Upcoming may 1.2 update details

[MurphDog6]

UPDATE ONE: The Division's latest Incursion event, Broken Circle will soon be revealed and has recently been added to the in-game map.

No release date has been confirmed for its, although Ubisoft has confirmed it will be part of the free Conflicts update launched later this month.

The Gear Score needed to take on the Broken Circle has been upped considerably from Falcon Lost, players will need to have reached the 220 bracket before attempting it.

The only current information on the new update is that it will include new Dark Zone content and will be followed by three other paid-for expansions.

More is expected to be revealed in Ubisoft's State of the Game roundup, which is slated to arrive later today.

The description of the new raid can be viewed on The Division map now and includes the mission rewards, Gear Score requirements and description.

Fans interested in taking on the new challenge when it is released later this month will need to have a minimum recommended Gear Score of 220, if they want a chance at completing it.

The Broken Circle Incursion will offer a purple set item and focuses on players fighting to regain Manhattan's airspace.

The official description reads: “Go head to head with the Rikers and disable their SAM system to secure the Manhattan airspace.”

It can be found at the top of the map, close to the left side of the Dark Zone but it might not be the only big change coming to the game.

Community Developer Hamish Bode confirmed during a recent Ubisoft livestream that The Division DLC Dark Zone is set to be “reinvigorated” as one viewer put it.

The free Conflict update is planned to go live later this month and will focus on The Dark Zone, Ubisoft has yet to reveal a release date for it as of yet.

One of the biggest problems affecting the Dark Zone is cheaters, and those who have been using exploits to grab better gear.

This is a problem Ubisoft say they are set to try and fix, telling fans: “In the future we want to give you clearer and more concrete visibility. 

“Should new bugs be discovered, we will quickly take a firm stance and confirm if these are considered as exploits. All known exploits will be clearly listed in a public forum thread and across our various communication platforms. 

“We want all players to be informed.

“Sanctions for newly found exploits will vary depending on the severity of the abuse as well as the history of the player. They could go from character rollbacks to account suspensions and permanent bans”

"When cheaters are caught, we will now apply a suspension of 14 days on first offense, instead of the initial 3 days suspension. Second offense will always be a guaranteed permanent ban.”

UPDATE TWO: Aside from the new Broken Circle Incursion coming to The Division in Update 1.2, Ubisoft have now spoken more on the overall changes to the Dark Zone and other areas.

No release date for the free patch was announced, but a recent livestream revealed more on how Gear Score brackets were set to be improved - as well as loot.

Ubisoft are set to supply more high-end gear through supply drops, the Broken Circle Incursion, challenge mode and the Dark Zone - describing it as a "generous update".

Performance Mods look set to be dropped less frequently following fan feedback, while a new Dark Zone bracket covering 201+ will be included where Gear Score loot of 204 - 240 will drop.





Ubisoft also confirmed that all Division tech dropped in this bracket will be high end and will be populated by level 32 – 34 NPCs.

Some of the bigger news was not revealed, however, The Division open-world and PvE areas will be updated with new activities, along with the Dark Zone.

These were not covered in detail and the studio were unable to offer an update on when The Division update 1.2 would be released.

It appears further testing is being run to avoid the problems encountered with the launch of Incursions back in April and Ubisoft also signed off by saying that the patch would bring no nerfs when it comes to balancing, but would instead focus on buffing.

 

 

[HHHope]

Exciting one of the Devs said he picked up a 204 with brutal & vicious on it ") 

 

[fewcm]

So this purple set item reward: same as currents sets strikers/sentry/nomad/tactiician, only supposedly better stat ranges? Or new sets with new talents?

 

[quinch1199]

Sounds a good but more limited update than I'd hoped. I'm still on the fence about a Season Pass, end of last month if you'd asked me I would have told you I was buying without question but I'm starting to worry about the longevity and long term commitment to the game from Massive/Ubisoft. 

