Urban Terror

Fun Over Realism

Continuing from the first instalment of Q&A feedback, we hope you find the second instalment just as informative...

What maps are being worked on?
When the game is released to the community, it will include a mix of original Urban Terror maps that have been re-made, and some maps that are completely new to Urban Terror 5.
The official maps that are being re-made will, in most cases, have layouts as close to original as possible, though some may have been changed slightly based on feedback from play testing; the layout may also be different depending on the game mode.
At the moment there are actually a lot of maps being worked on! It's crazy how a little team of mappers and modelers together can produce so many maps of high quality so fast. 18 maps are currently being worked on by the FS artists.

Have there been any weapon balance changes?
Weapon balance and loadout have not been finalized, but it is likely they will be mixed-up quite a bit compared to Urban Terror 4; community feedback during beta testing will influence this.

Will there be more character diversity and inclusivity?
With regard to character identity, we have plans to include iconic locales from around the globe, and character diversity of colour, ethnicity, and gender.
At this stage, we have not made a decision to add user customizable characters and/or clothing, but it is an interesting option that we will consider at a later date.
In general, game development is based more on community feedback as to desirable game enhancements over internal and subjective decisions.

When do you think we'll be able to play a kind of Beta/Alpha?
When do we think you will be able to play a beta/alpha, well, we are continuously bringing more people into the private alpha testing team. The current stress tests have shown some weaknesses in the game optimization that we need to address before allowing a huge amount of players to try it out. The last thing we want is another 4.2.001-like release with servers crashing all over the place!
It is fairly reasonable to assume that we will be able to do a public release of the game during 2021. No promises, but it is our target!

Did the wall running mechanic make it to the private Alpha? If so what was the general consensus?
We still plan to include 'wall running' in the final release, it took some time for a few testers to get used to it, but overall the feedback is extremely positive; it might still be tweaked further before the game goes public, but so far so good. However, it is a material option along with grabbing and climbing that can be turned on or off, so it will be the map creator who will decide if wall running will be included in their map and which surfaces it will be applied to.

Will there be a Pinging system like in Apex?
We did not have plans for a pinging system, but the question started a discussion internally, we really like the idea. We have already included the 'enemy spotted' radio call, pinging of some kind may make a nice addition.

Will we get events like retro UrT maps?
Regarding events like retro maps and seasonal content, the ability to frequently update the game seamlessly will allow us to do such thing, yes. :) We cannot wait to do that kind of thing to be honest, they are very cool to do.

Will the game be available on streaming services?
Streaming streaming services like Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now are great for a lot of things, but not really for fast paced multiplayer 'twitch shooters'; For this reason we do not currently plan to use those services.

What about servers, how will that work?
There will be a server system where anyone can create a server, similar to now. The server won’t need graphics requirements as it only runs the core game to coordinate the attached clients. RAM, CPU and network connection speed will be the key elements.

Can you bind/macro like UrT 4?
We have planned to add something like the existing bind/macro feature at some point in the future.

Can we still disable/enable visual pollution?
Being able to disable/enable fire/smoke impact, show zero visual pollution; this is to be determined, but visibility is important to us. Ideally all players are on an equal playing field with few visual distractions.

Will it still have an Auth system?
Initially the authentication system (Auth) will be provided through Steam, this may change or be added to in the future.

Will it have a 'ranked' system?
Ranked systems are planned, but might not happen for the initial release.

Do you plan to update your website?
We do plan to update our website; By the way, we are looking for a website developer… let us know if you know one!

Will the interface have a report bug/idea function?
It is unlikely the interface will have a bug reporting system, we considered the possibility to implement this feature for the private alpha but the idea didn't gain much traction internally. From experience we believe that it encourages low effort/low value feedback. The Discord and Forum are an easier place to report issues and we will open up our GitLab issue tracker to the public where you will be free (and encouraged!) to report bugs and to discuss ideas.

You can find the original question threads here;
> Forums
> Reddit

Stay tuned for the next set of answers in the coming weeks!

It's been one hell of a year, and in these times the team is incredibly grateful to share in this experience together, to channel our focus into creating UrT 5, and to find joy in playing and speaking with you, the Urban Terror community.

All of us at FrozenSand want to wish you the very best for 2021. A huge thanks to you, for your continued support, engagement and patience. And to our incredible QA testers, we send our love and appreciation for your invaluable help over the past year!

2020 - a blessing and a curse

Whilst quarantines undoubtedly suck, for UrT it was a blessing in disguise! With many of us suddenly presented with an abundance of free time, we've managed to grow the team, create regular updates and have made significant development progress on UrT5.

