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Update 1.6.8 released!


A few additional fixes and optimizations, along with an improved drone search option based on community feedback.

Changelist


  • Updated: the drone selection menu's can now search for drone setups, and the layout has been made more consistent.
  • Updated: Hall26 lighting, performance and thumbnails.
  • Fixed: several texture and material shadows.
  • Fixed: the race timer would start before arming the drone in the rare case where the first checkpoint of the race was right in between the environment's origin point and the drone spawnpoint.
  • Other: split up large game files into several smaller packages so that future updates to textures and materials will result in smaller updates.
  • Minor backend bugfixes


[ 2024-12-12 12:43:03 CET ] [ Original post ]

Season's Greetings!


Gather 'round, dear friends, for a joyous celebration awaits in our festive 4-week in-game holiday extravaganza! Embrace the spirit of the season as you embark on a merry quest to uncover every snowman nestled within a single Liftoff level. With each discovery, unlock the enchanting "Snow Spotter" achievement. May your days be merry and bright.


[ 2024-12-10 05:00:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.6.7 released


Yesterdays update, version 1.6.6, marked a significant milestone for Liftoff. It introduced an essential engine update that lays the groundwork for the projects future growth. These updates are crucial for ensuring Liftoffs continued evolution, but they always come with challenges. Engine updates are tricky; they often uncover unforeseen problems in unexpected places, sometimes beyond what internal testing can reveal. Weve been hard at work addressing the major issues reported since yesterday's update, and todays version 1.6.7 aims to fix several of them. Well continue rolling out quick-fix updates if needed.

Changelist


  • Updated: the 'Fixed drone setup' multiplayer game modifier now allows you to use modified variants of the drone setup. The game will ask you to select a compatible drone when joining the game, if any are available.
  • Updated: the gameplay options menu now always scales with the contents rather than having a fixed size and requiring to scroll down.
  • Updated: improved lighting for Liftoff Arena environment.
  • Fixed: pink visuals on Intel-based mac systems.
  • Fixed: multiplayer 'waiting for others' issue.
  • Fixed: in multiplayer infinite race, when spectation another player while the game settings were being changed, your drone wouldn't allow to reset.
Thank you all for your reports and your patience, it truly means the world to us. We do everything with the best intentions, but were not perfect and sometimes things slip through. Knowing we have such an engaged and supportive community makes all the difference, and we never take it for granted.


[ 2024-12-06 02:23:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.6.6 released!


Meet the Racewhoop! This little powerhouse is a 3D-printed, 2.5-inch drone thats as versatile as it is fun.

Changelist


  • Added Racewhoop 2.5" drone frame and blueprint.
  • Added Bushmaster 2105.5 2800KV and Bushmaster 2105.5 3600KV motors.
  • Added Camulus T63 6-blade propellers.
  • Added S-Line 5S battery.
  • Added Redot Mini action camera.
  • Added a new tournament format: Elimination with double and single elimination formats.
  • Added a toggle to skip the countdown in races, when possible.
  • Added a slider to set the coloring threshold for the race lap timer. This allows you to fine-tune how strictly the lap timer reports improvement or regression in your checkpoint timing.
  • Updated the game engine for increased performance and frame consistency.
  • Updated the flight controller settings menu to allow setting the throttle start and end values.
  • Updated the game options menu with a dedicated 'Race' section to update settings related to race game modes.
  • Updated tournaments to allow switching to a different drone setup in-game, rather than returning to the tournaments menu again.
  • Fixed descriptions for several batteries where the described values didn't match internal specifications.
  • Fixed multiplayer game modifiers not being displayed properly in the games lobby.
  • Fixed issue where 'broken' drone setups could still register a tournament tryout.
  • Fixed action camera skins issue where they would not allow to recolor the camera.
  • Fixed several graphical issues in the Short Circuit, Pine Valley, Bando City, Bardwell's Yard, Hall 26, Dubai Legends and Hannover environments.
  • Fixed drone stats not showing correctly in the drone selection option of the pause menu.
  • Updated lighting visuals in Dubai Legends, Hall26, Minus Two and Paris Drone Festival.
  • Fixed issue where track items with multiple checkpoints would not properly display which checkpoint to fly through during a race. Fixed: exploit where multiplayer game modifiers weren't applied properly when switching the game settings mid-play.
  • Fixed issue with the race guides not properly visualizing the path if a track item with multiple checkpoints was set as a start or ending checkpoint of a race.
EDIT: For those who experience MP issues after the 1.6.6 release, a quickfix was released that (hopefully) fixes most of these problems. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

Dquad Fixation Tournament - Finals are about to commence.


The stage is set for the highly anticipated Dquad Fixation Tournament Finals! In the coming weeks, well officially kick off this thrilling event. Our finalist pilots have been contacted and are prepared to face off in Liftoff, competing in the debut of our newly introduced Elimination Tournament format. We invite everyone to check out the new tournament system as our finalist compete and were excited to roll out this format for everyone to enjoy after the Dquad Fixation Tournament Finals wrap up. As always we thank our sponsor Dquad for making this possible!


[ 2024-12-04 11:56:41 CET ] [ Original post ]

Halloween event


Hear ye, brave adventurers! As the moon casts its eerie glow upon us, a challenge of epic proportions awaits! Venture forth into the realm of shadows during the Halloween event and compel every pumpkin to yield its treasure, for only then shall you unlock the coveted "Trick or Treat" achievement! Trick me or treat me, I dont care what you do, just promise to give me a prop or two. But heed this call with valor and style, for the path to glory is paved with choices. Equip thyself with the legendary Halloween Talon skin, and let your presence be known throughout the land! May your hunt be grand, and your victory everlasting! Onward, noble warriors, to triumph and glory!


[ 2024-10-24 04:00:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

Whats Cooking?


While weve been steadily propelling Liftoff forward (hello, shiny new racelines!), we know things might seem quieter than usual on the update front. This hasn't been the result of a slacking team! In fact, its quite the opposite, for months weve been cooking up some of the biggest, boldest features in recent years! Without going into details, here's a list of things in production

  • A new drone type
  • A new pro League tournament bracket system
  • Fully customizable drone HUD
  • A complete UI overhaul, giving the whole project a fresh look
  • A reimagined track builder, rebuilt from the ground up
Our upcoming track builder is set to make its debut in both Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing and Liftoff: Micro Drones. Although it's not ready for prime time just yet, were thrilled to give you a glimpse of whats been developed so far. Please note, this demo showcases a work-in-progress, so it hasnt undergone the final polish youll see in the official release. Multi select and edit
Drag and drop placement and manipulation
Mouse camera movement, tooltips and smooth interactions
Splines and auto placement


[ 2024-10-15 10:58:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.6.5 released!


This update brings a fresh look to our race guides, enhances their path precision, and lets you preview further ahead on your route. We've also tackled a few bugs for better performance and refined drone customization options

Changelist:


  • Updated the race guides' visuals.
  • Updated the race guides' path generation to be a smoother approximation of the actual flight path.
  • Updated the race guides to allow to go further than the next gate. The look ahead value can be adjusted in the game options window.
  • Fixed small a memory issue which could cause framerate issues.
  • Fixed multiplayer game god mode modifier always being listed in the multiplayer lobby.
  • Fixed the Rotor Riot TanQ2 and Dquad Fixation frames to allow the camera angle and additional weight to be adjusted in the drone workbench.
  • Fixed the Flite Test Gremlin Boar to allow to adjust the additional weight in the drone workbench.

Race guides


Race guides have long been invaluable to liftoff pilots, providing crucial direction along the racetrack. However, they have not been without their limitations. With this update, we are introducing an enhanced race guide implementation to further refine and improve their effectiveness. The race guides have been updated with improved visuals and a smoother path approximation. They now also allow you to preview paths beyond the next gate, with the look ahead distance adjustable in the game options. This is only the beginning. As the race guides are automatically generated based on the game's interpretation of your unique track designs, they may still struggle with more intricate or creative layouts. To address this, we will soon introduce a new tool that allows track builders to refine these guidelines according to their specific creations, with the launch of our upcoming track builder update.


[ 2024-08-13 12:42:33 CET ] [ Original post ]

Happy Lughnasadh


Behold the resurgence of the ancient Lughnasadh harvest festival, a sacred gathering revered since time immemorial. As the first week of August dawns, we honor the Celtic deity Lugus with fervent devotion and homage. Blades spinning A solemn cutting of the first of the corn An offering is made Venture forth during the LuGus festival event and undertake the daring quest to locate and activate all LuGus cubes within a single environment. By conquering this challenge, you'll unlock the coveted "LuGus Fest" achievement. Let's celebrate!


[ 2024-08-01 04:00:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.6.4 released!


We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Luma Quad Co, a renowned Australian FPV company trusted by some of the world's top pilots for their go-to frames. Now, you can enhance your Luma training routine in Liftoff as well!

Changelist


  • Added Luma 5 frame.
  • Added two action camera mounts for the Luma 5 frame.
  • Added a Luma 5 drone configuration.
  • Added Liftoff XR-themed skins for the Dquad LXR and Fixation frames and the Rotor Riot TanQ frame.
  • Fixed the 'sign in' button in the drone Workbench when attempting to view the list of available skins.
  • Updated the drone workbench to adjust the camera angle both from the frame section as well as the camera section. This allows DJI FPV setups to adjust the camera angle on their setup and save it

Also... we released Liftoff: XR Drone


and its a 100% free! [previewyoutube=hVWmd-b0X3U;full][/previewyoutube] That's right, if you own a Meta Quest 3, you can download and enjoy our mixed reality experience at no cost, with no hidden fees.
  • Pilot a virtual drone anywhere you are!
  • Experience the most immersive virtual Line Of Sight experience on the market.
  • Enter the virtual realm through the portal and experience FPV flight.
  • Simple controls - only VR input devices needed.
  • Instantly select and fly a collection of micro drones.
  • Spawn virtual objects and targets to practise with.
  • Listen to your favourite Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing and Liftoff: Micro Drones soundtracks while flying.
Please note, Liftoff XR Drone is designed as an introductory experience for flying micro drones on Meta Quest 3. It's fine-tuned for beginners, providing a smooth and enjoyable flight using the device's motion controllers. The experience is authentic yet easy-going, ideal for new pilots. Pro pilots, we need your help to introduce this hobby to a broader audience. We have provided a free casual simulator, and we would love for you to help us present it as an accessible entry point to your VR friends. We appreciate your support!


[ 2024-07-19 07:20:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

wow!


6 E Q U J 5



[ 2024-06-24 04:30:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.6.3 released


Spiffy new transmitter art, a cool track item, fresh textures, Ukrainian localization fixes, and a shiny new LuGus Studios logo!

Changelist:


  • Power cables leading from the battery to the flight controller on the frame are now displayed on all frames.
  • Changed the transmitter art in the calibration system with a new fresh 3D model + using neutral background.
  • Added a new track item that can act as a wall or panel in truss structures.
  • Updated some textures of older track items to have a more realistic and used look.
  • Fixed some Ukrainian localization errors, courtesy of the SBT Localization team.
  • Replaced old LuGus Studios logo with the new one.

Dquad Fixation tournament semi-finals concluded!


Sweat, tears, and countless broken virtual propellers! Over 11 chapters, you fought fiercely for a spot in the finals. We'll soon release a dedicated announcement with the names of the finalists, the plans for the finals, and a recap of Chapter 11 of the semi-finals. For now, enjoy a recap of Chapter 10. [previewyoutube=Ube6UV_6_v4;full]https://youtu.be/Ube6UV_6_v4[/previewyoutube]


[ 2024-06-03 10:41:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

Liftoff Lantern fest!


Lanterns up, lanterns high, Floating in the air, up to the sky. Special lantern festivals are held all over the world, at different times and for different reasons. Some have floating lanterns, others have them flying, in our very own homage to these beautiful events we have them doing both! Go explore these time limited lighbaring landscapes in our 2 week in-game festival. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and the same can be said for our upcoming in-game event. There are no special features, achievements, or XP points to be earned - just pure beauty waiting to be discovered. ... or as our artist Vincent prophetically proclaimed "Here's some floaty stuff you can chase". Enjoy!


[ 2024-05-26 04:00:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.6.2 released!


Update alert! Experience more competition with additional A.I. opponents in Surtur and Permafrost races, and enjoy various fixes to enhance your experience.

Changelist:


  • Added additional A.I. opponents for races in the Surtur and Permafrost environments.
  • Updated the Straw Bale track 01 - Field Day to have the battery recharge and propeller repair stations closer to the ground so hovering is no longer needed.
  • Updated personal race ghosts that didn't finish the race to not show in first place in the finish screen.
  • Updated personal race ghosts that didn't finish the race to show 'DNF' in their name, rather than '00: 00:000' as their time.
  • Fixed a background error when switching in-game level settings in single player from infinite race to another game mode.
  • Fixed popup showing when leaving a tournament in the finish screen after a tryout.
  • Fixed the single player in-game level selection to not block the 'Play' button if The Drawing Board environment was set as the only favorited environment.
  • Fixed some typos.

Dquad Fixaton semi-finals


The Fixation Tournament's semi-finals kick off with Chapter 11, determining who moves on to the ultimate Chapter 12 showdown in a few months. This final stage will unveil an exciting new tournament format that will revolutionize future Liftoff Pro League competitions. Huge thanks to our incredible partner, Dquad, for their essential role in bringing these tournaments to life.


[ 2024-05-03 12:24:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.6.1 released


A small but useful update, addressing minor issues for an improved user experience

Changelist


  • Updated: Battery simulation now takes prop size into account, as larger props are more efficient.
  • Added: Disabling time synchronization in multiplayer when a drone with illegal parts is used.
  • Added: ability to quick tab through rate values in the flight controller settings.
  • Fixed: time display discrepancies on leaderboards compared to on-screen time.
  • Fixed: resolving memory issues when viewing in-game leaderboards.
  • Whitelisting race leaderboards when mods are used (adjustable in the race editor with a toggle) - see text below.
  • A system message in the multiplayer chat window will let you know if leaderboard updates are disabled when you play with game mods or with a drone setup that has conflicting parts.
  • Fixed issue with player avatars not loading correctly on leaderboards.
  • Fixed the idle throttle minimum value being reverted to 0.02 when the value was set to be lower than that in the flight controller settings menu.

Track builders who use mods


All custom tracks and races created for Liftoff will not allow competitive features when game mods are active by default to preserve the integrity of Liftoff's competitive elements. However, if you want your race to still allow leaderboards to be updated while players are using game mods, you can mark your race as such. In the Race Editor menu, you can now find a button Race Settings, where you can alter a race's name, add a description and a toggle to mark your race to be compatible with game mods. This toggle will only be available when you're signed in with your Liftoff Pro account - we make a secure call to our servers and Steam's servers to see whether you own the content, and if you have mods currently active - no point in showing the toggle if no mods are involved anyway. When you share your race on the Steam Workshop, it will register your race to our leaderboard whitelist. Likewise, if you want to disable the whitelisting, simply toggle the option off and share you race on the Steam Workshop again. If you already have a race shared on the Steam Workshop, and want your race's leaderboards to be available with game mods active, then turn on the option as described above, and simply reshare the race on the Steam Workshop.

Fixation Tournament update


[previewyoutube=p5tYd8Nf7I4;full][/previewyoutube]


[ 2024-04-30 11:38:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

Milestone Update 1.6.0


A completely revamped battery simulation and the implementation of a more intricate pro pilot ranking system represent a significant step in Liftoff's ongoing evolution. This 1.6.0 Milestone update incorporates numerous additional features and enhancements, enabling us to further elevate the quality of our simulator. Enjoy!

Changelist


  • Completely revamped the battery simulation to be more unforgivingly realistic.
  • Added: the bounds of an environment are now visualized with a grid when flying too close. This visualization can be disabled in the game options menu.
  • Added: In-game Liftoff Pro ranks are awarded to players when they finish in a top spot. Top spots are visualized on the leaderboards and in the multiplayer game lobby, and the amount of top spots changes based on the amount of participants in the tournament. All previous top spots in completed tournaments will also receive a badge.
  • Updated: your multiplayer profile (click on a name in the game lobby to bring up a player's profile) now shows off your earned Liftoff Pro badges.
  • Added: In multiplayer, you can now access the relevant multiplayer leaderboards from the pause menu, and interacting with the text ticker in the MP lobby operates similarly.
  • Updated: the set of full-screen options in the graphics menu now properly reflects which modes are supported by the platform.
  • Liftoff now detects when mods are installed. Competitive features might be disabled when mods are detected. Removing or disabling the mods will make them become active again.
  • Updated: added the `Velocity` data stream to the Drone Telemetry feature.
  • Fixed: the lighting in the main menu to showcase the drone has been fixed to not be so reflective.
  • Fixed: when returning to the main menu from a Free Flight session while walking around to place the drone's spawnpoint, it now shows the drone properly in the main menu again.
  • Fixed: the sensor data visualizer can now be toggled on/off again (F9 on the keyboard by default)
  • Fixed: the multiplayer lobby would show the 'Fixed drone setup' and 'Battery restriction' game modifiers, even when they were not active.
  • Fixed: when the drone spawns in a drone trigger (repair propeller damage, recharge battery, etc.), it would sometimes keep the respective icons flashing on screen, even when the drone was already out of the trigger range.
  • Fixed: the Scaling gizmo in the track editor would scale a track item on the wrong axes.
  • Fixed: the tournament's tryout recharge timers now properly display when a recharge will actually happen on the server.
  • Fixed: Fisheye level-of-detail issue, where switching environments or changing game settings while fisheye was active would cause performance issues.

Gold, Silver and Bronze ranks


We're excited to announce the introduction of Gold, Silver, and Bronze positions in our tournament leaderboards. These prestigious ranks will be prominently displayed on leaderboards and in the multiplayer lobby, adding depth and significance to your tournament wins. Our goal is to recognize and better reward the dedication of those who actively participate in tournaments.
Once you reach one of these tiers, you'll be recognized as a Gold, Silver, or Bronze player, and you can advance your tier position three times by achieving more placements within that tier, or by moving up to the next tier by finishing even higher. Our goal is to broaden the appeal of our tournaments to a wider audience of pilots. Instead of solely emphasizing the top 3 positions dominated by elite pilots, tournament success will now be measured by aiming for a top 15 placement, enabling a more gradual and inclusive ranking progression. This new feature is designed to improve the overall experience and provide a more rewarding journey for all participants.

New battery simulation


Battery life is an important factor in drone applications and often presents a bottleneck for specific flight sessions. An accurate and realistic simulation of the battery discharge is therefore critical part of the Liftoff simulators. We've update battery simulation to be much closer to reality. Previously, amp draw was calculated too low, which resulted in most setups flying at well below the continuous discharge rate of the battery, even at max throttle. This caused the battery to behave, as some players pointed out, like a timer. We've rectified this, so now your choice of battery will have a significant impact when using battery simulation. Low capacity batteries might die before the end of a race, and low c-ratings might cause the battery to overheat and die when you push them too much. We've also updated battery sag, to make it more responsive. There is now a small drop in voltage when load increases, which recovers quickly, as well as a slower, longer lasting drop in voltage when you push the battery too hard.

Dquad Fixation Tournament


The Fixation Tournament charges ahead with thrilling outcomes. As we approach the semi-finals with Chapter 11, we will soon learn who will earn coveted spots in the ultimate showdown in the Final race in a few months time. [previewyoutube=ZUByGOI-J0I;full]https://youtu.be/ZUByGOI-J0I?si=vvwYUcY2UI-ki4YO[/previewyoutube] [previewyoutube=YpQ4Qa-4dYE;full][/previewyoutube]


[ 2024-04-17 12:57:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Easter egg hunt!


Through the skies, they swiftly roam, Bringing Easter joy to every home Find all easter eggs in a single environment during the Easter event and unlock the "Easter Egg Hunting" achievement. Have an egg-cellent hunt!


[ 2024-04-10 06:00:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

Launching: AI pilots


Attention Liftoff Pilots! Collecting coins in Liftoff isn't just a score, it's training our AI to revolutionize FPV flying! Your gameplay is shaping the future of racing and freestyle competitions. Help us replace real pilots with automated drones by mastering the skies in Liftoff. Collect those coins and soar towards the future of FPV! #LiftoffRevolution #AutomatedFPV


[ 2024-04-02 08:55:34 CET ] [ Original post ]

New languages available!


Shortly after introducing our community translation tools, we're thrilled to witness the emergence of remarkable community translations. As of now, Italian, Portuguese and Chinese languages are available for subscription on the Steam Workshop. And it seems like Spanish is in the works too. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated community members whose efforts have made this achievement possible. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3168375593&searchtext= https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3168901618&searchtext= https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3164843493&searchtext= Creators, please feel free to reach out to the team. As community pioneers, we are delighted to present you with a Liftoff Community Award badge as a thank you for your dedication!


[ 2024-03-04 12:23:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.5.12 released!


Our debut Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing update for 2024 introduces a series of quality-of-life enhancements and features, improving the overal Liftoff Pro League tournament experience, adding a much requested race HUD feature and opening up the possibility for community translations.

Changelist


  • Added a dedicated lap timer in the drone's HUD. The lap timer will also flash green/red when you're improving/regressing your best time.
  • Added a community localisation/translation feature.
  • Added a drone telemetry feature.
  • Updated the tournament flow. You can now select a drone from within the tournament menu, without having to register a tryout first.
  • Updated starting tryouts in tournaments. At the start of the race, you can pick whether you want to start a practice round, or a tryout session. You can switch between tryouts and practice from the race finish screen.
  • Updated ghosts racing with you during tournament practice. If you put down a better score on the leaderboard, it will add that ghost directly as an opponent during the next practice session.
  • Updated the tournament information panels where everything is available in foldout menus rather than a dedicated menu per section.
  • Added a multiplayer/community terms of service before entering the multiplayer when not using a Liftoff Pro account.
  • Updated the 'Show OSD Axis Visualisation' option to be enabled by default.
  • Updated some French and Ukrainian lines to properly handle plurals.
  • Updated the drone HUD to be centered correctly.
  • Fixed issue in the track/race editor where it wasn't possible anymore to edit races of a track that was edited and checkpoints were removed.
  • Fixed some drone playback issues for ghosts and in multiplayer where it would seem like some are skipping checkpoints or passing through objects.
  • Fixed netting in Paris Drone Festival on macOS while using Metal rendering.
  • Fixed the OSD axis visualiser in multiplayer not showing the inputs of other pilots anymore after a drone reset.
  • Fixed a collider issue of the suppot beams in the Woodpecker environment.
  • Fixed an issue with loading the tournament leaderboards on older tournaments.
  • Hopefully fixed an issue where a broken track or race could be selected during a multiplayer game.

Add new translations


Motivated by the incredible creativity of the Liftoff community on Steam Workshop, we're excited to support community translations. You're no longer bound by the languages included in official updates, you can check out the Steam Workshop to look for community created translations or create and share your own. You can access this localization feature in the "tools" section of the game, enabling you to download an existing official language as a template and import and test your own translations. Please note that this feature is currently in the "Beta" stage and is recommended only for translations utilizing the Latin alphabet. In upcoming updates, we plan to enhance this system to be more versatile and accommodating. For more information, make sure to check out our Steam Guide.

Drone telemetry feature


We are opening up Liftoff to give you access to more data, directly from the game. We have included a Drone telemetry feature that allows you to gather real-time data from the drone, e.g., position, attitude, rates, and processed input. This way, you can analyze flights or diagnose issues with external programs that interface with Liftoff. To enable this feature, visit this guide on the Steam Workshop.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!


Collect all the hearts in a single environment during the Valentine's Day event and unlock the "Heart Collector" achievement. Thank you for being being a part of the Liftoff community, we love you all!


[ 2024-02-14 13:30:48 CET ] [ Original post ]

Labor of Love!

Every winter holiday season, Steam holds the Steam Awards. It's a chance to recognize your favorite games for their achievements. However, as Rock Paper Shotgun pointed out, because these awards rely on public voting, they often end up rewarding mainstream games backed by enormous marketing power rather than some indie gems that do equally impressive things yet dont enjoy the mass media attention. In the past, we used to actively promote the awards within our Liftoff community. However, we soon realised that we were pressuring you, our community, to participate in a system that couldn't truly recognise the unique and niche games you loved. To illustrate this sentiment, this year's results are raising eyebrows among gamers and game press alike. Red Dead Redemption 2, a game that hasn't received any significant updates in the past 2 years, has been awarded the "Labor of Love" award. While it is a fantastic game deserving of much praise (we love it), it seems ironic that, as far as the gaming community is concerned, it is an abandoned project. The huge Rockstar fanbase however shows strength in numbers, simply voting for their favorite game. So rather than just celebrating the popular vote alone, well also reveal our special consideration for the 2023 Labor of Love Award: our community! Together, our virtual pilots have achieved the milestone of logging over 10 million total flight hours in Liftoff. Nearly a decade after its initial release, they've consistently set new records in growth and playtime. In 2023, their dedication resulted in over 3,700 custom community-made pieces of content, contributing to the more than 27,000 workshop items collectively shared over the years, freely available for any other Liftoff pilot to use. They've shared 11,000 virtual drones online and crafted hundreds of kilometers of virtual drone racetracks to fly them on. For us, this signifies an incredible labor of love, and we deeply appreciate our community for it!
To the thousands of new pilots that joined us the past few days. Please be welcome! Join our community on Discord and Facebook!


[ 2024-01-03 11:30:49 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.5.11 released


Just like the previous update, version 1.5.11 of Liftoff introduces a range of enhancements and bug fixes. All these improvements were made based on player feedback, and we're grateful for your ongoing input!

Changelist


  • Added: Camera angle synchronisation in multiplayer while spectating.
  • Updated: Loading of certain assets should go faster, resulting in faster loading times of maps on systems with slower drives.
  • Fixed: Multiplayer drone spawn issue where an active player wouldn't have a drone assigned, which could result in black screens when spectating that player.
  • Fixed: In multiplayer infinite race, it no longer shows a message if the player jumped first in the ranking without having a time set.
  • Fixed: Drones in multiplayer now spawn at the right location so that they don't appear to glide for a fraction of a second.
  • Fixed: Several scroll views on Windows and Linux that were extremely slow.
  • Fixed: Bando City environment collisions with trees.


[ 2023-12-20 09:27:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.5.10 released!


Ticking off a series of items on our list, version 1.5.10 is all about some essential quality-of-life enhancements. We appreciate your valuable feedback and bug reports, these make all the difference!

Changelist


  • Fixed drone respawn issue in multiplayer free flight and infinite race for other players. This may also fix some black screen issues if the player was spectating this particular drone.
  • Fixed main menu or level loading issues where it was trying to show or use the DJI FPV drone while the parts were not available.
  • Fixed issue with the race checkpoint markers jittering when using the Fisheye lens effect.
  • Fixed issue with the race checkpoint markers lagging behind the camera's movement.
  • Fixed issue where the camera would seemingly spawn for a fraction of a second in a remote location of the map before being properly assigned to a drone.
  • Fixed issue with temporary drone settings being carried over when switching drone setups in-game, e.g. camera angle and flight mode.
  • Fixed issue with toggling the Fisheye lens effect from the in-game game options menu.
  • Fixed issue where the leaderboards wouldn't properly load in the multiplayer game lobby when a race from the Steam Workshop was used and the player still had to load in the data.
  • Fixed issue where it would sometimes try to save an empty flight recording.
  • Fixed several third person camera issues.
  • Fixed several missing French and Ukrainian translation entries.


[ 2023-12-13 11:28:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

Season's Greetings!


Lets celebrate this wonderful time together in our 4 weeks in-game holidays event. Discover each snowman nestled in a single Liftoff level during this event to unlock the enchanting "Snow Spotter" achievement! May your days be merry and bright.


[ 2023-12-11 08:59:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.5.9 released


Ending the year with flair: a new frame, enhanced multiplayer, an awesome tournament, and thrilling experiments!

Changelist


  • Added a "special" version of the popular TanQ frame by Let's Fly RC.
  • Updated the multiplayer to support 8 players in a game.
  • Updated the multiplayer network activity to be more efficient and adjust dynamically based on the amount of active players.
  • Updated the multiplayer so that players experience less loadings and down time.
  • Multiplayer game settings can be updated while in-game by the game's host, and players will reload directly into the game's updated settings without having to go back to the game's lobby.
  • In multiplayer, the new game settings window also shows the game's chat window so that the host can discuss the changes.
  • In multiplayer, players can select their drone setup while in-game. For Classic Race and Dropout Race, the drone setup can be changed in the finish screen.
  • In multiplayer, the Classic Race and Dropout Race game modes no longer require the host to start the game and can now be started by any player.
  • Updated multiplayer infinite race game mode to stall Liftoff Pro experience events until the player resets the drone as to not disturb or interrupt while flying.
  • Updated the drone HUD in multiplayer spectator and in replay to show the drone's speed and altitude as well as the horizon axis.
  • Updated the content layout to optimize freeing memory when leaving a level.
  • Added A.I. opponents for the official Permafrost races.
  • Added a build identifier in the game version to the main menu.
  • Added Ukrainian translation for the new tutorial. Thank you SBT Localization team.

TanQ 2


Let's Fly RC wanted one thing out of his new frame more than anything else, and that's for it to survive any and all damage. Of course, we all know nothing does that better than a tank. This new frame is made to be the most rugged you could find, and it succeeds. The TanQ in Liftoff is extra special, because it presents the first look at the brand new version 2 of the frame. Try it out in Liftoff first! "Somebody said something to me today at kwads and coffee when I was talking about the release of the TanQ in Liftoff. They joked that God mode should be the default setting because the TanQ is indestructible! Found it hilarious! " - Let's Fly RC

Fixation Tournament continues


It's been thrilling witnessing our top pilots in action at the monthly Dquad Fixation tournament. Chapter 4 was exceptionally exciting! Take a look at the results. [previewyoutube=c2AZj10Du1c;full]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2AZj10Du1c [/previewyoutube]

Blending real life with virtual worlds!


Finally, let's talk mixed reality! Always on the lookout to offer our Liftoff drone simulator experience in new ways, we're thrilled to present our initial proof-of-concept demo video for a potential Liftoff XR experience designed for Meta Quest 3. [previewyoutube=M4naybd555M;full]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4naybd555M[/previewyoutube] While in the past we stayed away from building a VR experiences, with the latest full color pass-through features, it's evident that the technology is now primed for some exciting FPV adventures! We'd love to know if you are interested! Should we make this available for everyone to try?


[ 2023-12-04 13:01:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

Fixation Tournament - Chapter 3 Review

As we near the end of Fixation Tournament - Chapter 4, we invite you to secure your spot on the leaderboards, as there's only a few hours left! For some inspiration, check out our review video of Chapter 3, highlighting its thrilling moments and gameplay. [previewyoutube=8UXmeABGmkk;full][/previewyoutube] Check out more tournament videos and monthly interviews with some of our best participants here! Once more, this tournament is brought to you by our partner, Dquad! Exciting rewards await those who secure top positions on the leaderboards every month. If you're taking part and eager to share your tournament experience, be sure to reach out to us. You could be our next featured guest in a video!


[ 2023-10-30 14:23:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

Trick or Treat


On Halloween, the spirits fly, Jack-o'-lanterns light up the sky Deceive the sinister pumpkins into offering you their treats in a single eerie realm during the cursed Halloween event to unlock the coveted "Trick or Treat" achievement. And if you want to achieve this in the most diabolical way, make sure to don your sinister Halloween Talon skin and venture into the chilling Night Fever DLC levels! May your hunt be riddled with horror! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1020100/Liftoff__Night_Fever/


[ 2023-10-24 08:35:58 CET ] [ Original post ]

Fixation Tournament - Chapter 2 Review

The Fixation Tournament (learn all about it here), generously sponsored by Dquad, is an absolute blast! The daily showdowns among the elite Liftoff pilots keep us on the edge of our seats! Join us for an exhilarating Chapter 2 review, as we delve into the race results, engage in conversations with Revu, and celebrate once more the victor of both Chapter 1 and 2 GMAN. [previewyoutube=mNRtHIQbYeo;full]https://youtu.be/mNRtHIQbYeo?si=HqhtOEtbpkM2fQwf[/previewyoutube] [previewyoutube=igcnoVbJ_4o;leftthumb]https://youtu.be/igcnoVbJ_4o?si=5Z9gmr8rcLwr_GwE[/previewyoutube][previewyoutube=Xy4hc3TicOk;rightthumb][/previewyoutube]


[ 2023-09-13 14:28:09 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.5.8 released!


It's here! Permafrost introduces a cool and refreshing experience to Liftoff; one of the largest and most immersive environments to explore within our simulator to date. For those who had the chance to test Permafrost on the Experimental Branch, you'll be pleased to discover numerous enhancements, including improved optimizations, refinements of existing locations, and an entirely new point of interest. Don't forget to bring your skis!

Changelist


  • Added new Permafrost environment.
  • Added 3 official races for Permafrost.
  • Added the option to save previous recordings after a drone reset.
  • Added "Little helper" Steam Achievement
  • Fixed issue with loading empty recordings.
  • Fixed DJI FPV drone using unsupported flight modes.
  • Fixed race or track selection when updating an existing multiplayer game in the game creation settings.


[ 2023-09-04 13:16:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

Fixation Tournament - Chapter 1 Review

The first chapter of the record-breaking Fixation Tournament (learn all about it here) has concluded, and it was an exhilarating experience! With a tremendous turnout of 390 pilots participating, the first chapter exceeded our expectations. Meanwhile, Chapter 2 of the Fixation Tournament is well underway, boasting 200 participants and a remaining 14 days before completion. Here's how it unfolded: [previewyoutube=W4z_JRknr_g;full][/previewyoutube] What sets the top pilots apart, and what valuable insights can you glean from them to position yourself as a formidable contender in the forthcoming 11 chapters of the Fixation Tournament? Delve into these interviews showcasing some of the standout pilots within the Liftoff community. Get a closer look at GMAN, the Chapter 1 top-ranking pilot, and gain insights from FPV Fly and Revu who are striving to elevate their leaderboard positions to become the next contenders for the coveted top spots. [previewyoutube=f1Q2zk1FBHw;full][/previewyoutube] [previewyoutube=hJlkzU1J6cw;leftthumb][/previewyoutube][previewyoutube=0BMZytgWu0s;rightthumb][/previewyoutube]


[ 2023-08-17 08:36:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.5.7 released!


We apologize for the recent inconvenience caused by our multiplayer downtime, which affected the experience we aim to provide. Secondly, we extend our gratitude to all of you for your patience and encouragement. Your support during these stressful moments is truly invaluable. Our team has completely reworked the multiplayer framework in just a few days time, in order to get everything up and running as soon as possible. Fingers crossed for a smooth transition!

Changelist


  • Fixed: connecting to the Liftoff Pro and multiplayer services!
  • Added: the option to save and apply custom rate profiles from the flight controller settings. These are saved game-wide, so you can save the rates for one drone setup and apply them easily unto a different one.
  • Fixed: Liftoff would crash if you armed your drone when having the throttle zero-point set all the way to 1.
  • Fixed: Joining a room by name wasn't possible if the roomname had the '-' in it (which all Liftoff rooms had by default)
  • Fixed: Multiplayer game moderators can't be kicked anymore by the game's host.
  • Fixed: Apply the framerate limit from the pause menu didn't apply immediately.
  • Fixed: A non-removable popup after changing your Liftoff Pro password in-game.
  • Fixed: missing ice lake textures in Surtur.

Special thanks to Jan!


Our job is to provide the best possible experience for our community, as such, keeping things in order is not something we would seek appreciation for. Nonetheless I feel it's worth giving a special thanks to Jan. For the past five days, we've been receiving his "end of the workday" reports around 4 am at night (and later), indicating that he has been diligently working for 19 hours straight each day. His dedication to the Liftoff project and the community is exceptional. We feel fortunate to have such dedicated developers on our team. Thank you, Jan! Enjoy some well-deserved free time :)


[ 2023-08-03 15:57:57 CET ] [ Original post ]

LuGus Fest


As the drone surveys the field, Lugus' blessings are revealed, The harvest bountiful and fine, We give thanks to Lugus for this divine. Each year we bring back the age old Lughnasadh harvest festivial, a celebration held on the first week of August, dedicated to the celtic god Lugus. Let's celebrate! Find and harvest (activate) all LuGus cubes in a single environment during the LuGus festival event to unlock the time limited "LuGus Fest" achievement.


[ 2023-08-01 07:40:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

New environment: Permafrost


Our new Liftoff environment Permafrost is a cold winter wonderland brimming with interesting locations just waiting for FPV explorers like you to discover. Permafrost is now available for open beta testing, accessible to all Liftoff players! Given the richness and complexity of Permafrost, as it pushes the boundaries in certain aspects, we want to thorough testing it before releasing it into the public version of the game.

Permafrost


Permafrost is the result of everything we've learned from our previous environment creations. It's massive, but packed with interesting content, making the journey from one location to another feel like an enjoyable adventure rather than a tedious task. Forest covered valleys and ridges hide all kinds of interesting things, both manmade and natural. Early playtests have demonstrated that after spending hours exploring the environment, players still discover new things each time they play. We are excited to see you uncover all Permafrost has to offer. [previewyoutube=POEs04gNzRg;full][/previewyoutube]

How to test


[olist]
  • To get access to the Experimental Branch you have to change some Properties settings on Steam. To do this, follow these steps:
  • Right click on Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing in your Steam Library
  • Click Properties
  • In the Properties menu, click the BETAS tab
  • Select Experimental Branch in the dropdown menu
  • Happy testing! [/olist] In order to switch back to the normal version of Liftoff, follow the same instructions, but instead of selecting Experimental Branch in the last step, select NONE - Opt out of all beta programs. Read all about the Experimental Branch here.


    [ 2023-07-31 14:43:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Multiplayer downtime

    Many of you may have noticed that the multiplayer and competitive features of Liftoff and Liftoff: Micro Drones are currently unavailable. We have been working non-stop, fueled by caffeine and a lot of determination, to bring these features back online as quickly as possible. However, we expect this to be a longer than usual downtime.

    What happened?


    To explain briefly, during a routine maintenance period of our service provider on their cloud platform, they removed a service that the Liftoff Pro and Liftoff multiplayer services were actively relying on, without any prior warning. The response from their technical support can be summarized as, "it's done, deal with it!" Thats exactly what we are doing now. We're in the process of migrating our service to a more up-to-date environment with more control in our own hands, ensuring that this issue will not occur again in the future. While others may have failed us, we have no intention of letting our community down. Thus, we are working diligently to resolve this downtime as soon as possible.

    Pro League tournament


    We understand that this unexpected downtime has impacted the final hours of the first chapter in the Fixation Tournament. Rest assured, once our services are back online, we will extend the tournament for a few more days to ensure all participants have a fair opportunity to compete.

    Not all doom and gloom


    While our multiplayer feature is temporarily unavailable, we've got something incredible to keep your spirits soaring high! Introducing the open beta for Permafrost, our newest Liftoff environment, crafted with the purpose of sparking your sense of exploration and discovery. This test release is bound to keep you you busy for countless hours! Read all about it here!


    [ 2023-07-31 11:52:34 CET ] [ Original post ]

    wow!


    6 E Q U J 5



    [ 2023-07-01 10:30:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Fixation Tournament announcement!


    Win a year long sponsorship deal and much more!


    Exciting news! We've partnered with Dquad to bring Liftoff Pro League pilots an incredible opportunity, a 12-chapter tournament with Dquad Fixation kits up for grabs. And as the icing on the cake, participants also have a chance to win a year-long sponsorship deal with Dquad. This collaboration highlights Dquad's commitment to advancing the FPV racing sport and reinforces Liftoff as the premier platform for showcasing your virtual FPV racing skills to the entire FPV community. Beginning on July 1st, we commence the tournament with Chapter 1 in Short Circuit. Get ready for an adrenaline-fueled competition where you have the chance to win amazing prizes! Here's what's up for grabs for the first eleven chapters. First place - Ultimate Race Package
    • Two Fixation frame kits - Ensuring you're always ready for action.
    • Four spare arms
    • One top plate, one bottom plate, and one main plate
    • Two TPU flip fins - Enhancing stability and control during flights.
    • Two TPU mounts for Foxeer Micro Lollipop Antennas
    • Two TPU camera mounts (with color options)
    • Free worldwide shipping
    • Alternatively, you can choose a $100 cash prize - We value inclusivity and want to ensure our prizes cater to the diverse interests of our winners.
    Second place - Fixation frame kit
    • Fixation frame kit
    • One TPU flip fin, TPU Micro Foxeer Antenna mount and TPU Camera
    To be eligible for the prizes, participants must adhere to the Liftoff Pro Account agreement. Each Liftoff player can only win this prize once, during the Fixation Tournament series.

