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First Outcast – Second Contact patch is now available, improves CPU usage for better performance

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Appeal has released the first patch for Outcast – Second Contact. According to the release notes, this patch features a number of CPU usage optimizations that improve performance when multiple characters appear on screen. Moreover, resolves multiple crash fixes, in particular when using Daokas.

Furthermore, this first patch for this Outcast remake improves snowfall animation at high frame rates, and rebalances the audio mixing.

Naturally, this patch also addresses various bugs and gameplay issues. It also adds a “vibrant colors” graphic mode, and implements a true full screen mode in order to resolve some of the game’s stutters.

Our biggest gripe with Outcast – Second Contact was its controls. As we wrote in our First Impressions article, the game did not feel responsive enough. Thankfully, this patch appears to improve them. Appeal has improved the responsiveness of jump, lowered the inertia of movement and enhanced the controls.

Steam will download this patch the next time you launch its client, and you can view its complete changelog below.

Outcast – Second Contact Patch 1 Release Notes:

  • Controls have been enhanced and inertia of movement lowered.
  • Constraints on jumping have been relaxed in some areas to avoid the occurrence of “invisible walls”.
  • The responsiveness of jumps has been improved.
  • Slight adjustments to jumping behaviour when in air.
  • The triggering of dodge rolls has been adjusted in order to prevent interference with sprinting. 
  • The contents of ammo boxes have been rebalanced.
  • A rare bug that could occur when purchasing the Magwa in Shamazaar has been fixed.
  • Fixed a bug that caused some characters (for example Zokrim) to get stuck in bodies of water, and sometimes blocking progression.
  • A display issue that caused Naarn to not properly display in some instances has been fixed.
  • Added a “vibrant colors” graphic mode. (Thanks to Dmity Andreev for this feature)
  • Implemented true full screen mode (as opposed to the default borderless windowed full screen) as an option in order to alleviate stuttering that appeared on some PC configurations. 
  • A target frame rate option has been added.
  • Ultra-widescreen support (21:9) has been implemented.
  • Implemented automatic surround sound support, in cases where adequate hardware is detected.
  • Audio options with separate volume controls have been added to the options menu.
  • The audio mixing has been rebalanced.
  • Snowfall animation at high frame rates has been improved.
  • CPU usage has been optimized to allow for better frame rate when multiple characters appear on screen.
  • Multiple crash fixes, in particular when using Daokas, have been implemented.