So, where are we at as far as random missions for Blitz?

[Trooper117]

Battle of Bodenplatte is the latest offering in the series and is now well into it's development cycle... already we can fly the Spit MK IX, P-47, Fw 190 A8, Bf 109 G-14 and K4... 

These aircraft can be flown using the quick mission builder, or the PWCG campaign generator... however, the Bodenplatte map is yet to be released.

Further aircraft will be available to fly when ready... they are the P-51, Me 262, Fw 190 D9, Hawker TempestMk V, and P-38.

 

This title is in early access and will be available complete this year...

Edited March 7, 2019 by Trooper117

[DD_Arthur]

10 hours ago, ladlon said:

Huh...  Well, it looks like BoS is currently on sale.  I'm tempted to get it.

 

Will the BoX series ever have battles like in CloD?  (German/British... Western Europe) ...or will it always be German/Russian?  I guess Flying Circus is France, right?  So the series is not necessarily locked to the Eastern Front?

 

Any reason to buy from the IL-2 website vs Steam?  (Aside from the fact that they allow you to buy all the other 'modules' as standalones, and don't require BoS to be purchased... and because it supports the developers directly)

 

I hear that BoS now has non-winter versions of the maps... and also removed the unlock system.  That's all good!

 

 

Ladlon, reading these threads I can't help feeling your info on the BoX series is very out of date. If you want to dip your toes in the water of BoS then now is the time to give it a go whilst it's on sale.

 

Don't buy it from Steam.  Get it here from the official website.  If you buy from Steam then you are merely handing Valve 30% of the purchase price you paid and helping in their bid to monopolise PC game distribution.  That 30% represents the profit that the devs of this game would otherwise be able to plough back into further development.

 

 

I don't know about you but as far as PC games go;  I'm only interested in flight sims so - with the exception of War Thunder - I have all of them, BoS, Cliffs, DCS and RoF.

They all have their strengths and they all have their weaknesses and they all co-exist quite happily on my PC.

 

S!  

 

Edit;  check out today's dev diary for where we are going next in the BoX series;

 

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by DD_Arthur

[Sokol1]

BoS Standard version is an good start point for IL-2:Great Battles. 

 

But you don't need buy BoS for play, e.g  Kuban or Moscow. Can buy just Kuban or Moscow.

 

The IL-2 Great Battles game is installed as whole - maps are common to all versions, but your access is limited to planes, tanks and campaigns of the version that you buy.

E.g. buying Kuban, besides their campaign, missions, can use their planes for fly in singleplayer Quick Missions, user made missions* in  Stalingrad map - if don't find strange use an Spitfire, P-39 there - but this map/campaign always make an historical concession for Fw 190 (of premium BoS version) in Stalingrad, including in campaign.

 

* In multiplayer maps depends on what planes mission maker allow - they tend use a more "historical" planeset, even for keep things matched/balanced.

 

Sorting by years of the planeset  of each package, follows this chronological order:

 

Moscow - 1941 - East front (German + Italian Mc 202 x Russian + LL American P-40)

Stalingrad - 1942 - East front (German x Russian)

Kuban - 1943 - East front (German x Russians, + LL American/British planes)

Bodenplatte - 1944/1945 - Western front (German - including Me 262 x Americans/British)

 

Besides this packages, in Standard and Premium (include + 2 planes - no necessarily "Uber planes") form, can buy standalone "Collector planes", e.g. Ju-52, U-2VS... check in IL-2 store: https://il2sturmovik.com/store/collector-planes/

 

Ideally you should buy from IL-2 store, including is more convenient ($$$) for developer.

But contrary to DCS, IL-2 allow you integrate acquisitions from STEAM and IL-2 Store.

STEAM will be just a "gadget" more in game background, but in my country buy from STEAM means an additional "discount" due STEAM local prices policies and allow choose more forms of payment. Anyway no practical counter indicative in buy from STEAM.

 

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Sokol1

[ladlon]

Hi, guys.  Hey, Sokol1... No, unfortunately you have to buy Stalingrad in order to play ANY of the other modules, in the Steam version.  Buying from the IL-2 website, however, does allow you to buy/play any modules, without that necessity.  Otherwise, I'd probably get Kuban or Bodenplatte  (rather than Stalingrad) as my initial purchase, as I prefer the theater and planes from that one.

