1CGS’ latest developer diary is out and the focus this time is on some of the other things that help support the various aircraft that we’ve been seeing over the last few weeks. I’m talking about the map, cities, airfields, vehicles and features like render distance. Let’s have a look!
The map and render distance
One of the key elements to the Bodenplatte release is the massive Rhineland map. According to 1CGS, the map has some record breaking numbers:
- 130 000 square kilometers of reachable terrain (401 x 324 km)
- 176 000 square kilometers total size (461 x 384 km)
- 225 cities and towns – a record number of big cities,
- 70 airfields – 67 of them have historically correct layout recreated using archive documents.
Special note is also made that the airbases on the map feature everything from steel matting, to dirt strips to concrete and grass fields.
It’s interesting that 3 are not historically correct layouts. Presumably because information just could not be found on these bases. I suspect that 1CGS will do a best guess using other airfields in the area as reference so even if they aren’t completely accurate, without further details, it would be hard to tell the difference anyways.
Render distance is a new feature too. Buildings will be able to be rendered at further distances than ever before and while this isn’t a feature announcement (we’ve known for a while), it is cool to see it in operation.
Note how much detail there is in the background of these images. The improved rendering does come with a performance cost however. 1CGS says that this is an optional feature for people with strong multi-core processors.
Also mentioned are the various map features from the deep river valleys to the urban areas and the small quaint villages.
Vehicles!
One thing I wrote about a few weeks ago was what we needed for Bodenplatte to truly feel finished and that was the supplemental things such as vehicles and flak batteries. Bodenplatte will apparently come with 13 new vehicles done at higher detail levels than before.
As you can see, there’s far more detail here with these objects and they help fill out the details for these. Conspicuously absent at this point are new tanks though you can spot what appears to be a StuG III or IV in the background of the second image. Will 1944/1945 versions of the Sherman, or other tanks such as the Churchill come with this release?
We may need to wait to find out.
Optimistic tones on release
Patch 3.201 isn’t far away – that’s the message from 1CGS on their next patch. With three new flyable aircraft, the Rhineland map, an AI bomber, and all new objects and vehicles as detailed above, its clear that this massive patch will put us very close to the finish line on Bodenplatte.
Not yet mentioned is the career which may take several more weeks to hammer out. We also haven’t seen the other three seasons for the Rhineland map yet so those may yet be coming. That all puts the final release of Bodenplatte potentially sometime late in the autumn.
Stormbirds 
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