Update 1.3.1

• Lighting was softened for all maps, fixing the problem of excessive light and shading
• Client loading time was significantly reduced

Fixes

• Game statistics restored for all accounts that lost stats as a result of a recent error
• Bugfix for significant underestimation of graphics settings if the autodetecting of video memory was incorrect
• Bugfix for permanent "cause of death" message after switching to spectator mode
• Bugfix for persistent shooting sound that remained regardless of position and distance of the free camera
• Bugfix for empty microphone field (box) in the sound settings menu even if the microphone was plugged in
• Bugfix for some cases where when you switched the spectator camera to an ally, it wasn't following their plane
• Bugfix for delay in enemy minimap markers disappearing after they were shot down
• Bugfix for slow switching of joystick control type to “Personal” after its settings were changed
• Bugfix for assigning several voice chat functions to one key
• Bugfix where it was impossible to remove a player from a Flight
• Bugfix for the following complex case: 
• From a plane's research confirmation window (which can be researched from 2 branches but was opened by researching 1 branch only), one would move to the research window of its predecessor (the branch that wasn't researched). When at that window, there was no display that the plane of the previous tier needs research.
• Bugfix for disappearance of some messages from the system messages panel (mission accomplishment and getting awards in battles)
• Bugfix for where it was impossible to save the mouse settings changes after switching to other predefined control types (keyboard, joystick) and cancellation of this switch

Update 1.3

Overview / New Content

• New branch of American heavy fighters
• Now the game automatically detects recommended graphics settings when the client is launched for the first time, and also detects changes in computer configurations and can suggest settings

Maps

• Bug fixes for tree collision models (all maps)
• Bug fixes of tree layout for National Park
• Fixed the effect of the sunshine intensity on map textures (all maps)
• Bug fixes for El Halluf and Port's minimaps
• Bug fixes for object layout on Adriatic and Fortress

Gameplay

Achievements

Changes requirements for getting the following achievements:

• "Sky Scourge" – awarded for destroying at least 3 enemy planes and more
• "Ground Pounder" – awarded to a player who receives at least 10 points for destroying enemy ground targets
• "Furious" – awarded for winning 3+ battles in a row
• "Die Hard" – Awarded for winning 2 battles in a row and surviving

As before, the figure on the award ribbon shows the best series achieved. The count stops if the player's aircraft is destroyed.

• The display of tiered achievements was changed. Now a player has only the medal of the highest degree displayed (i.e. if they have the Galland Medal III class for achieving 3 "Ace" Medals and Galland Medal II class for achieving 30 "Асe" medals, they will have only Galland Medal II class displayed)

Training Missions

• New stage added to the final part of the training mission "Gunnery practice", where you need to destroy a maneuvering enemy plane
• Terms of the "Dogfight training" mission were changed: player should have a plane of the IV tier or higher
• The first stage of the "Dogfight training" mission was removed

Physics & Balance Changes

• Increased the chance of ignition for all planes
• Reduced the impact of bombing and rocket outboard weaponry on an aircraft's perfomance characteristics

Visibility System

• Added new mechanics of enemy camouflage bonus elimination and fast detection while shooting. Now the plane will be 100% detected within a certain radius after opening fire
• Guaranteed detection upon opening fire works only in the case of direct visibility (if terrain and obstacles do not hide the plane)
• The radius of guaranteed detection upon opening fire depends on the aircraft tier and approximately corresponds to the range of effective fire at the tier

Weapons

• 12.7mm BS: increased damage
• 12.7mm UBS: increased damage
• 20mm MG-213/20: reduced accuracy
• 30mm MK-103: reduced accuracy
• 12.7mm M3: reduced accuracy
• 20mm Mk.12: reduced accuracy
• 30mm ADEN: increased accuracy
• 40mm Vickers S: increased accuracy

Economics

Equipment

• "Self-Sealing Fuel Tank" equipment description fixed. Now it states "+30% to firefighting speed", as its effect initially was

Consumables

• "First Aid Kit" gives a short period (5 sec.) of invulnerability to the crew after using it
• Power boost for "100-octane Gasoline", "120-octane Gasoline" and "Purified Kerosene" was reduced. The cost of consumables already purchased will be compensated to players

Plane & Tech Tree Changes

New branch of American heavy fighters:

• Lockheed P-38F Lightning (tier V)
• Lockheed P-38J Lightning (tier VI)
• Grumman F7F Tigercat (tier VII)
• Chance-Vought XF5U Pancake (tier VIII)
• McDonnell F2H Banshee (tier IX)
• Lockheed XF-90 (tier X)

U.S.S.R.

