TFS - January update 2025

[AWC]

TFS January update

 

Here's some progress from the last month of Team Fusion's work. Some of the most exciting and tangible work we have right now includes a long-awaited fix for the plane loadout system, configuration and its user interface. The system has been completely broken in all aspects but it will once again be fully functional! The "Plane Options" before spawning in single missions will also be available again (sorely missed by many). It's a complicated system, so additionally there's a public document on how it works below.

 

Here's some things we are working on right now:
- Support for simultaneous use of multiple Force Feedback (FFB) devices.
- Improving the animation of the control surfaces and the rotation of the RPM and Prop Pitch instrument needles.
- Fixing plane loadout system, configuration and its related user interface. We aim for it to work as intended and be fully functional in single missions again.
- In our most recent internal version, snow, rain, and storm effects have been implemented with TrueSKY. This will be in the public release version after TF6.0.

 

Link to the Plane Options document: https://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38421

 

[No.54_Reddog]

Good update.

 

We ever going to get an answer on the October community survey?

 

We ever going to get an answer as to what Buzzsaw claimed to be untrue in the pre Christmas locked thread?

 

Is the next DLC going to be ostriche themed?

[AWC]

1 hour ago, No.54_Reddog said:

Good update.

 

We ever going to get an answer on the October community survey?

 

We ever going to get an answer as to what Buzzsaw claimed to be untrue in the pre Christmas locked thread?

 

Is the next DLC going to be ostriche themed?

 

Community update will happen - no date, this has been confirmed to me by Buzzsaw.

[Volant_Eagle]

Great to see things are moving along!

 

You stated in the last point that weather effects will be available with the release of 6.0, but just to be clear, when can we expect the other 3 points you listed to be available? Are those all things we need to wait until 6.0 for? Or can we expect to see any of them earlier than that in a patch for 5.0?

 

Is there anything that can be shared or even hinted at in regards to new timelines for 6.0 or any other possible updates before then? Or are things still too up in the air for TFS to comment on timelines yet?

 

The link in the post takes me to an OnlyOffice site that's in German. Do I need to create an account with this application to view it? It won't let me use the alternative login methods listed below like using a Google or Microsoft account.

 

Having update posts like this on a monthly basis moving forward would be awesome. I don't think anyone would complain about getting updates more frequently if you can manage, but if it's longer than a month between updates, I think people will want much longer and detailed posts when you do make them.

[AWC]

11 minutes ago, Volant_Eagle said:

Great to see things are moving along!

 

You stated in the last point that weather effects will be available with the release of 6.0, but just to be clear, when can we expect the other 3 points you listed to be available? Are those all things we need to wait until 6.0 for? Or can we expect to see any of them earlier than that in a patch for 5.0?

 

Is there anything that can be shared or even hinted at in regards to new timelines for 6.0 or any other possible updates before then? Or are things still too up in the air for TFS to comment on timelines yet?

 

The link in the post takes me to an OnlyOffice site that's in German. Do I need to create an account with this application to view it? It won't let me use the alternative login methods listed below like using a Google or Microsoft account.

 

Having update posts like this on a monthly basis moving forward would be awesome. I don't think anyone would complain about getting updates more frequently if you can manage, but if it's longer than a month between updates, I think people will want much longer and detailed posts when you do make them.

 

Hi!

- To clarify, everything mentioned except the weather effects are actually due to be released in the next public patch which should be released by the end of this month according to our lead programmer.

- In regards to timelines, no we won't be putting any firm deadlines on our work for a while.

- I'm working on making the doc more accessible.

- It's my vision to get updates like this up and running, thanks for the feedback.

[Dagwoodyt]

35 minutes ago, Soto_Cinematics said:

- I'm working on making the doc more accessible.

Thanks!

[II./JG27_Rich]

All sounds fantastic. 

[Hiuuz]

4 hours ago, Soto_Cinematics said:

 To clarify, everything mentioned except the weather effects are actually due to be released in the next public patch which should be released by the end of this month according to our lead programmer.

Oh, so we can expect further patches before the VU/VR update? It's great news to hear! ♥️

[BOO]

@Soto_Cinematics - the public document isnt so public. It locked behind some Only Office login that I can neither access or register for. 

