Developer Diary, Part VIII

[BlackSix]

8

 

Hello dear friends.

 

We missed a week in our diaries. The reason was the lack of proper technology to teleport people over long distances. Of course, there is a certain romance to write about our game, dedicated to airplanes when you are actually on board an airplane. But I'm too often distracted by the view from the window.

 

Soon, we'll show you some new screenshots. You already know about a pair of planes from the project; the LaGG-3 and Bf-109F-4. The IL-2 (1942 year's model) and Ju-87D-3, two major aircraft for attacking ground vehicles, will be the next pair we show you. Work on them is already under way and cockpits for the first fighters will be ready soon.

 

And of course will be pictures, video and more details about the map and ground equipment. In this diary we publish the fifth part of the test pilot interview, which will be dedicated to the I-153 aircraft.

 

 

Full news

[71st_AH_Mastiff]

Thank you sir always great info!

[StrIke]

Exciting info as always!!! Can't wait for more screens or ingame videos

 

Good luck!

[SYN_Jedders]

Good stuff!

[Bearcat]

Fantastic!

[4S_Nero]

Go go go. I can't wait. Good wews. ^_^

[pilotpierre]

Great stuff, roll on IX, (or 9 for some).

[falstaff]

Good update, good details and answers to specific questions.

[Mastermariner]

Spasiba!

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 Thanks for the update, top notch as always. I really envy your test pilot :D He gets to fly all the cool planes we can only fly virtually :D Have a good weekend all of ya!

[JtD]

I see that the "1942" model of the Il-2 will be in game. Which is great, as I consider an Il-2 mandatory and am really lookign forward to flying it in a next generation flight sim. To my knowledge, the 1942 model is the first one with the normal rear gunner, however the standard Il-2 without rear gunner or with a improvised rear gunner was the most numerous subversion around Stalingrad. Does anyone know if that's true? Will the older model be modelled, too? If so, will the improvised rear gunner be present or optionally be present?

[NLS61]

Thanks you the project is definitly alive!
And that fgountain it reminds me of the movie enemy at the gates

[csThor]

I see that the "1942" model of the Il-2 will be in game. Which is great, as I consider an Il-2 mandatory and am really lookign forward to flying it in a next generation flight sim. To my knowledge, the 1942 model is the first one with the normal rear gunner, however the standard Il-2 without rear gunner or with a improvised rear gunner was the most numerous subversion around Stalingrad. Does anyone know if that's true? Will the older model be modelled, too? If so, will the improvised rear gunner be present or optionally be present?

 

A very good question. The single-seaters were still the majority - the overwhelming majority - of Il-2s at Stalingrad. Not providing them would be puzzling in the extreme ... Or maybe we're reading too much into the 1942 designation and compare that to 1946.

[Sim]

1942 model is a single-seater? As in:

 

[rolikiraly]

(Same with the Messerschmitts: it would be quite strange to have the F-4 and not having the G-2 variant)

 

Nice news, especially N.1 and 6. And N.7 is very calming

[Caudron431]

These updates ROCK!! Thank you, this sim is going to be great

Edited February 22, 2013 by RegRag1977

[smink1701]

I am very hopeful.  Playing another flight sim that had amazing graphics but was lacking in many other areas, I often thought...why couldn't they have just given us IL2 with much better graphics.  I'm thinking BOS will be just that.

[Potenz]

This is what updates are, just plain direct answers and not empty promises

 

Well done i feel that we will have a great flight sim again

[Blitzen]

Would love a screenshot or two...not that Stalingrad sculpture was bad or anything...but still...

[sturmkraehe]

Will you also consult pilots flying the planes of "the other side" ?

[sturmkraehe]

Just in case you finish doing the FW:

 

Here's a video with the FW190A5 equiped with an original BMW801 engine (rarity!!!):

 

[JG4_Sputnik]

Will you also consult pilots flying the planes of "the other side" ?

 

Very good question. So far we've only heard how good the MiG3, I16 and IL2 were, that they have qualities nobody knew so far (for example the fact that a Mig outturns a I16). I hope we hear the same exciting stuff from german planes too

Unfortunately there aren't german test pilots who praise the qualities from the Me109 and Focke for us axis players.

But I have faith in the devs and their will to want to recreate the past "as it was".

 

Great update by the way I relly hope that given the ressources they have they are able to model Stalingrad rather detailed, so that one can easily navigate by landmarks such as the "Tennischl???

[HippyDruid]

Cool video, as always!

 

More screenshots, please.

 

Will there be a pilot modelled after Vladimir? After seeing him in all these videos it would be a nice touch to see him in-game!

[=BKHZ=Furbs]

Thanks for the update! straight forward and honest answers, cant wait for some screen shots.

[Felix58]

Great news about the D3!  Should be a heap of fun.

Nice to hear that the city detail includes the iconic fountain.

Hopefully the quality of the game inspires new players to research the epic Battle of Stalingrad.  Can recommend Antony Beevor's book.

 

One ask!  We know the cockpit is not going to be to the quality of CLoD, and ROF's are not bad for that era of programming, but the new cockpit has to be a step forward!

Would love to see a screenshot! 

