Future CoD devopment.
 

I know, don't have the game out yet, but I bet Oleg is already planning out CoD2.

I would really hope they can release a free update that gives playable versions of the AI aircraft, THIS YEAR (Christmas present? :) ). (Reality is will likely be a paid upgrade, but I still hope they can get it out this year.)

In a major release (next year) I want ability to crew most of the vehicles, especially the ships, and man AA guns, and a fully dynamic online campaign where it will be possible to defeat the RAF and open up a path for Sea Lowe.
For that, will need early 1941 units added too, such as the Do-217e and Ju-88c, 109F's and Spit 2, Hurri2 as campaign progressed in (accelerated) time.

You certainly are getting ahead of yourself there...

I believe the closest Oleg has gotten to talking about the next installment would possibly be the Med. but he also mentioned allowing 3rd party addons (certified by Oleg's team) to be added into CoD...
And on top of that there is always to possibility of the team themselves adding more planes to the game.

Most likely the following months after CoDs release will be spent on fixes and further optimizing, and gradual releases of more graphic features that have been held back. I feel that the actual addon of more game content like Planes and campaigns wont be for quite some time.

It's been hinted that the next big installment will be the Mediterranean theater. However, i do like your idea. It wouldn't require a new map, just new planes. The map might need to be updated a bit however. And possibly an option for different seasons of the year wouldn't be too hard? All of this would probably have to be third party of coarse, as Oleg and team will probably get to work ASAP on the next installment (after this one is solid of coarse). But we can all dream... ;)

I am COMPLETELY AGAINST a Mediterranean theater at this time.

They have at least 2 years they can refine CoD, more aircraft and other vehicles, most of which can then be dressed up for other theaters.

As Biggs said, getting third parties in on this will be vital for the future life of game.

COME to think about it, hows about if the Med was all done by 3ed party with Oleg only laying the ground work and direction, kind of like "Target Tobruk"? (died due to lack of real leadership)

There won't be any free planes added given the amount of work required (even if AI is already there), and I sure hope they won't waste time with playable ships or tanks as this is an area that they have no experience in, will require a lot of work and result in questionable gameplay value. I don't see the point of making another "Battleground Europe" at all (in fact I can't see the point of the original one either ;)).

If some 3rd party is interested in adding stuff, fine. And AAA guns sure could be fun, but this is pretty much where it ends for me. There are already enough interesting and important additions to the flight sim part that will never happen, even without diverting resources to different areas.

Oleg has already invested in a bunch of Italian aircraft that had only a tiny impact on the BoB theatre, and an army of early-mid war British and German ground units that had no impact at all on the BoB (except the AA guns).

All of these would however be essential in a Mediterranean/North Africa theatre sim, and reinforce the more or less open secret that the first sequel is going to be set in the Med.

Of course, with the third in the series (specifically referred to by Oleg as the third, and being developed by a new team that has recieved a grant from the Russian goverment to develop a "Great Patriotic War" simulator) already having been announced as Il2: Battle for Moscow, and Luthier's Project Galba (based in the Korean War) already having had most of the 3D models made, I think it is safe to say the future of the series is thoroughly planned out.

Of course, there might be 3rd Party additions to flesh out the period after the Battle of Britain, after all, the ground work has already been done (literally :grin:), and all that would be needed are the aircraft. There are already several models that have been lying around for years now waiting for SoW that would fit this gap, assuming the projects are still alive (Typhoon and Lancaster are two examples), and I'm sure the Il2 modding community will jump into action once the third party tool kit becomes available.

Also, some of the needed aircraft will arrive as a by-product of the Med expansion, IE Bf109F, Spitfire V, Hurricane II.

as i often said in the past:
first i would like to see an interim smaller pay-for-adon like Dieppe 42.
Same map as BoB (or perhaps with small edits) and a nice planeset, examples:
Hurricane Mk.IIc Hurribomer
Spitfire Mk.Vb
Spitfire F.Mk.IXc
Typhoon Mk.Ib
Whirlwind Mk.I
Mustang Mk.I
Boston Mk.III
B-17E

Bf109G-1
Fw190A-3
Do217E

Fw190s, Later Spitfires, Mustangs (even with allison), B-17..anyone ?? ;)

than the "Big Step" with a 'new' game( Standalone with the possibilty to be merged with the forrunners), IL2:Tobruk. I personaly would prefer a 1941 one (i like crapplanes ;) ). But than the mighty Spitfire would be missing :D , so, most propably a 1942 one.
I dont think we will get a Med scenario from 1940 to 1943 in one release..........

my "original" idea for a SoW:Med (<- :D ) in the past was:

SoW:MTO for 1940/41

Libya/Cyreneika and Sicily/Malta maps

Bf109E-7/Trop
Bf110D
Ju87B/R
Ju88A-5
He111H with Torpedoarmament available

G.50
Cr.42
MC.200
SM.79-II
Br.20M
Ba.65 <- doutbfull, any sources of cockpits ?

Gladiator II
Hurricane Ia Vokes
Hurricane IIb Vokes
Tomahawk IIb
Blenheim IV
Wellington Ic
SeaGladiator
Fulmar II
SeaHurricane Ib
Swordfish

For FAA operations:
Carriers
HMS Illustrious
HMS Eagle
HMS Audacity :D


Totaly new would be:
MC.200
Tomahawk
Fulmar
Swordfish
SM.79
Ba.65

The rest would be modifications from the SoW:BoB ( now IL2:CoD ;) ) planes.
Ju88A-5 would actually be very differ from Ju88A-1 , espacially in cockpit.


as a later MTO AdOn: “Tobruk-1942”

Bf109F-4/Trop
Bf109F-4/B/Trop
Bf109G-2/Trop
Ju87D-1

Mc202_VII

Hurricane Mk.IIc Vokes
Hurricane Mk.IId Vokes
Spitfire Mk.Vc Abukir
Kittyhawk Mk.III
P-40F
Boston Mk.III
Baltimore Mk.III



but as i said, IF like this, the Spitfire would missing in the first MTO release....you dont thinkthat will happen, do you ?? :D
Future will tell...

As long as we're all dreaming about days to come...

I love landing on aircraft carriers, so I hope and hope and hope again that a Pacific Theater expansion becomes possible. I know about the difficulties with certain aircraft manufacturers. But I still hope.

Could be in Med?


Well, granted I do not know all that CoD will have, it still looks like it can be developed quite a bit more before moving on.

Just my 2 demerits. :|