Developer Diary 217 - Discussion

[Enceladus828]

I hope that next week for dev blog 218, we can see the Fw 190D-9, Me 262 fully textured cockpit, and WIP for P-51. I hope that a few days later update 3.011 will be released.

[I./JG1_Baron]

Where are cows there are bulls too. And we have secret weapons against bulls ?

Edited February 22, 2019 by I./JG1_Baron

[EAF19_Marsh]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

Great job! @AnPetrovich, just like the loose locknuts @Elem pointed out, there is something else about the Dolphin that's always bugged me: the position of the Aldis sight is too high. The way it is modeled here and in Rise of Flight was on 1 or 2 prototypes. In reality, production machines had the sight fitted through the windscreen, below the bar:

 

 

 

 

 

It should be below the bar based on most pictures. The pilot head-line was below the wing structure, not above. 

[ZachariasX]

18 minutes ago, EAF19_Marsh said:

 

It should be below the bar based on most pictures. The pilot head-line was below the wing structure, not above. 

 

Just the idea of having a windscreen but then sticking your head out in the slipstream is almost comical. (It‘s also good for landings sitting lower.)

 

It‘s just that then you get this bloody pipe right in your sight.

[EAF19_Marsh]

The pilot head position should be below the wing spar, so he is no more in the airflow than any other design but does get a very good view. The sight is indeed ‘right in your sight’, but arguably that is quite useful for a gunsight.

[ZachariasX]

It is also much better for side view, as you can look between the wings with the head in a lower position. The lower wing is staggered forward for better view downward as well. If you are looking over the top wing, your downward and lower side view are masked by the upper wing and the entire (odd) wing layout becomes useless.

[LukeFF]

@=FB=VikS, it's neat to see that the EZ42 will be in the Me 262. Have any cockpit photos surfaced showing how it was installed? I've only seen one external shot:

 

[Gambit21]

Well I loved seeing the progress on the tank end of things, but nice to get back to aircraft, especially with these cockpit shots.

 

Map is looking great as well.

I’m going to need to catch up on my purchases soon.

 

Armor, WWI, WWII...

So much content, too little time.

[=EXPEND=Capt_Yorkshire]

cool. 

[Jester]

10 hours ago, sevenless said:

Very cool!

 

 

 

Very cool indeed...….. But just to be really nit-picky, the buildings and cobbles are too clean. With every house heated by coal fires and most if not all factory steam engines powered the same way, those buildings should be black due to all the pollution in the air. 

Edited February 22, 2019 by Jester

[Gavrick]

4 hours ago, -=PHX=-SuperEtendard said:

@ZachariasX The P-51 would still work ok with the current implementation. If i'm correct currently in the P-40 and P-47 the fuselage auxiliary tank is the last one to fill up when selecting fuel amount, and the first one to be emptied when operating the plane.

Yes. In case of P-51 - 100% of fuel - wing tanks and fuselage tank are full. ~68% of fuel - fuselage tank is empty, wing tanks are full.

[PatrickAWlson]

10 hours ago, Juri_JS said:

I hope those cows, horses, carts and tents will be available as single objects and not just as parts of larger blocks. We mission builders really need such nice little details to make the scenary in our missions more interesting.

 

I am just dying to make a PWCG mission with a briefing: cross enemy lines and destroy all enemy cows that you encounter.  I might even have to add a third victory type: Air, Ground, Bovine

1 minute ago, Gavrick said:

Yes. In case of P-51 - 100% of fuel - wing tanks and fuselage tank are full. ~68% of fuel - fuselage tank is empty, wing tanks are full.

 

Thanks - that helps.  For the ranges we have on our map there is no need for a P-51 to go up full.

[J2_Bidu]

Wow, the map looks great. Everything looks great. Thanks for your great work!

[Urra]

18 minutes ago, Jester said:

 

Very cool indeed...….. But just to be really nit-picky, the buildings and cobbles are too clean. With every house heated by coal fires and most if not all factory steam engines powered the same way, those buildings should be black due to all the pollution in the air. 