 

It's a tough call, as Steam has Stalingrad on sale right now.  I don't mind paying for Stalingrad, in order to get the ability to play the other modules (Steam)... but what isn't ideal is this means I am forced to keep Stalingrad installed, in order to play the other modules (again, Steam version).  Buying from IL-2's website, I can play/install whichever one I want... but the prices are obviously higher (plus, they are in US funds, so it's even higher still... especially with the bad exchange rate now... so, that's a point for the Steam side, as they have their good sales.  So, it's a tough call.

 

On top of that, I'm not sure my system will handle the BoX series...  Although I have a 1060GTX, I'm unfortunately trapped with an older I7 (2.6), with no ability to upgrade.  So, that's lower than the recommended.  Granted, I wouldn't be playing at super high-res, and usually don't crank the settings to high anyway.  But, it may be a problem.  CloD, DCSWorld1.5 and X-Plane10 run very nicely (with good settings), so there may be a chance...

 

 

One thing I am confused about, regarding the BoX series...  If they operate as standalones (at least as far as the IL-2 site version is concerned), that means that you are installing the full engine/sim/interface seveal times, with each installation of a module... rather than having only one instance of the 'engine/sim', and then just the unique items introduced by each module...

 

...or, is it that when you install, you can choose whether each item is being installed as a standalone (full engine/sim installed) or as an expansion/DLC (just the unique, new items installed, so there's no redundant code)?

 

Or, is it that each module installs everything full, but will either overwrite existing 'engine/sim' (or just skip installing that part if it sees there is already an install of another module present)?

Edited March 7, 2019 by ladlon

[56RAF_Stickz]

Hello Ladion

See if I can clear up a little how it works.

When you buy any particular module Moscow/Stalingrad/kuban (bodenplatte I will list separately) then the exact same installation on you machine is made. However for single player you would only have access to the maps and planes from the module you purchased. In online you can fly whatever map the server uses, but would only be able to fly a plane from the purchased module. In worst case this could mean you are unable to fly on a particular server - but that is an extreme case. You will still see people flying planes you do not have - sodo not get shot down by ghosts.

If you then buy a second module or collector plane - it just gets unlocked for you, nothing extra gets installed.

If you were to only purchase bodenplatte at present, you may have a problem because the map is not yet released, so as I understand it would be unable to fly single player at all - cos you have no map. Although there is a small free luki veille map installed that would enable you to fly them on Quick mission. However you could fly online on a server that has the bodenplatte planes available - although your options would be limited.

Everything is installed onto your machine regardless of purchase made - its just that the items not bought are not available. You are better buying from the store than steam - especially with the current cheap deal.

My machine still uses AMD965 chipset and 8Gb memory although I do have a newer radion580 series graphics card. You should be able to run this ok. I run clod blitz well, and dcs (although 1.5.8 looks much better than 2.5 at reduced settings I am limited to). Not sure how that relates to your setup - but you should be able to make it run ok - provided you have 8Gb+ ram which rather like dcs seems to be pretty important. You wont get the settings fully up - mine arent.

Hope this helps. dont read to much into clod having a clickable cockpit that box doesnt - whilst I like it, its only really different when starting up else everything works from a HOTAS for most people. You still have to pay attention to engine temps, prop pitch, mixture etc - and your 6 of course.

You do not need steam installed - I have it cos I initially bought BoS as a boxed installation (remember those days - had sometiing solid for your money) and that only worked having steam installed (but having clod anyway required steam so not an issue). Couple of guys from the squad do not use steam at all for it and have no problems.

Hope this helps.

[ladlon]

Hi.  Thanks for trying to clear that up, but I'm not sure you touched on the specific thing I am wondering about...

 

For example...  You have Stalingrad, which requires (say) 20 gigs of hard drive space.  It installs the maps, planes, and the core 'sim/program'.

 

You later get Kuban, which requires a similar amount of hard drive space.  It too is a 'full' program... meaning it has not only the new maps/planes, but the core program, so it can be installed and run without requiring anything else.

 

So, my question is, if I buy one, install it (now I have the core program, plus the maps/planes specific to that module)... and then I buy another module and install it, does it note that I have the core program already installed, and as such, only installs the maps/planes specific to that module and NOT install a second copy of the core program (which would be redundant, unless you want the two modules as standalones for some reason)?

 

With Steam's system, it seems Stalingrad is the core program + maps + planes... and then all the other modules are DLC, which just add the new maps/planes (but are not standalones... at least they aren't TREATED like standaloens, since they insist you have Stalingrad installed to use them).  What's odd, is that these DLCs are the SIZE of full programs... and when bought from the IL-2 site, they ARE standalone programs... So, it seems like Steam is putting some artificial 'requirement' in.

