
America's Army: Special Forces (Direct Action)
Release Notes (Version 2.5.0)

=======================================================
What's new
======================================================= 


New Multiplayer Missions
------------------------------------------------------------

Included in this version of America's Army are two new 
Special Forces multiplayer missions. One of these new 
missions contains both the Special Forces playable Soldier
class, as well as the Indigenous Forces playable class. 
The other new mission is 'SF Exclusive' containing 
only the Special Forces playable Soldier class.

    - SF Extraction: 
      (SF & IF)
    
    A daytime urban mission where both teams must race to 
    retrieve a briefcase containing sensitive information 
    about terrorist operatives. Each team must locate and 
    secure this one briefcase and then carry it to their 
    extraction point successfully. The team that successfully
    extracts with the briefcase in hand wins! This mission's 
    spawn points, and extraction points (1 per team) - are 
    all randomly selected each round. 
 
    - SF Dockside:
      (SF Exclusive)

    A small tournament map which takes place during a stormy
    night in a run down harbor setting. Both teams must 
    locate and secure two cargo containers containing 
    biological agents. The first team to secure and hold 
    both containers wins! This mission's spawn points and 
    container locations are randomly selected each round. 
    This mission also features breachable doors, and usable 
    automatic doors. 

NOTE (SF Dockside): This mission was designed to hold only 
18 players (9 per team). Server hosts - please set the 
'max players' to 18 when running SF Dockside.


New Training Mission
------------------------------------------------------------

    - Shoot House (MOUT Training) 

    The Shoot House (MOUT Training) training mission has been
    added to America's Army. Shoot House replaces the 
    existing MOUT Training in Basic Combat Training. 

    Shoot House is designed to provide players with a dynamic    
    and replayable training experience. Players will enter a     
    building, consisting of up to 10 rooms, where pop-up 
    targets have been randomly arranged. Players will choose 
    a weapon and enter the Shoot House building, each room 
    will present the player with various friendly and enemy 
    targets. Players will have to make repeated split-second 
    decisions whether or not to engage the targets - shooting
    friendly targets earns penalties. This training will be 
    timed and scored for each weapon, results will be recorded 
    in our database and sent to a Web site where players can 
    compare their scores with others. (coming soon)


Tournament Mode Enhancements
------------------------------------------------------------

We've applied significant effort to our Tournament Mode
based on feedback provided by our Beta Testers and 
members of the Competitive Community. 

Here are just a few of the enhancements we're deploying 
in Direct Action:

- TWL Support in AASM
- CAL/CPL enhancements
- Improved UI functionality
- Ability to start TM without hosting company help
- Support for additional mission planning 
- Fixed ghosting bug (which appeared in 2.4)
- Simplified user options
- Tournament Results sent directly to our database 
(soon to be available through our Website and possibly
even RSS or XML feeds)

Our goal is to continue improving America's Army 
Tournament Mode to meet and exceed the expectations
of the competitive gaming community at-large, while also
making the setup and administration easy, whether you're 
creating a local LAN event with a few friends or 
conducting a regional competition in TWL. 

Please see the updated 'Tournament Mode Guide' available
through the START menu (file located in the game's HELP 
directory).


Enhanced Map Rotation
------------------------------------------------------------

We're very excited to roll out Map Rotation on all America's
Army servers. This will allow Server Admins (SA) to construct 
themed rotations with any of the existing (and upcoming) 
America's Army multiplayer maps. Leased servers will be able
to define their own particular map rotations, and can change 
them at any time.

On our 250 Official Servers we'll have a balance of themed 
rotations and static maps. In other words, some of our Official 
Servers will continue to host a single map while others will 
serve multiple maps by theme (SF Only, Desert Operations,
Urban Conflict, Winter Survival, etc.) We're anticipating 
10 different themes upon release! 


New Admin Command Post
------------------------------------------------------------

The new "Command Post" is intended to provide a simple to
use and easy to understand interface to the most common 
administrative functions provided by the America's Army 
game server. In other words, Server Administrators can run 
and manage their servers entirely through an easy-to-use GUI.

- Mission Selection via GUI
- Player Management
- Ban List Management
- Change server to Tournament Mode and back again from 
  within GUI without editing INI

Server Admins can start and stop maps, change maps 
on-the-fly, move players to other teams – complete control
via GUI. Hit the F12 key when logged into a game server as
an admin to access the new Admin Command Post.

