(Last updated 2023-03-03)

Overview of GHPC

Q: What's the point of this game?

A: We want to play a tank game that hits a satisfying level of realism without imposing free-to-play economy limitations or sacrificing playability and accessibility. The options for that set of goals seem limited, so we're making it happen ourselves. For detailed info, see our Steam store page description. Please note that the purpose of GHPC is not to replace or "kill" any particular existing game, and we have never pitched it as such. We believe people who enjoy tank games will enjoy adding GHPC to their rotation.

Q: I'm lost. How do I control the tank systems and play the game?

A: There is a complete guide linked in the main menu. You can also find it here on the website.

Q: I want to make a video/article/etc. about GHPC, but I have some questions for the team first. Who do I talk to?

A: You're free to cover any build of GHPC at will, but if you require additional information, email info@gunnerheatpc.com or ping @Media Contact on Discord. As a rule of thumb, we allow gameplay footage and commentary on official teasers, videos, etc., but re-uploads of our team's videos are not allowed. 

Q: How do I get the game?

A: As of September 2022, GHPC is now in Early Access on Steam.

Q: Is the game free?

A: During earlier phases of development, a basic alpha demo was free to play. However, this version has been phased out as we entered Early Access. Currently, the only way to get GHPC is to buy it on Steam.

Q: Are you going to do DLC?

A: Once the roadmap has been completed and the game is in full release state, we will add more content as old-school expansion packs. Each pack will have a significant set of new additions (no $60 tanks here!) and follow a theme. We have several new theaters planned and will reveal details when we are ready.

Q: Are you going to add premium vehicles, loot boxes, or other F2P game mechanics?

A: Never.

Q: Do you have an update schedule?

A: In general, we aim for at least one update per month. Sometimes, there are two. However, please note that the game has no fixed update schedule and we prefer to delay rather than crunch.

Q: Where can I see a roadmap / todo list / change history?

A: Past release notes are listed on Steam. We also have a public roadmap that lists major milestone goals for the Early Access phase.

Q: How long has this been in development? How many people are working on it?

A: The lead developer started working on it alone in 2017. At the time it was called "Josh's Unnamed Tank Game". During the course of development, it was renamed to Gunner, HEAT, PC! and in late 2019 and early 2020 a few team members were added for the pivot to a new vertical slice build for Patreon supporters. In 2022, we released on Steam in Early Access, and as of 2023 our core team of 4 people is working alongside several contractors to finish the game.

Q: How long will it take to reach full release?

A: There's no way to tell, and we do not share our internal estimates. We would rather leave ourselves space to work effectively, avoid crunch, achieve a high level of quality. The game will be finished when it's finished.

Q: Are you going to add multiplayer?

A: Yes, though the main focus is currently on making the single player core more polished and efficient. Multiplayer will come later. 

Q: Will there be PvP?

A: We can't answer this yet. For now, only PvE is confirmed. Game modes are likely to be asymmetrical and co-op focused.

Q: Will there be multicrew?

A: Yes, one of our goals for multiplayer is to allow multiple players to operate the same vehicle together if they wish. In fact, this will likely be among the first multiplayer modes added. Multicrew will be optional, never mandatory.

Q: Will there be interiors?

A: A detailed interior view will not be possible given the team size and funding level we have available. The research and labor costs involved are excessive. Instead, we will depict important optics and viewfinders in a dark "void" interior perspective.

Q: Is the game going to sacrifice single player content in favor of multiplayer?

A: No. The objective is to provide an enjoyable single player content base, such as a story mode and historical skirmishes. Multiplayer will be optional and complimentary to the base game, not dominant.

Q: What vehicles are going to be in the game?
Q: Can you add this specific vehicle?

A: The initial focus is on a fictional war centered on the "Fulda Gap" in 1985. The Fulda '85 theater will feature units from the US, USSR, and East and West Germany, in the CENTAG area of operations. Later on, we will expand to other times and places. In general, we only consider vehicles adopted into service and serial production; prototypes are not eligible to be added. We also do not take requests. Future vehicle and theater plans are not publicly available.

Q: Are there going to be helicopters / aircraft / infantry?

A: The main focus is on armored fighting vehicles. We intend to add non-playable infantry for use by APCs and IFVs. There will be other types of units such as helicopters and fixed-wing Close Air Support, but they will not be player-controllable.

Q: Why is it called "Gunner, HEAT, PC!" and why is there an APFSDS dart in the logo if the name says HEAT?

A: "Gunner, HEAT, PC!" is a fire command used by US tank crews when targeting a personnel carrier, or "PC". It was chosen for two reasons. First, it's a play on the letters "PC" since this is a PC game. Second, it's much better for SEO than "gunner, sabot, tank" would have been. There's a dart in the logo because a dart looks way cooler.

Gameplay and Options

Q: The motion blur is really annoying. Can you get rid of it?
Q: I'm having performance/FPS issues. How do I make it run faster?

A: You can disable motion blur in the settings menu. It's also a great place to tune other video, audio, and input options. Reducing vegetation distance and shadow quality can help weaker systems.

Q: How do I lower mouse sensitivity?
Q: How do I remap controls?

A: Settings menu. Press Esc, click on Options, then Input.

Q: Can I use a joystick or other analog controller?

