Dagger_Directive

[Asid]

Dagger Directive is a tactical FPS that allows you to approach each mission in your own way. Select equipment, decide the time of day, then move methodically to complete your mission. Enjoy the modern mechanics and old school graphics as you fight across a variety of missions and environments.


Official Site: Here
Steam: Here


Single-player, Online Co-op


Early Trailer



About

You are a member of Task Force Dagger, an elite international special forces unit. Your missions take you across the globe?through frozen coasts, dense jungles, and war-torn cities. In Dagger Directive, tactical freedom is everything: pick your loadout, choose the time of day, and decide whether to strike hard and fast or move like a ghost.
Every mission is yours to shape.






Fight across three full campaigns, each set in a distinct region with its own atmosphere, enemies, and tactical challenges. Disrupt an eco-terrorist operation in the frigid Bering Sea. Battle organized crime across the volatile South Pacific. Crush an extremist uprising in Eastern Europe.
Each mission offers a different tactical sandbox, with objectives you can approach from multiple angles.





Gear up from a robust arsenal of 25+ weapons, each customizable with a wide range of attachments. Whether you're breaching doors with an underbarrel shotgun, clearing angles with suppressed SMGs, or picking off targets at extreme range, the armory has you covered. Supplement your firepower with drones, tripwires, grenades, and mines, and experiment with combinations that suit your style.






Dagger Directive blends modern game feel with grounded mechanics. Every bullet and piece of shrapnel has weight, velocity, and trajectory?simulated in real time. Adjust your scope for distance, lead moving targets, and respect the chaos of ricochets. Even grenades scatter deadly fragments that obey real physics.
This isn?t just spray and pray?it?s precision under pressure.






Each mission takes place in a large open area with multiple entry points, dense foliage, and tactical verticality. Control the environment by shooting out lights, hiding in tall grass, or stalking through shadows. Select the time of day before each op?just don?t forget your NVGs if you?re going in after dark.
The battlefield is a tool, if you know how to use it.




EARLY ACCESS CONTENT

The Early Access version of Dagger Directive is already packed with depth and variety:

  - A 15-mission campaign that spans all three global theaters, offering replayability through multiple tactical approaches.

  - Full co-op multiplayer, so you and your squad can coordinate, flank, and execute missions together.

  - Over 25 weapons, dozens of attachments, and a wide variety of tactical gear?already giving you the tools to play your way.

  - A broad range of tactical equipment including deployable drones, anti-personnel mines, and multiple grenade types, adding layers of strategic options.


COMING IN FUTURE UPDATES

Post-launch development will expand both depth and customization:

  - A mission editor with full Steam Workshop support, allowing players to build and share their own operations.

  - An expanded tutorial system that dives deeper into advanced weapons, tools, and stealth mechanics.

  - A powerful Free Play Mode, where players can spawn enemies, allies, vehicles, and gear to experiment or create their own combat scenarios.

  - Modding support for weapons and gear, empowering the community to add entirely new content to the sandbox.


Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:
Frequent violence and blood, and mention of drugs.

[SpaceGameJunkie]

I streamed this the other day, and I love it for one primary reason: You can save anywhere at any time.

It's a fun sandbox, but it's buggy as hell. Example, after the end of training, I was told to get back on the helicopter to go back to the ship. Sadly, the game had other ideas:

[Asid]

I played co-op with Atilla. There were some issues but it was fun 

[Asid]

First Patch
Fri, 6 June 2025



Hi Everyone!

First I?d like to say a big thank you to all of you!  It?s been amazing to hear all the feedback and seeing so many of you having fun!  We?ve also gotten a lot of reports of issues with crashes or blockers, especially while loading from a saved game.  We?ve spent the last few days focused on fixing single player and improving stability.

Our first patch is here and thanks to your help we?ve been able to track down and fix a number of issues.  Our goal for this first update was to fix as many saving or loading, random hang ups, and adding missing settings as we can.  There is one downside to all of these changes, any in-progress mission saves you have are invalidated.  Your character saves, progress through the campaigns, and your saved loadouts will all still be there.

