When Thunder Rolled and Winds of Change - September 2021

[MigBuster 2,887]

 

 

When Thunder Rolled and Winds of Change - September 2021

 It is with great excitement today we announce some updates and increasing momentum of the When Thunder Rolled Project.

Perhaps the most significant news is a Leadership change.  All founding members have approved the nomination and acceptance of a new Project Leader that has demonstrated the proficiency, commitment and quality demanded in this critical role.  Leveraging his solid understanding of the Thirdwire sims, and recent leadership roles with other initiative including Operation Desert Storm, will set us up for greater success.  With this change, we are expecting a surge in activity and progress which has us energized and excited. 

On a tactical level, our top focus/priority now continues to be on finalizing terrain work - creating incredibly accurate depictions of the Vietnam topography, cities/towns, airbases, enhanced terrain tiles (e.g., honoring requests for more rice paddies), etc.  This terrain of course will serve as the foundation for everything else. 

We continue to excel in enhancing immersion and realism – leveraging outsourced professionals to help with creating dense jungle environments, realistic sky environments and more.  These efforts are a cycle of ongoing experiments balancing how much we can push this old game engine and still maintain acceptable frame rates.  

We have also been making progress in many other areas such as creating realistically detailed target areas.  For example, when you strike an enemy military storage area in WTR, we promise it won’t be a generic “Warehouse1” – see proof below!  Next up on the target area list is creating a cluttered rail yard supporting Ed’s June 20, 1966 attack on the Railyard NorthEast of Kep Airfield.  New models will include a marshalling yard with new train cars, rail yard support buildings, service equipment and more. 

Also noteworthy perhaps:  while not formally adopted on the development roadmap but under consideration – we have received requests over the past few years regarding Yankee Air Pirate (YAP) compatibility.  A majority of former YAP team members have already been involved with the WTR Project so this continues to be assessed and a greater possibility. 

Please enjoy the screenshots below; note these are lower res/compressed versions and representative of unedited actual gameplay. 

 As always, we welcome and encourage community support.   If you are interested in contributing, please send me a Private Message (PM).  

 Finally, very special thanks to Erik for all his support and hosting our exclusive forum.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments in this forum, thank you.

 

An F-105 drops its payload over North Vietnam amidst heavy cloudy skies.

 

Our brand new scratch F-100F; its dazzling bare metal skin catching the morning sun on an enemy air defense suppression (Wild Weasel) mission.

 

Vivid Morning Skies over a small Vietnam Village lose their tranquility as enemy AAA chase after the contrails of an F-105 strike package (top right).

 

Another brand new scratch model, this time showcasing the Mig-17 featuring an insane level of detail and perfect for you rivet counters.

 

Rough inner coastal waters demonstrated by new water effects roll in to disrupt a peaceful beach.

 

An NVA solider driving the SA-2 missile transporter takes a quick break along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Yet another new scratch model, the AH-1 Skyraider!  Employing a low bomb pass this skillful pilot scores a direct hit on an enemy truck convoy just clearing a ridge along the Ho Chi Minh trail.    

 

The sheer beauty of Vietnam, rolling hills, lush jungles and colorful fields serve as a momentary distraction from the war.

 

May 3, 1966.   Ed Rasimus’ first recorded combat mission successfully strikes a Dong Hoi military storage area in Route Pack 1.

 

Bonus Screenie:  re-creation of YAP “JumpMyers” downed pilot rescue mission integrated with the WTR Project leveraging brand new Jolly Green helo model, rescue pilot, special effects, etc

 

from:

 

 

[NIELS 421]

Incredible what these folks have done with this engine! This is pure ultimate evolution and MAGIC to say the least!!! The skill and know how to bring this level of detail and

immersion is nothing more than stunning!

Godspeed WTR and YAP Team/developers

 

Edited September 12, 2021 by NIELS

[FalconC45 162]

Will this be a freeware or a payware? Just curious because I'm excited for this project!

Falcon

[Wilches 1,173]

Hope to be alive then to put my hands on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The new MiG-17 is pure joy!!!!!!

