This latest developer diary from 1C Game Studios portents the near release state of IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Normandy with reports on the status of the project, its beta testing efforts, map and content status and more. Here’s what we’ve learned.
Getting ready
Right from the start, this developer diary indicates just how close Normandy is getting to launch. The report tells us that the two versions of the map (pre and post invasion) are ready, career mode is ready, and even the AQMB missions are ready.
It also reports that beta testing is well underway for a couple of weeks already and that there are plans to put together a release candidate before the official launch of version 5.001.
There are some other big preparations underway too. Damage models are once again in the crosshairs for revision. Here’s what Han had to say.
The main global change is the long promised revision of the aircraft Damage Model. This time we have attempted to make more fundamental changes and not just “adjust the airframe durability to meet player expectations”, but reverse-engineer the system in search of potential issues in many of its parts. During this process we have found a number of calculation passes which could be improved or tuned. These changes are already in the beta and beta-testers have responded that the damage received by aircraft in various combat situations looks significantly more adequate and realistic. We understand that this is a touchy subject, so the final changes will be explained in detail in the release notes of the 5.001 update.
Han on the IL-2 forums
The update also talks about the ambitious nature of the project. The Normandy map features 990km of French coastline, 1060km of English coastline, 490 major cities and villages, and 100 custom airfields created according to historical documentation.
There’s a reminder that the team have put together a new set of surface types that include grass, concrete, woodchippings, asphalt, compressed earth, canvas saturated with tar, steel wire mesh with steel bars, square mesh, and stamped steel plates. Stay that ten times fast!
Career mode includes 285 squadrons with 102 of them populated by AI pilots only. 9 new mission types will be included too which include D-Day events and V-1 intercepts. On the former, it sounds like there will be D-Day specific missions which sounds interesting. Weather conditions are also programmed according to historical data.
All in all, Battle of Normandy has shaped up to be an impressive product and release appears imminent. Read the full developer diary right here.
Stormbirds 
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