7.1.2013

I really hope it's okay this time. I am rather tired, that's why it took so long.

- there were some premium/promo tanks that stood out so much in the statistics that they'd be nerfed, if they were not premium tanks
- a new tutorial is planned (SS: that was announced already), but only for new players (SS: Storm noted that before I believe) (related to the question, whether the tutorial will explain how arty should shoot, what is "scouting" etc. - SerB stated "yes, but some players won't see it anyway" (in the sense they'll skip it regardless))
- average lifespan of a vehicle in WoT battles is cca 5 minutes
- WoT for tablets? SerB wrote it in length, but basically "so far no comment" (or rather "we'll tell when it's certain")
- devs already have an idea what there will be in the British artillery branch - Churchill AVRE won't make it though, its gun elevation is not high enough
- additional tank armor screens (equipment) - planned, but because it's hard to implement (change of models etc) - not anytime soon (far future)
- only 1-2 percent of players visit (Russian) forums, it's not planned to implement "hints" into the game, pointing to the forums ("if you want to know more, check forums")
- the mantlets of the Soviet T-34 and KV-1 series tanks act in the game like spaced armor, even though they look like the part of the turret (if you hit it, the penetration decal will "disappear" etc), because there is another thin layer behind them and only penetrating leads to damage
- light tank cap (eg. both sides having the same amount of light tanks) MM won't work based on tier only, but (as it does now) based on their MM weight
- the arty hardcap is temporary and will be removed "when it's not needed anymore"
- buffing or nerfing tanks does not depend on anything else, like f.x. introduction of new maps, it's completely separate
- chatbanned players won't be able to issue commands in game (won't be changed)
- it's not planned to allow deleting the WoT accounts, but the devs are thinking about how to solve the situation when an unused account is "blocking" a desired nickname
- only those medals are rewarded retroactively, for which the data can be found easily from available sources
- in the past, the platoons had a bigger balance weight, they don't anymore
- it's not planned to turn the thin plates of the M10 Panther into the spaced armor
- tanks aren't balanced only based on their guns, but at a complex of characteristics (SS: the question was, how come the tier 10 meds have comparable penetration to tier 10 heavies, while the lower tiers have it inferior - it's compensated by mobility in this case)
- the developers consider the situation, where an ally destroys your gun (a crit), you spend 3k repair kit fixing it and in the end you get 60 silver compensation (hardly any damage was done) as normal
- the fact top TD's have lower viewrange than top meds and heavies is okay with the devs
- KV-5 armor wasn't buffed for "a lot of reasons"
- according to the devs, the "Serene coast" (how's the map name in english?) map didn't become the new Swamp/Komarin (eg. a standoff map full of long battles), it won't become a lowtier map (like "Province")
- high-gold-cost low-tier premium tanks that would earn more credits are not deemed necessery
- it's not planned to remove the penalties for very small hits by allies (20-30hp)
- the chance of dropping into meeting engagement battles won't be modified
- the devs know about the platoon spam in random battles
- it's possible there will be new perks and skills for crews
- apparently there is no plan to put the "planned" 700hp engine to the VK2801 ("you can believe *SS: the fact that vehicle was to have that engine* but that doesn't mean we have to put it in")
- there will be a self-propelled gun (SS: unclear if arty or TD, in Russia, they both share a generic term SAU) based on the KV hull introduced into the game
- T-60-2 will be introduced with high probability
- the gun elevation and depression of the new German medium branch will be similiar to the other German branch (alternative explanation is that SerB is trolling and answering the question "What will be the elevation and depression of the new German branch like?" with "Like the one of the new German branch")
- the gun depression and elevation of the Leopard tank (-9,+20 mentioned - "only if this turns out to be historical")
- it will be possible to equip the Leopard with a gun stabilizer

