Update 9.17: Sounds and HD Models

Commanders,

We’ve already divulged some of the new content and features included in the 9.17 Supertest. While the devs are still in the trenches of testing, we’re bringing you more details about the sound improvements, as well as a sneak peek of the new HD tanks. Let’s go!

Sound

Great news for those of you with 5.1 or 7.1 audio systems—in 9.17 we are adding support for them. The game will auto-detect and use them by default. And settings can be further modified in the Sound tab. Regardless of your system, you will be able to test and adjust your speaker configuration.

We’d like to give a big “thank you” to those who reported sound notification issues with auto-aim (locking the sight to a target, unlocking it and losing sight of the enemy). These notifications come with a bit of a delay, which costs precious seconds. Update 9.17 will put an end to this by linking these sounds to the UI.

Also arriving in 9.17 are new sounds for hitting the ground and collisions with natural obstacles like stones, buildings, etc. These sounds are distinctive for light, medium, heavy, and superheavy tanks, but there’s more to it than pure aesthetic value. Similar to received damage notifications, these new sounds will signal the severity of the collision (0–17%, 18–35%, over 35%).

HD Models

The dev team must have caught some Halloween vibes because there’s a devil's dozen of HD models in this update. Rolling out in 9.17, all sleek, shiny, and in glorious high-definition, are the French B1 and the British Conqueror Gun Carriage, a solid battalion of German tanks, the Pz Sfl IVc, Sturer Emil, Pz Sfl IVb, and VK2801, as well as the Soviet Tetrarch, SU 85I, SU-122-44, KV2 and SU76I.

We’ve got a lot to cover leading up to the release of 9.17. Stay tuned for more details.

See you on the battlefield!