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World War II Online FAQ: Combat
Naval
Combat
Go here for the
official description.
What
types of missions will I be able to do in the naval branch?
Invasions, combat patrols, bombardment, and other offensive missions.
What
is the crew composition like on a ship?
A ship will be made up of a squad of players, who are either human
or computer controlled. This will make it possible for one human
to captain a ship, but it will be less deadly than a ship crewed
by experienced human players.
Will
there be merchant ships?
Yes, there will be and they will be computer controlled.
Will
aircraft carriers have operational aircraft?
Yes.
What
will the first ships be?
Our first ship(s) will be a U-Boat, a supply ship, and
a DD or Corvette. They are still a bit down the road on the dev
schedule.
What
U-Boats will we see in Blitzkrieg: 1940?
The first U-Boat types will be the coastal IIB and the
seagoing VIIC. It is uncertain if both make it into the beta,
but if only one does, it will be the IIB.
Will
ships spawn at sea?
No ships will spawn at sea! Ships will have to sail in
real time to get into combat. They can be set on course by players
of sufficient rank, but once ordered to a waypoint they'll be
happy to trudge along without the company of a player.
How
will players take control of ships?
Players will be able to "join" ships in combat
(or on patrol) and man stations that they are rank-qualified for...AAA,
radar, sonar etc at ANY time.
Will
there be AI/Otto on ships?
Some ship stations will be "manned" by AI for defense
when players are not on board. But ships won't act "offensively"
unless they are manned/commanded by a player(s).
Will
capital ships be expensive?
Capital ships (not supply vessels or patrol boats) will
COST your country resource points. Protecting them, and using
them effectively will mean something to your side. UPDATE:
"Capital Ships will be limited by
a country's resource allocation and ship building production schedule.
This will be monitored and managed by the country and naval command
staffs of that country."
Is
detailed damage control planned for capital ships?
Yes, flooding, balasting, fire control, etc.
What's
the planned ship set for Blitzkrieg: 1940?
The final set will include coastal patrol boats for Allied
and Axis, subs for both sides, a DD or Corvette class for each
side, a Cruiser, and perhaps a BB or Pocket BB class. They're
not sure about CVs yet; they might have to wait until the Mediterranean
theater.
Will
I be able to walk around on the ships?
That's
not completely ironed out yet, but some capital ships will definetely
have places where you can walk around.
What
counts as a 'capital ship?'
Subs,
DDs, and everything on up is considered to be a capital ship.
Will
it be possible to swim away or use a lifeboat to get to shore?
Yes.
Will
all compartments of a ship be modeled?
All compartments that have player-controlled equipment will
be modeled.
Will
the effectiveness of bullets against submarines be regulated by
depth?
Yes, depth will be a factor.
Will
ships that have machine shops be able to repair damage while afloat?
Yes, as long as it's humanly possible with just a machine shop
(such as patching up bullet holes).
If
a ship sustains heavy damage at sea, can a supply ship come to
its aid?
Yes, but it'll have to be player-controlled.
Will
the variable terrain of the waves affect the pitch & roll of vessels?
"Yes!
we will have a full hydrodynamic model, with waves and their effects...
it's just that we are probably going to have to take some shortcuts
to get the visual effects looking tolerable."
Will
submarines be blind and deaf underwater?
Blind,
yes (unless surfaced). Deaf, no, there'll be true-to-life listening
devices in place... other than that, no.
Will
capital ships (persistant) send out a warning when under attack?
Yes, to
friendlies in-theater for sure. They will also possibly somehow
page/contact its commander as well. "Can you imagine being
at work in a meeting, and your pager goes off. You look at it
and it reads: 'Mayday from USS Arizona: Under attack, defending
at GQ and awaiting orders SIR!'"
What
is the smalles boat players can use without attaining further
rank?
Right
now, the smallest boats are the T-Boats and DEs.
Will
players have to man sonar/hydrophone stations?
Yes, they
will have to do it themselves. Ships will have limited search
ability when operating under AI control.
Will
players have to man the helm?
Yes, but
only when the ship's course needs to be changed. It will stay
on course until stopped or the course is changed for whatever
reason.
Will
players have to fire the main guns on ships?
No, only
if they'd like to. They can be fired by the AI as well, but the
AI is less competent than a player.
Ship guns
will always be available to the AI unless a player is manning
them.
Will
the thermal layers of the ocean be modeled?
Yes, they
have to be; this is part of the weather system and will be required
in order to get sonar working properly.
Can
a carrier launch 200 planes to defend itself?
No, much
like a base, carriers will have a limit as to how many aircraft
can be airborne at any one time.
Air
Combat
Go here for the
official description.
What
kinds of missions will I be able to fly?
Supply, recon, tactical, strategic, and rescue, to name a few.
Will
I be able to fly missions at night?
Yep, there will be night fighters supported too.
