Development work on IL-2: Great Battles has continued, nearly continuously, for several years now and the 1CGS team has done an incredible job on the series. With three titles released and a trio of new ones currently under development, we have a considerable amount of content available. Of course, and as is always the way, we’re excited for when the current titles will be “finished.” We now have a little insight on this.
Always working
Jason Williams, IL-2’s Lead Producer, responded to a question on the IL-2 forums about the release dates for IL-2: Battle of Bodenplatte, Flying Circus Vol 1, and Tank Crew – Clash at Prokhorovka.
We never stop developing and working so nothing is ever really done. The day we stop working on our client is the day we are “done”. And the day we stop, you’ll scream it isn’t finished. But for argument sake the three projects we are currently working on will likely be finished by the end of the year. Yes, we always have small delays, but our delays are not very big. The model team always finishes ahead of the other teams. These three projects have taxed us beyond measure, but we have not suffered huge delays from what we originally planned.
Jason Williams on the IL-2 forums
What I have long assumed was that the three titles would aim to have a finish date sometime in the later part of the year. That seems to be the plan.
The biggest “delay” that I remember was more of a pause on follow up patches until the team had been able to implement some big changes. At the moment it doesn’t look like we’ll see anything like that for the three projects currently underway.
The Me262, S.E.5a, Albatross D.Va are coming next in the line-up with the P-51D-15 Mustang hopefully hot on their heels.
Extra content from the model team?
The one thing that I’m hoping to hear about Bodenplatte’s development is if the team will find any time between projects to inject a couple of extra aircraft into the equation. The team was able to do that on Battle of Kuban with the addition of the Bf109G-6 and La-5FN. They were also able to between Moscow and Kuban with the Yak-1B Series 127 and Ju52 3m.
I was overjoyed to see all of these aircraft make it into the series. I suspect that I will feel the same way if some extra fan favourites make their way into Bodenplatte. The Mosquito FB.VI, Spitfire XIV, Meteor III, and Ar234 are all high on my list but I know others have plenty of other suggestions too. I also hope to see the B-25D, currently under development as an AI plane, make it into flyable status (and that is indeed the plan if time can be found according to the devs) one day.
Take-away and speculation
A few things to take away from all of this. One, it seems that 1CGS is largely on schedule for the plan that they laid out for themselves. Two, the team is working extra hard to accomplish this which I am both thankful for and also hope that they can get some well deserved rest for too. Third, there is hope I think to see some extra planes that are Bodenplatte themed before the next title starts development.
That last point is purely speculative on my part but I think Bodenplatte is going to have some real legs as a title. The comments I read suggest that it is generating interest with plenty of new pilots and that even a few extra planes on top of the 10-planned for Bodenplatte would help to fill out the aircraft line-up for years to come. Particularly so if the team decides to go away from Europe and off to the Pacific in the future.
Stormbirds 
Why is no one addressing the lack of the La7, the Yak3 and the Yak9? These planes were not inconsequential on the Eastern Front. Is anyone even considering them?
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I think they would be an excellent contender for DCS actually. There is already late war German adversaries & play on the Caucasus map (probably about the same historical accuracy as K-4’s and D9 playing in Normandy, but close enough…). Would much rather see one of those vs a I-16 that supposedly in the works (I-16 is cool, but is a “stand alone” with no dance partners).
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Hi Matt,
Jason mentioned that a Yak-9/9T would be of interest to the team though it would really only be of historical use on the Tank Crew map. It was at least in service during the same time as the later part of the Kuban battles.
I think we’ll see the La-7 and Yak-3 later on down the line. Those two are both late 1944/1945 Eastern Front types and I think it’s important for the project to make sure that they have aircraft types that match the battles in history that they are representing.
1CGS has been superb in their aircraft selection that way.
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Man, I’d love a La-7 but I honestly have had enough of the Eastern front for a while now. I’d rather have the devs focus on the western allied planes and their Axis counterparts.
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Though I’m happy to fly anything I think you’ve tapped into the general feeling around the community.
Some variety in theatres is good and my thoughts right now are towards what will make Bodenplatte appealing now and in the future. Content is king and a few more late war west front options will surely peak the interest of some fence sitters.
I’m highly optimistic on how things are going though!
