Yearly Archives: 2014

16.4.2014

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Closed the comments on the “feedback” post to be actually able to follow them – you can continue under this post here. As I wrote before, I am known for getting angry really quick, so after I cool down (and defragment my drive), I’ll just fiddle with the settings (got some nice tips), clean up the PC and all the usual stuff. Hopefully I will make the game playable with some decent FPS. I am not quitting FTR either, don’t worry about that.

- the game will not stop working on Dx9 anytime soon
- the Schurzen on new Panzer IV Ausf.G are part of the armor model, they work
- Storm confirms: 12 tanks will be buffed in 9.1, 8 tanks will be nerfed
- the sound of the tank destroyed in 9.0 – Storm doesn’t know whether it’s “realistic” – the feedback is that half of the people think it’s fine, other half think it’s like a “pop” and not an explosion. The sound itself was recorded based on a 152mm shell explosion
- there will be only one client, but it will be possible to select via the launcher, whether you want to download HD models or not, at least that’s how the work in progress looks like, it’s possible that it might change still
- updated (HD) tanks on standard render appear without shaders and look “flat”, because the old tanks had the shadows drawn directly into the textures, while they are calculated in real time now, but that goes only for improved render, on the old one, it looked ugly. Developers will make some feature to work around this.
- the algorithm for automatic graphic selection is “complicated”, details cannot be disclosed

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Posted in Q&A

Stronk Wargaming Art

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Hello everyone,

so, after raging a bit about the 9.0, I needed something to calm down and laugh about. And what do you know, Wargaming delivers! American server announced the tier 10 discount with an article, featuring Waffenträger E-100 “art”:

ontrack_is_684_wt

Something weird about it? Yea, the gun is the British L7 from the 60′s (at least the front half, the latter half belongs to the German gun). I mean… WT E-100 is unhistorical, but… not THAT much unhistorical. Or maybe it was the nazi Ahnenerbe time machine in action :)

Edit: apparently I was wrong, I thought it’s the L7 “thanks” to the “ejector”, but according to The_Chieftain (and other people), it’s because the artists simply mashed the 128mm and 150mm guns together, producing this.

9.0 “Feedback”

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Well… I’ll be brief. I downloaded the patch 9.0 and installed it just like everyone else. My computer is not good, but it’s also not utter crap. Previously, I ran WoT on medium terrain setting, high model setting, shadows turned off, medium lighting, medium post processing and all that. My FPS was between 30-50, depended on the map. Map loading was quite comfortable (apart from the winter Himmelsdorf and Windstorm, those loaded very long for some reason). Without even trying historical battles, I went straight for random with my old settings in place – and the result?

The game was completely unplayable for me. Same settings – 10-15 FPS. Absolute nightmare. This shit wasn’t there on the test, first test worked just fine for me at least…

And to top it off, the battle (Himmelsdorf) loaded TWO FUCKING MINUTES. Same settings, mind you – earlier, 10-15 seconds, now two minutes. Very skill, many programming, wow.

Alright then, out of battle and change settings.

- textures: medium (I refuse to play on “low”, fuck that shit, played on “high” before)
- pretty much everything changed to low or off

Another battle, new Pearl River. This time, map loads significantly faster (15 seconds or so). 15-30 FPS (VERY fluctuating, depending on what goes on the screen), but what is worse, everytime I switch to sniper mode, there is a 0,5-1s “lag” where the computer loads something from the HD. This used to be a problem for me until it was fixed like half a year ago, not sure by what, but it’s back. Another issue, even with low post-processing (or that thingie that according to the tooltip controls the smoke quality), artillery explosions cause MASSIVE FPS drop for me (to 5 FPS or so).

Result: the game is completely unplayable for me. Sure, I could (again, after a year and something) return to the old render (not sure it would even help, the improved render gave me more FPS), but… no. I’ve had it. The game is laggy as fuck (normal on patch day, but it was laggy even before today) and now that the FPS is gone as well without making the game look like shit, there is no real reason for me to stay, especially when Elder Scrolls on my computer run smoothly on medium/high details, without the game looking like something from 2001.

Sorry, that’s it. I am quitting WoT.

Edit: before anyone panicks, no, FTR is not going away, I wouldn’t be such an asshole. After all, I already took the money. I’ll keep running it, I just won’t play anymore.

Edit 2: As you well know, I am quick to anger – so after chilling a bit, I will try cleaning up the computer, updating drivers etc. and we’ll see.