A: Yes. You will need to map the controls yourself in the settings. The aiming axes are in the first tab, and you will also need to bind an aim button (palm switch) to activate aiming. Please note that using keyboard/mouse and a controller at the same time can cause glitchy behavior.

Q: How do I aim, look through sights, etc.? Where's the controls list?

A: You can press F1 to show the controls list during a mission.

Q: How do I use the moving target tracking or other fire control system features?

A: There are gunnery guides listed in this compilation post. 

Q: My tank ran out of ammo but I see there's more ammo listed in the HUD. How do I move it to the ready rack?

A: You can start and stop ammo restocking in the quick menu, accessed via the Q key by default. You can also queue different ammo types from the ready rack with the number keys. Tanks usually carry 2 or more ammo types.

Q: Why is some of my audio muted?

A: If you're experiencing audio glitches, try muting and then un-muting audio from the Esc menu. If this does not work, drag the volume slider to a different number. If the issue is still not resolved, try restarting your PC.

Quality and performance

Q: Why are the physics / terrains / UI / etc. the way they are?

A: The game is in early development and many elements are unpolished or still in need of optimization. You can help by contributing! If you have a high level of skill in character animation, environment art, or other game development areas, contact the team via Discord or info@gunnerheatpc.com. Otherwise, consider buying GHPC or subscribing on Patreon. Your support helps us fund the game's development.

Q: Why does the game run poorly on my system?

A: The game is not optimized for performance yet. It's recommended to have at least a mid-range gaming system to play it at this time. However, if you notice a specific part of the game is causing performance to suffer, let us know! This information can help improve the experience for everyone. In the meantime, adjusting the graphics options in the options menu (Esc during a mission, or the Options button from the main menu screen) may help.

Realism

Q: Is this a simulator or a game?

A: Ideally, it will feel compelling and immersive while also letting you have fun. We believe applying a strict label to games of this genre is reductive and misses the point.

Q: Why does this specific weapon system not perform the way it does in real life?

A: Could be a bug, could be an oversight on our part. If you have information about real life performance that contradicts the results you get in the game, tell us about it in #feedback on Discord. Most valid and properly sourced corrections will be considered. Any undocumented or subjective feedback will be discarded.

Q: Why do I keep getting destroyed in this tank even though it's the best in the world in real life?

A: The game simulates the weapons and armor it depicts as accurately as possible given available public information. No tank is invincible, no matter how big its reputation is. You may need to adjust your strategy to play to its strengths and guard against its flaws.

Q: Do you account for different types of armor?

A: Yes. Despite the core values being based on RHAe estimations for kinetic and chemical attacks, there are modifiers in place for specific types of armor with special properties, as well as ammunition types that are stronger against specific armor types.

Q: Is armor penetration modeled in detail like a Finite Element Analysis physics simulation?

A: No. The game needs to run in real time with multiple shots flying at once, so there are some necessary shortcuts taken. We simulate things like projectile diameter, ricochet, normalization, nutation, overpressure, and spalling, tuning the results as close to real life as possible. We do detailed research and construct formulas to make armor and ammo performance line up with the documentation. 

Q: Is GHPC a viable platform for testing vehicles and drawing conclusions about their real-life performance?

A: No. Despite our best efforts, we cannot guarantee completely accurate results, especially for systems that are still classified. Nothing you see in this game should be taken as an authoritative indication of a real system's performance.

Q: Will there be additional optics such as commander's independent sight / CITV?

A: Yes.

Q: If the game was truly realistic, this thing would happen, but it's not implemented!

A: Let us know in #feedback on Discord and we'll see if it's something that can be added without sacrificing playability or derailing development.  Please note that the purpose of GHPC is not to be a meticulously correct, rivet counting recreation of real vehicles. We reserve the right to discard feedback if it does not line up with our goals for the game's development.

Documentation and sources

Q: Can I send you secret documents to help out?

A: Please refrain from posting anything that's going to get either you or us in trouble. If you're not sure, email us a question about it, or directly message a developer. 

Q: I'm a tanker in real life. Can you take my word as fact?

A: If you're an armor crewman, your input is welcome! However, any unbelievable claims are subject to review, and we won't take a sole word-of-mouth source as evidence. Always back up your personal experience with documentation if possible. No one ever lies on the internet, but we want to play it safe.

Q: Do you accept documentation from all nations?

A: Yes, although if there are reasons (e.g. politics, propaganda) to doubt the veracity of a source, we reserve the right to discard it or hedge it against other data.

Q: How do I submit reference material or sources for my realism feedback?

A: If you have information that is well sourced and legal to share, you can submit it to https://forms.gle/NhjzRyNVVfQmpK7RA

Gameplay

Q: Are you going to simulate damage to fuel / optics / etc.?

A: Most systems will be given damage models as development progresses.

Q: Will we be able to use power-ups to repair damage in combat?

A: In general, we're focusing on realistic consequences for component damage. That includes difficult or impossible field repair. There will be other options, such as switching control to another friendly vehicle if your current one is too badly damaged to continue fighting.

Q: Will we be able to lock on to targets?

A: If the vehicle could do that in real life, sure. Most fire control systems before the advent of modern digital FCS with thermals did not have this ability.

Q: Will there be other kinds of missions? Will campaign mode be improved?

A: Yes. Missions will be fleshed out and different scenario types will be added later in development. The early campaign mode is essentially a placeholder for a more structured, game-like experience with strategic and management elements. Stay tuned for more development!