Updated Design Released

As many of you have undoubtedly noticed, we have updated the site with the first step toward our Steam launch, our refreshed design. The largest changes you’ll see right away are are in the new Welcome page, and the Match Browser.

The biggest feature of Welcome is the Play Now button, which will allow you to quickly join a pub running Clan Arena, Free For All, Duel, and a variety of team modes and player-run matches we’re calling Team Grab Bag.

We’re interested in feedback on the quality of matches this returns, especially in areas with less player activity, as we will try and fill up an empty match rather than sending you to a location with high ping. We’ve found while beta-testing the Steam client you can start at clicking the game on Steam to firing your gun in-game in 20 seconds, which will be great news for people who just want to frag and go. No need to wait in a queue for minutes at a time.

The Welcome page also will cycle through some game tips. Be sure to scroll through them some time, there may be something new you didn’t know about (try ledge grabbing, for instance!)

The Match Browser has received a new layout, also no longer constrained to the squished column it used to live in. We’ve also given the match name a lot more room, and have officially opened up the feature to all users, along with increasing the max match name length from 12 to 30. The new browser doesn’t use any pesky hovers, either. Click once on a match to view it’s info, and you can join any match in one click by clicking on the yellow arrow over the map thumbnail.

Start a Match has been renamed Create Match, and functions mostly the same, with the addition of naming your matches in the browser. We’ve also done a pass on what settings are for Standard and Premium level matches. Fraglimit, Timelimit, and Mercylimit have been opened up for all matches, among others.