Battlestate Games is rolling out patch 1.2.0.0 in Escape from Tarkov, ushering in a new era for those who don’t want the stress of playing in a PvP-driven environment. It’s a super-sized overhaul that changes how loot pools work, how AI-driven PMCs behave, and how players level up, adding the long-awaited Prestige mechanics to the PvE platform.
The massive update also adds the new EXFIL Brothers Program to the game, which allows users to soak up rewards for helping inexperienced players learn the ropes in Escape from Tarkov.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about Escape from Tarkov’s 1.2.0.0 update.
Tarkov’s Huge PvE Update is Here
The beating heart of Escape from Tarkov‘s 1.2.0.0 update is centered around the PvE platform.
Battlestate Games has tweaked the behavior and operating model of in-game, AI-driven PMCs, allowing for a more immersive and unpredictable experience, including:
- Significantly increased the chance of USEC and BEAR PMC bots teaming up and remaining non-hostile to each other
- Added a small chance for PMC bots to remain neutral toward a PMC player until the player approaches or attacks them
- Reduced the chance of PMC bots being neutral toward Scav bots
- PMC bots will more often initiate combat with Scavs and Bosses
- PMC bots won’t attack Player Scavs first unless the player Scav approaches or attacks them.
Additionally, the number of PMC bots has changed, as has their spawn logic. We’ll also see bots with appropriate levels in certain locations; you’ll no longer see a LVL 3 PMC roaming The Lab, for example.
And their loot pools have changed substantially:
A PMC bot’s gear, weapons, and combat difficulty now depend on its level and faction.
Low-level bots pose less of a threat to players and use gear usually available to players at lower trader Loyalty Levels.
High-level bots are more dangerous, use better weapons, and are equipped with high-level gear.
Prestige has also finally arrived on the PvE platform, which means users can undergo a reset of sorts, provided they hit the prerequisites first:
- High character level
- Completion of certain in-game tasks
- Construction of certain Hideout zones
- Completion of the main storyline
- Having certain items and a certain amount of money in the stash
- Leveling character skills.
Compared to PvP, the PvE version of Prestige is a little easier for the first pass. You’ll also be able to earn different, perhaps more lucrative rewards for hitting prestige in the PvE mode.
Additionally, you can now buy rubles using real-world cash, but only in the PvE world. That would be a nightmare if Battlestate enabled that in the PvP world. Talk about pay-to-win!
As you can expect, the 1.2.0.0 patch also has a stack of bug fixes and tweaks included. Here’s the sweep:
QoL
- Improved server-side player position synchronization to reduce the number of rubber-banding situations. Further network synchronization improvements are planned for upcoming updates
- Added the ability to switch trading modes with “Ctrl+LMB”: while on the trading screen, players can use the hotkey on an item from a trader or in their stash to automatically switch between the purchase and sale screens. If an item has been placed on the sales table and the player switches to the purchase screen, the item will remain on the sales table until they fully exit the trading menu
- Added the ability to pin players in the friends list
- Added a visual indicator for the “Run-Through” extraction status. The extraction timer will now be displayed in white if the player will receive this status when the timer expires
- Improved the interaction with drum magazines: loading ammunition through the context menu, unloading ammunition from the drum, displaying loaded ammunition, and loading an ammo pack
- Added the ability to inspect your own PMC dogtag on the character screen
- Improved the profile customization. Players can now choose which ending to display on their profile. Endings can be displayed on any player profile, including PvP, PvE Zone, and PvP Seasons profiles.
Location changes
Customs
Balancing changes
- Adjusted the PMC and Scav extracts: added new exits
- Added new loot spots in locked dorms rooms, the USEC warehouse, and other areas of the location
- Locked containers are now guaranteed to contain loot
- Added two new keys: ZB-1013 Key and Guard Post Key.
Fixes
- Fixed the flare extraction area: the sniper will no longer open fire when moving along the wall
- The safes in the company director’s office that were previously inaccessible can now be opened
- Fixed the Boiler Room Basement (Co-op) extract: it is now available regardless of which part of the location the player spawned in
- Fixed various doors that were previously locked by the Factory emergency exit key
- Fixed various geometry issues on the location.
Interchange
Balancing changes
- Added new loot spots at the Emercom camp, Objects #11SR, #14, and #21WS, OLI service areas, Kiba Arms store, and other areas of the location
- Locked containers are now guaranteed to contain loot
- Added new loot containers to the location, including PMC bodies
- Changed the loot template for the cash registers in OLI, Goshan, and IDEA
- Keys are no longer required to open cash registers in the standalone ULTRA stores. Keys are still required for the cash registers in Goshan, IDEA, and OLI.
Fixes
- Fixed the truck cabins previously locked by the Factory emergency exit key
- Fixed various geometry issues on the location.
Shoreline
- Reworked environmental audio on the location.
Expansion Hub
- Added the ability to purchase in-game roubles in PvE Zone
- Added USEC Tony and BEAR Den PMC voiceover packs.
Fixes
- Fixed an issue that prevented transitions between locations after a series of transitions in certain cases
- Fixed an issue that caused red visual artifacts to appear in optic lenses in certain cases
- Fixed an issue with incorrect lighting in the Hideout in certain cases
- Fixed various visual, culling, and collider issues across all locations
- Fixed an issue where loading into PvE Zone would not progress past the “Loading configuration files” stage
- Fixed an issue that prevented players from leaving the starting area on Terminal in certain cases
- Fixed an issue with incorrect differences in gunshot volume between single and automatic fire
- Fixed incorrect bot interactions with smoke from smoke grenades
- Fixed an issue that caused bots to get stuck on collisions in local raids in PvE Zone
- Fixed incorrect bot vision through transparent objects in The Lab
- Fixed an issue that allowed players to load ammunition into the same magazine while multiple players were simultaneously inspecting a container
- Fixed incorrect Black Division positioning on Ground Zero in certain cases
- Fixed incorrect display of the money transfer screen when transitioning to Icebreaker in certain cases
- Fixed incorrect landmine behavior in local raids in PvE Zone in certain cases
- Fixed incorrect display of player nicknames on the group formation screen
- Fixed an issue that caused death sounds to replay incorrectly on the raid-end screen in certain cases
- Fixed an issue that caused players to become invulnerable after interacting with the BTR in local raids in PvE Zone in certain cases
- Fixed an issue that allowed players to plant a PMC dogtag that wasn’t in their inventory when completing tasks
- Fixed an issue that caused task-related items to be lost when moving them during raid loading in certain cases
- Fixed an issue where shadow and volumetric lighting settings weren’t saved after restarting the game client
- Fixed incorrect display of the transition list on Lighthouse in certain cases
- Fixed an issue that prevented players from transitioning in online raids in PvE Zone in certain cases
- Fixed incorrect display of the AGS-17 sight
- Fixed various minor issues when interacting with the UI outside of raids
- Fixed Tagilla spawning near the player at the beginning of a raid on Factory.
Are you excited to jump into Tarkov’s 1.2.0.0 patch when the game comes back online today? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out our recent Watch Dogs exclusive, and don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
More from Grant Taylor-Hill
Comments