Developer Diary, Part 69

[Finkeren]

As I said earlier: I believe that the La-5 has potential to be quite deadly in MP, especially in cooperation with agressively flown Yaks. And I'm not expecting many people to master it fully at its debut in MP.

 

I was just surprised, that it performed so poorly, even when flown by players who clearly knew what they were doing. Even though the Germans were heavily outnumbered in most situations, it was a slaughterhouse.

[M4rgaux]

I have more success flying the La5 than the Yak. I quite like that)

[Schmalzfaust]

New variable flames are epic! 

[1./JG42Nephris]

I also expect most not to be able to handle the La5 in a proper way.

I fly it more like a 109 than a yak. In other words I characterise the L5 more like a b&zer than a t&b.

However maybe some forget to make use of emergency power?

[Felix58]

Excellent to hear the team have taken on the "monk" like lifestyle.  Summer is so over-rated with sunburn, hang-overs and a depleted wallet!  Your windowless office will save you from such temptations.  Keep coding till you drop!  Redemption can only be found in producing a superior flight sim product!  

 

May the code be with you!

[Volkoff]

I can't wait to try out the La-5! 

 

MJ

[Sandhill]

As usual thanks for the update. And now please guys and girls (?) turn of the computers, get up and leave your windowless office, step out into the sun and the real world and enjoy the summer, your youth, your strength, your achievements and the best days of your life.

There will come a day when you look back at all this and; shaking your head will say: "That was crazy! But we did it."!

 

Master

 

 

Excellent to hear the team have taken on the "monk" like lifestyle.  Summer is so over-rated with sunburn, hang-overs and a depleted wallet!  Your windowless office will save you from such temptations.  Keep coding till you drop!  Redemption can only be found in producing a superior flight sim product!  

 

May the code be with you!

 

I'm with aus3620 on this one (although with with the first day of WINTER just passed in his hemisphere he might just be jealous)...nose to the grindstone guys, you've only one summer of '14 to throw away etc.  And NO FOOTBALL. 

Thanks for updating such a great game

[Urra]

 

Could someone please ship these wonderful folks an endless supply of RedBull energy drinks for the final stretch...they do say 'it gives you wings'.

[Bearcat]

Well, my first stint in MP confirmed, that the La-5 won't be that much of a game changer in online play.

 

I was forced to fly German flying against perhaps 75% La-5s, and in little over half an hour I scored 9 kills and 1 assist and was only truly shot down twice (two times I had to bail Hartmann style - because my plane was struck by parts coming off my last victim) This is much, much better than I normally do in MP.

 

Granted, most of these La-5s were flown poorly, as to be expected when a plane is new in MP, but twice I met quite good opponents who started with an altitude advantage and tried using fast, slashing attacks, and in both sistuations it was a matter of seconds before I had reversed the situation.

 

The La-5 seems to be doing worse in MP, than I anticipated.

You did all that in the horrid 109 .. with it's terrible FM.. ? Where's that tongue in cheek smiley when you need it..

[71st_AH_Hooves]

I spent most of the evening watching 109s do RC airplane turns with the trim and full deflection on the stick. Was the worst thing ive ever seen in any flight sim to date. The LA5 did as i thougt, good BnZ but still dramatically under powered. There is still no russian aircraft that even comes close to the 109 and the worst news for vvs pilots is still to come in the 190. Im hoping a post stalingrad theatre gets here relativley soon after release. Say 6-8 months. Im just so fricken tired of flying the ridiculuosly out performed vvs, or the overly powerful luftwaffe. I long for a middle ground where the equipment is more evenly matched.

 

Also. If there is a compression effect on the stick of the 109, why is there also not a compression effect on the adjustable elevator wheel? And while im mentioning that. I thought that stab was only adjustable on the ground. Or was that changed on the later f model 109s?

[Finkeren]

You did all that in the horrid 109 .. with it's terrible FM.. ? Where's that tongue in cheek smiley when you need it..

Yeah I know, it's completely unflyable

[LukeFF]

 

 

I thought that stab was only adjustable on the ground. Or was that changed on the later f model 109s?

 

The stabilizer is fully adjustable in-flight, via a wheel that's right next to the flap wheel. It's the trim tabs that were adjustable only on the ground.

[Brano]

I hope that devs will create separate server for those wanting sci-fi dogfights with Fw190 over Stalingrad.

[sturmkraehe]

I spent most of the evening watching 109s do RC airplane turns with the trim and full deflection on the stick. Was the worst thing ive ever seen in any flight sim to date. The LA5 did as i thougt, good BnZ but still dramatically under powered. There is still no russian aircraft that even comes close to the 109 and the worst news for vvs pilots is still to come in the 190. Im hoping a post stalingrad theatre gets here relativley soon after release. Say 6-8 months. Im just so fricken tired of flying the ridiculuosly out performed vvs, or the overly powerful luftwaffe. I long for a middle ground where the equipment is more evenly matched.

