Release of Version 0.4.3!

It’s been a long time coming, but now it’s here… Update 0.4.3 for World of Warplanes has been deployed, bringing you new content, new tech tree adjustments and a whole bunch of technical improvements to make it all run smoother and look better than ever before. If you’ve followed our website, you will already be familiar with the main elements of the new version from our latest developers bulletin.

Expect to see the appearance of ‘Flight Crews’ and ‘Skills & Training’ for the brave pilots, navigators and gunners that man your aircraft. Check out the six new planes, which have been introduced with the rearrangement of the tech trees, and take them to new heights whilst discovering new playing grounds with the two new maps ‘Plateau’ and ‘Asian Border’.

But that’s not all! Among many other things, we are glad to announce the return of the tutorial, aiming to give newcomers to the Beta an easier start in their aviation adventure. Discover helpful interface optimisations and start chasing those elusive achievements that will also make their debut in Version 0.4.3.

If you’re all about forming flights with your friends, you’ll be glad to hear that we’ve added a voice chat which will allow you to communicate with your teammates in a much more efficient fashion to bring about victory for your squad.

Lastly, we’ve also spent a lot of time improving the software-situation under the hood with a vast update of visuals and effects which, in turn, will give your computer’s hardware a break and your FPS-rate a significant boost on most PC configurations.

Check out the full patch notes below with a complete overview of all the additions and changes that come with the 0.4.3!

Get airborne, pilots! 

• Added crew qualifications – pilot, navigator and rear gunner.
• Crew qualification levels will affect the aircraft characteristics in combat. 
• Added the possibility to learn additional crew skills:
• "Stamina" – increases crew member’s health and resistance to injury.
  • Can be learned by the pilot, navigator or rear gunner.
  • Available after reaching 100% qualification.

• "Increased view range" – extends the range at which enemy aircraft can be detected by this crew member.
  • Can be learned by the pilot, navigator or rear gunner.
  • Available after reaching 100% qualification.

• "Engine Guru" – improves the aircraft acceleration when flying straight or boosting. 
  • Can be learned by the pilot, navigator or rear gunner.
  • Available after achieving 100% in at least one skill.

• "Long Reach" – increases the range of the rear gunner’s fire at enemy aircraft.
  • Can be learned by the pilot, navigator or rear gunner.
  • Available after achieving 100% in at least one skill.

The list of available skills will be extended in the future.

 Qualification and skills advancement is carried out on a linear basis.

Tutorial

• Implemented the first tutorial lesson, which includes basic aircraft controls, as well as shooting at static and moving targets.

Achievements

• "Medal" – for outstanding performance in a standard battle:
  • “Ace” – awarded for the destruction of at least five enemy aircraft in a battle.
  • “Destroyer” – awarded for the destruction of at least three ground targets and three planes in a battle.
• "Ribbon" – for consecutive destruction of several enemy aircraft or ground targets (without getting killed).
  • “Sky Scourge” – awarded for the destruction of ten enemy planes in a row without getting killed.
  • “Ground Pounder” – awarded for the destruction of ten ground targets in a row without getting killed.
• "Usual" achievements – for any other recognition.
  • “Test Pilot 1^st Class” – awarded for participating in 100 or more battles during the Alpha test stage.
  • “Test Pilot 2^nd Class” – awarded for participating in 100 or more battles during the Closed Beta test stage.
  • “Test Pilot 3^rd Class” – awarded for participating in 100 or more battles in the Open Beta test stage.
  • "Sky Knight " – awarded to all the members of a flight which destroys at least 9 enemy planes in a battle.
  • “Wrecking Crew” – awarded to all the members of a flight which destroys at least 9 ground targets in a battle. All the wingmen must survive.
  • “Golubev Medal” - awarded for the destruction of at least three enemy aircraft in a battle. All targets must be at least two tiers higher that your own aircraft. Vasiliy Golubev was a flying ace of the Baltic Fleet Air Force who shot down several Bf 109 and Fw 190 with his I-16.
  • “Rocketeer” – awarded for shooting down three enemy aircraft by using rockets in one battle.
  • “Legendary (Fighters)” – awarded for obtaining 10 “Ace” medals with Fighters.
  • “Legendary (Carrier-Based Fighters)” – awarded for obtaining 10 “Ace” medals with Carrier Based Fighters.
  • “Legendary (Heavy Fighters)” – awarded for obtaining 10 “Destroyer” medals with Heavy Fighters.

UI

The Loading Screen

• The loading screen now includes chat, mini-map, tips bookmark and comparison of the teams.
• In the team comparison tab, you can select any aircraft from the enemy team, and compare its performance with your plane.
• In the tips bookmark, you can read useful advice about different battle tactics.

