8.4 WILL bring the British TD's

Well, apparently Overlord got confused and wrote earlier today that there will be no British TD's in 8.4, giving some guys on EU forums nearly a heart attack :) It got sorted out quite fast though. Thanks for the news, Overlord :)

Source: http://overlord-wot.blogspot.cz/2013/01/wot-do-you-love-tanks.html?showComment=1358500123268#c5615116135126582253

8.3 arty splash changes

Object 212 — earlier 6,54 -> now 6,07 // Golden shell 9,16 -> 8.49
Object 261 — earlier 5,14 -> now 4,91 // Golden shell 7.62 -> 7.28
GW Tiger and GW E — earlier 7 -> now 6,44 // Golden shell 10,02 -> 9,21
М40\43 — earlier 6,54 -> now 6,07 // Golden shell 9,54 -> 8,49
Т92 — earlier 9,14 -> now 8,13 // Golden shell 13,09 -> 11,64
Batchat and Lorraine 51 earlier 4  -> now 3,97 // Golden shell 5,38 -> 5.34
АМХ 13 (tier 5) earlier 3,81 -> now 3,78 (gold shell removed)
SU-8 stock gun 2.36 -> 2,49 // top gun 3,81 -> 3,78
SU-14, S-51, Object 212 stock gun 3,67 -> 3,66 // Golden shell 5,13 -> 5.11
Hummel and GW Panther – no changes
GW Tiger stock gun earlier 4,55 -> now 4,45 // Golden shell 6,57 -> 6.37
М41 earlier 3,81 -> now 3,78 (top and stock gun) // Golden shell 5,34 -> 5,30
М12 earlier 4 -> now 3,97 // Golden shell 5,38 -> 5.34
Tier 6 Lorraine earlier 3,82 -> now 3,78 (gold shell with 5,2 splash removed)
Tier 2 arty (except for the Bison that didn’t get changed) earlier 0,92 -> now 1,09
SU-26 earlier 2,36 -> now 2,49
SU-5 earlier 3,67 -> now 3,66
М37, Priest, Wespe, tier 3 and 4 French  — earlier 1,75 -> now 1,91
Grille – no changes — 3,57

17.1.2013

- the buffs and nerfs are implemented on the server side, but the mechanics are copied into the client, so there are no server-client prediction issues
- there were turrets, in which the guns could be adjusted not only vertically, but also horizontally without moving the turret itself (for minor corrections), these however won't be implemented into the game
- IRL when the turret rotates, the engine RPM increases, but this won't be implemented into the game
- TD SU-76BM? "no comment" (SS: there was an icon of this vehicle in one of the earlier patches, it's a failed TD project that basically had the properties of SU-76, only with closed compartment)
- current repair costs of tier 7-8 arty will transfer to tier 9-10 arty "if necessery", more arty nerfs might come if needed, nerfs seem to be the most effective way to deal with the arty issue
- the Chinese LT branch won't be changed from how it is now
- the MS-1 engine is heavier than the engine of the Maus (despite vast power output difference) simply because it was very bad
- detailed data on what arty will be switched to what tier during the tier 10 arty implementation will be released later, but it is not sure, what arty vehicles will be implemented where, it's even possible that everything from tier 3 up will get kicked on tier up and new tier 3 vehicle will be implemented
- the devs do have the data about vehicles only in garages (eg. not played), but those are generally not used for anything
- Q: "Dear developers, does WoT generate so little profit that you have to reduce the profitability of the tanks?" A: "Dear players, do you play so bad that you have to imagine the profitability drops all the time?"
- tank popularity is only one of the secondary parameters, when considering how well it is balanced
- bigger maps and more players per battle? "When the project is ready, we'll implement it"
- 8.4 test will bring new company and platoon garage interface
- Q: "You implemented an OTM mod analogy into the game, do you plan to implement other popular mods' analogies?" "Not the popular ones, the necessery ones"
- currently, the XP prices of "blind" Chinese modules (SS: unused in any other tank) are not being reviewed
- there might be an increase of the role the radioman and radio module play in battle
- mods won't be configureable from within the game client (SS: apparently because of cheats)
- Q: "So far, there are regular vehicles in the game to unlock the next tier and premium vehicles for farming, will there be any 3rd type of vehicles?" A: "no comment for now"
- the implementation of "hull" modules (as it is in WoWp) (SS: sorry, never played WoWp, how does it work?) - yes, but it's technically very difficult so they didn't start to implement it yet
- Sherman engine wouldn't fit into the engine compartment of the Stuart
- 47mm Type 1 gun on the Chinese Stuart is so good because it has good ballistic properties (SS: a player asked whether it is charged with the samurai spirit)
- sometimes, in lowtier battles, it can happen that one team is full of tier 2 tanks and the others has for example 4 tier 1 tanks, this doesn't happen often, it's not desirable though - it happens when MM decides the team differences are acceptable
- SU-76(i) won't be introduced instead of SU-85(i) (but rather along with it), tier is not yet decided, it's likely it will be a promo/gift tank
- the Leopard 1 in the game will be an "early model", it will be shown later
- crewmember models will not be introduced
- for the bombardier archievement, damage done by setting a vehicle on fire does not count
- no info on possible replacement of Lorraine (because it underperforms steadily) - probably just a rumor
- after ricochet, a shell loses cca 10 percent of its penetration
- 7/42 company mode: opposing team will be selected at random (as it is now in companies), it might be possible to select the map played (this is unclear, SerB's answer "Иногда" can be interpreted as "sometimes", but also as "some other time" - any Russian speaker can confirm?), it's unclear what the top allowed arty tier will be - "we'll see", it's not clear whether it'll be implemented in 8.4 along with the new player selection interface
- the 59-16 tank top autoloaded gun penetration (85mm PEN) is okay according to the devs ("should it be improved by magical Chinese kung-fu?")
- there was an idea to introduce tier 1 arty - was refused
- Q: "If there comes a time when not a single tank will need a buff/nerf in the next patch, will that mean the end of the game?" A: "It's the other way around - the end of the game means that not a single tank needs a buff or nerf in the next patch"

