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Dmitry Yudo aka Overlord, jack of all trades
David Lister aka Listy, Freelancer and Volunteer

Monday, May 30, 2011

Shell Tracer Effects To Be Partially Reintroduced

Shell tracer effects for all allied vehicles and spotted enemy vehicles are going to be reintroduced after tomorrow's scheduled restart (May 31) on EU and US servers.

Note! Mind that shell tracer effects will be partial.

Additional anti hacking protection for shell tracer effects along with their full reintroduction are planned for 6.5 update

55 comments:

  1. Oh!!! Cool!!! Great job Devs Team!

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  2. Cool! No need for mini-map to find our friends anymore, we can just follow their tracers, very useful.

    //gotfat

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  3. Nice. Good decision to rush a hotfix through!

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  4. Guys, mind that tracers will be reintroduced PARTIALLY.

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  5. It is not a hotfix. Only visible enemies will leave tracers, which means that we will be only able to know if enemy which we see just shootd, so pretty much useless.

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  6. It seems abit pointless once spoted we know where they are we use tracers to find tanks we can not see.

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  7. My main concern about the lack of enemy tracers for hidden tanks is that it prevents us from distinguishing between (1) being hit by artillery and (2) being hit by a hidden sniper.

    Could you guys change the sound effect for an artillery strike, so that we know which of these two options it is (and take appropriate cover)?

    I think that this would allow tank drivers to respond appropriately to the situation without having to immediately put tracers for hidden tanks back in. It is also realistic in that it is almost certainly the case that an artillery shell impact sounds different than a sniping tank.

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  8. I use tracer for my normal aming as arty and as heavy, and on the other had i really like the big blow after firing my gun, no i have to look closely to see were i shot.

    Nice work around Guys !

    Greets Rapid87

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  9. If by partial you mean that it doesn't show the first part, I'm fine with it. I only use tracers to find cover and get the general location of tanks anyways. :V

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  10. No, partial means that you will see all the tracers from tanks on your own team, plus the tracers from tanks that has been spotted (i.e. those who are in red on the mini-map).

    This allows you to see where they might be shooting from if they have been spotted, but will not allow the tracer cheat to be used to find those who shoot from cover undetected, and thereby let the cheaters shoot at that spot.

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  11. Frankly, I think the best idea to prevent people from modifying certain files would be an MD5 checksum check , so you can't modify them. So once you're logged into your account, an MD5 check would check the tracer files.

    1. If they're okay: Let 'em play
    2. Send your own team a message which account is compromised and at the same time disconnect the player from the server.

    That way you'd get to see WHO is "hacking / modifying their files" and at the same time not have to remove or rewrite your whole tracer idea.

    Just a heads up from a "security" dev
    HypnotoadProductions

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  12. What about RU server?

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  13. I think tracers should be removed completely.

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  14. no because with tracers it is possible to counter arty - which is a huge advantage for team. without them artillery is just getting buffed again...

    and i have to say that i like countering enemy arty after it fired its first shell ;)

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  15. Better than nothing. Thank you :)

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  16. The Hypnotoad has some good suggestions.

    Let the wise man inspire you, we all need both tracers and anti-hacker system. Only one of them is fail.

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  17. Adding this type of tracer back is only a visual effect. It loads the network more, loads your computer more, but adds no real information.

    The only gameplay use of tracers is the stuff that is disabled. Figuring out which bush that TD is sniping you from, or spotting an arty that fired.
    However, this is exactly what the hackers enhanced to make it unfair.

    Personally, I think adding this type of tracer back is a mistake. It adds confusion, network and client load, and doesn't add any gameplay value.

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  18. And the people with "quick fix" ideas like MD5 have no real idea how hacking something like this works. There is absolutely no need to change any disk files.

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  19. Well my dear Mr.Idon'tPostAName, you're talking to a guy who worked several years to make games safer AND got paid for that.

    *sigh* Some script kids...

    Oh well, I guess Overlord will know that an MD5 check will catch alot of "hackers" and the resulting disconnect will solve the rest.

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  20. Q: What about RU server?

    A: Afaik, RU server will have it as well.

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  21. Q: Oh well, I guess Overlord will know that an MD5 check will catch alot of "hackers" and the resulting disconnect will solve the rest.

    A: We have some other ideas on the issue.

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  22. I can't believe that you support the cheaters again? The tracers of my own team may be visible, but not the tracers of the enemies: An enemy is hidden, gets visible for 5 sec because of 1 shot and is hidden again. He is secure if nobody aimed him – what happens often. But not for the cheater because they see the tracers much longer. No good idea!

