Flying Circus Future

[Zooropa_Fly]

Never got old that one       

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

9 hours ago, Aapje said:

@Russkly

 

I'm pretty sure that @LukeFF chose his words a bit poorly here and with 'support,' he meant new development, not support for the released titles. I'm sure that they'll still do fixes for FC1-4, if needed.

Well...it's been 24 hours since he wrote that, and I've not seen any attempt to walk it back, or clarify it..   

 

 

[LukeFF]

Guys, my statement from yesterday still stands - by "how much support is going to go into FC going forwards" I am talking about future content being added, changes people want made, etc. As I have said elsewhere and has been said by those farther up the food chain than me, we aren't just dropping FC and GB by the wayside to focus entirely on the new series. At the same time, with all the limitations of the current version of the engine now clear to everyone and with the announcement of the new series, the priority of GB/FC is going to become increasingly secondary. That's just the nature of software development, even with the larger studios - there are only so many resources to spread around to work on everything you want to work on.

[Enceladus828]

11 hours ago, Russkly said:

 

@LukeFF Whilst your comment about ongoing FC support comes as no real surprise, given that 1CGS still expects/hopes that punters will shell out yet another USD80 for FC4 when it's released, I think it would be good to tell the customers exactly what support they can still expect to receive for an as yet unreleased product.

 

It is hard to countenance throwing USD80 at something that hasn't been released yet but that may receive no further support.

 

So, as much as you can, please let your prospective customers know exactly what they can and cannot expect vis á vis future FC support.

 

We've had this conversation before, and I know that you're just the messenger, but 1CGS cannot in good faith withdraw support for a product it hasn't even launched yet.

Let’s also not forget that these punters will be willing to drop another $80 US for FC5 — the Channel Map (though it might be $50 since it’s just a map and 2.5 planes) — and any future FC installments such as one set in Galicia.

 

Edit: didn’t see Luke’s post above so while it may not be reasonable to see a whole slew of aircraft and maps that weren’t in RoF, there is a demand for WW1 content in this game thus will be greatly appreciated.

Edited August 1, 2024 by Enceladus828

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

Guys, my statement from yesterday still stands - by "how much support is going to go into FC going forwards" I am talking about future content being added, changes people want made, etc. As I have said elsewhere and has been said by those farther up the food chain than me, we aren't just dropping FC and GB by the wayside to focus entirely on the new series. At the same time, with all the limitations of the current version of the engine now clear to everyone and with the announcement of the new series, the priority of GB/FC is going to become increasingly secondary. That's just the nature of software development, even with the larger studios - there are only so many resources to spread around to work on everything you want to work on.

Appreciate the clarification.   Thank you. 

[Trooper117]

Best not to hope for anything after FC4... that way, if anything new does turn up, you can be pleasantly surprised!

RoF is still good fun by the way... 

[LukeFF]

By the way, the updated release date for volume 4 is the September/October time frame. 

[ST_Catchov]

Hmm extra time eh. So they are adding the Channel map then! Good. Finally something for the Gothas to do. Will the Felixstowe come with it?

[JG4_Moltke1871]

57 minutes ago, ST_Catchov said:

Hmm extra time eh. So they are adding the Channel map then! Good. Finally something for the Gothas to do. Will the Felixstowe come with it?

Most can’t wait the updated flight models 🤪

[BraveSirRobin]

5 hours ago, Enceladus828 said:

Let’s also not forget that these punters will be willing to drop another $80 US for FC5 — the Channel Map (though it might be $50 since it’s just a map and 2.5 planes) — and any future FC installments such as one set in Galicia.

 

Edit: didn’t see Luke’s post above so while it may not be reasonable to see a whole slew of aircraft and maps that weren’t in RoF, there is a demand for WW1 content in this game thus will be greatly appreciated.

Hopefully they offer the Channel map for free, but only to the people who bought all the prior FC modules.

[LukeFF]

On 8/1/2024 at 2:55 AM, 1PL-Husar-1Esk said:

Good news but we need a little bit more fixes to be good about FMs. I hope that day will come eventually.

 

[Aapje]

[Jackfraser24]

21 hours ago, ST_Catchov said:

Hmm extra time eh. So they are adding the Channel map then! Good. Finally something for the Gothas to do. Will the Felixstowe come with it?

