Notes on Flying Circus Series
We just announced details of what’s included in Flying Circus: Volume II and launched the pre-order period which will turn into Early Access as soon as the first aircraft are ready. We are very excited to be able to continue the series! Getting to this point was not easy and I can already anticipate your comments on issues not mentioned in the announcement. So, I will address some of them here and not dirty up the official announcement.
First, as many of you know, my main goal has always been to essentially re-produce Rise of Flight inside our current engine with all our latest technology and then expand it further with new planes and mission content. However, to even begin that process I had to find away to make that happen without greatly increasing our cost and destroy our work on WWII focused properties. And to make it worthwhile for our partners we had to minimize the time required to make the content. Therefore, I created the plan for Flying Circus: Volume I even though I knew it would be a hard sell and a gamble. The bottom-line is we had to start somewhere. I trusted the ROF and IL-2 community would want WWI product development to start up again and would get behind FC1. And over time, you did, even if it was slower than we would have liked. However, today, enough FC1 has been sold and the community has grown to a size to warrant an FC2 and then FC3 and if we’re lucky an FC4. With every new volume, Flying Circus becomes less of a gamble.
The FC2 Plane-set
I’ve chosen the plane set in FC2 to give the most well-rounded experience when combined with FC1 and flesh out a really strong 1917-1918 plane-set. FC3 will go and backfill most of the remaining planes from our collection. The likelihood of making FC3 is very high, so do not fret if your favorite plane is not included yet. I’m looking at you Nieuport 17 lovers.
The Map
Ugra Media built the Arras map for FC1 and they are tasked again with building the FC2/3 map which will expand beyond the Arras map boundaries and the goal is to make a large Western Front map like we had in ROF. However, this is a huge undertaking and the planes will be finished before the map, so the logical step if to make the map in phases. When all the phases are complete, the entire map will be part of FC 1-2-3. We’ll likely keep the Arras map as a small alternative map, much like the Lapino map is for WWII.
Some of you will ask if Paris will be on the map? The answer right now is no it will not be, as it was not crucial to the air war in WWI and building large cities is difficult and time consuming. However, we’ve given Ugra the option to make it if it proves feasible and they have the resources and desire, but only after the rest of the map is complete. Even so, it is likely special technology will have to be built to support a large city like Paris and we do not have it in the schedule at this moment and it may never be.
Career Mode
Yes, we plan on implementing the Pilot Career mode in FC2/3 as part of the final package, but this is a long-term feature that can only be completed once we finish the Normandy career. What initial mission types will be included will be known at a later date.
Scripted Campaigns
I do plan to include some quality Scripted Campaigns as part of FC2 and future volumes. And I plane other custom single player missions as well. This includes additional mission content for FC1.
And yes, I will work with Pat once again to make his excellent PWCG work with FC2 just as he has done with FC1. I will also work with Vander so his EZ Mission Generator works with FC2 as well. Both Pat and Vander are cherished partners.
New Aircraft?
We do plan on working with Ugra to produce at least a couple new aircraft that will be Collector Planes. I don’t want to announce what they are yet as there is a small chance they may change, but they are being researched and will be announced once work on them begins in earnest. Making WWI aircraft is even more difficult than WWII aircraft due to the sparse reference information.
Also, I know some of you would love to see a Zeppelin in the Flying Circus series. Me too! But if it were added, it would likely be an AI machine only. However, such a craft would be a great target and add some fun, new gameplay. Developing even an AI Zeppelin is a big job and would require development of the physics and systems for lighter than air vehicles. It’s on my long-term desires list and if I can find a pathway to make them I will. I’ve long wanted this, but it’s harder than it looks to have a truly proper airship in our engine even as AI.
Damage Model Comments
I am aware some of you are not totally satisfied with the current damage model as it pertains to WWI. We recently overhauled our entire damage model for the engine and making further changes to it for WWI will also affect WWII. This requires some thinking and more study, but at this moment I cannot make further changes to just WWI. I see this as a long-term project to somehow change only WWI damage modeling. Even so, there are mixed opinions on this issue. Just because there are some vocal critics out there, does not make the loudest voice correct. As usual, we would need to study the issue further before any more changes are made.
And finally, some of you want special ammo like incendiary bullets added. This again is a general wish for the engine that can only come at a later date and would require much work from our engineers and special effects dept. I currently have no ETA on this topic, but we are well aware of the desire to have them.
Join the Fight!
That is our motto and call to action for all our products. We never stop fighting to improve and expand our products and we need you to join this new fight for FC2 and FC3 because that’s what it is – a constant fight to keep working. We are still a small team relatively speaking and we are doing all we can to keep WWI combat simming alive and moving forward. We are likely to be the only team making truly new content with a modern engine for WWI any time soon, but that is no guarantee of success. We ask that you get behind FC2 and make a pre-order. With enough support I can do all that is mentioned above and speed up some of this work.
Work has already begun on the project. Wish the team(s) well!
Jason
