8 days later... cracking on!

[Trooper117]

Well, just over a week since the campaign was released.
I have flown each day, cracking on with the 'Battle of Unlocks'... Have to say it is a 'rinse and repeat' kind of process, but I wanted to see what I had achieved at the end of a week or so

For anyone who hasn't had a chance to fly the campaign and who hasn't had a chance to see the medals or game interface I thought I'd post these quick pics!

 

From the first picture you can see how far I have come in 8 days with sometimes 2 or 3 but sometimes several missions a day. The test was on 'normal' and 'short' missions.

On the left you can see I have reached pilot level 5. Below that you can see some of the medals earned.

On the right top you will see I have completed 3 stages of the campaign, (halfway through the 4th)

Below that is a record of victories, sorties and successful missions etc...

And underneath that is my 'unlock' progress on the various aircraft, denoted by the green progress bar. As you can see, instead of flying several aircraft throughout the campaign you might do better to concentrate on just one...

 

 

The next picture is the 'expanded' view of all medals earned so far.

 

 

Finally the last picture confirms how far I have come in the campaign. Nearly halfway through the 4th chapter.

 

 

Verdict so far... Well, I have to say that flying the missions aren't that bad, although they can be repetitive.

That is offset by the excellent graphics within the cockpit and the terrain is nicely done.

Some of the effects are stunning, in particular the night missions.

Some sorties had lots of activity around the area as I progressed, but again, the same kind of repetitive targets cropped up each time.

 

Can I say I was fully immersed and felt like I was involved in the process? Not really sad to say, but as the dev's have stated it's early days.

For all those who hated the thought of doing this process (and I wasn't to thrilled at the start) you can see that after a week the campaign is not far off being completed, but the daily 'grind' of unlocking features on the aircraft will take quite a lot of time if you want to do them all.. 'Crack on chaps!'

Edited October 11, 2014 by Trooper117

[No145_Bunny]

I do hope for your sake, that you get to keep all those unlocks when the game is released. I hope the devs don't force you to start again!! That would be really bad news :-)

 

Well done though!

[Trooper117]

All the stats and unlocks are going to be reset when the game is released... I just did this as a test to see how much I could cover within a week or so

[SYN_Jedders]

Well done. Wanna do mine?...

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

Well good for you Trooper, as a MP only guy I have heard the "its not that bad" before. I don't want to or have time for a "daily grind". You spent how much time to get there? When I do go on line I have a few hours to play and that's it. So get in get your bombing fix before the wife calls for you to take trash out or other things. I have kept my BOS updated but have yet to log in.

[Trooper117]

It was done as a test just to see how far I would get flying several missions a day.

It pretty much confirms that it is indeed a 'daily grind' just to get this far, and it shows just how little that I have 'unlocked'

I've not flown MP on BoS yet, but as someone playing just SP at the moment I for one don't go in for unlocks in a flight sim.

 

I haven't hated the process, but then again I haven't really enjoyed it either, although some of the missions have been fun to fly.

The sad thing is, I've finished missions on the old IL2, DCS and RoF for example where I've been fairly 'buzzing' with the effects afterwards, and even had a nervous 'twitch' in my left knee when trying to work the rudder pedals as I was that keyed up during dogfights or ground attack missions...

 

And at no stage am I advocating that MP'ers should have to go through all of this  process just to get weapon loadouts for their favourite rides online. 

However people, make of it what you will.

[-NW-ChiefRedCloud]

Good work Trooper ...... thanks for posting ..

 

Chief

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

 'buzzing' with the effects afterwards, and even had a nervous 'twitch' in my left knee when trying to work the rudder pedals as I was that keyed up during dogfights or ground attack missions.

I get that after a good on line mission where I might live..most times not. I have to go afk a have a smoke!  Sometimes on Wargrounds it gets intense.

[FlatSpinMan]

Interesting to read. I'm of the opinion that MPers should be able to unlock online - hopefully the Devs will be able to achieve their wish of a co-op campaign - but it's good to see that it is quite enjoyable.

