Unturned December 19 Update Now Available, Gets Crawler Tracks and Tree Transformations

Have you ever found yourself trying to maneuver a car over rocky terrain only to feel like you’re driving on ice? Well, get ready to spin those virtual wheels because Unturned‘s latest update is about improving vehicle physics and giving the game some fresh new visuals!

This latest patch, version 3.24.7.0, introduces several exciting changes that improve your gameplay experience while keeping things fun and engaging.

Crawler Tracks

First up, we have the vehicles! Previously, our beloved Explorer and Tank felt a bit too much like they were gliding on four invisible wheels. But now? You can actually feel them gripping the ground as they explore uneven terrain! It’s like upgrading from a bicycle with flat tires to a brand-new mountain bike—such a delightful change!

Trees

Next on our list are the trees, yes, trees! The new models aim to balance nostalgic vibes from older versions and more modern aesthetics from SpeedTree models (which we waved goodbye to). Toothy Deeryte deserves enormous kudos for this upgrade, her patience during our collaborative process made it all possible. We’re planning a screenshot contest for early 2025, so keep your cameras handy!

If you have thoughts about these tree changes, be sure to share them here: Steam Discussions Trees Feedback Thread or comment at the SDG Forum Trees Feedback Thread.

Gameplay Changes

The gameplay adjustments also took center stage in this update. The grip of the Maplestrike has been restored after some players felt it lost its character due to previous tweaks aimed at balancing weapon performance. Now it feels right again—ahh, sweet nostalgia!

• LMGs got buffed for suppression effectiveness; expect them to shoot 3-4 times more bullets per burst.
• Sentry guns now have ammo efficiency at only 25%, meaning they won’t munch through their supply quite as quickly.
• Explosions received an overhaul, too, get ready for some serious bang with more reliable hits!

Server Browser Curation

The Server Browser has gotten some love too! Players can now curate lists for servers based on recommendations or region filtering—a nifty little feature that should help everyone find exactly what they’re looking for.

Combo Crate Event & Winter Sale

The Combo Crate event is live with fresh items created by talented members of our community! You can grab these goodies either through crafting or purchasing bundles during the winter sale, who doesn’t love saving some in-game currency?

Changelog

Added

• Improved physics for the Explorer and Tank vehicles. They can pivot in place, and their treads conform to the terrain while moving.
• Brand new tree models, aiming to strike a balance between the old models and (recently-removed) SpeedTree models.
• “Server Browser Curation” feature allows anyone to create lists of filters/labels for the server browser. For example, to label servers based on region, or to hide impersonators. These lists can be shared through the Steam Workshop.
• Added the craftable Artisan’s Makeshift Mystery Box and Bundle. Contains 16 items from ComboCrate 2024.
• Added the Business Briefcase Mystery Box and Bundle. Contains 16 items from ComboCrate 2024.
• Left-click while zoomed in with Binoculars to set your waypoint to the targeted location.
• Min_Natural_Vehicles gameplay config option allows for guaranteeing a minimum amount of naturally-spawned vehicles should always exist, regardless of the number of player-built vehicles on the map. (Even when it’d normally exceed the max instances of vehicles allowed.) Defaults to 16.
• Objects can use the Rubble_Can_Zombies_Damage and Rubble_Zombie_Damage_Multiplier properties to make themselves attackable by zombies. Defaults to false.
• Can_Target_Objects gameplay option for Zombies to attack certain objects in their path. Defaults to true.
• Interactability_Animation_Component_Path property for objects to override animation component path.
• Objects can use Load_Nav_On_Server and Load_Nav_In_Editor [bool] properties to choose when the the Nav gameobject is instantiated. Useful for objects that should (or shouldn’t) affect navmesh baking while (or without) affecting collision with zombies. Defaults to true for Medium/Large objects.
• Barricades and structures can use the Can_Zombies_Target [bool] options to make themselves attackable by zombies. Defaults to true.
• New LeaningForce properties for vehicles, to scale steering leaning force with speed.
• DriverTurretViewmodelMode property for guns to control how first-person arms are moved for turrets in the driver’s seat.
• Command-line “-UnredactedLogs” flag to turn off IP redaction in log files.
• New script component to spawn explosions with all parameters available. (“Explosion Spawner” replaces the unintended Grenade/Rocket script usage.)
• Red maple trees for use in the level editor. (Toothy found these in the old files. We’re not sure what they were originally for!)
• Asset data can now be exported into a MediaWiki template-readable format from the [F1] Workshop menu. This is intended for use on the official Unturned Wiki in conjunction with Cargo to help automate pages/templates, but could be useful for third-party projects.