    Win a year long sponsorship deal with Dquad!


    If you secure a spot in the top 10 of each of the first 11 chapters, your placement score will be included in determining the top 5 pilots for the Fixation Tournament. These 5 pilots will compete in an exhilarating final 12th chapter for the coveted year-long sponsorship deal with Dquad.


    [ 2023-06-21 10:30:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff Lantern fest!


    Lanterns up, lanterns high, Floating in the air, up to the sky. Special lantern festivals are held all over the world, at different times and for different reasons. Some have floating lanterns, others have them flying, in our very own homage to these beautiful events we have them doing both! Go explore these time limited lighbaring landscapes in our 2 week in-game festival. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and the same can be said for our upcoming in-game event. There are no special features, achievements, or XP points to be earned - just pure beauty waiting to be discovered. ... or as our artist Vincent prophetically proclaimed "Here's some floaty stuff you can chase". Enjoy!


    [ 2023-05-26 07:10:43 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Easter egg hunt!


    With a whir and a buzz, your drone takes to air, To find Easter eggs, hidden everywhere! Find all easter eggs in a single environment during the Easter event and unlock the "Easter Egg Hunting" achievement. Have an egg-cellent hunt!


    [ 2023-04-10 07:02:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

    20.000 Reasons to play Liftoff!


    20.000 Steam Workshop items


    Wow, together we've created over 20,000 pieces of downloaded content for Liftoff, all available to explore and try on the Steam workshop for free! This is truly a massive milestone, and one of the biggest achievements in the FPV community. The sheer amount of content available in Liftoff is truly staggering, and it's a testament to the creativity and passion of the community. From custom tracks and challenging obstacles to unique drone designs, there's an infinite amount of content to explore and enjoy in Liftoff. Check it it out here! But what's truly special about this milestone is that it shows how Liftoff is an FPV sim for and by everyone. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a brand-new pilot, there's something for everyone in the Liftoff community. And with so many amazing pieces of content available, you'll always have something new to discover and enjoy. So let's all raise a toast to the Liftoff community for this amazing achievement. You've truly made Liftoff a sim like no other, and we can't wait to see what incredible content you'll create next!


    [ 2023-04-04 11:49:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.5.6


    Fancy cars Icelandic landscape Camera drone Get ready to take your drone racing experience to the next level with Liftoff: Slipstream's latest update.

    Changelist 1.5.5:


    • Fixed: fixed drone setups in multiplayer rooms were not applied in-game.
    • Fixed issues where audio cues of sustained stunts would continue playing while the menu was open or the score screen was visible.
    • Fixed issue where the audio cue and text display of sustained stunts would remain visible and audible.
    • Fixed issue where the game triggers did not react properly to the user preference of enabled/disabled visuals.

    Changelist 1.5.6:


    • Added: vehicles to the Surtur environment as part of the Slipstream DLC.
    • Fixed: too many requests retrieving a player's unlocked skins when entering/leaving a multiplayer game.
    • Fixed: issue where a multiplayer game could not start if one or more players had blocked each other on Steam.
    • Updated: a player can not enter a multiplayer game anymore if one or more players have that player blocked on Steam.
    • Updated: when joining a multiplayer game that includes one or more players that you have blocked on Steam, Liftoff will now warn you before you enter the game.

    Slipstream DLC


    Chase a variety of vehicles in a range of stunning Liftoff environments, from the speedy time trial on Short Circuit to the thrilling drag race in Bando City, and even mining trucks at work in The Pit. And, with the addition of off-road cars in the rugged terrain of Surtur, the possibilities for high-speed drone chases are endless. Don't miss out on this exhilarating update - download Liftoff: Slipstream today. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2019790/Liftoff__Slipstream/


    [ 2023-04-03 08:42:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff available in Ukrainian!


    Players of Liftoff have undoubtedly noticed Ukraine listed as one of our new partners in the startup screen of the game. This partnership is not some random political statement, but a reflection of the true alliance we've been cultivating since February last year. Our partnership with Ukrainians has been a two-way street. We have supported various educational organizations in establishing drone schools throughout Ukraine. Weve provided them with our expertise and technology. They have helped us establish connections and even volunteered to translate Liftoff into Ukrainian. We're happy to announce that Liftoff is now available in Ukrainian, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Ukrainian SBT Localization team. Over the past months, they've worked diligently to translate over 12,000 words, a feat made even more impressive by the challenges posed by regular blackouts resulting from attacks on civilian infrastructure. We are incredibly grateful to the SBT Localization team for their hard work and dedication.
    The Ukrainian language can now be selected in the the game options or through the "Getting started" menu, offering you a chance to try out a first version of the translation (95% complete) that will be further improved and expanded in future updates.

    Changelist v1.5.4


    • Added: Ukrainian as a supported language. Some aspects are still untranslated and will de displayed in English.
    • Fixed: When finishing a freestyle session while performing a sustained stunt (lawn mower or dive), the audio cue would keep playing.
    • Fixed: The level selection background for the Surtur Night Fever environment did not fit well on screen.

    Changelist v1.5.3


    • Added: custom music playlists now support .mp3 files.
    • Optimised: synchronising data in multiplayer is a little more efficient now.
    • Fixed: a race replay would not sync up the recordings properly.
    • Fixed: race ghosts would spawn and start a little too far ahead.
    • Fixed: could not view another player's drone configuration in multiplayer.
    • Fixed: custom music playlists not working.
    • Fixed: entering a path for custom music playlists now starts playing if it's a valid folder path.
    • Fixed: some small memory leaks while fetching leaderboards.
    • Fixed: saving a recording before taking off would cause some internal errors.


    [ 2023-03-21 12:08:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    St. Patrick's Day


    Wishing you a pot of gold this St. Patrick's Day. Find 5 pots of gold in a single environment during this event and unlock the "Leprechaun Madness" achievement. Pro tip: rainbows are a lucky charm! ;) May every petal on the shamrock bring you joy and good luck.


    [ 2023-03-17 00:30:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.5.2 released


    Surtur becomes even more magical with the inclusion in the Night Fever DLC. A starry night sky, Icy lakes, and epic northern lights make this the ultimate version of our biggest Liftoff level to date.

    Changelist


    • Added Surtur Night Fever DLC version.
    • Added: option to disable festivity items in levels.
    • Updated: the drone selection is now directly available from the pause menu and will reload the drone immediately instead of going out of the level.
    • Updated: the custom playlist of the music player now streams the music files from the disk instead of loading and processing the file in one go.
    • Fixed: exploit that would allow drone setups with conflicting parts set highscores on the leaderboards. A warning is now shown in the drone selection.
    • Fixed: the performance warning popup in the main menu would not be properly cleared.
    • Fixed: several small memory leaks of tournaments ghosts.
    • Fixed: ghost drones or A.I. opponents would sometimes report the wrong time when completing a race.
    • Optimised: the drone selection screen is now a lot more memory efficient.
    • Optimised: freestyle and race game modes have had slight internal tweaks to reduce CPU spikes when flying through checkpoints or completing stunts.


    Night Fever DLC


    Want your Liftoff experience to be even more epic, consider getting the DLC and support the Liftoff team in the process. Thank you so much! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1020100/Liftoff__Night_Fever/

    Pro League Tournaments


    Just a quick reminder that we are consistently organizing tournaments on the Liftoff Pro League. In this season, we are specifically highlighting Surtur, with one tournament already completed, one currently ongoing, and two more scheduled to commence in the upcoming weeks. In addition, we have an exciting competition planned together with our partners at Dquad. Stay tuned for more information on that soon!


    [ 2023-03-15 15:58:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Love is in the air!


    Love is in the air! Collect all the hearts in a single environment during the Valentine's Day event and unlock the "Heart Collector" achievement. Thank you for being being a part of the Liftoff community, we love you all!


    [ 2023-02-14 00:00:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.5.1 released!


    Liftoff just got a shot of caffeine! A quickfix update is now available, including a short list of improvements.

    Changelist


    • Added: report function in multiplayer to report on on toxic players.
    • Fixed: the foliage and rocks in Surtur did not receive any shadows.
    • Fixed: multiplayer voice chat.
    • Fixed: No shader pre-loading is done anymore on Metal and Vulkan rendering as it's not needed. This may save a couple of seconds of loading times and may fix issues loading environments on Vulkan.
    • Fixed: The replay selection would not show recordings saved during tournament tryout or practice runs.
    • Fixed: The replay selection would not show the correct environment background.

    A no-fly zone for negativity.


    Trolls, you're not cleared for liftoff. We are proud to boast of a close-knit and supportive community of pilots and enthusiasts. Our goal has always been to foster an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued. To this end, we have recently taken steps to ensure that this remains the case. We've got new in-game moderators on board, and our in-game reporting feature makes it easier for players to bring abusive behaviour to our attention. We take a zero-tolerance stance against anyone who seeks to make Liftoff a negative experience for others, and we are committed to preserving the friendly and supportive spirit that has made our community what it is today. The report feature has been conveniently located in the multiplayer lobby. To access it, simply click on the three dots located adjacent to the player's username.


    [ 2023-01-30 15:54:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 1.5.0 public release!


    After a lot of development work spanning half a year, and a period of thorough testing on the Experimental Branch, the long-awaited 1.5.0 Milestone update has finally been released to the public.

    Changelist


    For those who have previously explored the Experimental Branch, some aspects of this public release may appear familiar. However, it should be noted that various improvements and new features have been added.
    • Added: Surtur environment. 3 times bigger than all other Liftoff levels combined!
    • Added: 4 official racetracks for Surtur.
    • Updated: new in-game interactive tutorial.
    • Updated: switching to a different game mode, track or race within the same environment in single player will reload the game instantly, without going through a loading screen.
    • Added: a couple more Steam achievements.
    • Added: test your track and race right from within the track editor.
    • Added: a new track item to place the player character position on the track.
    • Updated: in the multiplayer lobby, your times are displayed first now in the leaderboard ticker, followed by the top 3 pilots.
    • Updated: The game engine received an update. This should include some fixes regarding input latency on Linux while using Vulkan rendering.
    • Added: A.I. opponents for The Green Race 06.
    • Added: Popup warning when a game shortcut is made outside of Steam. The game now checks whether the connection with Steam has been successfully made and warns the user otherwise.
    • Updated: multiplayer service plugin to reduce small memory allocations.
    • Updated: the Short Circuit environment to include the Pitlane tournament winner's names on the paddocks.
    • Updated: the track editor now provides more feedback to user actions (e.g. popup when saving) and shows proper warnings when leaving when there are unsaved changes.
    • Updated: when walking around in the track editor or in free flight, you can adjust the movement speed by scrolling up/down to get across maps faster.
    • Updated: the trigger boxes now have a highlight at its outline when touching other objects.
    • Updated: the memory footprint has been greatly reduced by loading assets more on a need-to basis rather than always staying in memory. Several textures and audio files have also been updated to require less memory. This reduces the memory pressure by a total of 2GB.
    • Updated: the level loading process to perform less full-level scans to find certain objects. This should reduce loading times.
    • Updated: on Apple Silicon devices, Liftoff will now run natively instead of through the Rosetta translation layer.
    • Fixed: several audio sources in levels would not be correctly linked to their audio volume setting.
    • Fixed: a memory leak caused by track items and race checkpoints not being cleaned up properly after leaving a level.
    • Fixed: issue where a toggle would incorrectly appear in the freestyle score screen.
    • Fixed: the drone HUD of the DJI drone would still be displayed, even if different drone setup was enforced.
    • Fixed: not being able to sign in to the multiplayer when the splash/startup screen was skipped.
    • Fixed: the Liftoff Pro level value would not display correctly.
    • Fixed: a game crash when trying to open a gift box.
    • Fixed: a memory leak with lingering server calls.
    • Fixed: when finishing a race or freestyle session, the player's flight drone might sometimes be visible in the background.
    • Fixed: loading screen messages might sometimes not display properly.
    • Fixed: when starting Liftoff on different displays, it might sometimes start with a resolution of 0x0. This should not happen any longer.
    • Fixed: the Liftoff Pro credentials file can sometimes get corrupted. This would prevent the player from signing in.
    • Fixed: throttle issue that could result in inverse thrust.
    • Fixed: when switching to walking in free flight, some drone settings were reset (camera angle, flight mode).

    TLDR


    The release of Update 1.5.0 represents a significant advancement for Liftoff, featuring the largest map yet with mountain ranges and an active volcano. Additionally, the update includes a comprehensive new tutorial, enhancements to track building, as well as various fixes, optimizations, and overall improvements for players to enjoy. Check out this amazing video from our long time community member BlueCheeseDK, showcasing his Surtur experience. [previewyoutube=jqKZKHNHjJc;full][/previewyoutube] Disclaimer: In case you experience issues with this release, a Liftoff legacy branch has been made available that refers to the last 1.4 version of Liftoff. You can access this version through the Beta options for Liftoff in your Steam games library.


    [ 2023-01-24 09:40:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Experimental Branch: test update 1.5.0!


    We are erupting with excitement to make the next milestone for Liftoff available on the Experimental Branch! Be the first to test out the new Surtur level, tutorial and many new features.

    Experimental Branch


    Milestone update 1.5.0 contains many key changes to the game, it means the early version might be a bit unstable. We've noticed some issues on Mac and Linux that we'd like to fix (among other things) before we do a full public release. However we don't want to keep you waiting until after the winter holidays to discover and enjoy what we have on offer. We welcome you to activate the (optional) Experimental Branch, to get an early look. Please note that this version may contain bugs, but we appreciate your help in testing and providing feedback. Read all about the Experimental Branch and how to get access here!

    Changelist:


    Feeling competitive? Turn reading this massive changelist into a race against the clock and see how fast you can get through it before your run out o..."
    • Added: Surtur environment. 3 times bigger than all other Liftoff levels combined!
    • Added: 4 official racetracks for Surtur.
    • Updated: new in-game interactive tutorial.
    • Updated: switching to a different game mode, track or race within the same environment will reload the game instantly, without going through a loading screen.
    • Added: a couple more Steam achievements.
    • Added: a new track item to place the player character position on the track.
    • Updated: in the multiplayer lobby, your times are displayed first now in the leaderboard ticker, followed by the top 3 pilots.
    • Updated: Unity engine to version 2021.3. This should include some fixes regarding input latency on Linux while using Vulkan rendering.
    • Added: A.I. opponents for The Green Race 06.
    • Added popup warning when a game shortcut is made outside of Steam
    • Updated: multiplayer service plugin to reduce small memory allocations.
    • Updated: the Short Circuit environment to include the Pitlane tournament winner's names on the paddocks.
    • Fixed: issue where a toggle would incorrectly appear in the freestyle score screen.
    • Fixed: the drone HUD of the DJI drone would still be displayed, even if different drone setup was enforced.
    • Fixed: not being able to sign in to the multiplayer when the splash/startup screen was skipped.
    • Fixed: the Liftoff Pro level value would not display correctly.
    • Fixed: a game crash when trying to open a gift box.
    • Fixed: a memory leak with lingering web calls.
    • Fixed: when finishing a race or freestyle session, the player's flight drone might sometimes be visible in the background.
    • Fixed: loading screen messages might sometimes not display properly.
    • Fixed: when starting Liftoff on different displays, it might sometimes start with a resolution of 0x0. This should not happen any longer.
    • Fixed: the Liftoff Pro credentials file can sometimes get corrupted. This would prevent the player from signing in.
    • Fixed: throttle issue that could result in inverse thrust.
    • Fixed: when switching to walking in free flight, some drone settings were reset (camera angle, flight mode).

    Surtur


    But I'm just here for the pretty pictures! [previewyoutube=d2jpEGfKXn0;full][/previewyoutube]

    New tutorial


    Say goodbye to our old video tutorial! Our brand new in-game tutorial is here to help you get off the ground and into the sky. Designed specifically for beginners, this step-by-step guide will walk you through all the basics of drone flying, from takeoff to landing. Liftoff has never been a better choice for beginning pilots, ensuring that you get a realistic and safe learning experience. So why wait? Start your journey to becoming the best FPV pilot today.


    [ 2022-12-26 14:51:58 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Happy Holidays!


    Lets celebrate this wonderful time together in our 4 weeks in-game holidays event. Spot every snowman in a single environment during the holiday event and unlock the "Snow Spotter" achievement. May your days be merry and bright.


    [ 2022-12-10 00:00:49 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.4.10 released


    With this update we are extending our long-term partnership with Dquad and are finally joined by one of the biggest names in the FPV world: Gemfan!

    Changelist:


    • Added Dquad Fixation frame and blueprint.
    • Added 4 Gemfan propellers: Gemfan Freestyle 4S, Hurricane 51466-3 MCK V2, Sbang 4934-3, Vannystyle 5136-3. We also rebranded some older propellers.
    • Added Bushmaster 2107 1960KV Motor
    • Added new micro Antenna
    • Added Redot Nano Camera
    • Added 3 Gemfan-branded track elements to the track editor.
    • Updated the calibration 'center stick' timer to 3 seconds coming from 5 seconds. Calibration should be quicker.
    • Fixed (hopefully) some connection issues when loading a new scene.
    • Fixed manual controller calibration issue where the 'Invert' toggle would not always have the desired effect.
    • Fixed button setup UI issue where clearing or overwriting an action would not properly reset the overridden action.
    • Minor visual update to the partner splash screen.
    • Fixed issue with the multiplayer fixed drone setup and battery limitation toggles not being exclusive.
    • Fixed issue where the Hangar C03 environment is always selected by default in the multiplayer room creation.
    • Fixed issue where the credentials file corruption could prevent players from signing in.
    • Fixed issue with the fixed drone setup in multiplayer not being used.

    Dquad Fixation


    We have the honor of presenting a brand new frame from Dquad, the Dquad Fixation, a spectacular new frame from one the best frame manufacturers in the world. Dquad has been with Liftoff since the early days and have never disappointed in offering a unique top quality experience. Try it in Liftoff first and find out why we are so excited about this news. Currently the Dquad Fixation is only available in Liftoff, but soon in real life as well!

    Extending our partnerships!


    With this update we are not just extending our long-term partnership with drone manufacturer Dquad, we are finally joined by one of the biggest names in the FPV world. Please welcome Gemfan to the Liftoff family!

    In this update we include top-of-the-line Gemfan props, represented as the first translucent propellers in Liftoff. Track builders will also be able to find Gemfan branded gates and flags, to make your custom race tracks look more authentic than ever before. And that's not where this partnership ends, we have some exciting things in the works that we will reveal soon. Liftoff wouldn't be here today without the help of our awesome partners. A big thank you to everyone that supports this one of a kind community!


    [ 2022-11-16 09:03:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Trick or Treat


    Trick me or treat me, I dont care what you do, just promise to give me a prop or two. Trick all the pumpkins into giving you treats in a single environment during the Halloween event to unlock the "Trick or Treat" achievement. Want to do it in style? Don't forget to equip your Halloween Talon skin and explore our levels in the Night Fever DLC! Have a great hunt! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1020100/Liftoff__Night_Fever/


    [ 2022-10-24 08:00:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.4.9 released!


    Slipstream has been an absolute blast! To celebrate we made a bunch of fixes and improvements, and highlight some of our favourite community videos!

    Changelist


    • Slipstream synchronisation in multiplayer games has been added. Vehicles should now behave the same for everyone in the multiplayer lobby.
    • Fixed issue in the track editor where the terrain wouldn't be visible.
    • Fixed issue where the 'Disarm' command did not function properly.
    • Fixed issue with the camera noise being too pixelated when the drone was killed due to flying into a water source.
    • Fixed issue where the race score screen would freeze when pressing 'Esc' right before the score screen would show.
    • Fixed issue in the button mapping screen where a newly assigned button wouldn't show correctly in the menu.
    The following changes have been released as quickfix updates last week, but had not been documented yet.
    • Fixed issues with the Slipstream level selection thumbnails not showing correctly in the Level Selection menu and multiplayer lobby.
    • Fixed issues with the tournaments not loading.
    • Fixed issues with drones of other pilots not flying in multiplayer.
    • Fixed issue with the multiplayer finish screen not working properly and not sending race times for the leaderboards.

    Check these out!


    by MADCHILLER FPV [previewyoutube=zjL-FhClGro;full]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjL-FhClGro[/previewyoutube] by nAdib FPV [previewyoutube=3SQj3gmDoI8;full]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SQj3gmDoI8[/previewyoutube] by Bacon Ninja FPV [previewyoutube=OqvnvISze2M;full]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqvnvISze2M[/previewyoutube]


    [ 2022-09-09 07:56:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Slipstream is available ....NOW!


    https://store.steampowered.com/app/2019790/Liftoff__Slipstream/ The long awaited Slipstream DLC is finally here! Don't know what Slipstream is about? It's our answer to the many "please add things to chase" question, and its effin' glorious too! Slipstream is an optional DLC that brings a new layer of excitement to Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing: - a time trial on Short Circuit, a drag race in Bando City, mining trucks going about their business in The Pit and so much more. All of this for the sweet price of "buy us a coffee".


    [ 2022-08-31 15:30:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Double XP week!


    The Liftoff team is at Gamescom to celebrate the Liftoff franchise and its amazing community. To share the celebration, we have activated a double XP week for Liftoff! Playing Liftoff will earn you double the amount of XP points in-game to unlock more cosmetic items! Note: A free Liftoff Pro Account is required to earn XP and unlock gift boxes. As an additional celebration, we have more news to share during Gamescom: Between our regular Liftoff updates, the team at LuGus Studios has been working on a new exciting simulator. We will reveal the name and logo of the project next week during Gamescom 2022, but here's a first teaser for our fans! [previewyoutube=oCh9tyoxeIo;full][/previewyoutube]


    [ 2022-08-22 07:00:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

    LuGus Fest


    Blades spinning A solemn cutting of the first of the corn An offering is made Each year we bring back the age old Lughnasadh harvest festivial, a celebration held on the first week of August, dedicated to the celtic god Lugus. Let's celebrate! Find and harvest (activate) all LuGus cubes in a single environment during the LuGus festival event to unlock the time limited "LuGus Fest" achievement.


    [ 2022-08-01 11:46:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.4.7 released!


    Fixing some long standing bugs and including a bunch of community requests, Liftoff update 1.4.7 brings some extra shine to the polish.

    Changelist


    • Added: Favorite content system. Mark the content you like the most as your favorite, and have it show up at the top of the lists during level selection. Content can be marked as favorite in the level selection and track selection screen.
    • Added: A new random race can now be started with the click of a button from the race finish screen. (Requested by Krazyzock)
    • Added: In the track builder, a tracks and races can be reloaded from file to help track builders using external tools. (Requested by Tau Muon)
    • Added: Direct flight mode actions can now be bound to buttons/switches. You can now bind and switch to a flight mode directly. (Requested by Bravedan)
    • Updated: LOS user interface has been tweaked. The circle indicator is bigger and should now show up further away. (Requested by Snorklingmonkey)
    • Updated: A new splash screen sequence. A big thank you to all our brand partners, you are awesome!
    • Fixed: Liftoff Arena Race 03: bots cheating a gate.
    • Fixed: Sharing content on the Steam Workshop now has the 'Share' button working again. If you haven't yet accepted the Steam Workshop EULA, you will be notified with a popup.
    • Fixed: Some network connections made with the Liftoff Pro service were made while the player wasn't signed in.
    • Optimized: Polling for input has reduced latency.
    • Optimized: The drone HUD has improved memory usage to reduce frame spikes.
    • Optimized: The pause menu has improved memory usage.
    The following changes were included as quick fix updates for the previous update, but weren't documented afterwards:
    • Fixed: Night Fever skins not showing up to select when the Night Fever DLC was installed.
    • Fixed: Walking around during free flight would freeze the camera after resetting the drone.
    • Fixed: Leaving a multiplayer game to the lobby would not load the other available games properly.
    • Fixed: The Liftoff giftbox would have its bottom-part teleport away when trying to open it.
    • Fixed: When receiving a frame skin from the Liftoff giftbox would make the program crash.

    Liftoff: Micro Drones Summer Brawl


    We'd like to put some extra attention to an initiative for Liftoff: Micro Drones. We are giving away up to a $1000 worth of FPV store vouchers. The only thing you need to do is play! Want to know more? Check this out!


    [ 2022-07-05 11:37:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

    wow!


    6 E Q U J 5



    [ 2022-07-02 07:28:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.4.6 released!


    1.4.6 Introduces some much requested improvements and fixes. Enjoy!

    Changelist


    • Reintroduced optional camera noise (press C), this effect is slightly different from before.
    • Added: A.I. data for races in the Short Circuit, Hangar C03, The Woodpecker and Liftoff Arena.
    • Added: all-time best leaderboards for official races. You can view these in the leaderboards section as well as the top 3 coming by in the multiplayer room.
    • Updated: when crashing or resetting during a tournament tryout, the score screen is now shown instead of going back to the tournaments selection screen again. The score screen now allows to directly do another tryout.
    • Updated: leaderboards should load a lot faster than before.
    • Updated: displaying a large leaderboard now allows to load chunks of scores in batches of 250 entries.
    • Updated: Steam Workshop sharing panel to only allow to share content when the Steam Workshop EULA has been accepted.
    • Fixed: drone setups with no blueprint saved in the file would make Liftoff hang in a loading screen.
    • Fixed: a player could join and start a multiplayer game without having all necessary content loaded.
    • Fixed: steam player information not always caching correctly.
    • Fixed: issue with showing an error while signing up for a Liftoff Pro account, even though registration succeeded.
    • Optimised: disk and memory usage of certain track items, potentially loading certain tracks faster on older hard drives.


    [ 2022-06-14 14:23:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff Lantern fest!


    Special lantern festivals are held all over the world, at different times and for different reasons. Some have floating lanterns, others have them flying, in our very own homage to these beautiful events we have them doing both! Go explore these time limited lighbaring landscapes in our 2 week in-game festival. A picture is worth a 1000 words and so is this in-game event. No special features, no achievements, no XP points, simply beauty to discover... or as our artist Vincent prophetically proclaimed "Here's some floaty stuff you can chase". Enjoy!


    [ 2022-05-24 23:01:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Easter egg hunt!


    What better way to celebrate spring than with a good old Easter egg hunt! Find all easter eggs in a single environment during the Easter event and unlock the "Easter Egg Hunting" achievement. Have an egg-cellent hunt!


    [ 2022-04-09 23:00:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Launching: Lifterium


    From now on, learning to fly in a simulator won't only save you money, it will make us money too!

    Changelist


    • Added Lifterium
    • Minor bugfixes

    Lifterium explained!


    The Liftoff team is excited to launch the next big hype in crypto; the Lifterium coin! Powered by the combined processing power of more than 300.000 virtual flight controllers, Liftoff will be mining for Lifterium while you fly in Liftoff. The Liftoff team has taken great care to limit the impact on your gameplay experience, you will hardly notice the impact on performance, we promise! To motivate you to get those virtual flight controller juices flowing, we have hidden virtual coins in all Liftoff levels. As a thank you to your financial contribution, collect all the coins in a single environment, during the next 24 hours will award you the "Fools Gold" achievement. Happy mining!


    [ 2022-03-31 23:00:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

    St. Patrick's Day!


    Wishing you a pot of gold this St. Patrick's Day. Find 5 pots of gold in a single environment during this event and unlock the "Leprechaun Madness" achievement. Pro tip: rainbows are a lucky charm! ;) May every petal on the shamrock bring you joy and good luck.


    [ 2022-03-17 15:43:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

    DJI FPV now available as a free DLC


    LuGus Studios, creators of the Liftoff drone simulator series, and world-renowned drone manufacturer DJI are teaming up to bring the ultimate FPV drone experience to Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing. As part of a temporary Downloadable Content pack (DLC), the DJI FPV drone and related products are made available to download and fly in the virtual skies of the Liftoff world. This optional DLC is completely free for anyone with a copy of Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing on Steam. The DJI FPV system is a flagship product line created by drone technology innovator DJI. Their new DJI FPV drone system combines the power of first person drone flying with their established hi-tech camera systems. They have achieved this through an unparalleled commitment to R&D, a culture of constant innovation and curiosity, and a focus on transforming complex technology into easy-to-use devices. The team at LuGus Studios will honor those achievements by providing an equally powerful and easy-to-use digital twin. In Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing, DJI FPV fans can now practice flying in normal and manual mode in a safe simulated environment. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1891780/Liftoff__DJI_FPV/


    [ 2022-03-11 09:22:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.4.5 released!


    Due to ongoing events in Europe, we have decided to update the name of the "Russian Woodpecker" environment to simply "The Woodpecker". Being set in Ukraine, we felt this was an appropriate name change. We have also decided to stop the ongoing tournament in that level, called "Radio Active" earlier than originally planned. Thanks for understanding. Our thoughts go out to the people affected by these events.

    Changelist:


    • Fixed: 'Undo' and 'Reset to default' buttons in the Flight Controller Settings menu didn't do anything.
    • Fixed: Some drone parts could be built with the wrong skin applied to them.
    • Updated: 'The Russian Woodpecker' environment has been renamed to 'The Woodpecker'.


    [ 2022-02-24 13:17:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.4.4 released!


    Preparing for some of the next big updates, 1.4.4 irons out a few kinks still standing. Thank you for your feedback!

    Changelist


    • Fixed: main menu loading stuck at 50% because of a drone loading error.
    • Fixed: the music radio in the pause menu didn't show.
    • Fixed: multiplayer fixed drone setups not being selectable.
    • Fixed: downloading a drone in the multiplayer menu didn't allow to select them in the drone selection.
    • Fixed: camera angle restriction on the Dquad LRX frame now has sensible values.
    • Updated: adjusted flight controller settings during flight are now immediately applied to the current drone. No more additional reset is required.
    • Updated: Immersion RC logo has been updated to the new logo.
    • Updated: the Rapid Sightseeing achievement now also requires to finish a race in the Short Circuit environment.
    • Systems prepared for the DJI FPV dlc


    [ 2022-02-21 11:39:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

    DJI FPV coming to Liftoff soon!


    The Liftoff team is excited to announce an exciting collaboration with the world-renowned drone manufacturer DJI. A virtual version of their flagship DJI FPV drone will become available in Liftoff: FPV Drone racing for a limited time, as a free DLC pack. The DLC contains a fully flyable DJI FPV drone, an authentic HUD, and a virtual twin of the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2. It will be available on the Steam platform on PC, Mac and Linux.


    [ 2022-02-18 17:01:58 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Valentine's day event


    Showing our love to the community, we celebrate valentine in our 3 day in-game event. Collect all the hearts in a single environment during the Valentine's Day event and unlock the "Heart Collector" achievement. Thank you for being being a part of the Liftoff community, we love you all!


    [ 2022-02-14 00:00:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.4.3 Released

    A small update with some quick fixes. Read the changelist below:

    • Fixed: Black screen issue in multiplayer when a drone reset was requested. This could occur in multiple scenarios (switching between flight/spectator modes, drones resetting in the background, etc.)
    • Fixed: Authentication error message where the information was not displayed properly when trying to sign in to a Liftoff Pro account from a different Steam account.
    • Fixed: Issue with the tournament management system.
    • Added: Additional logging is enabled to track down a rare issue where the room creation would get stuck in the 'Creating room...' state.


    [ 2022-01-20 19:16:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.4.2 released


    Customary when we release a big milestone update are the quick-fix updates that follow soon after. These past few days we've pushed a series of fixes to smooth out the experience further. Thank you so much for your feedback!

    1.4.1 changelist


    • Fixed: rooms disappearing in the lobby.
    • Fixed: Liftoff-logo hanging in infinite race when no bots/ghosts are flying with you.
    • Fixed: Night Fever skins not loading in the drone editor.
    • Fixed: Soupape V2 antenna weight.
    • Fixed: uncolorable skins having custom colors applied anyway.

    1.4.2 changelist


    • Optimized: removed entities in the game code that could cause CPU spikes.
    • Fixed: changing flight mode is now saved between drone resets.
    • Fixed: foodstands in the Short Circuit environment don't pop anymore.
    • Fixed: the Bluecheese paddock in the Short Circuit environment has its visuals restored.
    • Fixed: the button assignment popup now shows the current action being re-assigned again.
    • Fixed: some errors in the French translations.
    • Removed: the white bar in the multiplayer ranking bar, which visually separates in-game players from players in the lobby, has been removed.
    • Fixed: the multiplayer chat did not hiding with the rest of the UI when pressing F1.
    • Fixed: the battery now doesn't drain anymore before the start of a race, while waiting for others to start.
    • Fixed: issue with multiplayer classic and dropout race not progressing as expected.
    • Fixed: the multiplayer 'disconnect' issue where this would happen after a (long) loading time.
    • Fixed: Updating an existing item on the Steam Workshop now completes as expected.

    Disabled Vulkan on Windows


    We have noticed some issues that got reported are related to Vulkan rendering, and do not occur with the standard rendering. We have now disabled Vulkan rendering as an option for Windows. We are hopeful this might eliminate a lot of issues for people.


    [ 2022-01-17 11:22:05 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone update 1.4.0 released!


    Celebrating the 7th year of Liftoff development, our latest milestone update is the biggest update for the game to date! Improvements on all fronts should make this the ultimate Liftoff experience. Don't like reading long changelists? We've got you covered!

    In short


    [olist]
  • Liftoff Physics 5.0: most advanced FPV sim physics.
  • BetaFlight, Raceflight, Actual rates, Quick rates and KISS
  • Short Circuit: our best environment to date.
  • Performance revolution: no excuses not to play anymore.
  • Less loading, more flying! [/olist] [previewyoutube=DHiRzi051Yk;full][/previewyoutube]

    Full changelist


    • Liftoff Physics 5.0
      • New flight controller: relies less on Unity's built-in physics and increases performance.
      • The new Liftoff flight controller has an A.I. PID tune feature that adjusts itself based on the system's performance for a perfectly tuned setup in light. Manual tuning is also still possible.
      • It relies a lot less on Unity's physics system, greatly decreasing the time required for physics and collision resolutions, freeing up more time for rendering and increasing overall FPS.
      • New flight controller settings menu.
      • Support for multiple rate models (BetaFlight, Raceflight, Actual rates, Quick rates and KISS). The model can be changed in the flight controller settings menu.
      • Fixed: the throttle is now more responsive.
    • Updated: Unity engine - better rendering and code performance.
    • New: Short Circuit environment!
    • Added 3 official tracks for Short Circuit
    • Added an official track for Hangar C03, Russian Woodpecker and Liftoff Arena
    • Removed Eastside FPV Meet, Formula FPV and IDRA Dover as official tracks on Liftoff Arena
    • Updated: Single player Infinite Race now has bots that continue flying, thereby behaving more like a multiplayer game.
    • Updated: players in a multiplayer game show up in the player bar on the right as soon as they join, instead of only upon entering the level
    • Updated: all multiplayer menus have been merged together into a single menu, removing several loading screens between joining, creating and browsing multiplayer games.
    • Updated: the "old school" level selection menu now allows you to directly select the drone, removing a loading screen.
    • Updated: all interactable UI elements have been made more consistent across menus and levels. Many elements now have an additional highlight to emphasize the selected element.
    • Updated: while in first-person view, certain parts that would clip with the camera are now hidden.
    • Updated (macOS-only): re-enabled voice chat. Before voice chat can be used, it will need to request microphone access. You can do so in the audio settings menu.
    • Added: search bar for tracks and races during multiplayer room creation.
    • Added: as a result of rendering optimizations, propellers can now once again remain in view (on supported rendering APIs, see next point.)
    • Added: Quick Play option to the score screen in single player
    • Added: show/hide propellers in view is available in the game options menu.
    • Added: enable and customise propwash effect in the game options menu.
    • Added: battery sagging when battery simulation is enabled.
    • Added: disarm drone option in the button setup window.
    • Added: new model for ground effect simulation.
    • Fixed: on supported rendering pipelines (DirectX, Metal and Vulkan), the rendering distance is now fixed instead of dynamic.
    • Fixed: some frame parts referenced the wrong weight data
    • Fixed: the Night skin of the KHole frame had some colors not working as intended.
    • Fixed: Double Rainbow and Clockworks skins animate again.
    • Mr-Hcap ghost data work again in Dubai Legends.
    • Fixed: the pause menu could become unresponsive when the menu was closed during a dropdown selection.
    • Fixed: drone trails now properly reset during a race, whereas before they would show a big jump from the previous positions.
    • Fixed: the field of view option is now consistent between menus and in-game controls.
    • Fixed: dropdown labels that were too long would not slide back to their original position.
    • Removed: the 'Display' option from the graphics menu since it's internally broken on the engine-side.
    • Removed: support for 32bit Windows and 32bit Linux versions of Liftoff.


    [ 2022-01-05 09:13:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Holiday event


    Lets celebrate this wonderful time together in our 4 weeks in-game holidays event. Spot every snowman in a single environment during the holiday event and unlock the "Snow Spotter" achievement. Best wishes and happy holidays to you all!


    [ 2021-12-10 00:00:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Experimental Branch update


    We're on fire! The next update for the Experimental Branch is ready, further improving and fine-tuning what is turning into a massive milestone update (1.4.0). Your feedback has made all the difference, thank you so much! We are not quite ready yet to push this to the public, we are doing another round of testing on the Experimental Branch, making sure our latest changes and improvements are ready for prime time in the very near future. As always, feedback is needed and much appreciated!

    Changelist:


    • Added: all changes in v1.3.15 have been imported in the Experimental Branch.
    • Added: different rates models (Betaflight, RaceFlight, Actual, Quick, KISS). These are all available in the flight controller settings menu.
    • Added: show/hide propellers in view is available in the game options menu.
    • Added: enable and customise propwash effect in the game options menu.
    • Added: battery sagging when battery simulation is enabled.
    • Added: disarm drone option in the button setup window.
    • Added: new model for ground effect simulation.
    • Updated: while in first-person view, certain parts that would clip with the camera are now hidden.
    • Updated: PID tuning has been made easier when A.I. tune is off.
    • Fixed: multiplayer not starting for race and dropout race.
    • Fixed: game startup issue for players coming from the main version.
    • Fixed: the Halloween event would bug out when a pumpkin was found.
    • Fixed: weight values of the AK Mistral and Dquad LRX frames.
    • Fixed: propeller damage and collision model when godmode is disabled.
    • Fixed: oscillations during turtle mode and launch control.
    • Fixed: some propeller visualisation and sound artefacts.
    • Fixed: frame drops after a few minutes of playing.
    • Fixed: flight controller settings menu in Bando City had different scaled panels/windows.
    • Fixed: startup issue for Apple M1 systems.

    Reminder


    This is an update to the previous released experimental version, only available on our optional Experimental Branch. If you want to know what was included in the first iteration of this experimental version, make sure to check out our blogpost: https://www.liftoff-game.com/news/test-our-biggest-update-yet


    [ 2021-10-29 20:28:34 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Halloween event


    Trick me or treat me, I dont care what you do, just promise to give me a prop or two. Trick all the pumpkins into giving you treats in a single environment during the Halloween event to unlock the "Trick or Treat" achievement. Want to do it in style? Don't forget to equip your Halloween Talon skin. have a great hunt!


    [ 2021-10-23 23:00:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.15 released!