If you continue to run into issues please continue to report them here in Steam or in our Discord (https://discord.gg/NnY2JrNPPd) We?ll continue to be focused on improving stability, fixing issues with multiplayer, and fixing bugs over the next few weeks.


Change Log

Important:

    - All previous in-progress mission saves are invalidated. Character saves, progress through the campaigns, and your saved loadouts are not affected.

Known issues:

    - Only the first 100 lobbies will appear in the server browser

    - Destroying all of the BRDMs in the first objective of Chemical Crossfire is likely to cause non-host players to crash

Notes:

    - Key bindings now allow modifier key combinations (Shift, Control, Alt).

    - Updated Default key bindings to use Shift + (1 - 6) for Pouch selection on top of the original  6 - 0. Requires resetting key bindings to take effect.

    - Removed Console hotkey key bindings to prevent confusion.

    - Updated credits with additional artists.

    - Added setting ?Invert Menu - Y Axis? so the menu and gameplay axis can be inverted separately.  ?Invert Look - Y Axis? only affects the camera controls now.

    - Slightly reduced AI?s ability to see drones.

    - Increased smoke grenade throw distance to be the same as the frag.  Also increase the power meter duration.

    - Updated localization for all languages.

    - Recon drone can now place a marker and toggle its laser.

    - Added control instructions to the drone menu.

    - Added new pinging activation to binoculars.

    - Equipping a new loadout from the loadout board now destroys your old items instead of dropping everything on the floor.

    - Added Commander dialogue during the training intro flight that informs the player they can leave the training at any time through the Pause Menu.

    - Increased helicopter speed in the training intro flight to reduce the time it takes to reach the landing.

    - Adjusted enemy voices to have a further out volume falloff and increased volume.

    - Reduced tank volume and distance.

    - Reduced truck engine volume and distance.

    - Added Invalid mission save version handling.

    - The message popup menu can now be colored based on its message.

Bug Fixes:

    - Fixed the "Game - Y Axis" input sensitivity labeled as "Menu - Y Axis" incorrectly.

    - Fixed missing localization and audio for the compass intro.

    - Fixed the Reset keybindings preventing new key remapping.

    - Fix for m203 and SMAW breaking all input.

    - Fix for color selection menu allowing players to interact with the UI behind it.

    - Fixed magazine retention reload not returning the magazine to the player?s inventory.

    - Fix for interacting with only the button you?re actively holding, not hovering.

    - Fixed privately hosted multiplayer servers not spawning entities on the ship.

    - Fix for black screening players when joining and setting up the compass player icons.

    - Fixed swapping an item with the ground slot in the inventory menu breaking.

    - Fixed vehicles going all the way back to their first waypoint when loading from a saved game.  Now they will properly resume the path.

    - Fix for sub-objectives not completing loading from a save.

    - You?re no longer able to pick up grenades once they start cooking and fixed a crash caused by attempting to interact with a grenade while it de-spawns or trying to pick up a grenade once it has been thrown.

    - Fix for dialogue messages playing all dialogues up to current objective in a loaded mission.

    - Fixed dead drones appearing for joining players in multiplayer.

    - The player will no longer drop their equipped item if they die in the middle of swapping items.

    - Fixed chance for pick ups to not properly clean up when destroyed.

    - Fixed thrown and placed equipment not saving and loading their positions correctly.

    - Fixed drones not saving and loading correctly.

    - Fixed objectives not loading correctly from a saved game.

    - Miniguns properly spawn when loading from a save.

    - Fix for ?Completed Missions? stat getting triggered more than once at the end of a mission.

    - Fixed a crash while joining in progress caused by the AI in vehicles.

    - Fixed an error with the tank not responding when it found a target.

    - Fixed the HE drone not exploding.

    - Fixed missing localization for the killed by rotor blades stat.

    - Fixed Manufacturing Meltdown being unable to save.

    - Fixed Quick Saves appearing in the Save Menu and breaking if overwritten.

    - Fixed missing colliders on fishing boats.

    - Fixed missing collider on Rock C3M5.