[Hiuuz]

This link from the TFS Facebook post works for me

 

https://artist.onlyoffice.eu/Products/Files/DocEditor.aspx?fileid=9767498&doc=dlUwSm1jWmtWcWZFaHpwSGFpQjZLbnN5c3NlZUZ1NGFuM0Q4VzhUeWFZND0_IntcImVudHJ5XCI6XCI5NzY3NDk4XCIsXCJsaW5rXCI6XCI0YzJlMmU3ZC1lNDlhLTRiMGItYmFkZS04YTNmZGVlYjMyMGJcIn0i0&fbclid=IwY2xjawIASMZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVyKp4X4iJ8O1LiER9T34aL0dVtUnG0DW-A5w_2s-odce2mshZzQtuov0g_aem_Qwhh3XCOOD5np72dS8YHaw

[AWC]

8 hours ago, BOO said:

@Soto_Cinematics - the public document isnt so public. It locked behind some Only Office login that I can neither access or register for. 

 

Yes I'll change this by the end of today.

 

It's been updated.

[BOO]

1 hour ago, Hiuuz said:

This link from the TFS Facebook post works for me

 

https://artist.onlyoffice.eu/Products/Files/DocEditor.aspx?fileid=9767498&doc=dlUwSm1jWmtWcWZFaHpwSGFpQjZLbnN5c3NlZUZ1NGFuM0Q4VzhUeWFZND0_IntcImVudHJ5XCI6XCI5NzY3NDk4XCIsXCJsaW5rXCI6XCI0YzJlMmU3ZC1lNDlhLTRiMGItYmFkZS04YTNmZGVlYjM

yMGJcIn0i0&fbclid=IwY2xjawIASMZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVyKp4X4iJ8O1LiER9T34aL0dVtUnG0DW-A5w_2s-odce2mshZzQtuov0g_aem_Qwhh3XCOOD5np72dS8YHaw

 

It is now - it wasnt before.

 

@Soto_Cinematics and @batmacumba. It good to see the loadout config gui working again. However - i little note of clarification from Artists draft user manual please:

 

"(C) Multiplayer, connected to a server, page "Battle Intro" ("Server Briefing" on self-hosted)

Page's title says "Configure And Select Plane".

This is where you select the plane you want to spawn in and you can configure that specific plane-type for the duration of the session. Any changes you make here are user‑set and valid for this plane-type during this session only. The configuration you see here is plane‑default plus user‑default plus mission‑set plus user‑set."

 

I dont know if something has changed or the info is unclear or wrong.  Currently, if one spawns into a MP server and amends the loadout (saving the altered present, applying , backing out and applying again) that present is saved in the user.ini file and becomes the user default for that aircraft thereafter- it doesnt just last for the session. 

 

Id also take issue with the lack of convergence in the present being a "small exception", especially on a 8 or 12 gun fighter. Its a PITA. I've rattled on about belting and presents before so I'll link the thread rather than prattle on again. Suffice to say, it could be better, it could have more prefeined bletings, it could be more descriptive of what "default" actually is in terms of convergence on some DW types and the default belting of some aircraft is far from historically correct often being nothing more than one of everything in their order of appearance. 

 

Edited January 24 by BOO

[Dagwoodyt]

4 hours ago, Mysticpuma said:

VR, in fairness, is looking very stable now in Beta

So when will there be a Steam public beta open to all users without ATAG registration or other hoops to jump? The private "beta" will be 3 years old next month.

[BOO]

9 minutes ago, Dagwoodyt said:

So when will there be a Steam public beta open to all users without ATAG registration or other hoops to jump? The private "beta" will be 3 years old next month.

 

Why are you so opposed to registering on ATAG? Its long been established that TFS fund it and use it as their primary beta forum. Not a having a dig as its entirely your choice. Just curious. 

[Dagwoodyt]

2 hours ago, BOO said:

 

Why are you so opposed to registering on ATAG? Its long been established that TFS fund it and use it as their primary beta forum. Not a having a dig as its entirely your choice. Just curious. 

