Developers posts on forum

Tanitha: Oops someone did pin it, lol.
Unpinned now.

GeneralDirection: The Grand Finals of the IGN Prime Tournament are now set! Two teams have toughed it out through heavy competition to reach the championship match, which we'll see realized later today at 4:10PM PDT / 23:10 UTC. Tomorrow, October 10, 2011 at 6:10PM PDT / October 11, 2011 at 01:10 UTC will see the third place match -- finalizing all of the prizes that will be given out for the tournament.
Grand Finals - 4:10PM PDT / 23:10 UTC
Fate's ChosenStarry Night
Third Place Match - October 10th 6:10 PM PDT / October 11th 01:10
CazadoresVetS

GeneralDirection: Yeah the team captain messaged me about that. I didn't want to make changes since it may break something. I'd rather they win as "Vet" than not be able to play in the semifinals as "VetS".

GeneralDirection: There are two reasons for this:
- It's the weekend and our QA team doesn't work weekends.
- A large majority of the folks who can look into this are in Moscow for the Igromir Expo.
Believe me, I want this resolved as much as you do -- I've been pushing as hard as I can to find out what happened.
I should know something tomorrow.

GeneralDirection: No disputes have been submitted, so I've gone ahead with scheduling the semifinals. Matches are set to begin at 1:10PM PDT / 20:10 UTC on October 9, 2011. Good luck!

GeneralDirection: I'm looking into the idea of multiple types of tournaments (though obviously not scheduled at the same time, where possible, to allow participation in all of them). Let's call them:
Minor tournaments
Major tournaments
Seasons / Leagues
As of right now I have a lot on my plate since we're still staffing up the NA CM team, but once we bring on our dedicated eSports CM, I will be working closely with them to ensure we have a fun variety of tournaments that appeal to all skill and experience levels.
In addition to that, we're also looking into setting up timezone-specific tournaments so our players in Oceania can participate in tournaments too -- at hours that are comfortable for them.

ChrisK:
Fixed!

ChrisK:
You are quite right! The Tiger I wasn't even introduced until 1942 - the caption should read "Tiger I on the Eastern Front" Thanks!

Tanitha: Sure, and that remains your choice, but at least this way, it doesn't rob the enemy team of exp credits and a kill. Because now they get to kill you instead of you just insta exploding.

Tanitha: Lol. K

GeneralDirection: Congratulations to the four teams that have battled to this point in the IGN Prime Tournament. The field started at 101 teams, which is no easy task to overcome. We're now approaching the semifinals, which will take place on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 1:10PM PDT / 20:10 UTC.
The teams left have secured at least one tier of the tournament prizes. Now they will battle to see who will ultimately be crowned champion and receive the first place prize!
The semifinals will take place on Malinovka, with the Grand Finals taking place later on October 9, 2011 on the Himmelsdorf map, at 4:10PM PDT / 23:10 UTC. The Third Place match will take place on October 10, 2011 at 6:10PM PDT / October 11, 2011 at 01:10 UTC -- also on the Himmelsdorf map.
The remaining teams are:
VetStarry NightFate's ChosenCazadores
The battles will be scheduled later this evening to allow time for any disputes that may arise.

GeneralDirection: Keep in mind that poll was just put up very recently while a majority of the game design team is in Moscow for the Igromir Expo. We take those results to heart, as has been seen in the past with tweaks made to artillery based on player polling.

GeneralDirection: Agreed. We tried to use rules from previous "Drill Comps" where possible since it was our first tournament set up in the NA office, but this is one I saw needed to be changed almost immediately. All future tournaments will require complaints be communicated through our support system.

GeneralDirection: A Tier VIII vehicle of any type will always have a significant advantage over most every Tier V, simply because of the tier difference -- Premium or not. This is something we have to continue to improve with the matchmaker so that it's less likely to have these encounters to begin with.

