There’s not going to be a developer diary update for the IL-2 series today but we did hear from Executive Producer Jason Williams today on what they are currently working on. I thought maybe now would be a good time to have a look at what’s coming in the near term for IL-2. Let’s go.
Up next?
I’ve written not too long ago with some theories about where the Great Battles series might go next with successors to their current line of products. A Flying Circus Vol 3 seems almost inevitable and there are hopes for a follow-up to Tank Crew. And for the mainline of the series? Fan theories range far and wide.
Today, however, I’m not focused on those things but rather on stuff that is nearer to release.
In the now 295 page long “DD Today?” thread that the community has kept going for many years now, Executive Producer Jason Williams, posted that there would be no developer diary but he did say what’s currently on their plate.
Sorry, but no DD today. Focused on the Beta and working out bugs in the 410 and custom input profiles. Everything else is WIP as per the plan. FC2 map, C-47, Snipe, Siemens, IAR, Churchill and Stug are all being worked on, I just have no new images or info to share today.
Next up on the release cycle is likely to be the Me410 which we saw some great screenshots recently. The 410 rounds out the flyable aircraft release plan for Battle of Normandy leaving just the V-1 and its launcher on the to be release list.
The C-47 is a well known add-on that Ugra Media have been working on. The cockpit has been shown in recent updates suggesting that they are closing in on a finished product. No release date just yet but I look forward to having the transport make an appearance in the series.
The IAR80/81 is a third party/1CGS effort to bring us a unique Romanian fighter and fighter-bomber from WWII. Development is underway and recently they were asking about references for the type’s gunsight.
Let’s not forget too that 1CGS recently put the Spitfire XIV bubble canopy variant up on offer as a separate Collector Plane. It was long sought after and makes for a nice bonus airplane for those who were desperate to see this version. With a bubble canopy and even better rear visibility together with slightly different handling, this extreme late war version is a bit of a rarity but a welcome one for Spitfire fans!
The Sopwith Snipe and Siemens-Schuckert D.IV are new Collector Planes for the Flying Circus series sitting independent of Vol 1 and 2. These late war fighters saw more limited use but they are among the top asks from the Rise of Flight and Flying Circus community. Like their WWII bretheren, these late war types show us what the best of 1918 technology could accomplish and that’s fun in this simulation context to consider.
Tank Crew fans aren’t left out of the mix either. 1CGS is once again working with Digital Forms to do some beautiful renditions of the Churchill Mark IV and StuG III. The early work in progress shots show the level of detail on display.
Map releases
Both Normandy and Flying Circus are awaiting their map releases. Normandy map we’ve seen quite a bit of recently with recent developer diaries offering up some great views of the airbases. Earlier updates have shown us towns and even earlier updates showed us some of the key landmarks. Flying along at 300kmh while dodging flak and searching for bandits sometimes lets us forget the thousands of hours of work that the map team put in.
We’ve not yet seen the new Flying Circus map but we do know that it’s a follow-up to the smaller Arras sector map that came in Vol 1. This follow-up effort, being done by Ugra Media, is notable as it includes four seasons and so should offer Flying Circus pilots some different looking scenery.
Both maps getting to release state are also critical for another piece of content. Career mode and Advanced Quick Missions. Flying Circus is getting its Career mode as part of the Vol 2 development cycle and the new map is an essential piece. 1CGS have also prioritized the new map for their AQMB functionality.
Similarly, Battle of Normandy will be getting Career mode support to match the other Great Battles series titles but it can’t do that until the map is ready. That day is clearly coming soon but isn’t here quite yet. Once it does, I expect that will be the end of early access and the full release of Battle of Normandy.
Lots to come
While we don’t yet know the long range forecast for the series, we do know the short range and its looking like a 100% chance of new content. With new content planned for all segments of the Great Battles series, it seems like there’s plenty to look forward to and that’s just over the next several months.
Stormbirds 
Man I would really like a FC: Vol 3 to focus on early war (well, mid-war but early for the context of flight sims since most people require the shooty part) aircraft.
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I think that’s the general idea. Jason alluded to Nieuport fans not having to wait too long. N.17, Pup, Albatross II and III … I can see those all coming.
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I really hope we can get an Italian Front in FC3, that’s an area which AFAIK has never been explored before and is a very lesser known aspect of WW1 🙂
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I’d think of they do the Italian front, that would be better as a FC4. Let’s let FC3 fill out the last of what Rise of Flight had.