To be honest this is my first real "AAA" title purchase in the FPS/RPG (yes I know its third person but you know what I mean) genre for at least 6 years. None of the other first or third person titles (Assassins Creed/Battlefield/Battlefront/CoD etc) have ever really interested me enough to buy and invest time in. 

All this makes me edgy and as we're not really seeing any expansion to the Open World part of the game yet also makes me wonder if its worth the investment. 

So, on the fence, a confused voter as you may say ... I hope something comes out that sways me. 

If you wonder what might persuade me then I'm looking for expanding the game areas...beyond lower Manhattan...not just GS Locked instances but real areas you can venture into and explore, also further instalment of the main game story perhaps would definitely make me buy into the title more. 

 

[MurphDog6]

Sounds a good but more limited update than I'd hoped. I'm still on the fence about a Season Pass, end of last month if you'd asked me I would have told you I was buying without question but I'm starting to worry about the longevity and long term commitment to the game from Massive/Ubisoft. 

To be honest this is my first real "AAA" title purchase in the FPS/RPG (yes I know its third person but you know what I mean) genre for at least 6 years. None of the other first or third person titles (Assassins Creed/Battlefield/Battlefront/CoD etc) have ever really interested me enough to buy and invest time in. 

All this makes me edgy and as we're not really seeing any expansion to the Open World part of the game yet also makes me wonder if its worth the investment. 

So, on the fence, a confused voter as you may say ... I hope something comes out that sways me. 

If you wonder what might persuade me then I'm looking for expanding the game areas...beyond lower Manhattan...not just GS Locked instances but real areas you can venture into and explore, also further instalment of the main game story perhaps would definitely make me buy into the title more. 

I am hoping for the same thing, with some of the videos online showing players glitching through walls out of bounds from the current map, there are some very well detailed places such as on the way to Central Park and the warship. This is giving me hope that an expansion of the map is on the cards. I hope it is. Time will tell....

 

[Voyager42]

I glitched through a wall last night. Unintentionally. Was running the Power Plant on challenge with a group of guys (decided to stick with the 131 & 166, that was good fun) and when it was time to take on the boss somehow I backed into the wall. Couldn't get out. Fortunately I was able to use my scan to help the rest of the guys out. Very interesting. Totally unexpected lol. 

Anyway, thought I'd share. Hopefully that is fixed in 1.2. 

 

[Xeromaus]

I glitched through a wall last night. Unintentionally. Was running the Power Plant on challenge with a group of guys (decided to stick with the 131 & 166, that was good fun) and when it was time to take on the boss somehow I backed into the wall. Couldn't get out. Fortunately I was able to use my scan to help the rest of the guys out. Very interesting. Totally unexpected lol. 

Anyway, thought I'd share. Hopefully that is fixed in 1.2. 

Sometimes it works to put your back to the wall you're trying to get out of and sight in with a closed scope (not a red dot that just narrows the reticle, but one that switches you to a scope only view), then walk backwards or roll out. It's not going to work 100% of the time, but it's gotten me out of a few spots like that. It's more reliable on glitches like stuck in trash piles or stuck behind a narrow gap though.

 

[Voyager42]

Sometimes it works to put your back to the wall you're trying to get out of and sight in with a closed scope (not a red dot that just narrows the reticle, but one that switches you to a scope only view), then walk backwards or roll out. It's not going to work 100% of the time, but it's gotten me out of a few spots like that. It's more reliable on glitches like stuck in trash piles or stuck behind a narrow gap though.

Hopefully I don't have to use this advice but if I do get stuck again ill give it a shot. I immediately jumped on google and there wasn't much. Only advice.....log out lol. 

 

[g1nt3r]

Nice post @MurphDog6, lots of good info bud. You type all that yourself?

 

[RimBlock]

Seems like they will also be fixing the 'balanced' talent so it only narrows the recital on the first shot quicker, after shouldering the weapon, and not for all shots.  ref: Skill Up YouTube channel (cannot link from work).