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of UrT5's private alpha launch! This year, with the help of the QA team, we are proud to say that we've done 16 QA releases with over 580 updates, including 249 bug fixes and 168 new additions. We hope this progress gives assurance to the ongoing hard work we are all giving to push UrT towards an eventual public alpha.



We currently have a staggering 14 maps in active development - recreations of classics such as Turnpike, Uptown and Orbital, as well as brand new maps such as 'Skylines'. The game has full jump-map support, and in our conversion testing, is nearly identically playable on imports of 4.3 maps.

UE4 presents a massive step in the ease of map creation, we have developed new tools this year enabling time-trial mode, and with expanded movement mechanics, UrT5 is looking to be an incredibly exciting step for all of you jumpers and map creators!



Great progress has also been made across the board - the optimisation of netcode, new weapon and player models, game optimisations, improvements in animations and core audio logic, further development and testing of our 3rd party mapping tools, and the optimisation of essential code for things like the player movement system.

2021 - LOOKING AHEAD

Next year, we will share more insight into the development process with you all. Expect to see live streams from our Twitch channel (go follow us!) by different members of FS, showcasing dev work on models, maps and audio. Further more, look forward to seeing an updated video of a populated alpha play-session, showcasing real, visceral, up-to-date UrT5 gameplay in action!

We often receive messages asking when the next round of QA testers will be accepted. At our current development stage, the feedback we receive from a small, focused group of testers is incredibly valuable and best suited for our current needs. However, over the next year, you can expect us to accept more alpha testers into this small group. Once core game-issues are ironed out, we will begin to expand into a much larger testing group to iterate on netcode, balance gameplay and gain more general feedback. When exactly this will happen is entirely dependant on the needs of our development process as the year progresses, but rest assured we will keep you all fully in the loop when positions open up.

We have high hopes for the upcoming year - the game is in a good stage of development, our momentum is high and the team is in a great place. However, as UrT is developed for free by volunteers, we rely entirely on the hard work of the team and the support of you the community. If you want to help bring UrT closer to public alpha, please consider supporting us to help cover development costs, or, if you or someone you know would like to join FS! we are always seeking new talent, and have numerous roles currently open, so don't be shy to get in touch.

That's all from us. Keep an eye out in the new year for the second round of Q&A answers!

So long 2020 - don't let the door hit you on the way out

The winter season is with us, and it is time for an update on the team as well as the first instalment of the long awaited Q&A feedback.




Recently we welcomed two additional members to the team!

We're delighted to welcome Clear into the team. A talented programmer and previous FS member who is in the process of completing a Computer Engineering degree. Clearskies has joined our team to help develop, improve and add to our core gameplay programming, and is currently hard at work refining our movement system.

In addition, give a warm UrT welcome to our new Sound Designer, JHyde. Jack recently completed an MSc in Sound Design, and has incredible experience creating interactive soundscapes, experimental ambience and working in post production. Jack is working on the in-game map audio, currently focused on creating a new soundscape for the beloved map Orbital.




While the Development Team have been working away behind the scenes, bringing Urban Terror 5 ever closer to public release, and the community members on the QA Team have been busy bug reporting and providing valuable gameplay feedback, we have taken the time to review over eighty questions submitted by the community to our Q&A posts; the original intention was to select a few good questions to answer, however, it was difficult to choose just a few, so the team have provided answers to almost all of them; we will post these in batches over the coming months, starting with the first set below, keep an eye on the News Board for the next set in a few weeks!

Thank you for your patience, we hope you find these answers informative...

What have you accomplished in the past year?
In the past year we have progressed from having a working backbone of the game with a few characters, weapons and two or three of work-in-progress maps being tested by the developers, to having a QA Team of approximately thirty community members, a more robust and reliable game, more developed characters and weapons, and seven almost complete maps; in fact, so many things! Because of (or thanks to?) the COVID-19 lockdown earlier this year, we've been able to dedicate a lot more time to the game than usual. We are currently preparing our 15th private alpha release, with each one being comprised of several dozens of bug fixes and improvements, as well as many changes thanks to the testers' feedback. The use of Steam and continuous build and deployment really helped us speed up the development of the game.

Will crouching mid-air continue to increase accuracy?
With regard to Urban Terror 4 movement bugs that became quirks of gameplay, and whether those quirks will be reproduced; Our policy so far has been that we only reimplement bugs as features if they are either: required to recreate the feeling of Urban Terror, for Jump map compatibility, or because it is fun by itself and does not cause other negative effects. This particular quirk doesn't really fall into those groups.

Will it have a spectacle UI; stream ; OVERLAY; function for see every player?
There will be a basic spectator UI and over time we will build on it.

