Developer Diary, Part XXIII

[BlitzPig_EL]

If squads can't all take drop tanks because certain members haven't "unlocked" their drop tank options, then they can't run the same mission as the rest of their squad mates. That will make online squad play bad.

 

I'm not sure why people are having trouble understanding this.

 

Preventing people from getting equipment until they play a bunch of awful singleplayer missions is a terrible idea, full-stop.

 

 

 

 

Precisely.

 

I have no problem with this being the case for offline career mode. However, for online it simply will not be workable.

 

On release those of us that fly primarily online simply want to get on with it, and not do a bunch of airmen cadet role playing games.

We want to fly our period correct aircraft with period correct load outs, and enjoy ourselves.

[JG13_opcode]

Perhaps they could implement a server-side option that would unlock all the silly level-up items on that server.

 

I.e. if you fly on a particular server and haven't unlocked drop tanks then you can't use them, but if your server has the "unlock all" option set, then you don't need to go fly hours of offline just to unlock drop tanks (or whatever the loadout is)

[FlatSpinMan]

All fair enough, but just for balance's sake, no doubt there are many offline players looking forward to some developments in the way offline play is handled.

Remember that this will hopefully be just the first in a series, and that other features will be coming down the pipeline that may suit you down to the ground.

[Heywooood]

I don't think thats very fair Heywooood. I don't think this forum has been around long enough for "the usual suspects" to evolve yet.  I do see a lot of guys - just like you yourself - who have a lot of experience of IL2 and RoF who share genuine concerns and are voicing them.  Isn't that part of the function of these forums?

 We also know the time is fast approaching when features are finalised.  So now is the time for concerns to be voiced, albeit in a constructive manner.

 

I have seen the Dev team say unlocks are a popular part of other games and when this project was announced I also read the Producer's remarks about getting back to original IL2.   IL2 isn't "other games" thats why it's endured this long and it's also why someone is willing to keep investing in IL2 after the financial disaster that was CLoD.

 

Technically, from the little we've seen so far it's obvious that it's going to be good.  I don't believe it needs gimmicks.    

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

 

I dont either - and neither one of knows how such an idea (earning upgrades) would even be implemented exactly - so what I am saying is - lets stay patient and wait until we have more information.

...the guys doing the heavy lifting have a ton of experience in IL2 and RoF among other credentials - and the few who have posted here are ALL fans of the original IL2

I do not think they will break from its essential qualities except to improve on them - have a little faith people is all I'm trying to say

Edited July 7, 2013 by Heywooood

[JG13_opcode]

All fair enough, but just for balance's sake, no doubt there are many offline players looking forward to some developments in the way offline play is handled.

Remember that this will hopefully be just the first in a series, and that other features will be coming down the pipeline that may suit you down to the ground.

If there are features coming down the pipeline in the future that would be good for online but bad for offline I would argue that they be changed so that they can be done both ways - that way nobody gets screwed.

 

Your point basically boils down to "Accept a feature ruining your experience so that me and mine can have a good time, even though the exact same feature could be implemented in 3rd-party campaigns, because there's an off-chance the situations might be reversed in the future."

 

I guess it's ???

Edited July 7, 2013 by JG13Doggles

[hiro]

Hello Devs,

 

thanks for another update, and I like whats going on. 

 

 

 

I am open to the unlockables. But I think alot of people are freaking out because the "GAME aspect" and feel it takes away from the "SIMULATION" part of it. 

 

And how it makes a connection the the "abomination to sim" games such as war thunder or wings of prey. But the feeling of this game turning out like War THunder or some other "abomination sim" type games is irrelevant. 

 

It's like meeting a girl and she fits everything, but crying because your ex did x y z negative and the relationship didn't work out because it. Dude, the ex is in the past, and don't bring luggage.

 

But it's a problem with us, we bring our experiences, and luggage. They say marriage is culmination of the spouse's luggage from their lives, and a big part of it is dealing with the past of both . . .

 

 

 

The flying is simulation. I feel if the devs give us an IL-2 true sim flying aspect. That will work. Take off the blinders, just because the game has an unlockable feature set, the flight aspect looses its sim quality.

 

Really? Guys. Rack up and man up. We're more intelligent than that. Its one thing to say it we don't agree, here's a solution, but to nitpick and whine for 8 pages (yes it'll probably go that far) about the game not being realistic or a sim because of unlockables...