    To celebrate the release of our new game Midnight Protocol we've added 2 Midnight Protocol themed frame skins to Liftoff. Midnight Protocol is a tactical narrative-driven RPG with unique keyboard-only controls. It's available now on Steam for PC, Mac and Linux. We hope you like it as much as we enjoyed hacking it together. Check out our Midnight Protocol trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEDUfoQIHBk

    Changelist:


    • Added: Midnight Protocol and Binary skins for the Dquad Addiction frame.
    • Updated: finding all event props in a level during timed Festival (Halloween, Easter, Cristmas, etc.) events now grants you experience.
    • Fixed: drone spawn positions could flip drones upside down in specific situations.


    [ 2021-10-13 14:18:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

    New DLC announced!


    The smell of burning rubber, the roaring of engines, the sound of screaming drones... Liftoff: Slipstream brings a new layer of excitement to Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing! As an answer to the new trend in FPV racing and freestyle, Liftoff: Slipstream adds vehicles for you to chase in a multitude of Liftoff environments: a time trial on Short Circuit, a drag race in Bando City, mining trucks going about their business in The Pit. All of this and more in this DLC pack. Liftoff: Slipstream will be available as an optional DLC pack for Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing on Steam, in early 2022. Stay tuned for more information soon!



    [ 2021-10-07 14:18:22 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Test our biggest update yet!


    We'll be honest: today your favorite sim developer is taking a day off for its tenth birthday. But until yesterday, we were hard at work on a new update for Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing and it's a biggie! However, with great changes comes great buggability... update 1.4.0 is not one we're just going to release into the wild straightaway. It'll be spending some time acclimatizing on the Experimental Branch first. If you want to get a sneak peek (and provide us with much-valued feedback), [url=read how to access the Experimental Branch here]read how to access the Experimental Branch here. Once we're confident about the stability and polish of these changes, they will be moved to the main game version.

    What to expect?


    Update 1.4.0 is a massive upgrade with a lot of improvements across the board. Chief among these is a complete overhaul of our flight behavior to Liftoff Physics 5.0. (Read all about it.) The long and short of it: you should see a significant performance increase, leading to a smoother experience, even on weaker systems. We've also moved the game to a new version of our game engine, for even more optimization and future-proofness. Additionally, we've made a bunch of smaller quality of life fixes and features requests. These will continue in the near future, as we prepare up for a new level release. Stay tuned! Read on for a full overview of the changes in 1.4.0

    1.4.0 change list


    • Updated: flight controller - relies less on Unity's built-in physics and increases performance. [olist]
    • The new Liftoff flight controller has an A.I. PID tune feature that adjusts itself based on the system's performance for a perfectly tuned setup in light. Manual tuning is also still possible.
    • It relies a lot less on Unity's physics system, greatly decreasing the time required for physics and collision resolutions, freeing up more time for rendering and increasing overall FPS.
    • Fixed: the throttle is now more responsive
    • Support for multiple rate models. More models can be added later on. [/olist]
    • Updated: Unity engine - better rendering and code performance.
    • Updated: Single player Infinite Race now has bots that continue flying, thereby behaving more like a multiplayer game.
    • Updated: players in a multiplayer game show up in the player bar on the right as soon as they join, instead of only upon entering the level
    • Updated: all multiplayer menus have been merged together into a single menu, removing several loading screens between joining, creating and browsing multiplayer games.
    • Updated: the "old school" level selection menu now allows you to directly select the drone, removing a loading screen.
    • Updated: all interactable UI elements have been made more consistent across menus and levels. Many elements now have an additional highlight to emphasize the selected element.
    • Updated (macOS-only): re-enabled voice chat. Before voice chat can be used, it will need to request microphone access. You can do so in the audio settings menu.
    • Added: macOS M1 platform support. The mac build contains a hybrid app which should run natively on both Intel and M1 platforms.
    • Added: search bar for tracks and races during multiplayer room creation.
    • Added: As a result of rendering optimizations, propellers can now once again remain in view (on supported rendering APIs, see next point.)
    • Fixed: On supported rendering pipelines (DirectX, Metal and Vulkan), the rendering distance is now fixed instead of dynamic.
    • Fixed: some frame parts referenced the wrong weight data
    • Fixed: the Night skin of the KHole frame had some colors not working as intended.
    • Fixed: the pause menu could become unresponsive when the menu was closed during a dropdown selection.
    • Fixed: drone trails now properly reset during a race, whereas before they would show a big jump from the previous positions.
    • Fixed: the field of view option is now consistent between menus and in-game controls.
    • Fixed: dropdown labels that were too long would not slide back to their original position.
    • Removed: the 'Display' option from the graphics menu since it's internally broken on the engine-side.
    • Removed: support for 32bit Windows and Linux versions of Liftoff.


    [ 2021-10-01 10:53:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.14 released!


    The team is working hard on the next milestone update for Liftoff, but we did not want to keep you waiting for some quick fixes for recently reported bugs. Thank you to all who continue to share bug reports and feedback!

    Changelist


    • Fixed issue with not restoring the drone configuration after playing a fixed spec game in a tournament or multiplayer.
    • Fixed infinite reset issue an untracked drone copy would trigger the reset mechanism.
    • Fixed issue with sliding labels in dropdowns not returning to their position.
    • Fixed issue with closing the in-game menu when the Quit-prompt is on screen when pressing ESC on the keyboard.
    • Fixed issue with the camera noise not being forced on in multiplayer games or tournaments when set as a game modifier.

    Next Milestone update in the works


    The Liftoff team is toiling away to get the next milestone update (1.4.0) for Liftoff out to you all. However, since these milestone updates are a lot bigger than the average update, development takes a bit longer. What can you expect in the next Milestone update? In addition to a list of fixes and small improvements, we are excited to introduce the next level in Liftoff physics simulation with "Liftoff Physics 5.0". We're also looking at a big improvement in game performance, the removal of a loading screen between environment and the drone selection and a completely new environment called "Short Circuit". Stay tuned for more soon!


    [ 2021-09-03 08:56:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Happy Lughnasadh


    Blades spinning A solemn cutting of the first of the corn An offering is made We bring back the age old Lughnasadh harvest festivial, a celebration held on the first week of August, dedicated to the celtic god Lugus. Find and harvest (activate) all LuGus cubes in a single environment during the LuGus festival event to unlock the time limited "LuGus Fest" achievement. In addition, join our Lughnasadg tournament on the Liftoff Pro League and get an exclusive behind the scenes reveal of our next Liftoff update. Let's celebrate!


    [ 2021-08-02 13:02:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.13 released!


    The team at LuGus Studios has been hard at work to bring you this latest update! We know we have been spoiling you the past few years, but wait until you see what we have in store now!

    Changelist


    • Added a cow to Straw Bale
    What does it mean? What does it do?Are we alone in the universe?


    [ 2021-06-29 12:57:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.12 released!


    Enjoying the HangarC03 and The Green revamp? There's more! Update 1.3.12 introduces a massive upgrade to the Liftoff Arena, featuring 3 interior floors to explore. On top we introduce battery spec racing features to the multiplayer.

    Changelist:


    • Updated Liftoff Arena to have interior spaces to explore. The Night Fever version has been updated too.
    • Added: Multiplayer battery specification restrictions. The room host can set up a restriction to only use drone setups that have a certain type of battery (based on the amount of cells). Multiplayer rooms can be filtered on this restriction.
    • Updated: Camera angle limits in the workbench are now based on a per-frame basis, rather than on per-camera part basis.
    • Updated: Some frames now have access to different camera parts and restricted for others that would or wouldn't realistically fit on the frame.
    • Updated: Removed the need for selecting a track first when playing a race game mode. The selected race will infer the track.
    • Updated: Significantly reduced build size for Liftoff - Night Fever (from 9.5GB to 3GB). This also reduces update sizes for people having this DLC pack installed.
    • Fixed: Leaving a level with certain custom tracks would make the game hang in the loading screen or a black screen.
    • Fixed: Some drone setups would still get build with skins that the player didn't unlock yet.
    • Fixed: The drone in the main menu now switches to the correct model when starting the game if a custom drone setup is selected.
    • Fixed: If the ghost mode in the game settings was set to None, replays would not load correctly.
    • Fixed: When viewing a player's information in the multiplayer waiting room, the custom content information shown would switch to something else.
    • Fixed: When joining a room by name that is full or doesn't exist, the popup showing wouldn't do anything and block the game from backing out.
    [previewyoutube=Zca-P3JplTE;full][/previewyoutube]


    [ 2021-05-19 08:42:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff: Micro Drones announced!


    LuGus Studios, creators of the Liftoff brand of drone simulators, are announcing the latest instalment in the series. Liftoff: Micro Drones is an experience dedicated to the micro drone class. Liftoff: Micro Drones focuses on indoor flights with tiny drones that fit in the palm of your hand. At this scale, even an everyday living room becomes a fascinating aerial playground that is begging to be explored. Inspired by years of community feedback and suggestions, Micro Drones, like previous Liftoff games, will feature both singleplayer and multiplayer experiences, fully customisable drone setups, and a trademark focus on realistic flight experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98ESbj3Koss&feature=emb_title https://store.steampowered.com/app/1432320/Liftoff_Micro_Drones/


    [ 2021-05-10 19:02:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.11 released!


    Ready to become a dogfighting legend? Update 1.3.11 introduces a brand new Dropout Race mode to the multiplayer, and makes the classic race mode better than ever. Quicker races, less loading screens, more excitement! The ultimate simulator for any self-respecting FPV racer, just got even better. May the best pilots win! :D

    Changelist


    • Added: Dropout Race multiplayer game mode.
    • Updated: The classic and Dropout Race multiplayer game modes can be directly restarted from the results screen. This reduces the amount of time spent in menus and waiting for the next game.
    • Updated: In classic race multiplayer game mode, joining players can now directly enter the game and will be picked up as a racer the next time the race begins.
    • Updated: Giving other players a thumbs up is now done in the race score screen.
    • Updated: Added another initialisation pass when loading a level to reduce stutters when taking off the first time.
    • Updated: Added several visual states for players in multiplayer to denote whether a player was crashed, gave up, timed out, etc.
    • Updated: Added an 'eye'-icon next to the name of the player you're spectating.
    • Updated: When finishing a race in a tournament now directly shows the leaderboard in the results screen.
    • Fixed: A long-standing bug in the real-time ranking. Players would sometimes jump up in the ranking during a race when they finished a lap, while they were still behind other players.
    • Fixed: A visual glitch in multiplayer where the camera would have it's position reset in the level when switching spectator or returning to the current drone.
    • Fixed: A bug during drone building in a multiplayer game where it could get interrupted and player drones would not get visualised.


    [ 2021-04-14 18:28:48 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Free Midnight Protocol skins soon!


    You may have seen the news float around the internet already, but well soon be releasing a brand new title: Midnight Protocol. Weve been working on this project for the last couple of years, and were very excited to show you our brand new trailer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEDUfoQIHBk Midnight Protocol is a tactical, narrative-driven RPG where you play as Data, a hacker trying to find out who doxxed them. To fully immerse you in the mind and body of a hacker, Midnight Protocol is controlled 100% by your keyboard. You hack your way through networks by typing commands. Leech cash from your targets, Cloak yourself so the network doesnt trace your signal, and open new pathways by paying the Troll Toll -- Midnight Protocol offers a fresh and accessible spin on hacking. If that sounds as exciting to you as it does to us, please wishlist Midnight Protocol on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1162700/Midnight_Protocol/ And thats not all! To celebrate the new trailer and announcements, were working on these awesome Midnight Protocol frame skins to be used in Liftoff! Well update you once theyre ready to be redeemed for the low price of free. And of course, we will continue supporting Liftoff in the same way weve always done over the past few years.


    [ 2021-04-02 10:45:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.10 released!


    We hope you've all enjoyed the Dquad Addiction in update 1.3.9... but we're not yet finished with Dquad :) This latest update adds the agile Dquad LXR frame, and includes a few smaller additions and fixes too. With this latest addition Liftoff now features 30 unique frames to pick from!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added: Dquad LXR Frame.
    • Added: Soupape V2 Antenna.
    • Added: Dquad LXR blueprint setup.
    • Fixed: Blurry main menu backgrounds of the Hangar C03 environment.
    • Fixed: Workbench hide UI feature would still show the outer ring of the selected part.
    • Fixed: Audio trigger blocks in the Track Editor now have their audio clip correctly assigned to the 'Effects' volume group.

    DQUAD LRX


    The LRX is their top mount freestyle frame designed for speed and agility. This very light strong frame with a short main body is still able to carry a lipo and HD camera on top. It is compact, agile and made from the highest quality carbon on the market today!


    [ 2021-03-26 09:18:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Steam Daily Deal + Double XP Week


    Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing is today's Daily Deal on Steam, offering the biggest discount for the game to date! Liftoff fans who own the game already have something to be excited about too: we're running a Double XP event simultaneously. Playing Liftoff will earn you double the amount of XP points in-game. A free Pro Account is required to earn XP and unlock gift boxes. The event runs from 10am pacific 3/14 to 10am pacific 3/16. Enjoy!


    [ 2021-03-14 17:30:12 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.9 released!


    Content galore! We're introducing the Dquad Addiction as the next frame to enjoy in Liftoff, among many other things in this update.

    Changelist


    • Added: Hangar C03 Night Fever variant.
    • Added: Dquad Addiction Frame.
    • Added: Soupape antenna.
    • Added: Dquad Addiction blueprint setup.
    • Added: 5 post-apocalyptic frame skins to unlock in giftboxes
    • Updated: Hangar C03 main menu background.
    • Fixed: subscribing to player-created content in multiplayer.
    • Fixed: while walking around in the Free Flight game mode, the original drone would still show in the placement overlay.
    • Fixed: reset password menu now allows more characters in the username/e-mail field for those with long e-mail addresses.
    • Fixed: container pop-in issue in the Hangar C03 environment.
    • Fixed: some performance issues in the Hangar C03 environment.

    Dquad Addiction


    We're excited to reveal a new frame from one of our favourite brands! The Dquad Addiction is a middle-weight frame that offers incredible strength. One year of continuously improving the design has led the company to the point where they're very confident this frame is one of the strongest out there while still being sub 100 grams.

    Night Fever update


    Happy news for fans who own the Night Fever DLC: we've added a Night Fever version of the new Hangar C03 update! Just like we do with the main version of the game, we have continued to update and grow the content available in our DLC pack in free updates. To better reflect the increase of value included, we will update the price of the Night Fever DLC to 5.99 by the end of March. If you still want to get the DLC for 4.99, now is the time!


    [ 2021-03-04 10:00:09 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.8 released!


    With this massive upgrade to the HangarC03 environment, we welcome you to the workplaces of the clumsiest container yard crew ever! Their mistakes will become your favorite industrial FPV playground, in an area over 4 times bigger than the original. Discover hidden passageways among the containers, powerloop impressive cranes and try your luck mere inches above the water. We're excited!

    Changelist


    • Added: Hangar C03 revamp.
    • Added: new official Track and Race for The Green (06 - The Nineteenth Hole). Thank you Simon Hirst!
    • Updated: content settings to reduce the patch size for future updates.
    • Fixed: floating golfballs in The Green.
    • Fixed: selecting a different date in the leaderboard selection of official races only showed the latest leaderboard available.
    • Fixed: festivity items would sometimes not show up on their set date.
    • Fixed: overall sound and music volume for the Getting Started menu is reduced.
    • Fixed: sound effects in environments are now properly linked to their sound group and can be adjusted again in the audio options menu.



    [ 2021-02-08 09:37:26 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff simulation explained


    Ever wondered how Liftoff achieves the most authentic FPV sim experience, and why it doesn't have a gravity slider? The Liftoff brand aims to provide the most advanced and detailed drone simulation systems on the market. Our authentic flight behavior and physics form the foundation of all Liftoff products and are the result of dozens of simulated systems working together. We made a page dedicated to explaining all of the intricate details of these simulations

    Read all about it here!



    [ 2021-01-12 00:25:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Looking back at 2020


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euCd8GAVxZQ We can all agree that 2020 was challenging, and though nothing can fix what was broken this year, we do hope that Liftoff made it just a little bit better for you all. The Liftoffteam stays committed to making Liftoff bigger and better each year and by that we mean not just the software, but also the community that surrounds it.

    The community


    The Liftoff community has grown by over 60 000 virtual pilots this year. On several occasions in 2020, we set a new record number of players, something we are extremely grateful for. Not only have we enjoyed flying among you on the race track, we have been impressed by the massive amount of super creative track creations,community stories and videos. The sweet celebration video linked above, made by BlueCheese, is a fantastic example of that. For the Liftoff team, the community highlight of the year is definitelythe weekly official Liftoff stream A Song of Pitch & Throttle, by our extremely talented and dedicated host Abdul! We love the content, the chats and the community interaction it brings!

    The game(s)


    What can we say? 5 years in and yet 2020 has proven to be one of our biggest years so far! Not only did we release a Liftoff game on PlayStation4 and Xbox One (a massive milestone for the team), but we've also continued to make Liftoff on PC the absolute best FPV simulator it can be. Here's an updated development timeline. [url=https://www.liftoff-game.com/sites/default/files/2020-12/TimelineDec2020.png]
    Highlights of the year are surely the release of the Russian Woodpecker, getting Zoroe's art in the game, the updated The Green, but most of all our massive 1.3.0 milestone update that brought a significant engine upgrade, improved performance, fewer loading screens, our much beloved Liftoff Physics 4.0 and much more. We've managed to evolve Liftoff to the next level, ready for the coming decade. After 5 years and over 130 updates, you'd think we are done, but it feels like we've only just started!

    What will 2021 bring?


    If you have followed us for a while, you knowwe don't setyear long development goals. We prefer a flexible approachthat allows us to work with community feedback and suggestions, and focus on what's important "now" rather than what we planned upfront. That being said, we have never been more committedto Liftoff as we are now and some of our near term goals includes new game modes, further revamps of existing environments (Hangar C03 is next), new content and so much more. Additionally, 2021 will see the release of a new spinoff sim called Liftoff: Micro Drones, of which we will reveal more in the weeks to come. We are excited for Liftoff in 2021 and we hope you are too! Happy New Year! :D


    [ 2020-12-31 14:44:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.7 released!


    What if we told you we made one of the best Liftoff environments even better? The Green got a bit of an update, adding a landmark watertower and an extensive event area, adding new layers to an already exciting environment. We can't wait to see you explore our mini-level within a level :) On top1.3.7 brings a bunch ofimprovements, additions and bug fixes.

    Changelist


    • Updated The Green:it now contains a watertower, event area and a few other details. (also updated in theNight Fever DLC!)
    • Updated: All tracks and races have been given a proper and unique name.
    • Added: 5 new Cyber-themed frame skins and 70 new propeller skins can be unlocked through Gift Boxes in the Workbench.
    • Fixed: RC Rates and RC Expo are now uncoupled between pitch and roll.
    • Fixed: Paris Drone Festival street collision issue.
    • Fixed: Throttle Mid would produce wrong results when setting it to a value of 100.
    • Fixed: The G# music block note now has the correct soundbyte.
    • Updated: The Ummagawd Remix frame has been assigned the Ummagawd Corp. brand.
    • Updated: Dropdowns with values that can't fit in the text box will now slowly scroll the name horizontally.
    • Added: A full-screen dropdown option has been added in the graphics menu. Players on the Windows platform can now select more options to select what best fits their needs.



    [ 2020-12-16 14:01:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

    LIFTOFF ESPORTS IS HERE!


    17th December is a date to remember! IUDRO - The University Drone Racing Company has been preparing for pure awesomeness! Check out the amazing IUDRO eSport Series stream announcement trailer below The Liftoff team is extremely excited about these upcoming competitions and we look forward to sharing this adventure with you all. We can't wait! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT0Nmy-ROms


    [ 2020-12-05 20:03:35 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.6 released


    Joshua Bardwell asked the Liftoff team if we could fix his fence. We were not entirely sure what he meant by that, so we potentially fixed it by breaking it. ;) Hopefully that can't be said of the other aspects included in this update, as we continue to work on improvements and fixes for the game. Here's what's included:

    Changelist


    • Updated: The replay selection now shows the freestyle score instead of the time value when looking for freestyle recordings.
    • Updated: Score values per stunt are now also saved in the recording.
    • Updated: When watching a recording in which stunts were performed, the score per stunt is now shown as well.
    • Updated: When watching a recording, the drone LED and trail color are now set to the color as it was on the drone rather than a predefined color.
    • Updated: Fence in Bardwell's Yard lost a rail as shown in thisvideo.
    • Updated: The manual controller calibration panel has been updated visually to be more consistent in style.
    • Updated: The manual controller calibration panel now shows the current axis value, so you don't have to guess it's values anymore.
    • Updated: The personal ghosts opponents during race now show their name along with their race time, so you know which is which.
    • Fixed: Drone selection in multiplayer is now visible again after having a level being loaded.
    • Fixed: The LIFTOFF! message now correctly disappears in multiplayer infinite race when spectating a player when the countdown wasn't finished yet.
    • Fixed: The drone didn't spawn properly in the Getting Started menu when calibrating your controller.
    • Fixed: An input binding popup was visible by default when entering the input binding phase in the Getting Started menu.
    • Fixed (potentially): Black screen issue after leaving a level. Looking for confirmation!
    Additionally, Liftoff: Drone Racing has just released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, check out our launch trailer below! [previewyoutube=2g91uxK6p6k;full]https://youtu.be/2g91uxK6p6k[/previewyoutube]


    [ 2020-11-11 16:50:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Halloween contest & Update 1.3.5


    Our yearly Halloween tradition has started, 10 pumpkins can be found in each Liftoff environment! This year we are awarding 10 in-game gift boxes to 3 fans who make the most creative Halloween screenshot in Liftoff. Want to participate? Create one or more fun Liftoff screenshots, share them on Facebook and tag Liftoff in your post, alternatively upload your Halloween screenshot on the Steam Community Hub and add the tag #HalloweenHunt as a comment. You have until the 6th of November to submit your screenshot. A free Liftoff Pro Account is required to win the in-game gifts. Have fun! On top of that, we are releasing a small quickfix update for the game. For those worried about big downloads, its only 15mb in size ;)

    Changelist


    • Fixed: The Liftoff dude not being visible.
    • Fixed: Sharing your drone didn't properly save the Steam ID to the file after leaving the Workbench. This prevented selecting the 'Fixed drone setup' game modifier in multiplayer rooms.
    • Fixed: In multiplayer free flight, when sending a chat message would send you to walking mode with the default keybindings.
    • Fixed: some missing French translations for added messages since the 1.3.0 update.


    [ 2020-10-30 19:06:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.4 released!


    Third time's the charm, take two. After the massive 1.3 milestone update, we'd already done a lot of work patching up little oversights and glitches. Of course, as always, some stuff got overlooked or was so crazily specific it couldn't immediately be reproduced. 1.3.4 has another load of fixes and quality-of-life improvements. Once again, thanks for every one's diligent reports! They're a lifesaver!

    CHANGE LIST


    • Fixed multiplayer color picker not saving the selected color.
    • Fixed issue where player level in Multiplayer waiting room was displayed as "0".
    • Fixed multiplayer chat messages being stacked on each other.
    • Fixed black patches on terrain with OpenGL rendering on macOS.
    • Fixed drone swarm animation in Hannover (Night Fever variant) where it wasn't oriented properly.
    • Fixed battery charge indicator UI not showing when starting a Multiplayer room with the 'Force battery simulation' option turned on.
    • Fixed issue in the Workbench that would slow it down incredibly when selecting parts too fast.
    • Fixed issue with certain tracks not being able to load. Invalid track items are now silently ignored.
    • Fixed several track items not being placed under the same category in the Track Builder.
    • Fixed several checkpoint highlight effects in the Track Builder.
    • Fixed drone in the input calibration menu not being shown properly when entering the scene without a controller connected.
    • Fixed issue where drone selection screen would show an empty lineup in certain circumstances
    • Updated: the drone selection screen will now default to your currently selected drone, if it is found in that lineup.


    [ 2020-10-21 15:17:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.3.3 released!


    V1.3 was a massive internal update for the entire Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing project. As anyone who's ever worked in software development can testify, one huge fix tends to create three small bugs. Thanks to the many reports, support messages and forum posts we received from all you over the past few weeks, we managed to pinpoint (and fix!) a whole host of issues. Because we wanted to return to a completely stable experience as fast as possible, we have been rolling out these fixes gradually, starting with the most pressing issues. In fact, if you've played Liftoff recently, you've already been playing 1.3.1 or 1.3.2, because we're sneaky like that. However, since we didn't want to swamp you in technical update news, we decided to bundle several of these small bug fixes into one post, along with the release of the latest 1.3.3. Note: apart from bug fixes and some improvements, these updates also allow you to pick a more modern rendering API if your system supports it. Read all about it here.

    1.3.3 UPDATE NOTES


    • Added Vulkan rendering mode for Windows.
    • Added a search bar to the level, Multiplayer leader board and Tournament selection screens, to quickly search through content.
    • The blackbox tuning tool is now active by default when doing a Test Flight from the Workbench.
    • The blackbox tuning tool has been given a facelift and is now properly visually integrated in the Drone HUD.
    • Updated the personal leader boards in the level selection menu for race and freestyle game modes.
    • Reduced standard build size from 17GB to 12GB.
    • Reduced operational memory footprint.
    • Moved Night Fever content to a different folder to prevent file name issues on non-case sensitive file systems.
    • Fixed: level selection, Multiplayer leader board selection and Tournament selection screens are now properly populated again after having been in an environment before.
    • Fixed: when entering the Workbench to open gift boxes, not having any boxes now correctly sends you directly to the drone editing mode.
    • Fixed: the loading indicator in the Replay selection screen would sometimes remain visible, even if it wasn't loading anymore.
    • Fixed: scroll speed in many dropdowns on Windows and Linux has been sped up and should be usable now.

    1.3.2 UPDATE NOTES


    • Resolved multiplayer stuttering issues (a default drone is now visualized when another player joins in the game. Assets of other drones are only loaded once you reset yours.)
    • Correct representation of actual room environment variant (We were wondering why Night Fever was suddenly SO popular.)
    • Internal rework of Multiplayer in-game activity. It should better represent the other players' statuses.
    • Updated the loading status bar to include a new state and added actual loading progress of each individual step.
    • Fixed: Multiplayer Free Flight walking spawn positions are now properly patched through to other players.
    • Fixed: the player's level was visually cut off in the Tournament selection menu.
    • Fixed: Couldn't take off in multiplayer race.
    • Fixed: Night Fever label being visible in the replay selection menu when it shouldn't be.
    • Fixed: Screen flashing during loading.

    1.3.1 UPDATE NOTES


    • Custom music player preference is now toggled off by default.
    • Added some extra information in the game log file. Knowing which version of the game is running should make support requests easier.
    • Fixed: removed a floating grey box in the level selection screen.
    • Fixed: the player's level was visually cut off in the level selection menu.
    • Fixed: Incorrect depth of field effect while flying in third person.
    • Fixed: third person camera smoothness.
    • Fixed: black screen issue in multiplayer when spectating a player that quit to the main menu.
    • Fixed: Night Fever toggle being visible in the multiplayer room creation when the player didn't have access to Night Fever content.


    [ 2020-10-16 00:49:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone Update 1.3.0 released!


    ***Thanks to a quick community response we've discovered and fixed some issues with the update. However since the building and uploading process can take a while, we have temporarily reverted the game back to the previous 1.2.11 version, so everyone can continue playing without any issues. As soon as our 1.3.0 fixes are ready, we'll push the update LIVE again. Thank you for your understanding!***


    Thanks to our vibrant community, Liftoff FPV Drone Racing has been a continuously developing project. Since its first release in 2015, we've been expanding, updating and fine-tuning the game to your liking. All this time, we've managed toworkon the car while doing top speed on the highway. Obviously,there was bound to be a point where we needed to make a pitstop, change the oil, replace the tires, and give the whole thing a good inspection. The 1.3 update is all about that. Though it may not always be visible at first glance, the technological foundations of the game have been majorly updated:to better fit modern hardware, to improve the experience for everyone wherever possible, and - importantly -to once again be ready for future improvements! Below is the epic story of this update, but if you just want to know what to expect, feel free to skip to the change list below.

    Waiting for the right moment


    As you may know by now, Liftoff runs on the Unity game engine. When development started in 2015, we used the most recent version of the engine available at that time. As time went by, and the game become much bigger than initially anticipated, we still occasionally updated the engine as new releases became available. However, in 2017, the Unity engine changed aspects of how physics were handled. Considering physics play a key role in Liftoff, and initial tests with this new version made the game unplayable, this was unacceptable.We decided to hold off on updating to a new version, preferring to keep delivering a steady stream of content updates for the community instead. Essentiallythe game engine was frozen in a version from late 2016. Little did we know thatwith each new piece of content added, be it a new drone part or a whole new environment, the project was inching closer to a hidden limit of the game engine. We suddenly hit a tipping point where we could no longer pack more content in the way we had been doing it since the beginning of the project. It started with a few disco-like menu backgrounds and,when pushed further, devolved in a complete mess oftexture corruption and unreadable menus. The only way was forward. We had no choice but to bite the bullet, update the game engine (at that point, byseveral major versions) and immediately tackle two major challenges:preserving the original flight behavior and finding a solution for our content packing problem. The former turned out to be less problematic than originally feared. The latter was a more complex challenge where we had rethink the way we handled content (drone parts, environments, tracks and many other things) from the ground up.

    What does not kill you


    Rejoice! Even if driven by necessity, our update work comes with some massive advantages across the board. First off, we have adopteda new fine-grained system that allows us to precisely control what is loaded in at any time, tooptimize the memory usage. A less big memory footprint means that the game should load faster and, especially in some of the more intense scenes, may now work on weaker systems that formerly ran out of memory and crashed. Additionally, we can now compartmentalize content to make future updates faster and smaller to download. Updating the engine also gave us access toup-to-date rendering techniques (especially on Linux and macOS) that should increase performance. It alsoallowed us to finally provide a fix for somelow-level problems, such as a crash on Windows due to Citrix Workspace being installed on the system. Finally, a Liftoff update wouldn't be a Liftoff update without a slew of fixes, changes and quality-of-life improvements. Read all about it below!

    What's next


    With all that out of way, we're looking forward to once again serving you a steady stream of updates. We already have some things in the works, so stay tuned!

    v1.3 Change list


    • Engine update from version 5.6 to 2018.4. Oof.
    • Major code reworks of some essential Liftoff systems to increase stability and optimize memory usage.
    • Content management systems update: optimized loading and memory usage: - Tracks now only load those track items actually needed by the track, instead of all of them. - Drone setups now load faster and memory usage is optimized. - Race AI opponents are now generated locally instead of downloaded from the Liftoff Pro service.
    • Updated physics to 4.0, as previously featured on the Experimental Branch. - Updated drag model to be more accurate based on the exact setup of the drone. - Some skins now have an impact on the drag behavior. This is visualized with an icon next to the skin in the Workbench. - More about what's included in Physics 4.0 and how it affects the flight behavior of your drone can be found here and here.
    • Added Replay feature. Save your flights and watch them whenever you want: - In Free Flight and Infinite Race, after a drone reset, your flight recording can be saved in the Pause menu. - In Race and Freestyle, you can save your recordingin the finish screen orafterwards in the Pause menu.
    • Added Russian Woodpecker Night Fever environment variant (for owners of the Night Fever DLC pack).
    • Updated the Minus Two environment to make it perform significantly better.
    • Added third person spectator option to multiplayer.
    • Added Metal rendering support on Mac.
    • Added Vulkan rendering support on Linux.
    • Updated the loading screen to show what's happening in the background and changed the loading background image depending on which level is being loaded.
    • First/Third person camera mode is now saved and applied on every time a flight session is started.
    • Added action in the button setup menu to skip the current music track.
    • Added a lap counter in regular race below the race timer.
    • Added some highlight colors to selectable UI elements.
    • Added best race lap during multiplayer race next to the player avatar icon like it is in infinite race.
    • Added a system info log at during start so the Liftoff team can quickly discover any hardware issues during support requests.
    • Added caching of assets related to the player's drone throughout the game to speed up loading times.
    • Added a shortcut to the Workbench panel in the Main Menu to quickly jump to opening any gift boxes you have instead of going through the drone selection menu first.
    • Updated the drone HUD to allocate less memory, reducingframe hitches.
    • Updated the drone HUD horizon line to be restricted tothe side-bars.
    • Updated the 'Test Flight' option in the Workbench to use the Quick Play setup panel.
    • Updated several game options so that they can be toggled on/off without needing to reload the current level.
    • Updated multiplayer race drone controls after finish. Your drone now remains controllable for a few extra seconds before switching in spectator mode.
    • Updated part selection controls in the drone Workbench. The scrollbar now navigates along with the selected part.
    • Updated the loading labels for the drones in the drone selection to have crisper text rendering.
    • Updated the multiplayer chat window to always be visible during a multiplayer race.
    • Updated the multiplayer player labels on the right to be always visible. The currently spectated player will now be shown in bold.
    • Updated the multiplayer drone background loading. Performance spikes when a player joins the room should be eliminated.Slight frame spikes may still occur during the Free Flight and Infinite Race game modeswhen another player joins in the level flying, as assets are loaded in the background.
    • Updated several tracks to feature some more track items.
    • Updated the custom music feature to be more clear about what kind of songs it supports as well as where to locate the files.
    • Updated the difficulty of the A.I. opponents to be more challenging when no previous race time was recorded for that race.
    • Updated the level selection to show a toggle for Night Fever environments instead of a dropdown.
    • Fixed Citrix Workspace crash on Windows platforms.
    • Fixed issue in the HangarC03 environment where the floor tile would drop out from under you.
    • Fixed bugs in multiplayer regarding spectating other players after multiple drone resets.
    • Fixed issue with a floating antenna on the Armattan Gecko frame.
    • Fixed the community panel in the main menu to always rotate away when entering the menu.
    • Fixed a broken skybox in the Liftoff Arena environment.
    • Fixed the weight of the Action Cam to better match that of a Go Pro 4.
    • Fixed issues with erroneous 'Not all skins for this drone setup are available' label in the drone selection.
    • Fixed the track lines in Bardwell's Yard Race 03.
    • Fixed bug that would adjust the FOV when pausing Liftoff.
    • Fixed bug that would cause a black screen after a freestyle sessions was finished, when a drone was being reset in the background.
    • Fixed bug in the level selection that would be caused by selecting using the keyboard.
    • Fixed issues with some parts being scaled to 0 in combination with some frames.
    • Fixed several instances of multiplayer spectator weirdness (drone HUD turning on for a brief moment when switching players, etc.)
    • Fixed issue where spectating a player in multiplayer infinite race before arming the dronewouldn't allow that player to start the race again.
    • Fixed unnecessary quick black screen fade in the main menu when starting the game while the drone is being loaded.
    • Fixed Ambient Occlusion not being applied properly when it was turned off when entering a level, then turning it on in the graphics settings.
    • Removed the FatShark goggle animation.


    [ 2020-09-23 12:05:05 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Physics 4.0+ available!


    The release of Physics 4.0 on the Experimental Branch was a massive success. You have tried our improvements and shared valuable feedback with us. You all seem to have a great time with the physics improvements! We couldn't be happier with the result. Nonetheless the team at LuGus Studios saw room for improvements, thanks to some suggestions from dedicated testers. Those improvements are added today in the form of Liftoff Physics 4.0+, an iteration on the previous physics 4.0 with a strong focus on the "lift" factor, adding yet another layer to the most detailed FPV simulator system on the market. Read all about it in our dedicated development blog here.

    Test results needed!


    Just like before, the new physics update is first available to test on the Experimental Branch. We will be looking for community feedback once more before we push this update to the main version of the game. We don't plan any further updates for Physics 4.0 anymore if the feedback on this iteration is positive. Thanks in advance! Read all about getting access the Experimental Branch.

    Let us know!


    Your feedback is crucial and helps us to move forwards with the improvements of Liftoff.
    • Does Physics 4.0+ feel better than Physics 4.0?
    • Are our latest changes an improvement to what was available in Liftoff these past few years?
    • Do you feel something is still missing?
    Please let us know!


    [ 2020-05-28 15:24:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff Kwad Box!


    As you read this, this month's Kwad Boxes are being packed and will be shipping to subscribers shortly. Liftoff fans should be excited about this one as this edition contains all kinds of Liftoff goodies, including some exclusive in-game rewards. Though we don't want to soil the secret just yet, we can't wait to show you all some behind-the-scenes unboxing pictures, soon as our box arrives at the studio. No point denying it: the team at LuGus Studios is super excited about this.

    WHAT IS KWAD BOX?


    Kwad Box is a monthly goodie box sent out monthly to subscribers, filled with miniquad goodness! It's a fantastic project that has excited FPV pilots for years. The idea behind Kwad Box comes from Daniel Sandoval (Xhover) and Chad Kapper (Rotor Riot), who have partnered in a way that utilizes both companies' strengths to make Kwad Box an exciting experience for the customer. Here's how to get a Kwad Box subscription.

    WHAT'S IN THE BOX?


    Ah, we're not supposed to tell... But here's a quick teaser of the exclusive in-game gift ;)

    I MISSED OUT! :(


    Since the Liftoff boxes are being sent out now, existing Kwad Box subscribers will receive the box in the next few days. Luckily, for those of you not yet subscribed, there's an opportunity to win one of the remaining Liftoff Kwad Boxes. We'll send the Liftoff Kwad Boxes seen below as a prize to two random players who conquer a place in the top 20 of the latest Liftoff Pro League tournament. This is your chance to win the cool surprise box full of Liftoff goodies. The "Kwad Box Race" can be found in the Liftoff Pro League and is active from April 31st to May 20th. Good luck!


    [ 2020-05-01 18:06:43 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Zoroe's Freestyle challenge!


    Enjoying freestyling the newly pimped Bando City? We have an exciting challenge for you! Zoroe is organising a freestyle video contest that can earn you a place in the spotlight! Create an awesome freestyle video featuring some of Zoroe's awesome graffiti art in Bando City. The best submissions will be featured in his next video and will be rewarded with the Night Fever DLC! To enter the challenge, create an awesome freestyle video and edit it however you want. Most of all we want to see you have fun with it! Upload the result on YouTube and send a link to your video to OCDhobby@gmail.com For more details, make sure to check our Zoroe's video below. [previewyoutube=B3_et8FDwvE;full]https://youtu.be/B3_et8FDwvE [/previewyoutube]


    [ 2020-04-24 11:00:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.11 released!


    A fun little update dedicated to the wonderful pilot and artist Zoroe

    Changelist


    • Added graffiti art in Bando City and the Workbench by Zoroe
    • Fixed issue with a propeller name that could cause errors in the Workbench.
    • Fixed issue with the sky haze in the background of some environments.
    • Added code redeem feature in the Liftoff Pro account panel.
    • Added new unlockable skins for the Skyliner, Vega and AK Mistral frames

    Zoroe


    Zoroe has lent his exciting artwork to pimp some of the Liftoff environments. We are super happy with the results and can't wait to hear what you think! Zoroe is a designer, graffiti artist, psychonaut and sponsored drone pilot who loves life, making videos and making people's day a bit better. Go check out his channel!

    Physics 4.0 available for testing!


    A quick reminder: our Physics 4.0 test is still up and running on the Experimental Branch. Want to try out the new physics comming soon to the main version of the game? Check this out. Already on the Experimental Branch? Make sure to change back to the Main public branch to get these updates.


    [ 2020-04-20 13:50:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Physics 4.0 available for testing!


    We are thrilled to announce that, after a long phase of testing with eminent members of the community, Liftoff Physics 4.0 has been released on an Experimental Branch, and is available for public testing! Find out more about this Experimental branch and how to participate.

    What is new?


    • Drag (sometimes referred to as air resistance) has been reworked to be a lot more accurate by using the actual drone aerodynamic profile rather than an approximation;
    • Idle motor speed is configurable in the flight controller settings;
    • Pitch and Roll RC rates can be tuned independently from each other.
    For more details, I would recommend reading this article. It gives a more technical overview of the changes we made and goes into detail about the altered flight physics.

    An improvement for Racers andFreestylers?


