Wot F.A.Q.docx

GENERAL

Why tanks?
It all started with an idea of making a 5-star top-notch MMO game. When you’re thinking of the whole MMO genre, the first thing coming to your mind is elf’n’orc stuff. Of course, the genre is far more popular than anything else, and Tolkien’s legacy will live forever, but, let’s face it, gamers have all rights to be fed up with fantasy. So we wanted to make something new, fresh, and different from anything that’s been on the market.
And we came up with a tank MMO action. There are millions of tanks enthusiasts across the globe who still haven’t got a game that would satisfy their needs. In the World of Tanks, they will get highly detailed tanks models, hardcore battles, and, most importantly, the atmosphere of shoulder-to-shoulder fights with brothers-in-arms against a well-organized enemy.

What genre does WoT belong to?
World of Tanks is a huge mixture of multiple genres. First of all this is an MMO game allowing thousands of gamers from around the world to test their tanking skills. When developing the game, we did not want to link it to a particular genre, that’s why World of Tanks depicts a combination of such genres as the third person action, FPS, RTS, RPG, and the simulator. Any gamer will find WoT pleasant to their own favor, that is why this game is so exciting to play.

What are the system requirements?

Minimum system requirements:
CPU:                                           2 GHz
RAM:                                           1 GB
Video:                                           GeForce 6600GT (128 MB) / ATI analog
HDD:                                           2GB
Connection rate:              128 Kbps

Average system requirements:
CPU:                                           3 GHz
RAM:                                           2 GB
Video:                                           GeForce 8600GT (256 MB) / ATI analog
HDD:                                           2GB
Connection rate:              128 Kbps

Maximum system requirements:
CPU:                                           2 Core 3 GHz
RAM:                                           2 GB
Video:                                           GeForce 9800 (512 MB) / ATI analog
HDD:                                           2GB
Connection rate:              1024 Kbps or higher (for faster downloads)

Will other operating systems be supported?
The game will be released only for Microsoft Windows series operating systems.

What types of tanks will be presented in the game?
World of Tanks will feature armored vehicles from America, Germany, and the Soviet Union that were produced and designed starting from early 30’s and up to the Korean war. Gamers will get light, medium, and heavy tanks, as well as tank destroyers and long-range self-propelled howitzers. Apart from real tanks, the game will feature prototype vehicles, such as the American T1E2, the Soviet IS-4, or the German E Series tanks.

Apart from tanks, WoT will include other types of armored vehicles. What role will tank destroyers and long-range howitzers play in the game?
Just like in real battles of the WWII, the role of these unit types can’t be overestimated. Tank destroyers are perfect defensive units. With powerful weapons and thick frontal armor, they are capable of engaging enemy vehicles from relatively long distances. But their weak points are the low mobility and the deficit of side and rear armor; if a maneuverable opponent makes it to get into a close combat, it all can get really tough for a tank destroyer.
The role of self-propelled howitzers is slightly different. They work in tense cooperation with light tanks scouting the map and unveiling enemy vehicles for them. Their extremely powerful cannons may cause a one-shot lethal outcome for any opponent. Still, howitzers are very vulnerable in close battle. Even a light hostile tank can deal with them.

Will the game include a kind of tank encyclopedia?
World of Tanks will contain a tank encyclopedia with a historical note and pictures given to every tank featuring in the game. These short notes will include the most important information on armored vehicles, such as production volume, release date, characteristics, etc. A summary table at the end of every historical note will contain facts and figures regarding tanks’ dimensions, mass, armor, etc.

MAPS

What are the typical dimensions of a battle map? What’s the reason for choosing that particular size?
At the moment, typical map size is about 1 square kilometer (close to 0,4 square miles) in countryside and a bit less in urban maps. On the one hand, teammates won’t lose each other on a battlefield, and on the other, tanks require large spaces to make maneuvers, ambushes, and flanking attacks. Again, map size depends on a number of terrain elements. The rule here will be simple: the less objects are on a map, the bigger it can be. So if there are deserted maps covering battles in Northern Africa, they can reach up to 9 square miles in size.

Are there any breakable elements on battlefields? How can destroying such elements influence the course of a battle?
There will be lots of breakable and movable elements, starting from trees that you can lumber at your leisure, and ending with building walls that can be destroyed after a couple of batters. High level of breakability will result in both positive and negative consequences. You can “perforate” a wall of the building you’re standing behind and use it as a firing port to shoot down your opponents. The flip side of the coin is a collapsed wall can seriously decrease passability area and your tank can get stuck in a very limited space.