16.1.2013

- Chi-Ha is implemented as a light tank even though "Chi" in Japanese is the designation for medium tanks, because it is generally classified as a light tank
- the idea to make World of Tanks came in the last days of 2008, the original "founders" were Petr Bityukov, Slava Makarov, Viktor Kisly and Marat Karpeko - and it took a few months to bring the idea to alpha stage
- The equation for repair costs: (HP lost * repair cost for 1 HP) + (module HP lost * repair cost for 1 module HP)
- there is no special autoloader module, it counts as a part of the ammo rack module
- the peak times lag isn't cause by servers themselves, it is generally caused by the data paths being overloaded (SS: sorry, I don't know the proper IT terminology - SerB means the "wires" or "pathways" that lead the data)
- the speed reduction when driving close to rocks, slopes and other objects is realistic, won't be removed
- reworking the "expert" archievement? "no comment for now" (SS: the issue was that the devs blamed the expert medal for being a part of the reason for too much arty, as it is generally easier to archieve expert medal with artillery)
- the shot (trajectory) calculations are the same in sniper mode and arcade mode, even though the arcade mode seems to "jerk" less when driving over rough terrain - it's the same, just that in the sniper mode it's simply more noticeable, also, devs state that the gun aim circle spread after shooting in sniper mode is NOT bigger than after shooting in arcade mode, just more noticeable
- SerB doesn't care about the caricatures of him on the forums
- there seems to be no difference between the stock and upgraded Chinese IS-2 turret ("up to you whether you want it or not") (SS: ROF?)
- when a tank is destroyed (regularily), it does not mean all modules get destroyed (and counted as repair costs), they only appear so the players don't get confused
- module repair costs are not tied to the module purchase price
- barrels of AFK tanks move when you move close in front of them, because the aiming point automatically changes
- tracers weren't changed in 0.8.3
- currently, a drowned tank gets all modules destroyed (extra repair costs) in order to deter the drowners
- Panzer B2 has the tier 4 MM max and S35 tier 3-5 out of "balance reasons"
- there will be a special MM for light tanks too (SS: same amount of LT's in each team)
- there is no "ricochetability" (description) parameter planned (SS: the ability of a tank to ricochet a shell), because it's impossible to determine
- the Chinese Type 34 is historical and correctly balanced (SS: from what I could gather)
- the American R-975-C1 350hp engine will be rebalanced to match the Chinese one from the M5A1 stuart (400hp instead of 350hp, but 16kg more), the whole US M5 Stuart will be rebalanced
- capture points from capping the base apparently count towards the cappers' XP even though the battle is won by destroying all tanks
- the Foch 155 autoloader is realistic (SerB argues that it was made even for the FV4005 183mm gun)
- M10 Ersatz has German camo for "technical reasons"
- the removal of the maps from the random pool for players is really complicated, no decision yet
- the 3 degrees gun depression for Chinese tier 9 and 10 meds is final for now
- it's possible Lend-Lease tanks will take part in historical battles
- the components of various Stuarts might be a bit modified in order to differ them (and the US from Chinese)
- the modules with the same names in Chinese and other nations' tanks differ in properties because they were "produced differently", there are no plans to make Chinese modules compatible with other nations' modules "for technical reasons"
- the devs don't see the existence of the bug where the graphics card runs at 100 percent in the hangar
- Info about 0.8.4 will be "soon"
- there are no plans for new equipment (SS: such as ventilation, rammers etc.)
- some new company formats (apart from the developed 7x42) are not planned (for example limited to odd number tiers)