 

Its a compromise.  

 

 

Crap I'm glad its not pay to unlock things, that'd be true heresy. 

 

Remember the devs are trying to build upon IL-2. Not just make a 2014 IL-2, but make something better. Yes the original formula worked. But as fate has shown, that original formula can crash and burn if the game isn't implemented correctly. 

 

I feel the unlockables help in single player. 

 

A solution: gotta keep them separated: SP and MP. I know the ultra realistic / historical situations can be done online. Give options for that. 

 

The devs should draw the line and make online and multiplayer unlockables be determined by the server host. And online stats can be recorded, but only actions MP online affect stats for online.  

 

I'm not down for having a separate MP online only profile with unlockables like SP has as its harder to implement and we'll get people whining why they can't port their SP records to the MP because they don't want to redo things. 

 

MP should be determined by host rules. So they can determine the level of unlockables they want regardless if the participants unlocked them in single player. 

 

But the dev's didn't mention that. 

 

I'm all for unlockbles for MP to be determined by host settings. 

 

 

 

 

its funny, the complaints were single player and campaign development would falter, but now the devs have some richness in SP, and some are complaining. 

 

And seems this is one of those sticking points. But I can see if the game is great to play flightwise, then people will come in. 

[Heywooood]

the whole 'splitting the community' 'online vs offline' players is so tired.

 

why cant a simulation work for both?? oh wait - IL2 did just that...through modability it was good for offline play - with the campaign generator and other 3rd party access

and for onliners with the co-op feature etc...

 

this isnt the second coming of MS FLight people - for f'sake quit pointing fingers at each other and your mother...get ahold of the ground - there there now...here's a cookie

[ACG_Kraut]

I do not like the idea of unlocks at all.

 

Please give us the option to have "everything unlocked" servers, or make the unlocks very easy to get. I don't want another grindfest game.

The unlock and level system in WT is one of the biggest turn-offs for me. I buy flight-sims to fly and get in combat, not go achievement hunting.

 

I don't know why all developers these days believe that all new games have to have unlock systems. Look at Red Orchestra 2 for example. The unlock system there is one of the most hated features among RO vets. If you are making an arcade-type game like Call of Dooty or World of Warplanes fine, have an unlock system to keep players interested.

 

For a simulation type game, leave the unlock stuff out, it just ruins the experience. We fly sims purely for the enjoyment of flying, we don't need unlocks and achievements to keep us interested. Please keep it this way, I don't want a War Thunder clone.

 

Us simmers like it like DCS: You buy the aircraft and every single possible piece of ordinance is available to you. You pick what you want to equip based on what the mission will call for, or what you expect to encounter.

 

Say you have a Russian aircraft in BoS and come across a column of heavy tanks, a target of opportunity that you want to attack, but no, you can't, because you haven't got the 500 airkills needed to unlock the bombs or rockets that you need. Being put into that kind of situation because of a lame unlock system is extremely frustrating.

 

TL;DR:  Unlockable equipment in an IL2 title is a terrible idea.

Edited July 7, 2013 by Kraut

[heinkill]

I do not like the idea of unlocks at all.

 

Please give us the option to have "everything unlocked" servers, or make the unlocks very easy to get. I don't want another grindfest game.

The unlock and level system in WT is one of the biggest turn-offs for me. I buy flight-sims to fly and get in combat, not go achievement hunting.

 

I don't know why all developers these days believe that all new games have to have unlock systems. Look at Red Orchestra 2 for example. The unlock system there is one of the most hated features among RO vets. If you are making an arcade-type game like Call of Dooty or World of Warplanes fine, have an unlock system to keep players interested.

 

For a simulation type game, leave the unlock stuff out, it just ruins the experience. We fly sims purely for the enjoyment of flying, we don't need unlocks and achievements to keep us interested. Please keep it this way, I don't want a War Thunder clone.

 

Us simmers like it like DCS: You buy the aircraft and every single possible piece of ordinance is available to you. You pick what you want to equip based on what the mission will call for, or what you expect to encounter.

 

Say you have a Russian aircraft in BoS and come across a column of heavy tanks, a target of opportunity that you want to attack, but no, you can't, because you haven't got the 500 airkills needed to unlock the bombs or rockets that you need. Being put into that kind of situation because of a lame unlock system is extremely frustrating.