    Our development priorities are always aimed at realism and authenticity. However, test results and feedback often give conflicting results on what that actually means.After our first test phase, it was obvious that racers and freestylers were looking for different things in Liftoff Physics 4.0. While freestylers were attentive to hang time, carrying of momentum, and driftiness, racers tended to be more interested in having as much control over their quadcopter as possible. Physics 4.0 aims to please both worlds! By using the actual aerodynamic profile of a drone instead of a generic approximation and a fine-tuned model thanks to testers, we made every build more unique. Take the Talon and its vertical arms, it will generate less drag while flying forward horizontally than a Vortex Pro. Using the version of the Vega with an aileron will help you maintain trajectory while racing. That means that some builds will be great for freestyle, but less impressive in a race setup and vice versa.This is a super exciting time for pilots to test new things to find their perfect build. So go ahead, experiment, add parts and manage your quadcopter as you would in real-life! Find that perfect freestyle setup and your favorite race quad! A special thanks goes towards the pilots who have been involved with early testing. Among our testers we can mention, Bomba, a well-known master of creative track building and freestyle, Preston Marlowe and Power_Polo, pillars of the French Liftoff community,CrazyFPV a talented freestyler, pothead_bongtoe, one of our Discord server moderators, and a great member of the community, as well as BlueCheese, Mr.D and GTag_Graphics, some of the most skilled racers in the world. We are really grateful for their help during development.


    [ 2020-04-18 12:57:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Double XP Week


    Double XP Week


    To encourage everyone to stay inside and stay safe, we are organising a double XP week in Liftoff. For the rest of the week, you will earn double the amount of XP points in-game. A free Pro Account is required to earn XP and unlock gift boxes. Please take care!


    [ 2020-03-14 18:14:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.10 released!


    The Team Mistral AK is here, and we want you to fly it! See you on the race tracks!

    Changelist:


    • Added AK Frame Team Mistral
    • Added Hypetrain Cricket
    • Added Hypetrain LeDribV2
    • Added Hypetrain Vortex
    • Added Hypetrain Blaster 1800kv
    • Fixed issue with some assets in the Night Fever versions of The Green and Bando City

    The AK frame


    When we asked you recently on the Liftoff Community facebook group, what parts you would like to see added in Liftoff, you did not suggest any parts. Instead you made it clear you wanted a new frame, more specifically the AK frame (also know as the AK47 frame) from Team Mistral. Your wish is our command and we are super excited to add this fantastic frame to the latest 1.2.10 update :D This new French design is a squished 215mm frame, designed with two bottom plates and 6mm thick arms. Every part is cut from very dense "silky" carbon, made in Europe. The AK is a high quality, super sturdy frame, made by the passionate pilots of Team Mistral.

    Physics 4.0 revealed!


    That's right, we are doing some real physics magic behind the scenes and we can't wait for you to try out an even more realistic version of Liftoff soon. For now, here's some information about what we are doing. We will need some testers for this soon. Let us know if we can count on you to help us with that!


    [ 2020-03-13 14:07:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.9 released


    Update 1.2.9 includes a few fixes and marks the start of a long list of performance updates we are planning for Liftoff. Stay tuned for more!

    Changelist:


    • Improved batching and rendering (performance) in Russian Woodpecker environment.
    • Fixed a bug in the drone OSD that could create lag spikes
    • Fixed issue with tournaments that have no LPL tryout limit.
    • Fixed issue that prevented the creation of Russian Woodpecker LPL tournaments.

    PAX East success!


    Our first demo of Liftoff: Drone Racing (Console version) was a massive success. We've had hundreds of people, both gamers and pilots alike, try out our demo at PAX East in Boston. We've witnessed the future of FPV: people who had never flown a drone before, picked up the gamecontroller and started hitting the racetracks instantly, being excited about drone racing. Amazing to see, it's pure magic! :D Being able to share the excitement of FPV with everyone is a massive achievement, it will allow us to promote and grow the FPV hobby in a way that was never possible before. Updates and footage of the event was shared on our official Liftoff Community Facebook group. Check it out!

    International Liftoff Championship news


    The first edition of ILC came to an end with a crushing victory of DarKex on March 1st. Congratulations! ILC is back in a second edition. Join the Liftoff Pro League tournament and get into the top 16 players between March 2nd and 15th to win prizes and have the opportunity to participate in two broadcast events where you'll be able to show your skill to the World.


    [ 2020-03-03 16:14:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.8 released!


    The new Russian Woodpecker level has received universal love from all of the community and we couldn't be more grateful for that. Thank you all for the encouraging words! Nonetheless there's always room for improvements. With update 1.2.8 we have a few fixes ready, and a few fun feature additions too ;)

    Changelist


    • Fixed an issue that made The Green unplayable.
    • Fixed an issue with the goggle animation playing underground in Russian Woodpecker.
    • Fixed an issue with the topdop view of Russian Woodpecker in the Track builder.
    • Fixed a blur effect in the finishscreen of Russian Woodpecker
    • Fixed an issue that prevented RussianWoodpeckerRace01 to be selected in Multiplayer.
    • Updated the textures for the Borrum and Skyliner frames.
    • Added description to the "Russian Woodpecker" in the level selection menu
    • Added "Turtle mode" feature. (Press "T")
    • Added "Launch control" feature.
    • Changed standard button for "Rewind" to "Y".

    Turtle mode


    Turtle mode allows the pilot to flip an upside-down drone back to normal by pressing a button, or using a controller switch. This is mainly used to recover after a crash. In order to use turtle mode you can press "T" in game. Alternatively, in order to bind it to a controller switch, go to the main menu, click on "Options", then on "Control", and finally on "Buttons". On the right column, you can assign turtle mode to any switch.

    Launch Control


    Launch Control allows pilots to control and fix the pitch angle of their drone during a race countdown. This acts as a starting block, allowing more explosive starts. This should be a fun addition for the competitive racers among you. You can enable launch control on any drone through the flight controller settings, either in the workbench, or through the pause menu during gameplay.


    [ 2020-02-19 16:46:10 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.7 released!

    A big update with a short changelist: "Russian Woodpecker environment added" It's finally here, the long awaited Russian Woodpecker level. A paradise for the freestyle fans among you, yet a lot of race opportunities on the ground level. We can't wait to see your many dive challenges, freestyle videos and track creations on there! [previewyoutube=NuZkBH0NWZY;full]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuZkBH0NWZY [/previewyoutube]

    Level performance


    Russian Woodpecker is the most detailed Liftoff environment to date and also one of the biggest in general, as a result we are pushing things to their limits. These past few weeks have been dedicated to optimising this environment to make sure everyone can enjoy it. Nonetheless, we only have a limited amount of test setups to gather data from, that's why we are hoping to get your feedback on the general performance of the Russian Woodpecker. Please send us your feedback to team@lugus-studios.be, make sure to include your system specs and a description of your experience. With your data we hope to further improve the gameplay experience.


    [ 2020-02-18 22:09:26 CET ] [ Original post ]

    FREE Weekend is live!


    The free weekend is finally here, we are excited to grow the community of Liftoff pilots! Liftoff is now completely free to try for 3 days (Friday 14th 2020 at 10AM PST to Sunday 16th 2020 at 10AM PST). If you consider buying Liftoff to continue playing after the free weekend, its available to purchase at an exceptional discount price during this free weekend.

    Sharing the love!


    Its valentine's day and the Liftoff team wants to show its love to the community. Not just with a free weekend but also with a special 3-day game event, spawning hearts all over the Liftoff levels. If together we collect enough hearts, we will have an exciting update ready for you to enjoy after the event


    [ 2020-02-14 18:00:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Free weekend soon!


    Haven't had the chance yet to play Liftoff? Unsure if its your kind of simulator? We are convinced it is, and that's why we give you a chance to try it out for free! We are having a Free Weekend from Friday 14th 2020 at 10AM PST to Sunday 16th 2020 at 10AM PST. For more information about the game, make sure to check out our new website: [url=www.liftoff-game.com]www.liftoff-game.com


    [ 2020-02-07 14:18:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

    First International Liftoff Championship!


    Push your flying skills to the next level, and compete with the very best Liftoff pilots worldwide in the very first International Liftoff Championship (ILC). ILC will be a live tournament broadcast live on your favourite streaming platforms later this month. The ILC is an initiative of LuGus Studios, run by the talented team at RoToRs CooL and sponsored by Vega FPV shop.

    When and how?


    Everybody can participate in the pre-selection phases taking place between February 1st and 16th, on the Liftoff Pro League in Liftoff. The top 16 players will be given the chance to participate in two broadcast events (February 23rd and March 1st, respectively) to compete for the title of International Liftoff Champion. Save the dates! For more details, make sure to check the document: Rules & Planning

    What can you win?


    • The top 16 players are invited to participate in the Live event and will be awarded an exclusive in-game skin for the Vega frame.
    • The top 4 players will win a real life ILC medallion and a Night Fever DLC Steam key
    • Top 3 players get a $100 voucher for the Armattan store
    • The winner wins an additional Vega HSXR frame and a 2020 Liftoff Champion badge.
    Make sure to follow ILC on Facebook for the latest news!


    [ 2020-02-03 20:24:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff: Drone Racing for consoles announced!


    Finally we are able to reveal an exciting new Liftoff project! Coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One later this year, Liftoff: Drone Racing challenges you to start a fast-paced drone racing career on your favourite game console! Check out our exciting CGI trailer below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8pm496cPn8 Liftoff: Drone Racing challenges you to start a fast-paced drone racing pilot career on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One! With controls optimized for consoles, both pro drone pilots and rookies can enjoy advanced drone physics recommended by top drone pilots across the world. For more information, please visit our new website: https://www.liftoff-game.com/liftoff-drone-racing


    [ 2020-01-31 14:58:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

    New Liftoff website live!


    As the Liftoff brand grows bigger, so does the need for a new website. It's finally time! www.liftoff-game.com Welcome to the brand new website, a place for Liftoff and its future projects. Discover the latest news, media and games updates. Need help? Make use of our dedicated support system helping you find answers quicker than before. The creation of this website was made possible with the support of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) Stay tuned for some exciting announcements on there soon!

    New support system


    The new website features a brand new support system. It is designed to offer you better and faster support by providing a list of answers to common questions and reports. As this system will save the Liftoff team a lot of work, there's going to be a lot more time dedicated to the development of future updates. You can help us by suggesting common questions (feel free to suggest an answer too) that can be added to our support system. Thanks in advance! https://www.liftoff-game.com/support


    [ 2020-01-29 18:45:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.6 released!


    A small but colorful update dedicated to the creative track builders in the community. Some bugfixes included too ;)

    Changelist


    • Added 2 new color variations for the building blocks in The Drawing Board.
    • Fixed weight values being shown for some parts, to be more consistent.
    • Changed the weight value of some lipos. (Affects your setup? Try the "additional weight" slider)
    • Re-ordered the track elements added in 1.2.5 to be consistent in their order based on their color.
    • Fixed ambient lighting issues in some levels.

    The Drawing Board


    The Drawing Board has become an iconic part of Liftoff. Originally designed to be a sterile environment for training and practice purposes, it has quickly evolved into a favoured canvas for the most creative people in the community. The more than 2500 creations available on the Steam workshop are downright impressive! The Drawing Board, with its grid, blue colors and paper textures has always aimed for a clean "blueprint" look & feel. The limit in color choices being an intentional graphics design choice that safeguards the visual consistency of the level, no matter what the track builder has created. However, since this is such a popular level for creative people, the team at LuGus Studios has experimented with extended color pallets. We have included a neutral white block type and a detail color: the complimentary orange color. We think these additions will allow for more creativity, while safeguarding the clean look that The Drawing Board was designed for. On top, these additions also apply to the Night Fever DLC! We can't wait to see your creations!


    [ 2020-01-22 10:18:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.5 released


    Update 1.2.5 brings new track elements, bug fixes and some exciting eSports promises.

    Changelist


    • Added two new "boxed" gate variations, each in 5 different colors.
    • Added a new flag element, also in 5 different color variations.
    • Fixed an issue with Hannover Track 05.
    • Fixed an issue that didn't show the correct version number
    • Fixed collider issue with trees in Bardwell's Yard and Bando City
    • Improved new backend system (still work in progress)
    • Minor bugfixes

    eSport Rhein-Neckar Liftoff division


    The competitive scene of Liftoff is ramping up in 2020. We have the regular Liftoff Pro League tournaments, the French Rotor's Cool leagues and starting this year there will be a new Liftoff division within the German eSport Rhein-Neckar club (ERN). The new division will start with a weekly flying / training in Liftoff (every Thursday at 18 pm) and will gradually expand to more initiatives such as:
    • Regular local Liftoff tournaments
    • Tiny Whoop style activities
    • Setting up a "crafting corner"
    • Countless other projects.
    To celebrate the official announcement of the ERN Liftoff division, this update includes some new ERN branded track elements!


    [ 2020-01-16 10:10:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

    10k Workshop Milestone!


    A massive community milestone was reached! :o Liftoff now has more than 10.000 pieces of community created content, available for free on the Steam Workshop! With more than 4000 racetracks and 3000 custom drone setups available the possibility are endless! An achievement like this is only possible with the combined efforts of a creative and passionate community, a big THANK YOU for making this possible!


    [ 2019-12-27 21:21:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.4 released


    With massive updates and announcements imminent, 2020 will mark the start of a new era for Liftoff. We end 2019 with a small 1.2.4 update.

    Changelist:


    • Added 14 new official racetracks (not environment) completing the list from the 1.2.3 update.
    • Fixed faulty Straw Bale and Bardwell's Yard tracks.
    • Fixed issue with leaderboard times not always saving.

    2020


    The team at LuGus Studios wish you all happy holidays! We have plenty of amazing things planned for 2020, it's going to be a massive year for Liftoff. Early in the year we plan to release our new environment: Russian Woodpecker. We also hope to to do a massive engine upgrade soon, that should bring a whole bunch of improvements, including performance improvements. You can also expect a new and exciting project announcement and the launch of a new Liftoff website to mark the beginning of a new era for the franchise. We hope you are as excited as we are, we can't wait to share with you all what we have been working on behind the scenes.


    [ 2019-12-25 15:10:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Triple XP week!


    Level up and unlock cosmetics like never before! To celebrate the release of our new official racetracks, we organise our first triple XP week. Receive 3 times the amount of XP points for flying official tracks in Liftoff between 10 Dec and 17 Dec. Have fun! (Liftoff Pro Account required)


    [ 2019-12-10 09:08:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.3 released!


    The first in a series of updates that will drastically increase the number of official tracks in Liftoff. Can you master them all?

    Changelist:


    • Adding 27 new, never before seen, official tracks (created by DerHonk and Bomba)
    • Created new backend system to continue to support massive amounts of Leaderboard data.
    • Improved the parts and frame specs shown in the Workbench
    • Fixed an issue with the connection between Liftoff and the Liftoff Discord channel
    • Minor bugfixes

    New backend system


    When we first launched the Track Builder with the Steam Workshop integration we expected to see a few custom tracks from the community every year. More than 4000 custom tracks later, we realise we had underestimated our community. Due to the huge amounts of leaderboards (4 leaderboards per track), we are running into the limits of the number of leaderboards we can create on Steam. We've now expanded our Liftoff Pro backend system to host these leaderboards, and have migrated them from Steam to our platform. This gives us an unlimited amount of leaderboards, and the freedom to keep the monthly leaderboards for our own, new tracks and races.


    [ 2019-12-06 16:00:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.2 released!


    20 September will be a day to remember, and the Liftoff team got your back! Featuring a flying saucer, Liftoff is now your ultimate training tool to get you ready for the raid. Live long and prosper!

    Changelist


    • Added new UFO skin for the Vega HSX frame.
    • Update Bando City to include tournament winner names.
    • >>> Added optional track guides (great for learning a track) >>>
    • Added track export function to the track editor to export tracks to your documents folder.
    • Minor bugfixes

    Track guides


    Update 1.2.2 adds track guides to Liftoff, helping both new players and veterans to better learn new tracks. These guides are optional and can be turned off in the game options. Track guides are automatically generated on both official and custom tracks and are generated based on your position and speed at the previous gate. This means each guide line is personalised for you during each flight session. Nonetheless, these track guides are not perfect race lines, they should be considered as direction suggestions.

    Windows 10 Controller issues


    Due to a recent Windows 10 update that affects drivers of USB devices, some remotes may fail to be recognised in Liftoff (and other simulators). Since this is an issue outside of the Liftoff code there's not a definitive fix we can provide, although we are exploring workarounds and talking to our hardware partners who might be able to provide a more definitive fix. For now, there's a workaround that seems to work for most people who experience issues. This document details a few steps you can take to get things working again: Windows 10 - Reinstall Remote USB Driver

    Liftoff update rate


    With more than a 120 updates to date, Liftoff has enjoyed a rich update history. Fans might have noticed our update cycle has slowed down a bit lately. Luckily that's not a sign of development slowing down, on the contrary. The team has been hard at work on something really big behind the scenes. 2020 is surely going to be one of the biggest years for Liftoff to date and we can't wait to tell you what we have worked on in secret for over a year now. Stay tuned for more. While our work on this secret project is ongoing, our love for Liftoff has not dropped. We continue to work on your typical Liftoff updates, 1.2.2 being one of them, but more to come in the near future. Thank you for your continuous support, it's you that make all of this possible!


    [ 2019-09-12 12:23:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff Racing Team


    Last weekend, the German Liftoff Racing Team participated in the Championship Worms 2019 event, hitting top 10 places in their very first race as a team. We couldn't be more proud of them! A Liftoff Racing team, you say? Yes! A few weeks ago we were approached by long-time Liftoff players Mr.D, GTag_Graphics and vex-sk, responsible for more than 3500 hours of Liftoff flight time between them, with a request to represent Liftoff at real life races. Veteran Liftoff supporters: check! Great pilots: check! Community initiative: check! Of course we said yes ;) Their enthusiasm and dedication to the cause reminds us why we have the best community in FPV. Thank you guys! We are excited to send them some goodies and gear to look the part, and cant wait to see them destroy the track on their next race event! See them in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY9MIPhWcX0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_3LW0oc7RA


    [ 2019-08-05 14:30:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Night Fever update!


    We have a free update available for the Night Fever DLC! This update introduced a Night Fever version of the beloved Bando City environment! At night you are not the only pilot to explore the skies around those abandoned skyscrapers, watch our for security drones that are patrolling the building site.

    Steam Summer Sales!


    Don't have the Night Fever DLC yet? This is the perfect time to expand your Liftoff experience! Both Liftoff and the Night Fever DLC are currently available at a discounted price, for the remainder of the Steam Summer sales (June 25 - July 9).


    [ 2019-06-25 19:59:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.2.1 released!


    There's a small update available for you to download, improving Bando City and adding an official racetrack on this new environment. Enjoy!

    Changelist


    • Fixed LoDs in Bando City, no more hidden objects at lower graphics settings.
    • Added contest winner names to Bando City (can you find them?)
    • Fixed some floating objects in Bando City
    • Added an official Track01 and Race01 for Bando City.
    • Minor bugfixes


    [ 2019-06-21 11:39:59 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Daily Deal - Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing, 25% Off

    Today's Deal: Save 25% on Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing!*

    Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

    *Offer ends Friday at 10AM Pacific Time


    [ 2019-06-12 17:05:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 1.2.0 released


    In the making for more than a year, Bando City is finally here!

    Changelist


    • Added "Bando City" environment.
    • Added quick play menu option in the single player category.
    • Re-ordered main menu bars. Options is moved down and is now given a new color.
    • Track builder and Workbench are moved to their own Tools category.
    • The level selection button in the pause menu now opens the quick play setup panel.
    • Menu bars now have consistent whitespacing.
    • Content loading time has been decreased depending on the amount of available CPU cores.
    • The level selection menu now hides the Select Race button at the top if no race needs to be selected.
    • Minor bugfixes

    Bando City


    Bando City is finally here! Not satisfied with making a single abandoned structure, we decided to give you a high-rise city block to explore. Bando City is set into in an abandoned Chinese construction site. Half finished high-rise buildings, drainage systems, monuments and parking-lots are completely open to be explored. While this place will at some point become a thriving community, it's now completely abandoned and available as your personal playground. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rZlx2bUCQg&feature=youtu.be

    Quick play


    Your voice has been loud and clear, you love Liftoff so much that any loading screen feels like a waste of time ;) These past few updates we've worked on making the loading times quicker and more efficient, but while improvements on this front have been made, we felt more work was needed to get you in the game quicker. We are excited to introduce the quick-play options, allowing you to fly in no more than two mouse-clicks and a single loading-screen. The following quick play options are available:
    • Random: Start a random selected race session and prove you can handle every situation thrown at you!
    • Last Session: Start flying right where you left last time and save time going trough options and menu's
    • Quick Setup: Not a fan of casually scrolling trough the levels and your drones? Quickly set your desired level and get flying. This option will be available in the pause menu too so it can be accessed quickly at any time.

    Main menu restructuring


    No need to panic, we haven't removed the Workbench and Track builder, these features can now be access in the main menu using the "Tools" tab. This allows us to add more modes to both the single player and tool tab in future updates. Furthermore we've added a small Community button on the bottom right corner of the screen, giving you access to all social media and community links, replacing the "Community" tab from the main menu items. Making these changes, we hope to make the menu future proof and we hope this helps you to find all the features and content more easily.

    What's next?


    The team is already working on the next big updates and can't wait to tell you all about it. While we are not yet ready to reveal everything, we have a little teaser for you in the form of a visual quiz. Search for the secret message hidden in this collage of Liftoff screenshots to discover what a future update will bring. Can you figure it out?


    [ 2019-05-29 15:12:28 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.1.5 released!


    When we asked the community "what frame do you want in a future update", a clear winner presented itself; the Vega HSX-R. We are happy to offer this fantastic frame in Liftoff, and a few fixes and additions. Changelist

    • Added Vega HSX-R frame.
    • Added option to skip drone selection (see option above track selection)
    • Added race track tires to the Track Builder.
    • Added 2 new Mongoose cosmetic skins.
    • Fixed a few cosmetic skins.
    • Fixed Hall26 Track 02.
    • Updated the workshop importer to work with toggles instead of buttons.
    • Minor bugfixes


    [ 2019-05-07 13:39:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff OST free on Spotify


    Can't get enough of that awesome Liftoff vibe? The most iconic soundtrack in FPV is now available on Spotify! Listen to the Liftoff and Night Fever OST, created by Nightime Burnout for free anywhere at any time! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2PO1tMltn0


    [ 2019-05-03 11:08:13 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.1.4 released!


    A small update with some bugfixes and fun additions!

    Changelist


    • Optimised loading of custom tracks and races. This could reduce their loading time by 50%.
    • Added festivity props (visible at different times of the year).
    • Official tracks have been updated to have a pitstop: battery recharge and repair areas.
    • When in a battery recharge or repair trigger, icons will be displayed in the HUD.
    • Game triggers and checkpoints are now made visible by default. (can be turned off in Game Options)
    • Added Baked Potatoe skin for Mashed Potato tournament participants.
    • Fixed issue with not being able to select FPV cams and action cams in the workbench.


    [ 2019-04-09 15:03:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.1.3 released!


    This is THE update you've all been waiting for. The community has been vocal about the things that they feel are important in FPV, and we are happy to deliver.

    Changelist 1.1.3


    • Added Potatoe skin for the Rotor Riot CL1 frame.

    The Potatoe:


    From the country that gave the world fries (read: Belgium), we are happy to add the much requested Potatoe to Liftoff. For the first time ever flying the CL1 frame is not just a competitive choice, it's a style choice. Dinner is served!

    also included:


    • Added Xhover Skyeliner frame.
    • Added unlockable skin for the Skyeliner frame.
    • Added trigger indicator elements to the track editor.
    • Fixed large initial frame stutters when starting flight.
    • Fixed issue with Gecko frame where a second antenna was visible.
    • Fixed issue with battery recharge trigger block.
    • Fixed issue with battery voltage recovery indicators.
    • Trigger icons in the track builder are now scale indipendent.
    • Minor bugfixes
    PS: this is not an early April Fools joke. We consider all community wishes with great care and respect.


    [ 2019-03-21 12:50:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.1.2 released!


    We're really excited about this one! We are adding not just one, but two new Armattan frames to Liftoff: the Rooster and the Mongoose. Additionally, we've added some new Hypetrain motors and some new tools for track builders to play around with.

    Changelist:


    • Added Rooster 5 Inch frame.
    • Added Mongoose 5 Inch frame.
    • Added Hypetrain Acro 2207 2450KV motor.
    • Added Hypetrain Freestyle 2306 2450KV motor.
    • Added Hypetrain Stingy 2207 2150KV motor.
    • Added two new scalable checkpoint blocks.
    • Added new trigger blocks to the track builder.
    • Added unlockable skins for the new frames.
    • Added 2 flexible race checkpoints, which can be scaled in size.
    • Added Drone Trigger Blocks in the track builder: show text, play sound, recharge battery, repair propellers & kill drone.
    • Added game option to show / hide drone triggers and race checkpoint boundaries.
    • Fixed collider issue with Chameleon.
    • Small performance updates to the battery display and race checkpoint triggers.
    • Fixed issue with shadow distance slider in the graphics options. Minimum value can now be set back to 0.
    • Minor bugfixes

    Trigger blocks


    This update introduces some cool new toys for track builders to play around with: a selection of trigger blocks. These blocks can add different kinds of functionality to tracks. Triggering one of them with your drone could show a text on screen, play a tune, recharge your lipos, repair prop damage or kill your drone. These trigger blocks can be scaled to fit any area the track builder wishes to use them in. Floor-is-lava challenges? Riddle quests? Functional pitstops? Musical tracks, playing funky tunes as you fly along? We can't wait to see what you create with it!


    [ 2019-03-09 15:31:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.1.1 released!


    To celebrate the success of the Night Fever DLC release, we have a small update for Liftoff, available to everyone, to compliment the cool night environments. Update 1.1.1 adds a few fixes, some new official tracks but most of all a lot of new glow-in-the-dark track elements. Enjoy!

    Changelist:


    • Added 2 new official tracks for The Pit (designed by BOMBA).
    • Added 2 new official tracks for The Green (designed by BOMBA).
    • Added color variations for existing LED strip elements.
    • Added two new light gate variations each with three different colors.
    • Added two new start/finish gate variations each with three different colors.
    • Added glow in the dark sphere and cube each with three different colors.
    • Added a new glow in the dark gate type (3 color variations).
    • Added glow in the dark disc cones.
    • Added non-branded version of the giant inflatable gate.
    • Minor bugfixes


    [ 2019-02-21 09:04:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Night Fever DLC released!


    Liftoff Night Fever DLC has been released! Get it while it's hot! :D https://store.steampowered.com/app/1020100/Liftoff__Night_Fever/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHSO0gw_haw


    [ 2019-02-19 07:53:12 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.1.0 released!


    We have a series of cool updates in the works, including our first DLC pack available next week. Today we release update 1.1.0, that introduces some new community requested functionality, content, fixes and improvements. This update also adds support for the StickMover.

    Changelist


    • Added a new official race for Hall26 and Bardwells Yard.
    • Added new unlockable frame skins for the Armattan Gecko and Chameleon.
    • Added Hypetrain 2207 Blaster motor.
    • Added support for StickMover. The StickMover mimmicks all stick movement as shown on the OSD Axis Visualizer.
    • Added support for DLC packs.
    • Updated the graphics menu panel to be split in 2 categories.
    • Added a V-Sync toggle to the graphics options.
    • Updated Steamworks.NET plugin. This resolves a blackscreen issue on macOS 10.10.5 specifcally.
    • Added config-file specific value to disable laptime notifications.
    • Fixed issue with sharing new tracks and races. The share button is now disabled as long as the track or race is not saved.
    • Removed screen refreshrate from the resolution dropdown in the graphics options menu.
    • Updated some large assets to be more memory efficient.
    • Fixed issue in PineValley where a Pre-alpha build label would be visible.
    • Fixed performance warning popup header.
    • Updated the Linux launch script to use a different check and default to the 64bit version of Liftoff instead of the 32bit one.
    • Minor bugfixes

    StickMover


    The StickMover is a training device that helps you learn new tricks, and it's now integrated with Liftoff! The StickMover looks like a normal remote control, but instead of controlling a quad, the StickMover guides you step by step through a trick or move. As you track the flight on the screen, your fingers are actively moving in the right direction. By watching and feeling you learn intuitively. Interested in learning more? Check out their website: https://www.avirem.de/en/

    Night Fever DLC!


    As some of you might have seen, we have officially announced our first DLC pack called Night Fever. Night Fever is a visual expansion of the base game and will include a new soundtrack, glow in the dark frame skins and night-time versions of your favourite Liftoff environments. It will be available to purchase on 19/02 for 4,99 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHSO0gw_haw


    [ 2019-02-14 23:14:05 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.0.10 released!


    A small update with tweaks and fixes. Thank you for the bug reports! :)

    Changelist:


    • Added the game modifier icons to the tournaments rules panel.
    • Fixed small body of water in The Green level to kill the drone.
    • Fixed issue with selecting action cams on the BQ5 and CL1 frames.
    • The part selection in the Workbench is now sorted according to availability and name.
    • Fixed issue with skins being applied to the LEDs and circuit boards on the Chameleon and Gecko frames.
    • Removed the screen refreshrate from the dropdown in the graphics menu.
    • Fixed issue with saving input settings if internal settings were available.
    • Fixed issue with input settings not loading after switching input sampling modes. (Windows only)


    [ 2018-12-11 19:56:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.0.9 released!


    Update 1.0.9 is out now! While every Liftoff update is fun, this one especially gets us exiting as it contains a few major community requests. The Armattan Chameleon and fixed setups in multiplayer! Heck yeah!

    Changelist:


    • Added Armattan Chameleon frame.
    • Added Action Camera option to the CL1 and Botgrinder frames.
    • TrackEditor has been translated to French.
    • Added fixed drone option as a multiplayer game modifier.
    • Added additional room filters in the multiplayer lobby.
    • Slightly changed the layout of multiplayer waiting room.
    • Temporary fix for disappearing keybindings for Turnigy Evolution on Windows.
    • Minor bugfixes.

    Important note for Mac users


    A large part of our community consists of Mac users. We want to notify everyone about a recent reveal by Valve. Starting on January 1 2019, Steam will officially stop supporting macOS versions 10.7 ("Lion"), 10.8 ("Mountain Lion"), 10.9 ("Mavericks") and 10.10 ("Yosemite"). This means that after that date the Steam Client will no longer run on those versions of macOS. In order to continue running Steam and any games or other products purchased through Steam, users will need to update to a more recent version of macOS. Find out more here


    [ 2018-12-03 20:48:10 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Le update 1.0.8 released!


    The time has come for Liftoff to broaden its horizon. We want to achieve that by not just growing the feature and content list, but to extend the projects reach and functionality outside the game software.

    Changelist


    In Liftoff:
    • Added French as a language option in the Getting Started menu and game options.
    • Added a link to join the Liftoff Discord channel in the community section.
    • Re-structured the game options menu to better fit on screen.
    • Fixed issue with translation system that would clutter the log file.
    • Fixed text issue during fine-tuning the calibration.
    • Minor bugfixes
    In Discord:
    • Multiplayer feed for games that are going on.
    • Pro League feed for new tournaments, live leaderboard updates, and tournament champion announcements

    Languages


    Over a 1800 lines of text in Liftoff have been translated to French, providing a premium experience to our French Liftoff community! With our localization system now in place, we plan to make Liftoff available in other languages too. Let us know which languages you'd like to see available in Liftoff!

    Extending Liftoff to Discord


    A year ago, the Liftoff Community has ventured to Discord to create a fun and thriving channel for Liftoff fans. It's such a fun place to be that we've decided to extend the Liftoff experience to Discord. You can now follow feeds of live Pro League tournaments and ongoing Multiplayer games within Discord, easily staying up-to-date with what's going on in the game. Not a part of this community yet? Join our active Discord community and get in touch with Liftoff pilots around the world.


    [ 2018-11-12 20:22:58 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.0.7 released!


    Trick or treat! The Gecko is out!

    Changelist:


    • Added the Armattan Gecko frame.
    • Added 3 new motors
    • Added 3 new props
    • Added a new FPV cam
    • Added a legendary skin for the Talon (exclusive for the Halloween tournaments)
    • Added a menu for new Liftoff players to quickly guide them through some essential Liftoff settings before their first flight
    • Added an entry to the tutorial panel in the main menu to go through the setup process again
    • Fixed error in input bindings menu when no controller was connected
    • Fixed ???-characters of player names in multiplayer
    • Minor bugfixes

    Armattan Partnership!


    The team at LuGus Studios is super excited to announce a new partnership with Armattan. This update introduced the first Armattan frame in Liftoff, the newly released 3" Gecko frame.The Gecko is the latest addition to Armattan's family of mini-freestyle frames. Designed around the best principals that brought the Japalura and the Rooster to the front of their fields, this frame gives you the best protection and quality that the multirotor kingdom has to offer.

    Halloween event!


    Halloween tournaments Get your brooms out and race! We have 3 scary, creepy, spooky Halloween tournaments available in the Liftoff Pro League. Placing a time on one of these tournaments will be rewarded with an event-exclusive legendary skin for the Talon frame, that won't be available in any other way. Pumpkin hunt We've hidden 10 pumpkins in all Liftoff environments (except for The Drawing Board). Find them all! The first one to send us a video showing all of them will be the first proud owner of both a Community Award badge and a 2018 Champions badge, and will receive a one of a kind legendary skin for the Talon! The pumpkins will disappear again in 2 weeks, so good luck!


    [ 2018-10-26 22:15:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.0.6 released!


    This development updates includes both the changes for the quickfix update 1.0.5 and that of our newly released 1.0.6 update. These updates focus on fixing bugs, streamlining the experience and improving the performance of the game.

    Changelist 1.0.5


    • Added Linux X-Lite profile.
    • Re-ordered the building blocks for The Drawing Board.
    • Removed several frequent memory allocations to trigger the garbage collector less often.
    • Fixed issue where it wasnt possible to arm after selecting a spawn point in free flight.
    • Fixed issue with the music player always being visible during flight.
    • Fixed issue with resuming from the in-game options panel where the flight controls were already active again while there was still a popup being shown.

    Changelist 1.0.6


    • Added festivity props to all levels for Halloween and Christmas.
    • Added game option to change input sampling frequency. This can be used to gain additional performance at the cost of less samples being taken per second.
    • Many multiplayer code optimisations to minimise the occurrence of frame stutters. This reduces the impact of players joining the room while in-flight.
    • Fixed issue with Taranis QX7 and variants where it was not possible to assign game actions to switches any more.
    • When selecting the 'Default' button in the Flight Controller Settings menu, the preset-value will also jump to the 'Default' option.
    • Added application-focus check during the 'arming' process. This prevents the drone from arming when Liftoff is not the current active window.
    • Fixed several game options that were locked in multiplayer when they weren't enforced by the room settings.
    • Cleaned up project to remove clutter from the log files.
    • Minor bugfixes

    Input sampling & multiplayer optimisations


    Optimisation is a big post-launch focus for us, with 1.0.6 we further improve Liftoff to run better and smoother for everyone. With the release of Liftoff V1, a lot of content and features were added. We had to figure out how to keep it all manageable for the computer systems we designed Liftoff for in the first place. Starting with many new parts and skins added, we trimmed down loading times and memory load by only loading the content that is needed at that time. This is of course the low-hanging fruit in terms of optimisations. Going further in this direction, we went ahead and had another look at the different systems running at the core of Liftoff to see how we could optimise them to give a smoother FPV experience. While we consider our multiplayer experience to be one of the smoothest available among FPV simulators, we took note of the community feedback reporting some issues. Specifically, with multiplayer Freeflight and Infinite Race, its annoying if a player joins the room while youre setting a new best lap record and suddenly experience a stutter in framerate because another player decides to join your game. We tackled multiple sources in the code that contributed to this stutter. By far the biggest contributer to the stutter was loading in all of the resources to display the newly joined players drone at the very last moment. This caused a big spike in frametimes because these resources need to be loaded from your disk. We mitigated this by loading in these resources in the background from the moment the player joins the room. When the new player joins you in flight, most if not all resources will be ready to quickly display the new players drone. The other big optimisation comes in the form of a game option. Liftoff was designed for mid-range gaming systems available in 2015. Still, we notice that many of the Liftoff players are running this on a system that does not meet our original intended requirements. Our input system runs along with the physics system to provide the pilot with the latest input value directly from the remote. However, because Liftoffs physics system runs at 500Hz, this input sampling can take up quite a bit of CPU processing time. Especially on older or less-powerful hardware, this ultimately has an impact on the framerate too. With this Liftoff update, you have the option to decouple the input sampling frequency from the physics system, and let it sample at the regular graphics framerate. This input sampling option is known as the performance setting. What does it mean for you as an FPV pilot if you pick this setting? It means that, your remote is polled less frequently and becomes framerate dependent. The higher your framerate, the more input samples are taken. The other value you can pick is quality and is essentially the system as it was from before this update. With the quality option, your input is polled every physics update (thus at a fixed rate every second), giving you the absolute latest value from your remote to feed into the flight controller of your quad.


    [ 2018-10-17 14:47:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.0.4 released!


    The team at LuGus Studios is super excited to released update 1.0.4. The update celebrates a new partnership and includes long requested quality-of-life improvements to the game. Enjoy!

    CHANGELIST VOOR 1.0.4


    • Added X-Lite controller model in the calibration menu for when that controller is detected.
    • Changed controller calibration menu background.
    • Disabled voice chat feature on unsupported systems. This fixes the long startup time on macOS Mojave.
    • Added new building blocks for The Drawing Board.: 0.5×0.5m cube, 0.5x1m cylinder, 0.5x5m cylinder, 4x4m plate.
    • Added game, graphics and audio options in the pause menu.
    • Replaced the backgrounds in the level selection menu to be static instead of cubemaps. This decreases loading times to these scenes.
    • Potentially fixed black screen issue on startup on macOS Yosemite 10.10.5. (feedback welcome)
    • Fixed some MOD/DEV functions not working properly in multiplayer.
    • Minor bugfixes

    FRSKY


    FrSky, the creators of the famous Taranis transmitters have been hard at work providing better products for the sim players among us. They have released a dongle for sim players and have crafted a new look and feel for their latest transmitter: the X-Lite that mimics that of a game controller. Great products, innovation and a professional attitude towards our industry, makes for a company that we are happy to work with. That’s why we are proud to announce that we’ll work more closely with FrSky on a multitude of exciting opportunities. To celebrate this partnership, owners of a Taranis X-Lite will now see their transmitter visually represented in the game each time they go in the calibration menu.


    [ 2018-10-04 09:44:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.0.3 released!


    The post launch updates are all about improving and expanding our current systems. Bug fixes, an improved progression system and 6 player MP rooms are great examples of that!

    Changelist


    • Increased the maximum nr. of players in a multiplayer room to 6
    • Fixed issue with sharing invalid drone setups
    • Fixed issue with propeller size restrictions on frames
    • Fixed issue with Freestyle rewarding experience for doing absolutely nothing…
    • Fixed issue with wrong stick overlay during spectator when the other player’s drone would reset
    • Admins can now reward other players in a room with extra gift boxes when they see fit
    • Slightly increased the height of the multiplayer menu panels to give some breathing room between menu elements.
    • Fixed issue with choppy flight visuals of other player drone in multiplayer after their drone got reset
    • Minor bugfixes


    [ 2018-09-21 21:48:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.0.2 released!


    Update 1.0.2 further refines our release version with a few fixes and improvements. Thank you for the fantastic feedback on the past versions!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added Australian Army airgate and flag for the Track Builder
    • Fixed weight issues of several frames
    • Additional PID tuning on Metall Danny and Teal blueprints
    • Fixed issue with collider in Bardwell’s Yard
    • Fixed language issue
    • Added a sign-in button during skin selection
    • Rotate object left/right in the Track Builder are bindable again in the button-setup window.
    • Fixed issue with the Race Editor not saving the number of laps
    • “New” flag removed for non-existing items in the Drone Editor.
    • Fixed multiplayer network issue
    • Fixed issue with @-symbol not being typable on certain keyboard layouts during account registration (for real this time)


    [ 2018-09-19 10:43:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 1.0.1 released!