Please see the new 'Admin Command Post Guide' available
through the START menu (file located in the game's HELP 
directory).


Gameplay Enhancements
------------------------------------------------------------

- Adjusted Recoil: 
When firing in full auto the recoil gradually increases to a 
higher amount then levels out. This more realistically 
portrays the controllability of automatic fire and promotes 
shooting in bursts or single-fire. 
 
- Damage Hindrance System:
Physical reactions to damage have been enhanced. When hit 
by bullets players will camera shift to display pain and also to 
promote taking aim to make the first shot count. Other effects 
are also included such as view shifts when receiving falling 
damage.

- Grenade Enhancements:
Grenade kill damage has been dropped to a more realistic 5 
meters (from 10) with fragment damage causing a gun down 
stun effect allowing room clearing assaults to still be
successful. 
 
- CEM Adjustments:
The CEM has been weighted to cause very large increases 
whenever sight mode is initiated. This added realism will 
promote the concept that a player needs their sights up if 
they want to shoot accurately. In addition to this, 
transparency has been added to the 2D sights for more 
realism and to make them easier to use. CEM bonuses due to
proximity to other teammates have been adjusted as 
follows: highest bonus given when in close proximity 
to the Squad Leader, next highest bonus given when 
in close proximity to your Fireteam Leader, and a small 
bonus now given when in close proximity to any teammate
(promoting teamwork).
 
- Added Horizontal Hand Tremor: 
Previously only up and down breathing aim wander was 
noticeable on most weapons. Now more left and right wander 
has been added to more effectively portray arm tremor when 
weapon sights are up. 
 
- Bunny Hopping Deterrents: 
A player can no longer reload while in mid jump or jump while 
a reload is occurring. In addition the jump key is limited 
with a stall time between each jump. These two additions 
should deter most bunny hopping outright, however once a 
player becomes accustomed to the changes they can go 
anywhere they originally could in a speedy manner. 


New Game Commands
------------------------------------------------------------

- Added in a new command 'AdminChangePassword' to allow 
changing the admin password via console.
- Added in help for admins for various admin commands.    
New console Help commands are: 
  Help - Shows general admin commands.  
  PBHelp - Shows general PB help.
  PBBanHelp - Shows PB Ban commands.
  PBBadNameHelp - Shows PB Bad Name commands. 
  PBCvarHelp - Shows CVAR related PB Commands. 
  PBWebsiteHelp - Shows Even Balance site in web browser.
- Added new command 'SummonNPCSoldier' which will summon 
a single NPC soldier pawn directly in front of your view 
(for offline use only).


New Honor Licensing Program
------------------------------------------------------------

Play the game with the elite of the elite and make your 
score count. If you are a game service provider or just
simply want to run your own America's Army Honor gaining 
server, then you need to head over to AAHONOR.COM and 
setup your Honor License! 

Whether you want to license Honor for your existing 
game server or lease an Honor server from server providers
with locations all over the world - AAHONOR.COM is the 
solution to your America's Army Honor server needs.

NOTE: When licensing Honor on your AA game server, you
will be provided with a unique username and password
which will have to be included in your Honor server's 
configuration file (server.ini) located in the
'America's Army/System' folder. The sections you will 
need to edit are seen below:

[Andromeda.Andromeda]
GameServerIP=

(Enter IP address to send to auth server to validate
authorized mode)

[Andromeda.AuthorizeServerRequestAdapter]
ServerAuthUsername=xxxxxxxx
ServerAuthPassword=xxxxxxxx

(Make sure to uncomment these 2 lines by removing 
the proceeding ';' and replacing the 'xxxxxxxx' with the 
account information provided to you by either Pragmatic
Solutions or one of the official Honor server providers
whom you are leasing your server from.)

To provide these credentials using the AASM, use the 
Options pull-down menu, choose Preferences, then the 
Honor Server tab. Fill in the appropriate fields.

This Auth username and password is required in order
for the Authentication Server to activate Honor gaining
mode on your Honor server. However, some server providers
may take care of this for you, consult with your Honor
server provider for more details.


Key Bind Rules Change
------------------------------------------------------------

Key binds for certain commands are now limited to that 
single command only. The following commands, in order 
of priority, may not be combined with other actions and 
any other action will be ignored:

1. Crouching
2. Crawling
3. reload*
4. swaphands
5. jump

* The "reload" command may be combined with the "reportin" 
command but the command will automatically be modified to 
"reload / teamsay "Reloading, Cover Me!!" / reportin".


