Some news from the Insurgency team. The objective of the upcoming release is to test it with your help during a few weeks, collecting feedback and suggestions. After those few weeks, the team will tweak the final version with your suggestions and release Insurgency Beta 2.1.

From Spielman: "This version has been in development for 6 months. It's primary goal has always been to become the last major release of Insurgency under the Source engine. This doesn't mean we'll stop supporting it as soon as it's out: on the contrary, minor updates and extra contents that we didn't have time to include in this version are already scheduled and will be released during the summer.

We want INS 2.1 to have a code base solid enough to be enjoyable on public servers and clan matches, and to serve as the basis for Insurgency leagues and championships. This is the reason why we have chosen to deploy it first as a release candidate and not as a beta: we still think that you'll want to tweak the game closer to perfection, so we're giving you the chance to do that.

Many of you have asked about a release date. We're still under the last polish passes and the installers have yet to be built. However, this is only a matter of days. That's it, folks, neither weeks, nor months. We are very happy to say that the last private beta tests have yielded excellent results. The new maps are very playable, they will all be included in the release and, although the final verdict belongs to you, they offer new and exciting gameplay elements that are likely to change the way INS is played. The new shader effects add immersion and atmosphere, the new animation system lets you focus on the game and the tactics, not limiting you with clunky, artificial limitations."

BETA 2.1 RC Changelog

Key Features

• Includes all the patches and hotfixes from 2.0 onwards (2.0b, 2.0d, 2.0e).
• Improved server stability.
• Improved client stability.
• Immersive game experience with new suppresion and concussion and damage effects.
• Four new maps:
  - ins_abdallah (pre-beta)
  - ins_buhriz (beta)
  - ins_haditha night
  - ins_samawah day.
  
• Improved weapon system, new weapon sway system.
• Head sway while walking has been improved.
• Modular weapon accuracy modifier has been implemented.
• Redesigned spawn protection system implemented on all maps.
• Implemented slow crawling during reload.
• Improved movement system:
  - Reload while sprinting.
  - Strafe while sprinting.
  - Walking, leaning and aiming (at the same time) is now possible.
  
• When prone and using ironsights, you will now be able to crawl slightly without popping out of ironsights. If you move too fast or too much, you will pop out of ironsights, then pop back in automatically once you've stopped crawling.
• Removed knives and bayonets from the game.
• "mp_fadetoblack" cvar has been implemented for league play.
• "wait" cvar has been implemented for league play.
• New cvar ins_squadshuffle lets server admins manage the randomize weapons option on round restart (default: off)

Other Fixes & Changes

• Sniper rifle aiming has been fixed.
• Improvements and fixes to all maps, including performance optimizations and fixes for several reported exploits.
• Improved animation code. Smoother head sway while moving.
• Many new weapon sounds.
• New and improved soundscapes in several maps.
• Bullet ricochet effect has been removed.
• Improved HUD: less intrusive, compass removed. Only the "new" objective indicator system is present, and it can be toggled on/off and flashed on screen.
• Some iron sights have been adjusted (taken further away from the player).
• Some frequent DX9-related crashes have been fixed.
• Reduced ladder climbing speed.
• Improved Al-Kadesiah scope / animations ("black scope bug" fixed).
• Al-Kadesiah 3D-scope allows now a bit of lateral vision (doesn't cover the entire screen).
• Players will now be able to use and reload an M203 properly when picking up an M16/M203 from the ground.
• Fixed RPG requiring two right clicks to unshoulder after firing.
• Fixed scoped view while leaning for the sniper rifles.
• Fixed commander objectives having wrong colours.
• Prevented several objects that provide cover from disappearing depending on the players view distance.
• Fixed long distance texture problems while in scoped view.
• Improved weapon data values. Some values may vary between the release candidate and the Beta 2.1 Release version.
• Fixed animation latency issue for systems with lower performance.
• Improved overhead maps.
• Changed teammate colors in overhead map.
• Changed player icons in overhead map.

Original post can be found here.