 

Also. If there is a compression effect on the stick of the 109, why is there also not a compression effect on the adjustable elevator wheel? And while im mentioning that. I thought that stab was only adjustable on the ground. Or was that changed on the later f model 109s?

 

Yes, some manage to make the 109f turn like a zeke and my guess is they exploit the fact that you can adjust the horizontal stab with ridiculous speed and low workload due to available hardware combined to available fuel setting and excellent stall behavior at high speed. 

 

I hope we get soon, very soon after release a scenario that gives vvs a high altitude fighter and also a Spit V so VVS can at least outturn those huns.

[Nankeen]

Nice update, thaks

My question:

What is "gauge illumination level dial". ??

Hey Sputnik.

This is called a rheostat

[1./JG42Nephris]

What is "gauge illumination level dial". ??

 

Intimbeleuchtungsgrad

[LLv24_Zami]

Thanks for the update and changelog! Nice to see behind the scenes. Keep up the good work 

And no, gauge illumination level dial is not important at all

[realtrance]

I want to once more say how grateful I am to this team.

 

It is clear you are making phenomenal progress, with incredible depth, and attention to all sorts of details that are, honestly, mind-blowing.

 

Hang in there!  Sounds like you have an excellent producer, which helps with sanity and clarity, and brilliant talent that remains inspired and passionate about what they are doing, regardless of how much effort into working out all the insane details has to be made to charge towards completion.

 

I'm sorry time/health has kept me from playtesting and participating more, but I remain extremely enthusiastic about this project; in my opinion, it's one of the most exciting software development efforts on the planet at this point!

 

Hang in there!

 

Steve

 

[SYN_Vorlander]

109 vs la5 is a joke. The La5 is very hard to fly against german planes ATM. I'm afraid after the release of the 190 things will be even worst.

[Finkeren]

Why is it a joke? Where is it written, that MP must be balanced?

 

I for one value historical accuracy over balance any day, and I almost always fly Soviet planes, if team balance allows.

[Tompa_73]

The long-awaited He-111 can easily be taken from a desktop on our modelers’ displays and made into a desktop - this much time and work it takes to make a large mighty German bomber. It’s still too early to show it on screenshots but trust me, there’s a lot in this aircraft for you to put your teeth into.

 

 

we are getting closer!

[Kudlius]

Just made few turns around Stalingrad, then engine stopped, had to land on Volga ice...

Yes, sim is impressive...

It is hard to believe it is possible to make it in the office without windows.

But you have to see bright things in your life, local Moscow white bears are so dangerous, it is much safer without windows...

Joke:)

What about summer map? We have minus 5 this summer in Lithuania... Please, when we will get map with hot Stalingrad summer?

[FuriousMeow]

Why is it a joke?

 

The joke is some that are LuftWaffle exclusive players are already complaining that the Soviets are getting the La5 and their poor 109s will be inept against them, so they need the 190 because the Soviets are getting everything! That's the joke.

[6./ZG26_5tuka]

Don't rly get why people complain about the La-5...I mean seriously, it IS quite a good plane (according to my today's impression flying it exclusively on Expert).

 

Can't comment much on performance (only that it feels more powerfull than Yak-1) but it's a very nimble plane with phenominal roll rate and good manouvrebility (I manouvre killed some 109s today only by pulling barrel rolls at 350km/h, they simply couldn't keep up and oversteared).

 

Only real negative thing I noticed (bug??) is that every single hit form any calibre will set it's wing mounted fuel tanks on fire...instantly. I leaned this today in every sortie as germans outnumbred us 3:1 so I actually got shot up pretty often always catching fire on wings.

 

Also it's a very well diver and maintains speed after leveling out better than the 109, but this might be more of a situational advantage.

Edited June 28, 2014 by [Jg26]5tuk4

[Zak]

we are getting closer!

Yep, I saw its bomb hatch being tested yesterday, and how naturally the 50kg bombs fall out of it

Joke:)

I wish!

[LLv24_Zami]

Yep, I saw its bomb hatch being tested yesterday, and how naturally the 50kg bombs fall out of it

 

Very nice, not a bomber type person myself but with your FM I really look forward to fly the he-111 because it wil be awesome

Edited June 28, 2014 by Zami

[novicebutdeadly]

Gents,

 

I've noticed when I played today (since the new update) that there seems to be something very wrong with the damage that my weapons cause.

Playing off line, in a 109g2  flying against La's my guns seem to have no affect when they hit the enemy plane (i didn't try against other planes), no damage when hit etc, and only a pilot hit will take down the plane (with the plane showing no damage).

Is there a glitch that could be causing this????