6.1.2013 part 2

- the devs don't see the limited barracks capacity as an issue, as according to them, "the crews live mainly in tanks and go to the barracks only when they don't have a vehicle to get into"
- regarding the barracks slots for gold: the developers don't see the barracks as something "needed", it only makes the life easier and therefore the additional slots cost gold - if the player doesn't want to keep the tankers in the barracks, he doesn't have to.
- according to SerB, the ring at the end of the top gun (M68) of the M48 Patton is not a muzzle brake, SerB thinks it could be a counterweight, or some sort gas protection, it's historically accurate according to WG references
- the D-10T2S gun will be used on other vehicles (namely the Soviet second med line) "if necessery"
- Russian server (or rather, client) is supposed to get new crew voiceovers (by some known Russian actors)
- there will be no compensations, if an account banned by a moderator is cleared on appeal
- as for the question that being chatbanned does prevent you from playing well, as you can't communicate in battle: "don't break the rules"
- XVM isn't likely to get banned (SerB appeals to common sense while using it though)
- it is not planned to make the ramming damage bigger for situations, where a very heavy target crashes into a very light target with a small difference of speeds only (SS: imagine Maus crushing the Loltraktor - slooooooooooowly....)
- micro-freezes and micro-lags: SerB advises to vacuumclean your computer and to solve overheating issues if you have any. Or to check your internet provider, those are the most common reasons
- the weight of the GW E is fine
- devs don't consider the physics introduction rushed
- new soundtrack will be added continuously to the game
- Komarin and Swamp again confirmed to return, when it's done it's done
- Object 271 ("Kondensator") won't be introduced
- there will be some changes to the trees, eventually
- current maps will be changed in the future (SS: refers to the overhaul plan as the rework of the maps for new render is viewed as a failure)
- when there is a discount on premium shells, their use rises approximately by one round per battle on average
- the camo bonus difference of trees with leaves and "dead" trees without leaves is "considerable"
- Soviet and German trophy (captured) tanks in 2013? "unlikely"
- there are plans to reintroduce the post-game statistics for replays, not soon
- the fact Superpershing has very low gun HP is not a bug
- Panzer IIJ is not expected to appear in any shop
- destructable bridges are unlikely to appear, as it would seriously annoy the players
- British Lend Lease branch in 2013? "there is a chance, but not guaranteed"
- Improved Sherman (Sherman with a 90mm M3 gun installed) - so far there are no plans
- There MIGHT be tier 10 light tanks, in the distant future
- FCM50t stats: "if it stands out, we'll take action"
- damage statistics for each shot are not planned
- Q: "how will the multiturret mechanism look like" A: "It will look the way the technical limitations will allow it"

Dear Ectar...

Dear Ectar...

I assume you do read this blog as you stated. I don't really want to break the rules of the WoT forum, but I believe your post does deserve a reaction.

In your post you wrote the following:

Second of all, I've read everyone of your posts since you returned, including the ones on other language sections. I've also read your blog comments (and yes I read the blog too). You've changed your reasons for doing what you did at least 3 times now.  Right now you should really also be taking a step back from all this, especially any comments regarding the WG staff member you're linked with as a lot of what you did was driven by personal feeling and to quote you directly from your blog "Out of spite mostly"  and from the German forums "Revenge and rage".

I highlighted the one part myself, because that's what I want to answer. You claim I changed reasons for doing it - but I never did. In the original post on this blog I did claim the reason  for this was personal. There was no "truth seeking", there was no "change of heart", it was personal. I considered Czechout a friend, she burned (AKA backstabbed) me (we both know what I am talking about and who else was involved in that, that part I deliberately chose not to disclose anywhere, I am sure you can see why), so I published some of the messages (after handling them to Overlord, as you might or might not have known before this whole thing started yesterday).

Regarding my attitude to the Czechoslovak community - the reason I really left two days after the community meeting was this thing. Yes, I do not like them in general (granted, there are exceptions). I hever attempted to hide that either. Hell, it was mostly Czechout who kept me IN the community, because I liked writing and translating articles, and I was like "what the hell, I might just do it for the Czechs".

So yes, it was always rather personal. Did I claim otherwise anywhere? Does that change the nature of the facts I posted? Does that change anything for the EU community?

6.1.2013

- any rumors about the 0.9.0 patch are completely made up (SS: it's not even decied what there will be in 8.6)
- when the first heavy tier 10 was introduced into the game, some hardcore clans actually unlocked it within days
- there is an interesting phenomenon on Russian servers that in the early morning hours, tier 5 scout tanks often appear as the top tanks of the battle, apparently because there very few hightier vehicles present in the game at that time
- the hardcap is confirmed to be temporary (SS: also, Storm and SerB started bashing the artywhiners really bad, bans flying all over the place)
- Q: Will the T18 end up as Marder did, with a nerf? A: (by Storm): "A bloody fiery eye of the nerfthirsty Wargaming immediately fixes on the tiny T18" and "Well, let's see what we have here..." :)
- the ability to change the hull of the tank is still just an idea - if the devs do it, the hulls will be visually different
- the ability to see the ping of each member in the battle is not planned (SS: apparently so people dont whine and bash those with bad connection)
- regarding bans for being AFK: "If it happens often to a player, it might be viewed as botting and we take that very seriously"
- the repair costs and profitability of tier 8 arty have been unified with other tier 10 vehicles, not tier 8, as tier 8 arty is considered a tier 10 vehicle and will be pushed to tier formally (SS: in summer)
- there is a better inferface planned for the transfer of crew and equipment from tank to tank
- M50 Ontos not planned - Walker Bulldog is planned, there was a very slight mention of the ASU-57 and the SU-100P (player asked whether they didnt implement them because there was no place for them in the current branches and Storm confirmed)

