Developer Diary, Part 102

In this diary I'd like to tell you about how we're changing the Campaign in the nearest future.

We've been thinking a lot about improving this game mode and making it more like the campaign you wish to have. We are 100% aware about all drawbacks and weeks spots of what we have right now (including fictional awards that annoy some of you too). But trust me when I tell you that with the time limits and budgeting that we had for our project we've chosen the best opportunity possible. And now, a year after release we're going to answer the question if anything can be done to make the campaign better.

A whole lot of ideas have been considered including those gathered on the forum (oh yeah, all that feedback doesn't just vanish in the cold dark catacombs deep below 1C's office, as some of you believe). Unfortunately, we've always been under the pressure of limited resources - primarily human and time resources that we can use for this or that development task. I believe you've read about it many times in the past in devs' answers to community's questions. But I had to mention it again because it's important.

Among the ideas that were abandoned there was old IL-2 static missions. I understand that it could sound really disappointing to some pilots but such missions would be an impossible task for the team. The significantly more complex editor and massive briefing texts that need to be translated properly into several languages make creation of 2 campaign with at least 20 missions each a really big problem. Speaking of time, we'd need up to 10 months for that. But as always you need them "yesterday", and new content for BOS is in works, and BOM is scheduled for release next year...

As a result, we've approved a quite interesting idea but first things first.

As you know, we'll be releasing a major addon to Battle of Stalingrad this fall. It will feature new summer and autumn seasonal maps and a new single player campaign that will tell the history of military operations and battles from late August till mid November, 1942. And before you start asking - yes, the campaign starts at noon on August 23rd when the city had already suffered from Luftwaffe's massive bomb raids. Why are we not starting Chapter I in July 1942? Well, you already know the answer: we don't have enough resources to build a copy if the city with undamaged buildings within the time limits.

Alright, beck to the campaign. It will consist of three chapters and will inherit the general structure of the campaign that we have now (and that was completed entirely by so many of you). However this time we have a chance to experiment and try new things. And since the addon is going to be released quite soon, we'll have enough time to get your feedback, examine it, and make necessary corrections it our plans for the bigger campaign in BOM.

This long prolog was needed to explain the situation we're in and give you an idea why this or that decision is being made.

Well, here's what comes to the game with the major update in Fall, 2015:

1) The video cutscenes will be different. In fact, all key events of the Battle of Stalingrad were shown in short videos that come with the vanilla campaign. There's not much sense in showing the same events again. Also the time limits doesn't allow us to give full and comprehensive backgrounds for tactical steps of both armies. So we decided to let the numerous films and books do the educating part. This time our video cutscenes will be telling history with some more art and emotional approach in them.

2) Difficulty levels will be tweaked for both new and old campaigns. Of course, it doesn't involve the CFS veterans or those who's level-capped already, but it should really help the rookies. The curve will be less steep: enemies' numbers and mastery, AAA's precision and reaction speed, gunners' accuracy, etc.. We expect that to make campaign easier which is good because we'd like to show all of you those new targets, like Volga fleet's gun boats and others.

3) And the last but the most important feature - changes in the very mode's structure. Since we don't have resources for a big static campaign, we've approved an idea to borrow separate elements of it and add career missions to every chapter.

Here's how it'll work. In the beginning you'll be offered 1 mission per side that you'll have to complete to advance further. Of course, we are not making the campaign more difficult with this. Completing career missions will not be a problem.

These missions will have long briefings telling the unique stories, and special hand-made mission scenarios. Writing these stories I attempted to deliver a gradual change of mood and spirit of both pilots as the battle evolves. As for Luftwaffe it was the feeling of absolute domination and even a bit of despise to the enemy which are being replaced with annoyance caused by lingering attack on Stalingrad. As for the Soviet pilot it was pessimistic and partly panic state of mind caused by tragic events that happened by the end of summer, but still a phantom hope to overcome all odds appears by late October 1942.

As a result, with this new campaign you're getting 6 career missions. In theory we'll be able to increase their numbers in future letting you play them in each newly opened chapter. This time everything depends on your feedback about this feature. Meanwhile it's just an experiment that we (not without risk, BTW) can afford.

So let's wait for the autumn to finally try the new stuff! By that time we sure will be working hard to make it happen. See you!

P.S.: we've practically finished work on the summer map.