America's Army: Special Forces (Overmatch)
Release Notes - Version 2.8.2

What's New

New Missions

Rummage (Multiplayer)

"Insurgents are returning to a small town which was formerly their base of operations. Intelligence reports indicate that the insurgent force is returning to the area in order to retrieve vital supplies and materials that were left behind when the 10th Mountain Division first engaged the insurgents in this area. Retrieving these vital supplies will enable the insurgent forces to reestablish a base of operations from which to launch future attacks."

Rummage is a small urban environment that lends itself to fast paced close quarters combat. Your mission is to secure all of the vital supplies and prevent use by insurgent forces.

SF Hospital SE (Multiplayer)

"Following an ambush by enemy forces, a wounded resistance leader escaped to the local city hospital for treatment. The leader is a critical member of the Resistance Government within Unconventional Warfare Area of Operations (UWAO) JAZZ."

SF Hospital SE is a revised version of the classic SF Hospital map with dynamic new elements, such as modified objectives and civilian AI, which create a more immersive environment. Following an ambush by enemy forces, a wounded resistance leader escaped to the local city hospital for treatment of his wounds. Your mission is to either extract the leader or prevent him from escaping.


Virtual Army Experience

Located just outside the Virtual Recruiting Station is the Virtual Army Experience. Walk through the virtual VAE to get a feel for what this attraction is all about and check out the VAE website for detailed scheduling information so you can visit the VAE when it's in a town near you!

Voice Activation Control

VAC enables players to use the America's Army voice recognitions system to issue commands and initiate actions. Now players have the ability to speak the radio command they issue rather than having to cycle through menus. You can also map any key to a voice command to customize your AA experience.

Field Dressing

All medic qualified players will now have the ability to treat themselves when injured in combat. They will be equipped with a single field dressing which they can use to treat their injuries until a medic arrives to render aid.

Scoreboard

We've redesigned and improved the in-game scoreboard functionality.

'Explore Map' MODE

Users can launch any map easily in offline mode to explore the mission. You no longer have to remember the command line console syntax to launch your favorite missions in single player mode.

HMMWV Improvements

The CROWS and HMMWV have been fine tuned to perform better. The weapons on the HMMWV have been tweaked to be more accurate and fun.

Enhanced Civilian AI

The civilian AI NPCs have been much improved and enemy AI has been enhanced to make them more challenging and “smarterâ€Â.

Logitech G15 Keyboard Support

We've added native Logitech G15 gaming keyboard support. If you are using a G15, the LCD will load once the game is launched. (Logitech G15 hardware required.)

TrackIR Headset Support

Support for the TrackIR Virtual Reality Headset has been improved. Players with this hardware can now use the system in the HMMWV for enhanced gameplay. (TrackIR hardware required.)

MBS improvements

The in-game Master Browser has been improved and enhanced. One noticeable change is how Maps are filtered. User-created maps from Mission Depot (http://www.aamissiondepot.com/) are now filtered separately making it easier to navigate through available missions.

System Requirements (have not changed)

The current Minimum System Requirements for AA:SF (Overmatch) are as follows:

* 3-D graphics card with 128 MB memory and support for hardware transformation and lighting
* 2.4 GHz processor or equivalent
* English version of Windows(r) 2000/XP Operating System with latest updates
* 512 MB RAM
* 3.5GB of uncompressed hard disk space for game files
* 4X DVD-ROM (not required for downloaded installations)
* Windows 2000/XP compatible system (including compatible 32-bit drivers for CD-ROM drive, video card, sound card, mouse and keyboard)
* DirectX(r)9.0
* 100% Compatible DirectX 9.0 soundcard
* 56kbps Modem or other network connection
* Nvidia® nForce™ or other motherboard/soundcards containing Dolby Digital® Content Encoder required for Dolby Digital® audio.




