Developer Diary, Part 81

[SOLIDKREATE]

I really never used any unlocks on the fighters. I wish they would have given us the option to skip the tutorial. We have been flying this SIM for a year now. That's really my only complaint. Other than that I quite enjoyed it. I like how all of the damage is called out on your plane.

[Jaeger55]

Crap!  I forgot to reboot after the un-install.  Is that going to be a big deal?

[novicebutdeadly]

The thing is for this genre, you either pay for it, or grind away for it.

War thunder = free to download and play, but if you want a better plane/ weapons, you either PAY or grind away to earn it.

 

il2 bos cost = >$70 yet you are forced to grind away to be able to get your aircrafts weapons/ config the way you want it, in a game play that you may not even have been interested in in the first place.



 

Edited October 4, 2014 by novicebutdeadly

[Bussard_x]

I miss a full mission debriefing, logbook, promotions, and the real medals. But I guess I am not the only one.

[FlatSpinMan]

So whats the point of this campaign?

 

 

The point is for people who are new to the sim - ie, everyone who buys it after release - to get the hang of the FM, get used to the controls, maybe map them in a better way, while playing a thought out mission with a goal in a suitable context before they branch out and do whatever they want to do - go online, play the campaign the way they want to (just sticking with one plane type / flying all plane types /flying one side /flying both sides/), mess around in the QMB, someday start making their own missions.

 

For myself, I like to have a character when I fly, and I like to have a story. That'S why I made campaigns in the old IL2. People are whining about how good the default campaign system was in that, but almost no-one liked it when it was the main sim, if what you read on forums can be regarded as the truth. Everyone said it was sterile, boring, repetitive, life-less. 

That system and this one provide the basis for what you need to immerse yourself. It's how YOU fly it, how YOU imagine it, how YOU choose to experience it that will make it interesting or not. I completely agree that a bit of personalisation helps, but if it's lacking, supply it. Dart's RoF "Martin" after action thread at SimHQ is a fantastic example of what can be constructed just through playing a randomly generated series of missions and using your imagination.

[dburne]

Good idea, I think I will just go assign all three to one of my HOTAS buttons as well.

 

Thanks,

 

 

No problem, not at all i'm happy that you got it working

 

You could bind these three controlls to one key to do all at once, but the option in the menu would be great

 

Got all three added to one of my CH quadrant buttons, works beautifully. I knew adding  that CH Throttle Quadrant to my Warthog setup would pay off lol.

 

Thanks again,

[Feathered_IV]

Crap!  I forgot to reboot after the un-install.  Is that going to be a big deal?

 

I forgot too but it all seems to be working just fine.

[Jokker]

 

This kind first look, this new BoS campaign is a amazing - Also map ground areas is little more life and new skins looks also good etc. And of course later all is even better...

 

- Is a lot fun for this weekend - Big thanks to dev. Team.

[Requiem]

Well I just went through the tutorial missions and if someone is completely new to BoS then the explanation mechanics of choosing loadouts and such things before each mission starts are a good addition. After loading in for the first mission though I wasn't a fan of all the clutter on the screen (big bright text and all that stuff due to normal), so I just hit autopilot and x16 time acceleration. Rinse repeat for the other three tutorials and I was finished with them in 5 minutes thanks to the AI autopilot. I'll probably do the same in the campaign so the grind might go by faster if I used autopilot at x16 time acceleration(with option to take over if needed) and let it do what is needed on normal mode than in expert mode where I would need to manually control the aircraft during a mission on time acceleration, which isn't that hard of course, but in normal mode I can just sit and watch.

 

As you can probably tell this campaign system has brought out the MMO mentality in me: Get everything I need done in the shortest time so I can move on to the end content (ie - Multiplayer). I've flown a lot of hours in single player campaigns even though I'm primarily a MP player now, but in other flight sim single player campaigns I was flying for the survival aspect of day-day missions, hoping to progress in historical ranks and see how squadmates may survive/die, plus try my best to make it through the duration of the campaign. In this campaign though I just want to get it over with. It is an unnecessary hurdle to step over on the way to multiplayer, but then again I and others like me aren't the target audience so what I write here probably doesn't matter in terms of feedback.

[Dakpilot]

I cant really understand all the outrage at doing the 4 tutorials...takes 5 and a half minutes to complete....used to wait longer for old IL-2 to load

 

I WILL NOT EAT MY PEAS!!!!! even tho I know they are good for me and I don't Really hate them that much

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[Trooper117]

Had a session on the tutorial this morning... Didn't take long to complete at all, and then on to the Campaign.

My only gripe is that I'm flying over all that crappy white stuff. I'd love a campaign on a summer map

[FlatSpinMan]

 the sp-capaign, gives me time to get used to the sim and set every little key set up right, before it gets to the real online-nittygritty....