 

TL;DR:  Unlockable equipment in an IL2 title is a terrible idea.

+1

[FlatSpinMan]

I get it guys, but what if I came across a column of tanks in ww2 and I didn't have the right field mod? Same thing. Fly back, report it in.

[ACG_Kraut]

I get it guys, but what if I came across a column of tanks in ww2 and I didn't have the right field mod? Same thing. Fly back, report it in.

 

Well, I get that. Sometimes you just don't have the right tool for the job, but if we do fly back and report in, we should then be able to rearm with the correct tool, without arbitrary "level or XP" requirements. 

 

Even unlocking "trivial" addons like drop-tanks can cause problems. What if your mission requires you to fly X distance and drop tanks are required to complete the mission safely, but only half your squadron has unlocked them. 

 

Unlocks can just cause a lot of problems where there doesn't need to be. 

 

I'm cool with unlocks for SP, that's fine. I just have the feeling that it will be devastating to MP. It already is when trying to play with a large group in WT.

[FlatSpinMan]

I understand about the potential pitfalls of unlocks really, and I don't mean to be argumentative, but if a squadron in WW2 didn't have the means to carry out a mission, would they be assigned to it?

I doubt anyone would have detailed Hurricane Mk I's to fly escort over Berlin as they lacked the range, nor to take out a Panzer Armee as they lacked the armament.

 

Now, whether the mission templates in the career take that into account is another thing of course.

[falstaff]

I dont mind unlockables per se, if they give a sense of progression and achievement. It is a game, after all, and might be a nice side-element. But I wonder of an over-ride feature could also be hard-coded in, if you wished to side-step it.

 

As ever, it's not just the feature that matters, but how it is done, and implemented into the game.

 

I think many are running scared because they feel it automatically be-littles their *simulation* and turns it into Donkey Kong.

 

At bottom it is only a variant on success-and-reward (which appeals to most of us on a primary level) and in this way is a not a million miles from medals,commendations in mission de-brief etc etc.

 

I am also glad to see more emphasis on single-player, which has been under-represented at the more serious end for quite a few years.

[MACADEMIC]

I don't entirely understand the logic behind not being able to purchase additional mods as well as additional planes whenever you like.

 

If the purchasing option for everything additional would be the normality, then the ability to unlock modifications in an SP campaign would be understood as a generous alternative for those who

 

a) like SP gameplay, challenges and gratifications

 

b) can't afford to pay for (all of) them

 

Why not let me pay (within reason) for additional content when I'm more than happy to support my hobby that way, and get the equipment I want, when I want?

 

MAC

Edited July 7, 2013 by MACADEMIC

[=69.GIAP=RADKO]

I understand about the potential pitfalls of unlocks really, and I don't mean to be argumentative, but if a squadron in WW2 didn't have the means to carry out a mission, would they be assigned to it?

I doubt anyone would have detailed Hurricane Mk I's to fly escort over Berlin as they lacked the range, nor to take out a Panzer Armee as they lacked the armament.

 

Now, whether the mission templates in the career take that into account is another thing of course.

 

Your right in what you say, squadrons in real life will of course not be assigned to a mission if they're not equipped for the job. However online squadrons like to replicate historical battles. What if the squadron historically was equipped for the job but not all people have unlocked the stuff through single player, what then?  

 

I dont mind unlockables per se, if they give a sense of progression and achievement. It is a game, after all, and might be a nice side-element. But I wonder of an over-ride feature could also be hard-coded in, if you wished to side-step it.

 

As ever, it's not just the feature that matters, but how it is done, and implemented into the game.

 

I think many are running scared because they feel it automatically be-littles their *simulation* and turns it into Donkey Kong.

 

At bottom it is only a variant on success-and-reward (which appeals to most of us on a primary level) and in this way is a not a million miles from medals,commendations in mission de-brief etc etc.

 

I am also glad to see more emphasis on single-player, which has been under-represented at the more serious end for quite a few years.

 

The IL2 series has always been a combat simulator and not a game. This is precisely what peoples fears are that the IL2 series will be transformed into a more gamey environment. But this isn't what some of us are currently concerned about and let's keep to topic. Some are concerned towards unlocking things and how that will effect MP. People don't want to be forced to unlock things, it's as simple as that. Some just want to get up into the air with their buddies and fly it's a simple as that.  

