Playnet Inc and Cornered Rat Software's open Beta test of the long awaited 1.29 upgrade is nearing completion. The open Beta allows players to try out new features that will prepare for the release of WWIIOL:Battleground Europe into the Chinese gaming market next year.
In preparation for the launch of the award-winning MMOG “WWIIOL: Battleground Europe” into the Chinese gaming market in 2009, staff at Playnet Inc and Cornered Rat Software have poured thousands of development hours into version 1.29 and veriosn 1.30 to follow, which will add features and improvements that will benefit both current and future players.
"Today marks a big milestone in the testing of the latest version of WWIIOL", says Senior Producer Dana "Gophur" Baldwin. "We have shipped a server and client package to China to begin closed Alpha testing on the servers there. With that completed we can focus on the remaining tasks for version 1.29 and prepare to go live in the next couple of weeks or hopefully sooner. Our Open Test server has as always been agreat tool for our community. While they get a sneak peak at what’s new we in turn get the chance to get feedback and bug reports. MMO’s, as we all know, are huge and complex beasts and the simulation underpinnings of a massive virtual war simulator add to this complexity. As of today’s test release we will have closed all issues sent to test. We still have bug reports and some features left to complete but this is a very big milestone on the path to release. With the continued support of our testers we look to be on track for a release in the next week or two. Plenty of time for all of you from MMORPG.com who have been enjoying our unique MMO to see our next free content release."
One of the most anticipated features of 1.29 is the new tutorial zone and UI. For a beginner, the first foray into Battleground Europe can be a daunting experience. Currently, the game boasts an extensive core of volunteer trainers, and veteran players are always eager to help the "newbiw" stay alive as long as possible. The first phase in the new tutorial system will be “Basic Training”. This feature takes new players into the game through a series of guided tutorials that focus on everything from basic infantry movement and firing to using the map and chat tools for communication and planning. Further updates will expand to include advanced training, advanced combat training, and training on the extensive weapons list including everything from mortar practice ranges to pre flight instruction. The tutorials will also cover every screen of the UI with a new “Quick Help” system. New players should have a much improved experience finding a battle or joining a squad or chatting with others. Baldwin is excited about the future of the program: "Combat training will be next stage of training where players will get to compete in small directed battles so that they are prepared for WWIIOL-style combat before they even step foot into the game world."
Battleground Europe's air war has also seen some updates with 1.29, including two new planes, the Spitfire Mk 1b and the Bf 109 E1 and a flight model audit that has made a dramatic improvement. The yaw fix has made aerobatics and advanced combat maneuvers much easier to perform, an improvement that will make air combat even more exciting.
Also getting some attention is the terrain. Buildings, docks, streets and rural areas are being replaced or improved. "While these all look better in the current game", Baldwin states, "They will really begin to shine when we release the Unity upgrade. The upgraded Unity game engine is scheduled to go into testing in 2009 and will not only improve performance and content for players, it makes adding things like "rag doll" physics to the game alot easier.
A full readme on what 1.29 will bring to Battleground Europe can be found here on their official website.
MMORPG.com members are invited to sign up for an exclusive 14 day free trial of Battleground Europe. Anyone interested in taking part in the Open Beta of 1.29 will need a premium suscription, now available to MMORPG.com trial members at a special price. Full details here.
I just kinda stumbled upon this game. It looks interesting. I think I'm gonna give the trial a spin.
CRS needs to proofread their stuff a lot better...
The word "durring" has been in their EULA for years (I submitted reports twice on it)...
And on the forums... I'd give a fourth grader an F for spelling with all the problems they have.
Fun but frustrating game though.
They have the same problem with coding unfortantly. Proof reading, type-o's and simple mistakes add up to some interesting bugs in game.
Unfortantly I dont even classify the game as fun anymore just fustrating. I guess if you know nothing of WWII history, or actual wepon affects or damage, then it could still be fun. But thats like looking at Fast & the Furrious and saying that it was 100% accurate and real.
Id be the first to scream, "NOT REAL!", but they had to make 'adjustments' for sake of balance. If they didnt, the Allies would never have a chance.