I've been playing a bit, too. Only a few missions in so far but I'm having quite a lot of fun. Of course I like SP and don't mind smaller unit engagements. Yesterday I had one of those missions that gets you going. It was an intercept mission so when I ran into a bunch of Stuka's and 109's attacking Stalingrad I assumed that was it, but nope, there were Heinkel's further south. I think what got the hearting pumping was the fact that my engine was damaged and I had to try and glide home. I always love trying to get back with damage. 

This is lucky as it always happens to me.

[SharpeXB]

Nice looking medals! Glad to see they have done a good job on them like RoF

[pilotpierre]

My Missions flown, missions completed, air victories, ground vitories and hours flown stopped up dating a couple of days ago.

 

The green achievement bars, skins, medals etc are still active though.

 

Any ideas how to kick start it again?

[keeno]

Hi Trooper,

 

I'm with you on this. I've been giving a few missions a day a go. I've read the posts and felt the hostility and for MP's i agree that unlocks should be earned online for them rather than during SP missoins, you shouldn't be forced into doing something you're not interested in. For me though I'm 75% SP and I'm really enjoying the campaign. I think they're well done, interesting and contain some really nice touches in detail. It's a chance for me to fly planes I wouldn't normally fly (inferior) and get to know them better without repeatedly getting shot down online by someone in a much much better aircraft.

 

The progress is set out nicely and the medals etc are well presented as in RoF. Yes, it is a bit repetative and I can totally see how MP only guys will hate it. Hopefully a Dev compromise can be achieved soon for the sake of the sim.

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Cheers

[FlatSpinMan]

Sounds like you might have a bug there, Pierre. Have you checked the Bug Report thread?

 

I'm actually having fun with this campaign. I like being able to choose the type of mission, and honestly, I find the waypoint markers etc really handy as I can't be bothered navigating on an all white map.

I've been playing for years but am not a serious player generally. As for immersion, well they could do more in that respect, and hopefully will, but my imagination supplies a fair amount of that as it is.

Regarding these unlocks, I'd really like the skin selection to be broader initially, but again, I'm actually quite enjoying the process, and that's not something I'd expected.

[mbv]

Looks like you are at the same stage as me in the campaign in chapter 4. I've been doing 3-4 full length missions per day or up to 8 shorter missions. My experience mirrors yours with regard to the immersion. It's certainly a grind and only a few very exceptional missions have been exciting due to either poor weather conditions, unexpected AI activity or dealing with a damaged plane on the way back. The mission types are extremely repetitive and need a lot more variation. Of course historically it really was a grind with lots of repetition.

 

I concentrated on just flying the IL2 and had everything unlocked by the start of the third chapter. The first chapter was very easy and is clearly designed to get people comfortable with the campaign. Subsequent chapters only get slightly more difficult, mainly by introducing more ground and air AI, which may or may not interact with you.

 

Cracking on.......

[KpaxBos]

My Missions flown, missions completed, air victories, ground vitories and hours flown stopped up dating a couple of days ago.

 

The green achievement bars, skins, medals etc are still active though.

 

Any ideas how to kick start it again?

 

Same problem here. Stuck to chapter one. I have reported to support. Answer was that I haven't achieve the missions . Weird because all went ok. Waiting fo another reply and asked to reset my campaign. Wait and see...

 

Things needed for player :

- possibility to replay the mission

- possibility to do some reset on the campaign (I am locked on chapter one for one week now).

 

Have fun

 

 

[pilotpierre]

Did they tell you how to reset the campaign? I have been achieving the missions as I get the Mission Accomplished and kills for the missions on the mission report page, but they dont follow on to the pilot profile page.

[KpaxBos]

Did they tell you how to reset the campaign? I have been achieving the missions as I get the Mission Accomplished and kills for the missions on the mission report page, but they dont follow on to the pilot profile page.

No, for the moment I am just waiting the end of the week-end.

It would be nice to have a mean to reset some stuff by ourselves.

I do not know what to do as there are no more instructions. I just can play missions in the prelude and no progress on the profile page.