Will
planes be able to carry other players?
If your airplane has an empty slot or room for passengers, then
yes. For example, you will be able to land in enemy territory
and rescue a downed pilot.
What
happens when I get shot down?
Downed pilots will have the choice of trying to fight/walk back
or just jump back to base.
Can
enemy aircraft be "stolen?"
"We want this feature to work but it is not at
the top of our "to do" list right now."
What
will the cockpit layout in aircraft be like?
It is being modeled to be historical, meaning that if
the real pilot couldn't see an instrument panel by looking straight
forward, you won't be able to see it either (without looking down).
To
what detail will the engines be modeled in World War Two Online?
Judge
for yourself; here's a small sample. "I'm happy to say
that the revision of the engine modelling in WW2 Online went very
well. Features supported now:
1) Variable pitch
propeller, controllable by user (both rpm goverened props and
manual props supported). It turns out, contrary to my initial
guess, that manually operating the prop isn't all that difficult,
I was able to maintain within 200rpm of a target very easily after
about 5 minutes of flight, despite throwing the plane around the
sky (Bf109 and BMW801-equipped Fw190s were manual pitch controlled,
if memory serves)
2) Altered the
way the prop pitch governer worked. Initially I modelled it to
"ease" into the rpm, but that's not how many of the WW2 era prop
governers work. Many props work on the principal that the pitch
increases when the rpm is too low and decreases when it's too
high. If the prop's pitch is way out of kilter with the current
flight regime, this will almost always result in an overshoot
of the prop pitch. The end result is a damped oscillation around
the desired RPM, an effect I first saw when I went on my T-6 Texan
ride. It's really cool to watch it in action.
3) Engine modelling
is now a pressure based system. The atmosphere (and the supercharger,
if its a supercharged engine, most ground-vehicle engines of the
era weren't) controls the maximum possible airflow into the engine,
regulated by the throttle. If the engine can "suck" more fuel/air
than the throttle lets through, the throttle will regulate it.
The net effect is that the throttle now works just like a real
throttle, where it's effect on power is dependant on RPM and the
overall capacity of the engine. The manifold gauge will read the
effective pressure between the throttle and the cylinders, which
is different than the feed pressure.
4) Engine pressure
fed into the engine (the airflow that goes to the throttle, not
the airflow to the cylinders) has been completely revised. For
naturally-aspirated engines, this, of course, is based on atmospheric
conditions. For supercharged engines, this is based on the RPM
of the engine (for centrifugal, mechanically-driven superchargers),
and the atmospheric pressure. The net effect is that even though
at max RPM the engine will receive full pressure up to the critical
altitude of the supercharger, at reduced RPM, this critical altitude
also gets reduced. For example, a particular engine at sea level
might pull 50 inches of mercury maximum for 3000rpm and 2200rpm,
however at the critical altitude of 18,000ft, 3000rpm might still
pull 50 inches, but 2200 rpm would pull considerably less. Inches
of mercury, for those not familiar with various notations of pressure,
is a way of describing pressure, in this case it's the manifold
pressure into the cylinders, which combined with RPM helps determine
the power output of the engine. Thus at both altitudes, you'll
get the same power with this engine at 3000rpm, but less power
for 2200rpm at 18,000ft compared with 2200rpm at sea level.
5) Altered the
way idle is controlled. Idle is now controlled just like on a
real engine: you set how big the smallest opening between the
manifold and the air intake is. The effect is that at higher-than-idle
rpm, each cylinder firing contains less charge (fuel/air), resulting
in compression being a bigger and bigger effect (this is why you
can compress-brake in an automobile). Below idle RPM, the same
opening allows each cylinder to contain a greater and greater
volume of fuel/air (longer time the valve is open, so more air
can get in), driving the engine RPM up to idle. One nice side
effect is that when you start the engine, it'll initially be nice
and throaty as each cylinder fires with a nearly-full charge,
petering out as the RPM climbs to idle, just like in a real engine.
6) Starting sequence
changed. Now when you start the engine, a starter motor attempts
to spin the engine at a certain RPM to help the engine "catch".
Once it catches it has to speed up beyond a certain RPM to prevent
stalling. For propeller planes, where you have a lot of mass to
accelerate (that big prop), it might take several "catches" before
the prop gets enough speed to keep going. Depends on the engine
of course :) And of course, once the engine has been running for
a while, and is then stopped, it'll start back up much easier.
We're planning on implementing a catridge-starter system for those
planes that had them sometime soon.
7) Added exhaust
temperature vs atmospheric temperature effects on power output.
Basically this means that as the air gets colder, you get a slight
boost in power. A slight, but important effect for airplanes that
tend to fly at higher altitudes."
Can
the oxygen tank/system be damaged or destroyed?
Indeed.
This will force you to get to a lower altitude, and fast, lest
you suffer blackout.