[sturmkraehe]

Well, I hope the cockpits will be of the same quality as those of Clod: They are a big immersive factor me thinks. I would not like to have a pixel plate in front of me but I want to feel like sitting in a cockpit as much as it is possible on a computer screen.

I have another question to devs:

 

what will be the skin resolution supported?

[Jason_Williams]

We've already stated that the cockpits will be good and better than ROF. 

 

Jason

[Heywooood]

i am having a hard time waiting...these updates are helping

 

any time you can see classic VVS warbirds flying in HD with pilot commentary no less - i think you have to be pleased...i mean there are endless vids of mustangs and spitfires...but i-153?

 

not so much

 

this is going to be a long year though waiting for BoS

 

looking forward now to cockpit renders - im sure they will be better than expected even for the harshest critics

[hiro]

Thanks for the video, the I-153 was fun. I remember in 1946, if you flew just right, the I-153 was virtually impossible to shoot down (the I-16 was similar). Even against BnZ, you just wait until they fire and you could snap a turn to dodge, and the speed difference was they only got one shot in that pass. 

 

But then again for the 153 driver, it was hard to hit a 109 or 190 or hit them enough times to shoot one down. It was one of those 'annoying' plane categories that was best just to have fun. 

 

Definitely a good thing to add it to the planeset. I'm smiling!

 

 

Still it was fun being the gnat that the only the other side could get me to stop using it is when the server admin kicked me for not "participating" in air quake. 

 

The video portrays it alot more majestically than in 1946. I like the answers to the questions and can't wait for spring!

 

Also I'm fine with the updates coming once a month or every 2 weeks. Gives people more chance to work on the game.  But keep it up!

 

As much as I love the 190, I can't believe how many people are pushing it and its not even part of the theater. Still though, the chance of this run of series having a 190 is more solid than the what we had last year. 

Edited February 23, 2013 by hiro

[707shap_Srbin]

A very good question. The single-seaters were still the majority - the overwhelming majority - of Il-2s at Stalingrad. Not providing them would be puzzling in the extreme ... Or maybe we're reading too much into the 1942 designation and compare that to 1946.

 

Il-2 (1942) mean:

-single seater Il-2 with AM-38 engine, wooden tail and wingtips, with 23mm VYa cannons.

 

First two seater Il-2 (AM-38) regiments went to the front in late december 1942 (one - to Kalinin front, and one - to Stalingrad front). It is a "one fish in the ocean" compare with other single seaters.

[JtD]

Thanks for this clarification, Bersrk!

[FlatSpinMan]

What an airfield. Mig-3, I-15(?), early Hurricane, plus something sleek and evil looking - can anyone identify the jet in the hangar about 10 mins into the video?

The plane sounds mercurial, to say the least. The interview showed the risks that go along with test-piloting, even today.

 

As an earlier poster wrote, it'd be great to see the same thing done with the Axis aircraft.

[sturmkraehe]

We've already stated that the cockpits will be good and better than ROF. 

 

Jason

 

 

Thanks, Jason, for this info. Also good to know that the devs and the publisher are actually reading these threads. That's a big change wrt the banana forum.

[gavagai]

The warmed up engines thing again?

 

Pilots did not warm the aircraft in engine in WW1, that was the job of the ground crew.  This has been explained many times at the RoF forum by the most knowledgable WW1 history enthusiasts.

Edited February 23, 2013 by gavagai

[smink1701]

Thanks, Jason, for this info. Also good to know that the devs and the publisher are actually reading these threads. That's a big change wrt the banana forum.

 

Amazing how positive the tone is here compared to some other sim forums.  Treat your customers with a little respect, communicate clearly and often, say what you are going to do and then do it.  Business fundamentals 101.

[sturmkraehe]

Yes and no. I think the fact that the forum mods did not care for really watching the tone was an important factor in the tone that developed on the banana forum too. Adults can become extremely child-ish in their way to "communicate" if there's no watch dog.

[Heywooood]

the 'Zoo'

 

the 'banana forum' or 'banana boards'

 

how will this one be known? 

 

I guess time will tell but so far so good - well moderated and well informed are we thus far and those are the biggest factors IMO

[Bearcat]

Amazing how positive the tone is here compared to some other sim forums.  Treat your customers with a little respect, communicate clearly and often, say what you are going to do and then do it.  Business fundamentals 101.

the 'Zoo'

the 'banana forum' or 'banana boards'

how will this one be known?

I guess time will tell but so far so good - well moderated and well informed are we thus far and those are the biggest factors IMO

 

Thank you .. it has been a process that is evolving still but most of the folks here know that the moderators here are just simmers... We all want the same things and care about this hobby of ours .. and at this point in it's evolution I think that it is very important.

[Heywooood]

you're welcome -

this forum is a nice change of pace for me - spending most of my internet time in the ' outhouse' these days...FSX has been holding my interest since Il2

that and RoF boards..

 

the common denominators being the involvment of developers and the quality of the moderation - it appears these boards will have both 

thanks to Jason and 'Loft' for their steady input and thorough replies

and to BC and FlatspinMan - (and is MysticPuma a mod?) for their evenhandedness if you will - the job of referee is thankless but vital

Edited February 24, 2013 by Heywooood

[Bearcat]

No he is not.  If you look on the first page lower right  near center you will find a link to the moderating listing.