    With an update as big as the V1 update, many things can go wrong, but the team was excited to see the release went smooth. Nonetheless, a few issues popped up and we have been hard at work with a series of quickfix updates. This brings us to the first new post-launch version update. Stay tuned for more!

    CHANGELIST


    • Player names in multiplayer are now visible during spectator.
    • Fixed issue with AZERTY-layout keyboards in the email field during account registration.
    • Fixed issue with water that was not being rendered properly on lower graphics settings.
    • Fixed missing DubaiLegendsRace01.
    • Fixed issue with progression bar hanging in the multiplayer race results screen.
    • Fixed an issue with Linux users getting rendering issues.
    • Fixed issue that prevented blueprint edits from saving.
    • Fixed issue that showed wrong release date of the V1 version.
    • Fixed scaling issues with UI elements in the Gift Box animation and the color picker.
    • Fixed issue with the battery icon showing wrong information.
    • Fixed issue that made the character model slide around in the world.
    • Leaderboards have been wiped. Fresh start!


    [ 2018-09-14 19:55:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff is officially released!


    The world’s leading drone-racing simulator leaves Early Access and takes over the skies today! Liftoff is officially released on Steam and receives a subtitle to mark the start of a new era for the project. Liftoff is available on Steam, for Mac, PC and Linux under the name "Liftoff: FPV Drone Racing". We want to thank all of you for supporting us over the past few years. This had not been possible without you!

    Release!


    Three years of development, hundreds of updates, but most of all the continuous support from the community have turned Liftoff into what it is today. The scope and vision for the project have grown immensely since we released our first Early Access version in 2015. The project has become everything we had hoped it would be and more. The V1 release marks this progress with the biggest update ever: more than 50 big additions and improvements have been made for this release. Check them out here: Release Notes

    The Future


    The release of Liftoff is not the end of the project, but rather the start of a new stage in our adventure. The team at LuGus Studios is committed to further grow and evolve the project with more free updates, for years to come.  We have planned a revamped tutorial, new exciting environments, extended tournament features and much more.  Furthermore, LuGus Studios is committed to the expansion of the brand and aims to not only release Liftoff Academy in the future, but a multitude of other Liftoff related products. There's so many things yet to do and we hope you'll continue to support us in these goals.

    Announcing the Liftoff Pro Pilot tournament!


    To show our commitment to the game and the community, LuGus Studios will be hosting a huge Liftoff tournament to take place in stages after the launch. The winning pilot will receive a $10,000 sponsorship deal and be flown to real drone racing tournaments around the world. More information on that soon! 


    [ 2018-09-13 09:36:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Release Date Announced!


    LuGus Studios are thrilled to announce that Liftoff will be leaving early access and take to the skies on Thursday, 13th September. The drone racing community is filled with creative minds and budding engineers and it’s the passion of this community that has helped us shape Liftoff throughout Early Access. Through the support of the community, their feedback has fuelled our attention to detail and allowed us to make Liftoff the definitive drone racing experience, offering players the most true to life experience possible. Even though we’re excited to launch out of Early Access, we will continue refining and supporting Liftoff long into the future.

    Release version


    The release version of Liftoff will include over 50 updates that will completely enhance the Liftoff experience. Expect new frames and parts, new physics, progression and reward features, a new track builder and so much more. Everyone who bought the Early Access version before the 13th of September will also receive a festive legendary skin for Talon frame in-game. (Liftoff Pro Account required)

    Release showcase


    The team at LuGus Studios will be visiting Gamescom 2018. We'll have a Liftoff booth where visitors and members of the press can experience the release version for the first time. We'll be sharing the reports with you in the days and weeks to come. If you want to preview the release on your website, blog or social media channel before it comes out, please contact us: team@lugus-studios.be


    [ 2018-08-19 13:56:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

    EB update: Bots Rewards


    Gamescom is only a week away and that means the team is in full crunch-mode to get the first release candidate for V1 ready. To make sure everything is functioning as expected we need to test a few more things. We hope to count on your help once more. This new Experimental Branch version includes the Liftoff Physics 3.0 update but also introduces a more complete progression and rewards system. We’ve also extended the bots system to function in all official tracks.

    PROGRESSION & REWARDS


    We are introducing the latest version of our progression and rewards system. Starting today, you’ll be able to level up, collect rewards and unlock them for 2 weeks long. All of the progression and rewards will be reset again on 28/08/2018. Later, these features will be made available again on V1, expected to arrive in September. We hope that you can help us find out how quickly you can level up in Liftoff, how you feel about the rewards you can unlock. Most of all we want you to help us find exploits of the system, so we can better balance everything. Want to know more on how to progress in Liftoff and how to unlock rewards, check out this video by RobIsNow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo5IB1n2ugc

    LIFTOFF BOTS


    Bots have been available in the game for a while now, but only for the Straw Bale tracks. We are finally expanding the system! We are introducing bots to all the official tracks. These bots make use of actual player fight data. We’ll need your help in teaching our bots how to fly. How? Simply by completing races on our official tracks. Your flight data will be collected and dynamically reworked and loaded in for other players to compete against. Bots take into account your personal piloting skills and will adapt to keep every race fun and exciting. We are excited to learn how you feel about the bots in Liftoff. Thank you!


    [ 2018-08-15 20:11:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff Physics 3.0


    The previous update of the Experimental Branch brought a lot of changes to the physics of Liftoff. We were glad to see the Liftoff players enjoyed these updates and we feel the project has been in a really good state ever since. Nonetheless, we’ve always felt we could do even better and that’s what Liftoff Physics 3.0 is all about! Based on lots of experimental wind tunnel data, we developed a whole new set of physical models that should be a lot more realistic. The main differences in terms of flight behaviour should be the following:

    • Quads should now fall faster when throttle is cut.
    • Quads controls should now feel more responsive, and a bit snappier.
    • The cornering behaviour is improved. Thrust can be used more efficiently to control the quad’s trajectory.
    • If you use a low camera angle (between 0° and 45°), you should experience a downforce when racing and cutting throttle. If you use a higher camera angle, you will feel a strong deceleration and/or a downward push in same circumstances.
    • All parts were re-balanced and are more realistic. As a result, all the possible builds are more different from each other than ever, and result in very different flight behaviour.
    • Battery Draining is slower and closer to reality.
    • Weight is now as important as in real-life, and so is thrust-to-weight ratio. High ratio will make your build powerful and very controllable in curves, and lower ratios will bring more “driftiness” to your flight.

    DETAILED LIST OF CHANGES


    • Max RPM Max RPM is now calculated with a new physical model. It now also takes into account the number of blades of a propeller and should give results a lot closer to reality.
    • Static Thrust Static thrust is the thrust that would be produced by a motor and a propeller at max RPM, assuming zero airspeed. It is a theoretical value that represents the highest thrust that could be attained in specific circumstances. Static thrust now uses a new model. Its scaling with part characteristics is much closer to reality. Static thrust is now lower than the current one used in the game.
    • Dynamic Thrust Dynamic thrust might be the area where most changes happened. Dynamic thrust is the real thrust that is available to your quad. It decreases with airspeed until a certain speed at which the quad can’t generate any thrust. That phenomenon was not taken into account before. We use a new model to calculate the speed at which you no longer generate thrust, based on the motor, the propeller and the rotation speed of the motors. Also, beyond that speed propellers can now generate negative thrust, which also happens in reality. The most obvious consequence of this phenomenon is that sometimes when you race and suddenly cut the throttle, you might feel a downward push on your quad, or in more extreme cases, when flying at a high angle, a major deceleration. In the same way, if the speed of the air coming to the motors is negative, like in a sharp turn or when the quad is falling horizontally, the dynamic thrust generated can exceed static thrust for a short time, just like in real life.
    • Battery draining Before this update, Liftoff had a tendency to drain batteries too fast in certain conditions. We are now using a new model that is closer to experimental data available.
    • Drag Our drag model now scales better with the size of the quad and drag should be lower in general. We now calculate individual drag for each surface of the quadcopter, making it more realistic. We expect the quad to fall a little faster and to have some “driftiness”, allowing the pilot to use throttle to adjust and find the perfect trajectory. That “driftiness” can be increased by adding weight to the build through the workbench.
    • Balance of the parts Manufacturer datasheets are often the result of calculations and don’t necessarily reflect reality. We have scaled some of the part characteristics in order to reach the thrust level observed in experimental wind tunnel data from reliable third-party testers. We are also actively working on new, often requested parts, such as high-performances batteries, and lower Kv motor to use with 6S batteries.
    • Weight The effect of weight is now more important. The heavier a drone, the more momentum will be carried in turns or when throttle is suddenly cut. You can still add weight to your builds in the workbench, to tune them to your preferences. Game engine physics We don’t use any of the game engine physics functions anymore and developed our own instead. This way, we have a better control over the simulation code.

    WHEN AND HOW?


    We hope to include these new physics changes in our V1 release (around Gamescom). In order for that to happen, we’ll need a lot of test results from the community. Reaching our V1 goals will only be possible with your help, so we are counting on your support. We've made the Liftoff Physics 3.0 available for testing on the Experimental Branch and hope to get as much feedback as possible. To get access to the Experimental Branch you have to change some “Properties” settings on Steam. To do this, follow these steps: [olist]
  • Right click on “Liftoff” in your Steam Library
  • Click “Properties”
  • In the “Properties” menu, click the “BETAS” tab
  • Select “Experimental Branch” in the dropdown menu
  • Happy testing! [/olist]

    TL;DR


    Liftoff will have the best sim physics ever! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LJ73cDYDSw


    [ 2018-07-31 12:53:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Update 0.14.2 released!


    This update is completely dedicated to our new soundtrack, to be enjoyed in the game right now!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added new soundtrack (12 songs)
    • Fixed some tournament recordings not being saved
    • Memory optimisation for ghost drones and recordings
    • Minor bugfixes

    NIGHTIME BURNOUT


    We cant release an awesome soundtrack like this without telling you some more about it. Weve taken the opportunity to interview the talented artist Nightime Burnout about his work. Tell us a bit about yourself, your passion for music and how you got involved with the FPV community. My name is Max and I do a lot of music work behind the scenes for Rotor Riot. I grew up surrounded by musicians so there wasnt a minute of the day that music wasnt being played. I started to play around with music softwares at age six and I havent stopped since! I got into FPV January of 2017 and almost immediately, Rotor Riot was my goto place for learning about everything and anything. After watching the channel for about four to five months, as a lifelong musician, I got tired of the stock music that they were using to avoid any copyright claims. I wrote an email to Chad Kapper and the rest is history! Im now a proud team pilot for both Rotor Riot and Underground FPV. Has your work for Rotor Riot influenced your work? Has FPV inspired you to create certain songs? This is actually a super interesting question. It has for sure. Ive created songs I didnt think I ever would have before. For example, in the Rotor Riot Presents: Botgrinder, I teamed up with a local pilot and fellow musician to create a metal track. Im not a guitarist so it would have never been something I wouldve done on my own. The track ended up going perfectly with the opening sequence! We agree, its perfect! How long have you been playing Liftoff, and whats your favourite environment and frame in the game? I found a video about Liftoff very early on in my FPV days. Almost immediately I picked up a copy and started playing! All long long before I teamed up with the Liftoff guys to make this soundtrack. My favorite environment has to be Hannover. As a freestyle pilot, I like all my tiny gaps and cool structures! The golf course is a close second though. My favorite frame is the Sleek. I fly a chameleon for my main quad in person so the sleek frame reminds me the most of my beloved quad Tell us a bit about the philosophy behind the Liftoff soundtrack. The creation of the Liftoff soundtrack was super interesting. Aside from being a lifelong music lover, Ive also played video games since I was super little. Amongst these games were all of the well known racing titles. Having a musical ear makes you pick up on things. For example, I knew the moment I started with the soundtrack, I had to include drum and bass tracks. The fast paced, floaty, and atmospheric vibes are something thats commonplace with racing games and I knew it would accent Liftoff well as pilots went full tilt head to head for the win. After I had the first track underway, everything else came to me quickly, one after the other. They all have a similar vibe, even though they are completely different genres in some cases. We are really happy with the results. What was it like to work with the Liftoff team on making this new soundtrack possible? The guys at Liftoff were super kind and laid back and made this super fun and no-stress to produce. I uploaded each new version of each track as I went along and got feedback from the team to then go back and tweak the tracks to make them better! This production was my first big job as a producer and I could not be more thankful to the team for taking me on and making my dreams a reality! Working with you has been a pleasure! Whats next for Nightime Burnout and where can people follow you? The future of Nightime Burnout is unsure, as all musicians futures are. For now, Im going to keep pumping work out for the guys at Rotor Riot and for my casual fans that just listen to my soundcloud regularly. I have projects in the works that have been under development for more than three years a piece so Im super excited to share them with you all soon! You can listen to my entire discography at https://soundcloud.com/nightime-burnout and you can find my FPV content at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYqbvFOczx2Txuxmh6a_-og and https://www.instagram.com/burnoutfpv/ You can also catch me around in the Liftoff and Rotor Riot official Facebook groups! See you on the race tracks!


    [ 2018-06-19 19:26:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.14.1 released!


    As has become tradition, every Milestone update gets followed up by a few quick-fix updates, dealing with some of the bugs and issues your report to us. Thanks for the support!

    CHANGELIST:


    • Moved the dronogate turn to the Track Builder ‘Flags’ category.
    • Fixed the Hannover level’s Hall26 missing structures.
    • Fixed motion blur on race freeze frame finish.
    • Fixed depth of field being always on in The Green and Hall 26 .
    • Added a button to the race finish freeze frame to return to the tournament’s lobby when practicing for a tournament.
    • Fixed Vortex Pro issue in the Workbench where it wasn’t selectable.
    • Small memory optimisation during ghost playbacks which should give less frequent framerate spikes.
    • Changed full-screen window mode, potentially fix scaling issues.


    [ 2018-06-15 16:09:25 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.14.0 released!


    It's been a while, hasn't it? We've never had such a long time between updates, but two months of waiting will be well worth it. As we are getting closer to a V1 release, this update will play a huge role in further solidifying the core feature and content set for Liftoff. You'll love what we have in store for 0.14.0: a new frame, new parts, a new environment, cool features, performance updates, better looking visuals, quality-of-life improvements and so much more. Enjoy!

    Changelist


    • Added Hall 26 environment.
    • Added official track and race for Hall 26.
    • Added Ummagawd's Remix frame.
    • Added Botgrinder's Hypetrain Grinders motor
    • Added Dronogate track elements to the Track Builder.
    • LPL: Added option to play in previous tournaments (practice only).
    • LPL: Added a tournament setup timeout timer, so you can't get stuck in the process.
    • LPL: Improved tournament timer with live update of remaining time.
    • LPL: Added option to rewatch tournament submissions of other players (up to 4 ghosts).
    • LPL: Added option to load in tournament ghost data in your practice rounds (up to 4 ghosts).
    • LPL: Tournament banner loading has been optimised (loads faster).
    • LPL: improved some backend systems.
    • Graphics: Reworked internal camera system to improve performance.
    • Graphics: Improved motion blur effect.
    • Graphics: Added depth of field effect.
    • Graphics: Added Anti-Aliasing option.
    • Added some visual additions to the Workbench scene.
    • Improved menu navigation: more "back" buttons.
    • Fixed weight of Vincbee frame.
    • Fixed ghost ranking issue after reset.
    • Updated the Terms Of Service. Approval required prior to signing in to your account.
    • Minor bugfixes

    Hall 26


    When we updated the Hannover environment to have a more realistic representation of Hall 26, we didn't tell you we were also working on the interior of the hall. Hall 26 is an exact replica of the real hall at Hannover, and we are excited to have it available in Liftoff.  We are releasing this as a complete separate environment, since adding the interior to the existing Hannover environment would create a performance issues for some players. Furthermore, the style and variation this new indoor environment offers deserve its own place in the spotlight. Since its an indoor environment, it's not as big as some of the latest environments we've released, but being among the biggest halls in the world, there's enough space for both racing and freestyle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZDfVohlftE

    Performance and visual improvements.


    Improving performance while updating the visuals?  That’s the idea! It’s the best of both worlds. In this version we are changing the way things are rendered in the game. Before, we used three virtual cameras to render everything in layers. In this update we have brought that down to two, decreasing the amount of rendering work needed to create the image on your screen.  This change is expected to bring some performance improvements, but also allows us to add more visual effects to the game. The motion blur effect has been improved: it now looks better and gives an even better sense of speed than before. We also introduce depth of field effects, basically blurring objects that are really close to the camera.   This mostly affects the ground and foliage in front of the FPV camera and creates an authentic feel of what’s being shown on the screen. Depth of Field, similar to past visual effects will be completely optional and can be turned off in the graphics options.

    Remix and Hypetrain Grinders


    For those who follow us on social media, it's no secret that we've teamed up with Rotor Riot to bring you the best possible content for Liftoff. This milestone update introduces the much requested Remix frame, created by the talented Ummagawd. Since we know you want the best of the best, we did not only visually recreate the frame in all its minute details, but we've also involved Ummagawd to test and tune the virtual frame at the studio. We are proud to say that our first implementation already did a fantastic job and Ummagawd was happy to put his stamp of approval on it. Being huge fans of Botgrinder, we are also excited to share we are working with him to add all kinds of cool Botgrinder content in Liftoff. We'll start with this update by adding the Hypetrain Grinders, a fantastic looking variation on the classic Hypetrains. Stay tuned for more!

    Liftoff Pro League 2.0


    Last but not least, we're excited to tell you about the biggest addition in this update: a huge upgrade to the tournament system. We are now saving your tournament try-out runs, so everyone can look at your run and even load them into their practice sessions. This means you can watch and learn from the other participants, making the Pro League tournaments more involved, more social and more competitive than ever. You can spectate or race against four ghost runs from other tournament participants. While watching you can pause, rewind or fast forward each run using our Ghost Player tools.  That's not all! We'll soon be introducing similar replay features to the other parts of the game.


    [ 2018-06-14 15:49:25 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Official Liftoff T-shirt


    By popular request we finally have Liftoff T-shirts available for you to get! :D We've been working together with our friends at Rotor Riot to make this happen. We want everyone to show how much they like Liftoff and thats why we made them available at the best price possible. For only $18 there's no reason not to get one! Shirts are slim fit, silk screened onto a very comfortable and soft tri-blend fabric, available in all sizes. Get em >> here <<


    [ 2018-05-17 09:25:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

    We're about done with this!


    What? Done? The end of Liftoff? If we ever came close to having a clickbait title, this one might be it. Nonetheless, its not wrong to say Liftoff is almost finished. What does that mean exactly? For the last three years, Liftoff has continued to be in an Early Access state: everything in the game was considered work-in-progress and the game was not yet feature complete. During that time we have released close to 100 updates, continuing to improve and expand Liftoff in all kinds of ways. Its time for Liftoff to mature and join the realm of finished games. In a little while well be entering this new phase, but not quite yet

    THE END OF DEVELOPMENT?


    Far from it! We have plans for years of Liftoff development and we consider the end of the Early Access program as a start of a new stage in the life of Liftoff. We are big fans of Blizzard and Valve and how they support their games years after theyve been released as a full product. Well continue to improve Liftoff for as long as theres a community that supports it. Accordingly, we consider this just the start of a new phase for Liftoff. We are proud of what we have achieved over the last three years and we now feel confident to begin showing and promoting Liftoff to a bigger audience.

    WHEN IS THE V1 RELEASE?


    We are getting closer to what in development terms is called a beta version: a version thats feature complete. Theres still a few things on our list before we reach that stage. Things yet to expect are replay functionality, bots for all tracks and our progression and reward system. Next well be entering a polishing phase: well focus on quality of life improvements, but well also do some feature reworks such as the tutorial and the track builder. Since theres still a lot to do, we cant say for sure when the Version1 (V1) release will happen exactly. Theres still some updates planned in between, including a few milestone updates. Internally we do have a specific time in mind that well be aiming for, but we expect that time will shift as development continues. Consequently, we are not yet ready to share an official release date.

    WHAT CHANGES AFTER V1?


    Reaching a V1 state wont change all that much for our fans: it will still be the good old Liftoff, that will still receive updates on a regular basis. Liftoff will continue to grow and expand. The time between updates might increase a bit since well likely increase the testing time for these updates to guarantee more stable and polished states of the game. This evolution of the project does allow us to explore project goals we never looked at before. It allows us to look for whats next for Liftoff as a game and as a brand. To continue to support these future goals we might also explore some DLC or expansion packs, but nothing is set in stone on that front. All in all, after three years of hard work, its time for Liftoff to mature. Having a game in an official V1 state allows us to promote Liftoff to a bigger audience, and expose it to more people. We will be inviting press from both the FPV and the gaming world to experience Liftoff. We expect the community to continue to grow and are super excited about the future!


    [ 2018-05-05 14:57:05 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Badges


    Liftoff is not just a game, it’s a community! Everyone involved, including you, have made Liftoff into what it is today and that’s something to celebrate. To show our appreciation for the wonderful Liftoff pilots, we are introducing our award badges. It’s not just our top pilots that can win these badges, but everyone in our community, simply for being awesome! The badges are sand blasted and gilded or silvered copper badges with a durable safety tack system. They function like actual badges and don’t come with a neck ribbon. You can wear them on a hoodie, a backpack or any other fabric, perfect to bring with you at your favorite FPV event. The safety system makes sure they won’t come loose easily. They comes in plastic gift cases and include a personalised and signed certificate.

    LIFTOFF PRO LEAGUE 2018 CHAMPION BADGE


    The last months we have been awarding Champion badges to some of the best Liftoff Pro League pilots. These badges are absolutely rare and can only be won by claiming the number one spot of a tournament. Pilots can only win one of these per year, making the top position on the leaderboard highly contested.

    LIFTOFF COMMUNITY AWARD BADGE


    People who’ve created amazing Liftoff content, who’ve sent us great feedback or simply have shown immense support and kindness towards other people in the community. In other words, it’s an award to celebrate awesome community members! Everyone can win a badge, including you! Simply show the best of what you have both in the game and outside of it. Excel in making Liftoff bigger and better in all its facets and you might be the next community member to receive one of these badges. A big thanks to everyone!


    [ 2018-04-27 08:07:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Visual performance update (EB)


    It's been a while since we made use of the experimental branch, but now we are dusting it off and once more asking you to help us test some new features before they are available in the main version of the game.

    Improved visuals... but better performance!


    Wait, the game will look better and perform better at the same time? That's the idea! It's the best of both worlds. In this Experimental Branch version we are changing the way things are rendered in the game. Before, we used three virtual cameras to render everything in layers. In this update we have brought that down to two, decreasing the amount of rendering work needed to create the image on your screen.  This change is expected to bring some performance improvements, but also allows us to add more visual effects to the game. The motion blur effect has been improved: it now looks better and gives an even better sense of speed than before. We also introduce depth of field effects, basically blurring objects that are really close to the camera.   This mostly affects the ground and foliage in front of the FPV camera and creates an authentic feel of what's being shown on the screen.  This effect will still be tweaked for the final release. Depth of Field, similar to past visual effects will be completely optional and can be turned off in the graphics options. We are very excited about these changes, but since it changes a few fundamental things under the hood, we want to test it out on the Experimental Branch first before we release it to the main version of the game. Your feedback will be important for us to make this a success.

    What is the EB and how can I get it?


    A dedicated blogpost about the Experimental Branch (EB), and instructions on how to get it can be found here: Experimental Branch information & instructions.

    Feedback required!


    Since rendering things different can have a huge impact on how things look and perform in the game, we would love to get your feedback! Does the game look better? Are you experiencing issues? Does the performance feel better? Let us know!


    [ 2018-04-21 09:09:41 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.12 released!


    When we announced our partnership with Rotor Riot, the number one question we got was if we could expect to see more Rotor Riot gear in Liftoff. Absolutely!

    Changelist


    • Added Hypetrain Ummagawd motor.
    • Added Hypetrain Le Drib motor.
    • Moderators now have an option to change MP room settings at all times.
    • Fixed issue with loading bar in the Liftoff Pro League menu
    • Added color icons in chat window
    • Added soft sound notification in chat window
    • Minor bugfixes

    Liftoff Pro League improvements incoming!


    When we released the Liftoff Pro League a year ago, we had never imagined it would become such a major part of the Liftoff experience.  It's clear to us that the community loves these tournaments. The team has taken note of that success and is hard at work making the Pro League bigger and better! We'll soon be adding replay functionality. This will allow you to watch each and every submission on the tournament leaderboard and see other participants master the track. Not only can you rewatch the submission, but you can also load up to four of them in your own practise rounds, turning your practise sessions into a more social experience. We are not limiting the improvements to the virtual world only: Liftoff Pro League winners now get an official Champions badge, including a signed certificate. These badges are absolutely rare and can only be won by ending in the number 1 spot of a tournament. The Liftoff Pro League just became a little bit more PRO! More on this soon :)


    [ 2018-04-13 16:18:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.11 released!


    It's a small update, yet the start of a great partnership!

    Changelist


    • Added an official racetrack for The Green.
    • Added Rotor Riot logo in Splash Screen.
    • The Pilot character now has a Rotor Riot shirt.
    • Fixed arrow highlights in the main menu.
    • Increased amount of Workshop submissions that are allowed per player.
    • Added a 60 fps limiter on the splash screen
    • Multiplayer: Track and Race selection are now sorted the same way as in the single player modes.
    • Multiplayer: added moderator and developer (admin) roles and indicators.
    • Multiplayer: Added ban functionality to our online features to deter abusive players (hopefully never to be used).
    • Minor bugfixes

    Rotor Riot


    It's never been a secret that we are huge fans of Rotor Riot. Not only is Liftoff for sale on the Rotor Riot store, but there's also plenty of Rotor Riot references in the game. Lately we've had some really fun talks with the Rotor Riot team and we'll now be working together with them more closely in the future. We expect adding a bit of Rotor Riot magic to the Liftoff experience will allow us to provide some exciting new things for you in the future. We already have a few exciting things planned for future updates! ;)


    [ 2018-04-07 14:14:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.10 released!


    The Gremlins are here!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added FT Gremlin Boar frame.
    • Added 2 Superius lipos (3s and 4s).
    • Added BMin 1104 Motor.
    • Added BMin 2345 triblade.
    • Added Micro Cam.
    • Added advanced fish AI
    • Minor bugfixes.

    WHAT HAPPENED?


    We announced the Gremlin for Liftoff in January. Our plan was to get in in the game a few days later. Its March now, so what happened exactly? We wanted to make sure the Gremlin would fly realistically. Thats why Flite Test had send us one to fly at the studio first. The package arrived in Belgium a few days later, but got stuck in customs. Many hours of phone calls and e-mails, and the involvement of our lawyer were required to finally get the Gremlin at the studio a month after it arrived in Belgium. It was all worth it! Its a fun little quad to fly Crucial in this story is the continuous patience and support from the team at Flite Test: they have been fantastic from the beginning until the end. Everyone who follows Flite Test will know these guys are the most friendly and postive-minded people in the FPV world and thats not an act. We are grateful for the work they did to make this happen and the inclusion of the Gremlin in Liftoff is just the start of many things we can do together.


    [ 2018-03-30 15:40:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.9 released!


    A small quick-fix update to improve the current version of the game. Enjoy!

    CHANGELIST:


    • Camera angle in Workbench can now be set up to 60 degree.
    • Improved flight area borders in The Green.
    • Fixed some glitches and invisible walls in The Green.
    • Fixed bug with bot icons showing up in non-bot races.
    • Fixed an exploit that made it possible to finish a race with just one lap.


    [ 2018-03-27 17:03:10 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.8 released!


    This update might not have the longest changelist but it's a big one nonetheless: we introduce a cool new level called The Green and upgrade the community’s favourite Hannover. Bored of playing alone in Singleplayer? Race against our new bots, who are happy to challenge you for a race.

    Changelist


    • Added new environment: The Green
    • Upgraded the Hannover level with the addition of Hall 26.
    • Added bots (virtual opponents) feature: currently only available in StrawBale01 and StrawBale02.
    • UI colouring and button behaviour is now more consistent.
    • Updated the Calibration menu hints with more information.
    • Rating tracks is now possible in the Multiplayer waiting room.
    • Added review request feature.
    • Added rebind option for Black Box (default F9).
    • Minor bugfixes.

    Bots!


    We want you to meet the newest members of the Liftoff team: "bots". They have been training with us the last few weeks with one goal in mind: challenge you for a race at any time you want, even when you play offline! It's not a real race when you're the only one on the track, so these guys and girls will do their best to match your skill in singleplayer races. They'll join you in the game on StrawBale01 and StrawBale02. They are hard at work in mastering the other tracks as well! To activate the bots go to Options > Game > Ghost mode > Bots.

    The Green


    A parking lot, a forest, a sports arena , the Champs-Élysées and a giant mining pit... what about some green rolling hills under a sunny blue sky? We're happy to introduce "The Green", a new environment available in this update, featuring an open and beautiful golf course for you to explore. Where Hannover and The Pit offered a multitude of freestyle opportunities, The Green is designed with racing in mind. We expect it to become a favorite environment for many track builders among you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTvQl3WNrAA


    [ 2018-03-23 15:58:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.7 released!


    This update is your creation. Your suggestions to improve the Multiplayer experience have been put to good use. Enjoy!

    CHANGELIST


    • Removed warmup time for Multiplayer Race rooms with one player. Start racing immediately!
    • Added lap counter for Infinite Race mode.
    • Added “Room Leader” announcement in Infinite Race mode.
    • Added “Personal Best” announcement in Infinite Race mode.
    • Added “Hide UI” feature. Press F1 to activate.
    • Fixed issue that prevented you from removing action cams from the Teal frame.
    • Minor bugfixes

    MULTIPLAYER FEEDBACK


    Liftoff already provides some of the best multiplayer experiences of any FPV sim. Yet your feedback allows us to further streamline the experience. You told us you want to start racing for top spots on the leaderboards immediately, and by removing the warmup time we are not going to let you wait any longer. You also told us you love the Infinite Race mode and with 0.13.7 we make it even better! No longer will you have to look for the information you want on the border of your screen: we now show a lap counter underneath the timer and give you an on-screen message when you improved your personal time and when someone in the room took the lead.


    [ 2018-03-12 19:30:49 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.6 released!


    Finally a new official update! It took us a bit longer than usual. The team has not been sitting around idly but instead has been bug hunting for weeks. We had to deal with the now infamous "Black Screen" bug and with some annoying performance issues. While our work on those are not completely finished yet, the team has managed to help many people with a few quick-fix updates we've been doing behind the scenes. With the project again in a more stable state, we are ready to continue with the regular updates.

    Changelist:


    • Added 3 new IDRA track elements.
    • Added an "additional weight" slider to your frame "edit" options.
    • Weight value in the Workbench can now be displayed as both imperial and metric standards.
    • Removed the unused "receiver" category from the Workbench.
    • Improved checkpoint toggle tool in the Track builder.
    • Fixed an issue with the Early Access Overlay in the main menu.
    • Cleaned up The Hangar C03 level by improving some art assets (no more floaty containers).
    • Added analytics for Input devices (backend).
    • Minor performance optimisations.

    Weight slider


    Maybe the biggest addition in this update is the new weight slider in the Worbench. We've added this feature because so far we did not take into account that the total weight of your setup is not only defined by the combined weight of your frame and parts, but also by all kinds of doohickeys like screws, zip-ties, tape, foam and other random things people use to construct a setup.  We want to reflect this reality in Liftoff by giving you the option to add some undefined weight to your setup.  To keep everything within a vaguely realistic range, we've limited this to 1kg, but that's plenty of weight to play around with. You can access this slider under the edit tab of your frame. We are happy to find out how you feel about this new feature. Thank you!


    [ 2018-02-28 16:17:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.5 released!


    A small update with some important fixes and changes, some new track elements included!

    CHANGELIST


  • Added Flite Test track elements: 1 flag, 3 gates.
  • Added Rotor’s Cool flag.
  • Default voice chat mode is now “Push-to-Talk” (change in audio options).
  • Tweaked visualisation of voice chat icons, to increase visibility.
  • Fixed LOD issues with some Straw Bale props.
  • Fixed exploit that allowed blueprint editing.
  • Fixed issue with laptimes being displayed in Freeflight multiplayer.
  • Fixed issue where incorrect microphone got used in voice chat.
  • Fixed issue related to exiting the buttons setup menu.


    [ 2018-02-02 17:00:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Update 0.13.4 released!


    Liftoff is known to provide some of the best multiplayer experiences in the FPV sim world, and with 0.13.4 it only gets better! See (and hear) you on the race track!

    CHANGELIST


    • Multiplayer: added voice chat.
    • Multiplayer: added option to change room host.
    • Added voice chat settings to the Audio options.
    • Introduced a manual calibration option to the calibration system.
    • Upgraded the input system (slight performance increase).
    • Added Gyro Monitor to visualise drone setup performance (press F9).
    • Fixed crash issue in track editor.
    • Minor bugfixes.

    VOICE CHAT


    Players can now talk to each other over voice-chat in Multiplayer, making our online experience even more social than before. Want to help a new player get started? Smack talk your opponents? Figure out what the next track should be? Take the mic and let yourself be heard! No worries, we also included mute options for everyone for emergencies.


    [ 2018-02-01 11:53:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.3 released!


    Update 0.13.3 is another small update with a few fixes and additions. Enjoy!

    CHANGELIST


    • Tweaked the Control.FPV blueprint as suggested by Michael Tseng.
    • Added Spinfast gates.
    • Fixed crash in Track builder.
    • Fixed UI color bars again.
    • Added indication for invalid Workshop names (for example: “New Drone” and “Copy)”.
    • Added a visual rotation offset for propellers in Workshop thumbnail.
    • Fixed issue that did not show the right ranking in Infinite Race.
    • Fixed issue that did not show laptimes in Infinite Race for some players.
    • Fixed drone selection invalid carousel behavior when sharing drone.
    • Multiplayer: added two categories to drone selection: Workshop blueprints & Built-in blueprints.
    • Multiplayer: added “downloading drone” indicator
    • Multiplayer: you can now exit player profiles by clicking outside the content area.

    SPINFAST


    A cool new friendship has taken form between the Liftoff team and the Spinfast organisation. Spinfast is an exciting event that will take place on the real-world version of our beloved Hannover level. [quote=Martin Bennat SPINFAST CEO] Spinfast and Liftoff´s Story began in early 2017 when the first contact at CEBIT was established. Almost one year later we are now looking at a flourishing business relation that will re-unite us at CEBIT again and help to bring more physical and digital content to the FPV community. Currently, the Drone-Trailer Contest for CEBIT 2018 is in its voting phase and it shows an excellent example of synergy effects between simulation and real life. Even more because LIFTOFF´s Hannover map will be the playground and digital forecast of what´s coming; when game becomes reality and vice versa. Today, this little update introduces our SPINFAST-Gates into the track builder content. It should be just a little statement that no dream should be dreamt too small and that we can all profit from one another in the tiny microcosmos that our fpv scene likely is. We thank everyone on the Liftoff Team for their efforts and wish you guys all the best for this exciting year. [/quote] We want the Liftoff community to help pick a winner of the video contest! You can find all the videos for the contest on the official SPINFAST channel. Make sure you hit the subscribe button! Your “Thumbs” will be counted and two pilots out of 18 will then fly with the Spinfast crew on the real Liftoff map in Hannover. The outcome will be the official CEBIT DRONE TRAILER 2018!


    [ 2018-01-18 20:03:17 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.13.1 0.13.2 released!


    The milestone update was a huge success and it’s been a pleasure to see everyone explore the new environment and use the newly added features. As is always the case with huge updates, there’s some unexpected issues that appear. Update 0.13.1 (released yesterday) and 0.13.2 fix a few issues that have been reported the last 48 hours.

    CHANGELIST 0.13.1


    • Fixed floaty objects The Pit
    • Keys such as fisheye and field of view toggles no longer trigger accidentally when typing in chat
    • Added spectator to Infinite Race
    • Changed depth of field values for Drone Thumbnail
    • Drone share option in Workbench
    • Multiplayer: added text indicating an unshared drone setup

    CHANGELIST 0.13.2


    • Fixed “heaven” glitch: [olist]
    • no more blurry screens
    • no more restriction limits in tutorial [/olist]
    • Fixed bug that prevented track sharing for The Pit

    BLACK SCREEN AFTER LOADING?


    Some players have been reporting that the game cuts to black and freezes after showing the logos at the start of the game. This issue is related to an external plugin we use to communicate with the Steam platform (stuff like the workshop, multiplayer, etc.). This plugin is a core part of our codebase. Predominantly Mac users seem to be affected because the plugin is no longer able to work with older versions of OSX, specifically versions older than and including OS X Mavericks 10.10.5. This causes the game to crash as soon as the plugin is loaded. Upgrading your OS to a newer version should resolve the issue. You can download the latest version for your system from the Mac Appstore. It is still unclear why this bug happens on Windows systems. We are working together with the author of the plugin towards a solution. If you experience this bug on a Windows system, please send us your log files so we may further pin down the issue. In short:
    • If you use a Mac and experience this issue, upgrading to a newer version of the operating system should resolve the issue
    • If you use Windows and experience this issue, hang tight. We are still looking for a solution. You can help us by sending your log files.


    [ 2018-01-17 20:01:12 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.13.0 released!


    What better way to celebrate the new year than by releasing one of the biggest Liftoff updates to date? Enjoy!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added a new environment: “The Pit”.
    • Added “ThePitTrack01” race track.
    • Added Infinite Race mode to single player and multiplayer.
    • Updated physics and flight behavior.
    • Multiplayer: added player profiles (click player entry).
    • Multiplayer: added drone selection option (click your entry).
    • Added laptime indicators in all race modes.
    • Added drone setup sharing feature (Steam Workshop)
    • Fixed hints not showing up in the loading screen.
    • Removed issue with floating goggle assets.
    • Fixed input issue in multiple menu scenes.
    • Workshops links are now filtered based on selected content.
    • Content loading is updated to give priority to drone setups.
    • Added support for Windows 64bit
    • Minor bugfixes

    THE PIT


    New and bigger environments, that’s what you’ve asked for and that’s what we deliver in this update! We are proud to reveal “The Pit”, a huge, open level with lots of freestyle and track building opportunities. The Pit will be 1 km2 in size, making it one of the biggest environments in Liftoff yet. We love powerlooping the transport belts, diving the 200m high cliff faces and doing all kinds of crazy freestyle tricks around our massive excavator. We can’t wait to see what awesome tracks you create in The Pit!

    INFINITE RACE


    One thing to try in the new environment is our new Infinite race mode, a new game mode that’s available in both single player and multiplayer. The goal of the mode is to increase the air-time during your gameplay sessions. Infinite Race mode allows you to fly as many laps as you want; only the lap times matter here. We found this variation in the classic race mode to be quite addictive and we hope you like it as well!

    SWAPPING DRONES IN MULTIPLAYER


    Finally! It took us a while, but we finally have the option to swap setups in multiplayer. You can do this by clicking your player entry in multiplayer, and by scrolling through your fleet setups in the newly introduced player profile window. In a similar fashion, you can look up other players’ profiles and discover the setup they have selected for that multiplayer session. Even cooler, when someone has uploaded his drone setup to the workshop, you can download his setup from his profile by clicking the download icon!

    DID YOU SAY DRONE SHARING?


    Yes, drone sharing is now a thing in Liftoff. The Workshop is no longer limited to sharing and downloading your favorite Liftoff tracks, but also allows you to publish kick-ass drone setups for everyone to discover. Want to know what setup someone uses? Simply check out their profile and discover if the setup was shared by the player. Sharing drones can currently be done in the drone selection screen by clicking the “Share” button. By clicking the button you get access to a short form to fill in the submission details. With just one click on the “submission” button, your drone setup, including its flight controller settings, is now available for download to over 60.000 Liftoff players.