Wait, is there a Channel map in the pipeline?

[Trooper117]

30 minutes ago, Jackfraser24 said:

Wait, is there a Channel map in the pipeline?

 

No, lol...    but everyone would like it to be.

[ST_Catchov]

 

@Jackfraser24 I've heard it said that the Channel map will be available for free provided one has all FC modules, so you'd better get busy ....

 

On 8/1/2024 at 10:01 PM, Zooropa_Fly said:

Even after development ended for RoF, you could still go online any time of day and there'd be 20, 30, 40 people online.

FC during the day = 0, maybe 1 whenever I check.

So if MP and forum interest is declining, I expect that to be representative of offline interest also.

Perhaps this is why the devs are moving on to pastures new - to generate some buzz again.

 

Nope. Channel map aside, I think there will be an enormous buzz and frenetic activity on the forum when FC4 is released, Remember, it's been a while since anything FC related has been released so WW1 junkies are gettin' real toey for some action. And when they get their dirty little mitts on it, the debates about the new DH2 FM will be raging. And possibly the Pup. It may get a FM workover too? Not before time I may add. Then there's the Roland, Strutter, Eindecker. Oh, did I forget to mention the Alby D3! 

 

Yep, people want the early crates. They want 'em real bad! It's gonna be a buzzfest.

 

[Zooropa_Fly]

You're starting to sound like Planky.

Enormous buzzes and activity of a frenetic nature ? Unlikely I'd say.

FM debates ? Usually just a lot of moaning these days.

Early crates ? They seemed to determine this wouldn't be profitable in RoF days.. so little chance now.

I like the 'earlies' too, but not enough people are going to queue up to buy things that don't go bang bang.

 

Of course there are die-hard ww1 fanatics still out there, including your good self.

But how many are left ?

I reckon for a game to be successful and turn a good profit, it needs to appeal to a wider spectrum.

RoF did that for a while - FC seems to be reduced to the hard core element.

 

Hah Bumbug.

But I hope you're right.

 

S!

[Trooper117]

It's been said by the lord on high that there are no plans to do the channel map... so we can forget that!

[ST_Catchov]

43 minutes ago, Zooropa_Fly said:

You're starting to sound like Planky.

 

Excuse me, Planky is a Kiwi. That's like calling you English! 😁

 

46 minutes ago, Zooropa_Fly said:

Of course there are die-hard ww1 fanatics still out there, including your good self.

But how many are left ?

I reckon for a game to be successful and turn a good profit, it needs to appeal to a wider spectrum.

RoF did that for a while - FC seems to be reduced to the hard core element.

 

Quite. We need a revolution to get the young'uns off their smart phones, social media and grindr or whatever, with astute and targeted marketing, and get them enthused about proper crates before they went all bling and shiny and whiney.

 

 

And then the Devs will listen! And they will understand we are revolting and not to be dismissed.

[Trooper117]

So, we have an idea what is coming in FC4... but what are we not getting?

 

Missing in action at the moment:

Albatros DII late.

Brandenburg W12.

Felixstowe F.2A.

N17.CI Russian.

Sikorsky S-16.

Sikorsky S-22.

Channel map.

 

Anything else from RoF missing?... looking at the latest post from officialdom, support for FC will still be about, although it sounds like it will be occasional titbits, hopefully enough to stop Catchov from leading a revolt... me, I still keep fingers crossed for at least the channel map, and at the very least the DII late, although if I remember right, Luke got info from Han awhile back that there were no plans to include anything after FC4  😢

 

[Enceladus828]

First of all, I 100% understand that a game cannot be supported forever and FC maps beyond the main Western Front map were not announced in 2018 because this was all an experiment then and there’d be no use announcing things that would come many years down the road only to have to backpedal if FC1 failed, but with the former, did the devs have plans of how far they’d hope to get with FC before calling it a day… Eastern Front or fronts or maps beyond those that were in RoF?
 

Based on Luke’s response, adding the remaining RoF planes and maps, as well as those which weren’t in RoF all has to do with of course Ugra’s time and any other team making the content but the devs’ time to briefly pause work on Korea to go back to another house in a sense to check the planes and map(s), create the Pilot Careers and add the planes to them. Obviously the Karelia and Odessa maps are still happening because they’ve been in development for many years and will get SP content like careers, but it just feels unfair to call FC a day without the remaining planes and maps or without more than 2 planes which weren’t in RoF.

