PWCG 3.0

[PatrickAWlson]

I have a dumb question...will you (we) be able to use this awesome app for building coop missions when coop mode is officially released? 

I don't know.  If coop works exactly the same as RoF then yes.  If not then the level of effort to incorporate it into PWCG is unknown.

Pat, do you have a list of all of the bugs you plan to fix for 3.0? I know that there is a thread for bug reporting, but it might be helpful to start a new one starting with a list of all the bugs you know of so that we can go over and see if there is anything obvious that's missing from the list. just a thought I had.

 

Or maybe just edit your first post in the bug reporting thread with all of the bugs you have addressed and plan to address in 3.0 so that we can easily keep track of what bugs have already been reported. I'm sure that would cut down on people posting the same bugs over and over too

 

I have some but my record keeping has not been up to snuff lately.  I have to plough through the bug reports page and record them.

[TheSNAFU]

Hi Pat, great news to hear that you're working in v3.0.

One thing that in my opinion would add a lot of atmosphere is to add some ambient smoke in places (villages, airfields, around ground battles or strategic places) close to the front in the mission area. As you already have the front lines defined by dates, maybe you can map some smoke positions around them for each date range, and then only activate in the mission those that are close to the mission area, oriented as per the wind setting defined in the mission.

Just a suggestion in case you think it's feasible, I really appreciate and enjoy PWCG as it is already.

Thanks!

 

Yep particularly smoke rising from Stalingrad once the Germans bomb the city and when the Wehrmacht reaches the city. And smoke in other places around the front would really add to the feeling of the war going on below. The extent of the smoke around the map might be controlled by settings to allow low, medium of heavy amounts to account for performance impacts. 

Edited September 22, 2017 by TheSNAFU

[DetCord12B]

Pat, any chance you might need some help with regards to the UI/GUI and its graphical assets? The reason I ask is because I've always found it kinda off putting. Now don't get me wrong, when I play SP in IL-2 its with PWCG. Just wondering if you might need some help on the UI front.

 

Did a quick mock-up of a potential MM UI with limited anims.

 

[Cybermat47]

Holy crap, that's beautiful.

[ST_ami7b5]

detcord12b,

this is a very nice and clean design!

[LLv24_Zami]

Pat, any chance you might need some help with regards to the UI/GUI and its graphical assets? The reason I ask is because I've always found it kinda off putting. Now don't get me wrong, when I play SP in IL-2 its with PWCG. Just wondering if you might need some help on the UI front.

 

Did a quick mock-up of a potential MM UI with limited anims.

 

Holy crap, that looks awesome!

[PatrickAWlson]

Sent a PM per the UI.  

 

For those that do not like the current UI (I rather like it for RoF but admit it doesn't seem to work quite as well for BoS) you can use plain green screens.  The setting is on the configuration on the main page then the UI section.

[dburne]

Pat,

 

My apologies if this has already been asked, my memory ain't what it used to be...

 

For PWCG 3.0 and Kuban, will it support flying the Spitfire?

 

Thanks,

[LLv24_Zami]

Pat,

 

My apologies if this has already been asked, my memory ain't what it used to be...

 

For PWCG 3.0 and Kuban, will it support flying the Spitfire?

 

Thanks,

I`d like that 

[katdog5]

I don't know.  If coop works exactly the same as RoF then yes.  If not then the level of effort to incorporate it into PWCG is unknown.

 

 

awesome thx.

[=SqSq=switch201]

Hey Pat, So how is development going on 3.0? I come back here every day to see if there is an update or if 3.0 is released, but I haven't heard anything in awhile so I figured I would ask

[PatrickAWlson]

Plugging away.  The new planes are in.  Waiting on an official copy of the map and squadron information.  If anybody has any info on units at Kuban, please do post them.  Iam hoping to get information from 1C but I will take anything from any source.  I did look at the other section but could not come away with a definitive list.

 

Other than that I am working to fix bugs.  I added the German Cross of Gold as a medal but I have not been doing too much in the way of new features.  

[Dutch2]

Pat, would be great to see something like this, also in the PW-CG for RoF. To keep it lesser labor intensive, because you are an busy person, remove the 109 and “IL*2 STURMOVIK” text. Edited October 15, 2017 by Dutch2

[Stlg13/Sgt_Schultz]

 

 

Pat, would be great to see something like this, also in the PW-CG for RoF. To keep it lesser labor intensive, because you are an busy person, remove the 109 and “IL*2 STURMOVIK” text.

