Developer Diary, Part 184 - Discussion

[kileab]

I'm afraid that with all these new techs release in one shot, the 3.001 patch will be full of bugs.

Fingers crossed.

Edited December 22, 2017 by -IRRE-Biluf

[Pollux]

Good news 

[csThor]

Impressive DD. The physics for tanks and trees look particularly interesting.

 

However the plastic modeller and rivet counter in me can't help but point out the wrong interior colours of the german tanks. The Dark Grey overall is not correct (and many museum tanks got wrong colours when being restored or were from specific batches intended for North Africa).

 

Let me quote a pretty good overview on what interior colours were used and where (source: http://www.figuras.miniatures.de/camouflage-german-panzer-interior.html ).

 

Crew Compartments

 

For the first part of the war, and probably before the war, the official paint scheme for tank crew compartments mandated that this red colour be completely overpainted. There were two colours used; an ivory colour for the upper part of the compartment, and a grey-green colour for the lower part.

 

This grey-green is still something of a mystery. Despite extensive research, Mr. Doyle has not yet found its number. I compared a sample of it to an *incomplete* RAL colour chart, and found the closest match to be RAL 7033. In this lower area, the grey-green covered just about everything. Transmission boxes and other modules, which were perhaps manufactured separately, got this same colour. Torsion bars, levers, storage boxes, etc. were painted uniformly grey-green. In late 1942, the manufacturers were ordered to stop using the grey-green paint, and leave the bottom of the tank in its original red primer (see above). This was definitely a step backwards in terms of ergonomics – the red paint was quite dark. But when you look in the late-war vehicles, red primer is what you find down below. Sometimes you will find a red lower area with a grey-green transmission box or turret motor, probably because items could be stockpiled for some time before use.

 

The colour for the upper part of the interior is no mystery. It was RAL 1001, then called Elfenbein, i.e. Ivory. (Note: if you buy a modern RAL colour book, you will find that the name Elfenbein has been moved to another colour! Trust the numbers, not the names.) This I would describe as a pale beige, or deep cream colour. During 1941 and 1942, some manufacturers were sent letters ordering them to "stop using Beige for the interior and return to the original colour". What Beige means is not recorded; probably they were using one of the new North African colours to save money. This indicates that while we may discover the official rules for painting, we can't say that they apply to 100% of actual vehicles. Within this ivory area of the tank, all items of what I would call "working machinery" were painted black. This includes MG mounts, movable handles, vision ports, gearboxes and handwheels, etc. Also, it seems that every equipment stowage point was labelled, by hand at first, and later with a decal.

 

 

The boundary between the Ivory and the Other Colour (red or grey-green) was somewhat arbitrary. Examples that I have observed are as follows:

 

Turrets were all Ivory inside with turret floors in the Other Colour, grey-green or red.

Legs supporting the turret floor were typically painted in both colours, with a cut-off line carefully painted exactly at the level of the inside turret rim. This is called "lack of imagination".

PzKfwg III and IV were painted Ivory on side and rear walls right down to the floor, with the floor, ammo bins and transmission unit in the Other Colour; also the Other Colour on the lower side walls right at the front. The dividing line in the PzKfwg III and StuG III was a convenient slanting strut beside the driver, in the PzKfwg IV it was an imaginary vertical line just inches forward of where the drum brakes cut the hull.

Inside the Tiger, the bottom of the sponsons was used as the boundary, and an imaginary waterline ran across the back wall at this level, dividing Ivory from the Other Colour.

[smink1701]

Nice. How’s the P39 coming along?

[StG77_Kondor]

Excellent news regarding coop. I think this alone will improve MP and bring it to the next level. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

[No105_Swoose]

Christmas has come a little early this year in the form of Developer Diary 184! All great news!

 

It wasn't the biggest item in the announcement but this note regarding new mission success conditions got my attention: "For instance, to complete a ground attack mission you can destroy various different enemy targets in the designated area, not necessarily the main target listed in the briefing.

 

That will improve the quality of gameplay for me.

[Boomerang]

All good news     

Have a great Christmas all

[VBF-12_Stick-95]

Sticking your head out of a flying plane when raining will give a whole new meaning to the term "prop wash".  Looking forward to all the improvements with Kuban.

 

New tank stuff is just amazing.

[Phantom-103]

Thank You for the Great update,Lots of Wonderful things on the horizon,A Very Merry Christmas to All of You and your Families.

Edited December 22, 2017 by Phantom-103

[von_Greiff]

Cool!

 

yours

v.Greiff 

[Jason_Williams]

Wow looks amazing, especially stoked about the co-op, really looking forward to it! Are any improvements to the AI planned? It feels like there might be quite a bit of "low hanging fruit" that would significantly enhance the co-op experience.

 

Anything AI is not low hanging fruit. Nothing is easy. 

 

Jason

[WIS-Redcoat]

Any word on getting MP points for dropping cargo and paratroops?  The Ju52 needs some stat love.

 

Also, have they ever confirmed that Tank Crew will be built with VR in mind?

 

Great work guys!

[DarkwingDuck]

Wow, amazing !

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Well done. The pace is amazing as well. Get some rest and take a few days off for the holidays.

[=EXPEND=Tripwire]

Some great info in this dev diary. Can't wait to try it all out! Well done developers!

[WIS-Redcoat]

As someone who was an armored vehicle driver ( and ran over some trees), I am pleased with what I saw in the video.  I do hope you don't take it too much further.  the ones in the video seemed reasonable; but I would suggest larger trees should be impossible to knock down with a tank.

 

Hitting trees was somewhat dangerous as if the tree is too big and didn't budge, you can seriously injure the crew.  If you hit a small tree too fast, they will often snap and crash down onto the commander or driver.  We were instructed to avoid hitting trees on purpose.