 

Even if all the modules contain the core program (since they are seemingly all standalones, with the core program included, as well as the new maps/planes)... the question is still what happens when you install a 2nd module?  Does it install the full program alongside of the existing (1st module) one, or does it recognize that there is an existing module, and just 'tack on' the new maps/planes, keeping a single main program install (now with additional maps/planes)?

 

Just trying to establish if each module tacks on redundant separate copies of the main program.

 

 

An additional question...  Is the core program (of whichever module you have first purchased/installed) updated, regardless of which module it originates from... or is the core program of newer modules always going to be 'better' than the older ones?

Edited March 7, 2019 by ladlon

[Sokol1]

My computer seems more outdated than your, is i5 +970 GTX, run BoS OK, but like you I don't play in high resolutions, for whatever reason big monitors became expensive in this corner of the world.

 

Regarding game install: You do only one install (and automatic updates when available), is the serial keys registered in your IL-2 account that determines what (planes, contend) is available for you play.

 

If you buy an new package or plane key, when register this key in your IL-2 account this package or  plane became available for play without additional install.

 

Good of this is that even buying an early release, e.g. BoS this is updated with latest features added to engine*, the only downsize that that will use more space in your HDD relatively a basic install + additional installs when buy new contend (DCS World formula).

 

*  Comparatively, for have access of CloD future 5.0 improvements/fixes you will need buy a new contend.

 

I look and STEAM price for BoS is really good, allowing a cheap trial of IL-2:GB. 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Sokol1

[Dogbert1953]

I am new to all this. But what i read on the main website.

 

The whole game is installed whatever you purchase.

 

Your registration information and game install key.

 

Determines what is unlocked for you to access.

 

I purchased the BoS Bom & Bok modules all in the sale back at the beginning of last month on the same day

 

Together with pre-release BOBP, you cannot go wrong at sale prices.

 

Which are the same prices on offer in the sale now.

 

And i can hardly fly a plane. ?

 

Mike.

Edited March 7, 2019 by Dogbert1953

[ladlon]

Hi, Dogbert1953... I wrote this (below) before you did your post, so this is not in response to your post.  I'll get to that in the next one!

 

------------

 

For example... If I buy Stalingrad on steam right now, that's a 16gig install...  So, the core program, plus the maps and planes associated with that particular module.

 

Now, if I later buy Kuban, that's a 20gig install... bigger than Stalingrad... and yet it's (supposedly) just DLC (so, just the additional maps and planes... plus, I guess, whatever campaign data there might be).  So, why is it so big?

 

Meanwhile, Kaban (Steam version) is supposedly DLC, so it is an addon to the Stalingrad base program (requires it)... yet the IL-2 website version is a standalone (which would better explain the large install size), so it would have to install the base program as well, since it doesn't assume you have Stalingrad, since that's not a requirement (like it is with the Steam version).

 

Are the Steam versions truly DLC/expansions... meaning they contain ONLY the new planes/maps/campaigns, but not the base program?  If so, then the IL-2 site's version must be different... OR, a purchase there basically just gives you KEYS, and you download the core program (regardless of the modules you are buying) plus whatever modules you have keys for.  That would make sense, but it's not clear how it is in reality.

 

When you buy the steam version, do you download like normally, or are you just buying keys, and go through the 'download whatever modules you have keys for at the IL-2 site' system?

 

--------------

 

@Dogbert1953: Are you talking about the Steam version of IL-2 site version?

Edited March 7, 2019 by ladlon

[Buzzsaw]

I would recommend taking discussions on the subject of the GREAT BATTLES series over to the game specific forums... (see above) you may be able to get direct responses from the BoX moderators there.

[ladlon]

Ya, sorry, that was straying off topic, wasn't it.

[Dogbert1953]

Just a quickie, from the store.

 

I never buy on Steam unless i really have too.

 

Sorry Buzzsaw.  ?

 

Mike.

Edited March 8, 2019 by Dogbert1953

[Buzzsaw]

5 hours ago, Dogbert1953 said:

Just a quickie, from the store.

 

I never buy on Steam unless i really have too.

 

Sorry Buzzsaw.  ?

 

Mike.

You will be able to buy the game from 1C direct so you can avoid paying them... but the game uses the Steam launch to run.

[Dogbert1953]

I already have them all @Buzzsaw  if that was aimed at me buddy.

 

I was saying to ladlon i got mine from the store, because i dislike Steam with a vengeance. 

 

Mike.