TFS Developer Update - BLITZ Patch v4.54 January 2019

[Bonkin]

Hello everybody and a Happy New Year to you all.

 

This is just a short update to announce that we are releasing a v4.54 patch via Steam today. This is a bug fix and enhancements release (no new content) and although it is a patch, it is a full 8GB download. This is because we are also introducing a new release and patch procedure - which we will use to roll out further patches between now and the release of TF 5.0.

 

The list of fixes and enhancements is as follows:

• Enhanced grass rendering (Fix for the grass popping up).
• Fixed parachutes disappearing in the distance.
• Fixed steam lobby creation.
• Removed “Jump Points“ aka 'Long Grass Traps' on the airfields.
  • This does not fix the spawn points off the airfields, yet.
  • Bugtracker: #562, #774, #867, #869
• Fixed wrong GUI font messing up cursor position and input fields in chat and Full Mission Builder.
• Implemented radiator over-pressure valve for aircraft with pressurised radiators.
• Water radiator only vents as long as there's a reserve.
• Various changes in Blenheim MkIV top gunner cabin animations.
• Separated sight illumination control for multi-crew aircraft.
• Smooth lever/switches cockpit animations for Bf110 versions, Blenheim MkIV, BR.20, Tiger Moth, G.50, He 111, Hurricane Mk1, Ju 87B2, Bf 109 versions, Spitfire versions and Su 26.
• JU88-A1 turrets B and C must now be unlocked with the "Toggle Park Position" key (as with other turrets).
  • Bugtracker: #737
• If markings were switched off (in plane options), they no longer show in tracks.
  • Bugtracker: #1009
• Smoke tracers.
• Hurricane MkI FB bomb switch display error when dropping bombs from external view
  • Bugtracker: #1021
• Bf 109 trim indicator display and range corrected
  • Bugtracker: #560, #990, #1004
• Shaders optimisations

 

We hope you enjoy it.

 

NOTE:

- Please be sure to delete your cache file (in your 'Documents/1C SoftClub/il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover' folder) before running the game again.

- Some people who are running AVG or AVAST Anti-Virus are having problems with them blocking the game from running. Solutions: Add an exception in the AV program for the 64 bit launcher .exe in the main folder. If you still continue to have problems, then you may need to uninstall the Anti-Virus program, (delete all folders after uninstall), then restart your computer, run the game once, then re-install the Anti-Virus and add the CoD-Blitz launcher .exe to the exceptions before running the game again.  Launcher is the file with the blue and red rondel.

 

For and on behalf of Team Fusion Simulations,

 

Bonkin.

[Heckpupper]

Thanks Bonkin! Can't wait for the main course!

[SFF_Esso]

Great!

 

Thank You, Team Fusion.

[No.54_Reddog]

Congrats on your achievements.

 

Any particular reason the other reported long grass issues from 2015 didn't get fixed? (769 and 768 amongst others)

 

I note that the target version of each is still 4.312 which if memory serves is now 3 patches ago?

 

Also, 774 is still marked as "In Progress". Normal process in development would have been to have moved that to some sort of release candidate stage and then closed once UAT and release had occurred.

 

Meant to add... what's the rationale for the patcher? Isn't that what Steam is for? Are you planning on ditching Steam?

Edited January 11, 2019 by No.54_Reddog

[7./SchG2_v*Athlon]

Thanks for the hard work TFS

Edited January 11, 2019 by 7./SchG2_v*Athlon

[FG28Artist]

1 hour ago, No.54_Reddog said:

Any particular reason the other reported long grass issues from 2015 didn't get fixed? (769 and 768 amongst others)

Thanks for the hint, I forgot to list them. Yes, these are fixed, too

 

[354thFG_Leifr]

Amazing. I'll definitely load up Cliffs tonight to try all of this out! I'm sure I can get all of my old squad mates back in for this!

Edited January 11, 2019 by Leifr

[theOden]

3 hours ago, No.54_Reddog said:

 Are you planning on ditching Steam?

Oh wonderful thought.

If only..

[Heckpupper]

Why would anyone want to ditch Steam? So that you can ditch your lovely 10mb/s download and go back in time to a stone-age 2mb/s that other updaters offer?

[EAF_51_FOX]

Quite not significant patch ?

[JFLogan]

Very cool, looking forward to when we have VR!

[darthdooboss]

Thank you very much mate!!!

[VBF-12_Pequod]

Thanks, that's great news!

[5th_Barone]

Hi Bonkin,

 

You said " which we will use to roll out further patches between now and the release of TF 5.0 ".

