WoWp 0.4.3 dev bulletin

Crew Training and Skills

There will be three different types of crew skills: pilot, gunner, and navigator. The latter two will be limited to multi-seat aircraft, while single seat planes (fighters, typically) will be pilot only.

Pilot
Pilots will be able to improve the following characteristics of their aircraft:

• Maneuverability
• Speed
• Firepower

Pilots who reach 100% training levels in these skills will be able to make the most out of their aircraft and its specific performance characteristics.

Gunner
These co-pilots will be responsible for the "Defensive Power" characteristic in aircraft, improving the overall defensive capabilities of aircraft while in battle. If the gunner manages to aquire 100% of this skill, he'll become that much more effective when you need a tail gunner to keep enemies off your back.

Navigator
Improving the Navigators skills will help both the Gunner and the Pilot by improving their overall battle efficiency.

NOTE: Advancement will be carried out in a linear basis in World of Warplanes, unlike the skill system in World of Tanks. Meaning, the same amount of XP needed to advance from 52% to 53% will be the same needed at 98% to 99%.

You'll be able to look through specific crew skills in each of the personnel records of each crew member, of which will be available to you in the Hanger. Apart from the major qualification skills mentioned above, there will be additional skills available for each crew member:

• Stamina (HP increase)
• Increased View Range
• Telescopic Eye (increase Gunner's firing range)
• Engine Expert (improve dynamics of aircraft, e.g. acceleration)

Visual and Graphic Updates

Expect to see the in-game illumination system significantly improved with the 0.4.3 Update. Highlights and reflections will be much more realistic, as well as some improved shaders on ground objects and enhancements to give a better perception of speed.

As for the gun tracers effect that appeared in the 0.4.2 Update, we heard you loud and clear. Expect to see these significantly altered. With the 0.4.3 Update, the width of these tracers will depend on the tier of gun and the overall visual intensity of the tracer effect will be dramatically decreased, hopefully making the process of zeroing in and firing on targets that much more enjoyable.


Game Client Performance

With 0.4.3 update you should see an increase the overall FPS for most PC configurations.


Tech Tree Changes

Following changes to the tech tree will be made with the 0.4.3 update:

German Fighters

• The Bf. 109F (new!) (previously only available as a modification of the Bf. 109E) will be added to tier VI in place of the Bf. 109G. In addition, there will be an option from the Bf. 109F to start researching down the Heavy Fighter branch with the tier VI Bf. 109Z (yes, that's moving a tier as well. More on that in a second.).
• The Bf. 109G will be moved to tier VII in place of the Me. 209 A1
• The Me. 209 will be moved to tier VIII in place of the Me. 262

Bf 109F

Bf 109F

• The Me. P.1092 (new!) will be added to tier IX in place of the Me. 109TL

Me. P.1092

Me. P.1092

• The Me. P.1101 (new!) will be added to tier X in place of the Me. 262HG III

German Heavy Fighters

• The Bf.109Z will be moved to tier VI, putting it in line with the Me.410
• The Me.609 will be moved down to tier VII
• The Me.262A will be moved to the Heavy Fighter branch at tier VIII in place of the Me.609
• The Bf.109TL will be moved to the Heavy Fighter branch at tier IX in place of the Me.P.1099B
• The Me.262HG III will be moved to the Heavy Fighter branch at tier X in place of the Me.O.1102
• The Me.1099B and the Me.P.1102 will be temporarily removed from World of Warplanes.

USSR Fighters

• The La-7 (new!), previously available as a modification of the La-5, will be added to tier VII in place of the La-9
• The La-9 will be moved to tier VIII in place of the La-150
• The La-150 will be removed from World of Warplanes

La-7

La-7

USSR Heavy Fighters

• The IL-10 will be moved to tier VII, putting it line with the IL-8. Pilots will be avalailble to develop the IL-2(d) from either of these aircraft and then from there, research the IL-20
• The IL-20 will be moved to tier VIII
• The IL-40 will be moved to tier IX
• The II-40P (new!) will be added to tier X in place of the IL-40

IL-40P

IL-40P

United States Fighters

• The P-51H (new!) will be added to tier VIII in place of the P-51JP
• The P-51JP will be removed from World of Warplanes.

P-51H

P-51H

New Maps

Burma

Arizona

Rewards for the testers

ALPHA, Global ALPHA, Closed BETA and Open BETA testers will receive:

• for completing at least 100 battles until release, these players will receive an in game medal and additionally they will retain their status on the forums ; also they will receive "other additional nice stuff" (?!?!?!)
• completing 700 battles until the game's release, these players will receive an airplane as reward plus the previous 100 battle rewards