A major change has been announced for the Battleground snowfield map, Vikendi. New elements to entertain users, such as the Blizzard Zone and the addition of a cable car, have been revealed. It is expected to be reborn as complete content by correcting the shortcomings after the first remaster.
Krafton broadcast ‘PUBG Developer Talk: Vikendi Ribbon’ on the 26th ahead of the PUBG winter update. Commentary Kim Ji-soo, who is in charge of PUBG Esports, was in charge of the show. The development team dedicated to the Vikendi remake directly revealed the details.
The snowy map, Vikendi, is a map that has been criticized by users even though it has been remastered once since its release. The current PD said, “As a developer, it was very unfortunate that Vikendi was ignored. It was refreshed from the perspective of being completely reborn.”
Vikendi’s map size changes first. Vikendi is reborn in 8 x 8 size beyond 6 x 6 size. This is the existing Erangel, Miramar, Tae, and the same size as Deston. The development team explained the reason for the change in Vikendi’s size, “We lacked the know-how for 6 X 6 maps, so we wanted to recreate them into 8 X 8 maps that we are good at.”
■ Completely reborn Vikendi
During the first remaster of Vikendi, most of the snow, which was the identity of the snowfield map, was deleted. However, it received a rather bad response as it was not possible to see the visuals that could only be appreciated in the snowy field. In the Vikendi change, there will be a major topographical and visual change by taking advantage of the characteristics of the snowfield.
First of all, the terrain covered with snow and the terrain that is not are all expressed on one map. A glacier area has also appeared, allowing you to feel the topography of various concepts on one map. A new element that replaces the red zone system is also added.
The ‘Blizzard Zone’ is an environment where a blizzard blows over a wide area. You can use it strategically rather than avoiding it unconditionally like the red zone. When entering the blizzard zone, enemies receive damage and are restricted in their field of vision. It is expected to be used in various ways, such as running away from a war situation or hiding when entering the magnetic field.
A new means of transportation is the cable car. It is a unique means of transportation that allows you to move between regions without hindrance. It is big enough to carry about two UZAs or Dacias. It is indestructible, making it a good strategic means of transportation. A new way of using the crowbar has also been created. You can get various items by opening cabinets or locked doors with a lever.
Taego’s comeback match is also added to Vikendi. The return battle will take place on the newly appeared island in the lower right corner. It was one chance at Taego, but three chances are given at Vikendi. In order to improve the loose battle, it is designed to move the magnetic field and engage actively.
I was able to hear comments about the difficulty of Vikendi. Erangel and Taego were designed to enable stable play. Producer Kim Tae-yeon said, “Because users have accumulated proficiency, we set Vikendi to a slightly higher difficulty than that.”
■ Q&A
Q. Does the Blizzard Zone take damage from inside the building?
When creating the blizzard zone, I wanted to express the visual grandeur and at the same time realize the harsh environment of a blizzard. So, even if you move inside the building to avoid the Blizzard Zone, you will receive the same effect. In addition, a visually frozen expression is produced on the screen, and the field of view is also very narrow.
Q. If Vikendi is included in the competitive map, is there any possibility that it will be included in esports as well?
It is difficult to give a definite answer in a situation where Vikendi is not yet in service. It’s a long way from e-sports, but if users want it and enjoy playing it, there is a possibility.
Q. I’m curious about the difference between Taego’s comeback and Vikendi’s comeback.
The end of the comeback match in phase 1 is the same. The difference is that the waiting time at Taego was long. However, in Vikendi, 3 opportunities are given, and during the 3 minutes before the return, you can continue to challenge according to the given opportunity.
Q. How are the buildings and objects in the glacier area organized?
There are no typical buildings. There are camp-type tents, boxes, and radars. The concept was implemented in which researchers at a weather station exploring the glacial area set up camp for more detailed investigations.
Q. Will a new Gilly suit be added to the Vikendi Ribbon?
No new ghillie suits will be added. The existing white ghillie suit will reappear.
Q. Can we fight in the section where cable cars cross each other?
I also made it imagining it. In the cable car, ‘Panzerfaust’ is spawned a lot. I expect that there will be a battle scene using Panzerfaust at the point where they intersect each other.
Q. Besides Vikendi and Taego, do you have any plans to add a comeback match to other maps?
I thought the contents of the return match itself were insufficient. We plan to add it if it is sufficiently improved and usability increases.
Q. At the time of the first release of Vikendi, there was an opinion that there were so many eyes that the reflected light hurt the eyes. Has this problem been improved?
I had a lot of trouble. Instead of adding a lot of snow as before, we tried to make it comfortable to play by introducing environmental elements such as the shadows of clouds. I hope users like it.
Q. I wonder if the size of the Blizzard Zone is random, and when and where it appears.
Blizzard zones appear on the map in a fixed size. The timing of appearance and non-appearance is the same as Erangel’s Red Zone. The location is random, and up to two appear.
Q. Is there a secret cave in the newly born Vikendi?
It is implemented in Vikendi under the name of ‘Secret Room’. The operation method is similar to existing maps. As for the location, it is recommended that users find fun by looking for it themselves.
Q. Previously in Vikendi, level 3 helmets were field drops. Is it a field drop in the Vikendi Ribbon?
There is no field drop. In the existing Vikendi, play using SR and level 3 helmets was characterized. However, in this Vikendi ribbon, Molotov cocktails were used to bring out the characteristics.
Q. Will a thermal imaging scope be added?
It is added along with the addition of night weather (moonlight). The trajectory of the bullet will also be displayed.
Q. Are there any plans to release new passes or growth weapons that match the concept of Vikendi?
A Christmas-themed pass will be released, but growth-type weapons will not be released.
Q. Each map has a combat concept. What is Vikendi’s engagement concept?
Because the topography and natural environment are different for each region, the battle style is different for each region rather than the entire snowfield map.
Q. If Blizzard Zone is added to Vikendi Ribbon, are there plans to add elements such as sandstorms to Miramar and hurricanes to Deston?
This Blizzard Zone was a big challenge for the development team. There is a plan, but there are concerns about optimization. Internal discussions are ongoing.
Q. In addition to the notice, please provide a detailed explanation of the MMR-related patch.
I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to the users who have been harmed. I found that there was a problem with the existing MMR in general. Matching was not in the form we wanted, and we tried to improve it. Improved MMR to be evenly distributed and matched according to skill level.
However, in the process, illegal program users are moving to higher MMR, and certain users are suffering a lot of damage. The development team is working hard to solve the issue as a top priority. If you trust and wait, I will repay you with a good solution.
In order to regain the trust that has been lost through this incident, we will try to reciprocate with good service and content, and become a communicative PUBG development team.