The tutorial really is going to help keeping players in the game, making the game more fun since this game gets exponentially better compared to the player numbers.
this game is fun if you get a nice squad...and when they upgrade graphics...im back
You do realize this game wouldn't exist at all if they lived up to your standards, right? And that even if they were bankrolled by some disgustingly wealthy benefactor so they didn't have to worry about subscriptions, no one would play it because of the problems with balance and boredom associated with "realism"? And that the thousands of players who do play are overwhelmingly military vets, and weapon, flight and history buffs who constantly critique their realism vs. balance considerations? And all those people still play when they disagree with individual decisions because it's still the only MMO even attempting to recreate some semblance of strategic historical warfare across an entire continent-sized theater? You know all that because you've been playing and paying attention for 6+ years, right?
Your idea of "quality" is quite perverted, my friend.
You do realize this game wouldn't exist at all if they lived up to your standards, right? And that even if they were bankrolled by some disgustingly wealthy benefactor so they didn't have to worry about subscriptions, no one would play it because of the problems with balance and boredom associated with "realism"? And that the thousands of players who do play are overwhelmingly military vets, and weapon, flight and history buffs who constantly critique their realism vs. balance considerations? And all those people still play when they disagree with individual decisions because it's still the only MMO even attempting to recreate some semblance of strategic historical warfare across an entire continent-sized theater? You know all that because you've been playing and paying attention for 6+ years, right?
Your idea of "quality" is quite perverted, my friend.
Defending this game is a journey in the absurd. Granted the dedicated playerbase has kept it alive, but it still, even after 6 years, a very mediocre MMO. Don't confuse this game with historical realism, it is so far from it the idea is even ludicrous.
Defending this game is a journey in the absurd. Granted the dedicated playerbase has kept it alive, but it still, even after 6 years, a very mediocre MMO. Don't confuse this game with historical realism, it is so far from it the idea is even ludicrous.
Historical realism .. lol .. that wasnt in to start with.. only the begin is historical .. the rest is different since the PLAYER changes history.
Its still unique and gives a lot of gamefun.
But people have love and hate affair with it.
If a game is really bad, they forget the game, but this game people want to see improved and then even the people that got bit disappointed still talk about it, even when they give their own private negative view about it.
This game still rocks and is a lot of fun, but people that want to complain, always find something to complain about.
And lets face it, there is no substitute for it on the market at all.
This game looks very interesting, i have been waiting to try it for some time but due to the dated look of it i held off.
Once the new graphics upgrade takes place i think i will dive in and give it a go!
Was a long time Planetside player so im hoping for some large scale battles!
6 years is a helluva lot longer than Tabula Rasa lasted ;), and if they had nearly as much money as TR did, it'd be much better :p
I tried the tutorial a few months ago, but I can't stand the outdated graphics. I'm sorry if this makes me a ghrapics whore, but I can't stand playing anything that looks worse than a Dreamcast game. It doesn't have to look like Crysis, but at least HL2 or Far Cry 1.
When this game came out years ago, it didn't have an alternative. Historical realism has been set aside loooong ago in order to keep the `balance`. Well, with the realism factor gone, why to play such a game with such poor graphics??? Battlefield 1942 has a lot better graphics, is faster, a lot more fun and you don't pay a monthly fee (And it also doesn't offer any more realism than this game).
Another question is: Which game offers realism about world-war 2 ??? Soldiers: Heroes of WW2 or Faces of War (both strategy games) offers the most realistic combat (but only for tanks, soldiers still have hitpoints). Does anyone know any realistic WW2 game at all?
I must salute the players who kept this game alive though. It has one of the friendliest communities. Eager to help or teach any moment, they add a lot to this game. Without them there is absolutely no reason to play this game.
Last problem I can recall now is the buggy engine, which cannot be fixed for years. There are still hackers using `radar` which shows any enemies within 2 km, and the devs cannot do anything about it, other then hiding the fact. Somewhere in my old computer I still have a few screenshots taken by a hacker, which shows a line of red dots on the radar, who are actually panzers trying to reach a village through a forest. And next he simply bombs the poor guys, who don't have any clue about how did the blenheim bomber saw them there.
Whenever a new patch comes and I feel like playing that game, I look at these screenshots and give up wasting my money and time. Not worth imo.