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  23. Take a look to the forums pleas Overlord and count, how many BANS your moderators issued in past two days against people who complained against tracer removal. Than go to your administration and FIRE those loose cannons for good and apologize to those customers who got banned by those moderator kids.
    And returning tracers in this form is not useful at all.

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  24. his new idea on the issue is to make people pay gold if they want to see tracers. Then those tracers last a set time depending on how much money you gave devs. No money = no tracers. simple and keeping with the way you run the rest of the game.

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  25. basicly arty will still remain invincible as their tracers wont show untill they are spotted but that makes no diff cuz then the arty would be dead by the tank who spotted it.

    all in all a hot fix that dosent fix the problem of invincible arty cuz they still cant be countered.

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  26. I guess the best answer would be, when will the new update be released so that we can get back to how we started. This just seems to be an appeasement for now. While they are at it, I seem to be seeing something funny. When I fight certain clans their radios seem to reach out almost the whole map while ours go the distance measured in the spec. Could there be some hax extending radio distance for spotting?

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  27. Overlord,

    I wonder if removal of the fps drop while in sniper mode by renaming the shot_...xml files is a violation of the EULA?

    Thank you.

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  28. mipko,

    there are no kids among the mod team. Many of them have their own.

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  29. Q: I wonder if removal of the fps drop while in sniper mode by renaming the shot_...xml files is a violation of the EULA?

    A: Technically - yes, but no persecution will follow in this case.

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  30. Suggestion: Big flash effect for firing a large caliber gun - especially guns without a proper muzzle brake.

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  31. Hi Overlord, I have a question... If you are banned from server for an accidental teamkill as well as an Intentional teamkill (because you guys can't differentiate between the two), why don't you guys just disable friendly fire? That fixes both noob intentional friendly fire and innocent players getting banned...

    John_Rico

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  32. Can you just change the visiblty issue of not being seen when firing. A 15+ foot fireball is hard to miss when Tank guns fires.
    ALL tanks who fire regardless of coverage should be lit up for 3-5 sec.Out to 445-460 Meters.

    Because it does not happen at all ranges.The spotting system is still off some what having a Tiger 2 not seeing a tank who 150 meter behind a bush firing.

    Yes the crew is at 100 %

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  33. Q: why don't you guys just disable friendly fire?

    A: This is out of question.

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  34. Overlord said...

    Q: why don't you guys just disable friendly fire?

    A: This is out of question.
    May 31, 2011 4:16 PM

    Overlord ??? why. a looonger answer pls
    And why dont you make tanks visible in game like in life, i can see one a mile away-i drive past tank museum several timea per day :-)

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  35. Well, that means that you know where to look for, you got used to see it there every day :-D. Tanks in real life (battle conditions) usually are hull down, in cover, with camouflage (artificial+natural). Try to spot one of those if it doesnt shoot...

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  36. Ok, mr anonymous, lets take an example from "real life (i m the guy asking why overlord a looonger answer pls)
    acan you compare a hetzer and a j tiger in real life, j tiget is a size of a house, its como could be a roof and wals to discise it in a house, hetzer is small and ,ok i understand it can hide easily.
    But stil j tiger can hide right in front of your nose, i remember raming one bcos i didnt see it some 30 mtrs away, in the middle of the road. How do you comment that, what was it comouflaget in, invisible air???

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  37. i sugest the following changes: change the visibility to unlimited, remove the red highlight from enemy tanks! that way we can play a lot better game, the tanks get smaller by distance so you cant or hardly see them, i have no idea why they chose this game system...must make more money.
    But this isnt a tank game, this is a parody on one !

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  38. hi Overlord,
    a suggestion to replace tracer or shell trail for arty.

    instead of a shell trail, why not just create a simple shockwave effect from the nozzle of the gun. this tracer will only benefit arty, and this will make the counter even more challenging. (of cos the effect will be from server side, so no file hack possible)
    i made notice that countering arty the old ways is too easy, thus whoever kill the enemies arty faster will definitely win the battle.

    x

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  39. Q: Overlord ??? why. a looonger answer pls

    A: FF is a must in action games, we do believe it should be a part of the game.

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  40. Q: a suggestion to replace tracer or shell trail for arty. instead of a shell trail, why not just create a simple shockwave effect from the nozzle of the gun. this tracer will only benefit arty, and this will make the counter even more challenging. (of cos the effect will be from server side, so no file hack possible)
    i made notice that countering arty the old ways is too easy, thus whoever kill the enemies arty faster will definitely win the battle.

    A: As long as it is client-side it is insecure.

