Update with new planes?

[Vishnu]

Just curious if you're working on this or if real life is being real.

 

Thanks for all your hard work!

[PatrickAWlson]

When I get two seaters.

[PatrickAWlson]

FE2b coming soon.  I thought it would be the RE8 next but the Fee will do.  Might be able to push PWCG back to August 1916.  Be prepared for FE2bs with crosses on them and my apologies for creating such an abomination  

[Raynebow]

My issues in the other thread aside, I'm excited to check out the Li-2 with PWCG whenever it's set up ?

[PatrickAWlson]

Working on it.  Can't release until I get the FE2b at a minimum.  Would love to get the Re8 as well.  We'll see.

 

When the next version of PWCG arrives you will see some plane substitutions.

Early war the skies will be filled with FE2bs on all sides.

The French will fly the "Farman F.40".  The Farman will represent all French pushers (Farman, Voisin, etc.)

The Germans will fly the "Albatros C.II"

They will be FE2bs in drag, but I will at least call them by the name of an aircraft flown by the nation in question.  If I don't do that Allied pilots will be shooting down FE2s.

FYI: the Albatros C.II is a German plane made only as a prototype.  It is a real plane and it is a two seat pusher that looks sort of like the FE2.

 

In a similar vein, the French RE8s will be referred to as Dorand ARs.

 

The  Sopwith Pup will be represented by the Hanriot HD1.

The DH2 will be represented by the Nieuport 11

The Fokker E.III will be represented by the Halberstadt D,II

The Albatros D.III will be represented by the Albatros D.Va

The Roland C.II will be represented by the DFW C.V

 

DFW C.V production is moved up to August 1916 as the DFW is a better representation of mid-late 1916 German 2 seaters than the FE2.

 

The next Version of PWCG will start in July 1916.  This will make the lack of early planes a little less glaring as many of those types will have been in the process of being replaced.  When the plane set is fleshed out I will push the start date back to January 1 1916.

 

If you don't like the early war compensations then I would suggest starting the war in Oct 1916.  If you don't like any of the later substitutions (no Pup or Alb D.III) then ... shrug ... snot much to be done about it other than keep playing from Summer 1916.

[PatrickAWlson]

It only recently registered that the only planes remaining for FC III are the FE2B and RE8.  That means that product will be completing soon as it relates to planes.  What I don't know is how far along the map is.  The map will be the existing map with the blank areas filled in, giving us the primary French frontage.  So, what I have is a bunch of new planes, a map that will come at some TBD date, and a bunch of other planes that are coming.  

 

Problem 1: The new planes do not allow for a January 1916 start.

Solution: PWCG (my WIP version) is now set to start in July 1916.

 

Problem 2:  I don't have the full map and don't know when it will be released.

Solution:  Use map as it is with the squadrons that I have.  Expand the map and the squadrons to match RoF once the FC2 map is released.

 

Problem 3: Many of the "collector" planes are in fact critical aircraft.  Western front WWI without an Albatros D.III?  No Sopwith Pup?

Solution (such as it is): Do the best that I can with what I have.  I will use substitutes for the missing planes.

Albatros D,III = Albatros D.va

Sopwith Pup = Hanriot HD1

Dh2 = N.11

Strutter = FE2b until. I get the RE8 and then = RE8

Fokker E.III = Halberstadt D.II

Roland C.II = DFW C.V

 

As the planes are released the substitutions will go away.

 

I am writing the substitute logic now.  Not only will this work to fill in for missing planes but it will also allow me to call aircraft in drag by their intended name.  Thus, French FE2s will become Farmans, French RE8s will become Dorands, German FE2s  will become Albatros C.II, etc.  

 

I am continuing to work without regard for when planes or maps are released.  The exception is the FE2B.  I absolutely need that plane.  

 

[Varibraun]

1 hour ago, PatrickAWlson said:

I am continuing to work without regard for when planes or maps are released.  The exception is the FE2B.  I absolutely need that plane.  