=======================================================
What's Changed
=======================================================

- A new AASM version is included with the patch. You must 
manually install this new version after you have successfully 
patched the game. This can be done by double clicking the 
'AASM 1-2 Setup.exe' located in the 'America's Army\System' 
directory. See AASM notes below for help installing and 
uninstalling.
- HUD STAT messages (stat net & stat fps) are scaled larger 
for better visibility.
- Improvements and fixes to scoring. Score values are 
shown to user in console. Adjusts the display of the 
scoreboard to show the warning messages properly to the 
user first for not enough players.
- Adjusted several audio internal settings for enhanced game
sound (explosions, footsteps, occlusion, etc.) 
- Player Admins no longer need to be case sensitive 
for the player's name.
- Weapons in 'Auto' fire mode now fire an initial burst 
of 3 shots when clicked once.
- Adjusted game handling of multiple key binds to disable
skipping animation exploits.
- Added new static image version of the Personnel Jacket 
Weapon Mods menu.
- Changed the CSAY color in TM to an "orange-ish" color.
- Added new "Discard Round" functionality in Tournament Mode. 
- Integration of a new Authentication SDK, this updates the 
game's Auth System with enhanced security features and 
provides the infrastructure groundwork for future game 
features.
- Admin joining TM server now notifies all players with 
large message box.
- Death now results in a fade-out before spectating.
- Re-enabled ability to show or hide objective text on HUD.
- Changed default key for 'Zoom' to be RightMouse Button.
- Door Breacher collision radius adjustments.
- UI now scales based on the maximum player count for the 
current team.
- Several PunkBuster integration enhancements (better 
cheat detection).
- There is now a 3 second delay prior to displaying the 
scoreboard in TM allowing tournament admin/status messages 
prior to showing the scoreboard.
- Addressed requirement of TWL/CAL/CPL to have mission 
planning round immediately after pauses and 
side-swapping in Tournament Mode.
- Rolloff default now set to 1.0. This value may no longer 
be changed and is locked at 1.0 (which is what the 
gameplay was designed for).
- Door breacher now disappears when door is opened 
while door breacher is on it. Additionally, the door 
becomes unlocked for both teams, and the door is no 
longer breachable.
- Weapon class selection buttons now grey out until 
it's your turn to select a weapon class.
- Regular players now allowed to be player admins 
on leased official servers (but not on regular official). 
- Adjusted spectator button to only work when player has 
initially joined the server and not selected a team.
- Changed the Engine CacheSizeMegs to default to 64 instead
of 32.
- Disabled the less than 30 second no scoring rule 
(most prevalent in SF Hospital - VIP).
- Added default Weapon Mod sets.
- Scoreboard now always shows for spectators regardless
of server scoreboard rules.
- Server Browser functionality improved. Specifically 
unchecking all filter boxes will show all of the game 
servers available. You can then check specific options 
to hide or show only servers you are interested in.
- Made CommVolume update when changed, instead of 
every 0.5 seconds.
- Switching teams for the first time in a normal game
(and in TM) no longer closes the menu.  It should 
automatically open up the weapon select roster.
- Could run straight through US Weapons training. Now you
have to visit each station (and hear the instructions) 
before being allowed to exit via the steps.
- Added in some feedback to the user when executing the 
pb_sv_disable command to turn off PB telling them they will 
need to restart the server to have it take effect. 
- Server admin password no longer appears in command 
post as a security measure to protect your server. 
- Added new console command "DisplayScore" to show 
player's the current score as it will be applied to 
their personnel jacket.
- Added in a new command AdminChangePassword to allow 
changing the admin password via console.
- Added in help for admins for various admin commands.    
New console Help commands are: 
  Help - Shows general admin commands.  
  PBHelp - Shows general PB help.
  PBBanHelp - Shows PB Ban commands.
  PBBadNameHelp - Shows PB Bad Name commands. 
  PBCvarHelp - Shows CVAR related PB Commands. 
  PBWebsiteHelp - Shows Even Balance site in web browser.
- Most admin commands now show "Usage: xxxx" if the 
command isn't typed correctly.
- Now warns user if they haven't logged in once after 
installing the game and trying to join a server or 
running a training mission.