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  41. sorry to have to say this, but you guys picked the worst solution; with the the current system the tracers are utterly useless not to mention very irritating and confusing in the heat of battle - I hope this is only a temporary solution until you fixed the security/hacking issues? Or is there an option planned to deactivate the tracers altogether? Would save my poor lil puter and my brain some performance...

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  42. Question this is more on the US TEch tree update IF i have a T30 in my garage after update i have the new american teir 10 the T-30 as a TD and the tnks below it in the corresponding line reaserched?

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  43. Q: Question this is more on the US TEch tree update IF i have a T30 in my garage after update i have the new american teir 10 the T-30 as a TD and the tnks below it in the corresponding line reaserched?

    A: Nope, only T30 itself.

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  44. i heard some rumors..
    is it true that you'll add the US tanks to the russian tree so they get a buff and will finally be played again?

    A moderator said so and i quote him: "thats the only way you will ever see a us tank buffed. no one cares about us tanks anyway"

    I will not give a name call here, but he seemed pretty drunk

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  45. Hey Overlord, are the plans to make the T-54 have jet powered tracks going along well? By the way, when can our Russian tanks see tracers from enemies again? I expect you to also be working hard on the development of our wave gun technology.

    Furthermore, I hope you make it so the damn dirty Germans and filthy Americans spontaneously combust when our guns miss.

    Sincerely,

    Vladimir Putin

    PS: Failure to comply will result in nuking of WG.net and liquidation of all it's assets, including human resources.. feel me?

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  46. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  47. Sorry Overlord I don't want to have to gravedig an old topic, but I just don't understand the mechanics of view range in this game.

    I think I understand spotting enemy tanks for myself except I don't quite understand the maximum range for this. You mentioned previously 445m, yet some turrets have a view range greater than this. Furthermore is this range then modified by coated optics and/or binoculars? taking it out to a potential 600m? (445m x [1+0.25+0.10]) (by the way do binoculars and optics have a cumulative effect? do they add together?)

    Secondly You mentioned radio ranges as being additive for the purposes of seeing tanks spotted by team mates. Most teir 7+ tanks have a radio range of at least 400m why cant I see anything at 800m then? The most I have ever seen someone at was 600m, I can see people on the minimap further away than 600m but I cant see them through my sights, does the tank view range effect this how far away I can see team mate spotted tanks through my sights? do optics and binoculars affect this range? Based on some things I have read I get the impression that if a fully upgraded panther spotted someone at 300m and radioed it to me I should be able to see that tank at up to 1920m (300m + 810m + 810m)

    Finally, could you please get the displayed tank stats/specs (RoF, view range, radio range, aim time etc) for your selected tank in the hanger to reflect their actual values as modified by your crew skills + modules. This one change would go a long way to remove my frustration and wondering in the dark of this game. The mechanics need to be more fully explained.

    I mean is 460m the view range of my panther as a base? or as maxed commander skill + ventilation + chocolate? likewise radio?

    A lot of questions I know, I hope you can shed some light on these issues and I thank you for your time in answering them.

    Tom

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  48. Hi! And what about the skinpacks? Some skinpacks are showing the weakpoints and modules of the tanks. Players who use it, got benefit agianst players who don't use it. They make more repair costs, more damage. I think this is not fair!

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  49. "Finally, could you please get the displayed tank stats/specs (RoF, view range, radio range, aim time etc) for your selected tank in the hanger to reflect their actual values as modified by your crew skills + modules."

    This! +1

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  50. Q: A moderator said so and i quote him: "thats the only way you will ever see a us tank buffed. no one cares about us tanks anyway"

    I will not give a name call here, but he seemed pretty drunk

    A: He was drunk, definitely.

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  51. Tom,

    all bonuses are summed up, tho view range is limited to 445m, if your potential view range exceeds 445m, allows you to spot targets with better camo within 445m distance.

    There is a game engine limitation that limits max visibility to 707m.

    This is planned for future.

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  52. Dear Overlord,

    Ignoring your mother country's demands will result in Stalinistic treatment

    Sincerely,

    Vladimir Putin

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  53. Thanks Overlord, the one thing is still not clear in the teammate spotted case though...does your tanks view range effect that 707m? or is view range purely for spotting and radio purely for team mate spotted stuff?

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  54. Couple of comments/questions to Devs on tracers..

    1. Would it be harder to abuse if only the last 30-50% of a shell's arc was visible as tracer. That way it's never going to be exact back to the muzzle of the firing vehicle either way.

    2. What about have a random chance roll for every shot for being visible as a tracer, with arty being more likely to show as tracers, and other stuff like calibre of gun, proximity of every tank to the line of fire etc. So that way not every shot is guaranteed as traceable.

    Whatever solution you pick good luck with it, and thx for a great game.

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