2020.09.22
[Developer Newsletter] Regarding the update in late September 2020
- ■ [PDT] 9/22/2020 2:00
- [CEST] 9/22/2020 11:00
- Hello Pilots! This is Kanbe speaking, the development director.
- Finally, we’re ready to implement underwater battles! (Please see the previous developer newsletter for more information)
We’ve been testing it for quite some time during development and now it’s finally released.
I hope you will enjoy the new MAP that’s being released at the same time, as it brings fresh feel to the battlefield. - We’re really excited about the September update with underwater battles and new MAP information, but we’ve also got a lot of other updates that I’d like to share with you.
- ■ Weapon switching controls
- Currently, weapons can be switched in battle by pressing [R1] and [○ X △ □] buttons (= shortcut) * Default settings
- It is possible to edit the HARO screen to determine which weapon is assigned to the four buttons of the [○ X △ □] buttons, but since some Mobile Suits are equipped with more than five weapons, it was not possible to assign all the weapons to the buttons.
(By the way, the current unit with the most weapons is Assault Guntank with eight weapons!) - In GBO 2, weapon switching is a very important action, as it greatly affects the damage and combos dealt to enemy units.
- And this time, we will be expanding weapon switching controls.
- ■ Number of weapons available to assign from “4” to “8”
- The number of buttons allocated for weapon switching shortcuts will be expanded from “4” to “8” .
- The four new buttons that can be assigned are as follows
- [○ ＋ △]
[○ ＋ X]
[□ ＋ X]
[□ ＋ △] - The on-screen layout is placed near the two buttons that will be pressed at the same time.
From now on, you will be able to optionally assign up to eight weapons. - Since you have to press two buttons at the same time, there will be difference in difficulty of pressing certain combinations, so we hope that you will actually try it out and assign the most frequently used weapons to the button combinations that are easy for you to press.
- Also, since this is a modification of the input controls in an action game, it will be necessary to get used to the new controls, but we’ve also made possible for those who find it easier to operate the game the way they used to with (up to four button assignments), to still play it the way as it is now.
I hope you will think of it as having more options for controls. 
- ■ Disruptive behavior against other players
- As it was stated before
- ・ Sabotage attacking allies in combat (so-called “friendly fire”)
・ Continuing to act uncooperatively without participating in battles (leaving the game unattended, etc.)
・ The act of leaving the game by disconnecting during a battle
・ Slander by chat and email - Disruptive behavior against other players such as above is not allowed.
- Although we have taken steps to address these issues on a number of occasions, we are strengthening our measures in light of the fact that the same type of inquiries are still coming in.
- First of all, in regards to the “sortie prohibition” when you are penalized, we are changing the time you are banned from sorties to five times longer than before.
This will prevent you from matchmaking for 120 hours (5 days) for rating / quick / clan matches at the most severe penalty. - The cases of unintentional disconnection due to weak connection are rare, so taking this into account, it is quite impossible to get a severe penalty just from that.
Therefore, we hope you understand the harsh penalties.
(If you experience a lot of unintentional disconnections, please check “What to try if you have trouble connecting to the network” for more information) - We will continue to implement measures to ensure that “players who are playing normally can play comfortably” .
- Please note once again, if we determine that the disruptive behavior has not been corrected, we will suspend your gameplay account without notice.
- GBO 2 is not a game for one person to play with a computer, but “a game to play with someone else at the same time” .
We would appreciate it if you would play the game in a way that other people could enjoy it too.
We appreciate your cooperation. - ■ New bonuses!
- … Let’s put aside the negative talk, and go to positive additions.
- The previous talk was only about a portion of players with disruptive behavior, and most of you are pilots who are capable of carrying out missions without giving up until the end, even when outnumbered.
- I’d like to announce a bonus from the PMU for such pilots.
- ■ Bonuses for the returning units! “Continuous Return Bonus”
- The “Continuous Return Bonus” will be activated after sorties in a Rating, Quick or Clan Match, according to the “number of consecutive times a player returns successfully without abandoning the battlefield” .
- The content of the bonus is that after each battle, the strengthened value of the mobile suit you sortie with will be slightly increased, and the value itself will continue to increase the more times you successfully return, from a minimum of “every battle +1 “ , to a maximum of ” every battle +3 “ .
- It doesn’t have much of an effect at first, but your unit will be automatically enhanced after each battle, so you’ll be able to enhance your favorite unit just like you would in a role-playing game to gain experience and enhance your character a little bit more!
- And an important point to make
- ・ If you abandon the battle, the number of will be reset to 0 and the bonus will no longer be triggered.
- ・ In order to re-activate it, the number of returns must be accumulated again.
- I hope that it will become one of the reasons to not give up and fight until the end.
- And as an addition, the number of consecutive returns will be counted and the consecutive return bonus will be active only for “Rating Match / Quick Match / Clan Match” game modes, but not “Custom Match”.
Also, please note that the number of consecutive returns will not be counted until after the update file is released. - ■ Closing Words
- ・ Underwater Environment
・ New MAP “Jungle”
・ New MAP “Port Base (High Tide)”
・ MAP Improvement “Ruined city”
・ Enhancement of shortcut functions
・ Continuous Return Bonus - The above content will be available after the application data update on
[PDT] Wednesday, September 23rd 22:00 [scheduled]
[CEST] Thursday, September 24th 7:00 [scheduled] ! - Thanks to your support we have been able to enter the year of GBO 2.
We’ll continue to develop a game that continues to change in a positive direction, by building on the changes we’ve made with new elements like the underwater environment and updates to existing elements such as enhancement to shortcut functions and balance adjustments!
Development Director, Kanbe