While we're mainly focused on fixing issues in the existing build, we?re also preparing the first content update! Here?s a sneak peak of some upcoming content:


Thanks again!

-Dan

[Asid]

Small Patch
Sat, 7 June 2025



Hi Everyone!

We have another small update today. This includes a fix for anyone that was not able to continue their saved character profile after yesterdays patch along with a few other issues. Apologies to all who were unable to continue their character profile.

Next week we'll be focused on improving general performance and multiplayer stability along with fixing bugs.

Build: 669

Known issues:

    - Only the first 100 lobbies will appear in the server browser

    - Javelin menu becomes unusable in multiplayer if killed when actively holding it and revived

Notes:

    - Added "Optional" text to the server password and placeholder text to clear up confusion that it is not mandatory.

    - Changed Private Server text to say Local Server instead to have a more clearly defined distinction between passworded and local servers.


Bug Fixes:

    - Fix for players whose characters are not loading properly after the last update.  You should now either load into the hub or to the start of the last mission you played when clicking continue.

    - Fix for clients crashing when completing objectives throughout the game. Most noticeable on the first objective of Chemical Crossfire but could affect all missions.

    - Fixed the Javelin target lock beeping continuing after death and through loads

    - Fixed a crash that can be caused by a corrupted global data save file.

    - Fixed Manufacturing Meltdown not loading in multiplayer.

    - Fixed OICW airburst range finder key binding.

    - Controller localization for Xbox and PlayStation controllers

    - Fix for inverted settings on mouse and controllers.

    - Fix for sensitivity on menu not applying to controllers.

Thanks!

- Dan

[Asid]

Patch - 3
Fri, 13 June 2025



Hi everyone!

This week's patch is here!  This patch is focused on improving performance, especially around networking.  We reworked the way the network messages are sent to reduce the CPU cost and size of the messages.  There was a general pass on over all performance and we took care of a few big issues.  There?s still a lot to improve on too.

Next week's updates will be focused on improving the mission and objective system to make it more robust.  We?ll be continuing to fix bugs and improve performance too.  Thanks for playing and for all the bug reports!  It has really helped us track down and fix problems quickly.

Known issues:

    - Only the first 100 lobbies will appear in the server browser

    - Issue dragging the first rocket round into the slot will not work.  Pressing ?R? does.

    - The shotgun only reloads one shell when pressing ?R?.  You can reload through the Inventory menu.

    - If the owner leaves during a mortar strike the strike ends early.


Notes:

    - Reworked network serialization for all entities to improve performance and reduce traffic.

    - General performance optimization pass on the game.

    - Spread out AI alert reactions over a few frames to improve performance.

    - Added the command line argument option "-default_input_bindings" to reset input bindings on launch. Adding this for one launch of the game in its Properties -> General -> Launch Options will perform the reset. Remove the option afterwards so it doesn?t keep resetting.

    - Added the mission name to the map

    - Removed the server password character minimum

    - Added a copy to clipboard button for the server info menu's join code

    - Split NPC and Commander voice volume settings out from the SFX volume setting

    - Changed the press input text to be more clear about holding the input down

    - Aligned the compass distance text for player pings and mortar strikes lower down to the other compass markers

    - Separated the WASD keys from the map controls.

    - Setting the XM29 target range automatically adjusts the sight range.

    - Added a connection error message that displays if you fail to connect to Unity?s backend.

    - \[REDACTED]

Bug Fixes:

    - Fixed locked key bindings allowing additional key bindings but not being able to remove them.

    - The default input bindings for the mouse cursor, look, and console can no longer be unbound or changed to prevent getting into a no input state. Additional bindings can be added, changed, and removed on top of the defaults.

    - Fixed engine noises and ringing volumes not being controlled by the SFX volume

    - Fixed issue where small menu movements along the x-axis were not caught.

    - Fixed Steam friend invites not sending the passwords and failing to join password protected games.

    - Skipping the tutorial will now skip the on ship commander messages.

    - Fixed the Iron Wolves RPG unit using Player uniforms instead of their faction?s uniforms

    - Fix for the character's head not rotating when using the Javelin.

