Vikendi, the PUBG snow map, available on PS4 & Xbox now!

The PUBG snow map has been hyped for several months now. Vikendi is available on the PS4 and Xbox right now!

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PUBG PTS

PS4 and Xbox follow in the footsteps of the PC, by having Vikendi available on public test server (PTS). The test server is a separate server of PUBG that is free to play for anyone who already owns a copy of PUBG.

It is used to let players try updates before they go live. This enables developers to get feedback prior to going live so they can fix potential bugs.

Furthermore, PUBG have just announced that the Xbox PTS will be getting FPP modes. Due to the increased player count on the server, solos FPP and squads FPP can be played on Vikendi now!

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PUBG Snow Map

Console players were initially disappointed when firstly, the PS4 launch didn’t come with the snow map, and secondly, when PC players were able to play Vikendi first. As of right now however, both PC and console players are on a level playing field.

Previous patches on test servers have resulted in them going live within a week or two after. This is in contrast to the official timeline whereby Vikendi is scheduled to release in January.

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TPP vs FPP

Console players will have to make do with just the TPP mode for Vikendi at the moment. FPP has yet to come to PS4 in any capacity and the player base on Xbox is dwindling.

FPP enthusiasts will argue that exterior factors caused problems with FPP on Xbox but that is an entirely different discussion. Meanwhile, PS4 players can vote for which mode they want to see FPP come to first.

Read More: PUBG PS4 FPP – Vote for which mode now! 

PUBG Update

The PUBG PTS provides a great opportunity to play the snow map before it goes live. In addition to this though, it allows players to try an array of other changes. Generally, these include performance improvements, gameplay tweaking and various bug fixes.

The patch notes for the current PTS suggest this is another big update for PUBG. Consequently, on top of Vikendi, there should be plenty of new changes to try. The full patch notes for the PS4 and Xbox PTS are listed below.

PTS Open Schedule

• KST: December 21 2:00PM
• PST: December 20 9:00PM
• CET: December 21 6:00AM

For healthy matchmaking, some modes have been disabled in PTS. Please see below for available queues:

• Asia, NA, EU – TPP Solo, TPP Squad
• Vikendi will be the only map available to play on PTS.

NEW MAP – VIKENDI

Vikendi Gameplay

• Vikendi is 6x6km map. The gameplay of Vikendi is quicker than Erangel and Miramar, but offers an arguably more tactical experience than Sanhok.
• Players can throw snowballs while waiting to board the plane in the starting area
• Vehicles will be more slippery in snow or icy areas. Acceleration on icy terrain is slow and you lose more general vehicle control as you speed up
• Footprints and vehicle tracks will appear as players travel in snow-covered areas. Keep an eye out! These are great to help identify if enemies have passed by recently
• Keep in mind that footprints and tracks in the snow don’t stay around forever!

Redzone

• The center of the red zone spawns outside of the play zone
• The smaller the play zone, the smaller the red zone

Bluezone

• The first circle of every game is much smaller than other maps, but subsequent circle sizes change less drastically.
• This facilitates more blue zone variety and unique experiences.
• Similar strategies work on Vikendi to Erangel and Miramar for the first three phases, but the zones will close slower starting from phase 4, similar to Sahnok. We feel this leads to a good balance between strategy and gunplay throughout the duration of each match

Item Spawn Balance

• The overall item spawn rate is at a midpoint between our maps – offering a unique place between the spawn rates of Erangel and Sahnok.
• Level 3 helmets spawn in the world
• Level 3 vests spawn more often than other maps
• Smoke Grenades are spawned at a higher rate compared to other throwables

NEW AR: G36C

• G36C spawns only in Vikendi
  • Chambered for 5.56mm ammo, it can load 30 bullets and 40 with an Extended Magazine
  • G36C has a lower and upper rail for attachments, but cannot attach a stock

NEW SIDEARM: SKORPION

• Added a new handgun, the Skorpion
  • The Skorpion spawns on all maps
  • Single fire and full auto fire mode
  • Uses 9mm ammo, it can load up to 20 bullets and 40 with an Extended Magazine
  • Attachments:
    • Sight: Red dot sight
    • Muzzle: Suppressor
    • Lower Rail: Vertical Foregrip, Half Grip, Light Grip, Laser Sight
    • Stock: Stock for Micro UZI
    • Magazine: Extended Magazine only
  • Skorpion is also available in the Training Mode. Have fun!

NEW VEHICLE: SNOWMOBILE

• Added a new vehicle – Snowmobile
• The Snowmobile only spawns in Vikendi
• It seats 2 players and performs much better than other vehicles on snow and ice, but is more difficult to drive on other terrain.

QoL

• Minimap: Players can now further magnify the minimap
• Player order consistency: Player order between the lobby and in-game is now consistent so that players will have fixed numbers and colors based on lobby order when they enter a game.