 

 

And there we have it at last... the POINT!

This system isn't really designed for us early access users who've been tooling around for months. It'S set up for people who have just bought the sim and need time to get used to the FM, the controls, etc. Even experienced simmers will spend a bit of time getting the basics sorted out, especially nowadays when "the basics" are so comprehensive.

[Trooper117]

Just to add... I think, although the tutorial didn't take long, that there should be an option to Skip the whole process if you are an experienced simmer.

But bear in mind that we are playing this game in an unfinished state, and feedback and testing may well change things in the final game release

[LLv24_Zami]

I think the tutorials are very good for the new players, well done! But hopefully you dont have to play them again every time campaign is restarted.

 

Tried couple of missions of the campaign after tutorials and I liked it, after playing qmb for months it was nice. I dont mind about unlocks and stuff, although would have preferred more traditional career campaign. Hope we get different kind of campaigns over time. If there is enough variation between and in the missions I think this is ok campaign.

 

Briefings and debriefings could use more flavour and accurate info about what have you shot at and what accuracy for example. Pilot logbook would be nice. And once again custom difficulty option would be usefull so you dont have to shut down auto-throttle and stuff with keyboard every time you start mission.

 

BTW the AA issue against the clouds seems to be gone almost completely and game runs excellent.

 

Nice work

[FlatSpinMan]

You need to set up the first tree controlls under Engine Management :

 

 

2014_10_4__11_22_54.jpg

 

 

automatic mixture and supercharger controlls

automatic Radiator controlls

automatic RPM limiter

 

If you switch these three of you have access to full engine management in Normal.

They are not plane specific 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Prop Pitch on the 190/109 and the water Radiator no the 109 is still automatic as it was in reality. 

To controll these manually you need the Controlls:

 

2014_10_4__12_37_40.jpg

 

These work only if you have full engine management on

 

 

 

 

 

What a GREAT POST! So, like Custom Settings but accruing points for unlocks.

[Anw.StG2_Tyke]

I'm not quite sure how you're addressing my question of whether or not any market research has been conducted.

I'm genuinely curious to know if decisions have been taken as a result of market feedback or not.

 

If the new grind-for-XP for unlocks campaign style has been implemented solely because of well conducted market research then we have little to worry or complain about.

If the feedback was that if this is implemented it will lead to far greater sales then, of course, it was the correct decision.

 

If the decision was made because of a committee, deciding that this campaign system was likely to be popular and lead to increased sales figures, then I worry that it was the wrong decision.

 

I discussed the potential new market in my post.

I'm quite convinced that the fact that WarThunder is free-to-play is the biggest contributory factor to it's huge player base.

How many of those free-to-play players will be willing to spend real cash on a competing flight sim is the $64,000 question.

 

I genuinely hope the decisions made will have a positive impact on future sales.

But, I'm afraid after weighing up all the factors, I remain sceptical. I hope I'm wrong.

I have to add the fact, that even in Warthunder there was only a really small potion of players who took the step from Arcade/RB to the Simulation/Full Real Battles. This is simply related to the fact, that 99% of that playerbase don't want to play a CFS but a nice I fly my plane-Shooter. For them it isn't a key point to really fly the plane, it is just the vehicle to grind/shoot enemies. This brings me to the next step, I don't think that many WT-Players who never flew anything before will settle over to BoS simply because there aren't many of those players.

[1./JG42Nephris]

Nonetheless i dont want to be forced to waste my spare time in singleplayer to be able enjoying MP.

Even more the campaigns mission are so heartless. I dont buy the imagination thing.

In that case I could have rested to Atari Games.

Seriously what happened with the expieirence one made in Rof?

[Saurer]

 

What a GREAT POST! So, like Custom Settings but accruing points for unlocks.

 

 

Tanks

 

Should I post maybe it in the Tutorial section too?

Edited October 4, 2014 by Saurer

[dburne]

What a GREAT POST! So, like Custom Settings but accruing points for unlocks.

 

Seriously great post, this information needs to be made more obvious for folks, having the realism locked to either normal or expert, I thought that I was stuck with having no CEM if I wanted to fly with icons on.

I can assure I won't be the only one that thought this as well. I was about at the point I was going to shelve this sim, as I did not want to just be stuck with the QMB to fly like I want.

 

Which makes me question , if having the ability to do that anyway within the sim, why in the world would they just not make that easily accessible through the realism settings, so it would be much more obvious for all...

[snowsnipersnow_sniper]

MSFFB shake bug, seems to have been resolved too. Thanks for that. 

[AbortedMan]

Seriously?

 

 

Thanks Saurer, I appreciate your helpful assistance.

I will give that a try, in hopes I can accomplish what I am trying to.

asdkhtaelgbearg!