=======================================================
What's Fixed
=======================================================
 
- Fixed multiple client and server crashes.
- Fixed random objectives sometimes not appearing in right 
locations.
- Fixed grenade/RPG/flash damage killing NPCs through walls 
(SF CSAR & SF Courtyard).
- Fixed ability to have the Acog and Reflex scopes at the same 
time.
- Fixed grenade sounds getting cut off sometimes.
- Stryker zoom fixed - now works properly including resetting 
view on exit and the zero range command.
- Fixed 203 Reload failing if retried over and over until 
weapon thrown down and picked up again.
- Fixed reload weapon bug which stopped firing after reload.
- Training states now remain when switching between accounts.
- Users no longer need to re-login after playing on server to 
join new server. 
- Fixed retries which never seem to end on auth comm error.
- Improved messages relating to users failing to authorize
both when joining a server and loading their Personnel 
Jacket.
- Fixed training related auth messages with invalid 
username/password.
- Removed 'Stat Anim' exploit.
- Fixed smoke from smoke grenade sometimes not appearing.
(Pipeline primary valve smoke bug)
- UI now loads teams and team leader values correctly on 
tournament roster refresh.
- Fixed 'Set Squad Objective' showing up on both team's HUD.
- "No Pawn" display in Medic Call fixed.
- Fixed text-to-speech sound volume slider.
- Fixed exploit using the BDM/Door Breacher to destroy the 
walls gaining points in an empty server.
- Fixed the 16-bit mode exploit (seeing through walls).
- Fixed ghosting around map in spectator exploit.
- Fixed sprint while shooting exploit.
- Rolloff exploit – setting in ini file disabled.
- Fixed exploit to fire 2 203 rounds at once.
- Remove preferences menu (possible exploit).
- Fixed exploit to jump away from objectives while still 
taking them.
- Fixed exploit to run at the start of the round (sprint 
exploit).
- Removed 'devmode' completely. Note that this will disable
some single player commands such as 'show fog'.
- Fixed the 255 M203 rounds exploit.
- Fixed the "don't always show scoreboard" 
functionality.
- Fix for FlashBang stopping bleeding. Bleeding amount 
is now only set if it is higher then the previous 
bleeding amount, thus not overwriting the old.
- Fixed crouch/uncrouch while swapping weapon skips 
weapon down animation exploit.
- Fixed alignment of the Medic icon in the Scoreboard,
along with it only being visible for members of the 
same team.
- Fixed grenades being thrown in between rounds and 
detonating at the start of the next round.
- Fixed ESC->F2 tournament-mode superadmin 
class-assignment bug, where the game was apparently 
pausing when ESC was pressed.
- Fixed multiple Spectate bugs.
- Fixed the ban/banlist/unban functionality and alerts the 
user when they are kickbanned by an admin. It also alerts
a user as to how long the ban will last when they try to 
rejoin a server they are banned from.
- Fixed admin spectate player commands.
- Fixed admin pb enable/disable command.
- Fixed missing Medic call bug.
- Fixed spectate button functionality in server browser.
- Added server message to alert admins that they have 
joined as an admin.
- Superadmin is no longer listed in "Spectators" section 
in non-tournament play.
- Game now correctly announces when a playeradmin 
forceclasses himself to a new class.  It does not 
broadcast when a playeradmin or admin changes another 
player to a new class.
- Fixed admin command post console command breaking console.
- Fixed admin switching maps breaking authorizing.
- Setting MaxAdmins to zero now blocks all admin access.  
The default MaxAdmin setting is 1. 
- Fix for the wrongly colored icon's in the pop-up icon keys 
(on server browser and scoreboard).
- Alphabetized Mission Deployment missions.
- Moved mission deployment to be the default tab in Deployment.
- Fixed admin spectate issues (admin was unable to use any 
view mode they wanted to) and admin not being able to 
change spectating view until the next round starts.
- Fixed multiple UI issues and added several cosmetic changes.
- Icons on weapon select screen now sized appropriately.
- Fixed minor corruption of font used in pop up messages.
- Fixed icons appearing under name in awaiting selection 
field.
- Disabled climbing on ladder with weapon zoomed exploit.
- Disabled picking up a weapon when you are on a ladder.
- Added UI notification when player is banned or kick banned.
- Fixed server browser filters not saving on game exit.
- Added several enhancements to the server browser filters. 
- Text to speech in game now functional.
- Fixed gamma bar in settings page.
- Fixed mouse cursor changing size when you roll over certain 
UI elements.
- Fixed class icon ToolTip icons in weapon selection roster.
(SF now shows correct icon set).