Normally I would say it was my average shooting, but even with "aim assist" on (to ensure my aiming is correct) my rounds do nothing to the plane.

Edited June 29, 2014 by 907-novicebutdeadly

[LukeFF]

Why is it a joke? Where is it written, that MP must be balanced?

 

I for one value historical accuracy over balance any day, and I almost always fly Soviet planes, if team balance allows.

 

Indeed. This is what Gordon & Khazanov wrote about the La-5 in their book on Soviet fighters:

 

Based on experience gained during combat, the pilots of the 27th Fighter Air Regiment, 287th Fighter Air Division, concluded that their fighters were inferior to Bf 109F-4s and especially, 'G-2s in speed and vertical maneuverability. They reported: 'We have to engage only in defensive combat actions. The enemy is superior in altitude and, therefore, has a more favorable position from which to attack.'

 

I like to view the La-5 as a very good LaGG-3. The really big improvements to the design came with the F and FN models.

Edited June 29, 2014 by LukeFF

[=]VLA[=Ravonmith]

I hope that devs will create separate server for those wanting sci-fi dogfights with Fw190 over Stalingrad.

 

You realy don´t know nothing about the FW 190 and its operational area ?! Just check some history reports. 

 

"The first appearance of the Fw 190 on the Eastern Front occurred in September 1942. During this time, the Battle of Stalingrad was taking place, which would eventually lead to the destruction of the German Sixth Army. The first German unit to receive the fighter in the east, was Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53). However, it’s I. gruppe was assigned to the north sector, and undertook operations against the Soviets during the Siege of Leningrad in order to allow the Fw 190 to acclimatise.^{[citation needed]} The unit flew free fighter sweeps (Freie Jagd). This lasted only days, and I./JG 53 moved southward to Lake Ilmen to provide air cover for the vulnerable Demyansk pocket survivors. In October, 1942 the unit moved south again, this time the Rzhev-Vyazma salient. It was at this location the Fw 190 started to make an impact." 

• Bergstrom, Christer (2007). Stalingrad – The Air Battle: November 1942 – February 1943. London: Chervron/Ian Allen. ISBN 978-1-85780-276-4 .

dont´t call somthing SFI only because the fighter was not the most common.   # operation Kharkov

Edited June 29, 2014 by ravonmith

[Finkeren]

Ravonmith: Did you read the text you posted yourself? It specifically says that the first operational Fw 190s in the east reached the front at the time of the Battle of Stalingrad, but that they were NOT in action on the southern part of the front and instead went to the Leningrad area and lake Ilmen in support of the Demyansk Pocket.

[sturmkraehe]

My impression of La5 in MP: Would make a nice fast ground attack airplane. Imho no other good use for it - too few bombers to shoot down. Certainly not very useful for dogfights against fighters with the current gunsight. I guess I prefer Lagg3 or Yak for that purpose.

Edited June 29, 2014 by sturmkraehe

[Matt]

Gents,

 

I've noticed when I played today (since the new update) that there seems to be something very wrong with the damage that my weapons cause.

 

Playing off line, in a 109g2  flying against La's my guns seem to have no affect when they hit the enemy plane (i didn't try against other planes), no damage when hit etc, and only a pilot hit will take down the plane (with the plane showing no damage).

 

Is there a glitch that could be causing this????

 

Normally I would say it was my average shooting, but even with "aim assist" on (to ensure my aiming is correct) my rounds do nothing to the plane.

That's exactly what happened to me yesterday, but i thought i was just my crappy aim. It felt like most of my hits did not register at all and when they did register, they were always pilot kills with the enemy plane falling out of control and spinning to the ground. No other damage, no leaks, flames, oil or parts flying off.

 

I did not check MP, only SP with the QMB. Can anybody else check that in SP too and report back?

Edited June 29, 2014 by Matt

[71st_AH_Hooves]

I had an opposite experience. Three times in a row the very first round landed on my la 5 it exploded into a ball of flames.

[LLv44_Mprhead]

You realy don´t know nothing about the FW 190 and its operational area ?! Just check some history reports. 

 

"The first appearance of the Fw 190 on the Eastern Front occurred in September 1942. During this time, the Battle of Stalingrad was taking place, which would eventually lead to the destruction of the German Sixth Army. The first German unit to receive the fighter in the east, was Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53). However, it’s I. gruppe was assigned to the north sector, and undertook operations against the Soviets during the Siege of Leningrad in order to allow the Fw 190 to acclimatise.^{[citation needed]} The unit flew free fighter sweeps (Freie Jagd). This lasted only days, and I./JG 53 moved southward to Lake Ilmen to provide air cover for the vulnerable Demyansk pocket survivors. In October, 1942 the unit moved south again, this time the Rzhev-Vyazma salient. It was at this location the Fw 190 started to make an impact." 

