PTO becomes uncertain?

[Bell]

What the hell?

Edited June 2 by Bell

[MDzmitry]

Brother, they're saying they aren't going to copy other games' approach, which only excludes post-Korea stuff

Thus, after Korea they will likely only go backwards in terms of timing, and PTO is WW2, which is Il-2's original niche

[Avimimus]

Yes, they're only ruling out Vietnam. Which makes sense because of the avionics. If they developed a comprehensive Vietnam module it'd probably require five to ten years of focussing on just that (i.e. no WWII or WWI modules).

They've also already invested in carrier technology. Even if PTO wasn't the next sim, I'd expect it to come fairly quickly. I could see them being tempted to release a Western ETO module with the new strategic bomber capabilities, then going to the Pacific for instance. I could also see them being tempted to see what an Eastern European or WWI module would look like in the new technologies. I don't think they would avoid the PTO indefinitely though.

I think the big question is whether they'll focus on expanding one theatre or alternate... i.e. PTO1, PTO2, WETO1, WETO2... vs. PTO, WETO, EETO, PTO, WWI, WETO, EETO...).

 

[Avimimus]

I'll add an additional thought:

- Software development is always uncertain.

- They've just invested a huge amount in a new game engine (which meant paying a larger team and probably going an extra year without releases).

- Depending on how well Korea feels they may feel more of a need to do something predictable and less likely to take risks (i.e. they know revenue figures for post theatres but not how they compare with PTO). There are also at least two potential competitors in the PTO space right now.

So it makes a lot of sense for them to leave open a lot of possibilities right now (regardless of whether they have plans for PTO or want to do the PTO). We'll have a clearer idea after Korea releases I think... I'd watch for messaging in the late fall - and not get worried before then.

 

[Aapje]

Not sure why that answer makes you conclude that PTO is uncertain. Their answer tells us that they already decided what to do next, but that they don't want to tell us.

If anything, that just reinforces the conclusion that they are sticking to their plan to do PTO next.

[Dash,Polder]

There are multiple sub zones in the PTO, such as the CBI or even China itself, much like throwing Africa in with the ETO.  Which is another zone that's never been done with purpose besides hacks as mods, which don't count in my book. 

What other reason for holding back all talk, each of those could readily be guessed by any clue since there is loads of disparity going on between them.  When one says Pacific there's a lot of leeway going on there,  and a very long time period, much longer than Europe.

To do the entire PTO isn't really feasible, that's like cramming the entire European east, west, Med, and African fronts and campaigns all at once, except over a larger surface and over a longer time scale while throwing in full scale Naval functionality along with a ground war.  Not happening in my life time, unless the AI crash is so severe they can pick up a data center on the cheap.

[Aapje]

I expect them to pick interesting regions & periods, just like they did in Europe. Perhaps the Solomon Islands and the Philippines.

[gecko]

I might be in the minority, but I hope they stick with Korea long enough to fill it out before moving to other places. I want my F-86F.

Edited June 2 by gecko

[Koziolek]

BTW. Was PTO ever 100% the direction this sim was going? I would say it was, is, but not suddenly became uncertain

Edited June 2 by Koziolek

[Dora]

11 minutes ago, Koziolek said:

BTW. Was PTO ever 100% the direction this sim was going? I would say it was, is but not became uncertain

Jason Williams says no, current 1CGS staff says yes, the truth will probably never be known.

I did find this news article from 2016 stating Midway will be next, after Kuban: https://gamingrespawn.com/news/13678/il-2-battle-kuban-announced/

[AEthelraedUnraed]

7 minutes ago, Dora said:

Jason Williams says no

Do you have a source? The only definitive statement I've seen from Jason is that he wanted an MTO module, which is not the direction IL2 went. So last time I checked, both Jason and 1CGS are in agreement here.

Moreover, Jason left three years ago, before IL2:Korea was even announced. Whatever knowledge he may have had about the direction IL2 was to take, it probably isn't very relevant anymore.

16 minutes ago, Dora said:

I did find this news article from 2016 stating Midway will be next, after Kuban: https://gamingrespawn.com/news/13678/il-2-battle-kuban-announced/

Well, yes, it's public knowledge it was on the team's agenda once. However nothing came of it for various reasons, so I don't think an article from 10 years ago is of much relevance right now 🙂

[Leifr]

If the PTO doesn't happen for whatever reason, I would be more than happy with the MTO and something moderately fresh as a theatre. North Africa, Sicily and Italy - yum!