- Fixed Admin 'restart map' functionality.
- Weapon Select Screen should now automatically pop up at 
match end.
- Deploy button from missions screen now functional.  It 
correctly displays a list of available servers hosting the
selected mission.
- Fixed the 'copy to clipboard' of the IP address in the 
server browser when you right click on the server.
- Fixed auto sign-in attempt occurring after exiting a server.
- Added pop-up messages for 'server at capacity' and 
'incorrect password'.
- Option for left and right rails removed from UI.
- Fixed text getting truncated on UI pages.
- Fixed VSS slot displaying wrong icon (SVD).
- Fixed typo in objective taken message (SF PCR)
- Player's own ping now properly reported.
- Player's name now being uniquely identified (yellow color)
on F1 & F2 screens.
- Medic class select box now remains selected.
- Fixed odd symbols in PB messages in high resolutions - 
the piping symbol.
- Fixed unnamed CommVolumes when on ladders.
- Fixed false 'user not logged in' or 'insufficient 
training to join server' messages.
- Adjusted colors in the UI and in-game roster pages. 
- Fixed icon placement and default column width for TM 
and non-TM roster pages.  
- Fixed medic class checkbox functionality in TM and 
non-TM screens.
- Fixed 'skipping reload animation' exploit.
- Fixed TM admin having no control over assigning 
weapon class slots.
- Fixed players appearing twice in the awaiting selection 
field in tournament mode.
- Fixed admin being placed in waiting selection field.
- Team Captains now able to place players in weapon class roles. 
- Fixed Admin dropdown not functional until screen 
redrawn (refresh bug).
- Fixed message beep checkbox functionality.
- Fixed joining one team then switching still shows 
you on the first team's roster in TM.
- Fixed TM "Restart" and "Start" functionality.
- Fixed non-admin/team captains able to unassign other 
players/themselves, when locked or unlocked. 
- Tournament mode roster screen now properly displays 
the UI buttons (Select, Swap, Requesting, Remove, etc...).
- Fixed TM bug where players appear multiple times in the 
unassigned frame when unassigned.
- Fixed E&E objectives resetting properly.
- Fixed Remote Cameras looked at while zoomed bug.
- Fixed no third-person reload animation caused by access none.
- Fixed multiple level bugs (too many to list) – both on 
the new maps and many older maps.
- Fixed not being able to use single player mode after 
having been in a server.
- Fixed scale glow on deco meshes.
- Corrected the Bridge map weapon loadouts – Assault and
Defense both have the same number of M203 rounds.
- Fixed audio settings stopping smoke/flashbang sounds
prematurely.
- Fixed player location not being included in medic call.
- Fixed player unable to run, reload or drop if use key held 
at end of round.
- Fixed several cases of Accessed None causing lag and 
possible server crashes (using "Shout" commands).
- Fixed pistol/RPG/AT4 not firing in weapon down state.
- Fixed player not spawning in single player when 'open' used 
while connected to server.
- Fixed bug where POV shoots to sky.
- Fixed 360 degree death view rotation ability.
- Removed the summons command per Even Balance's 
request - instead added a new console command 
of "SummonNPCSoldier" (offline only).
- Fix for rare occurrences of player spawning into game 
in 3rd person view.
- Per Even Balance's request removed support for the 
command line to EXEC text files. Users can still 
use the console to EXEC files but those will be 
properly examined by PunkBuster to verify their status. 
- Many other various fixes and security enhancements.


=======================================================
America's Army Server Manager (AASM):
Installation and Uninstallation Notes
=======================================================

To install AASM you must manually install this new 
version after you have successfully patched the game. 
This can be done by double clicking the 
'AASM 1-2 Setup.exe' located in the 
'America's Army' root directory.

To remove previous installations (or if the install 
fails and is unable to automatically remove the 
previous version) do the following:

1. Download and install from Microsoft the Windows 
Installer Cleanup Utility.  You can retrieve it 
from Microsoft on this webpage: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301

2. Delete the contents of the AASM folder (unless you are 
planning on installing the new AASM 1.2 version provided 
with 2.5.0, in which case simply skip this step).

3. Run the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility and select 
the "America's Army Server Manager 1.0" (or 1.1 
depending on which version you have installed) from the
list. The utility will remove it from your Add/Remove 
programs list.

For help using AASM please see the provided manual 
or press F1 to get help for specific portions of 
the program.