Where all this patch planned to be out before TF5? Or is just some content planned to be in TF5 that you want to roll out before the new expansion?

 

Edited January 12, 2019 by SirBarone

[fmotors]

nice post  Bonkin and Happy New Year

[Buzzsaw]

8 hours ago, SirBarone said:

Hi Bonkin,

 

You said " which we will use to roll out further patches between now and the release of TF 5.0 ".

Where all this patch planned to be out before TF5? Or is just some content planned to be in TF5 that you want to roll out before the new expansion?

 

These patches contain just bugfixes for the existing game... no new content.

 

New content will not be released until TF 5.0.

 

We prefer to release bugfix patches with a smaller list of changes as they are simpler to monitor for errors and compile.

 

This particular patch is larger because it is a compile of the entire game... for coding reasons which are too detailed to explain here.

 

Other bugfix patches should be smaller.

 

Edited original post to provide suggestions for those who are having Anti-Virus program issues, or graphics glitches.

[Pea_Shooter]

Thank you, Thank you!!!!

I love the new tracers!

 

Edited January 12, 2019 by Pea_Shooter

[Barnacles]

Dear CloD Dev's, the new patch is a great refinement of what's currently in the game, really enjoyed playing on a full server today!

[Ala13_pienoir]

 

I do not know if it was a suggestion, but I visually improved the simulator, I was able to pursue a spity in ATag for a long time without it disappearing, not even for a moment.

Congratulations, everything seems more fluid and current.

[Feathered_IV]

Just gave it a try.  Nice work! 

The tracers have an unrealistic corkscrew motion as they travel towards you.  Apart from that the overall package seems excellent.

[5th_Barone]

16 hours ago, Buzzsaw said:

These patches contain just bugfixes for the existing game... no new content.

 

New content will not be released until TF 5.0.

 

We prefer to release bugfix patches with a smaller list of changes as they are simpler to monitor for errors and compile.

 

This particular patch is larger because it is a compile of the entire game... for coding reasons which are too detailed to explain here.

 

Other bugfix patches should be smaller.

 

Edited original post to provide suggestions for those who are having Anti-Virus program issues, or graphics glitches.

 

Yes, I perfectly know that this is not new content. But my question was another.

 

The bug fixes and few new effects in this patch were planned to be released with TF5 and you decided to roll them out separately or it was in your schedule to have few mini patces before the release of TF5?

 

thanks in advance for your reply,

 

BR

[Mysticpuma]

Couple of issues/questions I have.

 

Really appreciate the update, especially the removal of default skins in replays :photographer:

Really only had a few minutes to run it so  I ran the default Black Death trk to see some of the new effects. First thing I see is the white vapour pouring out of the 109, not sure what causes it but it runs through the trk leaking from the aircraft. Interesting effect. 

What did stand out for me (again just looking briefly at the effects) is the odd looking explosions on the ground.

So if anyone runs the Black Death track it's the point when the bombs explode on the runway. They sort of explode, the explosion builds and plumes and then the inertia stops. It's really difficult to explain but they explode and then freeze rather than expand? I honestly don't like the effect.

 

 

Don't think I don't appreciate the time and effort to remove particles and increase fps, but somewhere in the process the explosions have lost there power/beauty/impressiveness.... they just look wrong. Hopefully there is a way to bring some beauty back to them? 

 

One of the features I was really looking forward to, especially as it would allow great tank battle footage is the fix for pop up grass. So I created a quick mission and ran it. Pop up grass isn't fixed by a long shot, here's video I created just. This is a complete fresh install of Blitz with v4.54. Did the fix get included?

 

 

One point I would hope can be explained is the move to a non Steam patch downloader. The move to Steam was seen as a huge boon for the sim, even as recently as yesterday players were saying how surprised they were to launch Steam and see a new patch downloading. This was the whole point. A unique distribution system which takes away the need for the player to hunt down or proactively try and find a new patch. Should they be unaware that Clod is still being developed, loading Steam will simply update. Simple. 

So simply put, why the change?

 

[354thFG_Leifr]

Those explosions look like gash.

Moving out of Steam to provide updates seems a ridiculous thing to do, and a major step backwards.

[Buzzsaw]

5 hours ago, SirBarone said:

 

Yes, I perfectly know that this is not new content. But my question was another.

 

The bug fixes and few new effects in this patch were planned to be released with TF5 and you decided to roll them out separately or it was in your schedule to have few mini patces before the release of TF5?

 

thanks in advance for your reply,

 

BR

We plan to have a number of mini bugfix patches prior to TF 5.0.  No content.

