[WoWP] Conquering the Sky

Eastern Europe has become a major center of free-to-play MMO action games under the aegis of Wargaming.net, with the major three development offices: Minsk (Belarus) for World of Tanks, Kiev (Ukraine) for World of Warplanes, and Saint Petersburg (Russia) for World of Battleships.

While aerial and naval games are being developed by two separate studious, both of them can't but benefit from the experience and resources of WoT team, which is naturally the largest one of the three. The Minsk HQ provide both technical and methodological assistance to achieve better quality of the trilogy.

As mentioned before, World of Warplanes is being developed by Kiev-based partner studio - Persha Studia, comprising more than 100 professionals with a huge background in game development. The development process is guided and mentored by Minsk producing team. The cooperation includes regular mutual visits, feature planning, milestone approving, and both managerial and design video conferences scheduled several times a week.

Minsk producing team is also engaged in general communication and facilitation of all project activities, which means promotion, marketing, global operations, video and audio production etc

Technical assistance is also extremely important. WoWP benefits greatly from the usage of shared resources, which includes but not limited to:

• the usage of joint technical resources;
• server and hardware maintenance;
• data logging;
• joint server and web deployment, ie release of updates for all regions;
• high-level web resources - clan wars functionality, portal including single account for all WG games and account management tools;
• misc front-end resources - bonus codes, payment system, etc;
• misc back-end resources - administration panels, support software;
• advice and expert evaluation.

Besides WoWP can rely on cooperation with the community and customer support teams of WoT to provide better service for players at any stage.

WoWP is going to be a lesson learned from WoT in every possible meaning. What does WoT lack for?

• new game modes? There will already be a few upon the release of WoWP.
• tutorial for new players?  It will be added during the beta stage, so as testers could give their feedback which will allow us to polish the tutorial prior to release.
• fair matchmaking? In WoWP it will be totally different, the balance of aerial battles doesn't assume that eg tier 4 and tier 8 planes will normally fight alongside.
• Strong PvE element? Sure thing!

 With the features above and many more to come announce WoWP is planning to be more successful than WoT in both NA and EU.

[WoWP] Up in the Sky

Since the launch of World of Warplanes global alpha we have received around 400.000 applications from around the globe. At the current, rather early stage of development, really (and I mean really) massive testing is not required, and candidates are chosen based on a variety of factors they stated in their application forms. That creates not a huge, but steady and stable flow of feedback.

Don't get disappointed if you haven't received confirmation letter yet (equally if you haven't received anything at all). Filled applications are not denied and will be still valid at closed beta stage, when we will be needing much more testers to test new features and content.

In global alpha we are already operating 3 different servers (American, European, and Russian), so it's definitely step forward comparing to WoT, where we started with Russian server only. The development progresses rather fast, basically we update the game every 2-3 weeks, adding more stuff.

As many of you might already know from the multiple interviews and articles on WoWP, the game is a mixture of sim and arcade elements. We are going to support various controllers (even including TrackIR), offer quite realistic flight model (aerobatics is in), however neither take-off nor landing is currently planned, as well as precise control over air-fuel mixture.

Alpha Gameplay Footage

You can apply for the alpha, if you haven't done it yet here:

NA - http://na.worldofwarplanes.com/ga/new/
EU - http://eu.worldofwarplanes.com/ga/new/
RU - http://ru.worldofwarplanes.com/ga/new/

In comments to this post you ask about WoWP. Welcome.

[WoT] Feedback on 7.2

Update 7.2 has been out for a few days and it's time to share your feedback with us. New American TD line, revision of American HT line, new crew skills, massive changes in game economy, new UI elements, new maps and some other stuff.

What are your impressions of the new version, what you liked most, what are the main faults, etc. 

Share your feedback in the comments to this post and will reply to the most valuable ones from my point of view.

Thanks

[WoT] Bailout of 7.2

Think, everyone or almost everyone has already acquainted with the changes in WoT game economy introduced in 7.2. They can be found eg here (EU). So it's clear "what", but still may be not clear "why" or even "why the hell?!".

The initial economy balance tuned at open beta stage, the one the game went live with, was affected greatly, and mostly in a negative way, by multiple changes in game mechanics (getting rid of "teleporting", tweaks in penetration mechanics, HE-mechanics, hitboxes changes etc etc), changes in vehicle specs (buffs&nerfs), introduction of new tanks and some other factors. Most of the time such kind of impact was hardly predictable.

As a result of the above the economy balance as of 7.1.(1) moved quite far from the designated values designed and set initially. The situation wasn't gamebreaking, but it really hurt and this has to be fixed sooner or later. So we have scheduled the major changes for 7.2 and adjusted the following.