CloD is a Steam game. Every user should have access via the platform on which CloD was purchased and is being maintained.

Edited January 24 by Dagwoodyt

[BOO]

27 minutes ago, Dagwoodyt said:

CloD is a Steam game. Every user should have access via the platform on which CloD was purchased and is being maintained.

 

Agreed. But access to what?  There is no public beta. Its closed. The registration on ATAG was to provide access to the section for closed beta testers to feedback on (well it used to be) in a manner that presumably, assisted with some NDA compliance. Without access to that forum how would you expect to contribute effectively to any discussion or provide input/feedback? From what I can see on Steam, this would not be so easy to do there. Maybe Im wrong but thats how I understand it.  

 

When it comes to the time that an open public beta is released (and it may never come to that given the VU/VR may just get released), I would agree, ATAG enrollment should not be a pre-requisite. Absolutely. 

 

 

[Dagwoodyt]

22 minutes ago, BOO said:

The registration on ATAG was to provide access to the section for closed beta testers to feedback on (well it used to be) in a manner that presumably, assisted with some NDA compliance. Without access to that forum how would you expect to contribute effectively to any discussion or provide input/feedback?

Feedback is available on this and on the Steam forum to anyone interested in reading it. The issue is whether the VR beta is as stable as has been implied. Is TFS afraid to give public access to the beta because exposure to "all comers" might reveal that the supposed new stability is illusory?

[jdu]

6 minutes ago, Dagwoodyt said:

Feedback is available on this and on the Steam forum to anyone interested in reading it. The issue is whether the VR beta is as stable as has been implied. Is TFS afraid to give public access to the beta because exposure to "all comers" might reveal that the supposed new stability is illusory?

If you were a betatester, you'd know that the beta is not yet ready for public access.
We're still tracking bugs and activating features one by one.
It takes time, but thanks to this approach, which is common in the industry, vr is becoming increasingly stable, as testers will be able to confirm.

 

[BOO]

9 minutes ago, Dagwoodyt said:

Feedback is available on this and on the Steam forum to anyone interested in reading it. The issue is whether the VR beta is as stable as has been implied. Is TFS afraid to give public access to the beta because exposure to "all comers" might reveal that the supposed new stability is illusory?

 

That isnt how closed betas work though. Is not a "hey what do you think, lets all have some jolly japes" deal. Its a "look at this specific dull and uninteresting thing ad nauseum" kinda thing or, at best "this is your bag - is it any better?". At least it should be. 

 

I know we have alluded to the beta being a private TFS playground out of frustration at times but I doubt its ever been the case. I would suspect that, at best, its been 1 step forward, 2 back for much of the period its existed. There is nothing to be gained opening that up to public srutiny as it'll only underline the impression that the game is borked when in fact its just a WIP to assist the devs finesse or correct something. things that have taken a long time to do.   

 

For once I have to agree with jdu. I promise it wont happen again. 

[AWC]

1 hour ago, jdu said:

If you were a betatester, you'd know that the beta is not yet ready for public access.
We're still tracking bugs and activating features one by one.
It takes time, but thanks to this approach, which is common in the industry, vr is becoming increasingly stable, as testers will be able to confirm.

 

 

This is pretty much it. It's been discussed that when the bugs have been mostly dealt with it will be made open for more people.

[major_setback]

10 hours ago, BOO said:

.... whilst also acknowledging the efforts of all the TFS members ....

Thanks for acknowledging the whole Team effort. The enormous effort and work involved in developing the VU and VR is down to the hard work of many Team members. Obstacles had to be overcome throughout the entire development of theses improvements. Solutions may be more apparent now, but there have been regular improvements and breakthroughs throughout the entire development of the game overhaul. 

Edited January 24 by major_setback

[Buzzsaw]

On 1/24/2025 at 8:20 AM, Dagwoodyt said:

CloD is a Steam game. Every user should have access via the platform on which CloD was purchased and is being maintained.

Everyone has access to the public game.

 

The VR Beta is a close BETA... it is open to those who meet the criteria required to test the work our programmers are doing.

 

The VR Beta will be opened when it is ready for public testing... which is not now.