The new top tier GS DZ segregation is good news.

 

[MurphDog6]

Nice post @MurphDog6, lots of good info bud. You type all that yourself?

No mate it is just stuff that I have grabbed from the net and then put on here into one place for the community to read rather than having to search it out

 

[quinch1199]

I am hoping for the same thing, with some of the videos online showing players glitching through walls out of bounds from the current map, there are some very well detailed places such as on the way to Central Park and the warship. This is giving me hope that an expansion of the map is on the cards. I hope it is. Time will tell....

I just hope these detailed environments aren't just going to be used as routes to more Instances and actually become GS valued open areas with encounters, safe houses and stories. 

 

[MurphDog6]

I just hope these detailed environments aren't just going to be used as routes to more Instances and actually become GS valued open areas with encounters, safe houses and stories. 

*****MAIN STORY LINE SPOILER****

I want the same thing mate, hoping that they are areas for free roam and possibly extra story missions. The warship I believe is stamped with "LMB" all over the place after killing bliss this could easily be used as an area for another main mission. 

 

[quinch1199]

I want the same thing mate, hoping that they are areas for free roam and possibly extra story missions. The warship I believe is stamped with "LMB" all over the place after killing bliss this could easily be used as an area for another main mission. 

dude! spoilers! LOL 

Yeah, saw that as well...the sinking feeling is that these areas will just be Instances but its early days yet so who knows!

 

[MurphDog6]

Hahaha if people are yet to complete the main story missions then I apologise! Haha

time will tell, hoping for some more info when the patch drops!

 

[Xeromaus]

I just hope these detailed environments aren't just going to be used as routes to more Instances and actually become GS valued open areas with encounters, safe houses and stories. 

Grouped missions will ALWAYS be the valuable content...that's just the nature of the game. Open world may get loot buffs, but it'll likely be the same level of gear the DZ drops now...4 tiers lower than max at best.

As for story, every mission has story elements in it, as does most intel, and even the environment. It all plays a part in telling the whole story...but I wouldn't hold my breath for vast tracts of storyline to be added into open world. Again, that's likely reserved for grouped missions.

 

[quinch1199]

Grouped missions will ALWAYS be the valuable content...that's just the nature of the game. Open world may get loot buffs, but it'll likely be the same level of gear the DZ drops now...4 tiers lower than max at best.

As for story, every mission has story elements in it, as does most intel, and even the environment. It all plays a part in telling the whole story...but I wouldn't hold my breath for vast tracts of storyline to be added into open world. Again, that's likely reserved for grouped missions.

Not quite what I meant really, yet what you say agrees with what I meant anyway. Of course the missions are where the main thrust of gear or story is sat but I was hoping for areas to be opened up that include all the things we see now in the normal open world but to continue the level/GS Climb. 

The point is perhaps, are they going to change Level 1-30 into a Gear Score perhaps? Having two systems running like they have poses an issue to easily "expanding the universe" UNLESS all open world areas that become active are Gear Score rated rather than level rated.

Situation you have currently is you reach level 30 then you switch the way "levels" are calculated completely as it moves to Gear Score (pretty much). 

So, if they want to expand the Open World to match the rest of the open world....if you will imagine a whole area of Manhattan is added in a patch, with a Safe House, encounters, side missions and main mission instances (I class FL for example as a main mission instance...yet it has no open world around it).

How do you grade this? Do you "lock" the area around the main instance like FL is based on GS? or do you, like the rest of the open world, leave it open but deadly to low tier characters (like open world is now)? I don't mind, so much, that the main instance is GS locked (though I'm anti this anyway) but the living open world around it?

I am not really focusing on drops, HE gear or level creep really....though that all needs adjustments....its the Open World aspects with civilians, side missions, encounters, roaming gangs and safe houses I want added to. As we've hinted, they have these areas out there already made!! 