 

This isn't a singleplayer vs multiplayer thread and I seem to be getting the impression some seem to think so. What you must understand is that pretty much everyone on this forum agrees that what they are doing for singleplayer is great. But how should we go about it without compromising the fun that squad mates will have in MP? It wouldn't hurt if they were separate but something tells me their business model wont allow for it.

Edited July 7, 2013 by =69.GIAP=RADKO

[Zak]

Unlocks can just cause a lot of problems where there doesn't need to be.

We'll run a series of focus tests to ensure that problems you've mentioned are not going to happen

[Heywooood]

well there you go - no one behind the development of this simulator wants to alienate its fan base, be they online or single player or both....

 

lets see where it goes and keep the preconceptions about earned achievements or 'leveling up' from other GAMES out of it for now - this is BoS...not War Thunder or Super Mario errrm whatnot

[=BKHZ=Furbs]

Unlocks for single player campaign or career? fine, dont have a problem with that at all.

For MP?  no thanks, a even playing field there please.

[Jaws2002]

Thanks for the updates. The sound is awesome it looks good. The unlock and buy stuff idea worries me.

I'll be honest with you. The idea of "50 headshots  for a skin" is borderline retarded.

  Please, please, don't go that route with the skins. Il-2 and ROF have a lot of talented skiners. Don't ruin the game with the retarded system they have in War Thunder PLEASE.

 

Thank you.

[Ala13_Kike]

All planes that participated in the Battle of Stalingrad had various sorts of weapon and equipment modifications and even global design modifications. All of them will be available as un-lockable rewards.

 

I don't know what's the problem with "un-lockable rewards".

I think that in this sim will be possible to flight with all aircrafts, It's possible to fly with 109G2, or one La5, or one Il2 Sturmovick (or the aircraft that this sim will incorporate). right?

If I advance in one campaing will be possible, for example, unlock the gun pods for BF109 like one reward, right?

 

If it's like this, what's the problem if I can fly with all aircrafts without problems?

Where disappears "simulator" for this?

[VO101Tom]

The new member to a squadron getts planes that are fully capable of completing their mission, these are good aircraft of their era.

 

Hi. I have only one question, this is not clear for me. If I buying the game, I will get all planes and I am able to unlock the equipments simultaneously, or I get only the first plane of that "tech-tree" and I can unlock the planes only one after the other? For example, I will get the E-4 and G-2 at start, or I will get the G-2 only if I unlock all equipments of F-4?

 

Besides, I am also join the group, who asking the devs, please change their minds, don't mix the offline and the online things. Two total different world, and too small the overlap between the two group.

 

Edited July 7, 2013 by VO101Tom

[barndoor]

Bonus:

 

para.jpg

I love the development updates. Great work. A question- Will the parachute be flyable? Would simple steering controls be available to aim the parachute towards friendly territory? Will the wind blow it off course?

[Laser]

I love the development updates. Great work. A question- Will the parachute be flyable? Would simple steering controls be available to aim the parachute towards friendly territory? Will the wind blow it off course?

 

Actually, this bonus parachute picture really meets the thread atmosphere - the real question being all along, will BoS development drift to unknown directions due to the wind of the commercial venture, or can the simulation fans steer it and keep it on their desired course? 

 

So this could mean, the devs somehow gave you the following answer (through the parachute pic) : It depends.

 

( At least at the perceived level; i personally have nothing against unlockable items for SP )

Edited July 7, 2013 by Laser

[Bearcat]

If squads can't all take drop tanks because certain members haven't "unlocked" their drop tank options, then they can't run the same mission as the rest of their squad mates. That will make online squad play bad.

 

I'm not sure why people are having trouble understanding this.

 

Preventing people from getting equipment until they play a bunch of awful singleplayer missions is a terrible idea, full-stop.

You are assuming that drop tanks would be in this unlock category.. I doubt that .. and more importantly we do not know that. We do not know what the "unlockable" content will be .. So we really should wait and see before we start to form hardset opinions.. For all we know.. transferred say to the western front.. these unlockables could be thi gs like Malcolm hoods for P-51Cs ... or something like that. An already used example.. gun pods for the 109s.. Yeah they give you more firepower... but don't think you will be as maneuverable with gun pods on your wings ... in fact unless you are taking on bombers gunpods will render you a sitting duck against a decent pilot in just about any other aircraft.