    - Fixed the Javelin locked on sound continuously playing when you are killed while using it.

    - Fix for overlapping commander audio when getting multiple messages

    - Mortar strikes in single player pause when players pause the game.

    - Mortar strikes no longer spam when loading in from a saved mission where mortars were used before. This fix applies to joining multiplayer sessions as well.

    - When saving, magazines retain their ammo count.

    - Fix for RPG and SMAW rounds getting stuck in players when reloading.

    - Revive meter goes away once the player is revived.

    - Fix for minigun breaking players when pressing X.

    - L85 now uses STANAG mag

    - Fix for OICW sight not being able to decrease range.

    - Fix for flashbang stunning players that were out of range.

    - Fix for XM29 range finder not setting target distance.

    - Fixed briefing continuing to play when the mission was unselected

    - Fixed an error that caused some objectives to not be completed properly.

    - Increased the start mission trigger to cover the front section of the helicopter.

    - The evac helicopter spawns properly at the end of Railroad Recon.

Thanks,
- Dan

[Asid]

Dev Blog June (almost) 2025
Thu, 3 July 2025




Hi everyone! 

We?re a bit late on the June Dev blog (It was a busy month) but here it is!

We launched into early access on June 3rd and since then we?ve released a few updates to fix bugs and improve stability. Thanks for all of your feedback and support!  It has been a massive help in tracking down and fixing issues.

In the last patch notes we mentioned that we?re going to be taking some additional time between updates.  Rest assured that we?re nowhere near done with Dagger Directive.  Below you will find our roadmap so you can see what content we have planned.  Today will also see a couple releases; a small patch to fix a couple issues from the last update, and the demo is back!

Update 1.5.02

Small update to fix two issues with the last update.

July 3, 2025 - V0.5.02 - Hot Fix

Known issues:

  - Only the first 100 lobbies will appear in the server browser

  - Reloading issues with OICW

Bug Fixes:

  - Fixed gunshots sometimes not playing when joining an in progress match

  - Fixed an incorrect offset that the gunshots were playing from

  - Increased how many sounds can play at once so sound shouldn't noticeably cut out in intense situations

  - Fixed an issue where loading and saving multiple times could compound an issue with objectives loading.


Road Map

We?ve had a lot of questions about what content we plan on adding or what features we?re working on.  Here?s our current roadmap.  A few notes: First the content should not change but the order of the items may change.  We?ll keep you updated if things move around.  Second, this is the larger features only so if you don?t see something it doesn?t mean we aren?t working on it, it?s just too small to go in here.




Body Armor System

Armor is an existing system but we?ve heard questions about it and wanted to clarify how it currently works.  There are two types of body armor;  Kevlar and plates.  The players always have both plates and Kevlar while the enemy will have a mix.  Each projectile has different properties that affect the outcome when hitting the different types of armor.  Range, velocity, diameter, and mass is taken into account.  Slower pistol rounds will be easily defeated by Kevlar, while rifle rounds will tear through it.  Rifle rounds can be stopped by plates but have a chance to weaken the plate to the point where it becomes useless.

Feedback and a bit of gamification have been added in to make the outcome more clear and the feature a bit more forgiving/less random for the player.  Impact effects look different when hitting armor, they appear grey or tan vs. the red blood effect you normally see.  Armor is only on the chest so you may see both red and grey impact effects.  This can happen if the bullet passes through the arm, or another body part, and impacts the chest behind it.


* VFX scaled up for visibility

Gamification comes in with the chances.  Each hit on armor will increase the chance that the next hit penetrates.  This stops the true random effect of firing multiple shots into armor and getting very unlucky.  A shot or two getting stopped by armor can be fun.  Firing 10 shots, having all of them get stopped by armor, and then getting shot once and killed is not as much fun.


The demo is back!



As promised, we?ve re-released the demo.  If you or someone you know has been looking forward to the demo, now?s the time to try out Dagger Directive!  It?s the same missions as the previous demo, just built off the latest live version and with multiplayer disabled.

Demo Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2437670/Dagger_Directive/

Thanks!

- Dan