Just ahead of the holidays, 1C Game Studios drops a huge update on the state of IL-2 including showing off some new technology for the upcoming Tank Crew. We also get a good look at how Co-op works, more details on Career mode, and so much more!

Visualizing rain

The IL-2 series is getting a pretty big update for rain visualization. We’ve already seen a work in progress video of raindrops on the canopy but in the final iteration we’re getting a little bit more.

Drawing on an already good visual effect from Rise of Flight, the team has done both raindrops on the canopy as well as on the pilots goggles. So if your canopy is open or if you’re in an open cockpit aircraft like an I-16 or all of the types coming in the future Flying Circus Vol 1 release, you’ll get rain on your goggles.

With the canopy closed you’ll get rain on the windscreen only as the goggles slowly dry off. Just watch the video and see for yourself!

From the office

Work is also underway for the flight model of the Bf109G-6. In the meantime, the cockpit has been finished. Its a familiar setting as all Bf109s are fairly similar but this one does have some unique features including the rather large bulges on the sides and top of the nose to account for the much larger MG131 heavy machine gun installation.

We’re also getting our first look of the updated insides of the Pz III tank being developed for Tank Crew. The Pz III is already available in IL-2 to be driven, however, this update is showing an updated interior with new visors, prismatic optical instruments and triplex armored glass.

Treads on the ground

Staying on the ground for a moment, the developers are also working on new technology for tank treads. Although the visual is decent enough for a flight simulator, bringing the battle down to the surface level is requiring some more details.

Today we’ve seen that at two levels. First, 1CGS is showing off a new tread technology which they think will be the most modern of any ground combat game.

Apparently this new technology is also performance optimized so as not to cause a huge performance  hit and so that it works and looks good at a distance as well as up close. Important when you’re building a tank sim inside of a flight sim.

They are also working on interactions between trees and foliage. You can now run into trees and even knock them down. Not satisfied with just having a tree that can be knocked down… 1CGS has done it in a fairly convincing way. In my opinion, it looks a little more convincing than War Thunder or Battlefields’ toppling tree effect.

Have a look!

Co-op mode, scoring, more

The biggest news here is something I saved to last and I think everyone should read the developer diary to get the full details straight from the devs. To summarize the details released today, work on Co-op mode is progressing well and Career mode is coming along as well.

Career mode has taken the team a lot of time and research effort to get right and in triplicate the effort because they have elected to do the Career update for Battle of Stalingrad, Moscow and Kuban. Still it looks like the effort is paying off.

Here’s the most encouraging part:

…the final result we expect to get should make up for this hard work and release delay. It is important to note, that last two times (in RoF and BoS) Viktor =FB=VikS Sechnoy developed the generator templates that were significantly limited, this time he makes it as he sees right. Our producer Jason gave Viks the freedom that he asked for. Everything will be changed – mission tasks, mission success conditions, mission progress conditions, the placement of various objects near the front line. For instance, to complete a ground attack mission you can destroy various different enemy targets in the designated area, not necessarily the main target listed in the briefing. There are many other things that should make the new gameplay more diverse and interesting compared to earlier BoS campaign or RoF career.

Career mode may be the most important update to the series since the tech upgrades for DX11 and VR mode. For many, Career will have an even bigger impact on gameplay than anything else.

Co-op mode is also coming along too with some new GUI images released today detailing setting up a co-op server (or a dogfight server within the game), the score screen of a mission in progress and the multiplayer lobby where you’ll pick your flight and groups.

Check out the full write-up from Jason and team right here.