    [ 2018-01-15 22:43:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.12.9 released!


    While we are not ready yet to release the new features and content we are working on, we didn’t want to wait to release these fixes and small (but fun) additions. Big thanks to the community members who notified us about these issues, your feedback is key in providing a quality experience while we continue to update (and break) the game with each update. While updates like this are not as exciting as some of the bigger updates that include big features and content, they are nonetheless very important in making Liftoff the best FPV sim.

    CHANGELIST


    • Fixed issue with false start at countdown.
    • Fixed animation issue for Tournament and Leaderboards pannels.
    • Fixed clipping issue of error pannel.
    • Slightly increased “center stick” time in the calibration setup.
    • Removed Delayed Backflip trick in favour of Powerloop.
    • Added blueprint setup inspired by Control.fpv.
    • Added Control.fpv skin for Talon.
    • Happy holidays!

    CONTROL.FPV


    As the changelist suggest, we’ve added a new bleuprint setup for you to enjoy. The setup gets its own cool skin and is completely tunes by Michael Tseng, known by many as Control.FPV. [quote=Michael Tseng]This quad is comprised of parts that together reproduce the closest feel to what I race at live events. It has an ‘all around’ configuration that sacrifices top speed in the straights for additional control in the corners.[/quote] Michael has been an amazing member of the community, streaming his practise sessions in Liftoff almost every day on Twitch. He’s not just an fantastic Liftoff community member but also an amazing real life pilot, recently shopwing off his skill on DR1. Both the Liftoff team as Michael himself would love to know what you think of this setup!


    [ 2017-12-19 19:23:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.12.8 released!


    Update 0.12.8 improves on all aspects of the game, from UI changes to gameplay tweaks, bugfixes and new content.

    Changelist


    • Countdown speed increased for faster round starts.
    • Freestyle mode internal rework: tricks should be easier to detect.
    • Added 7 new tricks to discover in the Freestyle mode.
    • Added smoke effect when your lipo is destroyed.
    • Added lipo state indicators in the flight log.
    • UI: improved save functionality, get save confirmations.
    • UI: added small animations to popup elements in the menus.
    • Added a preview when selecting a startpoint in-game.
    • The game now detects when a player is experiencing performance issues.
    • Added performance issue indicator and informative popup in the main menu.
    • Minor bugfixes

    New environments in the works!


    While we've never stopped working on new environments during development of Liftoff, they often take a lot of time to create. A simple a asset can take days up to weeks to create and some environments contain hundreds of complex assets, Hannover being the best example of that. Those of you who follow us on the Liftoff Community Group have seen us tease 2 new environments.  We know a lot of you ask us for new environments to play in and we are committed to making that a reality. While they are not quite ready yet, they are getting closer to release. If you are interested in behind-the-scenes information and visuals, make sure to join our community!


    [ 2017-12-14 22:30:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Win a Liftoff Hoodie!


    Want to get some cool Liftoff goodies? Check this out! :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CitQc1wi_d8

    CONTEST RULES!


    [olist]
  • Upload your video on YouTube
  • Subscribe to the Liftoff Insider channel
  • Send a link to your YouTube video to info@Lugus-studios.be
  • Use "VIDEO CONTEST" as your email title
  • Must be uploaded between October 31st and December 31st
  • Make sure your video follows the guidelines & good luck! [/olist]


    [ 2017-12-13 10:17:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Update 0.12.7 released!


    Another small update, including some fixes, feature improvements and some cool new track elements from IDRA.

    CHANGELIST


    • Improvements to the rewind feature: audio visual additions and improved usability
    • Fixed an issue with custom tracks disappearing from your list.
    • Ghost data optimised, reduced data size roughly tenfold.
    • Added option to bind "arming" to a key or switch now. Default is still "throttle down".
    • Added 4 new IDRA Challengers Cup track elements
    • Minor bugfixes

    INSTAGRAM


    The Liftoff team is now active on Instagram as well. Make sure to follow us and don't hesitate to use the hashtag #Liftoffgame to tag your Liftoff posts on Instagram.


    [ 2017-12-06 16:41:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.12.6 released!


    This update will give you a complete new appreciation for your "T" button, a hidden love you never knew about ;) Want to know more?  Check this out!

    Changelist


    • Added Rewind. Default bound by 'T' on the keyboard.
    • Added 'Disable rewind' as a multiplayer room option and is added as purist game modifier.
    • Added 'Disable rewind' to the tournament rulesets.
    • Updated how Timed Tryouts are displayed in tournaments.
    • Re-ordered keybinding entries in the Button Setup menu for a more logical ordering.
    • Updated the Multiplayer Leaderboards scene. All data is now available in-game.
    • Added new official AutumnFields track and race, designed by DerHonk.
    • Rework of Liftoff-Steam integration for faster and more stable content access.

    Rewind feature


    We are constantly looking for ways to improve the Liftoff experience. For a while we’ve been thinking about how to increase your flight-time and decrease the downtime. We want you to be more in the air and less on the ground! That’s why we are adding a rewind system in this update. No longer will “R” (Reset) be the only option when you crash. By hitting the “T” key you can now rewind the path of your drone for up to 10 seconds, and afterwards continue flying as if nothing happened. We’ve been testing it for a few days and we feel we’ve succeeded in increasing our actual flight time. Practicing in Liftoff is now more fun than ever. As always, this feature is completely optional. Where races and tournaments are concerned, we feel this is not really a cheat, as the race timer keeps counting while you rewind. It simply means you’ll be able to finish more races. We are happy to get your feedback on this feature!


    [ 2017-11-29 19:46:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.12.5 released!


    Another update to fix a few issues and polish some of the existing features. We’re also adding some new rulesets to tournaments to keep things fresh and exciting!

    CHANGELIST:


    • Added ability to chose different input devices in the controller menu.
    • Changed default user profile icon when none is available.
    • Fixed issue with multiplayer player icons in-game.
    • Update track element LOD settings to get better results.
    • Liftoff Pro League: added ruleset for timed-tryouts.
    • Liftoff Pro League: added ruleset for fixed drone configurations.
    • Fixed issue with impatient multiplayer hosts


      [ 2017-11-15 18:58:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff pilots going professional!


    That simulators are the perfect tool to learn how to fly an FPV drone is a well known fact… but does it help you to become good at it? No doubt! We have an exciting story to share with you, to prove once and for all that Liftoff is the magic ingredient to push you in the direction of greatness. Liftoff players are now considered to be among the best pilots in the world and we couldn’t be more proud of our community!

    LIFTOFF PILOTS ARE REBELS!


    A few months ago Richard Kennedy got in contact with us and told us about his friend Michael Tseng who would be participating in an exciting primetime FPV competition. Both gentlemen are long-time Liftoff enthusiasts and are better known by the community as Rambozo.fpv and Control.fpv. Michael would be racing in the DHL Champions Series from DR1 as part of the Team Rebel. When Richard asked us if we would be willing to support team Rebel, we didn’t hesitate to say YES! Liftoff is now the top sponsor for Team Rebel and we are happy to support these amazing pilots! See them in action here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdlTBaX5L7c

    ABOUT DR1 RACING


    DR1 Racing is the world leader in drone racing. DR1 combines top pilots and exhilarating locations into a high-octane racing event series, produced and distributed on a global scale. Currently, DR1 events are broadcast in over 100 countries around the world. DR1 quickly has become a leading drone racing franchise in a rapidly growing market. The top five teams in the world compete across six epic outdoor locations to determine who is the best in the world, airing Worldwide on Eurosport, Fox Sports, and CBS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJK-YnN-vbE

    CONTROL.FPV


    Michael Tseng (aka Control.fpv) is becoming a big name in the FPV world and his performance on DR1 shows exactly why! Michael has been a Liftoff player since the start and in his words has used Liftoff to learn FPV racing and become a pro at it. He’s been training in Liftoff every day consistently, building up hundreds of hours of stick time. Furthermore, he’s also been an active promoter of Liftoff as a training tool and has been an amazing community member. You might have seen him stream Liftoff for hours on Facebook and Twitch. Make sure to check out his channels! We can’t wait to see what he, and other top Liftoff pilots accomplish in the future!


    [ 2017-11-15 12:27:40 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Conrad Grand Prix Berlin


    The final stop of the 2017 DCL drone racing season is STATION Berlin, where the DCL drone race will be the feature event at the Conrad Campus. Conrad Electronic is hosting the event and is sponsoring a Liftoff Pro Tournament as well!

    MEET THE TEAM


    Conrad has offered us a booth at the event in Berlin and we couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity. We have thousands of Liftoff players in Germany and we would love to meet them all. We’ll have a sim station available for you to show off your skills in Liftoff and the team will be available during the event to meet you personally! We’ll be giving away some Liftoff goodies at the booth for all Liftoff fans. Just stop by and tell us your Liftoff nickname.

    INSTAGRAM


    The Liftoff team is now active on Instagram as well. We’ll be using our Instagram to share pictures and footage from the Berlin event. We hope to share some pictures of the Liftoff fans we meet as well.

    WIN A FREE TICKET!


    No plans yet to go to Berlin for this event? Here’s an exciting opportunity: experience the Conrad Grand Prix Berlin in our latest Liftoff Pro League tournament and get a chance to win one of two visitor tickets for the event! How to participate: [olist]
  • Place a time on the Conrad Grand Prix Berlin tournament leaderboards
  • Send us an e-mail to info@lugus-studios.be with the title “Berlin”
  • In this email send us your in-game nickname, and the address you want us to send the ticket to.
  • We will pick two participants at random [/olist] Good luck!


    [ 2017-11-13 21:35:34 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Update 0.12.4 released!


    When we released the new input and calibration system as part the 0.12.0 Milestone update last Monday, we knew we took a risky step. These systems are core functionality that enable you to play the game and could be game-breaking if they don’t work as expected. For this reason we had made earlier versions of these systems available for testing months before. The feedback we got from you was positive and the community encouraged us to move forwards and push these changes to the main version of the game. While some issues did appear after release, overall we consider the Milestone update to be a success! The majority of players experience no issues and noticed the big improvements that this update introduced. Of course, we have not been blind to those who did experience some issues. Releasing this big update on Monday was not an accident. It gave us the rest of the week for fully focussing on tweaking and polishing these new features, and that’s exactly what we did. We released a quickfix update each and every day of the week, bringing our current version number to 0.12.4. We’ve decided to collect the results and information of these updates into one development blogpost.

    CHANGELIST 0.12.2


    • Fixed additional issue where some controllers could not be saved
    • Minor input bugfixes and quality of life improvements

    CHANGELIST 0.12.3


    • Fixed issue with saved keyboard bindings not loading correctly.
    • Fixed issue with saving button bindings when no controller is connected.
    • Fixed oversized controller popup.
    • Fixed track builder issue where custom tracks could not be edited.
    • Fixed drone creation issue where pressing the ‘New drone’ button wouldn’t do anything.
    • Fixed messed up loading content panel.
    • Fixed issue with the player activity indicator in multiplayer.
    • Added a pop-up when joining a tournament to review the tournament rules at least once.

    CHANGELIST 0.12.4


      I
    • nput finetuning can now also be done before the calibration process.
    • Zero point no longer influences UI navigation.
    • Added 5 NEXXblades track elements.
    • Added 3 Conrad track elements.
    • Added 4 DCL track elements.

    MORE INPUT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WORKS!


    Still in our to-do list is the reintroduction of detecting multiple input devices at once, and allowing you to pick one over the other. We suspect this might solve some of the reports about controller or remotes not being recognised. The game currently picks the first input device that your operating system can provide. This means that, rather than picking your preferred remote or controller, the game might use an unused input device to get its input data from the player. We’ll continue to monitor the community channels for feedback and reports!


    [ 2017-11-10 19:42:12 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.12.1 released!


    One hundred little bugs in the code One hundred little bugs. Fix a bug, release a fix, One hundred little bugs in the code. With this quickfix update we hope to fix some of the bugs introduced in yesterday's milestone update. More fixes to come! :)

    Changelist


    • Fixed issue where some controllers could not be saved, resulting in getting stuck in the calibration screen
    • Allowed skipping the goggles animation with keyboard again.
    • Removed menu navigation from the default Taranis setup. You can still set the navigation through the button setup.
    • Note: Previously saved settings are not recognised anymore; you might have to recalibrate.
    Stay tuned for more!


    [ 2017-11-07 16:28:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.12.0 released!


    We want to bring an end to the struggle of getting your controller to work. We’re using a system that can automatically detect when a controller is plugged in, and for well-known controllers we will provide default settings. With update 0.12.0 we hope to achieve these goals!

    CHANGELIST


    • Faster and more intuitive calibration process.
    • Complete visual revamp of the calibration system.
    • Switches are now bindable to actions in game (you might need to enable the switch on your controller).
    • Walking and looking keys are now rebindable.
    • Allow changing FOV and Camera Angle in flight.
    • Autodetect controllers (for now: Taranis, Turnigy Evolution, FS-i6S, DualShock 4 and Xbox One Controller).
    • Taranis (and possibly other remotes) now work without having to change the axes to half range.
    • Controllers can be seamlessly connected and disconnected in-game.
    • Making navigating UI using buttons more consistent.
    • Better movement when walking in the track editor or Freeflight mode.
    • Minor bugfixes

    NEW CALIBRATION SYSTEM


    Remotes such as the Taranis will work out of the box, without changing settings on the remote or calibrating in game. Controllers that we do not provide default settings for can be calibrated using our new, user friendly, calibration too. This update also gives you the ability to use all of those switches on your remotes. You can assign a switch to any action in game such as changing flight mode or reset. As an added bonus we will also support hot-plugging, meaning controllers can be swapped in and out in-game. For other controllers, we have the new calibration tool. Just follow the streamlined instructions and you should be ready for flight in less than a minute. Saved calibrations will be loaded automatically next time the controller is plugged in. For now we are not supporting reassigning buttons, either from keyboard or from the remote. This will be ready for testing soon.

    SPECIAL NOTES!


    TARANIS USERS If you use a Taranis that is setup to work with the previous version of Liftoff (meaning settings are changed to use half of the range) you should create a new profile. We’ve set it up to work with the default values so that a new Taranis will work out of the box from now on! LINUX USER The pre-calibration process is still necessary for you. We wrote a detailed guide here! SMARTPROPOPLUS USERS We’ve succesfully tested the new input with SmartPropoPlus. While it works, it may cause issues with other controllers (we had issues with Taranis after installing). Let us know if you have similar issues with this.


    [ 2017-11-06 16:42:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Input Update (EB)


    We’ve brought the Experimental Branch (EB) with the new input and calibration system back up to date with the main branch of Liftoff. Those of you who have been playing on the Experimental Branch now have access to the latest content. Not only that, we’ve also added a lot of improvements that many of our players have been asking for (see below). Our plan is to merge all these changes with the main version of te game very soon, we hope you can help us test this out one more time!

    MORE IMPROVEMENTS


    We are not just bringing the EB up-to-date with the main version, we are adding many improvements as wel!
    • In the new version we’ve redone the way we determine which inputs to listen to. This means that there should be fewer conflicts between keys. You’ll now be able to change the camera angle and FOV during flight, even after arming. There should also be no more changing FOV when navigating menus or chatting.
    • We’ve also made some quality-of-life improvements throughout the whole game. You’ll be able to navigate back in the level select using keyboard or controller. Selecting a menu item in the main menu will automatically place the cursor on the first option within that item (No more: select race, Enter, Enter, sigh, Down, Enter).
    • Walking around in the track builder or in free flight should be much more controllable. Consider this to be a first step in our goal to improve the tools for track builders.
    • For now we have a couple of controllers (Taranis, Turnigy Evolution, XBox, Playstation) that are automatically detected and have all settings configured right out of the box. We will be adding more later. For other controllers you can still do the calibration. If you were using the Taranis in the main version of the game, you’ll want to undo the adjustments that were formerly required to run Liftoff and configure it to once again use its full range (weight and offset no longer need to be changed).
    • Successful test with smartpropoplus. However we need more feedback on this. If you use smartpropoplus let us know if this works with the new system. We did some testing and while it did work, it messed up our other controllers (we couldn’t use Taranis via USB anymore after installing smartpropoplus). We need to know how it works for you!

    WHAT IS THE EB AND HOW CAN I GET IT?


    A dedicated blogpost about the Experimental Branch (EB), and instructions on how to get it can be found here: Experimental Branch information & instructions.

    IMPORTANT: FEEDBACK REQUIRED! (REALLY!)


    Since there are some big changes under the hood, we would love to get your feedback! Does your controller work? Do all inputs work? Do you ever get stuck with no input registering? Can you reassign joysticks and buttons? Any other issues? Getting feedback on this is really important and will help us merge these changes with the main version of the game. We appreciate your help!


    [ 2017-10-27 14:35:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff Insider


    As the game keeps expanding, so does the community! The last few months we have seen an exponential growth in all community related activities. We’ve seen some exciting new channels pop up, seen promintent pilots stream Liftoff on Facebook and Twitch, and we’ve seen the birth of the Liftoff Community Group.

    ANNOUNCING LIFTOFF INSIDER!


    Together with Chris Spangler (Phluxy FPV), the Liftoff team is excited to announce a new community project: the Liftoff Insider Youtube channel! This Youtube channel will be dedicated to everything Liftoff related and will put a special focus on the community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_JxowvVtXI Phluxy will be making regular videos on the channel and bring you exciting gameplay, the latest development news and highlight community content. We are excited to see this channel grow and hope to get your support! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a like!

    FEEDBACK!


    As with any Liftoff related project, we love to get your feedback and ideas! There’s a few videos already available on the channel and would love to get your feedback on them! What do you hope to see on Liftoff Insider? What videos are you looking forward to? Are you interested in helping out? Let us know!


    [ 2017-10-26 18:04:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.11.3 released!


    The Vortex family keeps growing and we are excited to add another one to Liftoff. Discover this and more in update 0.11.3! Happy Halloween everyone!

    Changelist


    • Added the Vortex 230 Mojo.
    • Added short ImmersionRC antenna.
    • Fixed issue that prevented us from creating new tournaments.
    • Fixed issue that prevented players from hosting custom tracks in multiplayer.
    • Fixed issue with detail assets disappearing in Hannover on lowest graphics settings.
    • Fixed an issue with some track elements not having centered checkpoint indicators.
    • Trick or treat.

    Vortex 230 Mojo


    We've been asked to add a new freestyle frame to Liftoff and with the Vortex 230 Mojo, you now have an additional option! The Vortex 230 Mojo is a crossover race/freestyle quad, excellent on the track, and heaps of fun for freestyling. The Vortex 230 Mojo has a center of gravity at the propeller level and a low moment of inertia thanks to the centralized mass. This gives a maximum authority to the flight controller thus giving crispy sharp stops or buttery smooth rolls.

    Fixing Workshop tracks in limbo


    Since the Liftoff milestone update 0.11.0, an issue has popped up where sharing your custom tracks and races in the workshop would write a wrong variable, causing them to be unplayable in the Liftoff multiplayer. With update 0.11.3, this issue has been fixed, but you're required to re-share the content that is affected in order to make it available for play in multiplayer again. So re-share your newest tracks and races you created since 0.11.0 and this issue will be fixed for your files. We are sorry for the inconvenience!


    [ 2017-10-24 15:03:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.11.2 released!


    A small update that nonetheless adds some new content for track designers to have fun with. You seemed to like the lighttrack elements from the 0.11.1 update, so we are adding more!

    CHANGELIST


    • Fixed Straw Bale environment terrain geometry to correspond closer to the original terrain.
    • Fixed straw bales to have correct collision materials.
    • Added StrawBaleTrack03 as an official race track.
    • Added 5 Pro Aerial League track elements (including light track elements).
    • Minor bugfixes.

    PRO AERIAL LEAGUE


    A few weeks ago the Pro Aerial League did an amazing event, fun for both pilots and the audience. Part of the experience was to bring Liftoff to the event, and now we are bringing the Pro Aerial League to Liftoff! This update includes five new exciting track elements, inspired by the Pro Aerial League. We can’t wait to see what you create with them!

    ROBISNOW


    The Liftoff community is more alive than ever and one members who’s become a prominent contributor over the last few weeks is Rob! On his youtube channel RobIsNow, he reviews community created tracks in Liftoff on an almost daily basis. Still looking for awesome tracks to download and fly? Are you looking to find out how to design your own track? Rob is your man! https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL7xNZhTqhGb4RC__L6FD80SsMrcCgZRWP&v=SN0Dpo9zu-E


    [ 2017-10-20 12:12:59 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.11.1 released!


    Milestone 0.11.0 was a huge update, but as with any huge update some bugs get introduced. This quickfix update fixes some issues and tweaks and adds some new track elements!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added 7 new Aerial Sports League track elements to the track builder.
    • Added ability to run Purist Mode tournaments in the Litoff Pro League.
    • Added LED category to the track builder.
    • Tweaked, improved and added a few Freestyle tricks:
    • Added half backflip
    • Added half frontflip
    • Flips are easier to register
    • Powerloops are easier to register
    • Lawnmower move registers quicker and at higher altitude
    • Improved UI: making all in-game popups consistent.
    • Fixed issue where FOV wont be changed anymore in the track editor.
    • Fixed issue where a blueprint duplicate could not be made.
    • Minor bugfixes.

    AERIAL SPORTS LEAGUE PARTNER


    Since 2012, The Aerial Sports League (ASL) team has been creating and promoting drone sports, and has been a cornerstone of the drone sports community. ASL has hosted 500,000 spectators at live events since 2015, has earned over 8.5 million video views and over 50,000 social media followers and now are part of the Liftoff experience too! We’ve been working with them to create a few new track elements for track builder to do awesome things with, including some long awaited light track elements. The teams at LuGus Studios and ASL can’t wait to see what you come up with!

    ROTOR’S COOL TOURNAMENT


    ​We’ve done many fun tournaments on the Liftoff Pro League in the past, so why is a new tournament newsworthy? We’ll first of all because its being hosted by the amazing people of RoTor’S Cool who recently wrote an great article about Liftoff and because this tournament will be the first of its kind! Not only does it use a custom track, but for the first time its a Purist Mode tournament. We think this is going to be a big game changer for everyone, it’s going to be a challenge for those who fly races going full throttle from start to finish! We are excited to see the results!


    [ 2017-10-12 20:15:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.11.0 released!


    A new frame, a Straw Bale revamp, Freestyle mode, optimization, improvements and bugfixes, and so much more. The length of the changelist underneath shows why this is considered a Milestone update, and that just lists the top-level changes. We've worked hard to get this out to you and are more than excited to hand it over to you. Enjoy!

    Changelist


    • Introduced the Straw Bale revamp: improved visuals and additional areas.
    • Changed Straw Bale thumbnail and menu background.
    • Increased maximum height in Straw Bale from 75 meters to 200 meters.
    • Added new Freestyle game mode.
    • Added trick detection as an option in Freeflight and Race mode. (Game options)
    • Added player profile. (as a first step to introduce player progression)
    • Added Khole frame.
    • Updated tournament rules display.
    • Fixed exploits for updating tournament leaderboard.
    • Fixed loading panel of tournaments lobby not showing up.
    • Added a Liftoff Pro account sign-in panel in all scenes in the game and in the pause menu.
    • Updated terms of use for the Liftoff Pro account.
    • Added menu where the player can change is password when signed-in.
    • Resetting a password or requesting to resend a verification mail now shows a meaningful error message when failing.
    • The game will try to automatically reconnect to the server during a live tournament session when the connection fails.
    • Renamed the Liftoff Pro League account to Liftoff Pro account.
    • Fixed issue in room creation where community tracks and races under the same workshop item would not be selectable for multiplayer.
    • Added some quality-of-life to the menu's where tabbing to the next element behaves more predictable.
    • Fixed some memory leaks in the game and did some memory optimisations.
    • Updated back-end connection system to the newest version.
    • Updated network security. Many critical messages are now encrypted.
    • Updated network traffic efficiency.
    • Updated the music player to now show at the top-left of the screen and updated the sliding animation.
    • Updated the content manager to be more robust and a little faster.
    • Fixed issue with the tournament banners not downloading correctly.
    • Fixed issue with the gamma correction of the tournament banners.
    • Fixed the golden bar animation that indicates the tournament winner.
    • Fixed issue with deleting/unsubscribing from community tracks or races.
    • Disabled the text-ticker in the level selection screen until a race is actually selected.
    • Updated the authentication process where a user's current Steam account is also validated on the server.
    • Minor bugfixes.

    Introducing the Khole


    One and a half years in the making and thanks to an amazing collaboration between Underground FPV and FU-RC.com, The Khole is born and now available in Liftoff too! The Khole is a really unique frame and we are excited to have it in the game. An intense process of variable laminate thickness moulding is used to create this beauty. They have built on the Industry leading reputation & design of the Kore frame and have introduced all the specifics that pilots wanted to make the Khole the beast it is. To give you an idea of the process the Tungsten moulds for the Khole took close on 6 months to make. A solid block of Tungsten was carefully cut and finished off by hand to give ultra smooth finishes to the Khole. This is what it looks like in-game:

    Freestyle mode


    How would you define the heart and soul of freestyle? Is it pulling of amazing tricks? Daring tumbles down a narrow corridor? Or is it all about flow? Weaving and gliding through the air. Maybe it's all of the above? Getting to the meat of the freestyle experience is going to take time and many different iterations. With this release we are taking an important step towards simulating the freestyle FPV experience in Liftoff with the addition of a Freestyle mode. One environment. 60 seconds. Pull off tricks to earn points and increase your score multiplier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5-2oDXRrrk This first release of freestyle mode features:
    • A handful of tricks to sink your teeth in.
    • Sustained tricks like dive and upside down that will rack up points for as long as you can sustain them.
    • Modifiers that will increase your point total. Took an action cam with you? Did a powerloop while flying through a narrow gap or nearly missing a wall? That'll earn you extra points.
    • Less points for trying the same trick multiple times in a row.
    • The ability to have tricks recognized by the system in all modes (including freeflight) so you can practice your freestyle game without a time limit
    Getting freestyle right is hard. That's why we need you. Getting the system to recognize the tricks is an important step but difficult one to pull off. Sometimes you'll get a false positive. Sometimes you're certain you pulled of a trick but the system might not have recognized it. Maybe you'll find an exploit to rack up an insane amount of points. There's a lot of different variables that can mess with the trick detection and we feel getting the current version in your hands is the best way to course correct. This is a first draft. We are by no means finished with freestyle mode and are comitted to improving the freestyle experience in Liftoff. Happy freestyling!

    Straw Bale revamp


    As explained in detail on our blogpost dedicated to Straw Bale (read it here), we have revamped one of the most iconic environments in Liftoff. It no only looks better, its also way bigger: the perfect place to do some free-styling. ;) Here's an overview video showing of the revamp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh_8itiZ-SA

    Introducing player accounts


    For the last few months we have been working on a huge new gameplay system we call "Player Progression & Rewards". This system will reward you for your achievements in-game and will allow you to unlock all kinds of cosmetic items to further personalise your drone setup. This is a complex and layered system that will be introduced in steps. Milestone 0.11.0 introduces the first stage by adding player accounts to the game. Creating a player account will always be completely optional, but will be required to make use of the progression and reward features in the future. Many of you already have an account since it uses the same systems as the Liftoff Pro League. In this update you'll find the player account In the top-right corner of the main menu. This is your main hub for all your Liftoff account related options. When signed in, click on your player icon to bring up some additional options. In future updates, this account panel will display your progression in Liftoff. As a way of stress- and beta-testing, player progression is already active in the background where we'll be monitoring the balance of the experience rewarded and the load on our server. Note, when the system leaves the beta-stage, all progression data will get a reset, but we'll make sure to share those interesting results with you.


    [ 2017-10-10 17:39:13 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.15 released!


    Well that's quick! Less than 24 hours ago we released the 0.10.14 update. This new update was supposed to be a quickfix update for 0.10.14 but the changes are important enough to warrant its own version number.

    Changelist


    • Fixed issue where building blocks in The Drawingboard didn't give any or little hit damage.
    • Fixed issue that disabled the camera noise toggle in-game. (not yet in multiplayer)
    • Reset fade decreased by half, respawning should be quicker now.
    • Slighly decreased display time of "LIFTOFF" in the race countdown.

    Frenzy Tournament


    For the last few months we have organised Liftoff Pro League Tournaments on a regular basis. You seem to really enjoy them and we will continue to organise them! Today we launch another tournament, this time featuring a track created by a talented track designer called Frenzy. May the best pilot win!


    [ 2017-09-21 14:24:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.14 released!


    With the creation of the Liftoff Community group on Facebook, we’ve created another fun place to talk about Liftoff. This group has helped us a lot in getting some really great ideas and feedback on the recent updates. Update 0.10.14 is as much a creation of the community as it is from the development team. These updates and tweaks are based on your feedback, thank you! :)

    CHANGELIST


    • Multiplayer: added Purist Race game mode
    • Added Purist Race leaderboards
    • Added multiplayer room option to force battery simulation
    • Tweaked battery simulation to be more realistic
    • Tweaked crash behaviour. Drones can take more of a beating before resetting
    • Fixed Action Cam icons in the workbench
    • Slightly lowered countdown animation on the screen
    • Multiplayer: Removed battery HUD from spectator screen

    PURIST RACE


    We’ve seen a lot of interesting questions being raised on our forums and community group about allowing godmode results on the leaderboards. The argument is that it’s not correct to compare results from pilots who are free to hit things with those who get destroyed upon crashing. While opinions about this are far from unanimous, we do understand the concern. To help with this issue and to give seasoned pilots a new challenge, we have created “Purist Race”. In this new multiplayer game mode, there’s no handholding or training wheels. God mode is disabled, camera noise and battery simulation are enabled, everyone follows the same rules! This game mode also has its own leaderboards to make it easy to compare your Purist Race results with others. Enjoy!


    [ 2017-09-20 14:59:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.13 released!


    Realism has always been a key factor for Liftoff and with the introduction of battery simulation, we add an extra layer of realism to the Liftoff experience. Discover this, and more, in our new 0.10.13 update!

    CHANGELIST


    • Implemented battery simulation
    • Added new race countdown visual
    • Added proper Vortex 180 description
    • Added additional versions of the action cams
    • More frames now support action cams
    • Updated to Unity engine 5.6.3, should fix some Linux issues
    • Fixed visual issue with fisheye on MacOS
    • Fixed drag model for Dquad Obsession
    • Fixed issue with resolution resetting
    • Minor Bugfixes

    BATTERY SIMULATION


    We have finally added battery simulation, making Liftoff an even more realistic experience! While this feature is optional, we feel it’s a complete game changer and makes the gameplay more interesting and fun. Winning will no longer be about punching the throttle from start to finish and picking the fastest setup. There’s going to be strategy involved. You’ll have to learn when to use your power and you’ll have to decide between power vs efficiency all the time. We are really excited about this and we suspect it will make the gameplay more interesting and layered. We can’t wait to hear what you think! Read all the details here!


    [ 2017-09-15 14:56:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.12 released!


    0.10.12 Was supposed to be a small update, but has grown to include a nice list of changes, fixes and updates. The biggest addition is the new Dquad Obsession frame, we are excited to finally see it in the game! Enjoy!

    Changelist


    • Added Dquad Obsession, in 2 variations: 5inch and 6inch
    • Added new antenna
    • Added new Fish Eye effect ("F" key)
    • Added option to change FOV settings in game (left & right arrow keys)
    • Tweaked grass texture in Hannover to be less saturated
    • Increased Hypetrain motor performance
    • Updated resolution options to show aspect ratio
    • Fixed some prop & motor positions/rotations on frame
    • Multiplayer: fixed bug with spectators disappearing from player list
    • Multiplayer: fixed game getting stuck when a new player joined during the score screen
    • Multiplayer: Getting kicked while in game now correctly shows a disconnected message.
    • Multiplayer: drones are properly cleared from the game if its player leaves.

    Dquad Obsession


    We've received hundreds of requests from you, the community, about the Dquad Obsession. It's a much beloved frame and we are excited to add it to Liftoff. The team at DQuad has been great in supporting the project and we are excited about the final result of that work. We love this frame! It looks amazing both in real life and in the game. The combination of aircraft grade aluminum and carbon fiber not only makes this frame super fancy but also really strong! The aluminum brackets form a very strong rollcage which protect all important hardware. It comes in different variations and has a 5inch and 6inch version in Liftoff. "It is not just a game, it's an Obsession!" ;)

    Camera: FOV and Fish Eye effect


    We've added some changes to the drone's camera. You can now adjust the FOV (Field of View) in game, using the left and right arrow keys. We've changed the way FOV is represented by using Horizontal FOV instead of Vertical. We feel this is more intuitive and matches the values shown on actual cameras better. One of the downsides of high FOV values has always been that it causes severe stretching near the edges and shrinks the center of the screen significantly. This leads us to our second change. We've added the option to use fisheye (or lens distortion). This gives you the effect of using a real lens and allows you to have that curved horizon line that you might be familiar with. It also counteracts the effect of a high FOV by enlarging the center and squashing the sides of the screen. You can toggle the fisheye effect with the F key, or set the option on or off from the main menu. The fisheye effect is not yet perfect, but we are at a point where we would like your feedback. Does it feel correct? Does it change your perception of size? Does it give you more spacial awareness? Does it make you completely dizzy? Let us know what you think!


    [ 2017-08-31 20:40:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.11 released!


    Choo Choo!!!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added Hypetrain motor by Rotor Riot
    • Added new official Hannover race and track! (by DerHonk)
    • Increased overal durability of your drone setup
    • Tweaked settings and specifics of the Teal Sport setup
    • Fixed issue with water collision
    • Added colliders to hedges assets
    • Minor bugfixes

    COMMUNITY


    For a while now, we’ve been thinking of creating a Facebook community group for Liftoff to expand our presence on the platform. A group would allow us to interact more with the community in a more direct way. We want to share more behind the scenes material, answer any questions you might have (and not just about the latest news), create some fun polls and join share our personal toughs, wishes and controversial opinions. We simply want to join the fun! Instead of starting a new group and competing with existing ones, we’ve decided to work with our friends from (what used to be) the Liftoff Racing Community and turn their existing group into the official group for Liftoff. Together with them we hope to provide another fun place to talk about anything Liftoff and FPV related. Join us!

    ROTOR RIOT


    What a perfect day to release the Hypetrain update for Liftoff, because as of today Liftoff is also available on the Rotor Riot store, and starts off with a nice discount too! You can get it for $17.99 Each sale goes directly to both Liftoff and Rotor Riot, this is your chance to support both projects at once. Have Liftoff already? Tell your friends about this great deal! Get it on the Rotor Riot Store!


    [ 2017-08-24 08:47:41 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Experimental Input update (EB)


    We want to thank everyone that has tested the new input system that has been available on the Experimental Branch. It's been a great success! Most people have been able to setup their controller with the new system, which makes us very relieved. Changing inputs is always a scary process, as it has the potential of breaking the entire game. Your feedback has been very valuable to us and we've been hard at work to update our new input and calibration system to fit these wishes. We now have an update version available on the Experimental Branch, ready toi be tested! Check out our detailed forum post to find out what's included: http://steamcommunity.com/app/410340/discussions/5/2579854400750688536/


    [ 2017-08-21 11:30:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.10 released!


    Update 0.10.10 is a pure labor of love. It fixes a long lasting issue with hit detection and collision behaviour, greatly improving the gameplay experience, and it adds an exciting new frame that we are sure everyone will love: the Talon by Karearea!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added Talon frame by Karearea
    • Fixed issue with collision detection (finally!)
    • Fixed texture issue with Vortex 285
    • Fixed issue that allowed you to save drone setups with conflicting parts

    TALON BY KAREAREA


    A while ago we discovered the Talon by Karearea and fell in love. This frame looks badass and its aggressive looks also translate well to flight characteristics. This frame is all about limiting drag and excels at doing exactly that thanks to the aerodynamic design. It doesn’t tend to raise altitude in corners because of the vertical arm position. It falls down from the sky faster than normal frames on zero throttle because it has much less drag. It corners tighter because there is drag on the side of the arms (vertical arms) instead of the front. This leads to the quad not drifting away from the corner when turning. It accelerates faster than normal frames because of much less drag. It is more efficient because there is no air bouncing back to the propellers (vertical arms). We love it!

    DRONE COLLISION IMPROVEMENTS


    This update fixes a huge issue that has been plaguing the game for a while now: drones sticking to surfaces. Since this has been a long standing issue, and some of you might wonder why this wasn’t fixed earlier, we wrote a blogpost explaining the issue, the challenges and the solution we will provide in the next update. As is often the case, things that seem easy, can be quite complex behind the scenes. We are excited to share some of our thought processes with you and we can’t wait to get your feedback on the new drone collision improvements. Read all about it here!


    [ 2017-08-10 11:29:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.9 released!


    ImmersionRC has always been a great supporter of the project and good friend of the team at LuGus Studios. Their contribution to the FPV community is unmistakable and their motivation and approach to supporting project like Liftoff is a great example of what we love about the FPV scene in general. It’s not just about racing, it’s about supporting each other, contributing to a community of people who share the same passion. Update 0.10.9 is dedicated to ImmersionRC’s flagship products: the Vortex drones. Not only do we bring a brand new Vortex model to Liftoff, but we are also giving the old Vortex content in Liftoff some much needed attention.

    CHANGELIST


    • Added the new Vortex 180
    • Complete rework of original Vortex 285
    • Adding recolorable functionality to the Vortex 285
    • Added new 1407 – 3500kv motor
    • Added a new skin for the Vortex 150, dedicated to Flite Test
    • Minor bugfixes

    ANALYTICS


    We have done a rework and upgrade of our analytics system. In order to get good feedback on early access games, developers not only depend on direct feedback from individual players. They can also collect global player data to find out how they play the game: what players like, what they don’t like, what features and content they use the most. This information can be used to direct the future developments of the game. While this has no instant effect on the player, in the long run this information benefits everyone, including you! To illustrate what we can do: we can learn what the preferred settings are related to god mode, OSD, flight mode and so on. This knowledge can help us figure out what settings should be on by default. We can also learn what type of environments and tracks players like in general, so we can focus on creating more of these in the future. Knowledge is everything and getting feedback from the player is key to this. Don’t worry though, we are not collecting data on a personal level and can’t see your individual actions in the game. Everything we receive is anonymous, global player data that allows us to make better development decisions.


    [ 2017-08-07 14:58:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.8 released!


    The last few weeks we have been in contact with the great people at Teal to bring you all the Teal Sport drone in Liftoff. When we first saw it, we fell in love with its unique looks: all shiny, clean design, small little details to highlight its organic design, animated LEDS... it's just fancy! We immediately knew this drone should be available in Liftoff and luckily the team at Teal shared the same vision. In addition to the new drone, we've added some new parts to go along with it: an antenna, a motor, a propeller and some new cameras. Last but not least: what better way to test out a new drone than by trying it on a new track? Once again we release a new official track designed by the beloved DerHonk, to give Minus Two some extra love. Enjoy!

    Changelist:


    • Added Teal Sport frame
    • Added 2 new cameras
    • Added 1 new antenna
    • Added a new motor variation
    • Added a new type of propeller
    • Added the Teal Sport setup as a new Blueprint
    • Added new official track to Minus Two (by DerHonk)
    • Prevented the use of certain invalid characters for Liftoff Pro League usernames
    Minor bugfixes


    [ 2017-07-27 20:55:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.7 in memory of Blue Falcon


    Update 0.10.7 is an update dedicated to the community. We celebrate two beautiful people, Christian Schweda (DerHonk) who has become a respected track creator for Liftoff and the famous JC Culpepper (Project Blue Falcon) who shared his wisdom and passion for the sport but sadly passed away last week.