 

I am very excited for Tank Crew.

[Martin077]

Amazing work!

Very looking forward to it.

 

I like the behaviour of the tanks and the tracks a lot!

Cool is the feature to fell a tree only with the right energy!

With this features this tanks shine over some other games with tanks :D

 

Wow i never imagined that the "Beule" from the 109 G6 was sooo big

[A-E-Hartmann]

Really very good news.
Thanks Dev's. Excellent work.

[[CPT]Pike*HarryM]

[BP_Lizard]

Great update! Thank you very much for all the hard work.

[TexasWarbird]

This is GREAT progress! I'm boggled at far this team has come. I hope this momentum keeps up and maybe eventually soars past each competitor in this market to bring in some hard earned $$$. At the rate things continue to progress it's easy to see this title surpassing competitors. I will continue my investments and advocate this product for a long time to come. 

I have one question though, I noticed the toppling trees as an added feature. Will this also be implemented in a way that it can be merged with aircraft crashing into the dust?

[MrNoice]

@Jason_Williams

 

what about  oil effects like the rain feature ?  that would be nice.. and also if you fly behind an oil leaking plane... like in Wings of Prey  7 years ago "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP-clHzRudI"

[Tomsk]

Anything AI is not low hanging fruit. Nothing is easy. 

 

So as a professional software developer with considerable experience in writing AI for games, I definitely appreciate that AI is hard. That said there are some small changes to behaviour that I think would make a big improvement, for example adding some logic to avoid the worst of the target fixation: if the AI is under attack, then switch focus to the target behind and not the one in front. In most code bases these would be simple changes, and if this were an open source project I'd look to contribute such things. However, it's not and I don't know your code base.

 

In the end I suppose it's a question of resources. I think a lot of people on the forums would like to see the AI improved, and I'm adding my voice to the chorus that would like to see it as a development priority ... if possible

[hedger72]

The team never fails to impress - another amazing DD! We're one spoiled bunch!

 

Nice. How’s the P39 coming along?

 

I *think* I see one hidden amongst the trees on the tank video 

 

Joking aside, I too am anxiously awaiting the "Iron Dog", definitely my favorite plane from the era...can't wait to take her for a "spin" 

[BroGrimm1tkcamp]

I would like to Thank the team on a wonderful Simulation and so much to look forward to in the coming months. I am most excited about FC1 in VR. Can't wait after flying BOX in VR nothing else will do. You guys are the best!!

 

Merry Christmas

[ITAF_Rani]

Well done Jason & Co...!!

The rain effect is gorgeous and Coop news waooooooooooooww 

Tanks are stunning ...

And the Bf G6 looks really nice.

Many Txs and Marry Xstmas

[Guest deleted@83466]

I love this stuff, and I almost hate to ask this....what is the performance cost of some of these improvements, like water drops and the other various improvements?  Right now, my sim performs excellently at most times, at high graphics settings, but even now, during some of the larger MP dogfights, things can get a little stuttery.  Should I worry?

Edited December 22, 2017 by Iceworm

[Livai]

How about this rain effects - ??? 
 

Edited December 22, 2017 by Livai

[keeno]

Fantastic update!

 

the rain effects are stunning. Lots to read and take in, a great year so far and much more to look forward too.

 

Merry Christmas and cheers.

[Uufflakke]

How about this rain effects - ??? 

 

 

That is the inevitable image in every oil leak canopy effect since years.     

[Raptorattacker]

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Of all the games I've been involved with I gotta say that the team on here are up at the high end, WAY up! Thanks guys.

[6BLBird-Dog]

Eccelent

[6./ZG26_Custard]

Looking just fantastic many thanks for all the hard work that you guys have been doing. 

 

Just a couple of things: i wonder if you will have, at some point in the future, some form of dynamic weather system where you can take off and it is not raining and you may hit a spot further along the map where we have squally showers etc? The same goes for winter with snow etc. 

one other question - will you actually model tank crew in the tanks or the commander looking out of the cupola etc?

 

I would just like to take this opportunity to wish the devs Jason and the whole community a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

[=gRiJ=Roman-]

Any word on getting MP points for dropping cargo and paratroops?  The Ju52 needs some stat love.

 

Also, have they ever confirmed that Tank Crew will be built with VR in mind?

 

Great work guys!

 

Yes, indeed. I am about to purchase it but I need sth to use it with. Will it have an own career in the Career Mode?

 

Dynamic weather would also rock!

 

and I have question but I don't want to piss Jason off, I just wanna know if the answer is:

a) Spartan has been banned for life!

b) NEVER!

c) maybe one day in the future before the Star Wars Saga ends     

d) it's a surprise that it will come in patch 4.001   

 

Can I ask my question?    

It was answered in 2012 but people change their minds ...

Edited December 22, 2017 by -=PHX=-Spartan-

[Ribbon]

So 3.001 release in mid february , meeh no big deal we'll live

Happy holidays to il2 community and devs!

[=WH=PangolinWranglin]

Loving the rain effects and treads!

 

Does the new tree physics only apply to tanks or can planes also knock over/bend trees?

[ITAF_Rani]

In the future Co op will be available rescue friendly pilot if he had bailed out on enemy territory?

In the old IL2 this function was made by landing close site of pilot bailed

Edited December 22, 2017 by ITAF_Rani

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

Now we can say BoX reached the level of "epicness" of classic IL2.

 

Great job!!!

[FrozenLiquidity]

Looking forward to coop, and the tank crew stuff is looking good so far.  Bravo!

[unreasonable]

I am very impressed by the new tracks:  the tree attack looks very plausible too.

 

Most of all looking forwards to getting back into flying using the new career system: the developments there sound very welcome.

 

Happy Christmas and New Year to the team, thanks for all the hard work.