• I-5: increased maneuverability for the modification with stock airframe
• I-16 (late): reduced impact of 20mm ShVAK cannons on plane perfomance
• La-5: increased HP for all modifications, increased weapon accuracy, increased boost power and duration
• Yak-1М: increased HP
• Yak-9: increased HP
• La-7: increased HP for all modifications, increased weapon accuracy, increased boost power and duration
• Yak-3: increased HP, increased weapon accuracy
• Yak-9U: increased HP
• Il-8: increased accuracy for 7,62mm ShKAS (1941) machine guns and 23mm VYa-23 cannons
• Il-10: increased accuracy for 7,62mm ShKAS (1941) machine guns and 23mm VYa-23 cannons, reduced accuracy for 23mm NS-23 cannons, reduced roll rate
• La-9: increased HP for all modifications,  increased weapon accuracy, increased boost power and duration, increased optimum altitude
• Yak-15: increased HP, increased maneuverability
• Yak-19: increased optimum altitude, increased HP for all modifications, increased maneuverability for modification with stock airframe, the impact of weapons on the aircraft perfomance characteristics was reduced
• La-15: increased HP, increased optimum altitude
• Yak-30: increased HP, increased optimum altitude

Germany

• Ar.65: increased maneuverability for modification with stock airframe
• Ao.192 Kurier: increased speed for modification with stock engine, optimum speed shifted to a lower range, increased loss of speed when turning without flaps, reduced weapons accuracy,  the impact of bombs on the aircraft perfomance characteristics was reduced

U.S.A.

• P-12: Increased HP for the modification with stock airframe

Great Britain

• Goldfinch:  Increased HP for the modification with stock airframe
• Blenheim F: increased weapon accuracy
• DH.98 Mosquito: increased HP for all modifications
• DH.103 Hornet: increased HP for all modifications
• Spitfire XIV: increased weapon accuracy and time before overheating
• Gloster P.228: increased weapon accuracy and time before overheating for 20mm Hispano Mk.V* cannon

• Shooting: R4M rockets (Me.262 Schwalbe and Me.262HG II) are now launched as a salvo - six rockets per one keystroke

Interface

Replays

• Implemented player's camera movements in playback
• Help screen with instructions was added for replays with detailed function descriptions
• The behavior of the video player on replay completion was improved -- extended playback control features
• Navigation via the progress bar implemented to the video player

Post-battle Statistics

• Improved "Personal score" tab
  • Improved "Missions" section
  • Color marking for destroyed enemy planes (player kills) was changed

Missions

• Improved missions window – filters were replaced with tabs, changed the appearance of the expanded missions’ tab
• New type of missions: primary and sub-missions

In-game Notification

• Notification of player assisting in the destruction of an enemy aircraft is now displayed for all players in battle

Chat

• Loading animation added when connecting to channels
• Display of player status added in the title of the private channel (for chat with players from your contact list)
• Implemented leveled sorting of the chat windows. Now chat is no longer displayed above all windows opened in the hangar
• Unified elements of the chat interface
• Fixed several bugs in the chat interface:
  • Problem which arose when the window was recized or detached from the bottom channel bar
  • Posts disappearing in official channel after exiting the battle
• Bad words filter list updated

Graphics

Automatic Detection of Graphics Settings

• Improved detection algorithm
• Now the graphics settings are detected automatically when you launch the game for the first time (previously, “medium” graphics settings were set as default)
• Automatic graphics settings detection will be launched each time you change the computer configuration and may propose to change them according to the test result (this feature can be disabled in the settings menu)

Improvements and Fixes

• Updated and improved lighting for all game maps
• Improved explosion effects, and new big explosions were added
• Some effects were optimized to improve performance and fix some visual bugs
• Clouds resource optimization on the following maps: Port, Adriatic, Fortress
• Map details overlay scheme reworked for all maps to optimize and improve rendering quality
• New post-effect of "dirty optics" was added for “very high" and "high" graphics settings
• Camera effects for speed changes were added (including speed in a dive)
• Bug fixes for the camera: boost effects and close high altitude anti-aircraft artillery shell explosions
• Added an option to disable the camera effects in the game settings menu
• FOV (field of view) settings for the game camera were changed. Now the game settings have an option to change them back to the settings used in 1.2
• Render optimization for planes and moving ground targets
• Gift camouflages were added and accrued to Alpha-, Closed and Open Beta testing participants for the following planes: 
  • Ar.80, F2A Buffalo, F2A-1 Buffalo, Me.209A,  A7M, Pegasus, Me.210, P-40 Warhawk, F4U-1 Corsair, M.20, P-38F Lightning, P-38J Lightning, XF5U Pancake, XF-90, F2H Banshee
• Improved textures for Ar.68, Ao.192 Kurier, TSh-2, P-23, F2F, Bulldog, Demon and A4N to make them more realistic
• Bombs for Hawk III were changed to the Chinese analogue
• Fixed a lot of minor bugs in the planes damage model

Audio

• Engine overheating sound was changed
• Ground targets ignition sound was changed

Misc. Fixes and Changes

• PLEASE NOTE: due to the consumables characteristics change "100-octane Gasoline", "120-octane Gasoline", "Purified Kerosene" items were removed and their cost was refunded. You may purchase them and mount again
• Module characteristics in the tech tree now include their rating and corresponding tooltips
• Tooltips of the multi-modules (i.e. several guns) now correctly display the module characteristics. The firepower of guns and rear gun turrets is displayed with a special indicator specifying the number of guns in the multi-module
• Bug fix for the impossibility to apply client modifications from the folder res_mods. For the correct application of modifications, you need to specify the path to res_mods at the beginning of paths.xml

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