Will
fatigue of the aircraft structure be modeled?
Yes... a damaged wing spar may tear off under enough pressure.
Will
the expending of ammo affect the mass/center of gravity of vehicles?
Yes, as well as fuel consumption.
Will
damage to the aircraft skin effect the drag and lift of that component?
Yes, the damage will be an analog curve on the flight model
side... increased drag, etc.
Will
there be different types of ammo?
Yes, each
historical ammo type will be represented, and pilots will be able
to create custom belts by mixing the ammo types throughout (although
it is unknown if this will be a feature set in from the start
or something added later on).
Will
aircraft fall all the way down to the ground when disabled to
explode in mid-air?
They'll fall all the way as long as there's still something left
of the aircraft.
Can
small-arms fire from the ground kill a pilot?
Yes, if he's flying low enough and it penetrates, or goes through
the windshield and hits him.
Can
the propellor be destroyed?
Yes, as well as each blade seperately.
Are
all airfields going to be the same?
No, there will be several different types (small, medium,
large, grass, cement, etc).
Can
players join missions, as gunners, late?
Yes, it
is possible to missions that include vehicular gunners late or
mid-flight, but latecomers will not get mission points for completing
the mission. To get full mission points, you have to sign up for
the mission and stick around for the entire flight (and battle).
Will
players be able to manipulate convergence levels?
Of course,
that's in the plan.
Will
bombs be 'laser-guided' and destroy objects in their surrounding
area?
No, bombs
will have a proper blast radius and will not damage a target unless
they actually damage it (meaning the target is within their blast
radus). Bombs were area-effect weapons and, to be used effectively,
will have to be used in the same way in World War Two Online.
Will
bomb aiming devices be always on-targe and accurate?
Aiming
devices of the time were not always accurate and will be represented
as such. The lack of accuracy of high altitude bombers accounts
for the popularity of dive-bombers and dive-bombing methods.
Will
there be wingtip vortices?
Yes, planes
that are pulling high Gs will have wingtip vortices. These will
tie in with the humidity level and be displayed differently based
on humidity.
How
can planes rescue downed pilots or infantrymen?
Any empty
crew seat on a plane can be filled by a player. A bomber with
open crew stations can be filled by an infantry squad, for example.
It will not be possible to "cram" people into single-seater
aircraft at this point.
Will
bombers have AI/Otto gunners?
Yes, but
they will be less competent than a player.
Infantry
Combat
Go here for the
official
description.
What
will the infantry part of the game be like?
The closest thing to compare it to is Hidden & Dangerous or
Rogue Spear.
Will
there be combat engineers?
Yes.
Will
water-borne landing craft be modeled?
Yes.
What
concealment will soldiers have in the terrain?
As an example, snipers can hide in trees, bushes, hedges,
etc. It will be easy enough to spot targets through concealment
which you could normally see through, such as bushes, and that
is being worked on right now.
Will
we have access to sticky bombs (anti-tank)?
Most likely yes. For the German variant, you'd stick
it on a tank, point end out, and detonate it like a hand grenade.
Will
there be medics?
Medics are up for debate. On one hand, they were useful
in combat, and on the other hand, they might not be very fun to
play. The Rats are always open for suggestion.
UPDATE: Things are still up in the air as far as medics
go.
Will
we be able to use mines?
Mines are a "maybe" right now, as it might
be difficult to track each single one on the system.
Is
there any limit as to the amount of weight or ammunition that
can be carried by infantry?
Realistic limits for ammo, fuel, etc. But you will be able to
get re-supplied by freinds in say...trucks!
What
positions will I be able to use as an Infantryman?
- Walk
- Run
- Crouch while walking/running
- Prone
- Crawl
Will
troops have anti-tank (AT) weapons?
Yes, they
certainly will.
What
about mortars?
Them too.
Can
you take control of someone's soldier when they leave the game?
No.
What
forces will affect the troops?
There
are three systems in place that will hinder a troop's ability
in the field: a fatigue system, a shock system, and a blood loss
system. "blood loss, trauma, fatigue, inability of doing
certain functions, falling down, death"
What
does blood loss affect?
"We
will be treating blood loss as the determining factor to your
"health", and your ability to defeat "fatigue"."
What
exactly is 'shock?'
"We
are looking to model shock as a type of damage IE: a "force".
If two guys are down to fist 'a cuffs and pounding on each other's
heads, they will be dealing out shock damage."
Will
a shot in the leg cause a player to limp?
Yes.
Will
troops be able to use explosives?
Yes, but
probably later on.
Will
troops be able to enter buildings and use them as cover?
Yes, any
building that is enterable. There will be some that cannot be
entered.
Will
troops be able to dig foxholes?
That's a big "maybe" at this point.
Can
players join missions, that require transport, late?
