Hey everyone,
After a bit of a hiatus, I’m finally back with another DevBlog! There’s a lot to catch up on, so let’s jump right in.
Reflecting on Recent Updates
First, I’d like to briefly touch upon some recent milestones. We finally delivered one of the community’s most requested features—spinning aircraft wheels! It was far trickier than expected, but it’s done and working smoothly. We’ve also implemented a new system for aircraft doors and openings, meaning that our planes will soon be opening doors realistically, one by one.
The improved radio communication still has a few glitches, but expect these to be ironed out in the next update.
Probably the biggest recent addition is our new camera mode, internally called FlyView. You can now seamlessly move from the radar screen to watching your aircraft cruising in mid-air. You’ve likely noticed that ground details aren’t visible yet; unfortunately, providing detailed real-world terrain data for all our active players would be prohibitively expensive. Staying committed to keeping our core game free and accessible, we opted for a “above-the-clouds” experience for now.
We’ve fixed many bugs—and, admittedly, created a few new ones. Performance remains challenging on devices with around 2GB RAM, and we’re continuously working to optimize stability. We also keep running into issues with Google authentication, causing occasional disconnections. Don’t worry—your data isn’t lost; everything is safely stored in the cloud.
On a positive note, the forum has greatly improved our communication. We’ve been actively addressing reported bugs, and have already included the first player-requested features from the forum in recent updates.
What’s Coming Next (Update 3.1.0)
We’ve shuffled our priorities a bit, and the star of the next update will be the Boeing 747-8, arriving in both Passenger (PAX) and Cargo versions. Aircraft parameters won’t change, only the unlock GP cost. We’re particularly proud of this plane because it’s our first featuring the new flap control system.
Joining the fleet in this update are the E290 and E295. Other E-Jets will follow later, along with the Fokker 70/100, which we’re saving for release alongside an updated Sydney (SYD), where stands and taxiways need extra attention.
As a very special bonus, the legendary Comet is finally getting a much-deserved new model!
Update 3.1.0 also includes the previously announced airport SCL – Santiago de Chile, further enriching our global airport portfolio.
A key new feature will be the ability to change your in-game username. This highly-requested addition is also essential groundwork for future functionality. You’ll also be able to set default colors and custom liveries for your aircraft when purchasing new ones (note: this won’t retroactively apply to your existing fleet).
Looking Further Ahead
One of the year’s most significant projects is our new aircraft scheduling system. Through extensive prototyping, we’ve developed a highly flexible yet simple system. It won’t limit your current play style, but will give you powerful tools to organize arrivals, prioritize flights, assign specific contracts to stands, and manage aircraft sizes for each stand. This should greatly streamline operations and significantly reduce clutter on the arrival cards screen. (The attached images aren’t final, but they’re very close.)
We’re also enhancing our ground handling services, adding new dynamics to gameplay. We’re currently testing Medical Assistance, requiring new boarding/deboarding strategies, and Technical Assistance, introducing pre-flight walkarounds by pilots that might uncover minor technical issues needing technician intervention. These new services will come with purchasable vehicles and fresh animations, which we hope to capture using motion-capture technology. If successful, we’ll gradually enhance existing services (e.g., fueling animations right up to the wing).
Anticipating your questions about future aircraft—yes, we have several exciting models in development: MD11, A330NEO, C17, and the previously promised E-Jets. Aircraft creation is an ongoing, dynamic process, driven primarily by our development capacities.
Perhaps our most ambitious upcoming project is expanding aircraft customization. While some players might expect freehand painting, we’re taking a different approach. To ensure smooth functionality, especially in multiplayer, we’ll offer full customization based on existing patterns. You’ll control the rotation, position, and size separately on fuselage, engines, and tail. According to our tests, this creates virtually endless unique configurations. But that’s not all! We’re also working on adding customizable (size, rotation, position) airline logos on tail fins and airline names on aircraft fuselages. How cool is that?
When Is the Next Update?
Finally, the big question: when will the next update drop? No firm promises yet, but rest assured—we’re working tirelessly day and night to deliver it in Q2.
Thank you again for your incredible support. Stay tuned, keep flying, and see you soon!
@kubasan and the WoA Team.
