Version 1.2
Overview of the Update
The major features of Version 1.2 are:
- Introduction of combat missions
- Recording and playback of replays
- More comprehensive post-battle statistics
These and other new features of the game have been designed to make the gameplay more interesting and user friendly. The balancing changes have been designed to increase the diversity of gameplay in relation to different tiers, classes, and particular models of aircraft, as well as to better reflect the historical accuracy of individual aircraft characteristics.
New features in the game
Combat missions
Combat missions are now available for players. By performing all of the requirements of a mission, players can receive the applicable reward (it can be experience, credits, consumables, etc., depending on the specific mission). Combat missions are displayed in the hangar for the selected plane, but players can also check all the missions available for all planes.
The list of available combat missions will be updated regularly. Stay tuned by following the portal news or checking the list in the game.
Replays
Recording and playback of battle replays has been implemented in this update.
- The replay recording feature is disabled by default but you can activate it in the Settings Menu.
- Replay files are stored in the "Video" library of your user account in Windows. You can check the file-path in the in-game Settings Menu.
- To play a replay, simply open the file in Windows.
- Basic functions have been embedded in the video player: play, fast forward, rewind and pause.
- Please note that this is only the first version of the feature and it will be improved in future updates.
More comprehensive post-battle statistics
- The post-battle statistics screen has been reworked and is now displayed in the hangar after each battle.
- Detailed statistics from each battle from within the game session are now available in the system messages panel.
- The display of the main battle results has been reworked and information about the results of other battle participants has been extended.
- You can check the extended results of other battle participants by clicking on their name in the “Team results” field.
Balancing and Physics
Visibility system
View range:
- The difference in view range between different tiers was reduced.
- The view range of biplanes was significantly increased.
- The view range of piston monoplanes was slightly increased.
Aircraft visibility:
- A tier-dependent aircraft visibility coefficient was implemented. It affects an enemy’s detection range. The higher your plane’s tier the more visible it is, meaning it will be detected from further away.
- Jets have greater visibility than piston planes of the same tier and class.
- The detection range was decreased due to the introduction of the visibility coefficient for low tiers.
- Coefficients are configured in the following way: if a lower tier plane and its higher tier opponent have an equal view range, then the lower tier plane will detect its opponent earlier.
Shooting
- The damage done by fighters and heavy fighters to ground targets was slightly increased.
- Bullet dispersion at low speeds was slightly reduced.
Weapons
- The characteristics of the 20 mm M3 (K) gun now correspond to those of similar 20 mm M3 gun models.
- The damage dealt by the 7.92 mm MG-17 (1934) and 7.92 mm MG-17 (1936) guns was reduced relative to the 7.92 mm MG-17 (1940) gun.
- The damage dealt by the 7.62 mm ShKAS (1941) machine gun was increased.
- The damage dealt by the 30 mm MK-108 (1942) gun was reduced.
Damage model
- A number of minor bugs in the aircraft damage model were fixed.
- The chance of critical damage to air-cooled engines was reduced relative to water-cooled engines.
- The chance of wing or tail destruction was slightly increased.
Fire mechanics
- The feature that causes a plane to catch fire was reworked. A plane can now catch fire not only when its fuel tank is hit, but also when any other part of the aircraft is damaged with incendiary ammunition. The chance of fire breaking out in each part of the plane was adjusted accordingly.
- A pierced fuel tank increases the chance of fire, as it did before.
- The maximum duration of a fire was increased.
Matchmaker
- A new matchmaker algorithm was implemented to create battles for beginners, leaving out more experienced players. This new algorithm comes into effect for games played with aircraft of Tier I and II on accounts with a small total of earned experience.
Physics
- The energy savings when turning for most fighters and heavy fighters was improved.
- The acceleration performance while using boost was reduced for all planes, and acceleration while diving was slightly reduced.
- The acceleration of Tier I-VIII piston planes while not boosting was improved.
- The speed was reduced for all Tier IV-VII fighters and for Tier VIII-X planes of all classes while not boosting.
- The dynamic characteristics of jet planes were reduced.
- The optimum altitude for most fighters and heavy fighters was increased. The difference between high, medium and low-altitude levels was extended to emphasise the characteristics of individual planes.
Economics
- Players are now always fully rewarded with credits and experience points for destroyed enemy planes. The reward is calculated by taking into account the total amount of hit points remaining at the moment immediately before the plane is destroyed. This will increase the reward for takedowns through a critical hit of the enemy plane’s wings or tail or when it crashes after a player’s attack.
