war-thunder-world-of-planes
Latest
War Thunder video highlights planes and mods of update 1.3
'The friendly skies' it is not; not with historical warplanes waging battle across it. And with the new update 1.3, the airways in War Thunder just got a little meaner. This latest update of the dogfight-infused game will offer pilots more customization options for their planes, from both new planes (seven American, seven Russian, and one British) to more long-planned modifications. These modifications are divided into four ascending stages, each one allowing players to improve weaponry, engine performance, and durability. Higher stages are unlocked only after a requisite number of mods are purchased from the previous level. What about pilots who have already modified their planes? Devs assure that nothing will be lost -- all previously installed mods will be automatically installed in the new update. Watch the new planes in action in the update video after the break, and read up on all the upcoming changes in the dev diary and patch notes on the official site. [Source: Gaijin Entertainment press release]
Rise and Shiny: War Thunder
War Thunder, a new instanced-based WWII flying battle, uhm, thingy, didn't really seem that appealing at first. It looks nice, and yes, the planes can be controlled in a few different styles ranging from an FPS twitch style to a more "realistic" mode, but I was worried it would be just another slogging grind until I was able to have any fun. There's some truth behind my worry about the grind, but overall I had an incredible time in the game. The only real shame is that I didn't get to put as much time in it as I would have liked. The game had infrequent connection issues, but when they cropped up, they lasted a while. Even so, each match lasted long enough to give me a pretty good taste of combat. I stuck with the "arcade" style of gameplay. It's a simpler way to control the planes that allows players to point the mouse pointer for control. You might need to land for repairs and take off again, but it's as simple as slowing down until you touch down. I started to take the more realistic mode's tutorial, but as soon as it told me I had to manually control much more of the plane's controls, I gave up. Call me a wimp, but I just wanted to shoot planes.
The Firing Line: 16th century fragging edition
What do War Thunder, World of Warplanes, Leonardo da Vinci, and Tribes: Ascend have in common? Not a whole lot aside from their respective appearances in this week's edition of The Firing Line. Won't you join me after the cut for a rundown on some recent and notable online shooter news? If you're feeling particularly ornery, you can point and laugh at the fact that I'm still not in the War Thunder beta.
The Firing Line: Newsplosion edition
Holy carp there was a lot going on in shooter circles this week! Between the news blurbs, videos, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. memories (yes, I said S.T.A.L.K.E.R, and damn that takes a long time to type), there was nearly enough information for two editions of The Firing Line. Luckily for you (and for my overworked editor), I managed to keep the word count down. Let's not kid ourselves, though; there's plenty of interesting stuff after the cut. Join me for the latest on dueling World War II aviation MMOs, a new free-to-play shooter from Crytek, the requisite PlanetSide 2 lovefest, and some official dev answers to last week's Taikodom question.
World of Planes renamed, evolves 'beyond pure aerial combat'
Gaijin has renamed its forthcoming aviation-centric World War II action MMO. The title was formerly called World of Planes (not to be confused with World of Warplanes), but will henceforth be known as War Thunder: World of Planes. The official website has been redesigned to reflect the change, and most interestingly, Gaijin states that aviation is no longer the title's sole focus. "This name change is significant because the online multiplayer universe Gaijin is developing has evolved beyond pure aerial combat. The massive historical battles featured in War Thunder cannot be fought with aviation alone -- World of Planes is only the beginning," the site says. What this means is anyone's guess, since Gaijin has not offered any details regarding ground- or sea-based combat as of yet. The company has released a new screenshot gallery, though, and you'll find that and more at the new official site.
The Firing Line: An early look at World of Planes
Today I'd like to expand on the World War II flight shooter theme introduced in last week's episode of The Firing Line. We've talked a bit about Wargaming.net's World of Warplanes, but there's another MMO in the works that features intense aerial battles, sexy 1940s-era aircraft, and a "World of" title.
World of Planes updates include screenshots, fan video, and interviews
Timing is everything, a wise man once said, and Gaijin's PR department surely knows this. That's why we've finally got some new info on World of Planes after weeks of silence. Yes, we said World of Planes, not World of Warplanes, and we're sure it's a big ol' coincidence that Gaijin has chosen to open the floodgates just after Wargaming.net released its first tech tree earlier this week. At any rate, there is some cool stuff to see if you're into World War II-era aviation. First up is a fan-made (and developer-endorsed) video that we've embedded for after the break. Then there is the new screenshot gallery on the official WoP website. Lastly there are a couple of noteworthy forum threads including a beginner's guide and the second interview in a series focusing on alpha testers who are real-world pilots. [Source: Gaijin press release]
New World of Planes video shows off air combat, ground strafing, and more
Gaijin Entertainment has released another heart-pounding video from its upcoming World of Planes MMO, and the scene has shifted from the Pacific theater showcased last month to what looks to be the Kuban region of southern Russia. A gaggle of great-looking World War II fighters are on display, as are a few stomach-churning cockpit perspectives and some spiffy smoke, fire, and damage effects. There's a lot of air combat, of course, but there's also a brief glimpse of some target strafing and quite a lot of detail when it comes to terrain textures, buildings, and other ground objects. Flight sim fans will be happy to know that Gaijin was responsible for 2009's IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, a console-based air combat title that followed in the footsteps of the venerable Sturmovik series on the PC. Gaijin also developed a PC version called Wings of Prey and looks to be using that expertise for its new free-to-play World of Planes MMO. Kick the tires and light the fires by checking out the new trailer after the cut.
Gaijin releases World of Planes screenshots and trailer
World of Warplanes isn't the only free-to-play World War II aviation title spooling up on the flight line, as Gaijin has just released a new trailer and a bevy of screenshots for World of Planes (yes, that's the actual name). If the new assets are anything to go by, World of Planes will be pretty stiff competition. Despite an intertitle that says the in-game footage is from an alpha build and not representative of the final product, the clip is pretty impressive. We're treated to a bird's eye view of a squadron of Dauntless divebombers making their way towards a Japanese ship convoy, and there are a couple of obscure aircraft on display (including the Brewster Buffalo and a Rufe, which is basically an amphibious version of the more famous Mitsubishi Zero). Gaijin seems to have an eye for detail as well (note the operating dive brakes on the Dauntless and the exposed wing rib on an Me 109 above, and in the screenshot gallery below). You can learn more at the game's official website, and don't forget to check out the four-minute trailer after the cut. %Gallery-126603%
Gaijin announces World of Planes MMO
Is the World War II aviation-based MMO market big enough to support multiple titles? We'll soon find out, as Gaijin Entertainment has just announced its upcoming World of Planes MMO (not to be confused with Wargaming.net's World of Warplanes title, which took a bow earlier this month). Gaijin's press release calls World of Planes a "flying simulation game," and the company will be drawing on its previous genre experience thanks to titles like Wings of Prey and Wings of Luftwaffe. According to the new World of Planes website, the game will feature "hundreds of historically accurate planes" and "flying skills that can be honed and improved with each mission." The site also hints at ground- and sea-based combat along with co-op missions, solo play, and a realistic damage model. The game will operate under a free-to-play business model, and you'll want to check out our screenshot gallery below before heading to the official World of Planes website to sign up for beta. %Gallery-126603%