Tanitha: I dont believe Jap to be offensive, its short for Japanese. Nothing more or less.
Like calling an Australian a Ozzie or Aussie or from AUS or from Oz.
Any word can be used in a derogatory manner, like calling someone a monkey based on their race Etc..
Its not the word but the meaning that makes a lot of things offensive.
I dont believe there is anything derogatory or offensive intended simply by cutting a long 8 letter word down to 3 letters.
However. Looks like the dictionary's disagree with me.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Japs
Regards
Tan.

GeneralDirection: As a followup question, for those of you that have advanced to this point, would you have preferred the two rounds today be played closer together?

GeneralDirection: The battles for the quarterfinals are now scheduled! As a reminder, they take place today at 4:10PM PDT / 23:10 UTC. The map will be Mines.
Only eight teams left -- this is getting exciting!

Tanitha: Keep it on topic please.
WOT wont allow players with ~900+ pings to join the server. So that sounds like your problem, please download pingplotter, trace your connection to WOT and check your ping. You can get info on this by advance searching our forums for pingploter.
/Tan.

ChrisK: FYI for those attending, the weather calls for 60% thunderstorms tomorrow midday, so be prepared to get wet! See you at the museum at 1100 hours, sharp!

We'll likely eat at Marlene's Kitchen next door for lunch after (I'll be sure to coordinate before we start the tour so they are ready for us!).

GeneralDirection: This is fairly common when the main development studio is half the world away. It's a little cheaper to fly our CEO out to San Francisco and have him visit all of the major media outlets there than it is to fly them to Belarus.

GeneralDirection: Don't worry about that -- I wouldn't consider that excessive.

GeneralDirection: I can confirm that we will be providing the gold in lieu of the tank if you already have it.

GeneralDirection: I believe our QA team is still looking into it. I'll send another email to find out if there's been any progress made on it.

Tanitha: Reopened the Lowe credits were nerfed thread.
Merged the Lowe credits were not nerfed thread with the Lowe credits were nerfed thread.
Renamed the op's topic to be suitable for both threads. /Tanitha

Tanitha: You Ask - We Reply! Answers from EU/RU server #4
The original format of the You ask - We reply! threads were masses of questions asked by players on the NA, EU, and RU servers that were gathered up and sent off to the development team. A portion of these questions were answered and the same set of answers were posted into the NA / EU and RU forums.
We wanted to try and improve on that system and we wanted all or at least most of the NA questions being answered and we wanted NA answers for NA questions.
So we swapped to a new weekly system.
Monday, Answers to the previous questions are posted.
Tuesday, A new topic is opened to gather questions from the players on THAT topic.
Friday, the questions are sent off to a developer who specializes in the topic of the week.