5.1.2013 part 3

- T110E4 "rebalancing" (read: nerf) was not too much, its armor is okay, statistically it's doing fine
- SerB states that the downside of the SU-122-44 is intended to be low accuracy and long aiming time
- there is no special plan to nerf "pedobears" (SS: Russian-used term for experienced players playing twinked lowtiers with experienced crews), but a complete rebalance is planned
- in time, there might be extended filters introduced to the hangar
- realistic armor properties of the T-10M/IS-8 properties (the thickness being historical): "digging thru archives takes a lot of time, we'll make a book on the IS-8, it'll be there"
- the 7x42 company format will be introduced probably for all the maps, but it has to be tested
- in the historical battles, vehicles will have balancing weight according to the year (eg. what is the top of the line in 1942 will be much cheaper in 1944)
- in the beginning, the matchmaker was proposed to be based on the vehicle weight only (one supertank = rest of the weak team), but it didn't work - balancing individual vehicles is very hard and then there was the issue of players asking questions such as "why is that tank better than the other tank"
- According to SerB, it takes roughly 2500 battles for the nonpremium player to reach his first tier 10, SerB is fine with it
- post-battle chat "possible we won't implement it at all, or we'll implement it only for the winning team - why would we provoke a chatflame once more?"
- there will be additional security measures added for the company recruitment phase so people don't come in and spam
- devs won't introduce additional names for the crew ("unfortunately, it's impossible to implement the entire wealth of names. Well - and if anyone will come and ask for their name - the list would be endless")
- the "house icon" for the additional crew training goes to the crewmember with the least total XP (eg. if you have two guys - one 75 percent training and 2 skills and one 65 percent and 3 skills, the first one will get it).
- there might be special settings in the game introduced for the artillery mode

Interesting...

I just had a phonecall from the vice president of Wargaming Europe (I think it was), Mr. Fadl (sorry for corrupting your name) - no idea where he got my phone number (edit: from Czechout). He assured me this matter is being investigated. They are having a meeting on it now.

I decided to remove all personal info from the "corruption post". I'll take it down for a while and redact it.

Also, it seems I'll get my account back.

Regarding the "corruption" cause

Hello everyone,

a few (and hopefully last) words to the whole "corruption" affair, related to the posts springing up on the EU forum.

First: please don't paint me as a martyr, saint or whistleblower. I never intended to screw Wargaming, to act as an agent, it was indeed private conversation between two people with no whistleblowing intention. As XO_Foucault wrote: if anyone's private life leaked on the internet, everyone would be shocked. That is actually why I removed the post - not under duress from Wargaming, but because I had a phonecall with the person mentioned in my thread and I decided not to act out of spite or righteous anger anymore, but I did what I felt was the right thing (the same goes for posting it in the first place - felt like the right thing to do for a guy who felt cheated and angry).

Second: From XO_Foucault's post (please note he was implied of corruption in my post too, being the boss of the person mentioned) I have the "we did nothing wrong, he broke the rules and he had to go". I am fine with the second part. I broke the rules and I had to go - fair enough. But if I see anymore of the "nothing happened" shit and this gets swept under the rug, the post goes right back where it was.

I don't want to start a holy crusade against corruption. I don't want to become a martyr. I know how world works. I don't even want this to affect the implied person's life forever. She doesn't deserve that. But I DO want Wargaming to admit its mistake and do something about it, possibly by cleaning house (including XO_Foucault - yes, I know a lot, mate, trust me - I didn't post the worst stuff yet).

Edit: I NEVER "sneaked" anything into the old posts. Stop accusing me of shit I haven't done.

Edit 2: "Nothing was rigged" my ass. The post is back, I won't let people make me look like a liar. I thought you already learned your lesson.