Yes, it
is possible to missions that require transport (by truck, by airplane,
etc) late or mid-flight, but latecomers will not get mission points
for completing the mission. To get full mission points, you have
to sign up for the mission and stick around for the entire ride
(and battle).
Can
infantry ride on tanks?
Yes, this'll
be possible.
Will
infantry have access to flamethrowers?
Eventually,
yes, but not in the initial releases.
Will
water slow troops down?
Being
in water will slow troops down, yes. Being wet (i.e. in the rain
or coming out of water) will not.
Will
snipers have to hold their breath to take a shot?
In order
to keep their sight from bobbing and get a steady aim, snipers
will have to hold their breath at opportune moments. Can't hold
it forever, though...
Can
limbs be severed?
This is
a "maybe" at this point, because it is a bandwidth issue
and infantry damage models are complicated/detailed as it is.
Will
you 'see' damage?
You'll
be able to see the locaized damage both in your first-person view
and on other players.
Will
troops be able to lean?
Yes, troops
will have the ability to lean, as well as more ways to move their
head than in any previous first-person game.
Why
are the current infantry models I have seen rather skinny?
That's
because they don't have any of the standard equipment on them
(bandoliers, weapons, grenades, etc).
Are
motorcycles planned?
Yes, they
are, as the Germans used them extensively.
Will
there be a limit on what gun a player can take for a mission?
Yes, there
will be several restrictions on weapon selection. One of them
will be downright mission restrictions. Missions posted for infantry
can restrict certain weapons from use if they are not needed,
and go as far as telling those who undertake the mission which
weapons to use and allowing nothing else. Another will be supply
restrictions at the base that the mission is starting at; it might
not have all the weapons required for that mission. Another is
weight limits; you can only carry so much, and some missions will
have a weight limit set to prevent the taking of too much equipment.
Will
weapons be limited altogther?
Yes, but
only heavy weapons. There will be a limit on how many heavy weapons
can be spawned at any one time from each base.
Can
a weapons cache be depleted?
No, once
someone using an MG42 dies, another MG42 is free to be used by
another player. The heavy weapons cache can never really be "depleted."
Will
bolt-action rifles have to be 'cocked' prior to each shot?
Yes, you
will need to cock the bolt/reload prior to each shot, and then
eventually change the clip.
Will
infantry be able to use their fists if they have no other weapons
availalble?
Yes, and
maybe even throw their helmets (maybe, at this point).
Can
infantry pick up/carry a dead teammate?
No.
Tank
Combat
Go here for the
official description.
Will
there be mobile antiaircraft guns?
Yes.
Will
there be antitank guns?
Of course.
Will
there be different types of AT ammo?
All the
basic round types will be modeled and eventually there will be
a load of AT stuff. For the first go they'll probably have 1 or
2 AT weapons per side.
What
is the importance of trucks?
The players that keep the trucks going to keep replacements
getting to combat during a battle faster will have an advantage.
Will
artillery find its' way into the game?
"We will definetely support artillery units,
both fixed and mobile."
Update:
"Players will be able to fire towed artillery pieces,
and spot for AI defensive guns. The towed "arty" will be manned
by multiple players, spotter, operator etc. Part of the challenge
of artillery in WWIIOL will be successful deployment. You'll have
to find a good spot to fire from, and you'll have to find it quickly
in combat. Defensive positions will be AI controlled and players
will be able to call them to correct etc. Players will also be
able to supplement defensive positions with the towed pieces as
well."
Will
artillery rounds be supersonic?
Yes, even
if Hollywood does them wrong, World War Two Online will get them
right.
How
will mobile artillery be moved?
Players will have to spawn mobile units to get artillery
vehicle into combat.
Is
there AI/Otto artillery?
Some form of AI artillery stationed at bases can be called
upon by players in the field.
Will
tank hatches work?
Tank hatches
will be secure, but if left open, well, you can guess what might
be possible.
Can
vehicles be disabled by destroying tires/tracks/etc?
Yes.
Will
the expending of ammo affect the mass/center of gravity of vehicles?
Yes, as well as fuel consumption.
Can
tanks destroy one wall of a building and then enter it to hide
within?
Probably not. While the damage system is very detailed for vehicles,
it will be simplified for buildings to help keep the strategic
system running efficiently.
Will
tanks be able to generate smoke for cover?
Yes, tanks
will have smoke rounds.
Will
a tank crew be able to select ammo types?
Yes, for
example, AT or HE rounds.
What
truck will be available to Allied players in 1940?
The Axis
players will have the Opel while the Allied players will have
the 15 cwt 4x2.
How
till the tank commander control the tank?
The tank
commander will have a way to send commands to the driver while
still in the tank commander position.
Will
AI crew the entire tank?
No. You
will have to fire all guns by yourself, be it machineguns or the
main turret.
Are
there loader positions?
No, this
process will be automated.
Can
tanks run over people?
Yes.
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