 

I agree with @Russkly that a response by the devs similar to what Luke has told us in this thread regarding FC development after FC4 would be better than a vague response of “We have no plans to”.

 

[BraveSirRobin]

20 hours ago, Enceladus828 said:

I agree with @Russkly that a response by the devs similar to what Luke has told us in this thread regarding FC development after FC4 would be better than a vague response of “We have no plans to”.

So you’d prefer that they said “no chance of further development”?  Because that sounds worse than “we have no plans to”.

 

[PatrickAWlson]

On 8/3/2024 at 5:48 PM, BraveSirRobin said:

So you’d prefer that they said “no chance of further development”?  Because that sounds worse than “we have no plans to”.

Probably no chance of major further development, but I would think that collector planes remain a possibility.  FC is done by a contractor and not a core team.  It is an open question as to what they want to do with that team after FC4.

[ST_Catchov]

The FC4 plane set is welcomed but the Western Front will still be incomplete. If collector crates are considered down the track there are three standouts for me on the Entente side.

 

Be2c "Quirk": Iconic, gorgeous, fodder for the Germans, and built in large numbers.

Morane Saulnier L "Parasol": also iconic, gorgeous, fodder for the Germans and built in large numbers. But unusual as a high wing monoplane.

Morane Saulnier N "Bullet": The first genuine "fighter" with a machine gun firing through the prop, although unsynchronised, instead using deflector plates bolted onto the prop. A DM challenge for the Devs. Also a monoplane and fast. Not built in large numbers, but a novelty.

 

Of course, there would need to be three Central Powers planes added to balance it out. But I'll leave that to other interested persons.

 

And then .... the Collector Channel Map.

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

2 hours ago, ST_Catchov said:

The FC4 plane set is welcomed but the Western Front will still be incomplete. If collector crates are considered down the track there are three standouts for me on the Entente side.

 

Be2c "Quirk": Iconic, gorgeous, fodder for the Germans, and built in large numbers.

Morane Saulnier L "Parasol": also iconic, gorgeous, fodder for the Germans and built in large numbers. But unusual as a high wing monoplane.

Morane Saulnier N "Bullet": The first genuine "fighter" with a machine gun firing through the prop, although unsynchronised, instead using deflector plates bolted onto the prop. A DM challenge for the Devs. Also a monoplane and fast. Not built in large numbers, but a novelty.

 

Of course, there would need to be three Central Powers planes added to balance it out. But I'll leave that to other interested persons.

 

And then .... the Collector Channel Map.

Excellent recommendations.   I've always believed the Nieuport 24 would also be an excellent addition.   A fine scout, and fills the gap between the N17, and the N28.

Edited August 5, 2024 by RNAS10_Mitchell

[JGr2/J5_Klugermann]

1 hour ago, RNAS10_Mitchell said:

Excellent recommendations.   I've always believed the Nieuport 24 would also be an excellent addition.   A fine scout, and fills the gap between the worthless N17, and the worthless N28.

 

[Russkly]

47 minutes ago, J5_Klugermann said:

 

 

I must admit that I would prefer to see the N28's flight model reworked before anything else (haven't tried the N17 at all yet) - according to many on the forum that know much more than I, it would appear that it has one of the least 'realistic' FM's in the game, but there are already endless threads on that subject, so I can't see 1CGS looking into it.

 

Shame, especially for those wanting to play US careers.

 

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

52 minutes ago, J5_Klugermann said:

 

LOL...The 17 is not that bad imo.  The 28 is garbage though.

[JD007]

Very much looking forward to the early war planes coming with FC 4. It would be great though if we can have a FC 5 with the sea planes and the channel map and a FC 6 with the eastern front, the Russian planes were great in Rise of Flight (really enjoyed flying the Ilya Muromets!)  Also a possible FC 7 to include a different setting such as Italy would be really good too. Would hate to see the Flying Circus series end with the release of FC 4 as it is a fantastic and much needed remaster of Rise of Flight.

