To make Guns of Boom updates more polished, we’ve added a Public Test Server, where all the new features and mechanics get tested before being released for the main game. For general info on PTS and how it works - check out this link.
This changelog has the info on all the changes we want you to test in the current version of PTS, so make sure to check it out before heading into the test grounds, so you know what to keep an eye on.
Test the new stuff, and head over to our Discord to discuss all your experiences!
PTS 30.1 – BALANCE PATCH – JUNE 10TH 2022
Welcome to the new launch of PTS! This time, we’ll test plenty of balance changes for a whole range of guns.
WEAPON PERKS
- Slowing Shot - the slowdown effects from freezing have increased from 20% to 30%. This affected Odin, Iceberg, Jack Frost, and Traitor. We also added this perk to Avalanche..
- The duration of freezing from the Slowing Shot was different for each of these guns. Now, it's 2 seconds for all weapons.
- The Freeze perk of Orion is now changed for Slowing Shot.
- The Cold Welcome perk of Avalanche has changed: now it deals 10% additional damage to enemies under the effect of the Slowing Shot.
Developer Commentary: Weapons that had freezing effects worked differently, and on most of them, the freezing wasn’t all that effective. These changes allow us to make two improvements: unifying the freezing effects for all weapons and making freezing more effective.
SHOTGUNS
Porcupine
- Rate of fire decreased from 100 to 90 rounds per minute.
- Base damage decreased from 2120 to 2100.
- Now the maximum bullet spread happens on the second shot in a row (it used to be the third shot in a row).
- Recoil increased.
Developer Commentary: Right now the Porcupine is overpowered. To balance it, yet keep the weapon effective, we’ve only slightly adjusted the stats.
Reaper
-
Base damage* increased from 1890 to 1980.
Developer Commentary: Reaper is a great shotgun with interesting mechanics, yet it needed some more damage to be competitive.
* Here and after, the changes in base damage are given for the maximum upgrade level. The changes proportionally apply to all previous upgrade levels.
Joker
-
Changed the mechanics of the Super Shells perk:
- Each shot uses from 0 to 3 charges with equal probability, but not more than the number of charges remaining.
- The bonus damage from each charge is decreased to 10%.
- The number of available charges restores fully after a weapon is reloaded.
- Now charged shots can deal additional damage due to specialization perks.
- Base damage reduced from 2200 to 2000.
Developer Commentary: Joker’s charge mechanics were unpredictable. We changed it up to increase the chance of charges firing and make them more predictable. Not to make it OP, we’ve reduced base damage and the increased damage from charges.
Orion
- The Freeze perk is now changed to the Slowing Shot perk.
- The description of the Long Reach perk has been changed to better describe the mechanics of the perk.
Developer Commentary: Due to changes in freeze effects, the slowdown effect is now 30% (the Freeze perk used to give 20% slowdown after the first hit, and 40% after the second hit).
Avalanche
- The Cold Welcome perk has been changed: now it allows you to deal an additional 10% damage to frozen enemies.
- The Slowing Shot has been added to this gun.
- Fixed the error with the display of damage in the arsenal: from 2000 to 1998
Developer Commentary: The Avalanche had a very situational perk that wasn’t very useful most of the time. That’s why we completely overhauled it and added the Slowing Shot perk.
Traitor
-
Increased the slowdown effect from freezing: from 20% to 30%.
Developer Commentary: This change is due to the general buff of the Slowing Shot perk.
ASSAULT RIFLES
Wasp
- Base damage decreased from 360 to 290
- Reduced bullet spread in aimed mode
- Recoil increased
Developer Commentary: Wasp gives a ton of advantages. It’s great at short range, has a great rate of fire, and increases movement speed. The sum of these features made Wasp overpowered. That’s why we reduced the base damage and increased recoil.
Odin
- Base damage increased from 414 to 420
- Rate of fire increased from 420 to 440 rounds per minute.
- The slowdown effect from freezing increased from 20% to 30%, and the duration of freezing also increased from 1.5 to 2 seconds. That is due to the unification of the Slowing Shot perk.
Developer Commentary: Odin is a favorite gun among many players. Yet it lacked the damage to properly compete with other ARs.
