An Alternate Strategy?
 

We all know that there are continuing difficulties with the graphics engine reworking. It seems that the devs themselves were not expecting such a delay in completing and releasing it.

BlackSix said a few weeks back that the plan was for only the graphics rewrite to be released in the next beta. Once this had been tested and proved stable, then further patches would introduce the improvements from other areas of development - FM, AI, etc, etc.

So, currently there is a complete block on any element of the sim being updated until the graphics rewrite is judged to be ready. But, presumably there has been progress made in some of those other areas (FM, sound engine, etc) in the 6 months since the previous beta. Given the unforseen difficulties in completing the new graphics would it be possible to hatch a 'Plan B' and release some of this other work in a new patch while work continues on the graphics rewrite?

This could have many advantages, not least being to smooth out some of the bad feeling and impatience amongst a lot of the fans.

I assume that some elements planned for later patches would be dependent on the fps increase provided by the new engine (eg tree collision, more crew animations), but FM and AI improvements and I'm sure many others would not.

So, given the current 'crisis' created by the delay, would a new plan be possible or advisable? It may be the case that any reworking would cause more problems than it fixes? I don't know. Just thought I'd throw this idea out there.

It would be a good idea if it was based on facts. Unfortunately nothing proves that they have anything ready for prime time.

Where did Black6 say the will be other fixes coming?
As far as i know Black6 said the patch is "just" the graphics rewrite only, he said nothing about other fixes.

Actually he said the first patch is graphics only, iirc.

There are a few (what I would call reasonable) assumptions in my post.

You've identified one of them: 6 months of ongoing effort - Luthier mentioned further improvements in the sounds for a start, we saw the photos of the team working on the FMs.

If there is nothing available in any other area after 6 months, then things are worse than I thought.

No proof, though - you're right on that.

Another (reasonable?) assumption:

As robtek said, the first patch deals with graphics.........then what?

We know they've been working on other things. They've told us.

So what do they do? Release them after the graphics are done or wait until BOM? From reading Luthier's updates the plan is to fix FMs, AI and a lot of other things for COD before the sequel is released. Maybe(?) some are ready for release now. I don't know.

Im just saying we dont "know" other fixes are coming in other patches.

From reading Luthier's comments they are...or are planned to be. Read back over the statements about ongoing work and continuing to support COD.

Why do people keep referring to BOM as a 'sequel'? Doesn't it stand for Battle of Moscow? Wouldn't that just be a new map and maybe two more linear campaigns?

It's still rather unclear what relationship BOM will have to CLOD.

We say "sequel" with the understanding that the relationship could be like that between the original IL2 and IL2: Forgotten Battles, but it could also be like the relationship between IL2FB and Pacific Fighters, or PF and 1946.