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Yeah I love the idea of exploring some other parts of the WWI experience at some point. But also agree that I think we’ll see more refurbishment of Rise of Flight aircraft first.
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I dunno, in fact we could get both! The Hanriot HD.1, Nieuport 11 and Nieuport 17, all from RoF, were used by the Italian Air Force in WW1, so you could have a Western Front and an Italian Front all in one.
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Oooh. I do like how you’re thinking on this. Yeah that could be something!
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‘custom input profiles’ – that could be quite a game changer, especially for the WW1 birds that don’t have elevator trim.
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Yep! Guessing it will be similar to what they did with Rise of Flight. Folks should be happy about that!
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Still hoping for Korean War as “most sensible” next step.
Won’t hold my breath, though…
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I’ve seen Sicily/Italy/Med as one possibility, Pacific as another, late east front as another and Korea come up. Seems like we’ve all got a 1/4 chance of being happy with the outcome. Or… if you’re like me, a 4/4 chance of being happy with the outcome 🙂
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Ha – I actually share your Glass is Completely Full outlook, sir!
I look forward to *whatever’s* next, though I would prefer anything that gives us carrier operations (Med, North Atlantic, Scandinavia, etc).
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I got a week’s ban over at the forums for suggesting that there might not be a next module. The invasion of Ukraine has placed Russian companies in a ‘delicate’ position. At present they really are rushing out the final few items of BoN; whether because it’s overdue or for other reasons who knows?
My personal take is that we won’t see a Pacific module on this game engine and that it will be a totally new sim if it comes – no bad thing if it means carriers and large numbers of aircraft in the air at the same time.
If I was looking at IL2:GB from a commercial standpoint then Southern Italy/Sicily/Malta 40-43 would be where I’d go next, a lot of the aircraft are either already done or present in different versions. Only the Italian aircraft would need a lot of work to get it up and running.
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That’s interesting…I hope they banned you for the way you conducted yourself rather than voicing an opinion.
My “problem” with Italy/ETO is exactly as you state – aircraft are mostly done, and we’re looking mainly at a different map with essentially evolutionary / “more of the same” experience.
For e.g., I bought Bodenplatte & Normandy for the atypical aircraft (P-38, Me-262, Mossie, 410, Arado, etc). An Italian theatre might not give us much in the way of interest there (even from my Sicilian background!).
Anyhow, we haven’t even gotten the full Normandy yet, so I feel somewhat ungrateful already focusing on “What’s Next” 🙂
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How about a G.55 or a SM.79? 😉
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Nope. Was what I said, not how I said it. They got me on Rule 20 ‘False claims on future or past decisions and plans of the developers, which are not backed by hyperlinks or other facts are prohibited.’ Speculating that Russian companies might find themselves unable to trade with the rest of the world due to the current political situation counts as a ‘false claim’ apparently, no matter how logically or eloquently you present the suggestion. They’ve been a bit twitchy since February!
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I can’t really speak to the moderation but you are right that they have been especially sensitive to messages on their forum since February. An unfortunate reality. They no doubt walk a fine line.
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Vague thoughts:
1) Map looks gorgeous and I cannot wait for it
2) We have rather exhausted the obvious and more ‘popular’ / less complicated campaigns (I called BoBp as likely next scenario ages before it was announced, ‘coz I’m awesomes)
3) I am not convinced of the PnL for Med or Seelow Heights
4) Pacific is out until they evolve the engine, as is any kind of 8th AF campaign
5) FC further volumes are fairly low risk
6) TC further volumes are likely lower revenue
7) Korea would be welcomed by some but in danger of attracting insufficient interest
My advice as a consultant (which I am) would be to bite the bullet and update the core engine. They have 1 legacy title left in them before the business model starts to look unhealthy. That more than a small bomber formation strains computers and CVs are basically off the board speaks to a deeper issue.
I think that they have done a magnificent job and will continue to purchase their products, but I do feel that some harder choices need to be made.
I just said as much to a major aircraft manufacturer, so if Jason wants some free advice (I’ve proves useful in the past) then I am happy to help.
BTW, anyone going to RIAT?
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Good and logical thoughts Blue! Evolving the core engine will undoubtedly be a big process as I’m sure you know. We’ll have to see what they do.
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