Changed

• Reworked how explosion hits are found and sorted. Hit detection and damage falloff should now be significantly more consistent with player’s expectations.
• Bushes (including berry bushes) have snow variants for the winter holiday.
• Hostile-mode sentries can target vehicles directly.
• Sentries are now ammo efficient, with only a 25% chance (was 100%) to actually consume ammo/quality when firing.
• Increased Hell’s Fury pellets per shot from 1 to 4. Damage has been split between these pellets, but is roughly the same if all pellets hit.
• Increased Nykorev and Dragonfang pellets per shot from 1 to 3. Damage has been split between these pellets, but is roughly the same if all pellets hit.
• Reduced HMG direct damage and increased explosion damage.
• HMG Box requires High-Cal Military or Ranger ammunition. HMGs have become more prevalent in raiding following the aircraft requisition change on Russia, so we wanted to bring it more in line with the Dragonfang but with splash damage.
• Increased Attack Heli and Fighter Jet price on Liberator from 13,000 to 16,000 experience. We don’t want them to be too easy to get.
• Skycranes / towing vehicles cannot hook vehicles with barricades on them unless all barricades specify CanParentVehicleBePickedUp. This was primarily to address physics issues, but RP servers can override with the property mentioned or OnHookVehicleRequested event.
• Updated Tank model slightly, to better fit the new treads.
• Redact IPs in BattlEye debug logging by default.
• Interactable objects can toggle Nav object active.
• Caliber_# attachment hook and bullet gravity multiplier supported for all attachment types.
• Mostly finished deprecating older vehicle replication system.
• Updated Json.NET to 13.0.3.
• Increased Industrial Generator’s fuel capacity by 50%. When completely filled, it can provide power for ~42 hours.
• Increased Grenade salvaging to Explosives from 2:1 to 4:1.
• Holding CTRL when clicking an item action linked blueprint crafts it if possible.
• Maplestrikes can accept grip attachments again. To compensate, its recoil has been slightly increased instead.
• Reduced Sharpshooter skill benefits from +50% to +40% at max level. This skill is a big contributor to weapon imbalance, and shortening the gap between max and unleveled should keep gunplay more consistent.
• Reduced Horizontal Grip horizontal recoil control from +60% to +40%.
• Reduced Vertical Grip vertical recoil control from +60% to +40%.

Fixed

• Don’t show item sale in news feed with IMGUI mode enabled. [Thanks RBMKBlaze!]
• Log asset paths which exceed 260 characters (Windows MAX_PATH). [Thanks asineth0!]
• Useable full type name wasn’t supported. [Thanks iBowie and DerpyHoowes!]
• Foliage baking exception if surface collider was destroyed. [Thanks asineth0!]
• No icon for stockpile button. [Thanks LocoCZ!]
• “/copycameratransform” when looking up. [Thanks Toothy!]
• Sandbox folder name instead of path in origin name. [Thanks Molt!]
• Not playing ignition sound when switching from passenger to driver seat. [Thanks Tiway!]
• Color tags in exported vendor asset file names. [Thanks Molt!]
• Trailing space on a few item names. [Thanks Molt!]
• Exploit using an old GUI component to subscribe to other workshop files. [Thanks Jdance!]
• Keep third-person bullet casings visible in first-person for turrets. [Thanks Renaxon!]
• Sight attachments not using scope sway multiplier. [Thanks GazziFX!]
• Zombies not turning while chasing a vehicle passenger. [Thanks Diddlyono!]
• Snow glitter not shown on Washington and Germany. [Thanks Flodo!]
• Memory leak generating skin icons in cosmetic inventory. [Thanks Desmond!]
• Exception handling type request with null version. [Thanks DanielWillett!]
• Explosion closest point test was including colliders on navmesh layer. [Thanks Renaxon!]
• Don’t use client Fake IP in ReadyToConnect per-address rate limiting.
• Replaced vanilla uses of deprecated dat file properties with their newer equivalents. (E.g., Spread_Hip → Spread_Angle_Degrees.)

I really hope you enjoy exploring all these fantastic changes in Unturned! What are your favorite features so far? Feel free to share your experiences below, I can’t wait to hear what strategies you’ll try next.