Welcome to the newest Q&A Session where developers are answering questions posed by players.
We’ve noticed that Update 0.20 has a nasty reload bug – what happens is that the reload indicator completes its cycle but the gun still remains unloaded and pressing the fire button does nothing, only triggering another UI-only indicator reload.
We know about this issue and we are working hard on fixing it.
Why was the Replay button moved to the Dossier screen in Update 0.20 Garage UI? It’s not really comfortable.
When it comes to the main Garage screen that appears immediately after the game is loaded, our goal was to only include features that the players use actively and often, such as vehicle selection, its upgrades, tools for the players to interact with the rest of the community and so on. Watching replays is not something that happens on regular basis in every gaming session and influences player performance only very indirectly, which is why it was moved to an UI sub-window instead of appearing on the main page. We will carefully monitor player feedback on this topic as well as UI statistics and will take further steps if necessary.
Speaking of the Update 0.20 UI – we’ve seen it on the Russian server and we don’t find it very comfortable. Any plans to improve it further?
Yes, we’ll continue to work on it and player feedback regarding whether it’s comfortable or not will definitely be taken into account. Some complaints are tied to unfinished parts of the new UI, which will be fixed in the future.
For some players, the game is crashing after some battles with a black screen that forces them to reset the game. When will this be fixed?
We are introducing a number of crash fixes in Update 0.20, some of which are directly tied to this issue. According to our tests, the number of such crashes should be greatly reduced or should disappear completely. We’d like to ask you, the EU and NA players, to continue submitting your feedback and bug reports to the appropriate forum sections. Their content is reaching us and we are taking it into account.
What will happen to the Retrofit system? Can we expect more flexibility in vehicle customization?
As far as vehicle performance customization goes, we will first focus on Commanders and Crew, after which we will return to the Retrofit system. With that being said, accuracy-improving modules may appear in Update 0.21.
In Update 0.20 PvP, we noticed the increased appearance of very fast matches where one or the other team loses very quickly – within 4 to 5 minutes or even faster – as a result of one entire team pushing through one side of the map (the so-called “Lemming Train”). While this alone wouldn’t be that bad, the income from such battles sucks with one team winning for example by only destroying 5 enemy vehicles. One theory is that this is due to Balance 2.0. Can you explain this problem and are there any plans to solve it?
Looking at statistics, this is not an actual 0.19/0.20 issue as the number of such battles didn’t significantly increase between Update 0.18 and Update 0.19. However, there are still enough of such battles for us to start dealing with this issue as a part of our map overhaul process since these fast losses are tied to map design. As an example, here’s how the share of such battles changed between 0.18 and 0.20 (statistics based on the Russian server):
- Coastal Threat (Encounter): 3.54% to 2.36%
- Coastal Threat (Standard): 3.52% to 3.31%
- Cold Strike (Encounter): 6.73% to 5.42%
- Cold Strike (Standard): 5.89% to 5.97%
- Frontline (Encounter): 4.71% to 2.70%
- Frontline (Standard): 5.23% to 2.71%
- Highwall (Encounter): 5.10% to 6.71%
- Highwall (Standard): 4.64% to 2.48%
- Lost Island (Encounter): 4.55% to 5.08%
- Lost Island (Standard): 4.53% to 5.69%
- Narrows (Encounter): 6.07% to 7.08%
- Narrows (Standard): 5.67% to 6.33%
- Pipelines (Encounter): 5.62% to 5.14%
- Pipelines (Standard): 6.96% to 4.98%
- Port Storm (Encounter): 6.83% to 8.79%
- Port Storm (Standard): 6.50% to 7.36%
- River Point (Encounter): 5.27% to 6.47%
- River Point (Standard): 5.78% to 6.16%
- Roughneck (Encounter): 5.49% to 4.42%
- Roughneck (Standard): 5.59% to 5.02%
Can we expect fundamental changes to core game mechanics such as the spotting system and others?
Yes. One of the things we will introduce in the near future will be an accuracy overhaul and changes to mechanics that depend on accuracy. We are also planning on improving Retrofits, Crew and Commander overhaul and more. The main goal is to make the vehicles and classes diverse in order to make the gameplay more tactical and interesting. For more info, visit the Balance 2.0 Changes Developer Diary.
The accuracy loss has been a point of criticism since the Update 0.19 introduction. Tell us more about your plans!
We are planning to take a close look at the accuracy mechanisms. In Update 0.18, the biggest problem with accuracy – apart from the excessive stacking – was the fact that it was possible to upgrade practically any vehicle in order for it to become extremely accurate. We are planning to make accuracy more diverse by only allowing certain vehicles and classes (Tank Destroyers or the Leopard line for example) to become extremely accurate snipers, a characteristic that will be compensated by other drawbacks. Another thing we are considering is the return of accuracy-buffing Retrofits and skills. Generally speaking, very high accuracy will return, but only for certain classes and vehicles.
Not so long ago, the developers experimented with different PvP formats such as 10 vs 10. It seems a number of players liked it. Are there any plans to develop this concept further?
We are planning to test this approach as a part of the upcoming new Lords of War season. Based on the results, we will see whether it makes sense to consider such a change for random battles as well.
That's it for today! Got questions for the developers? Please submit them on the forums!
We'll see you on the battlefield!
