WoT Q&A – 22nd December 2020

Note: this is a more in depth explanation of the previous one, from the developer stream that happened on 12 December. Didn’t have time to post it until now. More should come the following days. Link to the previous one – HERE.

Battle pass in 2021:
• The battle pass will appear cyclically, as it did now – per quarter. In 2021 we can expect three seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall), with a break in winter. The next battle pass will be started in Spring of 2021.
• The stages of the main path will be three times as long.
• The pass will be divided into three chapters, each of which will focus on a different tank, each of a different class, with the main reward being a 3D style for each of them.
• Another innovation – the 3D style will be available almost instantly, but with progress in the chapters, details will be added to it, and at the completion of a chapter it will be ‘fully detailed’.
• Players will have the choice of picking their prizes.
• Progress points will be acquirable in Ranked Battles, Frontline, and Steel Hunter.
• Progress points will be acquirable in daily missions.
• The pass will have new equipment types.
• It’s possible that LTs will be main tanks one day.

New branches in 2021:
• Italian heavy tanks with a modified auto reloading mechanism, which was already announced, and tested, and Czechoslovak heavy tanks.
• The UI for the new Italian HT mechanic will still be tweaked.
• Italian MTs won’t have the same mechanic as the HTs.
• Czechoslovak HT gameplay will be focused on armor. These vehicles will be interesting. In the nearest time, the ST will have the tier VII premium introduced, from which we’ll start the work on the branch.
• The aforementioned tank will have a standard reload mechanism.

Sandbox 2021:
• 2021 will bring a lot of changes on the Sandbox server, especially in the first half of the year. However, during the end of this Winter we plan to start the first iteration (arty changes, HE changes, Crew 2.0).

Blueprints:
• Work is in progress on a blueprint converter, which will allow converting them into ones that interest us.
• Blueprints will be usable as currency in one of the future events, and if the idea gets approval, it’s possible it might appear cyclically, or maybe even get implemented permanently.

Frontline and Steel Hunter in 2021:
• The Steel Hunter mode will be the first to be ran in the first half of the new year, since we need a few more fixes for the Frontline mode.
• The approach will be like before – modes will be ran once per month.
• A spectator mode will be enabled in Steel Hunter, which will enable one to see the battle, with free camera, to the end.
• We will work on Steel Hunter replays.
• Some Steel Hunter vehicles will get rebalanced.
• We plan a lot of serious changes for Frontline, but it’s too early to talk about them. Some of those decisions haven’t even been made yet, thus the mode will start late.

Black market 2021:
• No comment.

Bond shop:
• Changes will be made. We try to make updates to it bi-yearly. We will add more interesting goods.

Map changes in 2021:
• We’re trying to add one new map bi-yearly. Of course we will see two new maps in 2021.
• We generally want to change the approach as to how new locations appear in the game. If everything goes well, we will add a mode in which everyone will be able to take a look and test new maps at the prototype stage. It will include voting, and sending your opinions. It will help narrow down work to those maps which the community chose.

Balance in 2021:
• After the nerf of the wheeled vehicles they got visibly weaker, since the average damage per battle dropped by about 20%, and their survivability dropped too. Thus, we think the situation with them is now stable, and more adequate. There are currently no more plans to nerf them anymore.
• We don’t have specific plans to which vehicles need a nerf. We might look at the AMX Chasseur de chars first, which might need a small buff.
• After nerving the Progetto M40 mod. 65, the players still play this vehicle. In ranked, it’s still in the first three. We still remember when we discussed a nerf, and all the clamoring about how ‘the tank was killed’ by us. Nobody killed anyone, the tank got more balanced toward its role in battle.

Will Team Battles ever return?
• Maybe, although we’re now thinking about a 7×7 mode.

Tier XI and XII standard tanks?
• The answer to this question is fairly difficult – yes, but actually no. No, but yes. There are plans towards that. We will look into it in 2021, but only internally, without any tests or announcements. We don’t plan to introduce tier XI, but there are plans to do something with a certain technological advancement…

Misc:
• No plans as of now to improve the communication system in the first half of 2021.
• Personal missions 3.0 – not yet.
• Equipment 2.0 – judging by the statistics, the number of possibilities rose.
• 200 big boxes and no tier VIII? Simply impossible, such people should contact us.
• Sorry to say, but no voice chat changes in 2021 (quality, interface, chat, channels, blacklist). There were some plans though.
• In 2021 we’ll slightly change the mode selection interface.
• Lootboxes won’t be implemented permanently.
• Tier IX prems? No comment. What, when, and how, we’ll announce when the time comes.

