Welcome to another edition of our development update series. In this edition, we're diving into the two core game modes that define the tactical experience of '83: Frontlines and Assault. 

Each mode offers a distinct take on large-scale, objective-driven warfare, built to encourage coordination, strategic thinking, and squad-level tactics. 

Frontlines is a dynamic, two-way mode where teams battle to control a linear sequence of objectives stretching across the map. 

Each team begins with a fortified home base positioned at opposite ends of the battlefield. These bases serve as key infantry and vehicle spawn locations, and represent each side's final line of defence. Spawn protection prevents enemies from entering or attacking inside these bases, ensuring players always have a safe fallback. 

A real-time frontline system overlays the map in the overhead UI, visually showing territorial control. This line also dictates where Squad Leaders and Commanders can place spawn points. If the front shifts and a rally point ends up behind enemy lines, it will be automatically removed. 

At match start, both teams hold an equal number of objectives, with a neutral zone in between. Objectives must be captured in a strict linear order, no skipping or flanking rear positions directly. However, branching paths allow for alternate routes and tactical manoeuvres. 

Respawn tickets are shared by the team. Every time a player respawns, one ticket is consumed. Certain roles, like Squad Leaders or Commanders, may consume additional tickets. When tickets are depleted, that team can no longer respawn. 

Matches are also time-limited. If neither side completes the objective chain before the timer runs out, fallback win conditions determine the victor. 

Spawning is multi-layered. Players can respawn at: 

• Their home base 

• Any friendly-held objective 

• Rally Points placed by Squad Leaders 

• Command Posts placed by the Commander 

However, spawn proximity is affected by nearby enemies. Spawns will shift further back if contested, preventing spawn camping. 

Commanders play a critical role in Frontlines. They earn resources (fuel and munitions) from objectives linked to their home base. These are spent on powerful off-map abilities, turning every held zone into a strategic asset. 

Assault mode offers a more asymmetric experience where one team attacks through a sequence of objectives while the other defends. 

Inspired by the classic Territories mode from Rising Storm, this game mode features a one-directional flow from the attackers’ base to the defenders’ last position. 

Both teams retain home bases, but in Assault, only vehicle crews can spawn there. 

Objectives are captured in a linear chain. Once captured, an objective is locked and the next one becomes active. Occasionally, multiple objectives may be active simultaneously, attackers must capture all of them to progress. 

Respawn tickets once again play a vital role. Vehicle losses and certain specialist roles consume more tickets. If a team is fully eliminated after running out of respawns, they lose the round. 

The map layout ensures fighting is focused around the active objectives. Players cannot push too far ahead, keeping battles intense and contained. If time expires, defenders win, unless the final objective is being actively contested, which triggers overtime until the fight is resolved. 

Assault mode is played in two rounds, with each team switching roles. Victory is awarded to the team that wins both rounds, or to the team that progresses furthest if each side wins one. 

Together, Frontlines and Assault provide complementary experiences: one emphasising fluid, back-and-forth momentum, the other delivering relentless offensive pressure and heroic last stands. 

Both modes demand communication, teamwork, and smart tactical play, and we can’t wait to see how you take them on in Early Access. 

Stay tuned to our channels to not miss upcoming Developer Tapes on our road to Early Access Launch.

Make sure to support & follow us on social media and wishlist us below for more updates!

Discord: https://discord.gg/83thegame

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Twitter (X): https://x.com/83thegame

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https://store.steampowered.com/app/1059220/83/

Since Steam Next Fest, the team has been hard at work digging into your feedback, reviewing performance data, and translating it into meaningful improvements. Your input has been incredibly valuable, and we want to thank everyone who took the time to play the demo, leave reviews, speak to us directly, and help shape the game’s direction. 

Priorities Since the Demo 

Our focus since the demo has been clear: fix the fundamentals. That means tightening up core systems, improving stability, and making the game feel more polished across the board. 

Here are the key areas we’re addressing: 

Gunplay 
We’re actively tuning weapon handling including recoil, feedback, and aiming dynamics. A key update since the demo is the addition of camera shake, bringing a more grounded feel to firefights. Recoil will continue to evolve as we get closer to Early Access. 

Movement & Animation 
We've already implemented significant improvements to prone behaviour, with ongoing work focused on smoother transitions, better terrain alignment, and more natural movement throughout. More animation updates are ongoing across the board to enhance overall fluidity. 

UI Overhaul 
The UI was one of the biggest points of feedback, and we agree it needed work. A full replacement of the old UI was already underway during the demo, and we’re on track to have a much-improved version ready for Early Access.

Visual Fidelity & Stability 
We’ve already made big strides in lighting and texture work that not only improve the look of the game, but also help reduce crashes related to VRAM usage that some players ran into during the demo. 

Beyond just working on the underlying systems, we've already started implementing visible upgrades to content seen in the demo. 

Content Updates 

We’ve already started upgrading some of the assets you saw in the demo. Updated models, textures, and animations are now in for the following weapons: 

• AK-74 

• AKS-74U/AKS-74UB 

This is just the beginning of a full visual pass across all weapons, gear, and vehicles, ensuring accuracy while also increasing visual fidelity. 

We’ve also adjusted the lighting on our Fjord map shifting to a daytime setup to improve visibility and enhance tactical opportunities. 

Early Destructibility System 

One of the more exciting new features we’ve introduced is a basic destructibility system which is already making a noticeable difference to how battles unfold. 

• Vehicles can now tear through fences, haybales, and sandbags. 

• Players can break through windows whether charging in or diving out. 

• Bullets and grenades can shatter glass, and have a real, visible impact on the world around you. 

• Artillery barrages can destroy fences and windows, adding weight to bombardments. 

We'll continue to refine the destructibility system, focusing on polishing interactions, improving feedback, and ensuring it adds meaningful impact to gameplay. 

Ongoing Fixes & Backend Improvements 

We’ve made progress on many bugs reported during Next Fest, from UI and animation sync issues to server connection problems. Server handling has also been improved to reduce connection errors and joining issues. 

What’s Next? 

Development continues at a rapid pace. The feedback we received during Next Fest has directly influenced our roadmap, and each update brings us closer to an Early Access experience that delivers on the game’s vision and your expectations. 

Thank you again for your continued support. We’ll be back with more Dev Tapes soon. 

Stay tuned to our channels to not miss upcoming Developer Tapes on our road to Early Access Launch.

Make sure to support & follow us on social media and wishlist us below for more updates!

Discord: https://discord.gg/83thegame

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@83thegame

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/83thegame/

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/83thegame.bsky.social

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Itsnotreditsblue

Twitter (X): https://x.com/83thegame

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/83TheGame/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1059220/83/