So, here is the Q&A's from the selected questions from the EU and RU servers.
Ive proofed the answers a little to word some things a bit better than the translator did.
Dated 5th October 2011
EU / RU Developer Answers
- Players create various add-ons for the game interface; do you plan to subsequently extend the in-game interface settings, based on such addons? For example, the aiming spot color so that it wasn't the same color as the background; target markers modes and etc. - all these things are actually the 'must have', and it's hard to play without them. So I would like to see such things in the game. If you do plan to add it, what's the ETA?
Frankly speaking, we have no such plans at the moment.
- When will you at last return tracers back to the game?? Will you let them back as it was?
We will return the tracers partially with the v.7.0 update, but in an updated way.
EDIT: Additional information.
Tracers will be partially returned in v0.7.0:
- for arcade/sniper mode: tracers from enemy tanks that are both nearer than 445 meters from player's tank and within 25 degrees from gun's direction will be displayed in addition to tracers that are displayed in current Game Client version.
- for SPG mode: tracers from enemy SPGs that are within player's view screen will be displayed in addition to tracers that are displayed in current Game Client version.
- Will we be able to reset the crew skills for free, when new ones appear? Or will it be possible for gold only?
After adding new skills, it will be possible to reset the crew skills for free.
- Will the E-100 tank's cockpit be placed in the middle of suspension or at the back of it?
The cockpit will be placed in the back of the tank, like in the Ferdinand.
- Will you add a 173mm gun to E-100?
The 173mm gun is not planned for adding to E-100.
- Will the new game physics make possible the following situation: we penetrate the Maus with the armor-piercer, and then shoot at the same spot with the HE shell, but the HE just damages the tank without touching the armor (because theoretically we've hit the armor and now it has nothing in it, just a hole)
Such a situation has nothing in common with the game physics and tank maneuverability.
- Will we ever be able to invite to, for instance, a clan battle the unlimited number of spectators, who will switch from a tank to another one to see the whole battle? Such things would be useful for the clan newcomers.
Of course, the spectator mode will be realized in future, but the number of the viewers will be limited to a certain number per battle.
- When will you make VK3601H a heavy tank?
Soon, But it depends on other factors.
- Will the clan logos be placed on all tanks in a garage? Or shall we do it for each vehicle specifically?
It will be possible to put "one" logo on a vehicle.
- Will you add the chat slash commands like in battle.net? /w - for sending a private message, /r - for replying a private message. So that we could chat with people, not playing in the current battle or even playing World of Warplanes, not the tanks. Will you improve the friendlist to see the player's online status: in battle, in the special battle, in a tank company battle, in the training room, in the garage, afk, and so on?
We're thinking of implementing slash commands, but cannot make promises in vain, so let's say, that they might me implemented. As far as the inter-project chatting is concerned, there will be such an opportunity to communicate with players, running our other game projects. But we have no plans for adding the player's status, reflecting the current battle type.
- The General plan for release in 2011-2012 says that the Soviet SU-85(I), SU-100 M1, SU-101 (Uralmash-1), SU-122-54;) are due to release in Q4 2011. As we all know, you're going to release a technically very complex v.7.0 update, but in this case, will you add the new tanks on the dates you announced? Because, as it was stated somewhere, the Soviet and German TDs will be implemented separately, but they are both to be released in Q4 2011.
We will provide detailed information on the ETA of the upcoming vehicles soon.
- When you implement the clan logos, will I be able to upload my own logo? And can I move it, so that to see both the nation marks and the logo? Can I add some text to it?
The players will have the possibility of using the introduced logos only. It will be impossible to move the logo, but you will be able to type some text for the logo.
- If a ignore a tanker, will he still annoy me with his horning?
There will be no problem with that as you won't hear the horns coming from the ignored players.
- Will horns de-mask a tank?
No, they won't.
- Can I unmount the skins for Gold, like modules? Or it is just possible to repaint them?
You can just repaint them.
- Will you re-balance the balancer so that it estimates each vehicle separately? Or will it remain as it used to be, when it takes into account just the tank type and tier? In other words, will the VK3002(DB) with 88mmL56 gun (132mm Pene) be equal to T43 with 100mm gun (175mm penetration)?
We do not plan such things at the moment; but the Match-Maker would see these tanks as equal ones.
- Will you ever add tier 11 tanks? Or tier 10 for TD's and medium tanks? Or you just stick to the new nations implementation?
Tier 11 will not be introduced, but we are discussing the implementation of tier 10 TD's and medium tanks.
- Will you change the matchmaking rate for Panzer V/IV and Panzer V/IV Alpha as the vehicles are certainly unfit for action on tier 6?
Such a change hasn't been discussed or planned yet.
- Will the Sherman firefly be of tier 7 or what?
We're currently considering what tier it should have.
- Will you add the maps with city battles as now we have got just two of them?
They are possible to appear, but not soon as their creation requires much time.
- They say that you're going to expand some maps. Do you really plan to expand the existing maps?
No, the rumors remain rumors as we do not plan the extending of the existing maps at the moment. Nevertheless, we already noted that the big maps will be added in the future.
- Will the new game physics affect the buildings destruction?
The new physics will only change the vehicle motion.
- When new physics appear, what shall happen to a tank when it falls into water on Lakeville, for example?
It will sink and be destroyed.
- Will you add the opportunity to draw something on minimaps in training rooms, for instance, the direction of rushing and etc.?
We dont have any plans for such an implementation at the moment.
Please note:
Please do not Ask questions in this thread
This thread is for the discussion of the above and not for asking new questions to the development team.

Tanitha: Hi. Changes to tracers should be coming in 7.0. They are working on them now.