The current Recommended System Requirements for AA:SF (Overmatch) are as follows:

* 3-D graphics card with 256 MB memory and support for hardware transformation and lighting
* 3.0 GHz processor or equivalent
* English version of Windows(r) 2000/XP Operating System with all updates
* 1 GB RAM
* 3.5GB of uncompressed hard disk space for game files
* 4X DVD-ROM (not required for downloaded installation)
* Windows 2000/XP compatible system (including compatible 32-bit drivers for CD-ROM drive, video card, sound card, mouse and keyboard)
* DirectX(r) 9.0
* 100% Compatible DirectX 9.0 soundcard
* Broadband Network Connection
* NVIDIA(r) nForce(tm) or other motherboards/soundcards containing the Dolby(r) Digital Interactive Content Encoder required for Dolby Digital audio



Technical Notes

Important Note for Server Hosts/Admins

The cooperative missions will take significantly more CPU resources to run during normal gameplay due to the additional AI processing load (shared between the server & client). Server hosts planning to run Co-Op servers should plan accordingly. In addition, players running a Co-Op server and client on the same machine will experience heavy CPU demand.

It is recommended that server rotations switch only from Co-Op level to Co-Op level, or MP to MP level for best performance.


Game Ports

The internet ports currently required to be open for America's Army v2.8.2 are listed below:

UDP - 1716, 1717, 1718, 8777, 27900
TCP - 14200, 20025-45, 20046, 20047, 20048, 28910

UDP ports explained:

1716 for the Game,
1717 for the GameQuery,
1718 for the Master Server Query,
8777 for the Standard UT Query, and 27900 for GameSpy.

TCP ports explained:

28910 for GameSpy
20025-45 for MBS Game Server,
20046 for the Auth server,
20047 for MBS, 20048 for DCDS, and 14200 for LAN.

What's Fixed

NOTE: This list only includes bugs present in v2.8.1 that have been fixed.
Bugs fixed related to new v2.8.2 features and certain security/exploit fixes have been removed from this list.

Map Specific

* Border: Player is able to jump on top of a fence that is intended to be inaccessible.
* Bridge: Players can shoot through the low wall on top portion of the center arch
* Dusk: There is a missing texture on the back of the security signs that are on the fence near the embassy.
* FLS: Blocking volumes on southern cross members in Southern Bunker are too low
* GH River Village: Map marked as "SF Exclusive" Tour in AA Browser
* GH River Village: There is a wall that a player can clip into when walking into it backwards.
* GH SF Floodgate: Fences are blocking the effect of grenades
* GH SF Floodgate: Players can get stuck behind some crates.
* GH SF Floodgate: There is a place in the level that allows the player to walk in midair.
* GH SF Floodgate: There is a slope next to a ladder in the level that can cause the player to get stuck.
* GH SF Floodgate: There is an invisible Catwalk right above the turbines inside the level.
* GH SF Floodgate: A player can access an unintended area which allows the player to leave the playable map area.
* GH SF Old Town: A fire emitter in the level does not damage the player.
* GH SF Old Town: A small wall lamp is not attached to the wall from which is hangs.
* GH SF Old Town -- A mysterious volume exists at Middle Hotel North Street that allows players to stand on top of it.
* GH SF Refinery: If the player controlling the VIP disconnects from the server and does not move from his spawn before disconnecting the VIP is not properly recognized causing gameplay to continue.
* Insurgent Camp: A player can get stuck in 2 different places while lying prone on the top roof of the fort
* Interdiction: Players can secure the objective through a wall
* Mountain Ambush: A player can get stuck on a hill near one the bridges.
* Mountain Pass/Mountain Pass SE : In both missions the mission summary contains a typographical error.
* MOUT McKenna: There are various tire stacks throughout the level that can cause a player to get stuck.
* MOUT McKenna: The mission summary contains typographical error.
* Radio Tower: When entering the level in single player the parachute does not function causing the user to fall to their death.
* SF Arctic: The mission summary on the deployment page contains a typographical error.
* SF Blizzard: M4 does not have winter camouflage.
* SF Blizzard: Player is able to get stuck in office
* SF Courtyard: The mission summary contains typographical errors.
* SF CSAR: The in game mission screen contains typographical errors.
* SF Dockside: There is an area in the level which a player is able to reach which is intended to be inaccessible.
* SF Hospital: Player is able to access upper roof level which should be out of bounds
* SF Hospital: Player is able to look through the ceiling and view the 2nd floor.
* Shoothouse: The warning audio for shooting an invalid target does not play.
* Steamroller: Player can get stuck inside a cardboard box
* Tunnel: A player can get stuck on a mysterious volume in both the assault and defense hallways.
* Urban Assault: Player can get to an area that should be inaccessible
* VRS: When approaching the doors to exit the recruiting station they do not open in a synchronized fashion.
* Weapons Cache: A player is able to walk on a fence that is intended to be inaccessible.