    CHANGELIST


    • Added new Blue Falcon skin for the Le Hyphy frame dedicated to JC Culpepper
    • Added new official Straw Bale and Pine Valley tracks and races designed by DerHonk
    • Fixed issue with mouse cursor being visible during play
    • Fixed issue that prevented you from changing camera angle in-game

    PROJECT BLUE FALCON


    About a week ago Liftoff was featured on the Project Blue Falcon channel run by JC Culpepper. JC seemed to really enjoy it and the team was excited to see Liftoff featured on a great channel. Soon after the video appeared on his channel, we were contacted by some of our community members who told us JC had just passed away. This is very sad news: JC was a much respected Youtube content creator, dedicated to sharing his passion for FPV racing. He will be missed greatly by everyone! All love and sympathy to JC’s family and friends.

    NEW OFFICIAL TRACKS BY DERHONK


    DerHonk doesn’t need an introduction. Anyone who has played multiplayer or downloaded tracks from the Steam Workshop has come across his amazing track creations. It’s fair to say the team at LuGus Studios is a huge fan of his work. Players are as excited about seeing one of his track being released as about the official updates for the game, which says a lot! Seeing how DerHonk plays such a huge role providing great content for Liftoff, we decided to make it official. For the last few weeks DerHonk has been hard at work creating new official tracks for Liftoff. In our 0.10.7 update we are releasing two of these tracks: one in Straw Bale and one in Pine Valley. His tracks follow the design rules set by the team, and focus on clean visuals and a nice flow, with both technical and speedy sections. While these official tracks won’t be as fantastical and over-the-top as some of his hobby creations, you can rest assured, he’s also still making and sharing those on a regular basis on the Steam Workshop!


    [ 2017-07-05 16:03:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.6 released!


    This is an update dedicated to our friends at The International Drone Racing Association (IDRA) who are using Liftoff to demonstrate drone racing to their audiences at IDRA events. Last month IDRA organised the Dover Internationals as part of the 2017 Drone Racing Series. We are excited to have the track available in Liftoff, including the original track elements. Enjoy!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added 10 new IDRA themed items to the track build
    • Added Dover Internationals – IDRA track and race
    • Added Paris Drone Festival Tournament winner names to the Paris Drone Festival environment.
    • Fixes some collision bugs in Hannover environment (thanks Thomas De Vos)
    • Other minor bug fixes


    [ 2017-07-03 19:48:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Experimental Input


    As you may have noticed from prior teaser footage, we are in the process of doing a complete overhaul of our input system. We’re stepping away from the Unity input to use a plugin that provides native input support for each target platform (I.e. Windows, OSX, Linux).

    OUR GOALS


    We want to bring an end to the struggle of getting your controller to work. We’re using a system that can automatically detect when a controller is plugged in, and for well-known controllers we will provide default settings. This means remotes such as the Taranis will work out of the box, without changing settings on the remote or calibrating in game. Controllers that we do not provide default settings for can be calibrated using our new, user friendly, calibration tool. We are also focusing on providing the ability to use all of those switches on your remotes. Eventually, you’ll be able to assign a switch to any action in game such as changing flight mode or reset. As an added bonus we will also support hot-plugging, meaning controllers can be swapped in and out in-game.

    WHAT IS THE EB AND HOW CAN I GET IT?


    A dedicated blogpost about the Experimental Branch (EB), and instructions on how to get it can be found here: Experimental Branch information & instructions

    CURRENT EB VERSION


    We’re not quite finished, but we reached a point where your feedback is valuable. In this first experimental branch version we’ll be focusing on the detection and calibration of remotes. We’ve provided default settings for the Taranis, Turnigy evolution, Sony Dual Shock 4 and Xbox One controller (more will follow). These should be detected automatically and you should be able to fly without calibrating anything. For other controllers, we have the new calibration tool. Just follow the streamlined instructions and you should be ready for flight in less than a minute. Saved calibrations will be loaded automatically next time the controller is plugged in. For now we are not supporting reassigning buttons, either from keyboard or from the remote. This will be ready for testing soon.

    YOUR FEEDBACK


    We are happy to invite you to our subforum dedicated to the Experimental Branch. We would love your feedback on the following points:
    • Is your controller detected? If not, please let us know which controller/dongle you are using.
    • In case of one of the predefined controllers (Taranis, Turnigy evolution, Sony Dual Shock 4 and Xbox One): does it work out of the box? (Mind the note about Taranis)
    • Are the instructions in the new calibration tool clear?
    • Are there any issues when using the new calibration tool?
    • After saving a calibration, does it load automatically?
    • Does the game recognize plugging in/out a controller in-game? You should get a notification about this.
    Note: If you use a Taranis that is setup to work with the previous version of Liftoff (meaning settings are changed to use half of the range) you should create a new profile. We’ve set it up to work with the default values so that a new Taranis will work out of the box.


    [ 2017-06-28 11:35:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.5 released!


    With the feature list of Liftoff getting more complete with every update, we are putting more focus on quality content. 0.10.5 adds more track variations to the game, thanks to our partnership with Formula FPV!

    Changelist:


    • Added 10 new FormulaFPV track elements to the track builder
    • Added FormulaFPV race to Liftoff Arena as an official track
    • Added game functionality for track elements with two checkpoints.
    • Fixed collision issues in Paris Drone Festival
    • Increased Paris Drone festival level bounds for walking mode, you can now walk outside the cage.
    • Fixed stage asset not turning up in Paris Drone Festival
    • Minor bugfixes

    FormulaFPV


    Liftoff is all about bringing communities together and partnering up with great organisations like FormulaFPV allows us to do exactly that. Thanks to this partnership we can bring you some exciting new FormulaFPV track elements to the game. We can't wait to see what the track building community does with them. Furthermore we've recreated the FormulaFPV track from the July race in Amsterdam in the game as an official Liftoff racetrack. This new official track can be found in the Liftoff Arena. Hope you like it!


    [ 2017-06-22 21:46:10 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.4 released!


    The Paris Drone Festival was amazing, and now you can participate too! With 0.10.4 we release a complete new environment to race in. Who will be the fastest pilot of Paris?!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added Paris Drone Festival environment
    • Added Paris Drone Festival track and race
    • Added five new track elements to the track building tool
    • Implemented new method of dealing with height limits
    • Ghost drones now fly smooth again, using interpolation
    • Fixed issue with the spawn point selection menu in Free Flight
    • Fixed clipping issues of drone in main menu
    • Linux: disabled Vulkan support for better compatibility

    PARIS DRONE FESTIVAL


    The long awaited Paris Drone Festival environment is finally available for everyone to enjoy. The original plan would allow players to fly inside the flight cage of the festival, but the team went the extra mile to make the environments around it available as well. Enjoy!

    HEIGHT LIMITS


    Many community requests have to do with Liftoff’s environment border system. Rest assured, the team at LuGus Studios is not a fan of level borders either. It’s human nature to want to explore and to know what’s behind the next hill. Liftoff was never built to be an open world exploration game, but as a race game centered around race tracks. There’s a certain degree of immersion that needs to be maintained, much like how you are not allowed to wander behind the scenes at an amusement in the interest of preserving the magic of the place so that’s why we will never remove the borders completely. Nonetheless there’s much room for improvement and with update 0.10.4, we introduce a new way of dealing with the height limits in our environments. No longer can you fly too high, resulting in a hard respawn at the start point. We’ve introduced something we call a “soft invisible ceiling”, and while the name could suggest you would hit a ceiling when you fly too high, in practice this invisible ceiling only affects your throttle output. Your drone will simply refuse to fly higher, which gets rid of the reset function we have in place before. When you reach the maximum height, you can now continue to fly as you like, as long as it’s not “up”.


    [ 2017-06-16 21:15:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

    1000 Custom Tracks!


    The Liftoff community has reached an amazing milestones. More than a 1000 custom tracks for Liftoff have been created, using the in-game track building tools. With the constant official updates for the game and the large amount of community tracks being created every day, there's no lack of content to discover and enjoy in Liftoff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsAuc__Q_ys This video shows just a small collection of tracks, selected at random by the Liftoff team. Congratulations to everyone!


    [ 2017-06-16 09:44:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.3 released!


    Just like the previous update, version 0.10.3 is a small update that fixes some bugs and glitches. As the team is gearing up for the Paris Drone Festival, our update progress might slow down a bit for the next few weeks, however there’s exciting things in development, like battery management, improved input and calibration functionality, a freestyle mode, player progression, new environments, frames and so much more.

    CHANGELIST:


    • Fixed bug in dropdowns where values would disappear
    • Updated Borum frame visuals
    • Fixed camera tilt value not showing up when editing a camera.
    • Fixed issue in multiplayer where it was possible to spectate crashed players
    • Fixed multiplayer player icon not turning grey when player crashed
    • Fixed visual glitches between propellers and motors.
    • Linux: possible black screen fix. (let us know!)


    [ 2017-05-17 21:58:29 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.10.2 released!


    Upgrading to the latest version of the Unity engine was a risky move. Each time we upgrade the engine, everything that once worked could be broken. During internal testing we had been able to identify and fix a lot of issues, however after the 0.10.1 update the community showed us we had some more work to do. This update is all about fixing annoying bugs introduced by our engine upgrade.

    CHANGELIST:


    • Fixed chat bar in multiplayer race results screen
    • Fixed join room by name input field
    • Fixed the main menu community links
    • Fixed tournament gold bar to not appear before the end of the tournament
    • Tournament winner gold bar sticks to the bottom of the screen now
    • Fixed issue in the key binding popup that would struggle to register a new key
    • Added a dropdown menu to select a target display in the graphics menu
    • Added option to alter resolution from the player’s config file instead of going through a registry edit. Changing the resolution from the config file is applied in the splash screen.
    • Linux users: a pre-calibration pop-up has been added to the input calibration menu. A link to a guide to restore your remote’s functionality is available there.

    RESOLUTION ISSUES?


    We noticed some players love to experiment with exotic screen resolutions and screen setups, especially considering the use of FPV goggles to play Liftoff. In some cases, some settings might make things hard to get back to normal. If, for some reason you can’t seem to restore your resolution to a desired value, you can change 2 values inside System.xml found in the game’s Config folder. The 2 relevant fields here are: resolutionWidth and resolutionHeight. Setting these fields will set the resolution to your desired values upon the next restart of the game How to find the System.xml file:
    • Windows: Liftoff_Data -> Config
    • MacOS: Right click on Liftoff.app -> Show Package Contents -> Contents -> Config
    • Linux: Liftoff_Data -> Config

    LINUX ISSUES


    When Liftoff got updated to version 0.10.1, it received an engine upgrade under the hood. For Windows and MacOS, this upgrade went mostly seamless, but Linux users that train with an RC remote will have noticed that their remotes weren’t giving input any longer to the game. The underlying cause for this change is that, with the engine upgrade, SDL2 is now part of the input stack for controllers. This library is mainly aimed at existing game controllers with a fairly standard layout for axes and buttons. However, RC remotes rarely adhere to such a game controller standard (heck, there isn’t even a standard among RC remotes themselves…), and as a result, don’t work out of the box any longer. The team has written a dedicated guide related to this issue. This guide will pace you through the software needed and steps to take to get your controllers working again. At the end, if you got your controller working again and are feeling generous, you can share your result with the Liftoff development team to ease the pain of others that are in the same situation as you. As there are almost an endless amount of different controllers out there, no one can pre-calibrate them all, but your result can help others. Furthermore we’ve also temporary created a branch allowing Linux users to return to the 0.10.0 version for a short while. This branch is called “linux0.10.0″ and is only for Linux users. We considered to be a temporary alternative. To get access to the linux0.10.0 branch you have to change some “Properties” settings on Steam. To do this, follow these steps: [olist]
  • Right click on Liftoff in your Steam Library
  • Click Properties
  • In the Properties menu, click the “BETAS” tab [/olist]


    [ 2017-05-12 08:39:33 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Update 0.10.1 released!


    The release of the 0.10.0 update was a huge milestone for us and we have received some well founded and constructive feedback from the community. The team didn't hesitate to get started on a new update that further improves the new features. We also did a much needed upgrade of the project to the latest version of the Unity engine. This upgrade will open up new doors for us in the future, related to new features, content but most of all optimisation work.

    Changelist


    • Fixed a propeller asset being inverted.
    • Added 5 more propellers.
    • Updated 2 motor visuals (Lumiere & Freezer).
    • Added 2 new motors.
    • Added HORIZON mode (press "A" to switch).
    • Fixed first 10% of throttle now functioning (thanks @ community feedback!).
    • Lowered player icons in multiplayer to prevent overlap with the new speed indicator.
    • Custom tracks en races are now possible in tournaments. More tournaments incoming!
    • Added the option to resend a verification e-mail for unverified LPL accounts.
    • Fixed button highlight colors of the BetaFlight menu in the workbench.
    • Updated the different pause menu panels to be more consistent in white-spaces.
    • Fixed text ticker issue in the tournaments lobby.
    • Fixed the screen fader that it is always on the foreground.
    • Fixed button texts in the BetaFlight menu and TrackEditor menu. Upgraded project to latest Unity version:
    • Improved lighting across the board.
    • Overall performance increase.
    • Fixed potential shader issues.

    Propwashed Spring Tournament winner!


    We are happy to see the latest Liftoff Pro League tournament was a huge success! This tournament was dedicated to our friends at Propwashed, our favourite FPV quadcopter website. They've been kind enough to provide some cool prizes: tshirts, stickers and a micro quadcopter! How awesome is that?! Congratulations to the winner of the tournament: Ofordo Make sure to check their website www.propwashed.com and giving them a like on Facebook!


    [ 2017-05-06 12:09:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

    MILESTONE 0.10.0 RELEASED!


    Our 10th Milestone update is finally ready. Coincidentally, it’s also the 50th update since our first Early Access release! As this is likely our update with the biggest amount of changes, we hope it doesn’t disappoint. This update has been created together with you, the community, and is the result of months of developing, tweaking and testing. Included: new flight behaviour, Betaflight-inspired FC settings, new frame, many fixes and so much more!

    CHANGELIST


    With an update this cool a regular changelist wouldn’t be very fitting. That’s why we decided to created two changelists, because two is always better than one! Flight behaviour changes
    • Updated calculations for lift and RPM
    • Changing drone parts now has more predictable results
    • Updated aerodynamic effects: drag, ground effects, propwash, …
    • Updated calculations of drone setup surface area
    • Propellers now influence cornering behaviour
    • Updated flight controller to work with Betaflight values
    • New flight controller settings window inspired by Betaflight
    • Updated stick response for pitch, roll and yaw
    • New presets for flight controller, created by VINCBEE
    • Increased physics simulation speed for more stable results
    • Updated propeller parts to have the correct diameter (no more clipping through frames)
    • Changed FOV selection: now provides direct angle selection instead of predefined lens sizes
    • Showing speed during flight in HUD
    Other changes and additions
    • Added VINCBEE frame
    • Added X-Storm motor
    • Added new 5×4 propellers
    • Added VINCBEE Blueprint setup
    • Top 3 race times in Singleplayer are now stored per race. Adjusted the screen at the end of a race accordingly.
    • Menu panels now fade at the edges. Should be easier for new player to find out more content can be found by scrolling to the right.
    • Player’s color icon in multiplayer rooms has been fixed to be smaller again.
    • Fixed lighting in main menu
    • Changed the level selection menu to use dynamic backgrounds instead of a static image
    • Single lap ghost drone now uses the same setup as the player
    • Added a golden banner in LPL on finished tournaments, highlighting the winner.
    • Improved backend system performance. Online features should load faster now.
    • Reset all race results from the leaderboards
    • Wipe your fleet collection
    • Added a (one time) information popup in the fleet window.
    • Minor bugfixes.

    BIG THANKS!


    While its fair to say we have all of you to thank for reaching this point, there’s some people especially who we want to highlight. First of all we have been honored with a visit from Tony Cake and Chad Nowak . They both have been crucial in helping us get started with some major changes to the way our flight behaviour works internally. Of course feedback from community members and friends like Frederic Giacomaggi who visited us, have been a great support to us. Additionally, it was that the help from our friend and personal hero,VINCBEE, that made the biggest difference in getting Liftoff to where it is right now. Every week for the last 3 months, he’s been coming to the studio to advise, brainstorm and test out each new internal development version. It bears mentioning that his contribution has been so big, that if everything turns out to be wrong, he’s responsible for it! As a little quid pro quo, we’ve added his own personal VINCBEE frame to the game. Enjoy!


    [ 2017-04-21 16:29:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    ATTENTION: BIG CHANGES INCOMING!


    We want to thank all of you who tested the latest experiments on the Experimental Branch and sent us feedback. After months of working on changes for the fight behaviour we've finally reached a point where everyone wants to see these changes being part of the main version of the game. This was the reaction we had been hoping for and we consider this to be a "go" from the community to introduce these big changes to the game. Thank you! Changing up the flight behaviour and physics has a big impact on the game and consequently will affect anything related to it. Flying in Liftoff will feel like a new game and should be considered a fresh start. As a result, we want to inform you that for the first time in Liftoff development we will be resetting a couple of systems. We are readying our next milestone update (0.10.0) that will introduce all these changes. Update 0.10.0 will be a point of no return. It's important to know that this is a drastic change to how the game works internally and switching back to old systems is not a possibility. Because of this big change, we felt it was important to include the community in making these decisions. You've made clear you want these changes to be part of the main game and we are excited about that! :) Allowing the community to test a development version of the game (EB) and help us decide when to add changes to the main version allowed you once more to direct the future of the project. We are proud of being able to do this and we feel this is the only good way to do Early Access development!

    Important changes!


    It's important to be aware that pushing these changes to the main version of the game will be considered a fresh start. We'll be resetting the following game systems:
    • New Flight Behaviour and physics
    • Completely new way of tuning setups
    • All your old fleet setups will be obsolete and as a result will get wiped in 0.10.0
    • All leaderboard results will be wiped as they don't represent a correct race result in 0.10.0


    [ 2017-04-19 11:08:28 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.9.2 released!


    While the Liftoff team is hard at work on future content and big features, update 0.9.2 is a small update focusing on polish and some additional fixes.

    CHANGELIST


    • Added race checkpoint direction indicator (clamps onto screen edges). Should be easier to find checkpoints now.
    • Added tournament status indicator in the LPL lobby. Live tournaments are tagged with a green indicator.
    • Tournaments now are sorted in the LPL lobby based on activity status.
    • Relevant tournaments are found on the left.
    • Added a text ticker in tournament rooms, adding additional news information to each tournament.
    • Fixed asphalt assets in Hannover to have correct collisions.
    • Small optimisation improvements for Hannover environment.
    • Fixed issue with time zone conversion in tournaments.
    • Minor bugfixes


    [ 2017-04-07 08:34:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.9.1 released!


    Releasing a milestone update is like selling a fancy race car full of new features and content. The 0.9.1 update is like the polish to make it smooth and shiny. This update mainly consists of fixes and improvements to newly introduced aspects of the game. Meanwhile we are readying new content and features for future updates.

    Changelist


    • Optimized multiplayer menu functionality
    • Multiplayer rooms now correctly re-appear in the multiplayer lobby.
    • Fixed issue with the content loading in the multiplayer lobby.
    • Fixed issue in the multiplayer lobby when not online on Steam.
    • Fixed issue with the Back buttons in the multiplayer race results menu.
    • Added tab navigation to buttons in multiplayer menus.
    • Fixed being stuck with black screen when changing flight controller settings of a blueprint setup.
    • Fixed issue with sharing tracks created for the Hannover environment.
    • Made hangar gates in HangarC03 visible again
    • Fixed issue with colliders on tower in Hannover environment. These caused unavoidable propeller damage at the start of the Hannover race with certain drone setups.
    • Detailed certain areas in the Hannover environment and fixed minor glitches.
    • Fixed issue where propeller sounds disappeared when opening and closing the pause menu in certain ways.
    • Added Hannover background to main menu
    • Added Workshop image for Hannover tracks
    • Increased Hannover max height by 50%
    • Added 10 Kloppokoppter stickers in the Hannover environment. (happy hunting!)
    Stay tuned for more!


    [ 2017-03-31 19:35:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.9.0 released!


    Over the last few days the team has worked literally day and night to get update 0.9.0 out of the door! This milestone update is dedicated to our participation at CeBIT 2017 and introduces new content and features. Enjoy!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added Hannover environment
    • Added HannoverTrack01
    • Added HannoverRace01
    • Added Liftoff Pro League (early release)
    • Added CeBIT2017 tournament
    • Added extra cheat prevention systems to the race time functionality
    • Minor bug fixes
    Don’t forget to check our changes to the flight behaviour on the Experimental Branch (EB). These changes are not yet part of the main 0.9.0 release, but will eventually be merged with our main branch developments.

    HANNOVER ENVIRONMENT


    We know you guys wanted some new environments and with the release of the Hannover environment we didn’t want to disappoint. This environment has been in the works for more than three months and is not like any other content addition to the game. It’s anything you could wish for in an environment, a huge map with open spaces, high buildings and lots of interesting freestyle opportunities. Moreover, like some other environments such as Minus Two and Dubai Legends, the Hannover environment is based on an existing location in Germany where the famous yearly CeBIT technology fair takes place. The whole Liftoff dev team will be present at CeBIT and it will be exciting for us to explore a place that’s also in the game. As with any update with Liftoff, especially big content updates, we expect some things to still to be rough around the edges. You can expect us to polish and optimize this level in the next updates. As always, feedback is much appreciated!

    LIFTOFF AT CEBIT 2017


    While not directly update news, it’s worth mentioning the complete development team will travel to Hannover (Germany) for a full week. With the help of our friends at Intel, we’ll be demoing the latest version of Liftoff at the CeBIT 2017 event from 20/03 to 24/03. We’ll make sure to share some pictures of the event on our Facebook page! If you are visiting the event, we’ll be glad to meet you at our booth in Hall 17.

    LAUNCHING THE LIFTOFF PRO LEAGUE


    We talked about it in a past blogpost, but with the launch of 0.9.0 i’ts finally here! Your chance to become a professional Liftoff pilot starts now. The Liftoff Pro League (LPL) service in Liftoff will allow you to participate in tournaments organised by the Liftoff team, by partners, and by the community. We have a complex and ever-expanding system running in the background, which offers us the opportunity to grow the Liftoff Pro League into something truly special. This initial release is all about testing out these systems. CeBIT 2017 tournament: With the launch of the LPL service, we are organising our first experimental tournament, taking place in the new Hannover environment and running at the same time as the CeBIT 2017 event. The goal of this first tournament is to give you a taste of what’s to come in the future while testing out the systems and features needed to support and grow the service in the future. This is just a first glimpse of the power of the service. Expect it to change the way you play competitive Liftoff games. So how does this new tournament work? When entering the CeBIT 2017 tournament section of the game, you’ll notice the tournament leaderboard that shows the current ranking. The way to win the tournament is to have the #1 spot by the end of the tournament. As a player you get two options:
    • Practice: You can practice flying the race, following the tournament rules (defined on the tournament section) as many times as you want. Your results are not logged on the leaderboard.
    • Participate: Your best result will be logged on the leaderboard. You only get a limited amount of participation runs. Once these are used up, your top time will be counted as your final result. Make sure to practice the track before you participate in the tournament. Good luck!
    As this first tournament is considered a test, and things can go wrong (fingers crossed!), we are not announcing a big prize for this tournament yet. However the winner of the tournament will be send some fun Liftoff goodies! May the bets pilot win!


    [ 2017-03-19 05:11:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff Pro League announced!


    In November 2016we wrote about our vision for Liftoff to be an e-sports game. That vision is now slowly becoming reality. Today we are happy to announce the Liftoff Pro League! The Liftoff Pro League is an initiative to help turn the top Liftoff players into professional Liftoff pilots. For those inspired to make a name in the drone racing world, racing in Liftoff will be as much a career choice as flying a real drone. The Liftoff Pro League will help you become a professional player by offering a service completely integrated in Liftoff.

    A GROWING SERVICE


    Our plans will take off in March 2017 with the release of the very first integrated Liftoff tournament, available on the Liftoff Pro League service. What you’ll see in the first update is just the tip of the iceberg. The iceberg, in this case, is a robust and scaleable platform that will expand over the coming months to provide everything a professional player would need: different types of tournaments, bracket systems, options to organize your own tournaments, rewards and prizes, player progression and so much more. The first features are expected to be available in the CeBIT update later this week!

    HOW TO BECOME A LIFTOFF PRO LEAGUE PILOT?


    Once the update is available, any Liftoff pilot can join. Simply go to the Liftoff Pro League tab in the multiplayer section, create a LPL account and start competing in tournaments. Your personal account will store your race results for Liftoff and any future Liftoff related projects. Eventually you’ll be able to create your own tournaments, subscribe to others, participate in league rankings and win awesome prizes.

    CEBIT 2017 TOURNAMENT


    Together with the launch of this system, we are proud to reveal the first Pro League Tournament: CeBIT 2017. This first tournament allows you to test your mettle as a soon-to-be competing pilot and offers us the opportunity to test the new core systems. The tournament will be available in the Liftoff Pro League section of the game and will run from the 18th to the 24th of March. More info to come in the next days!


    [ 2017-03-14 18:40:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Experimental Branch


    We are launching a separate optional branch of the game, available to the public for testing purposes. This Experimental Branch (EB) can be accessed by anyone, but can be completely ignored in favour of playing the more polished main versions of the game. Versions available on the EB will contain experimental features and content and will likely be unpolished and buggy. As a result, we do not recommend using these versions as your go-to version of the game for playing and competing. They do, however, allow us to test faster and get you as the player even more involved with the development of Liftoff.

    WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:


    • The Experimental Branch (EB) should be used for testing purposes only.
    • At any time you can switch back to the main version of the game. We recommend doing this after testing.
    • Versions on the game on the EB can be expected to be unpolished, buggy and unbalanced.
    • It is to be expected that not all game features work on the EB.
    • Features and updates available on the EB are not guaranteed to make it to the main branch of the game.
    • The dev team is not expected to give dedicated support for experimental game versions available on the EB.
    • By participating on the EB you are expected to share feedback (not feature requests) with the developers on dedicated forums.
    • Each version of the game on the EB has specific goals and focuses. These will be outlined on the dedicated EB forums.
    • Content and features in the EB should not be used for review or promo purposes.

    GOALS OF EB


    While the Early Access status allows us to release regular updates to expand and improve the game, it does not allows us to experiment on a large scale. We always have to make sure that each update leaves the game in a functional, playable and enjoyable state. We also can’t introduce experimental content and features and remove them later if they prove not to meet our requirements. While Liftoff is still considered a game in development, each version should function as a finished product. This puts a lot of extra pressure on our development team. It means we have to work on polish before we can test out a feature or content on a large scale. Considering we have had an update out on average every 10 days, it’s not wrong to think that 5 of those days are spent on adding features and content, and 5 on polishing to get everything to a product-worthy state. The Experimental Branch allows us to release experimental features and content much faster for testing, without having to worry too much about polish yet. It also allows us to break the game to a certain extent if needed, and try out features that we are not sure should make it to the final game yet. For the dev team it means we have more freedom, for the player it means they can have an even bigger impact on the development and progress of the game.

    HOW TO PARTICIPATE


    To get access to the Experimental Branch you have to change some “Properties” settings on Steam. To do this, follow these steps: [olist]
  • Right click on “Liftoff” in your Steam Library
  • Click “Properties”
  • In the “Properties” menu, click the “BETAS” tab
  • Select “Experimental Branch” in the dropdown menu
  • Check the EB forums for information about the latest version
  • Happy testing! [/olist]


    [ 2017-03-06 23:27:13 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Update 0.8.4 released!


    Just like the previous update, 0.8.4 contains features, content and fixes. We are not just adding new things but are also improving and upgrading existing systems and features to feel and look more polished.

    CHANGELIST


    • Visually upgraded the main menu to look freaking awesome! Your currently selected drone setup is shown.
    • Added the Fibonacci frame, a uniquely tilted four inch quadcopter.
    • Added a new FPV camera, specifically for the new Fibonacci frame.
    • Added option to disable drone trails for you (multiplayer and ghost). They are still visible for other players.
    • Added option to change camera angle in-game, before arming the drone (arrow keys). This angle is not saved and will reset back to your workbench setting next time.
    • Allow to change camera angle in-game (not in workbench) to go beyond the hard limits. (temporary feature)
    • Improved and updated scroll functionality and speed in menus.
    • Fixed Sleek frame to always start in Acro mode instead of 3D mode.
    • Automatically make chat input active when entering a multiplayer room or when spectating.
    • Added functionality to “tab” between text fields in menus (example: drone name and description in workbench).
    • Minor bugfixes.

    FIBONACCI FRAME


    This unique new frame is all about the looks, but does not perform poorly either. It’s designed by Sander Nysten, the genius behind the Aether and the Sleek. Just like his other frames, the Fibonacci is an existing “open source” frame, free for everyone to recreate. This is what Sander wants to share about the design: [quote=Sander Nysten] The rationale behind this frame was fairly straightforward. I was looking at some new generation frames, which seemed to heavily rely on aerodynamics and which incorporated a number of unconventional features. My aim was to come up with a similarly unconventional frame, but make it more aesthetically pleasing. Design is often about making compromises. Some frames are geared towards performance, while others are more durable, more user-friendly, more aesthetically pleasing, and so on. So I made it clear for myself that I would put the visuals in the first place, even if it performance and user-friendliness would suffer. That was a personal choice at that point in time. However, the frame turned out as it is today. Although the narrow frame doesn’t make it easy to work on, the performance is outstanding. So although it might look like I designed this frame to be aerodynamically efficient, this was mostly done because it looks interesting and different from what we are used to. This frame was designed to look nice and to inspire others. Feel free to build upon this design and share it. I want to learn from you as well! Enjoy! [/quote]

    FLIGHT BEHAVIOUR AND PHYSICS


    Those following us on Facebook might have noticed we got a visit from ImmersionRC godfather Anthony Cake and Rotor Riot legend Chad Nowak. They came here for Belgian fries and beers, and in between also to test out some of the things we have been working on: Liftoff Vantage, stunt mode, and most of all an improved flight behaviour and physics implementation. While we won’t go into much detail yet, we are happy to reveal that, based on your continuous feedback and that of our friends mentioned above, we are making some interesting changes to our simulation code. We are also happy to announce that world champion VincBee is joining the Liftoff team to help us test and improve changes to the flight behaviour and help us with other Liftoff projects too. We won’t introduce the new flight behaviour in a drastic way. Instead, we will create an open experimental test branch of the game on Steam, accessible to anyone interested in trying it out and giving us feedback. Only when these changes feel 100% good will we add them to the main version of the game. We are not ready to reveal these changes yet, but you can expect to try them in the near future. More information soon!


    [ 2017-02-17 14:57:43 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.8.3 released!


    With close to 50 updates during Early Access, development is slowly coming to an end… right? Wrong! As we continue working on the project we constantly expand the vision of the project based on your feedback and suggestions. Thanks to your continuous support, we can keep improving and expanding the game. We have plans for many months of development still ahead of us.

    CHANGELIST


    • Added recolorable propellers
    • Added option to customize propeller colours individually or all at once
    • Added option to automatically skip goggle animation
    • Updated lipo artwork to look better and more realistic
    • Added AmpAge 4S Lipo (perfect for Vortex 150 Mini)
    • Updated list of tips in the loading screen
    • Updated Early Access popup message at start
    • Tweaked total weight of Vortex 150 Mini
    • Small changes to pause menu
    • Fixed bug with black screen when editing flight controller settings on a blueprint
    • Minor bugfixes

    CHANGING PROP COLORS


    Work on the new Workbench is not yet completely finished. With this update we add the option to choose the color of your propellers in the Workbench, to allow for even more visual customization. So what is this useful for? Of course it’s an extra option to make your drone look even more unique and show off in races. There’s also a very practical reason for doing this. As our community keeps growing, so are the number of pilots who use Liftoff to practice LOS flight (press “B” in Free Flight). Using different colors for front and back propellers helps you get a better feel for direction.


    [ 2017-02-06 20:07:59 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.8.2 released!


    Fixes, features and content, 0.8.2 should be love at first sight with a new frame, 3D flight mode, support for exotic screen resolutions and much more.

    CHANGELIST


    • Added 3D flight mode
    • (Hopefully) Fixed propellers breaking at start
    • New frame: Sleek
    • Improved LED visualization in workbench
    • Ultra-wide resolution support
    • Fixed menu bar slideout
    • Fixed UI inconsistencies
    • Minor bugfixes

    3D FLIGHT MODE


    No more are you limited to Level and Acro mode in Liftoff, you now have access to 3D flight mode by pressing the default “A” key in-game. 3D is an advanced flight mode, perfect for freestyle and stunts but hard to master. As with all new features in Liftoff we are always looking for good feedback. Are you an experienced 3D pilot, let us know how we can further improve this new flight mode!

    THE SLEEK


    In 0.8.1 we introduced you to the Aether from designer Sander Nysten, for 0.8.2 we introduce another one of his frames: The Sleek. The Sleek is a playful experimental frame design for recreational flight. Its definitely one of the most flashy frames, yet has its limitations. It’s fixed camera position will not appeal to all racers, however its the perfect frame for 3D flying. This is what Sander wanted to share about his design: [quote=Sander Nysten] The Sleek frame was conceptualized with the aim of creating a low-profile 210-sized racer that could easily be flown at night. The bottom plate is a carbon fiber and acrylic sandwich allowing light from internal LEDs to be refracted along the outer edges. The electronics are mounted in a rugged 3D-printed pod and covered with an aluminum top plate doubling as an additional heatsink for the video transmitter. [/quote]


    [ 2017-01-20 16:15:13 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.8.1 released!


    We hope you all had great holidays! With 0.8.1 we release the first update for 2017, including bug fixes and a all new x-frame to fly with.

    CHANGELIST


    • Added Aether frame
    • Added 5 new propellers
    • Fixed issue with saving flight controller settings of blueprint setups in flight
    • Fixed some drone setups getting stuck in ground
    • Fixed issue with ghost data not working
    • Changed “start game” button to “join game” button in free flight multiplayer
    • Changed color picking functionality in multiplayer waiting room. Last picked color remains active
    • Changed “My Fleet” icon
    • Fixed minor bugs

    Aether frame


    The Aether is a new 220-sized x-frame created by community member Sander Nysten. [quote=Sander Nysten] Aether was designed with the objective of creating an innovative, aesthetically pleasing and compact drone that could be easily and cheaply manufactured with the use of consumer grade CNC-machines such as a 3D-printer. The result is a sleek, 220-sized drone consisting of an exceptionally sturdy 3D-printed shell and a beefy bottom plate in either plywood or carbon fiber. As Aether is based on my specific, personal preferences, I will freely share the design files in the near future to anyone looking to tweak or customize the design to their own likings. By sharing my designs, I allow pilots to make and build their own real-life versions of the frames! [/quote]


    [ 2017-01-10 15:25:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.8.0 released!


    Finally! 4 Months of behind-the-scenes work to revamp a single feature of the game. Yet, the scale and impact of this feature cannot be underestimated. We are happy to release the new Liftoff workbench, with more features and more parts to tinker with!

    CHANGELIST


    • Added Drone Selection system: “Fleet” and “Blueprints”
    • Created new parts navigation system and interfaces in Workbench
    • Added Flight Controller Settings options to Workbench
    • Improved camera and zoom options in Workbench
    • Rework of all existing drone frames with new textures (to allow recoloring)
    • Added 3 new frames: Vortex 150, Mini, Borrum, Le Hyphy
    • Added Vortex Pro 275 variation (for Metall Danny skin)
    • Added 1 new propeler
    • Added 1 new motor
    • Added 3 action cams
    • Added 4 antennas
    • Added Frame skin system
    • Added option to edit drone parts
    • Added color options and color picker for parts and frames
    • Added propellers animation in Workbench
    • Added some background assets that change depending on the active feature
    • Improved and reworked LED system
    • Removed Metall Danny and Ummagawd frames
    • Added Metall Danny and Ummagawd skins
    • Added small Rotor Riot secret


      [ 2016-12-23 21:42:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.7.5 released!


    Milestone 0.8.0 is just around the corner, but not completely there yet. That doesn't stop us from releasing new updates for you. Update 0.7.5 is completely dedicated to community requests, including more track design options and spectator mode in Freeflight! Enjoy ^^

    Changelist:


    • Spectator is available for multiplayer freeflight. Press the player's icon in the game, or the spectate button in the pause menu. Reset to start flying again.
    • Added The Drawing Board building blocks
    • Obfuscated the Liftoff code to prevent / make it harder to actually cheat.
    • Encrypted all network messages being sent.
    • Fixed issue in the multiplayer freeflight where a player's status would be displayed incorrectly.
    • Fixed issue where the horizon line would still show during spectator mode.
    • Fixed issue where a player would get sent to spectator too abruptly (i.e. when a player finishes or crashes)
    • Fixed issue with the trail color picker in the waiting room where you could select the color of another player.
    • Fixed alignment issue with the multiplayer track and race selection panels.
    • Fixed other minor issues

    Building blocks for The Drawing Board


    The Liftoff community is full of creative minds. Not only did we just pass more than 500 unique community created tracks, we constantly get requests for more track items and even complete map building tools. While creating a complete map editor is currently out of our reach as a development team, we do hope this update includes something that gives you more design freedom. Specifically, but limited to The Drawing Board, we add building blocks to Liftoff. These building blocks are designed to fit the grid-based design of The Drawing Board and provided almost unlimited possibilities for the Liftoff creators. We definitely want to hear from you what Drawing Board building blocks you would like to see in future updates.

    Anti-cheat & security


    In past blog posts we mentioned our desire to further improve and stimulate online competition in Liftoff. Part of this is making sure everything is secure and happens correctly. We put great efforts in securing our code and making sure anyone with cheating intentions is going to have a hard time getting anything done. It means we are closer to doing official tournaments, and guaranteed winners based on secure race results. With all our multiplayer infrastructure becoming more mature, we are gearing up for great things to come!


    [ 2016-12-13 23:55:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.7.4 dedicated to Mr-Hcap


    Update 0.7.4 contains no new features, no content, no changelist. It is solely dedicated to a legend, the best pilot the Liftoff community has ever known: Jules Cuvelier, also known as Mr-Hcap. Some weeks after the sad news, we find that Mr-Hcap is still very much a part of our community. His Liftoff videos can be found on every page, group and forum dedicated to Liftoff. His speedy race results are still among the top times on the leaderboards. Most of all, the community still speaks of him daily. It’s as if Jules is still racing with us and with update 0.7.4 we’ve tried to make that a reality. Jules’ family was kind enough to send us some of his game files and we were excited to find Jules’ flight data in those files. This update contains his flight data, which can be activated in the Dubai Legends race by pressing “H”. Keep flying, Jules. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZvF-XZS--8


    [ 2016-12-09 13:25:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.7.3 released!


    Multiplayer Freeflight! …no need to say more: you ask, we deliver!

    CHANGELIST


    • Multiplayer Freeflight game mode is now available! Custom tracks are also available for play.
    • Multiplayer race auto-spectator room option has been removed. Idle players, or players who don’t hit a gate in 30 seconds will now go to spectator by default.
    • Multiplayer chat will now show how many unread messages there are when the chat is hidden.
    • Increased readability for many dropdown menus in the game.
    • Updated the multiplayer race pause menu to be more consistent with the other pause menus.
    • Added a multiplayer disconnect menu during flight that pops up when your network fails.
    • Added a small loading bar to several menus indicating the time remaining for loading tracks and races.
    • Custom track and race selection in the multiplayer room creation is now more efficient. The game only checks each item once now.
    • Minor bugfixes.
    Just like in singleplayer Freeflight mode, you can fly LOS in the multiplayer version by pressing "B" and walk around in the level by pressing "ENTER". All singleplayer functionality should be available on the multiplayer version too. As always, this feature is considered a work-in-progress and will be further improved in future updates. We are exited to get your feedback!


    [ 2016-12-02 17:16:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.7.2 released!


    As the Liftoff community is getting more organised, we noticed some room for improvement in the multiplayer experience. Online competition is all about getting a smooth experience. A split second of delay can have a big impact on your race performances. That’s what we’ve been focusing on with update 0.7.2. For the last few weeks we have been digging into our code, monitoring performance and rewriting some of our systems. This update should give a huge improvement in game performance, resulting in the game running smoother on any PC/Mac setup, an improved feel of the flight behaviour and an overall more enjoyable multiplayer experience. Check out our 0.7.2 changelist for more details.