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It’s interesting, in a kinda sad sort of a way, that Jason felt obliged to defend the devs’ rate of development. It’s a pity some community members forget the times the devs have surprised us with content before we were expecting to see it! I could understand it if someone new to the genre didn’t understand but anyone who has been into flight sims for a while knows that development schedules and release dates should be taken with a pinch of salt and viewed as general targets that are subject to change.
As for extra BoBP planes, I’ve said it before and I’ll no doubt say it again the Spit XIV would be the best seller but the Tiffie would be the most historically significant 😉
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It’s always an anxiety point for members in the community and it probably will be for the rest of time. I see the same thing, more or less, with Eagle Dynamics and DCS development too.
1CGS hasn’t disappointed so far and I have a lot of faith in their ability to do great things. They already have done many!
I forgot to write Typhoon! Yes that’d be great too but I think you’re right that the Spitfire XIV would be a fabulous seller.
They may pick Collector Plane strategically too. If they do a Normandy campaign later then the Typhoon is a shoe-in there as an example.
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Late war EF really need a late war map, and though there are some ‘easy’ builds to accommodate (Frankfurt am Oder?), I suspect that we are looking at 2020 given that other Bp aircraft are likely in higher demand.
It depends on the liquidity of Jason’s crew: mo’ money, mo’ stuff as the kidz would say. I bought TC yesterday just to add some of my cash to their excellent efforts. Unfortunately, I have a computer problem and cannot play at the moment.
Thanks to Shamrock again for his article (and – my goodness – but that is a nice shot of a D-9 you have there)
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Hopefully you can get your computer problems sorted soon. Tank Crew appears to be growing into something very interesting. I’m going to hop on board with that as soon as I have some more time 🙂
Thanks about the screenshot. The D-9 is a great looking aircraft and the model team did an absolutely awesome job on this aircraft.
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while i have noted this before but i honestly think that 1CG is heading in the wrong direction especialy with DCS heading down the WW2 Path along with all the 4th gen fighters they are adding.
I think that as prof that the Pacific theater is the only way to go to keep interest in IL2 in the long haul. the F-14/F-18/and AV8B have changed the face of DCS the huge support for Carrier ops is Insane. The active online community has exploded especialy with the F-14s multi crew.
DCS has carrior ops working already and one of the third party Devs is already working on a Corsair. And a mossie. while they need to make some changes to AOE of iron bombs and some sight range adjustments to bring DCS on par with IL2 in the withing visual range catagory. they are close.
Another reason Im championing the Pacific is that the only two games i can remember that focus on the Pasific are 1942 and Combat flight simulator 2. So fans of Naval aviation have been starved for content. And with the Quality and versitility of DCS they could easily pull the rug out from 1CG in every way but Cost. which will keep IL2 afloat but may impact further development if they loose income to a clickable sim. it seems there are many more people than i would have guessed interested in the insane level of realisim and dificulty in DCS
And not to be a stick in the mud but IL2 recently is just been there done that.. the only two aircraft that even excite me anymore are the P-38 and the Typhoon becaues they are rarely seen in sims recently. the rest of the line-up is vanilla.. the lack of bombers for tatical and stratigic use is sad as well. I think that after the release of Bodenplatte they seriously need to review their course as while fling a P-51 or 190 is fun i have been able to do that for the last 22 years on the most recent flight sim but only twice for shortish periods have i been able to fight the pacific war with torp bombers and dive bombers attacking ships.
Also with the developers saying the big bombers are not worth the effort the majority of uniqe experiances offered by the IL2 series is significanly limited. so Tank Crew is interesting and FC is just fun. But i can honestly say if they build tank and ww1 moduels for DCS i probably wont continue with IL2 as im fustrated with them redoing aircraft they have done before in the original il2 or 1946. while the FMs are better and the Engine is better they had more content and flexibility in IL2 1946 than any other game and they seem to be playing it safe now when 1946 was such a success
-Boxcar
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DCS is definitely doing really well these days. It’s taken us many years for them to get 2.5 out the door and get a slightly more developer friendly pipeline going and it seems that its paying off fairly well.
The thing that continues, at least for me, to really separate the two is in the variety and I think that’s what you’re getting at too although maybe from a different angle. DCS has the individual aircraft modeling at a higher level – no doubt. But they do lack the wholesale cohesion because of that. It’s taken years for them to build DCS WWII into anything and its still a bit lacking in breadth.
