What's new in PUBG MOBILE 0.7.0

The new PUBG MOBILE 0.7.0 update will be available within a day. While the Chinese version is already running the 0.8.0 version and is expecting the 0.9.0 update soon, the global version lags behind. The developers have already brought a ton of changes to the game. Some of them are significant, while the others not so much. I will be covering all the new features available in the update.

These are the major changes in the new update:

1. New Home Screen Layout

Credits: Derek G's video

The Home Screen layout has been completely redesigned. The home screen for the 0.6.1 version was really cluttered after the addition of all the new features, especially the game modes, and this screen basically simplifies it by moving it all under one tab below the 'Start' button. You can find the Training Mode, Tutorial and Room under this tab. Most of the other options from the top have been moved to the bottom of the screen, including the 'Seasons' tab which used to be on a signboard in the background.

2. War Mode

Credits: Derek G's video

Another major feature is the much-hyped war mode. This is a brand new arcade mode that will be active only for a fixed duration of time in every server. This is played in a small circle similar to the one in Quick Match. However, when you land from the plane, you have one basic gun, level one helmet and armour as well as a frag grenade with you. In this mode, even if you die, you can respawn after a set timer. You get points for every kill and revive. The player or team first to 200 points wins.

3. Point of Interest

Credits: Derek G's video

I bet most of you have no idea about this, but it does exist in the update. The developers have added a concrete area in the Erangel map which is referred to as a Point of Interest that spawns randomly across an open field in the game. You cannot locate it on the map and it renders in only after you are really close to the surface, which makes finding this location really difficult. However, in case you are able to locate this area, make sure you check it out, as you can find loot enough to decently equip a squad.

4. New SLR Rifle

Credits: Derek G's video

Another major addition to the game is in the form of a brand new gun by the name 'SLR Rifle'. This is another DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle) which is similar to the SKS, MK15, Mini14 and VSS Rifles. These rifles can shoot multiple rounds of shots at a go, as compared to Bolt-Action Sniper Rifles. The SLR causes more damage per shot as compared to the SKS and might suit players who prefer using DMRs over Bolt-Action Sniper Rifles.

5. New 3x and 6x scopes

Credits: Derek G's video

The 0.7.0 update has introduced new scopes for the guns; they are 3x and 6x. Another major change with the update is the way scopes function with ARs (Automatic Rifles) and SMGs (Sub-Machine Guns). When it comes to Bolt-Action Sniper Rifles and DMRs, all the scopes available in the game, which include the Holographic Sight, Red Dot, 2x, 4x, 8x and the new 3x as well as 6x will be supported. However, when it comes to ARs and SMGs, they will no longer support the 8x scope and the maximum available scope for those guns will be the 6x. This is a welcome change to help players distinguish between Sniper Rifles and other guns, but it might take some getting used to.

Credits: Derek G's video

6. New Grips
Along with the already existing Vertical Foregrip and Angled Foregrip, the update has introduced 3 new grips for the guns: Half Grip, Light Grip and thumb grip. These new grips bring forth different functionality and although not all guns support all of these grips, they can prove pretty useful in their respective areas of expertise. The Vertical Foregrip is best suited for long range DMRs, Angled Foregrip for short-range ARs, Half Grip for SMGs with short bursts, Light Grip for long range single-shot DMRs and ARs and the Thumb Grip for medium range full-automatic ARs and SMGs. It might be a bit confusing right now so I will include a post highlighting the different uses of each of the grips. Keep this in mind though, using any grip is much better than using no grip. 

7. Healing in moving vehicles
Many of you might disagree on this being an important update, but during squad battles, this might prove crucial for your survival. In the update, when you are sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle, you can use healing as well as boost items while moving, unlike the previous version wherein it was disabled. However, keep in mind that you have to maintain a constant speed on a fairly straight path and avoid any speed bumps or sudden jerks as they might disable the healing.

9. Adrenaline Syringe Spawn: 
The Adrenaline Syringe, which provided an instant 100% boost, will now be available among regular spawn items, although it is quite rare to actually get one in-game.

These were the major changes in the update. Other minor changes that don't make much of a difference are:

1. DMRs support AR attachments: The DMRs now support AR Mags along with usual Sniper Mags as well as other AR attachments. This is because these guns can serve as both medium-range automatic rifles as well as long-range sniper rifles.