3 hours ago, Leifr said:

Those explosions look like gash.

Moving out of Steam to provide updates seems a ridiculous thing to do, and a major step backwards.

Hello Leifr

 

Have you installed the patch?

 

We are not moving out of Steam... game is hosted on Steam and all patches are installed by Steam automatically as per normal.

 

Not sure where people may have gotten the idea we are moving away from Steam.

[FG28Artist]

Concerning the 'grass popup': Unfortunately there will always be a 'popup', because that's the way a visibility bubble works. So we did not say it's gone completly. We said "Enhanced grass rendering (Fix for the grass popping up)."

 

For comparison:

This is how it looked like on 4.53:
https://vimeo.com/306643091

 

This is how it looks like in 4.54:
https://vimeo.com/306643186

 

This does not solve all problems, but we think it is an improvement for the time being.

[5th_Barone]

15 hours ago, Buzzsaw said:

We plan to have a number of mini bugfix patches prior to TF 5.0.  No content.

 

I know that you are planning to release new patches before TF5.0 ( and that this will include only bugfixes, not new content).

I'm only asking if this was planned since the beginning or if you decided to release these bugfixes now instead of including them in the TF5.

thanks for your reply

Edited January 14, 2019 by SirBarone

[69thSpiritus]

1 hour ago, SirBarone said:

 

I know that you are planning to release new patches before TF5.0 ( and that this will include only bugfixes, not new content).

I'm only asking if this was planned since the beginning or if you decided to release these bugfixes now instead of including them in the TF5.

thanks for your reply

 

They were planned, along with the AI fixes which are still being tested and tweaked. 

[No.54_Reddog]

18 hours ago, Buzzsaw said:

We are not moving out of Steam... game is hosted on Steam and all patches are installed by Steam automatically as per normal.

 

Not sure where people may have gotten the idea we are moving away from Steam.

 

Quite possibly inferring from what appeared to be reference to a patcher of some description.

 

"This is because the team is also introducing a new release and patch procedure - which will be used to roll out further patches between now and the release of TF 5.0."

 

 

 

 

23 hours ago, Mysticpuma said:

Should they be unaware that Clod is still being developed, loading Steam will simply update. 

 

Only if it is still installed. If it's not then they won't get any notification at all.

 

Having said that I believe most of those I know who have uninstalled the game wouldn't reinstall regardless of this patch, the next patch or release of TF5.

[JV69badatflyski]

23 minutes ago, No.54_Reddog said:

 

Quite possibly inferring from what appeared to be reference to a patcher of some description.

 

"This is because the team is also introducing a new release and patch procedure - which will be used to roll out further patches between now and the release of TF 5.0."

 

 

 

 

Only if it is still installed. If it's not then they won't get any notification at all.

 

Having said that I believe most of those I know who have uninstalled the game wouldn't reinstall regardless of this patch, the next patch or release of TF5.

So like you, they don't play the sim but unlike you, they don't come here with their negativity....

[No.54_Reddog]

Their loss I guess.

[=FEW=Hauggy]

 

[5th_Barone]

20 hours ago, 69thSpiritus_Mortem said:

 

They were planned, along with the AI fixes which are still being tested and tweaked. 

 

Finally, many thanks for the answer. Really appreciated.

 

 

On 1/13/2019 at 4:40 PM, Mysticpuma said:

Should they be unaware that Clod is still being developed, loading Steam will simply update.

That's a good point.

Have you TF guys ever take in consideration to use the "news" feature of steam like many other games do?

 

[Semor76]

a question, I saw some Yt videos for this new patch. Did you improved the antialiasing, or it is still the same as before and Re-shade is still needed?

 

greets.

[=FEW=Hauggy]

Just now, Semor76 said:

a question, I saw some Yt videos for this new patch. Did you improved the antialiasing, or it is still the same as before and Re-shade is still needed?

 

greets.

Unfortunately they did not.

AA is still awful and reshade is certainly a must.

[Semor76]

8 hours ago, =FEW=Hauggy said:

Unfortunately they did not.

AA is still awful and reshade is certainly a must.

Thanks Hauggy.

[5th_Barone]

Is it playable now with reshade?

 

When 4.5 went out last year reshade created a lot of stuttering

[Dogbert1953]

I play it with Re-Shade, SirBarone.

 

Seems to run ok for me.

 

Mike.

[=FEW=Hauggy]

I finally decided to redo my control bindings and reinstall reshade yesterday and yes exept for some weird color changes when passing the mouse over the menu buttons it works perfect.