SNIPER RIFLES
Drifter’s Crossbow
- Base damage decreased from 2500 to 1500, and the multiplier for critical damage increased from 1.6 to 2.5
- Maximum firing distance decreased from 42 to 37 meters.
- Charge building time is now unified: it increased from 0.6 to 0.7 seconds in aimed mode and decreased from 1.2 to 0.7 seconds in hip-fire mode
- The rate of fire shown in the Arsenal is now different due to the abovementioned changes.
- Upgrade levels received some changes: instead of upgrading the crossbow at levels 1/1/10/22/28/34, you can now upgrade at levels 1/10/16/22/28/34. Upgrade prices stay the same.
Developer Commentary: Right now, Drifter’s Crossbow is one of the most powerful weapons in the game. A single body shot from a maxed-out crossbow does 2500 points of damage - that is the level of the most powerful shotguns in the game. However, Drifter’s Crossbow can deal that damage from almost any distance. We’ve changed its basic behavior, reduced the maximum range, and cut down the damage to the body(base damage) while buffing the damage to the head (critical damage). That'll make Drifter’s Crossbow a more skill-based weapon, while its headshots will still hurt like hell.
Iceberg
- Base damage increased from 1546 to 1600
- Charge building time is now unified: it decreased from 0.8 to 0.67 seconds in aimed mode and from 1 to 0.67 in hip-fire mode.
- The slowdown effect from freezing increased from 20% to 30%, and the duration of freezing decreased from 3 to 2 seconds. That is due to the unification of the Slowing Shot perk.
Developer Commentary: We fine-tuned Iceberg’s rate of fire, slightly increased its damage, and tweaked the freezing effects in line with the overhaul of Slowing Shot.
MACHINE GUNS
Jack Frost
- Base damage increased from 363 to 370.
- Rate of fire increased from 420 to 480 rounds per minute.
- The chance of causing freezing effects increased from 9% to 100%, the slowdown effect from freezing increased from 20% to 30%, and the duration of freezing decreased from 5 to 2 seconds. That is due to the unification of the Slowing Shot perk.
- The machine gun is now available at level 22 and can be upgraded at levels 28 and 34.
Developer Commentary: We believe that Jack Frost wasn’t effective enough, so we buffed it. Also, the Slowing Shot perk now works on it the same way it does on other guns.
That’s it for today. Make sure to share your feedback!
PTS 29.0 – ARCHETYPES AND CONSUMABLE CRAFTING – MARCH 4TH 2022
REWORKED ARCHETYPES
In this version, we have continued to work on the weapon classes. This time, changes have been made to shotguns and sniper rifles. Here's what's included in version 29.0:
- The damage dealt no longer depends on the distance, same as for the other types of weapons
- The overall spread for shotguns has increased, so heavy damage at long range while shooting from the hip is no longer possible
- All shotguns will now have an aiming mode; this will help to diminish the spread
- Movement dynamics when using a rifle was reduced, and the ability to inflict critical damage when firing from the hip was removed
BALANCE CHANGES
Due to an imbalance caused by the reintroduced weapon readiness time parameter, we had to tweak the stats for the following shotguns:
- Bear Trap, Ranger: single-shot damage will decrease, but the fire rate will increase. Weapon readiness time will be reduced from 0.7s to the standard 0.3s.
- Onslaught and Battering Ram: the readiness time will also be brought to the standard 0.3s.
REWORKED PISTOLS
We have changed the mechanics of interaction with the pistol. Now, in the settings, you can choose one of the modes – manual or automatic. In manual mode, the pistol works by tapping the button on the screen. In automatic mode, things work as usual. Also, now you can disable the pistol altogether.
Bear in mind that the following actions will interrupt the activation of the pistol when it’s in manual mode:
- Attack with a knife
- Throwing offensive consumable
- Weapon change
GEAR CRAFTING (PTS only)
You will find the Workshop section in the game, where you can create or upgrade offensive and defensive consumables for a fee.
VISUAL CHANGES
In this update, the visuals of a large number of weapons were significantly improved.
