Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege will be receiving another update before the end of the month, with Vulkan API support headlining the patch for players on PC. The patch will also address ADS (Aim Down Sights) speeds for all weapons, rectifying an unexpected increase with an animations patch with Ember Rise.
Vulkan support has rolled out on PC, with Update 4.3 (aka Y4S4.3) having launched earlier today. This allows you to select between the current DirectX 11 version or Vulkan when launching the game. The Vulkan API offers some performance improvements over DirectX 11 in general, which Ubisoft detail in a separate post, but experimentation between the two is advised.
Xbox One and PS4 players can expect the new update a day later on January 29, with all gameplay changes and fixes being applied to all platforms. The most significant change is to the ADS speeds of all weapons, with some increasing by over 30%. In the Designer’s Notes for the patch, it’s explained that the decrease is to offset a previous increase in ADS speeds that came about with an animation patch in Ember Rise. Ubisoft says this should return weapons to their original values.
In addition to some balancing changes to numerous Operators, Ubisoft has also identified the increase in Lesion’s win-rate and overall usage. Although they haven’t yet decided on an approach to further balance the Operator, they do state that they are looking at ways to reduce his overall effectiveness and the subsequent frustration he is currently causing players.
The full patch notes for 4.3 can be found below:
Rainbow Six Siege 4.3 Patch Notes
BALANCING
ADS
- ADS time increased for all weapons.
- Assault rifles: from 0.30s to 0.40s
- DMRs: from 0.30s up to 0.40s
- SMGs: from 0.20s up to 0.30s
- LMGs: from 0.40s up to 0.45s
- Pistol: 0.10s up to 0.20s
- SMG in secondary slots: 0.10s up to 0.275s*
- Shotguns: 0.20s up to 0.25s
*(Modified based on feedback from Test Server)
BLACKBEARD We support great beards and more decision-making.
- ADS penalization will only apply when Blackbeard’s Gun Shield is equipped.
- Weapons without the Gun Shield will maintain the same ADS timings as any other AR.
- Weapons with the Gun Shield will retain the same ADS timings from before.
- The Angled Grip will affect the SCAR with and without the Gun Shield equipped.
ECHO Echo forgot to activate 2SV.
- Echo can now be called by Dokkaebi.
- Echo now drops a phone when killed with Dokkaebi present.
- When hacked, access to the Yokai cameras is also granted for Attackers.
- Yokai now has lights that show only when NOT cloaked, and Yokai drone lights will change to reflect it is hacked.
ELA A little more princess, a little less Nerferella.
- Reduced recoil on Scorpion Evo3 for the first 16 shots, any proceeding shots will retain previous recoil pattern.
FINKA The juice is loose.
- Increased Finka’s Spear .308 damage to 42 (up from 38).
JAGER Wamai giving Jager a run for his money.
- Reduced Jager’s 416-C damage to 38 (down from 43).
MAESTRO Maestro joins the No-ACOG club.
- ACOG removed from Maestro’s ALDA.
YING New and improved Candelas! Great for flashing enemies and not just your team!
- Candela’s now have a new outline that is visible only to Ying.
- Improved distribution of Cluster Flashes to make the flash more reliable.
- Number of pellets per Candela increased to 7 (up from 6) – (1 at floor level, 3 at around hip level and 3 at head level).
- Pellets detonation time reduced to 0.3s (from 1s on throw and 2.5s on deploy).
- Pellets that bounce on environmental props maintain their velocity instead of falling and detonating on the floor.
- Candela explosion minor VFX improvements.
FMG9
- Increased FMG9 damage to 34 (up from 30) for Nokk and Smoke.
BUG FIXES
GAMEPLAY
- FIXED – Attachers can sometimes go through barricaded windows while attempting to hotbreach without detonating the breaching charge.
- FIXED – Crashing if Lesion is pushed back by an airjab while trying to pull out a GU mine at the same time.
OPERATORS
- FIXED – Jackal can’t scan footsteps while within the warning area of a Mute jammer. He can now scan footsteps while in the warning area – making it more in alignment with all other Operator gadgets and abilities that can be used while still in the warning area of a jammer.
- FIXED – A rolling Candela that stops on a staircase will slide downstairs before detonating. Candelas will now stop and stay in place where they activated, even on stairs or uneven surfaces.
- FIXED – Glaz’s Holographic Sight has a larger and thicker red reticle than other Russian Holographic Sights.FIXED –
- FIXED – After being affected by Thatcher’s EMP, Yokai’s blue lights remain dark even when being operated.
- FIXED – Castle’s Nail Gun remains present and clips while deploying his Armor Panels.
LEVEL DESIGN
- FIXED – Invisible collision at the skylight of EXT Roof Top of Kafe for sticky deployable gadgets.
- FIXED – Wall studs are not destroyed when a reinforced wall is first broken by Maverick and then shot by Zofia’s impact grenade.
USER EXPERIENCE
- FIXED – Thunt matches count towards the “Match Win Streak” Battle Pass Challenge.FIXED – Battle Pass progression does not update properly on end-match screen, but shows correct progression in the main BP HUD.
- FIXED – Various minor HUD and menu visual issues.
- FIXED – Various minor shop and cosmetic visual issues.
- FIXED – If a player mutes a teammate, they can still hear muted teammates after switching sides, even though the HUD indicates they are muted.
- FIXED – In Caster or support mode, Nomad’s warheads pops in her hand while switching/reloading.
- FIXED – Bandit’s shockwire gadget appears offset when he holds it in his hands.
- FIXED – Incorrect animation for Ballistic Shield ops when being pushed back.
- FIXED – Zofia’s KS79 Lifeline grenade launcher’s ammo faces the wrong side.
- FIXED – Swapping weapons while vaulting will cause the operators arm to appear broken from a 3rd person POV.
- FIXED – Weapons don’t sway back and forth while in rappel and moving L/R.
- FIXED – Operators can appear to be floating over a shield from 3rd person POV if they vault over a shield twice.
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