[macelena 1,070]

I won't be able to let this game go and get into DCS or Il-2 if you guys keep doing stuff like this

[+GKABS 8,822]

Outstanding, It really looks amaizing. grate job 

[+EricJ 4,276]

Looking pretty cool, can't wait to see the final result!

[Stratos 3,202]

21 hours ago, MigBuster said:

Another brand new scratch model, this time showcasing the Mig-17 featuring an insane level of detail and perfect for you rivet counters.

 

If this is the Fresco, how it will be the F-105?? 

[+streakeagle 871]

It will be to the advantage of WTR if TK can release his Win 10 compatibility version of SF2 fairly soon and it doesn't break any of the work that has been done while possibly improving performance.

As the YAP owner/manager died, can it still be purchased and delivered, or did YAP die with John Shelton? I wouldn't build WTR around any YAP limitations, as it best it was only supported by WOV and was partially broken by the final WOV patch level, necessitating YAP 3.

At one time, I was a play tester for this project. I didn't have the time and the progress was incredibly slow. But if it is ever finished and released, I have no problems supporting it. I have in the past and continue to wish the WTR team the best of luck, but having watched many flight sim projects come and go without ever being finished, I have low expectations, but love to be surprised by brilliant success. Prove my lack of optimism is wrong and provide a product that takes my money.

[mono27 85]

This will be GREAT!! Thank you!!

[+Richo 65]

Can hardly wait to get a hold of it and try it out!!! Looks great!!!

[+Soulfreak 6,534]

On 12.9.2021 at 10:06 PM, MigBuster said:

 

Great to see that this is still alive and the new pix look great.

BTW, my F-100F Skin still looks pretty cool. 

 

[1Patriot-of-many 15]

Waiting to buy or build a new computer, I'd be glad to pay for a "new" game.

[Stratos 3,202]

I'm wondering how much time we will have to wait in order to see a release of this, not rushing, simply curious, as I'm really looking forward to this release. Also If Payware, any idea of the price?

[MICHOO 4]

I think you should consider an Early Access program on Steam or Gog.
This will provide more publicity and funding.

[phispooky 15]

On 10/6/2021 at 10:09 AM, MICHOO said:

I think you should consider an Early Access program on Steam or Gog.
This will provide more publicity and funding.

This should be rather problematic, given it is a mod of a commercial product?!

[+EricJ 4,276]

5 minutes ago, phispooky said:

This should be rather problematic, given it is a mod of a commercial product?!

You'd have to create a workshop or something like it to distribute it via Steam.  That and the base product would have to be probably sold on Steam as well. Some  games have workshops that have free content for the games so you  don't have to sell it.

[+GKABS 8,822]

I am just happy that this project is moving ahead,  also I am so grateful and happy to contribute to this project with all the talented people of this community. 

[MICHOO 4]

22 hours ago, phispooky said:

This should be rather problematic, given it is a mod of a commercial product?!

According to their website it's commercial.

[scharmers 3]

I'd buy it.

[snapper 21 808]

When you have been reading this post for a while and then the book but just realised the link 

[+WTRAdmin 474]

4 hours ago, snapper 21 said:

When you have been reading this post for a while and then the book but just realised the link 

If you're reading the book you'll absolutely have an even greater appreciation for the project, especially as we are replicating the missions not only as the book describes but in accordance with Ed's actual flight logs.  Just curious if you have a favorite mission/experience in mind you're hoping to enjoy? 

Edited March 26, 2022 by WTRAdmin

[snapper 21 808]

I haven’t finished the book yet, but the attack on the trains on the way to Bac Ninh would be the one so far.

 

[+Piecemeal 450]

On 26/03/2022 at 4:31 PM, WTRAdmin said:

If you're reading the book you'll absolutely have an even greater appreciation for the project, especially as we are replicating the missions not only as the book describes but in accordance with Ed's actual flight logs.  Just curious if you have a favorite mission/experience in mind you're hoping to enjoy? 

Hi Steve! It's good to hear that things are moving (as they should!) in the right direction. I'm slowly coming back to the SF2 world (ain't RL a bitch!) but won't be able to help this time as I'm slowly rebuilding my current mod folder. I WILL, however, be available for you to take my money when it's finally released