May be an answer tomorrow (monday).

[pilotpierre]

If you have any further dialog with them please feel free to let them know I'm having the same problem. If you get any info on how to reset please let me know.

 

I find it hard to believe we are the only 2 who are experiencing this problem.

[=69.GIAP=RADKO]

Thanks Trooper for trying it out. I wish I could face up to the chore of unlocking but I can't unfortunately. I've lost interest in wanting to fly now, it's only hope (and the occasional rant) that's keeping me on the forum.

Edited October 12, 2014 by =69.GIAP=RADKO

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 I am stuck with IL-2 on the 4th campaign. Always freezes at same map grid and keeps giving me the same mission as well, stop the train.

[KpaxBos]

If you have any further dialog with them please feel free to let them know I'm having the same problem. If you get any info on how to reset please let me know.

 

I find it hard to believe we are the only 2 who are experiencing this problem.

I will let you kow, no problem.

 

What is strange now, I succeed to go further but I do not kow why!

I just play one HE1111 mission in the prelude; expert mode, unsuccessfull to bomb, but I succeed to land. At this moment, experience points increased.

The I flew a PE2, in normal mode; by chance succeed the mission but I dot not land.

After this, second chapter operation Uranus opened .

 

Strange because there is no bomber mission in the prelude.

 

The big problem is that I do not kow why I was blocked for so many days and now not.

Attached screenshot to give you an idea of what was done.

[pilotpierre]

All a bit weird. To reiterate, everything in my pilot profole updates except the line where you now have;

4 16 23 16 3

[ST_ami7b5]

Thanks Trooper for trying it out. I wish I could face up to the chore of unlocking but I can't unfortunately. I've lost interest in wanting to fly now, it's only hope (and the occasional rant) that's keeping me on the forum.

Exactly the same with me.

That achievements/unlocks screen just hurts my eyes badly.

And I was very enthusiastic just 2 weeks ago.

Now I can't force myself to fly again.

Will wait for the release in some strange hope...

[mbv]

I'm starting to suspect server issues at their end with a lot of these freezes and profile lockups. As far as I understand it this game communicates with their servers frequently for mission scripts and presumably to calculate the mission end stats and accomplishments. Not sure how much of this game is offline and running from our hard drives and how much is delivered by their servers. Server glitches would certainly explain the vast number of random campaign lockups and freezes.

[KpaxBos]

All a bit weird. To reiterate, everything in my pilot profole updates except the line where you now have;

4 16 23 16 3

These are what has been done.

As mentioned, all the stats are on the main server, it seems that it has some weird bugs. Is your XP points increments ans not the other information, that is a bug (you cannot get points if you do nothing). May be if you try to raise the XP point, will you unlock chapter 2.

 

By the way, no worries,we will have to redo all this stuff after release (or maybe after a major update). I really do not like this forced way to play and I really does not appreciate unlocks ( not as HG Wells -> morlocks ). I want to be free (Queen) to play as I desire...

 

Have fun

[SCG_Neun]

Trooper......are there any surprises in the missions....or can you expect the action always to be in the same basic areas.  Have you ever limped back to base.....only to be jumped?  Oh, and by the way...thanks for sharing.  I've flown just a bit....and just having some objectives to achieve has spiced it up a bit for me.  I think with time.....and redesigns...it's just going to get better....

[Trooper117]

A couple of times I've been limping back to base with a damaged IL2, and then noticed that several 109's have appeared and are between myself and the airfield.

Had to make detours to avoid them but luckily my escort or a patrolling friendly formation has been on the scene to take the heat off me

Most of the missions have followed the same format though. Pretty repetitive.

[senseispcc]

I am very happy with this campaign type of game, yes it is reppetitive but it is a air combat game what else canyou do,!

I am in the first part of it, I cannot play often, but I felt a evolution in the missions and the ennemies I also only fly La-5 (with the exception of the tutorial where you have no choice):

[SCG_Neun]

Roger that...Trooper...thanks.