 

I personally find it a little sterile tbh. I kind of like the 'homey' sqaudron mess feeling of Pat's current menu screens. Especially considering the 'Official' career mode menu will be more akin to this one anyway. 

 

Variety is the spice of life after all .

[Yogiflight]

 

 

I personally find it a little sterile tbh. I kind of like the 'homey' sqaudron mess feeling of Pat's current menu screens. Especially considering the 'Official' career mode menu will be more akin to this one anyway.

+1

[gad11]

I personally find it a little sterile tbh. I kind of like the 'homey' sqaudron mess feeling of Pat's current menu screens. Especially considering the 'Official' career mode menu will be more akin to this one anyway. 

 

Variety is the spice of life after all .

 

I agree. i like the old school look! :D

Edited October 16, 2017 by gad11

[Tapi]

Original GUI is not bad. There are only two think IMHO that would be better: 

1) distorted pictures for side menus - fortunately, it is possible to switch them off. It would be nice to have a choice to select some appropriate bitmap like brick wall or wooden planks or something like that for side menus instead of simple dark green... It would add atmosphere.

2) better deafult font like some bold typewriter font e.g. see font in my blog here: http://www.luftschraube.g6.cz/  - 

   (I tried to chage font to courier in GUI settings but it did not work and PCWG generated errors in debrief screens).

Edited October 16, 2017 by tapi

[PatrickAWlson]

A quick update:

I have the code written.  I am working on data right now.

The map is done.

The front lines are done.

Adding squadrons now.

Should have a test version out by the end of the month.

 

I have received many suggestions for improvements but those are not incorporated at this time.  I will continue to work after the initial 3.0 release to bring in additional features.

[Tapi]

Great news Pat! Thanks very much for your hard work. Looking forward to v.3.0 release.

[PatrickAWlson]

For the UI: detcord and I had a quick discussion.  Given that PWCG uses Java Swing it would not really be realistic to do much with it right now.  Some years back Java went to JavaFX, which should be more capable.  I have only peeked at JavaFX, and any move to it is down the road.  I am an internals/algorithm guy more than a UI developer, so that aspect is a bit of a challenge to me.  Theoretically it is possible to mix JavaFX and Swing, but what I saw looked really, really ugly.  

 

So this is on the "some day" list.

[Stlg13/Sgt_Schultz]

 

 

Should have a test version out by the end of the month.

 

Thanks for the update Pat. Can't wait!.

[DD_Arthur]

Great news Pat! Thanks very much for your hard work. Looking forward to v.3.0 release.

 

What tapi says!   Pat.

[Jack59]

Great news Pat! Thanks very much for your hard work. Looking forward to v.3.0 release.

 

+1   !!!!!

[dburne]

I am really looking forward to it as well, thanks so much for all you do on this Pat!!

[BlitzPig_Bill_Kelso]

Thank you for all of your work and effort.

 

Very much appreciated!

[Picchio]

Looking forward to 3.0, Pat!

[Asgar]

great news Pat, looking forward to testing the new iteration

[Yogiflight]

Great news, thanks for your work. I am looking very much forward to the new version.

[Taxman]

Thanks Pat for your hard work.  Looking forward to 3.0

[Dauntless]

[Yogiflight]

Hi Patrick, one suggestion for 3.0, or maybe it is even a bug. I prefer flying the 190 with the MG FF/M wingguns in fighter missions, but the default weapon setting is without modification, which is ok, as many players prefer the extra rolling performance and speed without the additional guns. But when I select them as modification, I am the only one, who is flying with them, while my squadmates fly without modification, which is a bit odd, I think. Could you please change this, so my squadmates have the same weapon loadout as me.

[dburne]

Hi Patrick, one suggestion for 3.0, or maybe it is even a bug. I prefer flying the 190 with the MG FF/M wingguns in fighter missions, but the default weapon setting is without modification, which is ok, as many players prefer the extra rolling performance and speed without the additional guns. But when I select them as modification, I am the only one, who is flying with them, while my squadmates fly without modification, which is a bit odd, I think. Could you please change this, so my squadmates have the same weapon loadout as me.

 

Same thing happens when selecting bombs in the loadout for a ground attack mission, the wingmen do not get fitted with bombs.

At least I know in the Yak that is the case.