Storm talks about Patch 9.0

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Source: http://world-of-kwg.livejournal.com/287461.html

Hello everyone,

since Patch 9.0 is active on the Russian server for a day already, Storm is asking the Russian players for 9.0 feedback. Apparently, some players have had their FPS actually increased (SS: but a lot of players complained about massive FPS drops). He also asks about feedback on the historical battles, HD models and everything else. He mentioned the “secret M4 nerf” and explained that they simply forgot to add it to the patchnotes – it happens when there is a patch with many smaller things, sometimes, something gets forgotten.

From the discussion:

- there will be no separate client for HD models and “old” models
- if you see a flash in the sniper mode and you have it disabled in the settings, it’s probably mods
- apparently, there might be an issue with long queues for historical battles as well, developers are watching it closely
- the sound of tank destruction was changed, other sounds only had their volume tweaked
- inside of the gun barrel was made darker intentionally
- there will be new effect implemented when the tank gets destroyed – massive flame and burning, followed (SS: if I understand it correctly) in some cases (certain chance) by an ammo rack explosion
- Sherman was actually statistically quite OP, that’s why it was nerfed in 9.0
- there is no Tiger I in the Ardennes and Balaton HB, there were no Tigers there historically
- Panther/M10 premium will be added to Ardennes later
- apparently, in 9.1, Maus will be neither buffed nor nerfed
- Storm is actually home today, he is ill
- if you see models at distance riding around without tracks, increase your model quality in settings
- there is something wrong with the Tiger suspension (“lifted”?), it will be fixed
- hangar puts a lot of strain on the videocard, Storm states it will be optimized (in 9.1/9.2)
- in the future, it will be possible not to download HD models
- WG will monitor the FPS situation, because many report FPS drops (Storm however adds that many also report FPS increases – apparently, weak computer owners report increases and good computer owners report drops)

Storm explains why the tier table was removed from the battle queue screen:

“Some guys wrote a mod, that analyzed the data from this table and allowed players to enter the battle at those times, where the chance to end up as a top tank was highest. This chance was made seriously higher. In order to fight this mod, we decided to disable the transfer of this data to the client. I didn’t post this earlier not to bring attention to this mod.”

- patch 9.1 will be more like a patch that fixes the bugs from 9.0

Posted in Q&A

Undocumented Nerfs in 9.0

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Hello everyone,

there is a hidden M4 Sherman nerf, that wasn’t in the original patchnotes.

M4 Sherman – top turret:

- 105mm howitzer reload time nerfed from 8s to 9s
- 105mm howitzer aimtime nerfed from 2,3s to 2,5s
- 76mm M1A1 reload time nerfed from 4,2s to 4,8s
- shot dispersion on the move on hard surfaces increased by 12 percent

15.4.2014

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- Panther and Object 430 size changes were changed (both were made a bit bigger), this doesn’t appear in the patch notes, because it’s apparently insignificant
- World of Tanks is not influenced by Microsoft not supporting Windows XP anymore – Storm states that WoT will run on XP “at least for several more years”
- post-war HD battles won’t be implemented for now, because “it’s garbage – US and Russian crews in American and Soviet tanks”
- models having common parts (turrets and such) actually accelerates the production of HD models
- more info on the premium Soviet T-54 will come once the tank reaches the supertest stage

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Posted in Q&A

Conspiracy, Russian Style – WG controlled by Gays!

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On the NA forums, there are lots of conspiracy theories. RNG rigging, favourable matchmaking for top clans, Russian bias. These are old and tired. In the Russian community, it’s much more fun.

“FORBID WORLD OF TANKS!

I worked there for almost a year. The developers are specifically chosen to be gays. This project is sponsored by the West. When they told me I had to go on a date with the department head (male), I had to quit.

It’s about 80% gays. Our department had less, but the rest have tons. Why do they pick out gays? It is simple. Their hate of normal family life gives them additional stimulation to work. They also use “25th frame” subliminal messaging and subconscious zombifying. The main goal of this game is to drag the male population of this country into the web of addition, and destroy the family as a part of society. Also it gives massive profits from addicted gamers.

I know of suicides because of this game, mostly teenagers. The company knows this and spends massive amounts of money to hide it. I would advise unhappy wives to write to the Belorussian KGB with the goal of forbidding the game on the territory of the CIS.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Yuri Pasholok embraces his secret nature.

So next time you post about a conspiracy theory on the forums, get creative!