Back then they didn't have the internet so they did have a lot of extra time to clean it all.

[LP1888]

30 minutes ago, Gavrick said:

Yes. In case of P-51 - 100% of fuel - wing tanks and fuselage tank are full. ~68% of fuel - fuselage tank is empty, wing tanks are full.

Even just being able to select tanks front front/back/wings or drop tanks would be more than ample for il2

[BMA_FlyingShark]

All good news again.

 

Have a nice day.

 

[Avyx]

When should be expect the Bodenplatte map, and Flying Circus ?! 

[Legioneod]

6 hours ago, unreasonable said:

The only concern I have about this DD is that Arras in 1917-18 looked more like the Stalingrad map than what we see in the DD's pictures.  It was very badly damaged. I hope the final product incorporates this. For example:

 

https://www.alamy.com/arras-1917-image65977617.html

Maybe it will be like Bodenplatte with destructible building settings to represent a period of time.

[Jade_Monkey]

Nice update!

 

I can see some fun non-historical tank battles taking place in Arras, shermans vs pazers maybe?

[HippyDruid]

Great news, nice pictures, a D7 (Woop Woop) and a Dolphin.

Nice update! Cheers!

 

[rowdyb00t]

9 hours ago, LukeFF said:

Great job! @AnPetrovich, just like the loose locknuts @Elem pointed out, there is something else about the Dolphin that's always bugged me: the position of the Aldis sight is too high. The way it is modeled here and in Rise of Flight was on 1 or 2 prototypes. In reality, production machines had the sight fitted through the windscreen, below the bar:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isnt the Aldis sight pictured here for the two guns mounted to the bar?

[LukeFF]

2 hours ago, rowdyb00t said:

Isnt the Aldis sight pictured here for the two guns mounted to the bar?

 

No, it's not. 

[rowdyb00t]

I suppose then you’ll need a booster seat when using the sight. I’ll get one out of the wife’s car when it’s time to fly?

[Gambit21]

6 hours ago, Jade_Monkey said:

Nice update!

 

I can see some fun non-historical tank battles taking place in Arras, shermans vs pazers maybe?

 

That is so on.

[Uufflakke]

12 hours ago, Jester said:

 

Very cool indeed...….. But just to be really nit-picky, the buildings and cobbles are too clean. With every house heated by coal fires and most if not all factory steam engines powered the same way, those buildings should be black due to all the pollution in the air. 

 

Well, actually houses on the square 'Petite Place' in Arras look different and are made of a yellowish and red brickstone. As can be seen in the pre-WWI images and colour images after the rebuilt of center.

https://www.geneanet.org/gallery/file/1/1b/f5/8132531/normal.jpg

 

I suppose the team created more generic buildings/houseblocks which can be used all over the map. Maybe it has to do with money/budget/deadlines that these specific houses are not created. The houseblock left of Grand Place is exactly the same as the block on the opposite side by the way.

But I can live with that. I was so pleasantly surprised to see how they made the city that I ordered Flying Circus a couple of minutes ago.

(While I am  rather ignorant about WWI and its planes.)

Edited February 23, 2019 by Uufflakke

[HappyHaddock]

Nice to see things like cattle featuring on the FC map of the western front and this may seem a rather pedantic point to make about them but...

 

Any expertise I may have on period breeds of cattle tends to be limited to working with British breeds, I would however recommend that the devs. check what sorts of cattle may be appropriate to this period and part of France as the large back and white Holstein/Freisian cows are the product of extensive selective breeding to produce a modern heavy milking cow.

 

Instinct tells me a period cow should be smaller and potentially a dun-brown or brown and cream colour.

 

I do however stand to be corrected by those who know better as the origins of the Holstein/Frisian do predate WWI, I just don't know how large or how common they were in France at this time.... Researching cows in WWI doesn't exactly produce a wealth of images but what little is thrown up by a sixty second Google sweep does seem to support my hunch!

 

HH

[Missionbug]

Dancing Camels, I have seen it all now. 

 

Who would have thought I would giggle so much watching a short video from this team, good to know you all have a good sense of humour.