HUD

• In the locked target camera, three indicators (firepower, airspeed and manoeuvrability) allow you to compare your plane with enemy aircraft that is selected as target.
• Messages about the destruction of ground targets added.
• New messages about your plane’s destruction added.
• Added an alternative colour mode.
• Added barometric altimeter and the possibility to have two altimeters displayed simultaneously.
• When “Alt” is pressed, the aircraft classes are displayed on the mini map and on the radar.
• Changed the locked-target display on the radar and on the mini-map.
• Modified the help screen displayed by pressing F1.
• Earned achievements are now displayed in the battle results window.
• Added a new camera mode - far away from the plane. 

Hangar

• Added simplified aircraft stats within the same tier. The number of stars in front of each parameter corresponds to the plane’s value compared with the rest of the aircraft of the same tier.
• The formulas for calculating "Airspeed", "Maneuverability" and "Average time of turn” have been modified.
• The aircraft stats appearance has been modified.
• The game menu button has been moved to the main tabs.
• The battle mode selection menu has visually changed.
• The “Flight Battle” button has been moved to the left of the “Battle!” button.

Store

• Store bookmark added.
• Aircraft purchase scheme changed.
• Aircraft purchase options added, like crew training level.
• Table filters have been added.
• Table sorting has been added.

Achievements

• Added the ability to view the stats of each aircraft by selecting it in the table.
• Added the list of awards (medals).
• Table sorting has been implemented.
• Added a filter "Hide aircraft that participated in less than 50 battles".

Aircraft Crew

• Aircraft crew added (in this game build, crew cannot be dismissed or moved into other aircraft).
• Implemented the possibility of improving the qualification of the crew members, as well as the ability to learn a determinate skill.
• Personal files of the crew added.

Gameplay

“Superiority” Game Mode

• The maximum advance speed of the superiority indicator has been reduced.
• Message about the imminent win/loss by superiority now appears when the indicator reaches 75%.

Controls

• Camera turning speed from upside-down has been increased in the control scheme “Mouse”.
• “Switch to Sniper mode” and “Switch to Bombsight mode” are now in “press” mode by default (except on the control scheme “Mouse”).

Physics

• The formula for calculating the thrust has been modified.
• The gun recoil algorithm has changed.
• The crew skills and qualification effect on the flight mode has been implemented.
• Fixed a bug in which some rockets and/or bombs were missing in battle.
• The formula for calculating the splash damage of the bombs has changed.

Damage Model

• Structural damage effect enhanced.
• Separate engine damage has been implemented (for multi-engine aircraft).
• The reparation time of damaged engines (the restoration time from red to yellow state) has increased.
• The physics of aircraft that are shot down has been modified. Now the planes fall down in a more realistic way.
• Implemented special behaviour for aircraft when the pilot is injured. Shaken pilots temporarily lose control of the aircraft while wounded pilots will control the aircraft worse.

Economy

• The formula for calculating experience and credits rewards for damaging ground targets has changed.

Modules, Consumables and Ammunition

• All the purchased equipment, installed or in the depot, will be sold at the purchase price after the release of this update.
• Module "Polished Covering" added – increases the maximum speed of the jet aircrafts.
• Module availability fixed for “Reinforced sheet metal” and “Reinforced fabric covering”.
• Consumable "100-octane gasoline" and "120-octane gasoline" modified:
• The engine power increases during the whole battle, also the speed is slightly increased.
• "100-octane gasoline" is available for USSR and Japanese aircrafts with piston engines.
• "120-octane gasoline" is available for U.S.A. and German aircrafts with piston engines.
• Consumable "Purified Kerosene" has been added:
• The engine power increases during the whole battle, also the speed is slightly increased.
• Available for every jet engine aircraft.
• Enhanced the difference between the various ammunition belt types.
• Changed the names of the ammunition belts.

New Target Lock System

• Corrected an issue in which an enemy target was lost when another enemy plane flied through the centre of the screen.

Anti-Aircraft Guns

• Damage inflicted by AA guns has been increased for medium and high tiers.

Game balance

Tech trees changes

Germany (Fighters)

• Bf. 109F – added as Tier VI, instead of the Bf. 109G.
• Bf. 109G and Me. 209A – moved to Tiers VII and VIII respectively.
• Me. P.1092 and Me. P.1101 – added as Tiers IX and X respectively.

Germany (Heavy Fighters)

• Me. 262, Bf. 109TL, Me. 262 HG III – moved to the Heavy Fighter branch, maintaining the same tiers.
• Bf. 109Z – moved down to Tier VI, parallel to the Me. 410. It can now be researched from either the Bf. 110E or the Bf. 109F.
• Me. 609 – moved down to Tier VII. It can be researched from either the Bf. 109Z or the Me. 410.
• Me. P.1099B, Me. P.1102 - removed from the Tech Tree.

