1.70.3
2026-09-18Bug Fixes • The renderer fallback now also covers the window being recreated, such as a resolution or renderer change, rather than only Defcon starting up. • HDR for Metal (MacOS) and Vulkan (Windows, Linux) no longer creates corrupted and garbled screenshots. • World messages such as launch alerts no longer stay on screen over the menu after you leave a game. • The lobby window now appears as soon as you start a game, instead of there being a 500ms - 1 second delay. • Defcon now closes straight away when you quit, instead of pausing first. • Connecting to a multiplayer game no longer freezes the globe in the menu or makes the UI fade update extremely slowly. Graphics Changes • Defcon now has new map graphics, updated to match the same visual style as the old graphics but higher quality.
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• The legacy graphics can be toggled back on inside Options -> Graphics -> Map Quality if you do prefer the old look. Modding Changes • Mods can ship their own low quality map graphics by adding a _low version of any map file, for instance water_low.bmp or coastlines_low.dat. • A mods cities.dat, coastlines.dat, international.dat and gridlines.dat are now checked when mods are applied. A file Defcon cannot read gets the mod refused with an explanation, instead of crashing later on. • The mod rejection message now shows the line that could not be read, with the lines either side of it, so the file can be repaired without having to be an experienced modder. • Mods can no longer replace prefs_ files or critical_files.txt. • A mod shipping 32 bit bitmaps is refused instead of just crashing outright. Networking Changes • Starting a new game, starting the rolling demo, joining a multiplayer game and leaving a game no longer pause for around half a second each time. • Connecting to a multiplayer game no longer stutters about once a second while it is trying to connect. • Starting a game no longer waits on the network port when it is already in use, Defcon now picks a free one immediately.