33 thoughts on “WoT Q&A – 22nd December 2020

    1. I fear thats just going to be on of the announcements which will never be implemented. Would be awesome though.

  1. CDC might be in need of a buff? No the word is definitly. And the spectator mode for steel hunt is just the worst idea. It will enable rigged groups to get even more awanress. One dies early and tells the other two whats up in a free for all match.

    1. Yes but at the same time it will be much easier to report such riggers/teamers.
      Feel like you got killed by a team (in solo mode)? Just follow them around a bit, if they work together it will be super obvious. And then just send the replay to WG. Penalties are harsh in this gamemode if I remember correctly (7 days ban from steelhunter then permanent).

    2. a SMALL buff, you missed the word SMALL.
      AHAHAHAHAHAHA.
      It will get terrain resistance lowered or turret traverse improved a SMALL amount.

      Something it doesn’t need.

  2. “• We plan a lot of serious changes for Frontline, but it’s too early to talk about them. Some of those decisions haven’t even been made yet, thus the mode will start late.”

    Translation: “We will fuck up the mode completely! It was too well accepted and way to rewarding for all those tier 8 prems that don’t want to fight tier x in endless rows on minsk, ensk, empires, abbey on randoms. So let’s kill all rewards and kill the fun.”

    1. Fun in Frontline??? With tanks like Progetto 46, EBR 75 FL 10 and broken tanks like is3a ts-5 and Defender the mode has become unenjoyable to most players i know… the only good thing about it was the credit income.

      1. I agree with you, @wilk2809. The mode is really showcasing the massive differences in Tier VIII tanks regarding their relative strengths, with a rather small number of tanks absolutely dominating and killing the fun for everybody else. But not to worry, WG is already working on it by doing exactly nothing (EBR) or buffing the perhaps strongest tank of them all even further (Progetto M46). Just lol.

        1. Both of you just oooh… what are you sniffin? Frontline is of course for credits and prems… saw there T32 and VKs from tech tree absolutely doin fine. What the heck you want more? Well, if you arent both totally red tomatoes, the mode IS fun ang great…

        2. And one thing. All tanks have their weknesses and strenghts, you cant balance them all to same level, some must be better and worse in regards to fixed enviroment and player base… Ebr is rather annoyin, but not strong. Progetto is great, have to admit, but has no armor. Adapt to it, learn and be better all the time, and dont whine…

          1. I generally agree with your opinion. A good performance Techtree tank is playable on the fl. However, this is only true for lt, mt, which is less affected by the hard specification. If someone uses a techtree heavy tank that weaker armor compared to a premium tank, the only way he can play near the cap and raise the fl level quickly. In this case, the credit returns are bad. In this case game plays are limited and passive. and if more armored prem ht is appearing, then things going more difficult.

            And on the very large map fl, the armor’s weaknesses are obscured. In Fl, Proggeto & borasq can hide their weaknesses and maximize their strengths.(like you said, ebr is annoying, but ebr are ok) Even other premium tanks may feel hopeless against these two tanks that hide their weaknesses. I often played fl with t44100 (definitely good tank). Progeto is always uncomfortable enemy they burst damage from mid or long distances with nice gun accuracy. Borasq suddenly appears and does -700. I can avoid them, but I have to admit that they are more powerful.

            In the fl, some few prem tanks are more shinning then other tanks. This cause players are feels unpair, so they always complain about this. This is pvp game right? You can understand generously why people hate some premium tanks.

            1. Agree with you, you are right, nearly exact:) I am curious how will progetto perform now when its buffed… yes, it will be hardcore for sure 😀 i also played t44100 in fl, its great tank. Generaly faster tanks dominate of course, except some special positions for hulldown situations… Hmm.. and the bourasque, yeah, with IRM specially that red one or bounty, it will be more toxic, but nevermind…

              At least the maps are in frontline more open, more cover but also more opportunities to get shot from more enemies, less corridors, more opportunities to shine (like when one team is runnin back and the others hunt them, then it changes and defenders take they positions and must defend, attackers must push). In my opinion fl is the best thing WG put in the game in recent years. I play this shait from 2011 and less and less things get me stick to play more then 1,5 hour except fl.

  3. Wg : Hey, Czech heavy tanks have a brand new interesting “Explosive Reactive Armour” mechanism! 🤗

    “Press x” will stops the your tank for a few seconds but provides good defense through the ERA. When ERA is equipped, Your tank are slows down but gets heat ammunition immunity. Cool, huh?🥰 And ERA will provides modern looking tank appearance !!🤪 this new mechanism only works on tier 10. When new branches will came out, Pay for our game and use your free experience!😍

    Oh, and one more thing. Czech t8 prem ht is only available in the next root box. Unlike useless techtree tanks, czech t8 prem ht has a “press x to win” function. Please spend money on our company!🤑

  4. I thought for a long time how WG might find new ways to get money from us. First they made new Premiums super powerful and 50% more expensive (lorraine, progetto), then they made Christmas loot boxes. But now, everyone who bought them has all the premiums, all the gold and all the PremiumAcc they ever wished for. So what now?

