The upcoming content update for WWIIOL: Battleground Europe is quickly preparing to enter the open testing phase. In preparation for that we are posting this read me in hopes that we can answer any questions that you have and share those in a FAQ with the community at large. This should give everyone a good grasp of the features and what we need tested as we move into Open Test.
If you have questions please post them below and we'll provide answers later on in the week. Please keep your questions brief and on topic so that we can give you a meaningful response. We look forward to your help testing this update and also giving you the chance to play with some of these awesome new features!
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World War Two Online Open Test Candidate
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Version 1.32.0.6 (09-23-2010)
Bailout:
Bailout is the new despawn mechanism for airplanes. The goals are twofold. Give pilots a reward for returning their plane and also give them a better chance at getting the kill before a target blinks out. Planes that are on the ground (or near) will despawn as usual. Pilots that are in flight will need to bail out, if they can, before being killed or running into the ground.
- Added bailout despawn for planes
- This allows pilots to escape a damaged aircraft without getting a KIA
- This allows attacking planes to continue to try and get a kill scored
- Planes will no longer blink out
Bailout Despawn:
- Despawning in a moving plane above ~180 meters will result in a bailout despawn
- Bailout despawns end when the plane crashes or the pilot touches down or 30 seconds goes by
- Planes with multiple positions will show parachuting crewmen for each position living at the time
- of the bail out
- During a bailout despawn the despawning plane can still fly and take damage and crash
- Pilots who have bailed have no control of their plane
- Pilots who successfully bailout will receive either a Rescued or an MIA
- Canopies will come off when a bailout is initiated
Normal Despawn:
- Occurs if the plane is crashed
- Occurs if the pilot is dead
- Occurs if you are the crew in a MC aircraft
Unable to Despawn:
- Planes not on the ground and not above 180meters will not be able to despawn
- Players must climb to 180 meters to bailout despawn
- Players must be on the ground to regular despawn
Bailout Scoring Changes for Planes:
- Bailing out pilots will be scored at the time of bailout
- Pilots who bailout can only receive an MIA or a Rescued status
- Kills will now be awarded for any damaged plane that does not RTB even if that damage is not critical as long as that damage was recent (maneuver or ditch kills)
- Plane RTB is defined as being on the ground close to a friendly airfield
- Planes that RTB will deny a kill score to the enemy even if critical damage was achieved
- RTB planes will no longer explode on despawn due to critical damage
Multi-Crew Bailout and Despawn:
- Crew despawns when commander despawns
- Crew can now bypass despawn timer and despawn at anytime
Player Placed Objects:
We've added a new type of Server Tracked Object to this release, the Player Placed Object (PPO). These objects are only the first in a series of objects we hope to allow players to use to impact the battle they are in by affecting the world around them.
- Infantry players may now place certain objects in the world
- Sappers can place a gun emplacement
- All other infantry/paratroopers can place an infantry fighting position
- These objects cannot be destroyed
- Infantry units have a new entrenching or build tool
- When using this tool you will have visible feedback if you can place an object
- Infantry go to kneeling while placing the object
- There is a build timer to place the object
- There is a cool down timer on the entrenchment tool once it has been used before it can be used again
- These can be placed online or offline
- There is a limit on how many can be placed in an area by each side *
- There are no map icons because these objects are not part of strat
- There is a buffer around each object so that they may not be placed too close together or too close to other objects
- These objects cannot be placed on cobblestones or airfield or roads etc.
- These objects cannot be placed if another player is intersecting their placement position
(*) Note: The placement rules are fairly complex to explain but in practice are easily observed. These are still being worked on in Beta.
Forward Resupply units:
The Forward Resupply Unit is a special type of PPO that can be placed bu a truck or the Mission Leader. This objects replaces the Mobile Spawn Point and Unmanned Mobile Spawn features in the current game with one that can be more easily placed by the mission leader. This is a first step in expanding the ways and means of entering the world and interacting with your group.
- Trucks can no longer become MSPs
- Instead a truck will place an object in the world that acts as Forward Resupply Unit
- The truck may then continue on the mission or despawn leaving the object in the world
- FRUs act as both an infantry spawn point and as a resupply point
- All other rules associated with the placement of an MSP are still in effect including the one per mission limit
- These objects may not be placed intersecting with other objects
- They may be placed on cobblestone but not on airfields
- Mission leaders can delete these from the map the same as an MSP now
- When a Mission Leader places an FRU, any previous FRU for that mission is automatically deleted
- Paratrooper Mission leaders do not get the FRU
- Trucks place this object by using the deploy key to turn on the placement “ghost” and then again to place the object
- Trucks must be stopped to place the object
- The FRU can act as an RTB spot for infantry and paratroopers
HQ Alerts:
We've enabled a system developed some time ago that allows for players to receive Action Alerts from the HQ. These chat based alerts can notify a player of nearby action when spawned in to help mission members coordinate intel to receive a better picture of the battlefield. These alerts can be used to compliment the contact report and way-point system, to give a mission leader more tools to organize his tasks.
This system is experimental and we plan to deploy it for an upcoming intermission to see how it plays large scale. We've been playing with it for many months internally and really like it.
Infantry:
- Paras with a chute open now cull at 2000 meters
Tables of Equipment:
- Div HQ now have a spawn list more suited to resupply
Resupply:
- Resupply is now side based not country based
RDP:
- Factory rebuild times reverted to correct 1.30 values (longer)(live)
Squad:
- Squad invites should show the recruiter name and squad name associated with the squad invite
Client:
- Added performance improvement for troops (~10% increase in fps for infantry critical scenes)
- SpeedTrees are now Open GL 3.2 compliant
- OpenGL 3.2+ path for multitextures
Terrain:
- Bushes are now per-calculated instead of at run-time
- Adjusted fade in of radial clutter groups
- Fixed some trees that could be driven through
Sounds:
- Added a new naval alert ping
Alerts are now all controlled by the alerts setting in the Preferences Tab
- Fixed several sound attenuation issues when software sounds are selected
Effects:
- Increased bloom effects to match 1.30 effects
- Windmills and towers don't show trooper shadows on the bottom
- Flak effects darkened for more realistic and visible hits
- Vehicle dust does not display in the rain
Map:
- Added ability for ML to delete all WPs (similar to contact reports)
Chat:
- orders are not set to the newly created mission's description
- chat increase is now <right control + backspace>
AAR:
- Capture assist removed
Translations:
- Added several new translations to support Bailout and PPOs.
- Updated several languages
Manuals:
- Added Bf109 F2 manual
Concussion Bug:
- Various potential shake cam fixes
- Modified how the shake cam report is done
- Added /concussionbug slash command which sends out a shake cam /report if it thinks you have the bug
Preferences:
- Added color selection to PPO placement colors
PlayGATE:
- Reintroduced the Hardware Survey features of PlayGATE
Mac:
- Added pref for low resolution OpenAL sound
Platinum Builders:
- Added Stang's picture to the capture building
- Added Chiefwo's picture to the capture building
- Added Fredrik1's picture to the capture building
- Added Xl2dylar's picture to the capture building