Dear Friends,
The IL-2 development team is glad to report that the new huge update 3.201 is released. It brings you not only the 3 new aircraft and 2 new maps for two projects, but also many improvements in all areas of the sim - graphics, physics, audio, controls, armament, and instruments. You can find the in depth information about some of the new features in our recent Dev Diaries. Please note that this update is the last milestone before the release of two projects at once - Bodenplatte and Flying Circus Vol.1 - which should happen in a month or so. Moreover, this update contains many improvements for Tank Crew as well, paving the way for the release of its two scenario campaigns and tank commander interface.
We advise you to browse through the 3.201 changelist below - in addition to big additions it contains smaller changes which were requested for some time:
New aircraft and other objects
1. Tempest Mk.V Series 2 fighter is available to all Bodenplatte owners;
2. P-51D-15 fighter is available to all Bodenplatte owners;
3. Collectors Plane P-38J-25 is available to all Bodenplatte Premium Edition owners;
4. The new map Rheinland Summer 1944 (including the Low Countries) is available to all Bodenplatte owners in QMB mode;
5. The new map Arras Spring 1918 is available to all Flying Circus Vol.1 owners in QMB mode;
6. B-25D bomber added (not player controllable);
7. GMC CCKW truck added;
8. Willys MB off-road vehicle added;
9. M16 Half-track self-propelled AAA gun added;
10. Sd Kfz 7 Flakvierling 38 self-propelled AAA gun added;
11. Flakvierling 38 AAA gun added;
12. М1A1 90 mm AAA gun added;
13. US searchlights and landing lights added;
14. M5 3-inch AT gun added;
15. M1 155mm howitzer added;
16. JagdPz IV L70 tank destroyer added;
17. Infantry and AA .50 MG added;
18. New types of road and railroad bridges added;
19. New Western European town and village blocks added;
20. New industry blocks added;
21. Many new unique buildings for Rheinland and Arras added;
22. New countries that participated in WWI and WWII added to the mission logic;
Visual improvements
23. Aircraft and ships are visible much farther than before - theoretically, they can be spotted as far as 100 km away if there are fire, contrails or a ship wake;
24. New 'Distant buildings' option added;
25. Object markers can be blocked by landscape and objects, including own aircraft or vehicle;
26. Static objects rendering has been optimized to increase performance;
27. Sun glare from distant aircraft is visible better;
28. Fire can be visible inside the cockpit on single and triple engine planes;
29. It's possible to display a customizable photo in all aircraft cockpits and tank cabins;
30. Collimator sight reticle has been improved for all planes;
Aircraft improvements
31. DB-601 and DB-605 engine sounds improved for all Bf-109 and Bf-110 planes;
32. Realistic pilot's physiology model is now active, which takes into account the duration of the G-load and rate the G-load was applied;
33. After prolonged exposure to high-G load the load factor tolerance of the crew decreases and they require some time of steady flight to rest and recover;
34. Oxygen deficit affects the human tolerance to high G-load more accurately;
35. Visual and audible high-G effects made more realistic;
36. The sound of the player breathing during a significant positive G load improved, that sound is no longer played during a negative G load;
37. G-suits increase the load factor tolerance of the crew;
38. The crew can become motion sick from alternating G loads;
39. High-G loads, powerful impacts and pain shock can render the crew unconscious resulting in a loss of control;
40. New 'Simple physiology' option added to the difficulty settings disables the load factor tolerance decrease, loss of consciousness and motion sickness;
41. Damage inflicted to the crew from powerful impacts and falls have been corrected;
42. The player can't get painful shock anymore if the invulnerability difficulty option is checked;
43. The ability of the crew to bail out is now limited by the G-load (including its direction), airspeed and crew health (wounds);
44. Crew bails out differently depending on the G load direction - down if the load is positive and up if the load is negative;
45. The movements of the visible model of the flight stick and pedals in the cockpit are no longer filtered so there is less delay between the movement of real flight stick and pedals and the virtual ones. However, the flight stick movement speed is still limited at high flight speeds or if the pilot is wounded;
46. It is now possible to assign a trim axis if it was controlled by an axis on a real aircraft (control wheel or lever). The speed of the trim axis is still limited and depends on the aircraft, similar to the adjustable stabilizer. If you use joystick buttons or keyboard for controlling such trimmers, please assign these keys not only to electric trimmers but also to this trim axis;
47. All Pe-2 and Hs-129 have their electric trimmers disabled if the power is turned off. Turning them on and off can be heard and the sound of trim has been replaced with an electric motor sound;