 

Thank you Pat - Really appreciate your return to PWCGFC with these work arounds as well as your legacy of PWCG in the entire genre! 

[Russkly]

1 hour ago, Varibraun said:

 

Thank you Pat - Really appreciate your return to PWCGFC with these work arounds as well as your legacy of PWCG in the entire genre! 

 

Seconded.

 

PWCG is my go-to. Have tried Career Mode for hundreds of hours, but PWCG just seems more balanced, flexible and realistic.

[PaulTheSalty]

2 hours ago, PatrickAWlson said:

Problem 3: Many of the "collector" planes are in fact critical aircraft.  Western front WWI without an Albatros D.III?  No Sopwith Pup?

Was an announcement made regarding new collector planes???

[PatrickAWlson]

7 hours ago, PaulTheSalty said:

Was an announcement made regarding new collector planes???

 

They are on the roadmap for 2024.  I imagine that they will just keep producing planes.  The people producing planes are probably not the same as the people making the map, so I doubt that there will be an interruption  The planned aircraft are the remaining RoF planes.  No idea what order.
 

Albatros D.III

Sopwith Pup

DH2

Sopwith Strutter

Fokker E.III

Roland C.II

 

https://stormbirds.blog/product-roadmaps/il-2-great-battles-2022-roadmap/

Edited November 22, 2023 by PatrickAWlson

[PatrickAWlson]

OK, so I'm not really sure how I'm delivering the next release.  That is not necessarily a bad thing.  The last DD reports that FC3, with both the FE2b and RE8 and the map are going to be delivered in mid December.  If that turns out to be correct I'll do the extra work and drop t he whole thing all at once.

 

Progress to date: All existing WWI planes have been incorporated.  Squadrons have been updated with the latest planes as well as planes not yet available (substitutions are used).

 

If all of FC3 drops there is more to do than just the planes.  I would need to import the rest of the RoF squadrons and get the airfield assignments completed.  I think the front lines that I currently have are good but I would need to see what the new map brings.  

[Artfactial]

That's fantastic, thank you for the hard work!<3

[PatrickAWlson]

I added the Li2 and La5 Ser 38.  Did I miss any new WWII planes?

[Artfactial]

The I.A.R. 80, 81 and WACO CG-4 glider will be released with the next update aswell.:)
Though the latter has no pre-order on the store.

 

Man, a Romanian PW Campaign would be awesome with the IAR and Ju87 D-3 would be awesome. Maybe even incorporate the side switch?
They had about at least 115 D-3 and D-5 Stukas divided among two units, the Grupul 6 Picaj and the Grupul 3 Bombaradment.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Artfactial

[PatrickAWlson]

13 minutes ago, Artfactial said:

The I.A.R. 80, 81 and WACO CG-4 glider will be released with the next update aswell.:)
Though the latter has no pre-order on the store.

 

At this point I was not planning on doing those two.  PWCG does not have Romania as a nation.  Adding it for one relatively obscure plane is a lot of work.  As for a career as a glider pilot, that is one very short career  .   I also thought the DD said they were going into the release after the FC3 release.

[Artfactial]

14 minutes ago, PatrickAWlson said:

 

At this point I was not planning on doing those two.  PWCG does not have Romania as a nation.  Adding it for one relatively obscure plane is a lot of work.  As for a career as a glider pilot, that is one very short career  .   I also thought the DD said they were going into the release after the FC3 release.

Aw that's a shame, I edited my post too late but:
A Romanian PW Campaign would be awesome with the IAR and Ju87 D-3. Maybe even incorporate the side switch?
They had about at least 115 D-3 and D-5 Stukas divided among two units, the Grupul 6 Picaj and the Grupul 3 Bombardament.
So that would be 2 planes for a nation.:3

 

Edit: and you're right, I remembered wrongly, those two planes are for the 5.201 update, not 5.108, sorry.
Edit2: Looking more into it, they apparently also had 109s, Ju88s and He 111s(but that is a moot point).