- The experience points reward for shooting down or damaging an enemy aircraft of a higher or lower tier was modified. The reward for shooting down or causing damage to a plane of a lower tier was reduced, and increased for doing the same to a plane of a higher tier.
Research prices of modules and planes
The XP price was reduced for most Tier VII-X modules to speed up research from their stock configuration to their top configuration. The price changes are:
Cannons:
Germany:
- MG-151/20 (44) 17700 -> 14700
- MK-108 (42) 16900 -> 14100
- MK-108 (44) 27300 -> 22300
- MK-103 36400 -> 32400
- MG-213C/20 60500 -> 54500
- MG-213C/30 72500 -> 57500
U.S.S.R.:
- B-20 16500 -> 13700
- NS-23 29500 -> 19500
- NS-45 35000 -> 21500
- N-37 34500 -> 20500
- N-37KM 34500 -> 20500
- NS-45M 35000 -> 21500
- NR-23K 35600 -> 21600
- NS-23KMU 48000 -> 38000
- Sh-3-30 51200 -> 43200
- N-57 64000 -> 45000
- NR-23 51200 -> 47200
U.S.A.:
- MG-53-2 19800 -> 15800
- M3-12,7 35700 -> 21700
- M3-20 22500 -> 19500
- Mk. 12 55400 -> 52400
Japan:
- Type 99-2 m5 22500 -> 16400
- Type 2 (30mm) 32000 -> 23500
- Type 5 60300 -> 44300
- Type 17 72500 -> 57500
U.K.:
- Hispano Mk.V 18500 -> 14600
- Hispano Mk.V* 22500 -> 20500
- Vickers S 31500 -> 24500
- ADEN F 72500 -> 57500
Engines:
Germany:
- DB 603G 25800 -> 20800
- DB 605AS 22400 -> 17400
- DB 605ASBM 21800 -> 16900
- DB 605ASCM 28600 -> 21100
- Jumo 213E-1 29050 -> 21550
- BMW 003A 28600 -> 25600
- Jumo 004B 31100 -> 26100
- Jumo 213J-1 31500 -> 23550
- HWK 509 33400 -> 27400
- DB 603LA 33500 -> 26500
- Jumo 213F-1 38900 -> 28900
- Jumo 004C 40500 -> 29500
- Jumo 004E 48800 -> 30800
- HeS 011 52000 -> 41000
U.S.S.R.:
- ASh-83 18800 -> 14100
- VK-108 25000 -> 20000
- AM-42 28900 -> 22900
- AM-43 32500 -> 24500
- M-93 28800 -> 23300
- M-93 + RD-1 34000 -> 26000
- RD-10 31200 -> 24200
- RD-10A 33500 -> 25500
- RD-10UF 42500 -> 27500
- RD-10F 49000 -> 29000
- VK-2 59000 -> 31000
- RD-9V 65000 -> 45000
- RD-500 70000 -> 45000
U.S.A.:
- R-2800-8W 18500 -> 15500
- V-1650-7 20700 -> 16700
- R-2800-18W 25300 -> 20100
- Merlin 145M 28500 -> 22500
- V-1650-9 34100 -> 25100
- R-4360-20 39700 -> 26700
- R-4360-41 43500 -> 27500
- J35-A-2 51000 -> 31000
- J35-A-17 67800 -> 45000
- J34-WE-30A 43500 -> 27500
- J34-WE-36 48800 -> 28900
Japan:
- MK9A 19000 -> 16000
- MK9C 21500 -> 17500
- MK9D 24500 -> 19500
- MK9E 28000 -> 21000
- MK9F 28750 -> 21500
- MK10B 41200 -> 29200
- Ne-230 40500 -> 27500
- Ne-330 45000 -> 39000
U.K.:
- Griffon IV 25500 -> 20200
- Merlin 130 31000 -> 22500
- Griffon 61 25250 -> 21250
- Griffon 65 29050 -> 23050
- Griffon 85 31500 -> 24500
- Metrovick F. 5 36000 -> 26000
- Nene 28 39000 -> 27000
- Metrovick F. 8 57000 -> 30500
- Tay 58000 -> 31000
- AS Sapphire Sa5 60000 -> 31500
- AS Sapphire Sa6 62000 -> 44000
- AS Sapphire Sa5R 65000 -> 45000
Airframe:
Germany:
- Bf. 109K 19800 -> 18800
- Me. 209 V6 24500 -> 19500
- Ta. 152H 24000 -> 19000
- Schwalbe 24500 -> 19500
- Me. P1092/5 54500 -> 29500
- Ta. 183A-1 57000 -> 31000
- Me.262 HG II 55000 -> 30000
U.S.S.R.:
- Il-10M 29000 -> 24600
- La-9 27000 -> 23000
- Il-20M 32800 -> 24800
- Yak-25 32800 -> 25800
U.S.A.:
- P-51D 23500 -> 19500
- P-51H 32500 -> 24500
- F2G-1 31700 -> 23700
- FJ-1 45500 -> 27500