Edited August 8, 2024 by JD007

[Jackfraser24]

On 8/8/2024 at 9:30 PM, JD007 said:

Very much looking forward to the early war planes coming with FC 4. It would be great though if we can have a FC 5 with the sea planes and the channel map and a FC 6 with the eastern front, the Russian planes were great in Rise of Flight (really enjoyed flying the Ilya Muromets!)  Also a possible FC 7 to include a different setting such as Italy would be really good too. Would hate to see the Flying Circus series end with the release of FC 4 as it is a fantastic and much needed remaster of Rise of Flight.

I'm sorry to say this but after this next bunch of planes comes out I don't think that they will continue on Flying Circus, even though I do think it still has a lot of potential. I'd love to se more collector planes for the Western Front, and I would love to see Paris on the map too, but I understand that they will eventually have to dedicate the entire team to the new 4th generation of IL-2. Maybe some time down the track there will be a WWI module like Flying Circus.

[Trooper117]

Most of us will be dead by then... don't they know we are old and wrinkly!!!

[LukeFF]

3 hours ago, Jackfraser24 said:

I'm sorry to say this but after this next bunch of planes comes out I don't think that they will continue on Flying Circus, even though I do think it still has a lot of potential. I'd love to se more collector planes for the Western Front, and I would love to see Paris on the map too, but I understand that they will eventually have to dedicate the entire team to the new 4th generation of IL-2. Maybe some time down the track there will be a WWI module like Flying Circus.

 

There is a possibility of Paris being added to the map but it still needs to be tested first. 

[ST_Catchov]

2 hours ago, Trooper117 said:

Most of us will be dead by then... don't they know we are old and wrinkly!!!

 

Not me. I'm as fit as a mallee bull, can wrangle a croc and gaffer tape its snout in 20 minutes, sometimes 15, outbox a kangaroo, capture and skin a goanna in 5 minutes flat (and they're fast mate!), milk the venom of an eastern brown, crack its neck like a whip without raising a sweat. Shear a hundred sheep in 90 minutes without a scratch and then outdrink any young guns who wanna beat me. Git gud I say. Then try again boy. Wild boars! Scary? Ha, don't me me larf. Can dazzle the heart of any chick with a wink and sly grin, when the missus ain't lookin' otherwise I'm in strife! Now that's scary mate! But nothin' good luvin' won't fix {wink} .... if you know what I mean. 

 

Nope, I'll be here when they release wee Paree in FC. They'll have to kill me first.

 

 

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

3 hours ago, LukeFF said:

There is a possibility of Paris being added to the map but it still needs to be tested first. 

Say what??   Get out!!!   That would be awesome..  

[Aapje]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

 

There is a possibility of Paris being added to the map but it still needs to be tested first. 

 

[Jackfraser24]

1 hour ago, RNAS10_Mitchell said:

Say what??   Get out!!!   That would be awesome..  

Oui

[Russkly]

10 hours ago, LukeFF said:

 

There is a possibility of Paris being added to the map but it still needs to be tested first. 

 

Thanks for some positive news @LukeFF.

 

Question I have is (and please don't think me ungrateful): why have Ugra (I suppose it's Ugra doing the map work) work on Paris? I mean, apart from flying over it and going, "Oooh, look, there;s the Eiffel Tower, what's the value of having a fully-rendered Paris? Just curious.

[JG4_Moltke1871]

11 hours ago, LukeFF said:

 

There is a possibility of Paris being added to the map but it still needs to be tested first. 

Ausflug nach Paris!

Trip to Paris!

[LukeFF]

2 hours ago, Russkly said:

Thanks for some positive news @LukeFF.

 

Question I have is (and please don't think me ungrateful): why have Ugra (I suppose it's Ugra doing the map work) work on Paris? I mean, apart from flying over it and going, "Oooh, look, there;s the Eiffel Tower, what's the value of having a fully-rendered Paris? Just curious.

 

Because we think it will enhance the map? 🙂

[Trooper117]

Enhance the map?... let me see, hmm, I'd rather enhance the game play instead. They can  do that by including the channel map, just a thought... 

[JG4_Moltke1871]

1 hour ago, LukeFF said:

 

Because we think it will enhance the map? 🙂

Enhance the map = rear cities/targets and corresponding missions….

…… just the thoughts of a long range bombing fetishist…💥 😅😅

 

Bring the bombers to the limit of their fuel capacity 💪🏻