For tanks:

• income per battle
• repair costs
• research costs
• price in credits

For modules:

• research costs
• price in credits
• tier

Summarizing the changes, the total effect that may not be obvious for players at first glance - the gross influx of credits into the game for all tiers is increased, which along with reduced research costs for most of the tanks and modules will lead in most of the case to the decrease of overall number of battles to get the highest tier, ie reduce the grind. See the picture below, that characterizes the current (7.1) and patched (7.2) credit incomes of heavy tanks in game for standard account.

The same charts for other classes are practically the same barring a few minor differences, eg we alleviated the reduction for high tier TDs for the only reason of their not very high percentage in game, comparing to other classes.

Especially, the grind will be less significant at tiers 1-4, now for standard account the experience and credits are earned simultaneously, so approximately at the time the next vehicle can be researched, there is enough credits to purchase it.

At tiers 5-8 there are changes in both directions with the majority of tweaks aimed at reduction of the current profitability rates. Vehicles of these tiers went too far from the designated values. However we still do stick to the concept that tier 4-6 vehicles (3-5 for SPGs) are the most profitable ones. See the chart for meds:

Even with the reductions made at mid tiers, taking all tiers into account the changes are in the black. Comparing to our basic concept that tanks should on average break even for standard account at tier 7, it's not true strictly true at the moment. All tier 7 ones do MAKE money on average in 7.2. So the initial strategy was adjusted here.

At high tiers there mostly were "plus" changes. Top vehicles, including tier 10 heavies and tier 8 spgs, have become too unprofitable and needed to be buffed economically a bit. That wouldn't allow them to make money on a regular basis on standard account of course.

What else should be highlighted:

• there was no income nerfs for premium tanks;
• preferential mode for high tier TDs;
• a great number of discrepancies have been fixed, including abnormal research costs for tanks and modules (eg 105 mm Gun T5E1, 8,8 cm KwK 36 L/56), tiers of modules, etc.
• there was no ammo cost rebalancing which is still might be necessary.

Economy is really a long and complex story, that can be flamed talked about endlessly, just like balance in general. Hope, I have cleared the things a bit.

Change in Scope

It's has been a while since the latest big post back in December 2011.

Many things have changed since then, including my position and scope. Currently I'm involved as producer in two major projects that are currently in development by Wargaming.net - World of Tanks and World of Warplanes.

Thus at the current stage I'm devoting my time and effort to a more generalized and strategic level of things, having less time to some particular details (e.g. balance of tank X), which will inevitably affect the format of the blog and dramatically decrease time spent on forums.

From now on, I will do my best providing the information on how and why we do things instead of focusing on what exactly we do (such stuff can be found on specialized resources like forums and websites). This will minimize the overlap with similar sources.

The aforementioned change means that the blog will cover issues related to both ground and aerial warfare. I would like to keep most of the communications and discussions in one place, ie here. This will also include regular Q&A sessions and insider's posts of various kinds.

During the major break I also had chance to visit Game Developers Conference 2012 in San Francisco, US, which was really helpful and somewhat fun.

Even though some of the talks were dedicated to sort of obvious things with few or no innovative ideas and aimed at students, the majority could find something for their own taste. Looked like Naughty Dog and DICE had the biggest overall number of talks which were very popular.

 Lowly Overlord and mighty Sid Meier.

Prior to flying back home, I also had a chance to visit Tank Summit at one of the biggest private tank collections in the world comprising ~150 vehicles. Really impressive.

                                     T-54/55 "The beloved"

T-34 with 76mm. Really rare stuff, most of survived vehicles are 34-85.

M103 "The newcomer"

Just M3 Lee.

Starting with the next week, the blog will be regularly updated. Waiting for ideas and suggestions in comments.

PS: Hope, you also like the updated design of the blog.
PPS: Not planning to disable OpenID comments, asking everyone to be civilized. Thanks.

It's alive!

The blog is changing and evolving. Don't remove it from your bookmarks and speed dials.

Stay tuned.

Overlord

Preliminary Patch Notes v.7.1

While 7.0 update is being released for US (at the moment) and EU (later this week) servers, we are launching public test of 7.1 update.

Due to technical reasons and the desire to speed up the release of this update, the public test will be available only for RU server this time (public test of 7.1 requires the support of 7.0 functionality which is not ready for EU and US yet).