Misc

* HMMWV: The CROWS gunner's camera view shakes continually when another player is driving the vehicle.
* When shooting certain AI enemy characters the red puff of blood that indicates a bullet hit does not appear.
* When using the D3D9Renderer textures appear to have a rainbow affect applied to them because CompressedLightMaps are enabled by default in ArmyOps.ini



UI/HUD

* UI: There are links in the help section that have become out of date.
* UI: On the team selection screen a tooltip appears asking for a password that should only appear when playing in a tournament mode server.
* HUD: When dying in the Humvee via a rocket no death message is given to the player and the ability to see the name of person who you are watching after you have been killed is lost.
* UI: The "Non-Carryable" objective icon does not appear on the HUD when the defender of said objective looks at it.



Audio

* Audio: When using Squad Leader specific radio commands such as "Great Job Team" after a match/round has ended the volume is too low to be heard well enough by your team.
* Audio: The reload sound is not is heard when a player reloads the m82 in supported fire mode.
* When scoring exactly 10,000 points in Shoothouse SGT Wolford notifies me that I am a "NO-GO" but according to the scoreboard the score is considered a "GO".



Crash/Exception

* Server Browser: A crash will occur if the MBS Browser returns more then 1000 listings.



Feature Request

* Release SF Hospital SE as an official map
* Block 3rd party Add-ons via unauthorized DLL Loading - Client and Server


Improvement

* Scoreboard should distinguish fire teams in a manner similar to AA 2.3.0 and earlier.
* Add Recoil to the CROWS weapon system when it is fired.
* Add a round counter to the scoreboard on Co-Op Maps so that the user can distinguish what round is it easier.
* Add a progress bar to the level loading screen when the user is using the D3D9Renderer.
* Turn the Services tab in the UI into an NML page so that it can be updated dynamically.
* Add a notification message when the player spawns as a medic to improve role awareness.
* All references to 91W need to be updated to 68W for Health Care Specialist
* UI: Fire teams are not denoted on the weapon selection screen like they were in AA 2.3.0 and earlier
* Game Browser: Separate user created maps from developer created maps.
* Allow all players who are medic trained to apply a personal field dressing to reduce the bleeding rate.
* Send PBGUID with GameSpy Messages to allow Third-Party Usages
* The letter "I" will be the default key to apply a personal field dressing.
* Add Support for TrackIR while inside the HMMWV
* Include Insurgent Camp, SF Dockside & Steamroller in the release
* Increase the Maximum amount of servers that can be listed in the MBS Browser to 3000.
* Move the scoreboard player icon information into the help area
* Gameplay: Reduce the player action delay to 200ms related to quick swapping to improve a player's mobility when coming under enemy fire.


New Feature

* Add MAJ Jason Amerine's Real Hero Video.
* Add Support to allow the medic to reduce the bleeding rate by allowing the medic to apply a personal field dressing.
* Add a HUD icon to display the player's personal field dressing inventory
* Create and Add the "Rummage" Map
* Add Support for the Logitech Z-10 Interactive Speaker System
* Add Support for the Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard
* Add Voice Command support to allow an end-user to control the built in squad communication system
* Add the Virtual Army Experience to the Virtual Recruiting Station level.
* Add an "Explore Map" button to the deployment section of each mission that will allow an end-user to explore any map in single player.


Known Editor Issues

White/missing Viewports: When the Editor is launched, the viewports will appear to be missing or all white. To resolve this issue simply go to "View > Viewports > Configure ...", select one of the options and click OK.

Brightness/Gamma: When the Editor is launched the brightness/gamma will be increased. Adjustments to the gamma can be made in "View > Gamma Options".

Unable to select any map objects (static meshes, brushes, etc) using right or left mouse click: This issue is specific to systems with ATI graphics cards and occurs due to Anti-Aliasing and/or Anisotropic Filtering being enabled.
Disabling these settings has been shown to resolve the problem.

Dual Monitor Setup: Unable to move the Editor from one monitor to the other: This issue is specific to systems with ATI graphics cards. To resolve this issue, click the View menu and uncheck the "Automatically reposition windows".