2. Vehicle Skins: The game introduced gun skins and plane skins in the 0.6.1 update. In the next update, we will also get to see vehicle skins that can be applied on all vehicles in the game. It will function similar to the plane skins, wherein the player with the highest Royal Pass Ranking will decide the skin.

3. Improved Search Feature: Searching for your friends in-game was always difficult as getting one single character wrong did not fetch any results. The new update provides additional filters to improve the search functionality.

4. More Unlocked Emotes: In the previous version where emotes were introduced, we were only provided with 4 unlocked emotes. The update will feature 6 unlocked emotes for all players.

5. Portable Closet: This is a feature where if you click on the bag icon in-game and look at your clothes, you have an option to carry multiple sets of clothes which you can switch while in-game.

6. Titles for users: Players can now provide titles for their account, like Pacifist, Weapon Master and many more.

7. Quick chat voice: The Quick chat female voice that we have all gotten familiar with can now be changed. Male and female voices in British, as well as American accents, are now available.


What to expect in the future updates:

The Chinese version of PUBG is available by 2 studios, both owned by Tencent. They are Lightspeed and Quantum, the same studio that develops the Global version and Timi, which is more of a testing studio that brings out new features for a limited set of players. Some of the major updates from these two studios that might be released in the Global version over the course of the next couple of months are:

• New map Sanhok

• Fully Completed POI

Credits: ShubhGamerz's video

• Brand new guns QBU and QBZ

Now, looking at the absurd new updates:

• Holograms (yes it's true)

Credits: Rey Lagarto's video

•  Bulletproof Shield

Credits: Rey Lagarto's video

•  Electric Shock Mine

Credits: Rey Lagarto's video

•  Retractable vaulting structure

Credits: Rey Lagarto's video

• And finally, Rock Camouflage!

Credits: Rey Lagarto's video

This is just a small bit of the updates that you should expect in the game. Thankfully, all the new gimmicks are only available for a special Arcade Mode, and won't be included in the classic version.

I hope you enjoyed the post. Stay tuned-in to the blog for more PUBG MOBILE updates. Let me know your opinions in the comments section below.

My in-game name: gimmerick

PUBG MOBILE for Beginners

PlayerUnknown's BattleGrounds Mobile, more commonly known as PUBG MOBILE was first launched on 19th March 2018 and has crossed over 60 million downloads on the Play Store and App Store combined. The game is extremely popular among Indians, especially college students. If you visit any college campus, chances are you will encounter at least 3-4 guys sitting together engrossed in their phones with loud gunshots all around them. If you ever wished to play this popular game, then keep reading, you will find everything you need to know in this post.

1. Downloading the game

Based on your device, you can download the game from either the Play Store or the App Store. If you are using an emulator, I have a different post highlighting the steps for using the Tencent Gaming Buddy (Official PUBG MOBILE Emulator).

2. Setting it up

After opening the game for the first time, you might encounter the following screens.

The game will automatically recommend the best graphics settings based on your device. You can change this later. Select Got it and proceed.

This is the main login page. You can either log in with a temporary Guest account (though it is not recommended as you might lose your data while switching devices in the future). Alternatively, you can either use your Facebook or Twitter account. You can also click on 'More' and select your Play Games or Game Center account, based on your OS. You are allowed to link a total of 2 social accounts to your PUBG MOBILE profile.

Next, you will be asked to select a default server and you should preferably choose your continent as you will have a much lower ping. You can edit this later. After selecting a server, you will see this window where you are supposed to edit your character appearance. You can choose either a male or a female character and edit their physical looks starting from their skin and body type, the hairstyle and hair colour, which you can edit later. In the beginning, you begin with no clothing items and you will get more of them as you progress in the game. You can choose to add your country's flag from the option below (which you cannot edit for 60 days) and finally, you have to enter a unique in-game ID for your character. Enter this carefully as moving forward, you will need a special card to change this nickname. After selecting all of this, you can press Create.

3. Home Screen

So this is the home screen for the latest 0.6.1 version. It might appear a little cluttered for a new player, but the developers have fixed it by bringing a much simpler home screen for the 0.7.0 version. The top left corner of the screen is where you actually select the game type and start the game. In the beginning, you are only allowed to begin with the classic Third Person Perspective game mode in the Erangel Map. More options will open up as the game progresses. I will mention all the other home screen features in a future post.