World of Tanks v.7.0 - 7.1 test1 patch notes:

- Added basic French Tank Tree;
Introducing lights, mediums, and heavies, all in all 18 vehicles. No premiums for now.
Mind the following changes in comparison with French alpha tree:
Lorraine 40t moved to tier 8 medium, while Bat Chatillon 25 t - to tier 9 medium.
Amx-50 120mm was downshifted from tier 10 to tier 9 heavy, and AMX 50B (former AMX 65t) became the new French top heavy.
- Fixed bug with default ammunition resupply after the battle;
It's a v.7.0 bug, when system doesn't save your ammo choice and sometimes restores basic ammo selection.
- Fixed bug when it's impossible to close private channels;
Again v.7.0 bug.
- Fixed client-to-server asynchronization upon the vehicle's destruction by ramming;
Again v.7.0 bug.
- Added tank model (short) after the player's name in brackets for battle interface.
For all messages and notifications, eg chat messages, X destroyed by Y messages et. Eg chat message - Overlord (M46): Hello!
- Changed specifications for all automatic guns and vehicles using them.
Automatic and semiautomatic guns have been reworked into a new system with auto-loading (cartridge reloading) that is being introduced along with French tanks.
Some vehicle specs have also been changed. Detailed patch notes will be available upon the release to the main server.
- Fixed bugs with vehicle armouring: IS-3 (top front turret), IS-4 (side hull and 122mm BL-9 gun mantlet), T95 (side hull);
IS-3 and IS-4 are getting their 7.0 bugs fixed, eg the latter had his side armour decreased by 20mm. Restoring the correct values.
As for T95, applying the changes announced here: http://overlord-wot.blogspot.com/2011/11/upcoming-armor-buffs-of-t95.html
- Fixed bugs in vehicle models: Object 212, Pz VI Tiger, T32, Grille, Pz II Luchs, VK3001P, Löwe;
Just visual stuff.
- ISU-152: 16 armour groups + spaced armor;
ISU is getting its new hitbox. Just as many vehicles in 7.0.
- Fixed the same gun models 7.5cm L/70 and 8.8cm L/56 for JagdPanther;
Visually the guns were the same. Now they are using 2 different models.
- Fixed camo bugs for VK4502A, Pz II.
- Reduced RoF for 8.8cm L/71 guns on JagdPanther and Ferdinand;
These changes were misssing in 7.0, where the long 88 got 220->240 damage adjustment.
- Fixed bugs on maps: Fjords, Marsh, Steppes, Malinovka;
A couple of map bugs got fixed.
- Fixed the red "Texture not found" square replacing clan logo when changing settings;
Introducing the display of clan logos. It hasn't been added in 7.0, since some rework was required.
- Added new options for colour-blind scheme;
Now it's possible to adjust the colour of reload progress-bar and a gun marker.
- Fixed bug with not displayed new invites when invite channel is open;
- Fixed invite channel blinking when there are no active invites;
- Fixed the absence of Commander's modifier in tooltip over a crew member;
- Fixed bugs in fire effects for destroyed tanks;
- Added the option to hide interface when playing the recorded battle ("V" key);
- Fixed bug when getting to pre-battle room for ready but un-distributed tank company players;
- Fixed a system message while receiving/redeeming vehicle that is already in garage;
- Fixed garage freezing when entering the game with "Enter" button pressed.

December 3 - December 9 Poll Results

7941 players voted in the most recent poll on effectiveness of premium vehicles.

Tier 8 medium tank Type 59 has grabbed solid lead with 55% of votes (4393), significantly ahead of tier 8 heavy Lowe with 21% and tier 2 light tank PzKpfw 38H735 (f) aka Hotchkiss with 12%.

All other premiums were left far behind.

As always a new poll is up.

Balancing Changes in 7.0

The following balancing adjustment will be applied in the upcoming 7.0 update.

Reworked hitobxes of German tanks:
- Pz B2 740 (f): 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Pz 38H735 (f): 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Pz S35 739 (f): 16 armour groups + spaced armor. Added side spaced armour.
- Leichttraktor: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Panther II: slightly changed gun mantlets.
- Pz 38 (t): 16 armour groups + spaced armor
- Pz 38 nA: 16 armour groups + spaced armor
- Pz III/IV: 16 armour groups + spaced armor
- Pz II Luchs: 16 armour groups + spaced armor
- Pz VI Tiger: 16 armour groups + spaced armor
- Pz V-IV: slightly changed turret armour.
- StuG III: 16 armour groups + spaced armor. Hull front armour set to 80mm.
- JagdPz IV: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- VK 1602 Leopard: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- VK 3001 (H): 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- VK 3001 (P): 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- VK 3002 (DB): 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- VK 3601 (H): 16 armour groups + spaced armor.

Rebalanced German tanks and guns:
- 8.8cm L/71 damage: 220->240.
- Minimum combat tier for VK1602 и T-50 increased by 1.
- Imprved ventilation removed from Gw-Tiger и Gw-Panther.

VK 3601 (H):
- Reload time of 7.5cm KwK 41 L/58: 3.5->4.5 sec.
- Aiming time of 7.5cm KwK 41 L/58: 1.1->2 sec.
- Dispersion during movement and turret traverse of 7.5cm KwK 41 L/58 increased by 10%.

PzKpfw V Panther:
- Ammo Rack Hit points -20%.
- View range of top turret: 420->430.