- All shotguns now have the aiming mode (except for Orion, he already had it)
- Position from the hip in the frame was changed: Destroyer, Cyclops, Odin, Dragonfire, Warmonger, Firefly, Slicer, Scattershot, Remedy, Traitor, Ranger, Porcupine, Cerberus, Thunder, Avalanche, Dolores, Desperado, Berserker, Brawler, Thanatos, Iceberg, Scout, Prometheus, Liquidator, Barracuda, Quicksilver, Lizard, Armageddon, Pain, Persuader, Fortune, Matador
- The shape of the sight and the position of the weapon in aiming mode was changed: Hans, Buffalo, Anubis, Hurricane, Matador, Hero
- Improved hip-firing animation: Thunder, Cerberus, Remedy, Brawler, Avalanche, Traitor, Porcupine, Berserker, Desperado
- Improved shooting animation in aiming mode: Orion, Traitor, Porcupine, Berserker, Desperado
When you finish exploring all the new stuff on PTS, be sure to take our survey (you can open it directly from the game) and share your opinion with us! It helps us a lot in further development.
PTS — Frenzy – February 8, 2022
Welcome to the new launch of PTS! This launch features an experimental game mode called Frenzy which significantly alters classic Guns of Boom gameplay. We’re also introducing an updated reward claiming window.
NEW MODE: FRENZY (PTS only)
A whirlwind of high-speed old-school action, classic FPS versions of guns, and boosters to keep you on your toes – this is what Frenzy is! The new mode features new weapon types, significantly increased movement speed, and an experimental map created just for this test. Fights in the new mode happen in Free For All format, and there can be from 2 to 5 people in a single battle. The player who reaches 21 eliminations first or scores the most points during the 6-minute time limit becomes the winner!
Every gunslinger starts with 2000 Health Points, 18000 Armor Points, and the following loadout:
- Desperado Shotgun — increased rate of fire, so you can eliminate even while moving at increased speed
- Titan Helmet — if your health drops below 20%, it slowly starts regenerating up to 20%
- Kevlar Vest
- Cowboy Pants — you start regenerating armor when not receiving damage for some time
- Oppressor Pistol
- Damascus Knife
- Gunslinger Perk — increased headshot damage from pistols
There are no offensive or defensive consumables in Frenzy mode.
Weapons on the map:
- Minigun — one of the most anticipated guns since the release of Guns of Boom! The gunslinger from our iconic artwork has spent years polishing it for a reason… Spin up the barrels and see how fast this minigun spews out all the 200 bullets from its magazine!
- Automatic Rocket Launcher — a new weapon type straight from classic FPS games. Shoots mini-rockets that instill fear and terror among groups of enemies.
- Plasma gun — right now it looks and feels just like everyone’s favorite Sunburst AR, but with cool new effects. Successfully hitting an enemy also damages nearby opponents
- Gauss Rifle — a new long-range rifle with devastating headshot damage, adapted for intense and dynamic gameplay
Available Boosters:
- Ammo restored by 25% — bullet clip icon
- Health restored by 25% (+15% over time) — green sphere
- Armor restored by 25% + shield that absorbs 30% damage — yellow sphere
- Armor restored by 7% — yellow pyramid
IMPORTANT: picking up armor boosters can increase your armor cap by 50% - up to 2700.
UPDATED REWARD WINDOW
Claiming your well-deserved loot after a tough fight is something we all like. We’ve improved the animations and graphics in the reward window so you can thoroughly enjoy the process of unboxing your goodies.
Once you’re done playing on PTS, please take a survey, which can be accessed right in the game. Leave your feedback - it’s a great help for further development of Guns of Boom.
Version 28.1.51 (iOS)/28.1.62 (Android) – January 24, 2022
In this version, we’re fine-tuning the feel of Assault Rifles, and there are two key changes you’ll notice:
- You run faster with an AR when you’re firing from the hip, and you move slower when you are aiming down. Makes sense – it’s harder to move around when you’re focused on aligning your shot.
- Damage of Assault Rifles no longer depends on the distance to your target. If you hit your enemy – you do the damage listed in the Arsenal, period.
However, we’ve also made other changes, not related to Assault Rifles:
- Movement speed when strafing or backpedaling is now higher. The speed of running forward stays the same.
- Bullet scattering became more realistic.