Edited October 20, 2017 by dburne

[PatrickAWlson]

Hi Patrick, one suggestion for 3.0, or maybe it is even a bug. I prefer flying the 190 with the MG FF/M wingguns in fighter missions, but the default weapon setting is without modification, which is ok, as many players prefer the extra rolling performance and speed without the additional guns. But when I select them as modification, I am the only one, who is flying with them, while my squadmates fly without modification, which is a bit odd, I think. Could you please change this, so my squadmates have the same weapon loadout as me.

 

Unfortunately, not immediately.  PWCG does not currently allow for selection of loads in a mission.  If you are changing the load in game then by that time you are out of PWCG.

 

Allowing the user to select a load in PWCG is a lot of work.  I have to define every load (pretty much repeat what is in the ME).  I need to save/load all of these loads and then create a UI to present them to the user.  I want to do it, but it has to be queued up as a task.  

[Yogiflight]

 

 

PWCG does not currently allow for selection of loads in a mission. If you are changing the load in game then by that time you are out of PWCG.

Ah, yes you are right, the weapon loadout is selected after you left PWCG, and started the game. So the mission is already created. It's ok like it is, if it is a lot of work. Only for dburne's ground attack missions with the Yak, there should be a bombload, I think.

[PatrickAWlson]

Ah, yes you are right, the weapon loadout is selected after you left PWCG, and started the game. So the mission is already created. It's ok like it is, if it is a lot of work. Only for dburne's ground attack missions with the Yak, there should be a bombload, I think.

The Yak thing is a bug.  Fixed in 3.0 (software developers always fix everything in the next version )

 

In 3.0 I moved from a hand coded properties file to JSON.  That greatly simplifies my life as I can now easily convert from Java objects to string representation and back.  Opens up many opportunities like saving all of the payloads or saving the PWCG mission object (which is very large) and reloading it.  Over time that capability will be fleshed out into things that have a meaningful impact for PWCG users.

[gad11]

Not sure if possible, but for high altitude bombing missions I find the bomb run is quite short and sometimes way off from the waypoints. Wouldn't be a huge issue if it was marked on the map from the beginning but as it is now, when you cross that last waypoint your target will appear and usually it's too late to adjust and you have to fly past it and then come back. Be nice if your target was marked on the map from the beginning and you could start your 'own' bomb run (since your wingmen won't join you) earlier.

 

As I said, not sure if this is possible or not.

 

Thanks for this great piece of software. Really enjoy it!

to add to the above post, kind of a temporary 'fix' for me, but is it your wingmen that 'acuate' the waypoints? If that's the case I was thinking I could hang back a bit and let them cross that last waypoint and then the target would appear and I could go do a proper bomb run. Or do I have to cross the waypoints myself?

 

Thanks!

[PatrickAWlson]

Not sure if possible, but for high altitude bombing missions I find the bomb run is quite short and sometimes way off from the waypoints. Wouldn't be a huge issue if it was marked on the map from the beginning but as it is now, when you cross that last waypoint your target will appear and usually it's too late to adjust and you have to fly past it and then come back. Be nice if your target was marked on the map from the beginning and you could start your 'own' bomb run (since your wingmen won't join you) earlier.

 

As I said, not sure if this is possible or not.

 

Thanks for this great piece of software. Really enjoy it!

to add to the above post, kind of a temporary 'fix' for me, but is it your wingmen that 'acuate' the waypoints? If that's the case I was thinking I could hang back a bit and let them cross that last waypoint and then the target would appear and I could go do a proper bomb run. Or do I have to cross the waypoints myself?

 

Thanks!

 

I will make a note to make the target run distance configurable.  The current distance is probably a holdover from RoF (WWi speeds).

 

Until that time, you can easily edit the WP in PWCG.  Just select, drag and move the WP before the target.

Edited October 23, 2017 by PatrickAWlson

[dburne]

I will make a note to make the target run distance configurable.  The current distance is probably a holdover from RoF (WWi speeds).

 

Until that time, you can easily edit the WP in PWCG.  Just select, drag and move the WP before the target.

 

That is cool, never realized one could do that in PWCG.

[gad11]

I will make a note to make the target run distance configurable.  The current distance is probably a holdover from RoF (WWi speeds).

 

Until that time, you can easily edit the WP in PWCG.  Just select, drag and move the WP before the target.

 

oh excellent. thanks Pat! that's awesome.