    Tier 9 Premiums it is!

    1. The t9 prem tanks will release at somewhat balanced specs, but at some moment wg will cross the line again. Depender, scorpion g, everyones remember that important moments of world of tank balance right? T9 prem will be make the techtree t10 tanks are useless eventually.😣

    2. There is NO WAY WG will get any more money from me, they have already proved that they not capable of LISTENING to their CUSTOMERS. so STOP PAYING WG whatever they do or implement, its THAT SIMPLE

  5. “After the nerf of the wheeled vehicles they got visibly weaker […] we think the situation with them is now stable, and more adequate”. Really? Well, I beg to differ. True, lower Tier wheelies are noticeably more vulnerabe, but higher Tiers? Every much as annoying as before as far as I am concerned. And that’s not even talking about the EBR 75 that hasn’t been nerfed at all and will go on poisoning Frontline just as merrily as before. I think Wargaming are lying to themselves here.

    1. I think the statistics presented by wg may be correct. However, still t10 ebr creates “negative emotions” for the player. Ebr is a damn fast, so most tanks are hard to deal with it. Especially when your tanks have a slow shell and slow turret. Only counter for t10 ebr are some t10 medium tanks(with fast apcr), but even them require additional option so called “aim skill”😓.

      So my conclusion is this. ebr make bad mood to players(similar reason like spg, players feels there is no counters for ebr). after nerf, still ebr is hard target for hitting shots. When connect the first shot, its much easier then deal with them, but hey wg, many players struggling with first shot 🤨. I think right way to nerfing t10 ebr is a reduce top speed a bit. And It will make other lt are more competitive.

      1. They should just be affected by physics just like all the other tanks. You simply cannot 360°-spin a 20t-or-whatever wheeled tank @ 80kph in 1sec. But ingame you can. They are no tanks, they are like rabbits. That is complete nonsense.

      2. well, what about the 20 secs an ebr needs to repair a wheel (double than all the other tanks)??’nerf speed , nerf vision, but give him same repair time than the other tanks, if some of you play ebr, will know, that only a splash of any HE can break you 3 or 4 wheels, and you get easy to kill for an autoloader tank, or a fast apcr medium tank, dont forget, that a ebr on max config, whit bond equipment and directives its 463 m of vision, 50 m less than any other ligth tank, whit near same camo as a lt,or manticore. Some commonsense please, and make constructive idea from experience, not only for see it on battle.

  6. players should get assisted damage when they wheel a wheelie and it is shot by someone else.

    1. Couldn’t agree more on that matter. In fact, IIRC, wg themselves were thinking about such an option some time ago and never implemented it in the end.

  7. “the AMX Chasseur de chars first, which might need a small buff”
    Haha.
    A “small buff”.
    That thank is crap now.
    That that needs a definite buff.

  8. Well there go my plans for future Battle Passes.

    Will wait for ITA and CZ heavies, but I’m not sure about the “armor-reliant” quirk of the latter…

  9. • Tier IX prems? No comment. What, when, and how, we’ll announce when the time comes.

    Very disappointing. Truly the sign of a studio that is fast running out of ideas.

  10. Wheeled vehicles are still too easy to play, no skill needed. Even with shells that have speeds >1200m/s it is hard to hit them.
    Small buff to AMX CDC? Those bastards at WG need to be fucked in the ass with barbed wire.

  11. I contacted WG support about not getting a tier 8 tank in hundreds of boxes. I got a canned response and re opened the ticket. Hopefully they do something. I’m just going to keep re-opening the ticket until I get something.

  12. Don’t bother sending in a ticket wrt loot boxes. Here is the text I got after pushing them.

    Hello Commander,
    Thank you for coming back to us.
    We appreciate the time and effort that you have spent on creating a ticket regarding this matter.

    We recommend checking the information about Large Boxes and their contents on the official portal.

    The fact is that purchasing a certain number of containers does not guarantee the receiving of the tank. Actually, it means you have a drop rate for each of the tanks. To take part in it or not is the personal decision of each player. Also, you have received other in-game goods that were mentioned in the bundle’s description for the amount you spent.

    Once you open a container you know its content. Allowing players to return the content that they receive from the containers and don’t like will make the container mechanics pointless.

    I’m really sorry you didn’t get the tank you wanted, but there is nothing we can do with this.

    We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding on the matter.

    If you have any further questions or concerns, let us know!
    I wish you the best of luck and much success on the battlefield.
    Kind regards,

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