PUBG Vikendi patch hits PC live servers: new map, snowmobile, weapon, and parachuting overhaul

Vikendi, the new 6×6km map, is now available to all PUBG players on PC, but there's quite a bit more to the update than just a snowy new map.

Patch notes for PUBG's update 24 are ready to peruse, and there are all sorts of interesting bits in the details.

There's the new G36C rifle which replaces the SCAR on Vikendi, a snowmobile, an overhauled in-game replay system, the usual bug and performance fixes, new progression and rank systems, and changes to the UI.

Today's update, coming in at just below 13GB, also brings the promised overhaul to parachuting and landing animations. Much of the system has now been moved to the client, which results in much better control, and a smoother experience overall. You're now able to cut the chute prematurely for a faster landing, and the chute collision will no longer clip through everything in its path.

There are a few new animations upon landing, too, with the player rolling as they touch the ground, with more rolls the faster the landing speed is. Today also marks the launch of the new Vikendi Survivor Pass, which is available for free, with a paid option.

Patch notes for update 24 are posted below.

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PUBG Vikendi -  Update 24 patch notes

Vikendi

• 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!

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

• 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

• 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

Weapons

 

• 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

Vehicles 

 

• 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.

Replay Editor

 

• This system allows you to create dynamic video clips with creative camera angles and special effects using your replay files
• You can also create 3D paths for the camera and camera angles and export clips
  • Guide & Tutorial of the replay editor system will be updated later.

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Gameplay

• Improved the character animations used in the air.
  • Character movements are much more fluid and have been improved to be more realistic.

Parachute System Overhaul

Updated parachuting system will be applied to the test server on December 10.

• Freefalling
  • LSHIFT now puts you into a dive at full speed straight down towards the ground
  • Turning speed is now much faster and has increased control, responsiveness, and precision
• Parachuting
  • Added new freefall animations and increased overall control and responsiveness
  • LSHIFT helps you drop faster and land quicker
  • LCTRL lets you glide, when you want to travel a longer distance
    You can now cut the parachute while relatively close to the ground, while still moving through the air.
    • This can be used to strategically to get to your drop point faster, but be careful, as you can take damage if you drop too far
  • Added new landing animations
    • The speed in which you land matters, as landing too fast may force your character to roll, or roll for longer, before you can gain full control of your movement
  • Colliding with buildings or objects while parachuting will now automatically cut your parachute. Be careful!
  • The parachute no longer disappears instantly after landing
• Improved blood hit effects
  • Improved the visuals of blood particles when players are shot.
  • Improved the visuals of blood effects that appear on screen when shot by other players.
• Slightly increased delay between single shots of the M16A4
• Players now receive damage from Molotovs that hit their vehicle
  • Molotovs that hit around the vehicle, or when driven through an already-exploded molotov will not damage those inside

Survival Title System (Season 2 Beta)

 

• Changed Season 1 Beta Rank system to Season 2 Beta Survival Title System.
• For more information, please check the Dev Letter (Introducing our new Beta Season 2 Title System) released on Dec 5.

UI/UX

 

• Changed the overall lobby theme in celebration of our latest map - Vikendi
  Applied the snowfield environment theme
  • Applied a snowing effect
  • Changed the background music
• Improved the Store feature
  • Added additional sorting features to sort by Featured, Newest, Price High to Low, Price Low to High
  • When you preview items in the store, only the selected item to be previewed will be displayed on your character. All items equipped in your wardrobe will be unequipped.
  • If you preview a helmet skin, makeup or other items covering the face, all other items equipped on the head will be unequipped
  • Combined the 'Career' and 'Leaderboard' menu in Statistics into a 'Season' menu
  • Added On/Off option keybind for the on-screen key guide
    • You can toggle the on-screen key guide by pressing ALT+K
    • You can change the default setting for this feature in the settings under the Gameplay tab

Play Menu UI Renewal

 

• Improved the map and game mode selection UI
• Training mode can now be found under the PLAY menu, next to public match

Performance

• Optimized foliage and vegetation rendering
• Improved CPU performance by optimizing the object creation process
• Improved GPU performance for Medium and Low options by adjusting graphic quality related to the 'Post Processing' with those settings (tuned HBAO+)

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where each weapon had a different delay between reloading and being able to fire
• Fixed an issue which caused vehicles to sometimes pass through players, when rolling down a hill
• Fixed an issue which prevented the system menu from opening when clicking a specific spot on the button
• Fixed an issue when laying prone right next to a wall, your weapon could move through the wall in FPP
• Fixed an issue when spectating a player who died in Replay Mode, the follow camera stopped working
• Fixed an issue which caused sudden frame drops temporarily when quickly toggling voice/sound options repeatedly
• Fixed an issue that caused the region indicator in-game beneath the health bar to display as “UNKNOWN”
  • Region indicator will now not be shown until before the match countdown starts
• Fixed an issue which caused character animations to look unnatural when players were pushed by a vehicle moving down a hill
• Fixed an issue caused after restarting the lobby with 'Open Crate’ and 'Preview' buttons displaying on the left side of the screen in the Store Inventory page
• Fixed an issue which caused the camera to fall into the ground in replay mode after parachuting
• Fixed an issue where the angle of the spectated player's view was different from that of the player