 

Having to fly in a SP campaign in order to unlock features that you want to use in MP is a really terrible idea.  I have no interest in playing a SP campaign.

 

I agree.. but let's see what happens..

 

If squads can't easily host themselves without monstrous internet connections (as in RoF), no server admin controls, can't easily create missions in the mission builder and co-ops at that, and if they have to play offline to be able to fly the same stuff due to unlocks, it will not be 'squad friendly' game and it will end up being predominately dogfight server orientated game as is Rof and Clod is with a few groups controlling the online environment, and it just being endless boring (imo) dogfights. 

 

These reasons above, are the main reason that the squad i fly in, that Il2 is still by far our main activity, as we can control what we do and fly how we want, and i know i am not alone in this opinion from talking to other squads that we have contact with through the SEOW environment, online wars being the environment that i personally want to be flying in.

 

That is another concern of mine.. the online hosting aspect. One of the things that made IL2 the product it is is the ease with which it can be used online. I hope this is not eliminated with BoS.

 

In over ten years, and several thousand hours of flying il2, I have probably spent under an hour flying offline, and that was in the quick mission builder.I am an online only player, and have zero interest in flying an offline campaign just to unlock features I want to use online.

Terrible idea, and I hope the devs rethink it before it is too late.

 

Unlike you ..  have spent a decent amount of time flying offline..but most of that is in the QMB as well. I hope the BoS QMB is just asfriendly to doing that.

 

Hello Devs,

 

thanks for another update, and I like whats going on. 

I am open to the unlockables. But I think alot of people are freaking out because the "GAME aspect" and feel it takes away from the "SIMULATION" part of it.

And how it makes a connection the the "abomination to sim" games such as war thunder or wings of prey. But the feeling of this game turning out like War THunder or some other "abomination sim" type games is irrelevant. It's like meeting a girl and she fits everything, but crying because your ex did x y z negative and the relationship didn't work out because it. Dude, the ex is in the past, and don't bring luggage.

But it's a problem with us, we bring our experiences, and luggage. They say marriage is culmination of the spouse's luggage from their lives, and a big part of it is dealing with the past of both . . .

 

The flying is simulation. I feel if the devs give us an IL-2 true sim flying aspect. That will work. Take off the blinders, just because the game has an unlockable feature set, the flight aspect looses its sim quality.

Really? Guys. Rack up and man up. We're more intelligent than that. Its one thing to say it we don't agree, here's a solution, but to nitpick and whine for 8 pages (yes it'll probably go that far) about the game not being realistic or a sim because of unlockables...

 

Its a compromise. 

 

Crap I'm glad its not pay to unlock things, that'd be true heresy. Remember the devs are trying to build upon IL-2. Not just make a 2014 IL-2, but make something better. Yes the original formula worked. But as fate has shown, that original formula can crash and burn if the game isn't implemented correctly. I feel the unlockables help in single player. A solution: gotta keep them separated: SP and MP. I know the ultra realistic / historical situations can be done online. Give options for that. 

 

The devs should draw the line and make online and multiplayer unlockables be determined by the server host. And online stats can be recorded, but only actions MP online affect stats for online. 

I'm not down for having a separate MP online only profile with unlockables like SP has as its harder to implement and we'll get people whining why they can't port their SP records to the MP because they don't want to redo things. MP should be determined by host rules. So they can determine the level of unlockables they want regardless if the participants unlocked them in single player. But the dev's didn't mention that. I'm all for unlockbles for MP to be determined by host settings. 

 

its funny, the complaints were single player and campaign development would falter, but now the devs have some richness in SP, and some are complaining.

And seems this is one of those sticking points. But I can see if the game is great to play flightwise, then people will come in. 

 

 

I agree with most of this post.

[Doogerie]

I just wan't to say this all sounds very exciting  i was nice to see our first glance of the Sceanary in the Video this week keep up the good work good hunting

Edited July 7, 2013 by Doogerie

[Zak]

Actually, this bonus parachute picture really meets the thread atmosphere - the real question being all along, will BoS development drift to unknown directions due to the wind of the commercial venture, or can the simulation fans steer it and keep it on their desired course? 

 

So this could mean, the devs somehow gave you the following answer (through the parachute pic) : It depends.