- Accuracy has been increased. Now, bullets tend to hit the center of your crosshair more often. These changes apply to all weapons, but they are noticeable mostly in the hip-fire mode of fast-firing guns like ARs and Machine Guns.
We’ve also made a few strictly visual improvements:
- Improved aiming animations, polished visuals for turning and moving with most Machine Guns.
- Fixed firing animations in aimed mode for some Assault Rifles – the weapons no longer dive down from recoil like they used to. The change affected the following guns: Scattershot, Destroyer, Cyclops, Odin, Warmonger, and Dragonfire.
Version 28.0.54(iOS)/28.0.61 (Android) - December 27
Weapon archetypes. We’re trying to make weapons more intuitive and predictable depending on their type, thus making some adjustments to all 4 primary gun types. From now on, distance does not affect damage, while recoil and bullet spread play a more important role in landing shots and thus dealing damage - this applies to all weapons. However, there are specific changes that happened to certain weapon types.
-
Machine guns. From now on, they don’t need time to focus, but the crosshair expands as you fire. The crosshair is now a diagonal cross instead of a classic one. You can now run with machine guns and use aimed fire mode.
Developer commentary: Machine guns don’t get a lot of action these days, so these changes are aimed at making them the deadly long-range support weapons they should be. Make sure to check them out - they feel completely different!
-
Shotguns. The crosshair is now a circle instead of a cross, the spread has been increased, damage from each pellet has been reduced, the number of pellets has been increased. All shotguns now have the aimed fire mode.
Developer commentary: Shotgun damage will vary depending on how many pellets hit the target, and the closer you are to the enemy, the more chance you have to land them all for maximum efficiency. New crosshair and aiming features should help predict the pellet spread in battle.
-
Assault rifles. We’ve added the aimed fire mode for four guns that did not have it: Guillotine, Mamba, Vampire, and Lifestealer.
Developer commentary: Almost all ARs had the aimed fire mode except these 4, so we decided to give all ARs this feature. We’ll leave the hip-fire-only mode for something like a cannon.
-
Sniper rifles. From now on, they don’t do critical damage in hip-fire mode (unscoped).
Developer commentary: Sniper rifles are long-range weapons, and they truly shine in scoped mode only. It’s not often that snipers use hip-fire mode, but we still decided to limit critical damage in this fire mode.
- We’ve added 14 universal perks for all specs which we already tested on PTS some time ago. Thanks to your extensive feedback, the Trophy Hunter has been nerfed - now you can finish off people with the knife only from the back.
- Flashbangs. You can now avoid getting blinded by looking away from the flashbang when it goes off.
- Arsenal specs. We’re making the specifications of weapons more straightforward and easy-to-read: Power is now called Damage, and it shows the amount of HP the enemy will lose from a single hit, while Accuracy gets replaced with Rounds Per Minute that shows the weapon’s rate of fire.
IMPORTANT: Some weapons like the Fortuna machine gun have special abilities that increase their base damage, so their stats in the arsenal should be considered as basic values, not final ones.
Version 28.0.53(iOS)/28.0.58 (Android) - December 13
Duels. A new game mode, perfect for duking it out with another gunslinger and finally seeing who’s got the skills, and who needs to practice some more. It features a bunch of special compact maps where you’ll simply need to go head-to-head. The game continues until one of the gunslingers scores 5 eliminations or the 5-minute timer runs out.
Version 27.1.52(iOS)/27.1.57 (Android) - November 24
- We’re adding Drifter’s Crossbow to PTS – its stats are identical to Daryl’s Crossbow from The Walking Dead season. The differences are strictly cosmetic.
- During the test, Drifter’s Crossbow will be available to all PTS players.
- Once the test is over, Drifter’s Crossbow will be added to Guns of Boom, where it’ll replace Daryl’s Crossbow in the Arsenal.
- Daryl’s Crossbow will become an exotic weapon skin.
- If you had previously assembled Daryl’s Crossbow, you’ll get both the Drifter’s Crossbow and the exotic Daryl’s skin for it.
- We will post more info on how to get the new crossbow and upgrade it closer to its official release in the main game.
Some changes also happened in the limitations of loadouts/specializations.
- You can now use any equipment with any loadout in any specialization.
