Non-Friday 2010-05-24 Dev. update and Discussion Thread

[Shrike_UK]

Very nice Oleg, damage modelling looks superb in the pics. Im very curious about the elements of the gameplay, whether there will be similar game types in MP as IL2 had.
I will let the Queen know you are well.
Have a nice vacation.

[zapatista]

Oleg,

thx for the update !

the new screenshots look great, looks like it is all coming together

that 109 in close up looks absolutely stunning, incredible detail. it also has a solid look to it that makes it look very "real". the long wait for this type of quality in sim aircraft has made it all very worth while, the end product is fantastic, magnifico !! dont let the "rivet counters" on this board delay you with issues about minor technical details that can be altered later in a patch when more clear info is available (eg for an antennae position, or an instrument on the panel)

amazing you were even able to make the wire wheels for the english sports car, it looks great !

couple of quick questions:

1) will we still have cars/trucks/planes making "tracks" in the grass on airfields and fields when they drive over it, like you showed in an early screenshot 1 or 2 yrs ago ?
and will those tracks in the grass gradually disappear, for ex gone in 24 hrs time ?

2) will we be able to fly some "non combat" missions with some of the aircraft that affect overall gameplay ? in particular using VFR navigation to get to specific targets, such as:
a) photo reconnaissance over enemy territory, and then make the result photo's available in the mission briefing rooms for all other pilots to see ? some old il2 fans would really enjoy the challenge of an unarmed but high risk flights like that over enemy territory as an alternative to dogfighting. if their efforts are then productive and helping the side they are flying for online, and get recognition for the benefit created from their mission, some people will really enjoy just that aspect of the "sim world" in BoB
b) fly supply missions to heavely damaged airfields to help them rebuild faster then "default rate" for repairs (many airbases in the south of england were under constant attack for some months, and the ballance between out-of-action and operational was very fine, which could have been a deciding factor in the BoB outcome had goering not switched his attacks to london),
- or also to provide supplies for ground troops by flying into forward airbases near the front (those forward airbases were constantly being created near forward moving troop lines to keep getting supplies to them in the european theater as the frontline moved forward/backwards).
- one perfect example for this was Stalingrad and the airbridge that the germans tried to keep open, the rate of supply planes arriving directly affected the ability to fight on the ground, and russian combat aircraft were constantly hunting for those supply aircraft in the sky. it would be great if in BoB we can fly some type of missions like that already, but flying the cargo aircraft's side !
c) fly to rescue downed pilots, either from the sea (by landing near them on the water in a float plane), or by landing near them in a field where they have just landed by parachute

those types of missions were an important part of real life aviation in ww2 and so are part of an "aviation combat sim" environment . in my opinion it would take very little effort/time to implement, since all elements are already in the sim. a little "lateral thinking" in mission creation for BoB, and making sure some minor elelments are coded into the game from the start, can attract a whole new element of customers, people that are between air-quake and ms-flightsim types in temperament, and they would enjoy many hrs of flightsim to fly just such missions. it would give the sim an added realism that does not exist anywhere else (maybe an idea for Luthier to look at ?). many of those missions were also dangerous because there are plenty of enemy and friendly combat aircraft flying in the same sectors, and you could/can get bounced anytime.

please consider

[AC_Black]

~S~

I would like to thank the whole team for what they have done. VERY excited about the release, (when you get to it), thank you for the update pics.... Fantastic... Now go to save the money for a new machine to take full advantage. The time you take now to get all of the bugs oout will be well worth the wait.

[Mysticpuma]

Hello Oleg, hope you get a chance to reply to this before the break!

Just wondering if you could give the movie-makers and screen art makers any details of Camera/track recording and video options that may be up-coming in SoW?

Cheers, MP

[PeterPanPan]

Originally Posted by _RAAF_Stupot

The backlighting of the clouds in #4 is fantastic.

Stuff like that really makes for a 'big sky' effect.

I absolutely agree - this type of cloud lighting really takes immersion to the next level. Will it be possible to show sunbeam effects too? Now that would be amazing, but I suspect too difficult to achieve? Here's what I mean ...

Keep up the great work and thanks for this great update.

PPanPan

[zapatista]

Originally Posted by PeterPanPan

Will it be possible to show sunbeam effects too?

in a recent update thread here somebody commented on possibly seeing that effect in one of oleg's recent screenshots, so it might be present

hopefully oleg himself will comment to confirm/deny

[PeterPanPan]

Thanks Zapatista, I hadn't seen that thread. As you say, hopefully the Great O will confirm, not deny!

PPanPan

[Schallmoser]

I had the impression that we have seen some kind of sun beam in this screenshot

however, it has not been confirmed they actually were...
I hope as well that this feature will be included!!!!

cheers
Schallmoser

BTW, congrats Oleg and team for your great work!!!

[Schallmoser]

oups you guys are too quick for me...
sorry for double info.

cheers
Schallmoser

[Novotny]

The sunbeams are quite a common feature in FPS games these days.