[senseispcc]

This my last mission score:

And the result in the campaign:

I have now five skins at my disposal.

Edited October 12, 2014 by senseispcc

[wellenbrecher]

 

Can I pay you so that you do the unlocking for me after release?

[Trooper117]

lol... by the time it comes out I'll probably be away chasing bad guys again.

 

Remember chaps, this was a test. I won't be flying to that intensity again I don't think. I've just had some time off recently.

Medals and unlocks don't do anything for me. I'd rather have the kind of missions I used to have with dgen or the user campaigns that were made for the old IL2.

[VBF-12_Stick-95]

Trooper117 - Thanks for taking the time to do this and sharing the info. 

 

To sum up.  For 8 days (7 flying hours) you were able to fly 35 missions.  This means you flew a little over an hour per day.  You have gained 6 skins out of 100 on 4 out of 10 aircraft.  You achieved partial weapon unlocks on 7 out of 10 aircraft.  On 2 of the 7 it appears about half the weapons are unlocked.  On the other 5 only one or two unlocks.  You have completed 3.5 of the 5 chapters.

 

I am trying to estimate the amount of time necessary to unlock all weapons and all skins.  It appears you are going to complete all the chapters before having unlocked all the weapons and skins.  Does anyone know what happens if you complete all the chapters?  Does that trigger unlocks on all skins and weapons?  If not, how do you continue to earn the xp to unlock them?

 

Maybe this has already been explained somewhere and I missed it.  If so, my apologies.

[dburne]

 

I am trying to estimate the amount of time necessary to unlock all weapons and all skins.  It appears you are going to complete all the chapters before having unlocked all the weapons and skins.  Does anyone know what happens if you complete all the chapters? 

 

Good question, when I was reading this thread yesterday I was wondering the same thing...

[DD_fruitbat]

More time than i am ever going to put in, thats for sure.

 

Still, other games to play.....

Edited October 12, 2014 by fruitbat

[unreasonable]

Does anyone know what happens if you complete all the chapters?  Does that trigger unlocks on all skins and weapons?  If not, how do you continue to earn the xp to unlock them?

 

Maybe this has already been explained somewhere and I missed it.  If so, my apologies.

I have not completed more than chapter 1 yet but as I understand it the unlocks and relate to the xp earned on each plane: so for instance, you could complete all the chapters flying only the F4, which would easily unlock all the F4 skins and mods, but the skins/mods for other planes would then be earned by flying them separately. The only effect that opening the chapters would have is that you could start your Lagg3 flights in a later chapter if you preferred.

[dburne]

More time than i am ever going to put in, thats for sure.

 

Still, other games to play.....

 

Yeah pretty much the same here, I did the first 4 training missions ( last one was an autopilot at 16x as I don't fly German), and that is far as I care to go.

I will continue to follow whatever progress occurs with the campaign down the road, in it's current iteration I will be giving it all a pass...

[mbv]

It took me 10 hours to unlock everything for the IL-2. It probably would have been a shorter time if I hadn't had so many missions ending with 0 XP due to flak damage (bail or crash land) or pilot error (target fixation - plough into a tree and die)

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 17hrs into the campaigns. Unternehmen Wintergewitter in IL-2, half of it unlocked. So far unlocked LaGG-3, Yak-1 and La-5. Circle of Death will be for Pe-2.

[unreasonable]

Personally I do not care about the unlocks for now - they will all be reset soon enough.

 

Seems to me that if you were to take the user base from 2 weeks ago and see what they are doing now, you would find:

 

1) A few writing zero out of ten reviews for metacritic

 

2) Most MP players doing something else, like trying to find a child to grind for unlocks for them after release

 

3) A few SP players fantasizing about how wonderful everything is going to be now that the devs have said the SP campaign is incomplete

 

4) A few people trying out the SP campaign for it's own sake and making practical suggestions for improvement (and no I do not mean suggestions like "ditch the whole concept" or worse).

 

I wish there were more in category 4. I also wish that some of our suggestions would be acted on or at least elicit a response.

 

So cracking on indeed!