June 24, 2011 - v1.02.14821 Release Patch

[luthier]

It should be available for auto-update from steam in a few hours.

Unfortunately two major things we cut out of the beta version of the patch did not make it into this release. Distant 2D clouds continue to conflict with NVidia SLI. The old Il-2 co-op style plane/position selection GUI also needs more work.

These changes will be released shortly.

As a bit of consolation, the patch now contains the Bf.109 E-1

Here's the readme. The current patch contains the following changes:

GENERAL
* Added Bf. 109 E-1;
* Added a Minensuchboot 1935 German warship;
* Added crewmen models to various ships;
* Improved damage system for radars and other large objects;
* Improved in-mission map, added some simple navigator tools.

AIRCRAFT VISUALS
* Reworked Spitfire visuals;
* Minor changes to Spitfire hatch damage;
* Fixed graphical issues in BR. 20 radioman's cabin;
* Added machine gun belt animation to BR. 20's ventral gun. Shells now slide off 2nd tray opening when there are around 60 left;
* Minor changes to Blenheim Mk. I;
* Minor changes to D.H. 82 pilot's cockpit.

AIRCRAFT INTERNALS
* Ammo clip counters will not reset when a gun runs out of ammunition;
* Planes will no longer accept inappropriately named damages from user-made strategy modules and scripts (i.e. damage to 2nd engine on single-engine aircraft);
* Weapon slot definitions now accept overriding a gun's rate of fire, allowing special configurations and synching guns;
* Finalized routines for fixed loop radio compass.

AIRCRAFT PHYSICS & A.I.
* D.B. 600x - equipped craft (Bf. 109 & 110) now start parked with propellor pitch set to fine;
* Flak fragments now have more destructive effect;
* Removed rate of fire variation off Bf. 109's and G.50's synchronized nose guns;
* Will not attempt to reload a gun that has run out of ammunition. This will show correct animations and ammo counter readings on aircraft affected;
* Force feedback will no longer produce gun shake when guns run out of ammunition;
* Adjusted deceleration of detached aircraft chunks;
* Pilot's radio compass in BR. 20 M is now operational, and works in fixed loop mode;
* AI pilots can now leave combat when their morale is low, such as when suffering losses or losing leader;
* AI pilots can now give chase to enemy cowards trying to escape;
* Improved and expanded orders menu

MULTIPLAYER
* Redesigned the multiplayer and plane / player selection GUI;
* Added new graphical emoticons (smileys) to pre-game chat. Smileys do not show up when playing the actual game;
* Fixed "not found UC0" issue when connecting to a server;
* Engine RPM will no longer drop when you change position to gunner/bombardier while flying as a pilot on multi-seat aircraft;
* Game now properly displays Friends-only servers in server search;
* Enabled joining multiplayer servers from steam and not just from the in-game server search;
* Spawn areas now properly switch sides when airfields are captured;
* Improved script spawning for ground objects.