Will you provide a tutorial or a video for newbie? Like how to move, simple mechanic?
There will very likely be a few “how to get started videos”, we also have a Jump tutorial map almost finished.

Will we implement matchmaking, ladder rank, division rank, etc?
Regarding Matchmaking, leagues, rankings and alike; it is too early in the development of the game to make any firm decisions on these supporting features, so it is not possible to say what will or will not be available at release or at a later date, however, some discussion has started and we have a team member looking at options; the picture will be clearer as we head into the next year, and as that happens, community feedback will add to the decision process regarding the finer details of what the supporting services will include.

Mouse input, will that be different or the same?
All mouse input is raw and uses identical settings to Quake. Mouse acceleration is not yet implemented but probably will be at some point, and at the very least provide a Quake compatibility mode.

Will "funstuff" feature in the game? if so, how will it be accessible?
We like funstuffs! There are some crazy ones out there. We'll probably start fresh and gradually add more to the game, and surely get a user friendly in-game User Interface. Adding community-submitted content is not out of the question.

Will there be knife throwing?
Knife throwing is a feature we are planning to include.

Will the Bleeding system be the same?
The bleeding system will be pretty much the same as the current system.

Will we be able to choose what protection we want to use?
The idea of choosing what protection to use (Kevlar, leg protection + helmet protection + arms protection) has been a thought but no real discussion. Right now we’re sticking with helmet and Kevlar.

What new features are there compared to UrT 4?
We've hinted some new features in the past months, especially on the official UrT Discord where we post a lot of WIP screenshots and videos. Among them, vaulting, wall running, piercing bullets, jump mode ghosts, loadouts and more…

Will there be an option to lower the graphics effects so people with less powerful PCs can enjoy the game?
There will be several graphics settings, from Low to Ultra, as well as the range of screen resolutions, both of which will make a big difference in terms of FPS and map effects. We're trying to optimize for low-end hardware, but that low end might not reach the 20 years old Q3A levels.

Will there be an Anti-Cheat system?
Initially we will be using Valve's Anti-Cheat (VAC) solution; players caught by VAC will have their Steam accounts banned by Valve. We have also just added 'IP Blocking'.

Will the game have things to purchase?
Having things to purchase in-game like player skins and weapons skins is absolutely something that we'd like to do eventually, but it is very far down our list of priorities for the game!

What vision/plan for the future does Frozen Sand have for Urban Terror?
Regarding a vision the developers have for Urban Terror; Since we are a team of volunteers that frequently changes, there is no single unifying vision. We all love the gameplay of Urban Terror. We love how accessible it is for new players, but we also love how deep and rewarding its competitive side is. There is not a single "right" way to play Urban Terror, and we'll continuously refine and improve every aspect of it so that no matter what part of it appeals most to you, you can always have a good time.

Will you play your game?
You betcha we will be playing the game, we're already enjoying playing it every day. :)

You can find the original question threads here;
> Forums
> Reddit

Stay tuned for the next set of answers in the coming weeks!

Wishing you all well, Team FS.

Just a little teaser of our plans to include seasonal changes in the Urban Terror 5: Resurgence main menu, and maybe even in-game!



Don't forget, you can join us on the official Urban Terror Discord.

As the leaves start turning red again and summer comes to an end, it is time for some competitive Urban Terror again, with the Urban Zone FallCup season, starting with the Fun FallCup.

We hope you have stayed safe this summer and are ready, recharged and focused, to compete for the chance to claim the right of calling yourselves the best team around.
This time there will be a total of 24 teams battling it out and only a few spots are left, so be sure to head on over to urban-zone.org/index.php?name=Content&mid=901 and sign your team up!

The rules, as well as the game modes will stay the same as previous Cups, but if you’re in need of a quick refresh, they are listed on the cups page.

The 2020 FallCup season will start on Monday, October 12th.
We hope to see you compete for the crown.

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FS Barbatos: I can't believe it's been 5 years since my last blog post!  Reading my past posts and watching the associated videos really made me realize how much we have achieved in the past few years. Urban Terror 5 is starting to look and feel better than we could have hoped back in 2014 when we scrapped the Urban Terror HD project, switched to Unreal Engine 4 and started everything from scratch.  This yea […]

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FS Chump: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Chump is back bringing you all a spicy new audio update.  ‹video›  Today we're going to run, jump and slide through the backstreets of Pennsylvania to visit a community favourite - Turnpike! Sit back, grab yourself an age-appropriate beverage, and enjoy listening to our latest video. Let's take a dive into the audio progress of UrT 5!TURNPIKE in 2020:Tu […]

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