 

Really? I said exactly the same helpful stuff before Saurer did (no offense to Saurer) and I get that kind of response...then everyone thanks Saurer haha! It's like I'm a ghost haunting this thread and no one can see me.

 

I was serious about checking the options menus in games. I do it for every game on my first time playing it. I just did it for Shadow of Mordor and found a couple things I wouldn't have even thought of regarding video settings and screen placement.

[FlatSpinMan]

Is it possible to have all loadout and skins unlocked in QMB?

I dont want to play this unfortunate campaign and all is locked in QMB.

So, when you play another computer game (because this is a form of entertainment, after all), for example, Half-Life 2 (yes, I know I'm out of date!), do you start at the end, bringing down the big Boss with the uber-BFG, or do you start at..um..the start, with a crowbar (or whatever the heck it was that Gordon Freeman had at the start of HL2)?

 

Now, I understand that sims have been viewed as being different from games recently, as something more hard-core and worthy, but this dev team are quite open about the fact that they are in the games business. It's a flight-sim, but they want to add the elements that pull people into other types of games, that is story advancement (the 5 chapters of the battle), tech upgrades (umm..tech upgrades), and bonus cool stuff (different skins).

In a normal game, people wouldn't blink an eye because people are used to it. BoS is trying something different for the genre, but something that is completely, utterly, banally ORDINARY for any other game type out there. 

Whether it is appropriate, whether it works - these are questions that remain to be answered, but I hope that this contextualises the decision somewhat.

[IRRE_Belmont]

From my opinion the campain is buggy...

 

But it is already amazing, i really like this system (i wish it was only for skins though), maybe there is some tweaks to do here and there (increase the number of bombers on interception missions etc..)
But overall, it is what i was expecting 

Thank you 777 ! 

[Trooper117]

Maybe at some stage they might introduce a 'career' mode like we have in RoF.

[SCG_Neun]

Not a suggestion in the "I think it should be implemented" way, but I agree with novicebutdeadly in that way of making unlocks progressive but realistic. As I've said elsewhere, it would be great to start with a worn out aircraft and have more choice as you receive experience and promotions. In fact, I think I'd positively want unlocks of that sort!

+1  I could have gone for that as well.  But alas, at this point.....it's probably is what it is.

[FlatSpinMan]

Saurer - please do. I didn't know that, and I'm sure lots of others would love to hear that they can essentially have custom settings in the campaign mode.

[dburne]

asdkhtaelgbearg!

 

Really? I said exactly the same helpful stuff before Saurer did (no offense to Saurer) and I get that kind of response...then everyone thanks Saurer haha! It's like I'm a ghost haunting this thread and no one can see me.

 

I was serious about checking the options menus in games. I do it for every game on my first time playing it. I just did it for Shadow of Mordor and found a couple things I wouldn't have even thought of regarding video settings and screen placement.

 

Sorry, well actually Saurer was indeed the first, I just needed him to clarify what he was saying. Yes you said it as well but when I got to that last part it kind of bothered me so I skipped and went with Saurer - sorry...

 

But in all honesty, I had seen those settings in the menu but it never occurred to me that they could be used to override the locked Normal settings we now had to use should one want to see Icons on or navigation markers... so in this instance, at least in my case, looking through the controller settings would not have clicked in my mind I could do that.

[FlatSpinMan]

By the way, I hid a ton of pointless posts earlier in this thread. They were variously:

-rude

-off-topic

-flaming

-weird

-responding to flaming

-hissy fits

 

There's no need for any of the above. We're adults discussing a computer game. This thread is about the latest dev update and relevant topics. Please keep it that way.

[MACADEMIC]

I applaud the developers for trying something new to increase the attraction of the genre, while at the same time staying true to hi-fidelity flight simming. Their sim oozes both professionalism and a huge love for flightsimming which is quite remarkable. If they manage to bring in a new generation of simmers it will be a huge accomplishment and the salvation of the realistic combat flight sim as a genre.

 

Well said, well said.

 

Two options:

 

1. playing by the old rules -> making sim veterans instantly happy but not attracting fresh blood -> low revenues -> no follow up development -> death of franchise

 

2. adapting to market and adding new elements -> veterans stomping their feet but new players coming in -> good revenues -> money available for added features -> veterans can play the way they want in MP and with FME -> continuation of franchise

 

And before anyone says BOS has turned into a copy of WT, that's far from the truth. The devs could take a much easier road but aren't. The game is far from anything Arcade. A little flexibility now is the support the devs need to make this title successful, so give it. The time you spend being angry and spilling it out on the forums you could play the game and unlock content. Won't take that long, I'm sure.

 

MAC

[FlatSpinMan]

I thank you to take your reason and level headedness elsewhere, Macademic! This is a game we are discussing!!!!    

