Friday 2010-12-03 Dev. update and Discussion

[Richie]

Hi Oleg.

I was wondering if there is an option to put the "Adjutant" symbol on German fighters like this Werner Schroer 109. The big "A"

http://i36.tinypic.com/2ufgefm.jpg

[C_G]

Oleg was pretty clear that in addition to providing us with an update as to the state of the FMB, he was hoping for some feedback ON the new FMB... not another flipping flame-war.

I'm just saying...

[ECV56_Guevara]

The greatest update for mission builders ever.
Oleg: Which means the tab "script"?? Is that a trigger???
Could you explain a lil more about the briefing feature?
Thanks a lot!

[zapatista]

oleg,

thanks for the update !

the total size of the map looks great, and like the fact we can set formation types for AI components of flights

[PeterPanPan]

Hi Oleg,

All looking very, very good. Just a few questions/observations.

1. Can we please have the option to display waypoint speeds/altitudes in mph/feet?

2. Will it be possible to set waypoint arrival times directly, and let the game engine adjust a/c speed to suit? This way, it will make it easier to coordinate a/c engagements with less of the trial and error process.

3. The weathering slider sounds great. Will it also be possible to set inital aircraft/ship damage levels too? At present in IL2, it is very difficult to set up a ship as damaged at the start of a mission or a returning squadron with some smoking aircraft. This would be a great feature.

4. Can we now set up aircraft take-off positions that are not line astern e.g. a line abreast squadron take-off?

5. What can the maximum no. of aircraft in a flight be? Can we easily set up large bomber formations, for example?

6. Will it be possible to set AI aircraft to behave differently from 'see & destroy'? For example, to ignore a target or to lure an enemy a/c to chase it, not simply shoot it down?

7. Can we now set AI aircraft to land and take-off again?

8. Will it be possible to select multiple objects and copy & paste? Or will the stock objects include multiple object sets, e.g. clusters of trees, ship convoys, etc.

9. Finally, I'm really hoping that the FMB will at last have the ability to trigger events e.g. a squadron will scramble if enemy AI come within 'x' miles.

Think I better stop now before I get burned for asking too much!

Thanks again

PPanPan

[[URU]AkeR]

Originally Posted by Redwan

I see that I have been waiting for 1 week just to see .... boring maps ...
After the last week's update session with BoB menus, I would have expected something more graphic/exiting.


I know, "I dont have the time, I'm tired", or what ever excuse we already heard here ... but is it so difficult to start the beta version and push on PRINT SCREEN on some ongoing air action ? I cant' believe that Oleg cannot delegate such an easy task to one of his guy's if he doesn't have the time himself.

Ahh Redwan, Redwan.
See, those exciting missions you fly on different servers, and those engaging, inmmersive coops you might fly online, are made by people that spends hours in front of this "boring maps" actually in a version that is much more basic than what Oleg just showed. Now imagine what they would do with this many options.
I think its exciting.

Oleg, now that we have those crystal clear waypoint markers, maybe it is possible to have different tones of red (or blue) depending on height?
Will ground movement waypoint markers be different from air ones?
I see some spawn options, so we will be seeing ai on dogfight missions?
Te # of passes option is sweet, also the inbetween options.. ah and the group Properties depicting weight in the current waypoint!

[d0o0m]

Looks great. This project is now moving into the arena most interesting to me. I build missions for the Digital Combat Simulator platform. There are a few things i would like to see with SoW:

1. Trigger system based upon "and/or" arguments.
2. Zone triggers.
3. Custom message and audio displays when certain triggers are met.
4. Random mechanical fault ability.
5. Templates. Please add the ability to save groupings of targets as a template if possible.


Also - could we please see some detail on how the briefing will be handeled? Too often i see too little attention paid to this aspect and it significantly diminishes the immersive factor when developing either cooperative missions or campaigns.

Thanks Oleg.

[Triggaaar]

Not specific to this update, but it's only just crossed my mind:

Is it possible for SoW to disable padlock enemy when the enemy flys into a cloud? If there is a decent amount of cloud cover, it should be possbile to run without being followed by and enemy padlock option.

I apologise if this has been asked/answered before.

[FlatSpinMan]

Thanks a lot for this update (despite the fool earlier in this thread). It looks very good and very familiar too. excellent - I'm a keen campaign builder in IL2 so I look forward to using it.


[EDIT: Seems PeterPan beat me to most of these questions]

FMB Questions
1.Can you please make the speed set in the FMB CONSTANT across altitudes, aircraft types and fuel/loadout states? If the FMB value could display TRUE airspeed rather than indicated, it would also be helpful.
Of course all those factors effect actual airspeed, but in IL2, speed in-game differs based on the above points. This makes assembling large formations very hard.


2. Can multiple flights be set into larger formations simply (e.g. by clicking "formate on flight 1" ; or by making a flightpath for one flight then clicking a button to add a second or third flight suitably spaced)? From the Group Properties screen that looks to be correct.

3. On properties screen I saw Ammo Belt or similar. Will it be possible to add different ammo states, e.g. 20%, 5% etc. This could help us simulate jams. (Not so important).

4. Do you think it'll be possible for AI to taxi and take off from dispersed positions, or in formation? I remember you said it was difficult to avoid collisions with IL2's AI, hence the starts on the runway.

5. Set target. Is it possible to set an enemy FLIGHT as a target, rather than just the LEADER of that flight? This would reduce occasions where the whole flight is chasing the mortally wounded enemy leader while his AI mates fly along undisturbed.


SHIP AI
1. In Il2 it can be very hard to get ships' guns to work as expected. "Sleep" is often ignored by the ships, or else it is obeyed too strictly, so that when the enemy plane flies past, the AI gunners do nothing until the flight has passed overhead.

Many thanks for the work you have put in. Can't wait to get it!

MARKINGS
1. Are markings squadron and time-specific? Do the RAF roundels vary according to the date of the action, for example?

2. Are the markings subject to weathering along with the rest of the skin. (I imagine so).

[I/ZG52_Gaga]

errrrrr ...

When can we have it? Please!

eh?