Operation: Harsh Doorstop adds thermal imaging, night vision to armored vehicles

Operation: Harsh Doorstop's upcoming update will completely overhaul armored vehicles with new sound effects and handling, plus thermal imaging and night vision. It also adds Armored and Airborne platoons and a vehicle claiming system. The new features are already in the closed beta.

The armored-vehicle overhaul includes thermal imaging and night vision for appropriate vehicles. After adding night vision for modern infantry equipment kits, the team realized expanding the system to support thermal imaging in vehicles would not require a significant modification. The team has also been experimenting with new particle physics for destroyed vehicles, including dynamic fire effects and more.

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Platoons are squad categories that let players choose the type of role their squad will fulfill. Until now, Operation: Harsh Doorstop has had only an infantry platoon; the update adds Armored and Airborne platoons. Each platoon comes with access to unique equipment that players need to operate specific types of vehicles.

The platoon concept dates back more than eight years to a Project Reality server, where Battlefield 2 modification limits prevented the idea. As the system expands, the team is interested in adding specialized roles to each platoon category, including JTAC roles for Airborne platoons and JFSS for Armored platoons. The system will allow more creative factions, especially when commander roles are implemented; commander roles will be covered in the next development blog.

The platoon feature includes a claiming system for vehicles. Squad leaders and squad members can claim vehicles for their squad. Squad leaders can manage whether a vehicle is locked to squad members only, or un-claim a vehicle to transfer ownership to a friendly squad.

Claiming will also include requirements for operating heavy vehicles, including crewmen or pilot equipment requirements for crewed vehicles and rules requiring players to be in squads with the required number of squad members to operate a vehicle.

To play the update's features, players can pick up the supporter edition on Steam and join multiplayer playtests. All supporter edition owners can get a Steam key to the multiplayer playtest through the official website if they don't already have one.

Founder Connor "Bluedrake42" Hill calls the update "probably the largest update to Operation: Harsh Doorstop that we've ever launched."