 

( At least at the perceived level; i personally have nothing against unlockable items for SP )

Oh God, where are these depressive connotations about the parachute from? BoS is a flight sim. I'd even say THE flight sim, cause for instance it's physics features are more accurate than that in previous IL-2 titles

Having additional features doesn't make it less accurate or smth.

[ATAG_Slipstream]

I understand when people are saying 'wait and see' but really, I think its better if the devs know now that quite a few people have concerns about the unlock feature, as regards online play. Maybe they can look at it again, maybe things are set in stone, but saying nothing, and having the devs assume we all think its a great feature for a sim with il2 in the title, is IMO not the the right course of action.

[Frequent_Flyer]

The vast majority of flight sim enthusiast play " off line " nearly exclusively. This was especially true for all of incarnations of IL-2. If I were developing a business model for a flight sim this fact has to be given priority especially for the "first installment " to create momentum . Considering , Pacific Fighters, with all its missing content and aircraft sold the most units of all IL-2 offerings. Its a bigger gamble to start with the Eastern Front, but lets wait and see how this develops. So far, it looks and sounds good.

[Bearcat]

I understand when people are saying 'wait and see' but really, I think its better if the devs know now that quite a few people have concerns about the unlock feature, as regards online play. Maybe they can look at it again, maybe things are set in stone, but saying nothing, and having the devs assume we all think its a great feature for a sim with il2 in the title, is IMO not the the right course of action.

 

All that may be as it may be but the bottom line is these guys have a plan and they are working that plan and we may have some influence in how the plan goes.. but they have a plan ... and I think they know what they are doing and will stick to said plan.. I may not like everything I hear coming from BoS HQ .. but  I will reserve anything beyond a concern for after the product is released.. and I will only express concerns to a point.. Then I weill wait and see what comes ... THEN .. if warranted I will be upset.. or thrilled...

 

The vast majority of flight sim enthusiast play " off line " nearly exclusively. This was especially true for all of incarnations of IL-2. If I were developing a business model for a flight sim this fact has to be given priority especially for the "first installment " to create momentum . Considering , Pacific Fighters, with all its missing content and aircraft sold the most units of all IL-2 offerings. Its a bigger gamble to start with the Eastern Front, but lets wait and see how this develops. So far, it looks and sounds good.

 

It does indeed.

[Heywooood]

I understand when people are saying 'wait and see' but really, I think its better if the devs know now that quite a few people have concerns about the unlock feature, as regards online play. Maybe they can look at it again, maybe things are set in stone, but saying nothing, and having the devs assume we all think its a great feature for a sim with il2 in the title, is IMO not the the right course of action.

'quite a few people have concerns about the unlock feature' 

So - explain the unlock feature to us so we can know what it is exactly....?

Oh - thats right - YOU DON'T KNOW what it is or how it will be implemented at all - YOU'RE JUST PANICKING over something you havent seen yet...

so the people saying lets wait and see are the people who know they don't have enough information as yet to make an educated opinion about it...hmmm

 

you can run around with your head cut off if you like - some people thrive on drama...but wouldn't you rather relax and give the 1CGS group a little more time to describe exactly what it is and how it will work and other key information

about it and then react if necessary?

[DD_Arthur]

So - explain the unlock feature to us so we can know what it is exactly....?

Oh - thats right - YOU DON'T KNOW what it is or how it will be implemented at all - YOU'RE JUST PANICKING over something you havent seen yet...

 

 No, he's voicing his reasonable concerns.  Of course Uther has no need to tell us what or how it will be implemented as we have the words of the Producer;

 

 

All planes that participated in the Battle of Stalingrad had various sorts of weapon and equipment modifications and even global design modifications. All of them will be available as un-lockable rewards. We've selected the five most interesting modifications for each aircraft in the game. Some are significant, others - typical. For instance, Soviet air forces soon realized how vulnerable an attack plane (Sturmovik) is and started installing gunner-manned turrets in the field. The German Luftwaffe used lots of standard issue modifications: drop tanks, under-wing gun pods. And of course both sides used such typical mods as different bombs and rockets. And we add other exciting opportunities like removing head armor plate if it limits your view.

