PWCG 7.1.0 Released - Fixes and Improvements - lots of them

[PatrickAWlson]

That will be fixed in the next release - hopefully by Saturday. 

[Jara4]

Pat, thank you very much for your great campaign generator and continual effort to improve it.

There is just one thing I would like you to look into - preselected altitudes in advanced settings are not applied to generated missions. I have changed alts to 1500 m for all periods but mission waypoints are still generated at 4500m. I am flying Stuka campaign.

[PatrickAWlson]

Stuka is hard coded to 4100 meters.  Any other altitude and the Stuka AI will not perform a dive bombing attack.

[Jara4]

Thx for reply, Pat. Is it hardcoded in PWCG or IL-2? I used to fly Stuka in ground support and ground attack roles, tank killers, etc. - no dive bombing, so I would like to have an ability to change altitudes to more realistic (close to ground).

[MarcoPegase44]

Hello,

In a Kuban mission I just met 2 Stuka g2 at low altitude.

I modified the Stuka file with the following lines

"roles": [
     "ROLE_DIVE_BOMB"
     "ROLE_ATTACK"

Maybe add the line Role_attack an influence ???

What do you think PAtrick ??

[PatrickAWlson]

Thx for reply, Pat. Is it hardcoded in PWCG or IL-2? I used to fly Stuka in ground support and ground attack roles, tank killers, etc. - no dive bombing, so I would like to have an ability to change altitudes to more realistic (close to ground).

 

A bit of both.  It is hard coded in PWCG because nothing else works in IL2.

 

If you are in a anti tank Stuka unit (only available in Kuban in 1943) you will fly ground attack with a ground attack profile.

[Jara4]

Oh, that is a pity. Thank you for reply and explanation, Pat.

[TheSNAFU]

Just completed 5 missions in a current version PWCG 3.2 Stalingrad Campaign. The new smoke across the battlefield in various intensity, wrecked buildings, bridges in flames, more populated airfields, etc. brings a much stronger sense of immersion in my opinion. The map feels more alive as one flies over the landscape. In my perception, the signs of fighting increases as you approach the front. Very cool! All with the ability to adjust the smoke in advanced config  At the default setting there is tons of smoke & fire and it had zero impact on FPS and smoothness.

 

I may have missed it being discussed or something but in each of my 5 missions there was an increased amount of radio chatter. I am hearing comms. to the tower, requests for permission to take off and an announcement from each of my flight including me when airborne. More comms at landing too. Not sure if there were others. Is something different in this PWCG version or maybe this is the result of something else ( the game, my rig)? Whatever the reason, it adds to the overall simulation. I like it.

 

The addition of smoke and the other recent additions closes several of my personal wishlist items. Really well done Pat, thank you!    

[platypus65]

Is the link to PWCG down? I just completed a reinstall and no PC is completed without PWCG!

[TheSNAFU]

4. Use this link

 

Try this, worked for me today.

Edited January 14, 2018 by TheSNAFU

[platypus65]

Thank you Snafu! That did it.

[Semor76]

That will be fixed in the next release - hopefully by Saturday. 

Any news about the release? I can´t generate a mission without this bug and the workaround with Notepad is not really an option for me.

 

Thx

[PatrickAWlson]

PWCG 3.2.1

Correct error preventing mission load

[No105_Swoose]

Downloaded and working fine!  Am enjoying the increased radio chatter; it makes the game more immersive.  Thanks!

[PatrickAWlson]

If there is more radio chatter it is an accident.  I really have no idea how or why it is generated in a mission. 

 

Glad the correction works and apologies for the delay.  

[TheSNAFU]

As I noted in my comments earlier today on the new PWCG version I am getting a lot of new radio chatter as well. Glad to hear it isn't just me lol! Intentional or not it is much better and adds to the experience.

[Semor76]

 

PWCG 3.2.1

Correct error preventing mission load

 

Thank you!

[PatrickAWlson]

As I noted in my comments earlier today on the new PWCG version I am getting a lot of new radio chatter as well. Glad to hear it isn't just me lol! Intentional or not it is much better and adds to the experience.

I hear voices in my head ...

 

 

[TheSNAFU]

LOL! They say that can lead to highly creative thinking and you sir are definitely highly creative!

[dburne]

I am 26 missions now into my first PWCG 3 campaign, with the Spit over Kuban.

Absolutely loving flying the Spit now , Pat thanks so much for included it in PWCG 3 !!

 

And the Kuban map is stunning as well!

[Stlg13/Sgt_Schultz]

 

 

I hear voices in my head ...

 

Classic  .

 

Thanks for all the updates Pat, I can hardly keep up  . PWCG just gets better and better!.

[Jara4]

Classic  .

 

Thanks for all the updates Pat, I can hardly keep up  . PWCG just gets better and better!.

+1 

[Redeye]

I am having some trouble keeping up with AI flight leads. Are the speed parameters adjustable anywhere?

[PatrickAWlson]

I am having some trouble keeping up with AI flight leads. Are the speed parameters adjustable anywhere?

In AircraftInfo.json.  Cruise speed (KPH).  That value is used to populate waypoint speed in the mission.  If you find better values please post them.  I will incorporate them into updates

[busdriver]

In AircraftInfo.json.  Cruise speed (KPH).  That value is used to populate waypoint speed in the mission.  If you find better values please post them.  I will incorporate them into updates

 

Using the Bf-109E for example, max Continuous power is about 65%. Typically that will give you somewhere around 420 km/h. I think my fuel consumption testing for the Bf-110 got approximately 360 km/m at max Continuous power (forgot the % rpm). From the POV of my Jurassic era profession, the flight leader would not be at maximum Continuous cruising to and from the target or while on patrol. He would provide some margin of power to his wingmen. Meaning Lead would have his power pulled back a bit to give a power advantage to his wingmen. 