[Koziolek]

Just to clarify. My question was not about GB. It does not matter now what they wanted or not 5-10 years ago. I'm just not sure if the NEW IL-2 was ever to go to PTO direction  "for sure" after Korea and DLC Korea. It was probably our wishfull thinking which was repeated so many times we all started to believe in. 🙂

I think I can recall Han in one of the podcasts not so long ago, saying something that it is not decided yet that they will go to PTO at all. ( But it is also possible that I might have imagined that). Which IMO, considering that on the horizon there are two other PTO projects, is not a bad way of thinking. 

I agree there is still a lot to cover in WW2 apart from PTO

Edited June 2 by Koziolek

[BlitzPig_EL]

New Guinea please.

[FuriousMeow]

Ah, concrete information that the next project after Korea will be the Aleutian Islands Campaign followed by 1945 Soviet invasion of Manchuria and that will be the extent of the PTO before they move to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war with some Jumo powered 109 Messershits (that's what at least one pilot called them).

That's obviously what is clearly being stated there.

[AndreiTomescu]

What would really make sense would be a survey. As to determine which direction, theatre of ops would sell better. Since on this forum only the hardcore users of Il2 are active, i guess a survey on a larger scale would be appropriate. At least that's how i would do.....

[Avimimus]

5 hours ago, AndreiTomescu said:

What would really make sense would be a survey. As to determine which direction, theatre of ops would sell better. Since on this forum only the hardcore users of Il2 are active, i guess a survey on a larger scale would be appropriate. At least that's how i would do.....

You are right about there being challenges. The people who would fill out such a survey tend to be quite different from the average customer. I recall surveys on the forum repeatedly putting the Spanish Civil War as being in the top two choices along with the Mediterranean!

Now I do believe that the SCW would be viable as a product... but it definitely wouldn't be the first choice of the average person in the market (e.g. most Americans probably are unaware that the SCW happened).

5 hours ago, FuriousMeow said:

Ah, concrete information that the next project after Korea will be the Aleutian Islands Campaign followed by 1945 Soviet invasion of Manchuria and that will be the extent of the PTO before they move to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war with some Jumo powered 109 Messershits (that's what at least one pilot called them).

That's obviously what is clearly being stated there.

The Suez Crisis in 1956 had a lot of second-line or export aircraft that would be contemporaries of the Korean war types. It was very short, but you may as well add it to your mad list.

16 hours ago, gecko said:

I might be in the minority, but I hope they stick with Korea long enough to fill it out before moving to other places. I want my F-86F.

I would like them to do a DLC2 or release a few Collector Planes as well... the planeset is already pretty close to being complete - but there are a few interesting additions: F-86E/F (Gunval?), B-26 Invader, Meteor F.8, Seafire FR.47, F-82G, F7F... lots of interesting aircraft that haven't been seen in a sim before.

[Avimimus]

A quick note:

- I removed some posts which included allegations about the motivations of a former developer by another former developer - neither of which are with 1CGS anymore.

- This forum is for discussing the flight simulators and aviation history. It should be obvious that these are private matters (an allegation by a 3rd party about another 3rd party) that should not be hosted on these forums.

- I am not a 1CGS spokesperson on this matter (or any others). But I will enforce the forum rules.

If you have any concerns about this - you can contact me directly.

[FuriousMeow]

3 hours ago, Avimimus said:

The Suez Crisis in 1956 had a lot of second-line or export aircraft that would be contemporaries of the Korean war types. It was very short, but you may as well add it to your mad list.

Ah, good call! Only small, somewhat obscure/little known, battles/wars from here on out. 

I've heard rumors that instead of a tank style module, there will be light machine gun emplacements and something about Emus.

[gecko]

10 hours ago, Avimimus said:

I would like them to do a DLC2 or release a few Collector Planes as well... the planeset is already pretty close to being complete - but there are a few interesting additions: F-86E/F (Gunval?), B-26 Invader, Meteor F.8, Seafire FR.47, F-82G, F7F... lots of interesting aircraft that haven't been seen in a sim before.

Not to mention a few more possible reds - MiG 15 (the initial production variant used by the Chinese and North Koreans), La-9, Po-2, An-2. I think even an La-7 fits in 1950.

F-94 vs Po-2 at night in the mountains would be pretty interesting.

Edited June 3 by gecko

[Dash,Polder]

Don't really care the exact zone or map but I would love to fly a full set of planes of either Italy, Japan, France, or one of the other guys that's never been fully explored or done in the last few decades.

Those as primary focal than add the regular stuff as filling.