• Bergstrom, Christer (2007). Stalingrad – The Air Battle: November 1942 – February 1943. London: Chervron/Ian Allen. ISBN 978-1-85780-276-4 .

dont´t call somthing SFI only because the fighter was not the most common.   # operation Kharkov

 

This is from wikipedia and although it correctly states that 190 was not used in Battle of Stalingrad, it's not correct about JG53. I think it should be JG51 instead. I made this same mistake earlier, not having my books with me and trusting wikipedia.

[Matt]

I had an opposite experience. Three times in a row the very first round landed on my la 5 it exploded into a ball of flames.

Yes, on your plane, but what about the planes you were shooting at?

 

When AI is fighting other AI, hits seem to register as well.

[BeastyBaiter]

I didn't have any hit registration issues yesterday. I played a few hours on both US and EU servers, including some full matches.

 

As for the La-5, as I expected, it isn't a game changer. It is however a very capable plane when used to its strengths. Most flying them did so poorly, but a few did take full advantage of that huge low altitude speed to slash 109's that got a little too aggressive attacking yaks. It also zoom climbs quite well, I had a few instances where I thought my 109G2 was safe when in fact it wasn't. Overall I'd still say the 109's are better if flown right, but a Yak-1 plus La-5 tag team can be difficult to fight. The most effective use I saw was a flight of IL-2's escorted by a mix of La-5's and Yak-1's. I had a hell of a time getting in there to shoot something.

 

From the Russian perspective, I used the La-5 a bit too. I love the speed below 2km and found it to be a decisive advantage in a low altitude fight. The 109's could of course start with a large altitude advantage if they wanted but I found I could typically force the fight lower into the La-5's realm provided I saw them coming. In the ground attack role, the La-5 is superb.  The Dual 20mm's are great for strafing and a pair of 100kg bombs will take out tanks if dropped precisely. It handles very precisely, so flying low and fast is pleasant.

[Volkoff]

My impression of La5 in MP: Would make a nice fast ground attack airplane. Imho no other good use for it - too few bombers to shoot down. Certainly not very useful for dogfights against fighters with the current gunsight. I guess I prefer Lagg3 or Yak for that purpose.

 

Me too. I think that the LaGG-3 will be a neat bomber interceptor or ground attack plane. When compared to the La-5, the LaGG-3 seems a bit easier to handle in defensive maneuvers, like the flat scissors. The La-5 is faster than the LaGG-3, but the BF-109 is a real speedwagon. I need a plane that I can depend on outrunning a BF-109. Right now, there is no such machine in game for the VVS. The best overall fighter, for dealing with the BF-109, right now, is probably the Yak-1.  MJ

I spent most of the evening watching 109s do RC airplane turns with the trim and full deflection on the stick. Was the worst thing ive ever seen in any flight sim to date. The LA5 did as i thougt, good BnZ but still dramatically under powered. There is still no russian aircraft that even comes close to the 109 and the worst news for vvs pilots is still to come in the 190. Im hoping a post stalingrad theatre gets here relativley soon after release. Say 6-8 months. Im just so fricken tired of flying the ridiculuosly out performed vvs, or the overly powerful luftwaffe. I long for a middle ground where the equipment is more evenly matched.

 

 

 

+1 I feel like this, most of the time. I am glad that I am not alone.  

 

MJ

Edited June 29, 2014 by =69.GIAP=MIKHA

[rigbyDerekb1948]

That's exactly what happened to me yesterday, but i thought i was just my crappy aim. It felt like most of my hits did not register at all and when they did register, they were always pilot kills with the enemy plane falling out of control and spinning to the ground. No other damage, no leaks, flames, oil or parts flying off.

 

I did not check MP, only SP with the QMB. Can anybody else check that in SP too and report back?

Flying both '109s in SP mode (15mm pods on F4) registered normal hits on La5 with full explosive effects, flames and smoke. In 4 shoot-downs, pilots always baled-out. Graphics all set to maximum. (Both cannon and MG hits appeared "normal").

[LLv44_Mprhead]

I need a plane that I can depend on outrunning a BF-109. Right now, there is no such machine in game for the VVS.

 

You and Soviet Air Force both, you and Soviet Air Force both, Mikha...

[Gambit21]

It's interesting reading Helmut Liepferts book (JG 52 on the Russian front) for the 3rd time or so, and how he describes some turn

fights (him in a 109 G1) with Russians that go on for 15 minutes to half an hour with neither side able to get an advantage. These are Yak 1's and LaGG 3's.

I don't know where an adjustment needs to happen, or if an adjustment needs to happen. But it's an interesting  read his war diary,  and hearing him

describe some of these fights. They didn't always feel dominant in their 109's when things came down to a knife fight.

 

Interestingly, the P39's gave them some trouble - "almost the equal of the 109" in his words.