Latest Escape from Tarkov Update Makes The Game ‘Easier’

Battlestate Games has deployed a new update for Escape from Tarkov, dubbed 1.0.4.0. This substantial change makes the game easier in several ways, but it also addresses some of the biggest concerns players have about the title right now.

For instance, further optimization of the game client across all locations has taken place with 1.0.4.0, raid loading times have been reduced, and sounds have been added to dropped magazines, so you know when you’ve done it.

Get the full Tarkov patch notes below.

Escape from Tarkov’s New Patch Tweaks Difficulty

The heart of the Escape from Tarkov 1.0.4.0 update is about making the game better via optimization upgrades, menu smoothness, and cutting down loading times.

Battlestate has also made amendments to more than a dozen tasks, some of which are the game’s most contentious or frustrating tasks, simply because of how they work. They revolve around you going to a certain place and doing a certain thing in that region. But with this new update, the team has made the area in which you can complete these tasks much wider:

• The Huntsman Path – Secured Perimeter
• The Huntsman Path – Evil Watchman
• Capturing Outposts
• Claustrophobia
• Rite of Passage
• Provide Viewership
• No Swiping
• Return the Favor
• Provocation
• Gendarmerie – Tickets, Please
• Gendarmerie – District Patrol
• Gendarmerie – Mall Cop
• Long Road
• Overpopulation
• Pest Control
• Safe Corridor
• No Place for Renegades

Additionally, more XP is now being granted for operational tasks; co-op extraction tasks (some of the most ignored) have been removed, story objectives have been made less punishing, and hideout crafts needed to progress the story have been made 40% faster.

The quality and quantity of loot in locked and marked rooms have been buffed, and healing mechanics have been made more intuitive.

Here’s the rest of the 1.0.4.0 patch notes:

Adjusted the built-in armor protection zones for the following armor vests and armored rigs:

• ECLiPSE RBAV-AF plate carrier – removed the groin protection;
• Crye Precision AVS, Stich Profi Plate Carrier V2 – moved the stomach protection to groin protection, removed the lower back protection.

Reduced the penalties and increased the spawn chance for the following heavy armor vests:

• 6B43 Zabralo-Sh body armor;
• FORT Redut-M body armor;
• FORT Redut-T5 body armor;
• IOTV Gen4 body armor (Full Protection Kit);
• IOTV Gen4 body armor (Assault Kit);
• IOTV Gen4 body armor (High Mobility Kit).

Added new barters at Ragman Loyalty Level 4:

• FORT Redut-M body armor (Without plates);
• FORT Redut-T5 body armor (Without plates);
• IOTV Gen4 body armor (Full Protection Kit) (Without plates).

Removed outdated trade offers at Mechanic Loyalty Level 1, previously unlocked after completing the task “Failed Setup”:

• GP-25 Kostyor 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher;
• M203 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher;
• 40x46mm M386 (HE) grenade;
• 40mm VOG-25 grenade.

Reduced the requirements for the following barters:

• M203 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher;
• 6B43 Zabralo-Sh body armor;;
• IOTV Gen4 body armor (Full Protection Kit);
• IOTV Gen4 body armor (Assault Kit);
• IOTV Gen4 body armor (High Mobility Kit).

Fixes

Please note that some fixes may contain story spoilers.

• Fixed the issues with culling, shadows, textures, and location geometry
• Fixed an issue where water bodies could disappear for some players at certain graphics settings
• Fixed an issue where healing continued after cancellation when searching a backpack looted from another player
• Fixed an issue where players in the PvE Zone did not receive achievements after completing all conditions. Missing achievements will be granted
• Fixed the incorrect damage registration after fixing a weapon malfunction in certain cases
• Fixed the cause of the BTR Driver task progression resetting in certain cases
• Removed the ability to list incomplete ammo stacks on the Flea Market
• Fixed the inability to pay for vehicle extracts when currency was split across multiple stacks
• Fixed an issue where gear preset purchases failed if items required different currencies or barter trades
• Fixed the cases where killed bots remained in eating or drinking animations
• Fixed an issue where opening the search window in the stash caused client freezes for some players
• Fixed an issue where the lowest durability armor was selected when equipping presets
• Fixed the unnatural water reflections with SSR enabled
• Fixed the inability to transfer money to Mechanic in the story chapter “The Unheard”
• Fixed Error 228 when handing in multiple documents to Mr. Kerman during the first intel submission
• Fixed the duplicated Kerman dialogues in certain cases
• Fixed Error 228 occurring after exiting certain dialogues
• Fixed the inability to hand over roubles in the task “To Great Heights! – Part 4”
• Fixed item loss from backpacks in the PvE Zone in certain cases
• Improved the third-person sprint animation transitions from the crouched position
• Fixed the duplicate notifications when switching between story chapters
• Fixed the missing dialogue response options in certain cases
• Fixed the missing flashbang explosion sound when the player was above or below the detonation point
• Fixed an issue preventing item filter selection at traders
• Fixed the incorrect purchase price of the BNTI Kirasa-N armor (Green) at trader Ref
• Fixed the inability to transfer items to traders immediately after receiving them via in-game messages
• Fixed the ammo display in the Scav Case rewards
• Fixed the missing rewards from the Cultist Circle in certain cases
• Fixed the incorrect stash size display for The Unheard Edition in the Hideout
• Fixed the fuel display in the Generator zone after visiting another player’s Hideout
• Fixed the client freezes when viewing certain player profiles
• Fixed an issue where some PMC bots would not attack player Scavs in the PvE Zone
• Fixed Error 228 when refreshing Hideout zones
• Fixed the incorrect edition localization on the final statistics screen
• Fixed the issues in Black Division and Birdeye weapon presets, as well as Kollontay gear presets
• Reworked the tripwire placement system for The Labyrinth. Tripwires no longer spawn in immediate player spawn points

Are you happy with this Escape from Tarkov update? Let us know what you’re thinking on the Insider Gaming Discord server.

For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that STALKER 2 is getting a new major expansion

Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You’ll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.

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