    CHANGELIST


    • Overall performance improvement both in single player and multiplayer.
    • Frame-rate spikes during multiplayer game when a player joins are resolved.
    • No more frame-rate spikes during multiplayer race countdown.
    • Dynamic content loader is fixed. This makes the game respond instantly on startup if you have a lot of custom content.
    • Pause menu cannot be opened during screenfading. This prevents players from getting stuck in the game.
    • Fixed third-person LED color of your drone.
    • Extra option in room creation to send idle players to spectate mode if they don’t hit any gates in 30 seconds.
    • Increased time for players that are still racing after the first player finished (now 30 secs, was 20 secs).
    • Decreased time before players go to the results screen when pressing reset (now 2 secs, was 3 secs).

    0.8.0 AROUND THE CORNER


    On our Facebook page we’ve been teasing some of our work on the next milestone update 0.8.0. While we can’t put an exact date on this big update, things on the development side are looking great. 0.8.0 will introduce a completely revamped workbench, improving the usability of the feature, giving more customisation options, adding more frames and drone parts and making the Workbench feature something you want to spend a lot of time in. Exciting things to come!


    [ 2016-11-23 13:02:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.7.1 released!


    Things are changing! With our goal to put your drone setup at the center of the Liftoff experience, we are working on many new features and content. With lots of things in the works, we can't release everything at the same time. However, today we are happy that update 0.7.1 includes our new race results screen: a fancy freeze frame finish animation!

    Changelist


    • Added Freeze Frame Finish animation to Race mode
    • Added new airgates to Track Builder
    • Loading custom content now does not freeze your main menu on startup
    • Minor Textfixes
    • Minor Bugfixes

    New gates!


    Inspired by some of the awesome drone racing events we've seen over the last couple of months, in this update we add a couple of new air gates. I'm sure you'll all be enjoying these as the gates are not stuck to the ground but can be built in different height levels. We are excited to see what our track building community creates with these. Enjoy!


    [ 2016-11-04 18:01:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone update 0.7.0 released


    We can all agree, learning to fly FPV from scratch is really hard. Liftoff has been a great tool for many drone enthusiasts to get started, but we can do better. With 0.7.0 we introduce a completely new tutorial system, replacing the old (flawed) tutorial we had in the game. Learning to fly FPV both in real life as in Liftoff should now be even easier to do. We want to thank Adam Kobitz (aka Hyphpv) to help us create this new tutorial!

    CHANGELIST


    • Removed old tutorial
    • Created new tutorial system + 10 tutorial videos
    • Added ability to change room settings (and environment/track) while room exists
    • Made it possible to play custom tracks offline
    • Changed the way players get ordered in the room
    • Pressing escape in main menu no longer quits the game
    • Reduced maximum FPS in menus.
    • Minor bug fixes

    TUTORIAL


    Our old tutorial was an early and most of all experimental Liftoff feature. It didn’t take long for us to realise that this system was not that good and the best way to learn to fly was simply by training in free flight. While we focused on new features and content for months, improving our tutorial system has always been a major point on our to-do list. With the help of community member Adam Kobitz we finally found the time to put development time into this important aspect of the Liftoff experience. With the first iteration of this new tutorial, we hope to make it easier for new pilots to get started. It’s an important step in opening up the Liftoff experience to a wider audience and getting players without any piloting experience started as easily as possible. Of course we are always open to suggestions, and are quite interested in adding more tutorial videos to the system we have. Let us know what you think of the new tutorials and most of all what future videos you would love to see. Thanks!

    VIDEO CONTEST #2


    Our first video contest was exciting and the results amazing, so a second edition was a given! We are happy to organize this second edition of the video contest! Make sure to send in your video to win an exclusive custom Liftoff race flag! Check it out!


    [ 2016-10-18 14:42:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.6.10 released!


    Last weeks update was an important one, it’s one of many steps we plan on taking to improve and enhance the multiplayer experience from start to finish. To allow players to join ongoing games as spectator we had to change a lot of code under the hood and as a result we risked the possibility of breaking some things. We did… as a result 0.6.12 is all about fixing things.

    CHANGELIST


  • Fixed time synchronisation issues in multiplayer
  • Fixed custom tracks not downloading for host
  • Fixed possible crash issues
  • Fixed performance issues with camera noise effect
  • Fixed Dubai Legends water reset exploit
  • Updated the countdown in the waiting room to start the multiplayer game faster Stay tuned for more updates!


    [ 2016-10-08 06:59:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Update 0.6.10 released!


    LuGus Studios turns 5 and we celebrate by releasing our next Liftoff update. No new content for this update, yet it’s an important update nonetheless. Update 0.6.10 is all about improving the multiplayer user experience, creating and joining rooms should be a more pleasant experience. It’s an update many have been waiting for and we are happy to get it out to you. Our changelist looks short but this update, in our opinion, is big nonetheless.

    CHANGELIST


    • Multiplayer: you can now start a warmup game while waiting for players
    • Multiplayer: you can now join a game in progress as spectator
    • New song: Prixmae Acro
    • Minor bugfixes

    VIDEO CONTEST #2


    Our first video contest was exciting and the results amazing, a second edition was a given! We are more than happy to organise this second edition of the video contest! Check it out!


    [ 2016-09-30 18:18:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

    UPDATE 0.6.9 RELEASED!


    With every major update, a quick follow-up update often gets released. Update 0.6.9 includes a couple of fixes, some extra track building elements and a major fix to the calibration functionality.

    CHANGELIST


    • Fixed issue where camera noise was reset when crashing into water.
    • Added several types of fences and led arrows to the Track Builder.
    • In the Assisted workflow for creating a Controller Preset, axis visualizations now apply calibration instead of displaying the raw signal. This means certain controllers that output a very small range will now have a visible visualization, indicating calibration was successful.
    • Fixed a button in the top bar of the Controller Preset creation that was linked incorrectly.

    INSTEAD OF THIS, YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT…


    We love how everyone is passionate about the development of Liftoff. Everyone has great ideas and suggestions for the future of Liftoff and we very much appreciate you talking to us about it. Ofcourse when releasing an update we know that we’ll make a lot of players happy and disappoint others at the same time. Everyone wants their personal wishlist to become a reality and not every update makes it so. We often get asked why we released certain features and why we haven’t released others. So, we are sorry your favourite feature didn’t make it in the game yet. How do we decide our development priorities? We try to collect as much feedback as possible and always look at the bigger story. We focus on what the global community is asking. We are always working on multiple things and when something does not get released in an update, it does not mean it’s not being worked on behind the scenes. Naturally there’s also the factor of time and manpower, we have thousands of items on our to-do list and just a couple of things a team of 5 can work on at the same time. However we are looking at ways to expand our development team to get more things done at the same time. We are working on many things: bug fixes, improved flight behaviour, more environments, more drones, improved multiplayer experience, better visuals, more game modes… more of everything … and more


    [ 2016-09-16 15:26:03 CET ] [ Original post ]

    UPDATE 0.6.8 RELEASED


    At the dawn of the sport, legends were born. Now’s your chance to claim a place among the best in our new environment Dubai Legends.

    CHANGELIST


    • Dubai Legends environment track and race added
    • It’s now possible to delete tracks, races and controller presets.
    • You can now revert your controller preset settings to their previous state.
    • You can now reset your button bindings to default.
    • Added circular checkpoints to the Track Builder.
    • Fixed environment image sizes in level selection.
    • Minor bugfixes
    This update is also available on Linux


    [ 2016-09-15 15:03:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.6.7 released!


    Mistakes get made but mistakes also get fixed, that’s what this update is all about. Our programmers have been hard at work fixing issues that got introduced in the latest updates. Feel free to check the changelist underneath and let us know what you think. Enjoy!

    CHANGELIST


  • 6 Cell battery internal resistance updated to give more overall power.
  • Fixed bug that failed to upload custom tracks and races to the workshop.
  • Fixed issue where spectating a player that leaves would cause a crash or freeze of the game.
  • Fixed issue where content deleted on the Workshop would cause players to indefinitely wait for the download to complete.
  • In the room creation, custom content is checked first if it still exists on the workshop before it becomes selectable.
  • Fixed tutorial to now actually be playable (yes, again!)
  • Fixed closed room graphic where it would show too dark.
  • Fixed Scrollbar graphic in dropdowns.
  • Added room filter to filter for rooms with custom content


    [ 2016-09-06 16:46:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • UPDATE 0.6.6


    Having mastered the built-in tracks and setting top race times on the leaderboards, it’s now time for you to race others on your own turf! With update 0.6.6 we are excited to let you play the many tracks and races on the Steam Workshop in multiplayer! This version is also available on Linux!

    CHANGELIST


    • Custom Tracks and Races are now available for multiplayer
    • Subscribe to a race and track in the waiting room to also make them available in single player
    • Rate a multiplayer race while in the race results screen
    • Clicking the player icon in spectator mode to spectate that player
    • Fixed issue with the Race Editor where validating a race gave an error when the associated track’s checkpoints had changed
    • The leaderboards of the built-in races now also show the current month in which they are active
    • Minor bug fixes

    EXPANDING THE MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE


    You can now play your favorite user-created tracks and races in multiplayer! The lobby screen will label the rooms that have a custom race with a small Steam icon in the top left of the environment image. If you’re already subscribed to that race, it will show a star icon at the right of the environment image, so you can quickly see which races are familiar to you. Creating a room with a custom race is easy: any races that you have shared on or downloaded from the Steam Workshop are available for you to use in a multiplayer game. If you want to use your own Track and Race for a game, make sure you have your latest version shared on the Workshop first. Joining a room with a custom race will automatically download the necessary track and race for you to play. You’ll see a new cloud download button next to the Workshop title which allows you to subscribe to the race, also making it available for you in single player. At the end of the race, you are also able to upvote/downvote the race, giving creators some feedback on their work.

    LEADERBOARDS AND MONTHLY RESET


    The month of September is upon us, which means the leaderboards of built-in races once again have a clean sheet. The leaderboards shown in-game now display the race-times placed in September. If you have a craving to review your old glory, you can still visit the August leaderboards on Steam.


    [ 2016-09-02 15:09:26 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.6.5 released!


    Things are moving fast and Liftoff is getting closer to the vision we have for it. It’s just wonderful to start Liftoff, join a lobby and race with you guys. As with every update, 0.6.5 is the next step in adding content, fixing bugs and further fine-tuning our core features. We have many more things planned and Liftoff will continue to grow and evolve for months to come. For now, enjoy version 0.6.5!

    CHANGELIST


    • Race position list added during race and spectator mode.
    • Fixed an issue where the player character was visible in LOS mode under certain conditions
    • Added UmmaGawd Special Edition Vortex 250 frame (more frames soon!)
    • Added 3 new antenna assets (eye candy)
    • Added new motor
    • Added 2 new batteries
    • Added new propeller
    • Fixed tutorial not starting (again?)

    RACE POSITION LIST


    As of 0.6.5 you can now see how you are doing in multiplayer during a race. A list of player icons on the right side of the screen will show your position and the pilots who have been eliminated. You can enable and disable this function by pressing Tab. This function also shows up in spectator mode, so now you’ll be able to get a quick overview of the current state of the race.

    GAMESCOM


    Last week we went to one of the biggest game events in the world! Gamescom was one of the most intense experiences we’ve had in our career as developers so far. It was stressy and tiresome but most of all exciting, fun and very rewarding. We can’t wait for next year! We had multiple goals at Gamescom: we wanted to show the game press what Liftoff was all about and we wanted to talk to game publishers and platform holders. That’s exactly what we did, and more! We managed to have about 35 meetings in 3 days’ time and we learned a lot. First of all, Liftoff is hot and everyone is excited about it! We also got in contact with some of the biggest and smartest people in the industry and were offered a lot of help. More than ever we are excited about the future of Liftoff. I would like to thank everyone involved in making the Belgian Games Pavilion happen. Gamescom wouldn’t have been amazing without the help of Kirsty, Amy and Michael from SwipeRight PR. Big thanks to community member Holly Kreie, for inviting us to the Intel and ESL booth, and giving us a place to play and talk about Liftoff in the middle of the entertainment area. We should not forget to thank Swen Vincke and his team from Larian for including us in their exciting Divinity Original Sin II news and of course a huge thanks to all the wonderful people who helped us out at the event, I’m sure we’ll be introducing more of them in the near future


    [ 2016-08-26 10:36:10 CET ] [ Original post ]

    UPDATE 0.6.4 RELEASED!


    Update 0.6.4 is now available, right in time for Gamescom 2016! With this new update, we provide some much-requested functionality, especially with regard to multiplayer.

    CHANGELIST


    • Multiplayer: Leaderboards for best overall and best lap times have been added for all built-in races.
    • Multiplayer: The waiting room in multiplayer now displays that race’s current top-ranking pilots in a text ticker.
    • Multiplayer: The Race Results screen will now display an asterisk by your name if you beat your own personal record.
    • Multiplayer: In the waiting room, players can now select a custom color to be displayed on their trail and LEDs.
    • Multiplayer: A race’s top 3 pilots will receive a gold, silver or bronze outline around their Steam profile picture in the waiting room.
    • Ground effects are now consistent across all environments, whereas before they only worked properly in Pine Valley, Straw Bale and Autumn Fields.
    • The Tutorial has been made available again. It will receive a proper work-over in the future.
    • Minor bug fixes.

    I WANNA BE THE VERY BEST


    The Multiplayer section of the main menu is now home to the Leaderboards window. Here, you will see an overview of the best total times and best lap times for each of the built-in races. These leaderboards will be refreshed on a monthly basis, but previous months will be preserved and remain viewable in Steam. In a more condensed version, these results are also shown in the multiplayer waiting room. Version 0.6.4 also includes some other fun features for the more competive among you. For one, you can select your own unique player color in multiplayer or share a color with other pilots if you want to fly the team colors. You will also see an asterisk next to your name in the race results if you topped your personal best and skilled pilots will be rewarded with bronze, silver and gold outlines in the waiting room.

    THAT’S WHY THEY’RE CALLED *GROUND* EFFECTS


    Sometimes the devil is in the details. We recently discovered that the ground effects in our flight physics only took effect if the drone was over actual soil, as opposed to other surfaces such as concrete, tiles or a nicely manicured lawn. This meant that ground effects worked in Straw Bale, Pine Valley and Autumn Fields, but did nothing in Minus Two, Hangar C03, Liftoff Arena and The Drawing Board. Why that distinction was ever made in the first is not entirely clear to us either.


    [ 2016-08-16 20:11:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

    FIRST LIFTOFF TOURNAMENT!


    To celebrate our presence at Gamescom, we are happy to announce the very first Liftoff tournament, which will run for the duration of Gamescom. You’ve all been competing in multiplayer against 4 other pilots, but now it’s your chance to show your worth competing against the whole of the Liftoff community. At the end of Gamescom, the fastest pilot on the built-in Pine Valley race will win our very first Liftoff goodie bag. The tournament will run from 18/08 to 21/08 and will be closely followed by the Liftoff team. The top ranking pilot on the Pine Valley leaderboard at the end of the tournament will be the honored winner.

    LEADERBOARDS!


    Our next update, to be released at the start of Gamescom, will include the much requested Leaderboards feature. Our leaderboards go beyond a simple list of top pilots: it’s a more complex game system that will be updated and improved upon in future updates. We’ll have “Top Race Time” and “Top Lap Time”, a list for all the official tracks, and your personal position data. To keep things interesting, fresh leaderboards will be created on a monthly basis, allowing everyone to compete for the top ranking of the month. The winners of each month will be remembered in a “Hall of Fame” list and might enjoy some in-game rewards later too. A more concise representation of the leaderboards will also be shown as a text ticker in the multiplayer room, so you are always kept up-to-date while playing in your favourite room.

    WHAT’S IN THE LIFTOFF GOODIE BAG?


    The banner on top shows you exactly whats included: a cool Liftoff Shirt (L) a Liftoff branded USB card, two funky badges and of course the ever lasting glory of winning the first Liftoff Tournament! These Liftoff items are not available anywhere else at this point. Winning this tournament is the only way to get this awesome Liftoff collection.

    TOURNAMENT RULES


    • Anyone can participate! The only requirement is to own Liftoff on Steam.
    • The Tournament starts at the release of update 0.6.4 (expected: 17/08 – 18/08)
    • The Tournament will end on 21/08 at midnight Brussels time.
    • Only multiplayer times count.
    • Only the PineValleyTrack01 results count.
    • God mode allowed.
    • Keep it fun, keep it friendly!
    • Feel free to share your results, stream your flights and discuss your race tactics on the official Liftoff community pages and forums.
    • Play fair, the development team will monitor every aspect of the tournament as closely as possible.
    • The Liftoff dev team has the right to disqualify any players for any reason they deem necessary.


    [ 2016-08-13 10:35:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

    FIRST LIFTOFF TOURNAMENT!


    To celebrate our presence at Gamescom, we are happy to announce the very first Liftoff tournament, which will run for the duration of Gamescom. You’ve all been competing in multiplayer against 4 other pilots, but now it’s your chance to show your worth competing against the whole of the Liftoff community. At the end of Gamescom, the fastest pilot on the built-in Pine Valley race will win our very first Liftoff goodie bag. The tournament will run from 18/08 to 21/08 and will be closely followed by the Liftoff team. The top ranking pilot on the Pine Valley leaderboard at the end of the tournament will be the honored winner.

    LEADERBOARDS!


    Our next update, to be released at the start of Gamescom, will include the much requested Leaderboards feature. Our leaderboards go beyond a simple list of top pilots: it’s a more complex game system that will be updated and improved upon in future updates. We’ll have “Top Race Time” and “Top Lap Time”, a list for all the official tracks, and your personal position data. To keep things interesting, fresh leaderboards will be created on a monthly basis, allowing everyone to compete for the top ranking of the month. The winners of each month will be remembered in a “Hall of Fame” list and might enjoy some in-game rewards later too. A more concise representation of the leaderboards will also be shown as a text ticker in the multiplayer room, so you are always kept up-to-date while playing in your favourite room.

    WHAT’S IN THE LIFTOFF GOODIE BAG?


    The banner on top shows you exactly whats included: a cool Liftoff Shirt (L) a Liftoff branded USB card, two funky badges and of course the ever lasting glory of winning the first Liftoff Tournament! These Liftoff items are not available anywhere else at this point. Winning this tournament is the only way to get this awesome Liftoff collection.

    TOURNAMENT RULES


    • Anyone can participate! The only requirement is to own Liftoff on Steam.
    • The Tournament starts at the release of update 0.6.4 (expected: 17/08 – 18/08)
    • The Tournament will end on 21/08 at midnight Brussels time.
    • Only the PineValleyTrack01 results count.
    • God mode allowed.
    • Keep it fun, keep it friendly!
    • Feel free to share your results, stream your flights and discuss your race tactics on the official Liftoff community pages and forums.
    • Play fair, the development team will monitor every aspect of the tournament as closely as possible.
    • The Liftoff dev team has the right to disqualify any players for any reason they deem necessary.


    [ 2016-08-13 10:32:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

    QUICKFIX UPDATE 0.6.3 RELEASED


    In our excitement to release 0.6.2 we missed some annoying bugs. Luckily the community was quick to report these issues and help us find the source. We made it a priority to fix the issues, so we decided to completely remove our 3-step feature!


    [ 2016-08-03 09:59:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

    UPDATE 0.6.2 RELEASED


    While we have some big things going on behind the scenes, we wanted to make sure to do a quick update with some small fixes and cool minor features you might like.

    CHANGELIST


    • Multiplayer: Best lap and time will be shown in bold in the race result
    • Multiplayer: Honor your competitor with “honor votes” in the race results
    • Multiplayer: Fixed scroll interface visual in lobby list.
    • Added a new official track to Hangar C03. Fly it in multiplayer!
    • LOS camera is now initialized at position of 3D player character
    • Removed central dot from LOS gizmo
    • Fixed issue where propeller sound disappeared after relocating drone in Free Flight
    • Fixed a bug where the game could get stuck on the Quit confirmation dialog.
    • Scroll functionality of button assignment menu has been fixed.
    • Minor bug fixes
    Want to know what’s next for multiplayer? Check out our blogpost Community & competition to get an insight of what we have planned.


    [ 2016-08-02 13:42:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

    UPDATE 0.6.1 RELEASED


    When you release something as complex as multiplayer, as a developer you are prepared to pull all-nighters, not to play games, but to fix any of the hundreds of new systems that have to work flawlessly together to keep things working. Turns out our emergency plan and our coffee stockpile were left unused. Things seem to have worked out great! :D This first small multiplayer update further streamlines the experience. More updates to come!

    Changelist


    • Chatting is now possible in spectator mode
    • Option "allow god mode" in room creation.
    • Redesigned the room creation menu a bit.
    • Host name is shown in the lobby.
    • Host status is now highlighted in color in chat window.
    • Automatic kicking of room hosts who have been inactive for 5 minutes in public rooms.
    • Fixed scroll not showing up in the lobby with more than 5 rooms (Yes, this was a bug.)
    • HUD disappears in spectator mode.
    • Checkpoints disappear in spectator mode.
    • Spectator mode now uses correct camera angle (from player you spectate)
    • Result screen should now show up a bit longer (based on amount of results shown).
    • Minor bug fixes.

    Intelligent Design


    When creating a room, you now have the option to turn off the "allow god mode" option. This way it's possible to have rooms where everyone adheres to drone destruction mayhem. Keeping the option on will still allow you to turn god mode off as a personal preference, while other players can decide to keep god mode on.

    Liftoff Arena has been on a Trip


    By now, everyone who played the Liftoff multiplayer is well aware of the now famous Liftoff Arena room that won't die. It's kept alive by a brave, silent but most of all resilient host who has been defending his throne since the release of the multiplayer. With this update his reign has ended as our team embarked on a mission to take his throne and once again become ruler of our Game of Drones. Hosts who are inactive in a public room for 5 minutes get kicked out of the room. This rule does not apply to private rooms.


    [ 2016-07-29 16:22:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Multiplayer released!


    In our previous blogpost we did a brave thing: make a prediction about the multiplayer release. We made it! Milestone 0.6.0 adds an early version of the long awaited multiplayer component to Liftoff.

    Changelist


    • Added multiplayer Race mode: - Multiplayer room system: creating and joining - Lobby and scoreboard - Spectator mode - Chat system - Steam profile integration
    • Fixed the annoying bounce bug introduced in 0.5.2
    • Minor bugfixes

    Alright, so, Liftoff multiplayer.


    In the current state of multiplayer, you are able to host races in the familiar built-in tracks. You can host public or private rooms. A public room is one that will appear in the room list in the lobby. Everyone can join in the fun. A private room is for those who want to organize an event that isn’t available for just everyone. A private room will require the host to enter a name for the room and pass it along to to those he wishes to join. If you don’t want to host, you can simply pick a room from the list and join a game. Obviously, a multiplayer session cannot be paused, so the pause menu will not be available for you during a race. Instead, if you crash before the end of the race or choose to reset, you will go into Spectator mode. In Spectator mode, you can look through other pilots' FPV cameras and observe their flying. You can cycle through the various (active) pilots with the left and right mouse buttons.

    Testing!


    As with every aspect of our Early Access release, the multiplayer is to be considered work in progress and does not represent the final product. To further improve the feature, we would like you to give us complete, honest and constructive feedback. Feedback is not only about reporting bugs, but also about the experience as a whole. We want to hear about your experience, we want to see videos, and we want to know what your user experience was like (both positive and negative). With your help, we can make Liftoff multiplayer the ultimate online drone racing experience. Have fun racing, and let us know what you find!

    Future goals for multiplayer


    We have many plans to expand the multiplayer in future updates, as the 0.6.0 version is just the first iteration of the feature. Multiplayer free flight is still under construction, and will be a big focus for future updates. We are also looking to expand the choice of races and tracks to those available through the Steam Workshop. For now, we limited our scope to tracks and races we know everyone has, but in the future all tracks should be playable in Multiplayer. We also want players to easily recognise each other while flying in multiplayer, so we are hoping to add options to pick your trail color and other visual customisation options. Player progression is another game aspect that interests us. We want to reward players for competing in multiplayer and want to show your experience as a pilot to others. A levelling system and leaderboards are some of the things we want to explore to provide a progression system to our community.


    [ 2016-07-27 12:36:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Updates 0.5.1 and 0.5.2 released!


    The reception of 0.5.0 has been great. We are seeing a lot of exciting content on the Steam Workshop, and a lot of players subscribing to this content. Infinite amounts of tracks for the win! ;) We got a lot of very useful feedback on the new features, and some very detailed bug reports. As a result, with 0.5.1 we quickly released a quick fix update a couple of days ago, squeezing some of those little pestering bugs. Today we release another small update, fixing some extra bugs and putting some great user feedback to good use.

    0.5.1 CHANGELIST


    (27/06/2016)
    • Fix for the controller preset creation.
    • Workshop items are added immediately to the game when subscribed.

    0.5.2 CHANGELIST


    • Deleted workshop items can now be re-uploaded.
    • Line of sight perspective now zooms in when drone gets further away.
    • Drone sound is now more correct in line of sight
    • Several collision sounds have been made less loud.
    • There is now a graphics setting for shadow distance that is independent from overall quality level.
    • Bold and italicized fonts should now render correctly again.


    [ 2016-06-29 14:29:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.5.0 released!


    We are excited! Today we release version 0.5.0, the last milestone update before our multiplayer release, and we can’t wait to see you guys get your hands on what we’ve added. Update 0.5.0 is completely focused on community and content sharing …and we throw in Line of Sight gameplay as a bonus.

    CHANGELIST


    • Steam workshop integration: easily download and share tracks and races in-game
    • Added content type categories and filter
    • Changed track and race data (backend)
    • Added Line of Sight gameplay and functionality
    • Option to run around in free flight and place you drone wherever you want as a starting point
    • Added links to community menu: blog, discussions, workshop, guides and social media.
    • Added tips and tricks to the loading screen.
    • Changed floor textures in Hangar C03.
    • Added new objects to Track Builder: LED arrows and banner structures.
    • Objects can now be placed further from the player in the track builder.
    • Minor bug fixes

    STEAM WORKSHOP INTEGRATION


    The Steam Workshop is a central hub of player-created content, along with tools to publish, organize, and download it into games like Liftoff. For your convenience, we wrote up a short overview of what the Workshop can do for you.

    LINE OF SIGHT AND WALKING


    Free Flight mode has also been given some additional functionality. While the standard behavior remains the same, you can now also switch into walking mode, which allows you to place your drone anywhere you like before taking off. This way, you can explore all corners of the environments and take off from all kinds of crazy locations. Toggle walking by pressing Return (keyboard), A (XBox controller) or X (Playstation controller) or whatever button you choose instead. Liftoff now also has a LOS camera perspective. Switch between the regular viewpoints and LOS with B (keyboard) or the right stick press (XBox and Playstation controller). As usual, these controls can be bound to any other button of your choosing.

    TIPS AND TRICKS


    Since we are getting closer and closer to what we consider a beta version (all main features integrated), we are slowly moving our efforts to improving the usability of the game. We noticed a lot of cool Liftoff features are unknown to many players, and can only be discovered by exploring the button setup window. In 0.5.0 we add a first feature aimed at improving this situation, by showing useful tips during the loading screen. In future updates we’ll continue our efforts to make Liftoff more easy to use.


    [ 2016-06-24 21:05:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Linux version released!


    Since the first Early Access release, Liftoff has been available for both Windows and Mac. From day one community members have asked for a Linux version. We are happy to finally provide an experimental version to our Linux users on Steam. However, for the time being, Windows and Mac remain our main target platforms. This means our Linux version will not get the same development update cycle as the main platforms. Since Liftoff receives an update almost every one or two weeks, adding platforms at this time requires a lot of additional work. It means we not only have to create separate builds for the different platforms, but also requires more testing and issue solving. Adding Linux as a main platform, to be updated at the same rate, would severely slow down our development process.

    UPDATES


    As stated above, Linux won’t get the same regular updates as our PC and Mac platform get. We hope to create new Linux versions for every milestone update. Obviously, after our v1 release Linux will be considered a main platform like the others and will get the same amount of love.

    LINUX SUBFORUM


    We have to confess: we are by no means Linux experts. In fact, we specifically built a Linux machine at the studio in order to start development support for this platform. That’s why we are looking to the Linux community to help us out! We need your feedback and guidance on the newly created Linux subsection on our Steam forums. To all Linux users: head over to these forums and tell us about your Liftoff experience on Linux. Thanks!


    [ 2016-06-06 14:50:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Update 0.4.2 released!

    While the work on multiplayer is ongoing, the other team members have not been idle. We are sure this update will make our track designers happy!

    Change list


    • Added The Drawing Board environment.
    • Option to switch between metric and imperial units.
    • Removed the ability to build outside the fly zone.
    • Added an option to record and play full race ghosts data.
    • Floaty mode: move in three dimensions and build higher in the Track
    • Builder
    • Minor bug fixes

    Floaty Mode ;)


    It's now possible to move your camera in three dimensions in the track building tool. By double tapping the jump button (bound by default to space bar). Once you are in Floaty mode you will move in the direction the camera is looking. Thanks to this feature it should be easy to build higher and get a bird's eye overview of the track you are designing.

    Drawing Board


    Inspired by our good friends at BMSweb , we want to improve the ability of Liftoff to be a real track design tool and not just a simulator game only. This is why, in 0.4.2 we now have The Drawing Board environment, the perfect canvas to design your virtual and real-life race tracks on. It's a huge and completely flat environment with a useful design grid, perfect for designing, fine-tuning and testing out new track designs. In the game options you can change the grid units from metric to imperial units.

    Full race ghost mode


    In the same game options you might notice you can now do Full Race ghost recording! In this mode we keep track of your last 20 races and pick the fastest five that you flew in the same race and environment. These ghosts will fly the whole race together with you. In future updates we will provide a system to share recordings with each other, but for now you can enjoy the excitement of being better than yourself. It's also a great tool to improve your lap times as you can start a race and inspect your previous flight from a higher point of view.

    The Intel HD 3000 crash issue


    Since update 0.4.1, we have received a number of reports of Liftoff users encountering a crash. With their help, we have managed to identify the problem. We've written a blog post to explain what’s going on and provide alternatives for those affected by the issue. Read all about it here.


    [ 2016-06-03 15:37:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.4.1 released!

    Finally, 0.4.1 is ready to be released. Big fixes, pilot, visual effects, new track and more!

    CHANGELIST:


    • Fixed an issue with PID settings where the I-value erroneously had a negligeable effect.
    • Implemented some graphics updates and three visual effects: Bloom, Ambient
    • Occlusion and Motion Blur, which are enabled by default. Each can be toggled in the Graphics settings menu in the Main Menu to suit your preferences and system.
    • Minimized various camera glitches.
    • Prevented drone HUD from clipping with environment and reduced its jittering.
    • Implemented a pilot character in all environments. Watch your head!
    • Included the Eastside FPV Track and Race: congrats once more to the winner of our first track design contest.
    • Added a new gate in the Track Builder.

    BLINGBLING!


    Yup, Liftoff will now look even better. We've completely remade our camera system that minimizes the strange camera cutoff glitch and allows us to support more post-processing visual effects. The game now features bloom, ambient occlusion and motion blur. While these visual effects are completely optional (check graphics options) they improve the visual experience. Motion blur in particular increases the perception of speed and depth and makes the flying experience more pleasing and realistic.

    PILOT


    Steve, Hervé, Bob, Quadzimoto, Sir Crashalot, Dronie McDroneface… these are some of the names you've given him after the first reveal on Facebook. We finally have a pilot in Liftoff, and you're free to name him what you want! He's not just fancy eye-candy, but also functions as an indication for your FPV signal strength. Have you seen his awesome shirt, by the way? "ME" could conveniently mean the player, but most of all refers to Mentor Empire, an awesome company we've been talking to for a while. Mentor Empire is interested in supporting the Liftoff and FPV racing community as a whole and we are exploring some cool ideas with them to support that project!


    [ 2016-05-27 13:58:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Milestone 0.4.0 released!

    We’ve been teasing you with some of the new features we’ve been working on, and now they are finally available to you! We are happy to present to you Milestone Update 0.4.0, which includes 3rd person view, ghost data and much more! This milestone update introduced a lot of code that will pave the way for exciting updates in the future, including multiplayer. Stay tuned for more!

    CHANGELIST


  • Implemented 3rd person camera view (Bound by default to the “V” key on the keyboard.)
  • Animated propellers based on input.
  • Visuals for LED lights on frames. The color will be made configurable later.
  • First implementation of ghost functionality in Race mode. (See the Game Settings in the main menu to toggle this option on and off.)
  • Added more songs to the official Liftoff soundtrack
  • Slightly changed functionality of music player
  • Slightly changed how the center of gravity of the drone is calculated
  • Fixed minor bugs More information


    [ 2016-04-28 13:15:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • Steam Trading Cards

    Remember collecting those awesome Pokemon, Yugioh and Magic cards? You can now collect Liftoff cards too! In our quest to make use of all the fun feature of the Steam platform, we are happy to reveal our Liftoff Steam Trading Cards! Steam Trading Cards are virtual cards earned by playing games, on Steam. Sets of cards can be turned into game badges and tradable Steam community items. You can get our 5 cards simply by playing Liftoff. As you play, you’ll occasionally receive trading card drops which will be placed in your Steam Inventory. These cards can be used to created badges and will unlock Liftoff backgrounds and emoticons to be used on the Steam platform. Find out more about Steam Trading Cards


    [ 2016-04-21 08:06:35 CET ] [ Original post ]

    UPDATE 0.3.7 RELEASED

    Hello, folks. Today we have a small update (0.3.7) for you that primarily contains some quick fixes. CHANGELIST

  • The reappearance of the "missed checkpoint" bug may have been resolved. It would be useful if you could tell us whether you still encounter it. (This is a difficult one to test at the studio, because it's unreliable to recreate.)
  • The feedback window has been reimplemented through Google Forms... it should just work...
  • Drone weight is calculated more correctly. This should have a very minor effect on the flight behavior.
  • Some small fixes to tape placement.


    [ 2016-04-19 09:25:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • UPDATE 0.3.6 RELEASED!

    Update 0.3.6 is a big one! It includes many things our community has been asking for, including flight behaviour, music options, track building features and extra drone parts to play with.

    Changelist


  • Added music player, which allows you to import custom music
  • Changed flight behaviour: drag adapts to orientation and state of drone.
  • Added track building feature: tapes
  • Slightly updated drone motor sounds
  • Changed propeller damage behaviour
  • Changed Pine Valley ground foliage
  • Added a Track and Race for Pine Valley
  • Removed static tapes in Minus Two
  • Added 3 motors to Workbench
  • Added 1 battery to Workbench
  • Added 3 propellers to Workbench
  • Added icons for controls menus
  • Fixed minor bugs


    [ 2016-04-14 18:49:40 CET ] [ Original post ]

  • UPDATE 0.3.5 RELEASED!

    As some of you have noticed, version 0.3.3 introduced some unexpected issues, which we didn’t encounter during our internal testing. The following 0.3.4 release fixed some of them, but at the moment we are still hunting for some little insidious bugs crawling around in our code. The last couple of days all our efforts have gone to finding the issues and trying to fix them. So far we have been unlucky in reproducing the bugs on or studio’s PC’s and Macs but with the help of the community we are getting closer to a solution. With the 0.3.5 release we take a next step in resolving the problems. More information: http://www.liftoff-game.com/2016/03/22/update-0-3-5/


    [ 2016-03-22 15:39:58 CET ] [ Original post ]

    Liftoff
    LuGus Studios Developer
    LuGus Studios Publisher
    2018-09-13 Release
    Game News Posts: 238
    🎹🖱️Keyboard + Mouse
    🕹️ Partial Controller Support
    Very Positive (9261 reviews)
    The Game includes VR Support
    Public Linux Depots:
    • Liftoff Content Linux [2.43 G]
    Available DLCs:
    • Liftoff - Night Fever
    • Liftoff - DJI FPV
    • Liftoff - Slipstream
    Liftoff is the gateway to the quadcopter racing scene, a platform both for pilots with real-life experience and for gamers who are still unfamiliar with the new sport. Veterans can explore new environments or race one another, while newcomers can hone their flying skills before taking to the field.




    DRONE LOVE FOR EVERYONE
    We want to open up the FPV racing experience to everyone. Liftoff is a game for everyone, from FPV racing veterans to gamers who want take their first digital steps in the drone racing scene.

    SIMULITIOUS!
    Liftoff features realistic drone physics, recommended by top drone pilots in the world. Flying a drone in the game feels so real, you’ll forget it isn’t.

    CUSTOMIZATION
    The drone community is a full of creative minds and technological tinkerers. Accordingly, Liftoff has tools to customize your drones and to create custom race tracks.

    EXPANDING PLATFORM
    We’ll continuously develop the game and keep adding more content and features as long as the community supports them. We are always interested to hear your ideas!

    HARDWARE SUPPORT
    Liftoff supports the use of FPV goggles and a wide range of remotes to further blur the line between the game experience and the real world.

    IMPORTANT NOTES
    A gamepad or dedicated R/C controller are required to play Liftoff!

    MINIMAL SETUP
    • OS: Ubuntu 18.04 or newer. Other Linux distributions may work but are untested.
    • Processor: Intel 8th gen / AMD Ryzen 1st gen - 2.4GHz or faster.Memory: 4 GB RAM
    • Memory: 4 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Geforce GTX 960 / AMD Radeon HD 7750 - 2GB VRAM or more.Network: Broadband Internet connection
    • Storage: 20 GB available spaceAdditional Notes: Only playable with a game or radio controller. Single screen setups recommended. Intel integrated graphics not supported.
    RECOMMENDED SETUP
    • OS: Ubuntu 20.04 or newer. Other Linux distributions may work but are untested.
    • Processor: Intel 10th gen / AMD Ryzen 3rd gen - 3.0GHz or faster.Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Geforce RTX 2060 / AMD RX Vega 56 - 4GB VRAM or more.Network: Broadband Internet connection
    • Storage: 20 GB available spaceAdditional Notes: Only playable with a game or radio controller. Single screen setups recommended. Intel integrated graphics not supported.
    GAMEBILLET

    [ 6132 ]

    7.62$ (15%)
    21.49$ (14%)
    33.17$ (17%)
    49.77$ (17%)
    12.95$ (19%)
    0.50$ (90%)
    16.00$ (60%)
    4.97$ (17%)
    1.10$ (90%)
    33.59$ (16%)
    4.00$ (80%)
    26.39$ (12%)
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    42.99$ (14%)
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    10.65$ (47%)
    4.00$ (80%)
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    12.60$ (58%)
    1.35$ (91%)
    15.00$ (50%)
    4.12$ (17%)
    1.75$ (65%)
    33.17$ (17%)
    10.00$ (60%)
    12.38$ (17%)
    3.01$ (80%)
    5.31$ (73%)
    12.59$ (16%)
    GAMERSGATE

    [ 2625 ]

    7.19$ (20%)
    20.0$ (60%)
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    1.5$ (70%)
    4.39$ (69%)
    4.56$ (89%)
    0.45$ (85%)
    9.37$ (63%)
    12.59$ (37%)
    1.69$ (79%)
    5.78$ (71%)
    0.45$ (85%)
    8.7$ (78%)
    7.2$ (64%)
    3.75$ (75%)
    14.99$ (25%)
    9.0$ (70%)
    1.88$ (62%)
    14.29$ (43%)
    4.05$ (73%)
    1.84$ (82%)
    10.0$ (75%)
    1.32$ (91%)
    35.99$ (20%)
    6.69$ (33%)
    2.55$ (83%)
    14.0$ (60%)

    FANATICAL BUNDLES

    Time left:

    9 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    15 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    12 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    37 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    17 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    9 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    44 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    33 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    30 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    38 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    40 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes


    HUMBLE BUNDLES

    Time left:

    3 days, 20 hours, 29 minutes


    Time left:

    17 days, 20 hours, 29 minutes

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