- F6U-1 47300 -> 28300
Japan:
U.K.:
- Spitfire IX 20500 -> 18900
- Spitfire XIV 26500 -> 20500
- Attacker FB Mk.I 55000 -> 30000
Rear gun turrets (U.S.S.R. only):
- B-20T 23400 -> 17400
- B-20ENT 27500 -> 19500
- NR-23T 45000 -> 35000
- AM-23T 60000 -> 45000
Due to reduced experience prices for modules, XP prices to research the following Tier VIII-X planes were increased:
Germany:
- Me.209 95000 -> 101790
- Ta.152 97500 -> 106875
- Me.262A 89000 -> 96300
- Me.P.1092 170500 -> 180000
- Ta.183 169000 -> 183600
- Me.262HG II 170500 -> 170550
- Me.P.1101 230000 -> 265500
- Fw.252 235000 -> 275400
- Me.262HG III 192000 -> 243900
U.S.S.R.:
- La-9 90000 -> 107500
- Yak-15 88000 -> 105800 from Yak-3
- Yak-15 83500 -> 113800 from Yak-9U
- IL-20 82000 -> 100350 from IL-8
- IL-20 80000 -> 95400 from IL-10
- La-160 170000 -> 177750
- Yak-19 145000 -> 174600
- IL-40 175000 -> 228600
- La-15 225000 -> 267900
- Yak-30 205000 -> 261000
- IL-40P 210000 -> 233100
U.S.A.:
- P-51H 99500 -> 108450
- F2G 86500 -> 91530
- FJ-1 155000 -> 172800
- F6U 145000 -> 166500
- F-86A 230000 -> 289560
- F7U 210000 -> 254505
Japan:
- J7W1 95000 -> 102690
- J7W2 175000 -> 195750
- J7W3 209000 -> 233100
U.K.:
- Spitfire XIV 91000 -> 96500
- P.1056 79000 -> 96700
- Attacker 172500 -> 189430
- P.228 178000 -> 201150
- Swift 265000 -> 304325
- Javelin 180000 -> 235350
Balance changes for particular planes
U.S.S.R.:
- Polikarpov I-5 – increased the burst length for stock weapons.
- Polikarpov I-15 – improved the manoeuvrability when using the stock airframe.
- Polikarpov I-16 (early mod.) – increased HP, improved stock weapons characteristics and reduced the impact of weaponry on plane performance.
- Polikarpov I-16 (late mod.) – improved stock weapons and increased burst length for machine guns.
- Ilyushin BSh-2 – improved the ability to control pitch in a dive.
- Ilyushin IL-2 – improved the ability to control pitch in a dive and reduced the impact of weaponry on plane performance.
- Curtiss P-40 M-105 – increased the optimum altitude.
- Ilyushin IL-2 two-seat – improved the ability to control pitch in a dive and reduced the impact of weaponry on plane performance.
- Lavochkin La-5 – improved the manoeuvrability when using the stock airframe and increased the boost efficiency.
- Lavochkin La-7 – improved manoeuvrability when using the stock airframe and increased the boost efficiency.
- Lavochkin La-9 – increased the boost efficiency.
- Yakovlev Yak-3 – reduced weaponry impact on plane performance.
- Ilyushin IL-8 – reduced weaponry impact on plane performance.
- Lavochkin La-160 – replaced the top engine (RD-10F) with the RD-500, improved performance while not using the boost, increased its performance at speed, increased optimum altitude and reduced the boost duration.
- Lavochkin La-15 – increased the boost duration.
Germany:
- Focke-Wulf Fw 57 – improved acceleration while not using the boost and improved the top rear-gun.
- Heinkel He 112 – improved manoeuvrability when using the stock airframe;
- Messerschmitt Me 210 – increased the downward aiming angle of the rear gun-turret.
- Messerschmitt Me 209 V – improved the ability to control pitch in a dive and increased weapon accuracy and burst length.
