WWII Online News

A few hours ago the live capaing ran into database issues and developers are working to fix it. Meanwhile players are invited to log into the training server instead (which is a permanent intermission mode with unlimited supplies). Our apologies and thank you for your patience.


More details from TMAN, community manager:

A crazy couple days here at RAT HQ as we have battled "wack a mole" with issues on the live server. The campaign server has been degrading for the last few days despite our efforts to debug. We see no other option but to scrap the rest of the campaign as we are unable to replicate the DB issues on our test server. In effect, we need the live server game to keep testing and debugging..... So, since the Axis own 79% of the map and 3 of the 9 Allied factories we calling Campaign #167 an Axis WIN!



DAMAGE CONTROL REPORT:

All hands on deck here at CRS to try and resolve our database issues that in the end, prevented Axis players from logging into the game in the Axis Army persona. Although problems have been building in the last days, it was at this point earlier today that we locked the arena and suspended the campaign. We are looking at 1.36 Garrison naming data files throwing a hissy fit but lord knows I'm no techie...

The Leadership team has evaluated our options and have declared the Axis as victors in Campaign #167. The Axis had captured 79% of the map (starting at 45%) and had captured 3 of the 9 Allied factory towns. Although it can be said that the Allies had never given up and defended with fierce determination the likelihood of a turnaround was slim. This is never the way we want any campaign to end and we are working with great determination to fix our issues.

A little more background: Since these critical issues came to light during the past week we have worked to try and replicate the problems on our testing servers. We have been unsuccessful. In then end we felt that by suspending the campaign, we can use the live server logs and the suspended campaign itself to help us debug. We don't feel it would be a wise use of our time to try and restart the campaign where we left off because the Axis were so close to victory conditions, so we are focused on getting setup and ready for the start of Campaign #168.

How will that work? We will be starting #168 in Tier 3 (Americans come in at Tier 6). When? We are not sure.... We will likely be working at this problem for days as opposed to hours. We want to make sure that when we start #168 that we are rock solid!

We intend to update this thread every 12 - 24 hours. When the start of #168 is known you will all be given 24 hours notice before the start. We will post here and our through our blast email.

Hey, WWII Online supporters - thanks for your patience. We need you to know we are 100% focused on this so stay positive!

Take this time to sharpen your skills on the Training Server - ALL EQUIPMENT IS UNLOCKED FOR ALL PLAYERS ON THE TRAINING SERVER. You know there will be still be good fights ! Get in there!
Again, watch this thread for updates.

From our artist MKW :

When creating the new set of city buildings I wanted it to have a town square feel. I had a lot of space to build with this block, and I really wanted to take advantage of that. There are various architecture styles from the 1920's - 40's sprinkled throughout the city block. I had a lot of fun concepting and building this set of buildings. Each building has it's own personality and style, and plenty of opportunity for tense battles. I'm excited to get these new city blocks into the players hands so they can experience all the hard work that has gone into them. Screen shots of the standing and damaged state within.

READ THE COMPLETE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE

We just released version 1.36.2.0. This includes a series of bug fixes, updates and new content / features including: Russian language support, AHC rear Garrison management, Panzer IV H, and the new hotkey for accessing your key mapper, "P."

READ THE FULL README NOTES HERE

From CHIMM:

SALUTE soldiers of WWII Online!

This weeks report lightly covers the upcoming patch with fixes to the Morris Gun Tractor, Bedford OY, Sd. Kfz 232, PPO placements, AWS changes and more. Additionally, XOOM discusses the Free Play changes via Soundcloud (audio link below), and OPERATION SILENT INFERNO!

Read the full article below...

• Morris Gun Tractor - Traction, suspension, and weight distribution have been adjusted.
• Bedford OY - Engine "high" idling audio (third person view) when in neutral has been corrected.
• Sd. Kfz 232 - Selective armor plates adjustment - corrected to historical thickness.
• PPO - Corrected issues while placed/clipping on uneven terrain/berms
• AWS - All planes will only trigger AWS when:
  • within 10 km of any enemy town
  • over 10 km away from any friendly towns (off map and ocean areas included)
  • over enemy territory
• Satchel clipping into stationary vehicles has been corrected
• AHC will be allowed to change the ownership of an "inactive" Garrison across the game world. New supply will trickle with the 1 hour timer (same as newly captured towns).

There are more items in this patch, so keep an eye out for the official "Readme".



A series of changes are in progress to create a better on-boarding experience for new users joining WWII Online and shaping an appropriate set of expectations for what our game service is all about. As of today, perpetual Free Play access will no longer be offered and has been replaced with a 30 day free trial account which gives you all infantry and a truck. We have 5 subscription options available and we will no longer be selling downloadable content. Continue reading this article to receive full details and an explanation for why CRS has made these necessary changes to our game service experience.

Listen to XOOM's Soundcloud recording here.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6LAZmh9a5E

Operation " SILENT INFERNO" is our next live server event is scheduled for Sunday, August 4, 2019 and will start at 12:00 PM server time. This event is another one of our series of High Command led live server events. These events have brought in large numbers of players and some very big combined arms battles. Gather your squaddies and rally up for an afternoon of intense battles!