Gameplay

• Decreased recoil of the P18C
• Maximum number of Forward Running Sensitivity has changed from 50 to 100
  • The maximum value would stay the same, so if your Forward Running Sensitivity was 10, it will change to 20
  • This is to have a more specific value
• Added auto-reload option
  • When enabled, you will reload weapons automatically when you try to fire while your magazine is emptyBy default, this is set to “Off” but can be changed in the Gameplay menu

Performance

• Improved the client performance by optimizing the creation of character materials
• Improved performance by mitigating an issue causing thin objects to flicker.
• Optimized particles in rainy weather.
• Adjusted the parachute and character sync rate depending on the distance to improve server performance
• Optimized weapon target calculation overhead.
• Optimized culling logic of invisible instanced mesh.
• Optimized overall character movement cost.
• Reduced level streaming hitches.
• Reduced physics creation hitches.

Report

• Added the report player function to event mode games
• Press ‘Triangle button’ to report the killer
• When reporting someone who had team-killed you, there will be an option of reporting “Teamkill”
• You cannot report the same player more than once in one game

Bug Fixes

• Fixed the issue where players could sometimes climb stairs much faster while moving diagonally next to the wall.
• Fixed the issue where a downed players’ character model would sometimes penetrate walls.
• Fixed the issue where characters would look like they were sliding while standing up if they took out a weapon and stood up at the same time.
• Fixed the issue where a player appeared to slide when standing up or moving while going prone before landing from a certain height.
• Fixed the issue where some animations were cancelled when moving with certain steps
• Fixed the issue where sometimes an enemy player was seen shooting with the weapon at the back of the character
• Fixed the issue where you can sometimes see through walls and rock surfaces while riding the motorcycle.
• Fixed the issue where your camera sometimes goes through the vehicle when the vehicle is leaning on an object.
• Fixed the issue where ADS worked unreliably when ADSing right after equipping a weapon.
• Fixed the issue where a player sometimes received collision damage from a motorcycle when another player picked up the motorcycle.
• Fixed an issue where a character would sometimes rotate even though its feet are fixed when the screen is rotated more than 180 degrees left or right.
• Fixed the issue where a player’s motion was sometimes shown as scoping when taking steps next to a wall.
• Fixed the issue where characters could vault over other characters when positioned at certain heights.
• Fixed the issue where a player would sometimes clip through the floor of a building when disembarking a motorcycle.
• Fixed the issue where a character’s animation would pop upward when getting close to the wheels of a buggy.
• Fixed the issue of where a character’s animation would pop upward when crouching and standing up near a vehicle.
• Fixed an issue where player couldn’t see his/her teammate’s character in lobby after a match intermittently
• Fixed an issue where player couldn’t loot some items such as weapon or ammo on the ground
• Fixed an issue causing a character to be headless when wearing certain skins
• Fixed an issue where players could shoot in an abnormal direction in free-look
• Fixed an issue where players could get into certain terrain of Miramar which should be impossible
• Fixed an issue where player can stand up from a prone position faster than usual in certain conditions.
• Fixed the issue where players could use weapons while swimming if they kept pushing the weapon equip button near rocks.
• Fixed an issue which caused the screen to shake excessively when spectating an opponent who was firing a weapon.
• Fixed the issue where when freefalling out of the plane and pressing particular movement keys, certain animations didn’t play correctly.
• Fixed the issue where the footstep sounds of players moving at low speed (walking when crouching) was not played to other players.
• Fixed an issue where the character’s footsteps couldn’t be heard when on carpet
• Fixed the issue where when click the “Play” button, game was frozen in the lobby.
• Fixed the issue where world map and wheel menu could be opened at the same time.
• Fixed the issue where a spot at the back of the truck and buggy would block bullets.
• Fixed the issue where when plane flew around you, the sound of plane was not played.
• Fixed a rare bug where teammates would receive friendly-fire damage, even if you weren’t aiming at them while shooting
• Fixed the issue when the character passed through the barbed wire, it penetrates the character’s body or cause unexpected termination.
• Fixed the issue where the hair when wearing certain beanies
• Fixed the issue where the effect sound of the Adrenaline Syringe continuously play even after canceling
• Fixed an issue where vehicle horns continued to sound after exiting a vehicle while holding R2
• Fixed the issue where the team list does not correspond when observing his/her teammate and changing camera using L1/R1
• Fixed an issue where the casting gauge for health/boosting items and reviving was not shown while observing
• Fixed an issue where the number of available throwables would not update when picking up a throwable while holding a throwable as well
• Fixed an issue the bolt action of the observee was shown incorrectly while observing
• Fixed an issue where the quick marker was unable to remove while observing
• Fixed an issue where the animation for equipping/unequipping the weapon was shown incorrectly after the observee stands up from prone while observing
• Fixed an issue where the motorcycle was not mountable on certain angle
• Fixed an issue where the sound of emote played just before the round begins at the in-game lobby continued to play even after riding the plane
• Fixed an issue where the camera passed through the door on certain angle when ADSing close to the door while holding a handgun

Update 1 – 12/20/2018

Gameplay

• Added auto-reload option
  • When enabled, you will reload weapons automatically when you try to fire while your magazine is empty
  • By default, this is set to “Off” but can be changed in the Gameplay menu

Deleted

• Gameplay
  • Improved the sound settings in option
  • The sound settings are now separated into Master Volume, FX Volume, UI Volume and Music Volume