Old patch v1.05.15950 is now live! What to expect next.

luthier · #1 10-17-2011, 02:58 PM

Hi everyone,

The patch has gone up to steam. It should autoupdate your game version in a few hours once it propagates down to the world. As long as autoupdate is enabled in your steam (Library – Cliffs of Dover – RMB – Properties – Updates – Always keep this game up to date) you do not to take any further actions.

Patch notes can be found below.

And here’s where we are in terms of plans. We obviously remain hard at work on the series. We will continue to improve the game up until the eventual release of its sequel.

Our main priorities now are:

1. Physics and FM. This means plane behavior in the air, brand new landing gear model on the ground, collision modeling including tree collision (if performance allows), and improved vehicle physics.
2. AI. Currently working on everyone’s favorite controls flutter and AI wingman behavior. Also working on improving radio comms, getting your crew to be more verbose on the intercom, and lots of other changes. Coupled with #1, this should give us quite a dramatic change in how air combat looks and feels.
3. Performance. We are in final stages of testing a thorough overhaul of the game’s graphic engine. It won’t look any different but it will be much more streamlined. It’s too early to say what the FPS increase will be in the final version, but it shouldn’t be less than 50%.
4. Sound. The sound in the v15950 is considered a beta. We will continue to improve existing sound, and to add new ones to the aircraft and to the world around them.
5. SDK. As promised earlier, still planning to release a map-making SDK in the near future. More details will be released when we are ready for them.

I won’t put an ETA on any specific feature at this point. We will go through the same general process as before: internal testing first, then open external testing, and then finally the release. Generally, releases should follow at about the same pace as they have with the current patch.

Thanks everyone, and we hope you enjoy the game!

v1.05.15950 patch notes:

Quote:

The latest patch adds an entirely new sound engine , new multiplayer maps, and new aircraft. It contains the following changes:

MAIN
* Drastically reworked graphic algorithms dealing with in-game color;
* Rewrote the sound engine from scratch;
* Added three new multiplayer maps: Steppe (medium), Fields (small), and Scimitar (small), as well as a few basic online missions for them;
* Updated multiplayer GUI to allow users to easily select a position in an existing plane, and to see the number of planes within each side before selecting it;
* Added two new aircraft - Bf. 109 E-4 and Bf. 109 E-4/B. These two are equipped with MG/FF-M cannons and so make use of the famous Minegeschoss;
* Spitfire model Mk. Ia has been reequipped with a constant-speed airscrew.
* Some changes to the internal structure of Bf. 110s and Spitfire Mk. Ia may cause records created with previous versions of the game to play back with with animations that differ from what was recorded.

AIRCRAFT
* Bf. 109 E-4 has been equipped with Komandgerat airscrew automation;
* Reworked routines for gyro bombsights;
* Removed allusion to Engine 4 from He 111 model;
* Improved memory consumption for multi-crew aircraft;
* Airborne status is now checked correctly even if the aircraft in question departed prematurely;
* Landing status should be applied correctly when ditching in water;

VISUALS
* Reworked bombardier cockpits in aircraft so affected (He. 111 and Ju. 8 to accomodate new Lotfe gyro routines;
* Small caliber bullet hits on the ground now show difference in material being hit;
* Modifications in Blenheim's damage visuals;
* Added a range of visual SFX for higher-caliber guns;
* New bombsight visuals in Blenheim bombardier's cabin;
* Returned the famous Il-2 stall sound effect;
* Doubled the distance at which the tracers can be seen;
* You will no longer see engine exhaust fires when viewing in a HUD-only cockpit mode;
* Reversed movement of throttle and mix in D.H. 82;
* Fixed distance input error in gunsight for Spitfire and Hurricane;
* Fixed glitch with Bf. 110's prop hub tactical colour band;
* Added spinner colouring to Ju. 88.

PHYSICS & A.I.
* Increased Lotfe bombsight gyro operational limit to 15 degrees of aircraft roll / pitch;
* Lotfe type bomb sight now stabilizes aiming platform to horizontal plane;
* Removed sudden jump in view angle when viewing through Lotfe ocular and moving bomb sight elevation for the first time in the flight;
* Increased side slip input limit to +/* 30 degrees for the Lotfe bomb sight;
* Made Kurssteuerung mode 2 for level bombers. This mode will also stabilize the aircraft in level flight;
* Reworked motor startup routines to accomodate new options available in the new sound engine;
* Adjusted ricochet angles on firm surfaces;
* Redesigned bomb sight in Blenheim and made it easier and more realistic to use;
* Blenheim bomb sight plane is now adjustable to reflect changes in plane AoA in level flight. Correction is applied automatically over a period of sustained flight and can compensate up to 3 degree changes in plane attitude;
* Fixed issue where overstress would inflict damage to airframe regardless of the Vulnerability difficulty setting;
* Fixed an issue where D.H. 82 could retain traction when the engine part was shot off;
* Adjusted head shake level for overspeed effects;
* Increased critical airspeed for Bf. 110 to 650 kph;
* You will no longer suffer certain control difficulties below critical airspeed;
* Removed velocity threshold for leading slats operation;
* Decreased default harmonizing distance for G.50's guns to 200 meters;
* Reworked the way altimeter reacts to pitot icing;
* Lowered the speed at which airframe is defrosted;
* Fixed stuttering movement of He. 111 P's propellor pitch and indicator;
* A.I. artillery gunners will no longer commit suicide by shooting the concrete wall of the bunker they are stationed in;
* Bf. 110 fuel reserve warning light recalibrated to turn on at 100 liters remaining for all 4 tanks.
* Reworked the Bf. 110 fuel system. Please refer to the manual for operational instructions.

NETWORK
* Changes to bombs' detonators setup will now be carried over once applied without the need to rejoin the server;
* Increased Lotfe bombsight gyro operational limit to 15 degrees of roll / pitch. This will give more tolerance to aircraft maneuvers as strict limits put too much obstacle to communication between bombardier and pilot while playing on-line;
* When flying as a bombardier, you should now use "Aircraft - Drop Ordnance (Bombs)" key (instead of "General - Fire Current Weapon" key) to drop bombs.
* Added new server settings that determine the message format for new air group creation.

MISC.
* Decreased bombsight altitude indents by ten times. This will give you more control of the altitude input and make bomb sight aiming more precise;
* You can now switch off the boost cut-out control in Spitfires;
* Corrected a typo where propellor and oil radiator controls for separate engines had increase and decrease key bindings swapped in controls setup panel;
* Fixed keyboard propellor pitch controls getting jammed into a narrow range;
* Directional controls feedback will no longer disappear from info windows every time you reenter the game.