Panther II:
- Ammo Rack Hit points -10%.
- View range of stock turret: 460->430 m.
- View range of top turret: 460->450 m.
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: 6.1->6.7 sec.

E-50:
- Ammo Rack Hit points -5%.
- View range of stock turret: 460->450 m.
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for stock turret: 6->6.6 sec.
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: 5.8->6.4 sec.

PzKpfw VI Tiger:
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: 6.8->7.5 sec.

PzKpfw VI Tiger (P):
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for stock turret: 7.3->8.0 sec.
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: 6.8->7.5 sec.

PzKpfw VI Tiger:
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: 6.8->7.5.

PzKpfw VIB Tiger II:
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for stock turret: 6.5->7.2 sec.
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: с 6.1 до 6.7 sec.

VK 4502 (P) Ausf. A:
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for stock turret: 6.5->7.2 sec.
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: 6.1->6.7 sec.

VK 4502 (P) Ausf. B:
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for stock turret: 6.1->6.7 sec.
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: 5.8->6.4 sec.

Е-75:
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for stock turret: 6.1->6.7 sec.
- Reload time of 8.8cm KwK 43 L71 for top turret: 5.8->6.4 sec.

GW Tiger:
- Reload time of 170mm K72 Sf: 27.3->25.5 sec.
- Dispersion of 170mm K72 Sf: 0.41->0.4.
- Dispersion of 170mm K72 Sf during gun traverse: -5%.

Reworked hitobxes of Soviet tanks:
- А-20: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- А-32: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- АТ-1: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- BT-7: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- SU-85B: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- IS-3: 16 armour groups + spaced armor. Added side spaced armour.
- IS-4: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- IS-7: 16 armour groups + spaced armor. Improved front turret armour, improved weld of upper and lower frint plates, added side spaced armour.
- KV-13: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- KV-3: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- KV: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Matilda: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- МS-1: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Object 704: 16 armour groups + spaced armor. Added side spaced armour.
- SU-14 : 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- SU-152: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- SU-18 : 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- SU-76 : 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- T-34: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Т-44: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Т-54: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Valentine: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.

Rebalanced Soviet tanks and guns:
- Changed models and specifications of both turrets for IS-3.
- Shell price for 180mm F-600D: 1890->1980 credits.
- Shell price for 180mm UBR-600: 1890->1980 credits.
- Shell price for 203mm F-625D: 1442->1568 credits.
- Shell price for 203mm G-620: 1092->1200 credits.

Т-44:
- Added LB-1 for top turret.
- Added В-54-6 engine of 680 hp.
- Ammo rack hit points: +15%.
- traverse speed for stock suspension: 2 deg/sec; for top suspension - +1 deg/sec.
- View range of stock turret: 430->420 m.
- View range of top turret: 430->440 m.

Т-54:
- Ammo rack hit points: +5%.

Reworked hitobxes of American tanks:
- M12: fixed gun shields.
- M2 Light Tank: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- M2 Medium Tank: 16 armour groups + spaced armor..
- M4A2E4: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- M4A3E8 Sherman: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- M4 Sherman: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- M5 Stuart: fixed the value of side hull armor.
- M7: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- Ram II: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- T-14: 16 armour groups + spaced armor. Added side spaced armour.
- T1 Cunningham: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- T29: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- T2 Light Tank: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- T30: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- T32: 16 armour groups + spaced armor..
- T34: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.
- T40: 16 armour groups + spaced armor.

Rebalanced American tanks and guns:
- M4A3E8 Sherman: added 105mm SPH M4 L/23 gun for both turrets.
- Repair cost of T40 TD: -60%.
- Shell price for 105mm APCR T29E3M2: 12->10 gold.

T20:
- Ammo rack hit points: +10%.
- View range of stock turret: 400->420 m.
- View range of top turret: 420->440 m.

M26 Pershing:
- dispersion during movement: -10%.
- View range of stock turret: 430->440 m.
- View range of top turret: 450->460 m.

M46 Patton:
- Ammo rack hit points: +20%.
- View range of stock turret: 450->460 m.

Changes in Game Economy

The following changes relating to game economy will be applied in 7.0 updates:

- GW-Panther: credit income decreased by 10%.
- GW Tiger: credit income decreased by 20%.

- M37: credit income decreased by 30%.
- M7 Priest: credit income decreased by 8%.
- M41: credit income decreased by 3%.
- M12: credit income decreased by 10%.
- M40/43: credit income decreased by 20%.
- T92: credit income decreased by 15%.

- SU-14: credit income decreased by 13%.
- S-51: credit income decreased by 15%.
- Object 212: credit income decreased by 25%.

Changed gold prices in gold for the following tanks (used when selling a tank for conversion into credits):
- M6A2E1: 10000 -> 7500
- PzV_PzIV: 1500 -> 3000
- A-32: 1250 -> 2500