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

Hmm, after few hours in flight and finished first stage I have 2 points :

- I dont have any problems with FPS, however when a cinematic launches (before the beginning of "Prelude to counteroffensive" and "Operation Uranus") I can see more like a Power Point presentation than video. This is pretty weird, since in game I dont have ANY issues with FPS. 

- After flying alone I spotted that Ai in general has a bad tendency of leaving player, and so my cover left my Il-2 alone and went somewhere, even despite I called it twice. In this case I thought that Co-op campaign would be a nice feature since people could rely on their squadron mates rather than ai. Also completing missions would give more fun when done in 2-3 guys.

[MACADEMIC]

I thank you to take your reason and level headedness elsewhere, Macademic! This is a game we are discussing!!!!    

 

Hard day in the office, FlatSpinMan?

 

   

 

MAC

[kaboki]

 

2. adapting to market and adding new elements -> veterans stomping their feet but new players coming in -> good revenues -> money available for added features -> veterans can play the way they want in MP and with FME -> continuation of franchise

 

 

They could have made all partys happy by letting the MP crowd be able to "grind" in multiplayer instead of forcing us to play the "get bored to death" campain. It's not the grinding that bothers me(and other complainers in this thread), it's the damn campain Im forced into just to have simple stuff as a white camo. I have already wasted 2 hours just to get that "remove headrest unlock" for the ME109, god knows how long I have to play to get winter camo. I already stopped playing the campain because it really sucks, no challenge at all fighting AI, and so damn boring.

Another bad thing about this is that now all MP servers are empty because most people are probably busy grinding their way through that damn campain, so now I can't play MP either because there isn't a damn soul to play with .

Edited October 4, 2014 by kaboki

[Yakmaster]

They should make posible to play campaign in some kined of coop with 2-4 frends, and old and new kids would be pleased and even maybe do trainings like a squad in campaign and do proper mission.

[BP_dFrog]

Yes, it can go this way then :

 

3. adapting to market and adding new elements -> veterans quit, new players coming in -> low revenues -> no follow up development -> death of franchise

 

As I wrote in Questions for developers thread, will it repeat ? Many MP players can survive first campaign, but what next ? With addition of new planes will you be forced to play campaign again to unlock new things ?

Edited October 4, 2014 by dFrog

[SYN_Haashashin]

Another bad thing about this is that now all MP servers are empty because most people are probably busy grinding their way through that damn campain, so now I can't play MP either because there isn't a damn soul to play with .

 

As far as I know privatly runs servers are actually down, waiting for the new dserver, at least SYN is and Im allmost certain than others are waiting too. So this have nothing to do with the launch of the campaing or the unlocks.

[Voidhunger]

So, when you play another computer game (because this is a form of entertainment, after all), for example, Half-Life 2 (yes, I know I'm out of date!), do you start at the end, bringing down the big Boss with the uber-BFG, or do you start at..um..the start, with a crowbar (or whatever the heck it was that Gordon Freeman had at the start of HL2)?

 

Now, I understand that sims have been viewed as being different from games recently, as something more hard-core and worthy, but this dev team are quite open about the fact that they are in the games business. It's a flight-sim, but they want to add the elements that pull people into other types of games, that is story advancement (the 5 chapters of the battle), tech upgrades (umm..tech upgrades), and bonus cool stuff (different skins).

In a normal game, people wouldn't blink an eye because people are used to it. BoS is trying something different for the genre, but something that is completely, utterly, banally ORDINARY for any other game type out there. 

Whether it is appropriate, whether it works - these are questions that remain to be answered, but I hope that this contextualises the decision somewhat.

 

No , QMB is separate option. And its for me same as the new campaign (actually its better because i can use custom diff. settings).

I dont want to play campaign to unlock things in QMB. Same for MP .

[kaboki]

As far as I know privatly runs servers are actually down, waiting for the new dserver, at least SYN is and Im allmost certain than others are waiting too. So this have nothing to do with the launch of the campaing or the unlocks.

As far as I can see Eagles Nest are up, also the airquake servers(wich has players though, but not my cup of tea)....

Edited October 4, 2014 by kaboki

[dburne]

Yep Eagles Nest is up ( a popular server), currently has three on. However it is early in that part of the world...

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

It's true. It was announced in Sept 2012 that the single player game would allow the player to earn points to unlock mods, and that points awarded would vary according to realism settings. 

 

Telling the full story though, it was not stated 'all along' that players would have to unlock mods in single player mode, in order to use mods in multiplayer mode.

 

H

This!

I may come off as an ass stomping my feet and throwing a hissy fit. But there are those of us who only play on line, never play single player in any game. I think on line "locks" should be set by the server side. Sure in single player you're going to start at well the start and work your way up but on line should be different. If I don't grind I will not have the same weapons or skins on line that others have. I think that is wrong. I can hear the "grind to win" post now.  But it is what it is