Tanitha: Sounds to me like counter arty will be back.

Tanitha: Ive made a new Chinese section for the T59 tank.
And moved / merged 100ish threads to where they belonged.
IE
Threads on tanks to the vehicle section.
Threads on Arty to the Arty thread in the vehicle section.
Matchmaking / teamdamage, etc merged to the official pinned threads.
Bugs to the bug section, clanwars to the clanwars section, etc etc.
If you are look for a old post of yours, you can either.
1. Click on your profile, top right, then click on find my content.
2. Click on advanced search. Find author "Your name", display as posts.
Please take a second to check you are posting into the right section before pressing enter.
Regards
Tan.

Tanitha: Hi guys/gals, its already been announced that rage quitters will remain in game until the end of the game.
Regards
Tan.

Tanitha:

Hypnotik: Thanks, that clears EVERYTHING up.

Tanitha: Not a mod, and not a dev.

Tanitha: That pretty much sums it up I think, but it also the other way around, IE the voice of the players to the devs.
+ i have a lot of other jobs and duties as well as community manager.
Regards
Tan.

Tanitha: Thanks Artyist.
WG opened a NA office to handle the NA server a few months ago, its been staffing up, switching on, and transferring duties, more and more since then.
We are definitely here to stay.
Regards
Tan.

ChrisK:
These are formations for moving tanks! The only one for stopping is the Coil, and that should only be for e brief halt (e.g., you're waiting behind a hill for the heavies to finish pinning the enemy down in the village so you can sweep around and hit the enemy rear area).

GeneralDirection: Back in your hatch, sir! No credit penalties here!

GeneralDirection: Please PM me when the Let's Play episode is uploaded. I would love to feature it on the website.
Very happy to hear you guys had great matches. I know there's been a lot of frustration with this tournament, but hopefully these moments will resonate and carry some momentum into the next tournament.
We're always going to focus on getting better on our side of things, from the presentation, to educating the teams on what needs to be done to participate, to making sure things flow as smoothly as possible. Perfection is only achieved when you become complacent and consider things perfect; we'll never become complacent .

Tanitha: I'll try to get the twitter fixed.
Tan.

Tanitha: lol. I think the problem is, people are usually too busy -1ing every mod and admin they come across, they dont bother reading the post.

Tanitha: Hello HighPitch.
The difference in the answers is the different departments people are in.
The Dev Q&A's are from Belarus developers. I'm employed by NA office as a Lead Community Manager.
So both answers although completely different are both correct.
A few days ago the Devs said they had no current plans to make any changes to CW times, and that will be correct, since they said it.
They wont be looking at any changes here, probably because they are working hard to move to a full world multiserver map where battles are scheduled for the local timezone of the region.
So east USA land battles will be at east USA prime-time. West USA land battles will be at west USA prime-time. Battles in Europe will be at Europe prime-time etc..
However, as a NA community manager, I'm obviously aware that a lot of the NA Clanwars community would like time adjustments to Clanwars battles. So we in NA will discuss it, gather information, and present that to the development team, probably requesting small changes to keep NA going until we get to a full world map.
But of course what people will DO, is not known yet. The only thing for sure is CW battle times is something I/We/NA are looking at atm.
Regards
Tan.

Tanitha:

Tanitha:

Tanitha: Its never been 40 I dont think.
Im pretty sure it was 50 when closed beta started. And it changed to 25 sometime in the middle of closed beta.
Its been 25 for around 10 months.
So its been 25 since about 4+ months before release.
It would have been 25 when you joined in February.
Tan.

ChrisK:
Well, if you liked that one...

[attachment=16386:MS-1.jpg]

GeneralDirection: Thanks for all the feedback so far, folks. The issues that have cropped up have been frustrating for me too, so I'll be looking at them closely moving forward to figure out how we can avoid it happening ever again.
As for the consistency of the tournaments, my goal is to hold them as often as possible.

GeneralDirection: Yes, that would be a violation.

GeneralDirection: We're continually updating the matchmaker based on feedback, and do so in almost every update.