First Public Test of Version 1.8

The Public Test of Update 1.8 for World of Warplanes mainly focuses on testing the latest balancing adjustments as well as the new client-based control system, which will improve your steering comfort during moments of lag, spikes or generally weak internet connection.

Additionally, you will be able to test the new ‘Plane Birthday’ feature, as well as experience the new 2-pilot Flights and earn new achievements.

Later on, once the update gets officially released, we will unveil even more new content such as new Premium planes, modules, consumables, equipment pieces and more. Look for more information on this additional new content in our regularly updated Developers Blog.

Flights

• The maximum number of Flight members is reduced to two players in order to decrease the impact of Flights on the team balance and overall battle results. A more detailed explanation for our reasoning behind this change is available in a dedicated article on our World of Warplanes Developers Blog.

Balance

System Balance Fixes

• Weapons — improved ability to deal critical damage. Now damaging of wings and tails will happen more often. 

Tech Tree Changes

• The bombs for American and German aircraft were replaced with more powerful ones:

Germany

•          Ar 197 — SC 50 removed, SD 50 added;
•          Fw 189 C Eule — SC 50 removed, SD 50 added;
•          Bf 110 E — SC 50 removed, SD 50 added;
•          Fw 190 V — SC 50 removed, SD 50 added;
•          Hs 129 B — SC 50 removed, SD 50 added;
•          Fw 190 A-5 —SC 50 removed, SD 50 added;
•          Me 262 Schwalbe — SC 250 removed, SD 250 added;
•          Me 262 HG II — SC 250 removed, SD 250 added;
•          Me 262 HG III — SC 250 removed, SD 250 added;
•          Me P.1102 — SC 250 removed, SD 250 added;
•          Me 329 — SC 250 removed, SD 250 added;
•          Me P.1099 B-2 — SC 250 removed, SD 250 added;
•          Bf 109 TL — SC 250 removed, SD 250 added.

U.S.A.

•          F2A Buffalo — 100 lb removed, 100 lb AN-M30A1 added;
•          F4F Wildcat — 100 lb removed, 100 lb AN-M30A1 added;
•          XP-50 — 100 lb removed, 100 lb AN-M30A1 added.

Aircraft Balancing Adjustments

U.S.S.R.

• TsKB-12bis — increased boost duration;
• I-220 — 20 mm B-20 auto-cannons now overheat quicker.

U.K.

• Fantome — Increased manoeuvrability and speed characteristics, increased HP and weapons damage.

Germany

• Me P.1092 — the aircraft’s weapons have been readjusted in order to be used in short bursts; this was achieved by making them overheat quicker and by significantly prolonging their corresponding cool-down duration. Hit points and manoeuvrability have been decreased, as well as the impact that the top configuration has on the plane’s flight characteristics.
• Me P.1101 — the aircraft’s weapons have been readjusted in order to be used in short bursts; this was achieved by making them overheat quicker and by significantly prolonging their corresponding cool-down duration. Hit points and manoeuvrability and boost duration have all been decreased.

New Features

Plane Birthdays

From now on, at specific times, each of your planes will celebrate ‘birthdays’ earning you additional rewards. There will be a birthday after one month, three months, six months, nine months and every 12 months after you’ve purchased an aircraft. The ‘birthday gifts’ will be varied ranging from free XP, to credits to emblems. Some rewards will unlock immediately, some only after completing a set battles or wins. Expect a more detailed explanation of this feature on the portal in the days to come.   

New Aircraft

Gift Aircraft:

• Curtiss XF15C — U.S. Tier VIII Fighter;

Premium and Gift Aircraft Available for Developers and Supertesters for Testing Purposes Only:

• Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning — U.S. Tier VIII Heavy Fighter;
• Supermarine Seafang F.32 — British Tier VIII Multirole Fighter;
• SNCAC NC 1070 — French Tier VIII Attack Aircraft;
• Ilyushin IL-10M — Chinese Tier VIII Attack Aircraft.

Bug Fixes

• Rearranged and unified the module order in hangar tab “Upgrades” to follow one unified design where possible. It now goes: engine, airframe, forward-firing weapon (cowling or wing-mounted weapon), rear gun, and outboard weapon.

Equipment and Consumables Changes

• First Aid Kit: Bonus to crew protection against injury disabled. Added possibility to use the consumable twice per battle.
• Improved Fire Extinguisher: Automatic activation disabled. Passive effect reducing chance of fire by 15% disabled. Added 15-second resistance to fire after use and possibility to use the consumable twice per battle.
• 100-octane Gasoline, 120-octane Gasoline, Purified Kerosene: Have all been removed from the game. All items mounted on players’ aircraft or stored in Depot were sold at purchasing value.
• Self-Sealing Fuel Tank: renamed into Self-Sealing Fuel Tank I. Firefighting acceleration effect removed. Added new effect of reducing chance of fire and damage from fire by 50%.
• Inert Gas: renamed into Self-Sealing Fuel Tank II. Firefighting acceleration effect removed. Added new effect of reducing chance of fire and damage from fire by 50%.
• Fire Suppression System: renamed into Self-Sealing Fuel Tank III. Firefighting acceleration effect removed. Added new effect of reducing chance of fire and damage from fire by 50%.

Increased Control Responsiveness

We have implemented a client-side flight simulation (client-side physics). It runs alongside the server-side calculations, making an aircraft’s response to player actions faster and timelier. The system is designed to reduce the impact of network delays on game physics and control. If client-side calculations are found to become inconsistent with the server-provided data, the game client gradually adjusts the aircraft’s position according to the server’s calculations. The new feature can be enabled by clicking the checkbox ‘Increased Control Responsiveness’ in the Game tab of the Settings screen. 

Training Room

• Auto-Fill with Bots command now works differently, most notably that upon pressing the button, all previously added bots no longer get removed and rather stay available for the game.

Sound

• You now get a sound cue indicating when you’ve hit an enemy plane or target.

Aircraft Exteriors

• 10 new bonus emblems were added for Public Test participants, who earn the corresponding achievements. The corresponding emblems will be granted to players who were awarded the ‘Public Test Participant’ achievement during the Public Test for Update 1.7. 

New Group Achievements

• Valuable Contribution — awarded to all members of a Flight that destroyed at least 6 enemy aircraft. All Flight members must survive until this condition is met. Available in Standard battles only.
• Outstanding Contribution — awarded to all members of a Flight that destroyed at least 9 enemy aircraft. All Flight members must survive until this condition is met. Available in Standard battles only.
• Superior Wing — awarded to all members of a Flight that destroyed at least 3 enemy aircraft and received at least 40 points for destroyed enemy ground targets. All Flight members must survive until this condition is met. Available in Standard battles only.
• Distinguished Wing — awarded to all members of a Flight that destroyed at least 4 enemy aircraft and received at least 60 points for destroyed enemy ground targets. All Flight members must survive until this condition is met. Available in Standard battles only.
• Group achievement Wrecking Crew renamed into ‘Elite Wing’.

Other

New game backgrounds added to the game login screen.