- Start looking for the perfect loadout combo right now, and have the upper hand when this feature comes to the main game in update 27.1
Version 27.0.51(iOS)/27.0.56 (Android) - November 1
- Classic voiceover. Bring the sound of classic Guns of Boom back at a flip of a switch - check the voiceover option in the settings. Choose your favorite one and make it your primary, or switch between the options to get the best of two worlds!
- Group codes. Now, you can simply send a special invite code to any gunslinger in the world, and in seconds, they’ll be able to join your group. You can send your code via any messenger, in a text message, or even post it on social media and wait for your group to fill up.
- Aim-assist. We’ve improved the aiming mechanic and target selection mechanism for the aim-assist feature. From now on, you should start damaging the right opponents, when there are several available targets in the vicinity.
Version 26.1.50 (iOS) / 27.0.55 (Android) – October 23
- Increased firing distance: for sniper rifles by 10%, for assault rifles and machine guns by 25%. Wasp and Survivor are the only exceptions – their maximum firing range did not change.
- Damage fall-off based on the distance to the target. The farther you are, the less “ouch” you cause your enemies.
- Assault rifles start doing less damage at 75% of the maximum range
- Sniper rifles start doing less damage at 75% of the maximum range
- Shotguns and SMGs (Wasp and Survivor) start doing less damage at 25-33% of the maximum range
- Machine guns start doing less damage at 66% of the maximum range
- Shotgun changes. As you know, each shotgun shell contains many heavy pellets, which fly all over the place when you pull the trigger. We’ve increased the number of pellets in each shell, and also increased scattering. Damage from each pellet has been decreased.
- Alternate fire. Machine guns and shotguns now have alternate fire modes. To activate them, press the “aim” button.
- Easy-to-carry machine guns. Now, you can run with machine guns! Not as fast as you would with an AR or a shotgun, but still fast. Thanks to that, machine guns feel less clunky and more versatile in battles. Like beefed-up assault rifles!
- Base damage for shotguns and machine guns increased. Now, you have more viable battle options when it comes to choosing your loadout.
- The accuracy of non-scoped shots from sniper rifles is greatly decreased. Sniper rifles are designed to be used with a scope, not as deadly hip-fire rail guns.
- We’ve reworked a total of 16 guns so far. Test them out on PTS and get ready for more additions in the future!
- New perks. Perks used to be specialization-specific, but that is a thing of the past! Now, you have access to a total of 14 universal perks which you can use with any spec. This is not the final version of our perk overhaul - we’ll be adding new ones in the future!
- Equipment limitations. We’ve removed any equipment restrictions in loadouts. So, you can use all your favorite items regardless of your specialization.
Version 26.1.54 (Android) / 26.1.49 (iOS) – October 8
On October 8-12 we’ll hold the fifth PTS and here’s the stuff we want to test:
-
Tournament arsenal. Below you’ll find a list of new items added to the competitive arsenal. All these goodies can be used in tournaments, so make full use of their advantages to dominate the Challengermode competitions!
-
Assault rifles:
-
Bastion, grade 1
-
WASP, grade 0
-
Survivor, grade 0
-
-
Shotguns:
-
Reaper, special grade
-
Joker, special grade
-
Bear Trap, special grade
-
Exorcist, grade 2
-
-
Sniper rifles:
-
Last Breath, grade 0
-
Stormbringer, grade 1
-
-
Machine guns:
-
Hero, grade 0
-
Zeus, grade 0
-
-
Vests:
-
Antidote, grade 11
-
-
Helmets:
-
Paracelsus, grade 3
-
Scorpion, grade 3
-
Bulwark, grade 3
-
Colossus, grade 3
-
-
Pants:
-
Reanimator, grade 3
-
Wombat, grade 3
-
-
-
Pro Play arsenal. Now, the game mode for pros offers all the items available in tournaments. That way you can practice your competitive tactics at any time. E-Z!
-
Scorpion fix: the Adrenaline perk now slowly loses effectiveness after each elimination.
Version 26.1 Battle Royale – September 24
-
Battle Royale. This new game mode features a huge new map, where several teams of 2 players compete against one another until only one team (or person) is left standing.
