XDefiant Aug 28 update patch notes: Jump nerfs & Ranked Mode ability restrictions

In XDefiant’s latest update, Ubisoft cracks down on jump spamming, adds ability restrictions to Ranked Mode, and punishes players for leaving Ranked Mode matches early.

Since launching at the start of XDdefiant Season 1 on July 2, reviews for Ranked Mode have not been positive. Players labeled the mode a “hilarious train wreck” because players were not punished for leaving early, and games started with unbalanced teams.

Ubisoft addressed those concerns in the July 31 update by not starting matches without at least eight players. This latest update goes one step further by increasing the penalty for leaving matches and balances the playing field by making every teammate use a different ability.

Players have also raised concerned about rampant bunny hoppers, spam-jumping to dodge enemies. The development team responded by adding a harsher sway penalty for jumping too many times consecutively and reduced midair strafing and horizontal jumping speeds.

XDefiant Aug 28 update full patch notes

Ubisoft

Here are the full patch notes.

Gameplay  

Since humans first hopped, some among them thought they should not. Others consider jumping the most profound expression of skill. Both sorts will find something to argue about in this array of new jump-spamming mitigations. 

• Let’s start with a tweak to the sway penalty, which shimmies a player’s aim on subsequent rapid jumps (defined as those triggered within 1.25 seconds of a previous jump). The first three jumps remain sway free, as before, except now the maximum penalty applies on the fourth repeated jump and/or crouch instead of the fifth. (Previously, aim sway triggered on the fourth jump but didn’t reach maximum sway until jump five.) 
• Also, the jump-height penalty is progressive, meaning jump height decreases gradually after each repeated jump and is now capped after three jumps: After the first, jump height is set at 70 percent of max height, then 49 percent of max height, then 34 percent of max height. Capping this after three will be the same for the landing-speed-reduction penalty. 
• Other jump-related adjustments:
  • Midair strafing speed reduced by 25 percent. 
  • Horizontal jump speed reduced by 10 percent. 
• Finally, we’ve reduced the animation speed for these transitions:
  • Stand > Crouch 
  • Crouch > Stand 
  • Stand > Jump
  • Sprint > Slide 
  • Slide > Jump 

Maps 

• On the Daytona map, players were able to shoot opponents through a wall not intended to allow bullet penetration. The offending wall is now appropriately bulletproof. 
• Fixed a bug causing a connection error when players stood on a railing in the Echelon HQ map. 

Ranked Mode 

• Ranked play now has ability restrictions. This means any given ability can only be chosen by one player per team, thus encouraging teammates to select different abilities. (The player’s ability is shaded orange to distinguish it from teammate abilities, which remain shaded gray.) If the player switches to another unused ability during the match, it will be available upon respawn, freeing up their previously selected ability. 
• Ranked mode has been tuned to speed up rank progression while also increasing loss forgiveness, so losses are less likely to cause a tumble in your rank.
  • Players now earn increased Rank Points for delivering a winning performance in all ranks except Legends. On average, players should see about 30 percent more RP from won matches.   
  • On the flipside, match losses are more forgiving due to an increase in the “loss buffer” from 45 to 75 Rank Points. Translation: Losing players whose Rank Points drop to the next lower rank will not fall in rank if they remain within that buffer threshold. 
  • Don’t sweat it if you lose a Ranked match in Bronze: Now the loss won’t cost you any Rank Points. 
• To discourage Ranked mode competitors from bailing mid-match, the Rank Point penalty for quitting has increased from 40 RP to 50 RP.  
• Fixed two Ranked matchmaking bugs: One that was preventing Ranked players from matchmaking in the Ranked lobby, and a second bug that let Ranked players invite other players outside the matchmaking restrictions (for instance, players of a much higher rank) while waiting in the queue. 

Miscellaneous 

• The Ubisoft Connect GS-Kommando Core Challenges Smoother Operator and Elite Operator weren’t unlocking after their requirements were met, but now they are. 
• Graphical and audio fixes, various. 
• Crash fixes, various.