Time zone breakdown:

• 12:00PM Server (GMT -6)
  
• 10AM Pacific
  
• 1PM Eastern
  
• 6PM England (GMT)
  

A series of changes are in progress to create a better onboarding experience for new users joining WWII Online and shaping an appropriate set of expectations for what our game service is all about. As of today, perpetual Free Play access will no longer be offered and has been replaced with a 30 day free trial account which gives you all infantry and a truck. We have 5 subscription options available and we will no longer be selling downloadable content. Continue reading this article to receive full details and an explanation for why CRS has made these necessary changes to our game service experience.



Since 2012 CRS has experimented with several forms to make perpetual Free Play access a viable business model. We are grateful to the many thousands who signed up to try this and their time we had with them in-game. The good news is, for the time being those of you who have Free Play will continue to be able to login and play and use the forums until October 1st 2019, when it will be completely phased out. As of now, if you are currently a Free Player you'll notice you can no longer: Capture depots, use infantry binoculars or create missions. All other access remains as-is and will stay until October 1st.

Our decision to end perpetual Free Play comes from a recognition that we have been unable to effectively convert users in the manner that WWII Online needs. We did look at the possibility of serving in-game advertisements, but this just takes away from the experience and implementing that would've been a hellacious task to achieve. We even tried downloadable content on Steam* to appeal to the markets demands, and while we did see a little traction, it eroded the value of our subscription plans. We have had to design limitations to the number of features and access available to Free Players intentionally to protect the value of our subscriptions, a decision while valid actually took away from the best experience they could've had and we need to be able to do better than that.



*Steam users who purchased a DLC will continue to have access and be able to play with them.
All DLC owners received the riflemen units, capture capability , binocs and mission creation. We are grateful for their support and want them to remain engaged.

We have made a series of changes to our subscription offerings to enable any budget to be able to obtain it:

• Starter Subscription: $4.99/mo
  
• Premium Subscription: $14.99/mo
  

You can compare available subscriptions in detail here: https://www.wwiionline.com/subscriptions

We are absolutely certain that users who are currently Free Play, transitioning to Starter accounts will be much happier with their access and privileges.



We are now offering a 30 day "all infantry and basic trucks" trial as the initial path for users signing up to the game both at www.wwiionline.com and on Steam. For anyone new signing up to the game this is what they'll receive, and at the end they'll need to make a decision to subscribe to one of our available subscription plans. We believe the 30 day trial will offer a lot of good access and the best experience possible. Most importantly, the re-shaping of the onboarding process will better help to set expectations for new players joining, not take away from the value and experience of subscriptions, and also make CRS' business model more clear and understood without confusion to everyone.

• 30 days (only) of game and forum access
  
• All infantry
  
• Trucks: Bedford, Laffly, Opel Blitz
  
• Subscribe: Upgrade-able to Starter --> Premium
  

This is a focal point throughout this process. We need to ensure the best possible success of new players joining our game and that's a huge equation of considerations.

• What equipment do they have access to?
  
• Are they receiving adequate information / training to succeed?
  
• Are they joining squads?
  
• Are they joining voice comms (Discord)?
  
• Are they participating in the forums?
  
• Are they experiencing WWII Online's "Moment" to capture their interest?
  
• What can we do as a community and developer to achieve the best of all this?
  

It's a discussion that will soon come to the community for us all to talk about because it's the most vital of considerations. As with any organization, community / team, we need to be sure that we are all pitching in and doing our part. Be prepared for side based communications with your squad, high commanders and CRS, to rally around achieving the best outcomes of these goals.



While it may be unpopular with most of today's games, the RATS recognize that WWII Online isn't just one of those other games, and the more we have tried to make ourselves like one, the more backfire it has had. WWII Online is a "GaaS/SaaS" which is Games as a Service or Software as a Service. We are responsible for hosting all of our game services, managing our infrastructure upkeep and networking, along with our own development and production requirements. Everything you access through WWII Online like Combat Stats, Webmap, Forums, Squad Tools, High Command tools and much more are our services. Other games offload most of these requirements on other people, including customers responsible for managing their own servers. We do all of that for you and it's part of the total package of the game. 

The single most important decision that has kept WWII Online in operations (outside of compelling game play and the development of an outstanding gaming community) was to be a subscription based game.

Many services offer subscriptions, like: Netflix, Apple Music, HBO Now, Hulu, YouTube Red, the list goes on. They offer an upfront trial and no perpetual access. The point of mentioning this is to make it clear that this is not out of place or uncommon, but WWII Online as a game exceeds the upkeep and operational cost of most other games. CRS understands clearly we need to continue to offer a trial period upfront for a user to test if they enjoy our game, and we remain committed to doing that.

WWII Online & CRS are 100% community funded. The paying subscribers of WWII Online are the primary reason as to why all of these great experiences have been able to happen and continue to after all of these years. If you enjoy WWII Online and have been a Free Player, we are asking you directly to step up, subscribe, and support the cause for a very small monthly cost so that you can continue to enjoy these moments and actually help further develop the game and its community.



If you need any support or have questions with your account, you may submit a new support ticket and have our team assist you.