 

I'd be happy to give you some numbers if you give me the altitude options you typically assign with PWCG. I just checked the JSON file for the 109E and indeed it uses 420. I'll do some flight testing to check the others.

Edited January 16, 2018 by busdriver

[PatrickAWlson]

The cruise speeds were what I could find for "historically correct".  of course this is a game and not history.  Ithink a 10% shave across the board might be a useful start.

[dburne]

The cruise speeds were what I could find for "historically correct".  of course this is a game and not history.  Ithink a 10% shave across the board might be a useful start.

 

I so far have only flown the Yak-1 and Spitfire in PWCG.

 

Once trimmed I have had no problem with those two in keeping up easily with my flight leader. When I am in the lead, I can run off and leave my wingmen.

Edited January 16, 2018 by dburne

[Synchro]

Patrick, what is the maximum value of AILevel in AI fighters?

[busdriver]

The cruise speeds were what I could find for "historically correct".  of course this is a game and not history.  Ithink a 10% shave across the board might be a useful start.

 

There is an argument to be made for standardizing the cruise speed among airplane types (with exceptions). Perhaps 420 km/h for fighters except for the I-16 which can cruise at 400 km/h. The advantage of standardization is it's something a player can remember when switching from plane to plane. Yes, I realize I'm making an assumption that players will recognize this right away. But eventually the light bulb will come on.

 

Imagine the day when PWCG has mixed formations of two types of fighters flying together. 

[PatrickAWlson]

There is an argument to be made for standardizing the cruise speed among airplane types (with exceptions). Perhaps 420 km/h for fighters except for the I-16 which can cruise at 400 km/h. The advantage of standardization is it's something a player can remember when switching from plane to plane. Yes, I realize I'm making an assumption that players will recognize this right away. But eventually the light bulb will come on.

 

Imagine the day when PWCG has mixed formations of two types of fighters flying together. 

In RoF it already does.  For German squadrons it is not at all improbable to have a Fokker, Albatros, and Pfalz in the same formation.  I purposely prevent it in BoS because i was under the impression that squadrons were generally homogeneous.

Patrick, what is the maximum value of AILevel in AI fighters?

0=Player (not AI)

1=Novice

2=Average

3=veteran

4=Ace

[dburne]

Just finished an offensive mission in my Spit Campaign over Kuban.

 

Wow talk about immersive, this one ran right at an hour to complete the mission and I managed to get 3 kills. Love the fighter role against the bombers. I managed to avoid their gunners without getting a scratch on my plane. 

Great fun!

[jeanba]

How did you do ?

[dburne]

How did you do ?

 

 

[Trotsky]

 

[jeanba]

looking good

I just have a small problem : the La-5 skin is "winter" in autumn

 

Vladimir Lyaschov.zip

[MarcoPegase44]

Hello,

For the homogeneity of the squadrons, there were nevertheless mixtures of type or model within a certain limit, as long as it does not interfere with the performances to be able to hold a formation.

During the transition periods old and new models, there were mixes, IL2 mod41 and IL2 mod 42, IL2 single-seater and two-seater, IL2 AM48 and IL2M3, for a few weeks following the operational availability of the aircraft.

For example, in 1942 there was 1 IL2 with 2 seats for 3 or 4 single-seater places ... the tandem is often back in formation.

German side Bf109 G2 and G4 at the same time in the spring of 1943, as well as for the arming of Bf 109 with or without gunpod.

[PatrickAWlson]

busdriver has been providing some good feedback.  For cruise speeds I am probably going to generally reduce the speed and keep it uniform with a broad type.  This should allow somewhat mixed units to keep pace.

 

As for mixing units, PWCG already supports this.  In RoF you can get Triplanes, Pfalz and Albatros all in the same flight.  In BoS the units are far more homogeneous so I made them that way.  What I could do to add  a little flavor is have the types overlap each other.  I can have variants in service at the same time and even mix types when it really happened (rare, but busdriver pointed to one unit that operated P39s and P40s simultaneously).   For truly mixed units, completely different types and not just different variants, identify the squadron and the types and I will configure them.  

[dburne]

Wow.

 

Mission #32 in my Spit Kuban campaign.

I am now the flight lead, and have one wingman assigned to me for this Patrol mission.

 

It was a fairly long patrol, we made it through all the waypoints with no sign of enemy ai. Little disappointed but we were both getting home in one piece.

 

I am on landing approach, gear already down fixing to turn on final and lower flaps. Then boom, there were two 110's coming right for our airfield. Where the hell did they come from.

I quickly raised my gear, raised my rpm and engaged +16 boost and went right for one of them.

I quickly blew one right out of the sky , then started after the second one. My wingman was already behind and taking some shots, then I gave him the order to cover me so he would disengage - this guy was mine.

Fairly quickly shot him down as well.

Then went on to land...

 

One pilot was killed in action, one made a prisoner of war. Turned out to be a great mission afterall.

 

I am soo loving PWCG 3!!!

[Semor76]

Me again with a old problem. I´m in a Bf-110 campaign right now and the 110er´s wont land at the homebase again.

 

I have already reduced the landing dist. to 500 but this doesen´t help.

 

Tips anyone?

[Yogiflight]

AI only lands after fighter missions, not after ground attack missions. So when you fly a patrol mission, they should land.