- Focke-Wulf Fw 190 V – improved manoeuvrability when using the stock airframe.
- Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse – increased the downward aiming angle of the rear gun-turret.
U.S.A.:
- Grumman F3F – improved acceleration while not using the boost and increased its speed near the ground.
- Chance-Vought XF4U-1 – increased its optimum altitude, weapon accuracy and burst length.
- Chance-Vought F4U-1 Corsair – reduced the impact of weaponry on plane performance and increased accuracy.
- Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair – reduced the impact of weaponry impact on plane performance and increased the accuracy.
- Goodyear F2G Super Corsair – improved performance of the stock engine and increased the gun accuracy.
U.K.:
- Gloster Goldfinch – increased weapon accuracy.
- Bristol Blenheim F – added the “Inboard cannons 2х20 mm Hispano Mk. I” as the new top module, improved manoeuvrability when using the stock airframe, improved the rear gun-turret, increased its HP, increased its speed near the ground, increased its optimum altitude, reduced the boost duration and reduced the dive speed.
- Bristol Beaufighter – increased its HP, improved the rear gun-turret, added the effect of the rear gun-turret on plane performance, and increased its speed near the ground, its optimum altitude and the cannon burst length.
- De Havilland 98 Mosquito –increased its optimum altitude, and improved roll performance and acceleration while not using the boost.
- De Havilland 103 Hornet – improved acceleration while not using the boost and increased its optimum altitude.
- Westland P.1056 – increased its HP and its speed near the ground, and reduced its optimum altitude.
- Gloster P.228 – increased its HP, its optimum altitude and the boost duration.
- Gloster Javelin – increased its HP, its optimum altitude and the boost duration.
Game locations
- Resources for objects on all maps were optimised.
- “Adriatic”: reworked the layout of ground targets and added the new visual effect of lightning from the side of the storm front.
- “Lighthouse”: optimised the graphics effects and added explosions in the air to the background effects of AAA.
- “Harbor”: improved the land textures for the city area, added new objects to the port and between the mountains, and fixed some bugs.
- “Fortress”: optimised the tree layout, improved the land textures for the city areas and added a ruined city area.
Other changes and fixes
Interface
- The tool comparing plane characteristics in the battle loading screen now shows the information about speed, firepower, manoeuvrability and altitude performance as a percentage rather than displaying it in points (as previously).
- The battle results window was updated and moved to the hangar.
- Added a new characteristic, “altitude performance”, that will be displayed in the hangar, tech tree and plane information window.
- Made the planes carousel and “Battle!” button available in all hangar menus (home, service, upgrades and paint shop).
- Added game chat parameters to the “Game” section of the settings menu.
- Updated the filters in the store.
- Added the new characteristic, “altitude performance”, to the tips (battle loading menu, planes comparison in the target lock window).
- Added the plane experience and free experience display above the modules tree in the “Upgrades” section of the hangar.
- A module info-tip in the module tree now has the display of its impact on the plane characteristics.
- Updated the experience exchange window.
- Added loading visualisation to the local panels (e.g., the achievements window).
Battle Interface
- Added new schematic representations of various planes to the display of modules in-battle
Graphics
- Added a camera view change when going to the "Service", "Upgrades" and "Paint shop" menus.
- Changed and optimised the wingtip vortices effect.
- Added camera effects for the following game events: "boost", "close explosion" and "flying past planes".
- Changed the portraits of all pilots to reflect the general style of Wargaming.net projects.
Sound
- Added new sounds for ramming and diving after a plane has been shot down.
- Added new voice messages.
- Changed the background sounds of the battle for all maps.
Chat
- Added closed chat channels with the possibility to set, view and change the password feature.
- Added a training room chat.
- Added visual highlighting of the active chat window compared to the other windows.
- Added a chat settings feature to hide the message time.
- Improved flight chat: in-battle messages to flight members are now displayed in the battle chat and in the hangar.
- Implemented colour-marking of chat messages if the player’s name is mentioned in it.
Improvements and bug fixes
- Completed optimisation works to reduce the number of critical errors with Out of Memory messages and increase the FPS rate for displaying multiple planes and/or ground objects in the frame.
- Fixed the missing bombsight when flying at an altitude below 25 metres.
- Fixed the situation with planes crashing when flying over a tree.
- Completed the optimisation of game resources to improve the processes of patching and loading battles, by renaming the maps packages and changing the principle of preparing plane packages.
