TGS TL;DR is back with a fresh take on Fortnite Chapter 2! Although there are a ton of new changes to the game, Epic has not released official patch notes on the changes. We scoured the internet to bring you our patch notes of the changes, as well as tips and tricks to improve your Season 11 gameplay.
A brand new map is here, and the geography alone introduces a ton of great new mechanics! One of the most important additions to the game is the inclusion of water. You can now swim, drive boats, and fish for items such as weapons, materials, and… fish! Here’s a breakdown of each of the new features.
Swimming
You can now swim through all bodies of water, allowing for a quick means of traveling. Regardless of how high up you fall, you cannot take fall damage when you fall into water. Guns also work while swimming, so you can always be ready to fight even relaxing at the docks. To swim, press shift and move with your arrows keys. Use the space bar to leap into the air and dive back into the water, gaining a speed boost while underwater. While there is no mechanic to stay underwater the entire time, the quick second of coverage may be enough to quickly sneak past your opponents. Rather cruise in luxury? Pick up a boat from a dock to explore the new map!
Fishing
Want to take a moment to relax while also stocking up on supplies? Fishing allows you to obtain weapons of all rarities, ammo, materials, and fish. The fish can either give you shield charges or health, and are a great resource to have while you’re on the go. Fishing locations are easy to spot — simply look out for the fish swimming in the water or spot the large white circle above them. To cast, simply use the action button. You can adjust how far and high you cast the rod. Once there, wait for the rod to bob down, and you’ve got yourself some loot!
Hiding
A new element of gameplay as been added, and it is the element of surprise! You can now hide in open dumpsters and piles of hay found throughout the map. You can jump in by using the action button. The dumpsters and hay will occasionally move and give audio cues. Otherwise, you are now completely hidden! Use this to your advantage, especially near the end of the match. As the map closes in, any dumpsters or haystacks that are in the final circles will be revealed, so plan your tactics accordingly!
New Team Dynamics
Duos and Squads just got a lot more dynamic. You can now pick up any player, teammate or opponent, and carry them through the battlefield. This is great for helping out a downed teammate while the storm is closing in, or bringing an abandoned fourth member of a squad into your own squad’s domain.
In addition to this, there’s now a way to give your teammates a healing helping hand in the midst of battle. Fortnite Chapter 2 introduced the Bandage Bazooka, an epic weapon that has unlimited bandage ammo to help you and your squad out. The weapon does need to recharge one bandage at a time (20 seconds), with a carrying capacity of five bandages. You can either aim it at a teammate to heal them for 15 health, or launch it on the ground and pick up some free healing. Regardless of if you’re by yourself or with a team, this weapon is great in terms of sustainability.
There’s a lot to explore, but we hope that this gives you a good foundation of the changes so far. Interested in exploring the changes? Come to our After School Drop-ins, everyday from 3:00PM to 10:00PM, and explore the new world of Fortnite Chapter 2!