germany in 1914, the British Army that deployed to France was thought to be the best the Empire had sent to war. These men benefited from hard lessons learned during the Boer War and were effective in the use of cover and the ability to deliver rapid, accurate rifle fire. While other armies for the time were established through conscription, the BEF was made up of professional soldiers with solid foundations of extensive training and high morale. However, catastrophic losses during the start of the campaign forced the recruitment of more men and a restructuring of the military organisation. With more reinforcement, the army was now capable of fighting a war on a continental scale. Having mustered forces from across the Commonwealth, the BEF will eventually be supported in-game by sub-factions from the various units seen under their command on the Western Front. Entering the fray with an array of iconic weapons from the SMLE MK III* to the Lewis Gun, players will have a new arsenal to learn and familiarise themselves with. British HMG detachments can look forward to deploying the Vickers Mk I with a sandbag bunker, while Artillery detachments will be launching shells from the QF 13-pounder field cannon. Arguably one of the most impactful and important factions during The Great War, the British Expeditionary Force will play a major part in Beyond The Wire going forward and we're excited to bring their story to our game.

Welcome Soldiers! Our final field of battle to present for Operation Two is Poelcappelle, a battlefield from Flanders where the French and British contended with the German Empire throughout the war. Sitting northeast of Ypres, Poelcappelle was a strongly fortified position for the German Empire that withheld against many attempts before finally being captured by the British in late 1917. Subject again to heavy shelling, the land surrounding the village makes traversal almost impossible as deep craters turn into rivers, wells and lakes. Thick hedges of barbed wire and building debris protect infantry forces from small arms fire, but the incessant hazards of no-man's land are ever-present. The rear lines of the German Empire have been established to take advantage of the natural environment. Short routes of trench networks lead to the more established front line, while grassy knolls and rock formations create natural shelters from enemy fire. A final bastion of bunkers, barbed wire and deep trenches completes the German line. Many years of entrenchment has created an extensive network of dangerous defences that need to be tackled in order to break the line. The main fields run through Poelcappelle, with many houses and buildings surviving the concentrated barrages. Armies will need to prioritise the standing windmills and main roads if they want to dominate these sectors. With close-knit buildings still standing, infantry sections must flush all corners and pockets where enemies may lie in wait. Having to descend down into the village, the Entente have dug trench systems that feed down to the front line. Hard cover above ground is sparse, and any soldiers milling outside of the trenches make easy targets. The trench routes provide the only real safe route onto the field. This third map coming with Operation Two will arrive with gameplay layers for both the British Expeditionary Force and French Republic to try and take on The German Empire. Stay posted for more information next week, Soldiers! BUY NOW ON STEAM

Welcome Soldiers! We now shift the focus of the frontline back towards the Somme, and the fight for the Combles valley in 1916. After spending many years as backwater stores, the Combles valley in the north of France was captured by the British Expeditionary Force in late 1916 and helped spring the entente's advance. This new map arriving in Operation Two will introduce the BEF to Beyond The Wire. Devastated by the earlier barrages, the Combles valley now sits deformed and littered with destroyed houses, blasted walls and abandoned land ships. Heavy rainfall has left the ground waterlogged and hazardous, leaving pools of standing water across the field. The frontline runs across the floor of the valley, with reinforced German firing positions crowning one side. Soldiers will need to take caution when moving at any point on this level due to the inherent risks of attacking uphill. In addition to the difficulties of the environments, the claustrophobic ruins of the village will need careful attention. Fighting in these areas will carry the threat of hand-t0-hand combat as the narrow paths and dark corners converge into tight spaces. No man's land holds the remnants of the village that previously stood as a base of operations. The standing debris and abandoned trucks provide safety during assaults but beware of hidden enemies trying to cut off routes and paths. The rear lines of the British show sporadic temporary trenches have been dug out to support the ground gained, with wooden structures and watchtowers quickly erected to support the infantry advance. Sitting opposite is the formidable German HQ. Elevation, strong defences and steep access make this position a nightmare for attackers. With bullets and grenades thrown down from above, any army assaulting this final position will need all options available. Stay posted for more detail on Operation Two coming later this week, Soldier! BUY NOW ON STEAM