15.1.2013 part 2

- you get a free slot along with the tier 1 Chinese tank even if you have empty slots in your garage
- the 113, 120, 121, WZ 131/132 tanks have the same internal layout as the T-54, eg. the ammo rack is at the back of the tower and behind the frontal armor on the right side, the fuel tanks are also there
- announcements about tanks splits and transfers (IS-4, KV split etc.) had strong impact on the amount of those vehicles (both in hangars and in games)
- the aforementioned is not expected to happen with the artillery being transferred to tier 10, as the arty won't improve (quite the opposite)
- it's not yet sure whether the introduction of tier 10 arty will mean that the hardcap will get disabled or not
- Meeting engagement shouldn't be enabled for tier 1-2 vehicles, seems like this bug appeared in 0.8.3 - Storm will investigate tomorrow
- 120mm M62-T2 and M58 guns have the same primary (silver) penetration and different gold penetration "due to different shells"
- regarding the plans to revive tanks long gone (SS: T23): "no comment", however the former tier 10 Chinese heavy (from 0.8.2 test) was incorporated into the tier 9 heavy.
- no plans to enhance the flightpath of the projectile in sniper mode
- T110E3 and E4 recieved the 155mm guns straight away because (unlike the mediums) there are no tier 10 TD's in the game with unlockable guns
- the Chinese top tanks' names consist of numbers only because "Chinese comrades said it's that way and they know about the Chinese tanks more than anyone else"
- tank guns aren't balanced only around gun penetration, but also around other characteristics (SS: Storm explaining why the tier 9 Chinese tank has good penetration, there is a lot of "WZ120 is overpowered" whine)
- Object 268 and Object 704 won't get a damage nerf

KTTC (ASAP) - 15.1.2013

New "KTTC" (ASAP) video is here, with the king of trolls, SerB

Inside:

- arty nerf (nothing new there, same reasoning as before)
- tier 8 arty will (SS: generally?) go to tier 10 but its stats won't improve, it will stay as it is now
- SerB doesn't think there will be too many changes in the tier 8 arty gameplay when it gets transferred to tier 10
- not much more about the arty nerf, WG doesn't want the arty running around in TD mode
- SU-26 got nerfed because it became imbalanced
- the hardcap is 5 and not 3 in order to avoid problems with the MM
- no battles without arty planned
- light tanks plague won't be handled specially, because gameplay of light tanks isn't that specific from other vehicles
- Chinese tanks didn't come out with an arty branch because it's not yet formed, Chinese partners are looking into the arty and TD vehicles

15.1.2013

(Apparently SerB started new way of trolling - he now tells people who post stupidities that they should focus their efforts on real life)

- This vehicle is something different than the ingame GW-E (SS: there has been a lot of whining about the GW-E parameters lately)
- SerB states that defragmenting the disk every 3-4 months helps making WoT run better
- it's possible than in the future, more low-caliber but high ROF British guns will be introduced, but SerB states those weapons were quite unique
- in 0.8.3, the golden shell was removed from Lorraine 155 only from one of the cannons, not all
- VK4502P now has a new frontal armor weakspot - the bow machinegun (regarding the change of the VK4502P in 0.8.3)
- if the server resets when you are in the middle of a battle and you drop out of battle to the menu instead of garage, the results of the battle do not count
- T32 won't recieve a more powerful gun
- there is no plan to make the MM loading screen (SS: where you see the table with various amounts of available players and tank classes straight after you press "Battle") stay on for some minimal time so you can cancel the battle
- Object 261 and T-82 had some minor armor bugs fixed
- it is not considered to award the scouts who light up the targets 75 percent of the arty kills' XP instead of todays' 50 percent
- the 0.8.3 WZ-132 engines (second engine: cost 10500XP, but the only difference is 10kg of weight) are not bugged, it's intentional
- same goes with the WZ-120 engine, that the asking player considers too expensive for its power

Looks like a lot of Chinese whine incoming today.