4. Recommended Settings

Before you begin your game, change a few settings that will help you in improving your gameplay. From the Home Screen and open the gear icon at the top right corner. This is the first screen that pops up. You can change the Crosshair Colour according to your preference. I have kept it green as it helps in visibility, especially in the desert map. Also, make sure you enable the Peek & Fire option, which comes handy during gunfights inside buildings. Next, open the Graphics option from the right side of the menu.

You have to set the graphics settings according to your device. choosing HR or HDR will enable shadows and more details in your game and help your game appear really good, but only the high-end devices that have the latest processors can support that mode. So if you have a mid-range Android or a relatively older iPhone, I would recommend a selecting Smooth or Balanced. The rest of the controls can be kept as default.

5. Tutorial

Now, go back to the home screen and click on the tiny arrow at the bottom right corner and select Tutorial. This will lead you to the in-game tutorial for new players that covers all the basic aspects of the game that a new player needs to understand. You can select all of the options on the right side and understand the controls for the game. The game also has an in-game tutorial that will assist you during your first game.

In case you want to first test out the gameplay, you can do so in the training arena. Look at the bottom left corner of the Home Screen and you can spot Training. Open that, and it will lead you to the Training Arena where you can test out all the features of the game.

After going through these basic steps, you are good to go for your first game. go to the Home Screen, select if you want to play solo, duo or squad, and press Start. 

You will be redirected to the lobby where you can just move around casually while the other 100 players join your game and then after the timer reaches 0, your game begins. Good Luck in getting that Chicken Dinner.

My In-game ID: @gimmerick

Image Credits: Screenshots from my phone.

PUBG Mobile: Introduction

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, commonly known as PUBG, is an online multiplayer battle royale game (whew! that was a mouthful) which was initially launched by Bluehole Studios on 23rd March 2017 (beta) and officially on 20th December 2017. Ever since it's official launch, it has rapidly climbed up the PC gaming charts. Finally, after a year of its initial offering, Bluehole, along with Tencent Games launched a mobile version of the game on 19th March 2018 and named it PUBG MOBILE.

So let's get into it. What exactly is the concept of the game: 
PUBG MOBILE is a multiplayer game where 100 players start the game together while flying over an island in a plane and then strategically dropping onto it. You start with nothing but your clothes on (that is if you own any clothes in the first place) and then scoop through the map to get 'loot', which is basically code for guns, ammunition, various attachments, armour, throwables, storage backpacks and health. The initial map is a huge 8x8 km area but after a certain duration of time, the 'play-zone' starts shrinking. Your goal is to fight your way through the zone, kill everyone else and emerge as the last man standing. In other words, you become the winner, you get the chicken dinner.

The PC version of the game provides a very intense and sophisticated experience of the game but it is often reported to be really dark and at the same time difficult for new and casual players. Along with a $30 price tag (₹699 in the ongoing sale) and high CPU as well as GPU requirements, many potential players tend to turn away from the game. This is where PUBG MOBILE emerges victorious. It provides a better environment for beginners and casual gamers which is a lot more 'welcoming'. Most potential players have a smartphone with decent specifications that are enough to run the game on its basic graphics settings. To top it off, the game is free to download on the Play Store as well as the App Store.

In the current PUBG MOBILE Global Version (0.6.1), you have a choice of two different maps to play: a classic map, Erangel and a desert map, Miramar, with a new map Sanhok coming soon. You can either play the game solo, or duos or as a team of 4. The game also has different camera angles available; wherein you can play in the traditional Third Person Perspective or the new First Person Perspective (which is certainly more popular among Counter-Strike players).
There are two major game modes: 

1. Classic Mode: It is the traditional 30-odd minutes game mode where the players drop over the entire area of the island and spread out to loot up, only to be brought back together by the ever-collapsing play zone.
2. Arcade Mode: This is the newer game mode which lasts for a much shorter duration, depending upon the game. The game currently supports 3 Arcade Modes: Quick Match, Sniper Training and Mini Zone. Quick Match being the most popular has a tiny zone, 3x the loot and just 28 players at the beginning.

For more details, PUBG MOBILE tutorials, Map Guides, Tips and Tricks, stay tuned in to this blog. Let us know your opinions in the comments below.

Image Credits: Screenshots from my phone.