It’s time for another round of Questions and Answers!
| How do developers see the reward system for victorious squadrons? What’s the motivation to play WW? Will there be no alteration to territories, just ratings and gold? Why couldn’t you split the global map into sectors and make the battles not so local as part of small operations? Why didn’t you implement a system for capturing territory with squadrons? |
Since these questions are very similar, I’ll answer them all at once.
One of the main potential problems that we were trying to avoid when we first started developing World War is balancing by country. If, for example, it turned out that 80% of players decided to play for the allies, then it would be bad for everyone: for the allies because they wouldn’t have enough opponents; for the Axis because they’d have almost no chance of winning. Capturing territories with squadrons requires a permanency in the game world, which means that if at the beginning there are issues with balance, then things will likely continue poorly; changing a country means losing territory, which few would be willing to do. Plus even if we carry out the war in seasons, resetting the progress every season, it’s entirely possible that we’ll get a situation in which the war has only just begun, but the result is already decided. In fact, considering the distribution of players by country in the game, it’s practically guaranteed.
To avoid problems like that, we need the in-game universe in which the World War takes place to be non-historical as a minimum – every country for itself, so that several countries can unite against one if necessary. The best option is a complete alternative war – every squadron for itself, so that it becomes absolutely impossible to create an absolute majority in one side of the conflict.
We wanted World War mode in our game to remain part of the historical game universe, allowing players to take part in historical events from the Second World War. So we took the decision to break World War up into operations. This doesn’t fully solve the problems of balancing by country, but it makes them local: if a squadron or player can’t find an operation for the country they want, then at any time they have a choice to play for another country without losing progress.
As for motivation to play, one of the key tasks we set before embarking on World War mode, was to bring new and fun gameplay to the game to make this mode fun to play even without extra rewards. Unique battle modes and game situations, more players in battle, the influence of each action in battle on something greater than the result of the battle for separate players and the ability to use tactical skills and smooth team play in large-scale operations that involve the entire military might of the squadron.
But of course there will be rewards – playing World War will result in unique prizes both for squadrons and individual players.
| If, for example, 8 squadrons are playing the same operation and 6 of them want to choose Axis, how is this solved? |
As in any game that includes multiple factions, this problem can never be fully solved. We’re examining several options for encouraging squadrons that play for unpopular in-game nations in order to minimize this problem.
| Players without WW vehicles in their hangar have been given them, but stock versions. Is this a temporary function? Will it be necessary to unlock the required vehicle before participating in the future? |
The function will stay. To enter a battle, you have to have at least one type of vehicle from the list of participating vehicles. Missing vehicles will be given to players, but without modifications and with an untrained crew.
| Will battles be 24/7 or will they be held at a special time like with squadron battles? |
Since the closed beta has only just begun, currently we can’t answer that question. For now we plan for World War to be available at a specially set time on specially set days, replacing Squadron Battles for that time. I.e. for example, Monday – Friday might be for Squadron Battles, Saturday and Sunday for World War.
| Will the ordinary economy work in some sort of form in World War? Lions farming and so on? |
The economy will work like it does in random battles, plus an additional reward in Lions when an operation ends. This additional reward will depend on the results of the operation and on how many Lions the player earns in the operation’s battles.
| Since the operations are historical, this implies balance issues in battles. How are the developers going to regulate that? For example, will they set limits on the numbers of certain vehicles? |
Our task is to recreate historical operations, but at the same time give each side an equal chance for victory.
Balance will be regulated primarily by regulating the number of vehicles in the armies and the number of reinforcements. As for the position in the front lines and the numerical ratio of troops between the sides of the conflict when the operation starts, along with which vehicles exactly can participate in the operation, we’re trying to make those things as close to the historical events as possible.
| Will there be any special NON-historical operations with a wider set of vehicles? |
We’re considering things like that, but if they do come, it’ll be after the main historical operations of WWII have been added.
Added bonus, they’re teasing us with the Summer Event…