 

[quinch1199]

Made up Example: 

A patch will include a new "Incursion" (my terms sometimes confuse I think as I call these Instances) called

Broken Chequebook. The Incursion is locked to Gear Score 260. However it takes place in the Wall Street District of Manhattan.

This opens up Wall Street to be like Chelsea, Clinton, Hells Kitchen etc as an Open World Exploration area...a new Safe House has to be entered, then side missions, encounters etc for players of GS 260 (or below if you're brave/stupid enough!!) to wander about in. 

THIS is how I want it to be....I don't want another Falcon Lost really, I won't mind BUT I want more to do....essentially FL is still in Mid Town so part of DZ (really) so this isn't a major issue but further incursions, I'm hoping, will include open world areas around them as the rest of the game has. I'm just a little...confused...how they'll limit access to the Incursion as in the open world as long as you don't activate the mission you can still wander through it.

I hope that all makes sense. My experience playing games like World of Warcraft etc lead me to use more MMORPG terms I forget others may not really understand. 

 

[Xeromaus]

Not quite what I meant really, yet what you say agrees with what I meant anyway. Of course the missions are where the main thrust of gear or story is sat but I was hoping for areas to be opened up that include all the things we see now in the normal open world but to continue the level/GS Climb. 

The point is perhaps, are they going to change Level 1-30 into a Gear Score perhaps? Having two systems running like they have poses an issue to easily "expanding the universe" UNLESS all open world areas that become active are Gear Score rated rather than level rated.

Situation you have currently is you reach level 30 then you switch the way "levels" are calculated completely as it moves to Gear Score (pretty much). 

So, if they want to expand the Open World to match the rest of the open world....if you will imagine a whole area of Manhattan is added in a patch, with a Safe House, encounters, side missions and main mission instances (I class FL for example as a main mission instance...yet it has no open world around it).

How do you grade this? Do you "lock" the area around the main instance like FL is based on GS? or do you, like the rest of the open world, leave it open but deadly to low tier characters (like open world is now)?

I am not really focusing on drops, HE gear or level creep really....though that all needs adjustments....its the Open World aspects with civilians, side missions, encounters, roaming gangs and safe houses I want added to. As we've hinted, they have these areas out there already made!! 

The introduction of gear score made level irrelevant, as similar systems have before it. If new levels are added, they would almost certainly have to be designed for max or near max gear score players, lest they give the fanbase yet another mechanic to bash ("I smoked those 10 new levels in 30 minutes, it was crap"). If so, then new players are "forced" to level 1-30 in vanilla, then climb gear score levels, then continue climbing the last ten levels. If not, then it's a straight grind from 1-40 (or whatever the new cap is), and all the gear score we've been striving for now means nothing (see: expansions to other rpg's like WoW's burning crusade...all that gearing you did in naxx means nothing at all, new players skip the run entirely with no ill effect, older players find green drops on day one of it's release that shame what they worked for for months). Screwed either way.

So maybe they just add another safehouse with missons/encounters/etc and gate it with deadly enemies. Whats the point of it? There's a handful of gamers that want more of the open world, but for the most part, you can't even make players use what we have now. Everyone runs through most of it once, but that's it. When was the last time you joined a random 4 man group and didn't see your map populated by encounters/missions they had yet to do?

I'm very aware of the areas that have been discovered, and of their size. They're not even close to large enough to be "new zones", they're very likely just later incursions. Newer territory would likely be underground, as hinted by a future DLC, so there's no need to expand outward...nor is there any real player demand for anything but endgame content and more PvP options...at least nothing they'll focus on.

 

[Xeromaus]

I'm just a little...confused...how they'll limit access to the Incursion as in the open world as long as you don't activate the mission you can still wander through it.

Just like Falcon Lost...there's a door at the bottom of the ladder that only opens when the mission is activated, and higher level enemies guard the path to the main run. That's why they didn't add it in "open world", to control access.