-
Fights take place on a map, which at first is free to roam. With time, an ever-shrinking zone will appear, driving players to fight inside it.
-
Being outside of the zone will cause players to rapidly lose health.
-
You can go into battle solo (that way, the game will find a teammate for you among other solo players) or in a 2-person party with your friend. Groups containing more than 2 players will not be allowed to play this mode.
-
Items you can find on the map include weapons of 3 different types (Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles, and Shotguns), consumables, and boosters.
-
There are 3 boosters in this game mode: Red ones increase your damage by 10% each (up to 50% max), Yellow ones restore armor and can even temporarily exceed your armor cap, and Green ones increase your health point capacity (up to 40% max).
-
Enemy players are not highlighted - only your teammate is.
-
Players can use ziplines to travel around the map - those are special cableways which you can activate by standing next to them.
-
Teams start the map in random locations with pistols only, no armor or consumables.
-
Players can pick up up to 3 primary weapons (one of each type), one type of offensive consumables, and one type of defensive consumables.
-
Each player has only one life - no respawns.
-
Players can be Knocked Down. Knocked-down gunslingers are marked with a purple cocoon. They cannot move, shoot, use consumables, or be healed. Yet they can be revived by their teammate to full potential.
-
To revive a teammate, walk up to them, and press the Revive button.
-
Knocked-down players receive less damage from all weapon types, except knives, and they stop being auto-aim targets.
-
Knocked-down players slowly lose health points until they are finally eliminated, so teammates should hurry to revive them.
-
If a knocked-down player loses all health and is eliminated, they can no longer be revived.
-
Eliminated players drop a purple booster, which restores 20% of health, armor, and max ammo to any player.
-
Eliminated players also drop one of the primary weapons they had on them.
-
The team (or the player) standing last wins.
-
-
PTS is finally released on iOS. We invite all gunslingers using iPhones and iPads to join the testing and help us make the game better!
Version 26.1.0 – September 15
-
Voiceover options. Choose a style you like in the settings and enjoy the announcer’s comments like it’s 2018 or 2020 – either option is available. We’ve also removed a few lines from the old voiceover to make it friendlier.
-
New mode: Counter Assault. This one’s sure to peak your interest: capture all 5 control points on the map by advancing from the first one at your base to the last one at the enemy base. All 5 points are in a straight line, so you always move from one point to the other (1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5) and not randomly between them. If no team can capture all 5 points, the victory goes to the team which scores the most points during the allotted map time.
-
Undying: we’ve reworked this helmet to make it more balanced. From now on, players using its active ability will not become invincible - instead, the helmet will reduce all incoming damage for 2 seconds, with the exception of knife damage.
Version 25.1.41 – July 29
Balance changes
Berserker:
-
Damage boost from HP decreased to 50%
-
Base damage decreased by 21%
-
Increased recoil
E.Y.E:
-
Headshot damage decreased to 10% and does not increase through leveling up the helmet
-
Wearer is visible to enemies for 3 seconds after activating the helmet’s ability
Icebreaker:
-
Base damage increased by 5%
-
Headshot damage multiplier decreased by 30%
Undying:
-
New visual effects
Gecko:
-
Added a delay for the flashbang
-
Added needed visual effects
More changes
- The weapon switch button can now be placed anywhere you like on the screen - convenience is key when it comes to fast-paced battles.
- Further polishing of character animations, including fixing the right shoulder peeking issue.
- All gunslingers on PTS now have level 36, 10 000 Gunbucks, and 100 Gold. Also, the set of basic cosmetics now includes emotes.
- Made some UI improvements.
Version 25.0.38 – June 23
- Updated all male and female character animations
- The differences in positioning of male and female characters have been reduced – now they behave exactly the same in the identical situations, including hiding behind cover. Shoulder peeking now works the same for all characters
- Characters now hold guns differently depending on weapon type
- Fixed the color logic of consumables and battle effects. For instance, health regenerating items are now all colored green
During testing, you may encounter different issues and bugs, not just the ones related to the current version. Don’t hesitate to report them – the more problems we detect and solve on PTS, the better the game experience will be for millions of Guns of Boom players. Don’t know how to report bugs properly? We’ve got a whole guide about it!