USSR (Fighters)

• La-7 – added as Tier VII, instead of the La-9.
• La-9 – moved to Tier VIII, instead of the La-150.
• La-150 – removed  from the Tech Tree.

USSR (Ground Attack Aircraft)

• IL-10 – moved down to Tier VII, parallel to the IL-8. It can be researched from the IL-2 (t).
• IL-20 – moved down to Tier VIII. It can be researched from either the IL-8 or the IL-10.
• IL-40 – moved down to Tier IX.
• Il-40P – added as Tier X, instead of the IL-40.

U.S.A (Fighters)

• P-51H – added as Tier VIII, instead of the P-51JP.
• P-51JP – removed from the Tech Tree.

Aircraft Replacement

Germany:

• If you own the Bf. 109G, you will receive the Bf. 109F with the top configuration.
• If you own the Bf. 109TL, you will receive the Me. P.1092 with the top configuration.
• If you own the Me. 262 HG III, you will get the Me. P.1101.
• If you own the P.1102, you will receive the Me. 262 HG III (if you didn’t have it previously as a fighter).
• If you own the Me.109Z, you will receive the Me. 609 with the top configuration (if you didn’t have it previously).
• If you own the Me. 609, you will receive the Me. 262 with the top configuration (if you didn’t have it previously).
• If you own the Me. P.1099B, you will receive the Bf. 109TL with the top configuration (if you didn’t have it previously).

USSR:

• If you own the La-150, you will receive the La-9 with the top configuration (if you didn’t have it previously).
• If you own the La-9, you will receive the La-7 with the top configuration.
• If you own the IL-10, you will receive the IL-20 (if you didn’t have it previously).
• If you own the IL-20, you will receive the IL-40 - top configuration (if you didn’t have it previously).
• If you own the IL-40, you will receive the IL-40P , as well as the IL-40 with the top configuration.

U.S.A.

• If you own the P-51JP, you will receive the P-51H with the top configuration.

Aircraft Rebalance

Planes of Tier VI-X were reconfigured into new roles and characters. Specific features of certain planes have been amplified.

Changes made to aircraft at Tiers I-V:

• I-16 late – increased the influence of the ShVAK guns suspension on the aircraft’s performance.
• F2A – increased the influence of the Hispano cannons suspension on the aircraft’s performance.
• A5M – increased the accuracy of the machine guns.

Balance on aircraft modules, according to the changes in the techtrees.

Weapons changes:

• Increased the damage inflicted by the 37mm and 45mm cannons – IL-2, IL-2 (t), IL-8.
• Increased the damage inflicted by the rockets RS-82, RS-132, TRS-82, TRS-132.

Maps

New Maps

• Plateau (for Tiers VI-X).
• Asian Border (for Tiers V-X).

Settings

• Pacific: the highest available tier for this map increased to VII.
• Arctic: the starting positions of the aircrafts have been centred.

Ground targets

• Increased the health points of ground targets.
• Reduced the number of AA guns on all maps, AA guns damage increased.

Art

• The Level of surface detail has been improved on all maps (rendering system was modified).
• The lighting system has been improved on all maps.
• Post-FX has been added and reconfigured on all maps.
• Objects were optimized on all maps.
• Aircraft materials improved (especially the aircraft glazing material).
• Cloud display improved.
• New system of tree display added.
• Bullets tracers modified.
• Condensation trails of jet engines aircrafts added.
• The exhaust of jet engines on some aircraft changed.
• Different effects on aircraft changed (specially the damaged aircraft effects).
• The fog system has been modified.
• Canopy material has been modified.

Sound

• Added new sounds of bullet hits in the plane.
• Added countdown sounds before battles start.
• Added music for the map "Asian Border".
• Added new voice messages. The logic of having this messages displayed has been improved.
• Improved the battle sounds in “Spectator Mode”.

Chat

• “System Channel" is now divided into seven language channels.
• Implemented option to add / remove friends during a battle.
• Added “Report a Player” function. To use it, hold “Ctrl” and right-click on the name of the player that you wish to report. Then choose the appropriate complaint from the pre-set options menu that will be displayed.
• Each player can submit up to 5 complaints per day.
• Voice messages of a player that is in the ignore list are automatically muted.
• Contacts list improved.
• Added the ability to rename a channel.
• Friends’ invite system changed.

Voice Chat

• Voice chat uses TeamSpeak technology now.
• Implemented for voice chat for flight in battle and in the Hangar.
• Implemented voice chat for the allied team.
• Added the ability to add/remove players from the "Mute list".
• Added ability to disable voice chat with a hot key, while being in battle.