48. The adjustable stabilizer axis is no longer inverted (its direction is changed according to DirectX standard);
49. New commands for retraction and extension of the landing gear added;
50. It's possible to repair in aircraft when it is near an object with the service parameter set to On in the mission file. Repairs start automatically when the engines shutdown procedure is complete;
51. It's possible to refuel in aircraft when it is near an object with the service parameter set to On in the mission file. The refueling process can be started and stopped using the new commands and only possible if the engines are shut down;
52. It's possible to rearm in aircraft when it is near an object with the service parameter set to On in the mission file. The rearming process can be started and stopped using the new command and only possible if the engines are shut down;
53. Spitfire stall behavior with released landing flaps has been corrected;
54. British and American voiceovers added for Bodenplatte pilots;
55. 150 Octane fuel is available for Spitfire IXe that enables +25 lbs. With it enabled, switching supercharger gears becomes manual;
56. La-5FN skins should work on an MP server now, but this change requires reassigning its skins in the missions created earlier;
57. Bodenplatte pilots got Summer uniform;
58. Windmilling effect works on U-2VS;
59. British gyro gunsight G.G.S. Mk.IId (Spitfire Mk.IXe) now accounts for gravitational bullet drop when calculating the deflection;
60. Spitfire Mk.IXe electric fuel pump won't continuously switch on and off at low throttle on the ground;
61. Some instruments and switches sounds corrected on Spitfire Mk.IXe;
62. Me 262 A behavior at beyond-stall angles of attack corrected;
63. The physical behavior of I-16 fragments has been corrected;
64. Smoke clouds after a plane crash in multiplayer disappear correctly;
AI improvements
65. AI better aims at distant steadily flying targets;
66. AI better distribute enemy targets among themselves;
67. If an AI has a speed advantage over a target it is attacking, it tries to keep this advantage;
68. Combat turns, spirals and banking maneuvers in a dogfight are performed more aggressively;
69. AI won't switch maneuvers too frequently, distorting its planned tactics;
70. Criteria for choosing maneuvers in a dogfight were updated;
71. AI keeps the formation better;
Tank improvements
72. Offroad shaking has been made more natural;
73. All the tanks now use the M4A2 aiming method;
74. The engine startup sequence is now animated (master switch, excess pressure valve, manual fuel pump, wobble pump, caution signal);
75. Inner visual effects are not affected by tank movements;
76. Engine exhaust effect improved;
77. Driver gauges, turret instruments, MG elements are now animated in multiplayer;
78. Direction controllability improved;
79. APHE rounds cause more damage to inner components after the armor penetration;
80. The visual effect of the turret traverse motor exhaust added to Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G and M4A2;
81. KV-1s and Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf. M commanders can fire the signal rockets through a small hatch in the roof when the commander hatch is closed;
82. The engine startup sound on KV-1s and Т-34-76 UVZ (1943) depends on the starter type used (main electric or reserve pneumatic one);
83. KV-1s, Т-34-76 UVZ (1943) and M4A2 have functioning klaxon (LAlt+S);
84. Inner details and texturing improved on KV-1s and Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.H1;
85. Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M, Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G and Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. H1 bow MGs use the M4A2 aiming method;
86. There is an alternate DT MG gunner aiming mode on KV-1s - through the periscope (in addition to the regular one through the gunsight);
87. KV-1s commander and radioman have an alternate aiming mode - through a visor;
88. M4A2 turret traverse can be powered by the motor-generator;
89. M4A2 first-person view height corrected for a driver and MG gunner in unbuttoned positions;
90. Visible (from the driver seat) rotation of the steering drive shaft has been corrected on Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. G;
91. Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf. M fuel or oil fire effect has been corrected;
92. A firing port in the panoramic gunsight armor added on KV-1s;
93. Air inlets of the engine compartment added on KV-1s;
94. Slits in the driver visor on KV-1s decreased in the visor open position;
Other improvements
95. The sound subsystem uses newer FMOD API - sound loss after long play sessions should be fixed;
96. Runway floodlights work now;
97. Coalition sorting functionality added to QMB mode;
98. An automatic chat message in the multiplayer reports if there is no UDP traffic coming from one of the players;
99. A workaround added for VR HMDs without hardware IPD adjustment - LShift-NumPad+ and LShift-NumpadEnter directly move the images on the VR screen farther or closer.
100. Radio chatter volume is affected if the player is concussed, lost consciousness or wounded.