Edited November 28, 2023 by Artfactial

[Varibraun]

2 hours ago, PatrickAWlson said:

At this point I was not planning on doing those two.

 

Pat - Regarding the IAR 80, can you just add it to the a/c inventory that can be manually selected as a replacement a/c for the eastern front squadrons?  Of course, I have no idea how much work that would be for you, so consider the request only if it isn't too much trouble.

 

On that same note, do you think you will be able to revive the Squadron Logs on this update?

 

Thank you!

[PatrickAWlson]

1 hour ago, Varibraun said:

 

Pat - Regarding the IAR 80, can you just add it to the a/c inventory that can be manually selected as a replacement a/c for the eastern front squadrons?  Of course, I have no idea how much work that would be for you, so consider the request only if it isn't too much trouble.

 

On that same note, do you think you will be able to revive the Squadron Logs on this update?

 

Thank you!

 

That's a good idea.  I can add it as a German plane and not assign it to any squadron.  Per your suggestion, it would be selectable as a replacement aircraft.   That would at least make the plane flyable while not requiring me to code in the Romanian nation, Romanian names. Romanian medals, Romanian flag, etc.

 

I think that I have the squadron logs fixed, but I will verify.

[Artfactial]

Wonderful!<3

[PatrickAWlson]

I was wrong.  The Fe2B released before FC3.  I have it incorporated.  Once I runs some more tests, especially around substitute planes, I will release an experimental version.  That will let a few brave people play with the new version for a bit until FC3 drops.  Once FC3 drops there is going to be a lot of work to do to properly make use of the new map.  If we get FC3 in December then I can probably release PWCG 16.0 by February.

[Mtnbiker1998]

1 hour ago, PatrickAWlson said:

If we get FC3 in December then I can probably release PWCG 16.0 by February.

Any other cool new features for us to look forward to for v16?

[PatrickAWlson]

1 hour ago, Mtnbiker1998 said:

Any other cool new features for us to look forward to for v16?

 

Mostly FC3.  All of the planes, the map, more squadrons, and a start date of July 1916. I added the new La and Li2 as well for BoS.  WWI medals have been redone and issues around them fixed.  

 

When the Eindecker and DH2 are done I will move PWCG back to January 1916 for 16.1.  Same start date as RoF.  FE2Bs will dominate the skies.  Other planes will be added as they come but they will not affect the code PWCG. 

[PatrickAWlson]

Quick update: PWCG 15.2.0 Experimental is code complete.  I have to do some things like add pictures, profiles, and make at least a few skins for it.  Should be done within a week.

 

The "Experimental" aspect comes from the use of replacement planes.  Instead of telling you that you shot down a French FE2b I now tell you that it is a Farman.  This is a little tricky because the plane must be referred to as a Farman in all places yet get into the mission file as an FE2b.  The use of this mechanism is extensive and, in many cases, permanent.  I could have just left it as a French FE2b, but since I also use it as an Albatros C.II I absolutely cannot bring myself to say that you shot down a German FE2b.  I need people to fly early  war (late 1916) and do some stuff.  Report back on any issues.  Biggest concern is mission generation (tested pretty well) and AARs (need help).

 

Substitutes are listed below.  As the real planes arrive they will be plugged in.  In some cases (Dorand AR, Farman, Albatros C.II) we will never get the real plane, which is why the substitutions are a permanent feature.

 

- DH2 = Nieuport 11
- Sopwith Pup = Hanriot HD 1
- Sopwith Strutter = FE2
- RE8 = FE2

 

- Farman F.40 = FE2
- Dorand AR = re8

 

- Albatros C.II = FE2B
- Fokker E.III = Halberstadt D2
- Albatros D.III = Albatros D.Va
- Roland C.II = DFW.CVa