 

So unlockable rewards will give us rear gunners in the Stormovik, gunpods, drop tanks and a greater choice of ironmongery to drop on your opponents. How do we unlock these rewards? Once again, the Producer tells us how;

 

How do you obtain mods? That's simple. Like in every other game

 

The whole reward system in the game is divided into categories:

 

1) Effectiveness Points

2) Levels (Ranks)

3) Medals/Decorations

4) Achievements (Badges and Insignia)

 

Effectiveness points are given for different sorts of actions that you perform in the game: takeoff, landing, completing a mission, damaging or taking down an enemy plane, destroying a ground unit or bailing out, etc.

 

 

Skill level shows your advance through the game. Obtaining a new level grants you an ability to unlock new modifications or a plane, until you get them all. This entire development system is pretty much typical for most games these days, it's popular and simple.

 

So there you have it.  Points mean prizes!   Remember, this is NOT every other game.  If it was it would have gone the way of every other game originally made thirteen years ago. 

Edited July 7, 2013 by arthursmedley

[BraveSirRobin]

No one is panicking.  They were quite clear that some features will be unlocked for MP by flying in SP.  There is no possible way to sell that as something other than a really terrible idea.

[Sokol1]

Perhaps they could implement a server-side option that would unlock all the silly level-up items on that server.

 

I.e. if you fly on a particular server and haven't unlocked drop tanks then you can't use them, but if your server has the "unlock all" option set, then you don't need to go fly hours of offline just to unlock drop tanks (or whatever the loadout is)

 

Why not server mission builder just ignore these "unlock/anchievements" in your missions?

 

In il-2 1946 some servers need limit available ordnance, or AG rockets become AA... or they need enforce "Sissy Rules"...

 

Serious that today online flyer willing to fly distances that need drop tanks?

 

In iL-2 CloD online if the mission require that Luftwaffe bombing London, the server empties, they always fly on "Hellfire Corner" square...

 

Sokol1

[FlatSpinMan]

Guys

We're all dying to see how this sim turns out, and we all desperately want it to be great, but please make sure that we keep discussion calm and civil. People are getting quite worked up on all sides, so take a breath before posting and make sure we don't get personal.

 

Zak - what's the feeling about this on the Russian language side?

 

@Dutch - our posts crossed. Can you edit your post to tone it down?

[ACG_Kraut]

Serious that today online flyer willing to fly distances that need drop tanks?

 

You haven'y flown much DCS then. Almost every mission, especially in the FC3 aircraft, require the max fuel load possible, sometimes several aerial refuels are required.

 

We'll run a series of focus tests to ensure that problems you've mentioned are not going to happen

 

Good to hear.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Kraut

[Jaws2002]

Do what you want, just don't add the skins to the "unlockable" or paid "features".

[Feathered_IV]

1: New pilots generally received the clapped put and war weary aircraft. As they survived or proved themselves, they earned better aircraft and equipment. We all know this.

 

2: the devs never even mentioned drop tanks. You made that up. Calm down.

 

3: A question; in RoF career mode the privelidges of rank are tied to ones in-game character, not their game account. If one were to delete their character in BoS, would their unlocked content also disappear?

[Bearcat]

Actually... B6 did mention drop tanks.. but you know... For all those who are most upset by this know (or any of us for that matter) ... this unlockable content may be directly tied to a time frame that prevents one from acquiring field mods before they were historically released.. So you wouldn't get that rear Sturmovik gunner until  reached that historic time as they were released in the field... It could be that simple.. and we all need to just calm down.. Having concerns is one thing .. but the same voices going on and on about how much it sucks... potentially ... just seems kind of silly to me..

[BlitzPig_EL]

I understand when people are saying 'wait and see' but really, I think its better if the devs know now that quite a few people have concerns about the unlock feature, as regards online play. Maybe they can look at it again, maybe things are set in stone, but saying nothing, and having the devs assume we all think its a great feature for a sim with il2 in the title, is IMO not the the right course of action.

 

 

Exactly Uther,

 

I fell for the "wait and see" ploy with CloD.   Never again.  Well, actually many of us will wait and see before we spend our money on another 1C product.

 

I hope the devs realize they are skating on thin ice with a fan base whose trust was essentially betrayed by the failure of the last title.  They must be aware of this.

 

I want this title to succeed, honestly I do, but success is not a wait and see thing, it is achieved by understanding all of the target demographic.

 

And that is what this forum is for.

[Feathered_IV]

Okay, reading through I see they do make reference to drop tanks. Thanks BC.