The IL-2 series does breadth better and I hope, and think, that by the time Bodenplatte is done and we have a few extras (maybe) thrown in we’ll have something really compelling for both West Front and East Front. And hopefully we can finally get to the Pacific – though I have concerns about that still.
There’s lots to like about both. Honestly, I hope both continue to do well!
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I hear you although I think the devs are well aware of what the community really wants. If they pulled back from the much coveted PTO, I am pretty sure it must mean they really thought they wouldn’t be able to pull that off. Yet.
This is all pure speculation of course, but what I really think is that a project like the Pacific Theater would cost a fortune to realize and would just be a monumental undertaking right now. So, instead of diving into it with the risk of going bankrupt half way through, they considered it wiser to simply work on a few, more achievable, projects which would bring in the funds for the “big thing” down the line.
They could be “playing it safe” like you said or they could be just trying to survive in a niche market. I have no idea how well they are doing financially speaking, so it is really hard to say.
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The development of Il-2 is going very well, I think. I am also curious which collectors planes will come. After all, there are many good possibilities. A “stronger” Spitfire would be just as welcome with the Mosquito or the Arado 234 (which is already suitable because of the engines alone). But we will have to wait a little longer.
I notice that also in the forum many people are looking forward to the new allied planes and I can hardly wait to climb into the Lightning. Or into the, hopefully soon, coming Mustang.
But besides that, the question of where the journey is going probably weighs more heavily. I wouldn’t wish me anything more than to sit in a Zero again and hunt Wild/Hellcats. But as much as I would, I have the vague feeling that it will take a while.
Because as it seems to me the Dev´s have their hands full with the 3 current titles. So also their investigation to the Japanese airplanes might be limited. Furthermore, as much as it hurts, a D-Day scenario would make more sense as successor. There would be earlier variants of American and British airplanes available which also enjoy great popularity. In addition to that, you would have, as with the Germans, some types you wouldn’t have to make from scratch.
Well, these are just my assumptions, let’s see how accurate I am with them.
best regards,
Rico
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All fair assumptions Rico. I’ve thought some of the same things and I just don’t know where exactly we’ll be going after the current trio of releases is done.
Pacific is the hope for option for many. Normandy/D-Day seems like a logical option that would add a lot of extra West Front aircraft. Some in the community really want to see Korea.
Crystal ball time 🙂
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i think the D-Day stuff will be a nogo becaue most of the aircraft are already in and they nixed heavy bombers … and i dont think an expantion of mostly twin engine bombers would sell that well but we will see. most of the aircraft is already in and the luftwaffe was crippled at that point so it does not realy fit within what 1cg has professed as of now
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If I had my choice we’d be getting the Pacific theater next, I’m just wondering why the Yak3 and La7 never get mentioned, I think they should start working on the aircraft models first and worry about the flight models later when they’ve done the research.
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Hi Matt,
Pacific is definitely at the top of many people’s lists. Especially since Jason mentioned it a few years ago. I’m really looking forward to putting a Wildcat or a Dauntless through their paces. I have lots of fond memories from IL-2’s Pacific Fighters back in the day.
The problem extends beyond just the flight models unfortunately. There’s modeling that goes into how the aircraft works (from magnetos to hydraulics to engines) and that’s also important to the flight model and to the 3D model as the 3D model “hooks” into that data. I’m sure they have refined their process on this but I can only imagine that each aircraft has dependencies that are interconnected.
I want to ask you about the Yak-3 and La-7 as well because you’re not the only one to bring them up. Are you interested in seeing a 1945 Eastern Front scenario so that we can add those types to the list? Some certainly are!
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Shamrock, I’ve only thinking in terms of air superiority in multiplayer. FW190-D and Me262 = Yak3, La7. I’d love to fly them over the Eastern Front of 1944 but any integration would work.
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That would be quite a departure from what 1CGS has done so far. Probably why not many are talking about it.
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If you think the La7 is in any way on par with the 262, you are delusional.
And before you lecture me about strengths and weaknesses and vulching, just wait until the 262 is released and remember my words when it’s eating everything for breakfast and will thus be banned or severely limited on most servers.
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