 

Anyway, Arras is looking really superb, hope the map overall when it comes out is also as good as the building detail, I look forward to that more than the aircraft.

 

I have Rise of Flight and to be honest the detail of aircraft and buildings always was good, it was the overall map texturing that seemed to dissapoint, sadly I never was a WWI aficionado but I am still keen to see how all this turns out.

 

Congratulations to all involved the work you are all doing is excellent, long may it continue.

 

 

Wishing you all the very best, Pete.

[J2_Bidu]

Fellows, developers

 

(and as much as I love the game as it stands...)

 

... the time has come to discuss the cows' flight model!

[EAF19_Marsh]

Really hoping we get non flat-spinnig Dolphins...

[Jade_Monkey]

23 hours ago, Jason_Williams said:

 

Petrovich is just setting expectations as players dream sometimes of super complex things we may or may not do. We want to have a more complex fuel system that includes drop tanks etc. but it's not what we are actively building at the moment. Petrovich just wanted you to know that we will have a more complex fuel system that will be realistic, but fit within our design philosophy. Let's see how that development goes before we promise too much or comment further to not confuse anyone. We'll speak more about it later in the year.

 

Jason  

 

Even better! 

 

I do want to manage some basic fuel controls but definitely not interested in a full fuel management system down to the smallest detail.

[Uufflakke]

 

The landmarks of Arras - Beffroi  and Hôtel de Ville- are based on post WWI situation and not pre WWI.

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by Uufflakke

[EpeeNoire]

23 minutes ago, Uufflakke said:

 

The landmarks of Arras - Beffroi  and Hôtel de Ville- are based on post WWI situation and not pre WWI.

 

 

 

whoospie. very observant!

[HBB*Hunger]

Guys, I love your work. Thank you very much for everything! 

[Rjel]

8 hours ago, J2_Bidu said:

Fellows, developers

 

(and as much as I love the game as it stands...)

 

... the time has come to discuss the cows' flight model!

 I heard it would be based on the flight model that the flying cows used in the movie TWISTER. But of course everyone remembers that was only using an updated flight model from the tornado sequence in THE WIZARD OF OZ. I'm hoping for a more realistic flying cow in this simulation. 

[TP_Sparky]

Here's the model for the "dancing Camel wheels"

famous short scene from Chaplin's "Gold Rush"

[Obelix]

Nice Colonne Morris

[Atomic_Spaniel]

On 2/22/2019 at 6:34 PM, EAF19_Marsh said:

 

It should be below the bar based on most pictures. The pilot head-line was below the wing structure, not above. 

 

Yes - this is definitely true. Only on the prototype aircraft was the sight fitted above the bar. On production Dolphins it was below the bar. The aircraft was designed so that that the pilot's head was about level with the top wing and not sticking up above it. That way he could look below the upper planes as easily as above them.

 

This used to really annoy me in RoF as well!

[HagarTheHorrible]

2 hours ago, NickM said:

 

Yes - this is definitely true. Only on the prototype aircraft was the sight fitted above the bar. On production Dolphins it was below the bar. The aircraft was designed so that that the pilot's head was about level with the top wing and not sticking up above it. That way he could look below the upper planes as easily as above them.

 

This used to really annoy me in RoF as well!

 

 

I really can't think it was done for any other reason than the limitations imposed by viewing the world through the restrictions of a computer monitor.  Obviously not such a big limitation for useres of VR headsets.  It would allbe a bit silly if the limitations of how we view the RoF/FC world completely negated the very philosophy behind the design and success of an aircraft.

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, HagarTheHorrible said:

I really can't think it was done for any other reason than the limitations imposed by viewing the world through the restrictions of a computer monitor. 

 

Huh? That has nothing at all to do with how it was modeled in ROF. They likely just chose that particular position, because it meant not having to make changes to the windscreen.

[EAF19_Marsh]

7 hours ago, LukeFF said:

 

Huh? That has nothing at all to do with how it was modeled in ROF. They likely just chose that particular position, because it meant not having to make changes to the windscreen.

 

But it is still there in FC?