Is it planned to adopt different seasons, times of day, or weather conditions?
We are planning to include maps with different seasons. At the moment, WoT seasons include spring, summer, and autumn. As for times of day and weather conditions, we’ll have night battles with respective visibility as well as foggy and rainy combats where you literally have to grope through a battlefield to find an enemy.

Are there any faunal forms on maps?
Right now you can notice butterflies floating between flowers. Added will be birds and other wildlife representatives.

You’ve got maps that are named exactly like the points of historic battles. Are these maps identical to those areas or some modifications had to be made?
It is very hard to keep a virtual map identical to its prototype. One of the most important issues is keeping the map balance, that is why our historic maps are not completely identical to real geographic locations, but they are designed very similar to the originals with extensive usage of their photos and landscape schemes.

GAMEPLAY

What is the total amount of tanks so far? Will it increase or remain the same?
At its release, World of Tanks will include more that 150 armored vehicles from America, Germany, and the Soviet Union. Later on, we will add French, British, and Japanese tanks.

How realistic will WoT be?
We tried to reach perfect balance between realism and gameplay, because once either of the parameters is just a bit too much, the game would lose its X-factor. Thus, World of Tanks won’t be a hardcore simulator where you’d have to spend minutes learning how to get those huge panzers at least moving and aiming. The game’s difficulty should depend on applying your tactical skills and coordinating moves with your teammates not struggling with overwhelmingly complicated controls. At the same time, we have implemented a sophisticated damage model which allows using peculiar tactics against different vehicle types or even deal higher damage to a particular tank model knowing its weak points.

How long will an average battle last?
An average battle usually takes 5 to 15 minutes. If at the end of 15 minutes there are tanks of both teams on the battlefield or neither of the bases has been captured, a tie is declared.

Will tanks firing rate will be the same as in real world?
The firing rate of any armored vehicle in World of Tanks will be equal to the firing rate of its real-life prototype in perfect conditions. In real life, firing rate during battles was lower than on proving grounds, but applying this aspect would negatively affect the gameplay.

What camera mode will the game feature? What are the controls?
The main mode is the third person view with four scales of remoteness from your tank and possibility to freely rotate the camera around the vehicle. The game will also feature the sniper mode for tanks and the “howitzer” mode for long-range artillery. Moving your tank is implemented by standard WSAD controls.

Will ramming attacks be implemented? How can a smart ram decrease abilities of a hostile tank?
Ramming attacks will be an essential part of WoT gameplay, along with casual fights. Consequences of a ramming attack will depend on tank masses, their speed, and on the section of a rammed tank that took a hit. A common scenario is ramming a heavy tank into a light one — the latter won’t stand a chance. Again, if you hit your opponent’s tracks, you can immobilize it for some time and thus make it an easy target for your teammates.

Will newbies get a chance to practice their skills in single battle missions (i.e. will there be any practice mode)? Will this mode be available offline?
Newbies will get a chance to level up their skills and prepare for real battles during training missions. Moreover, the game will feature special areas with tanks from level 1 to level 4 allowed. This will help newcomers get used to gameplay and dynamics. All the training modes will be available online.

Will camouflage be supported?
Camouflage will be implemented as well. There’s a coefficient that defines how close you should get to an opposing tank in order to locate it. If a hostile tank is standing behind a bush or a tree, you’ll definitely face problems finding it. But if the hiding tank starts moving or shooting, its silhouette becomes visible. So if you’ve given yourself away and want to keep on playing hide-n-seek, you’ll have to reposition as soon as you can.

In your previous release, Order of War, battles included off-map artillery support. Will anything similar to it be included in World of Tanks? How this stuff will be controlled?
We are planning to include off-map artillery support, but its usage will be limited to one strike per fight and only during clan battles. The battle map is divided into many squares, and a clan leader can call for an artillery strike on a specified square once during a battle. However, this will require spending a certain amount of resources.

Can I switch to a “free camera” mode after my tank has been destroyed?
There will be a “following camera” mode where you can stick to your teammate tanks that are still in battle.

Will battles be fought by one-nation teams?
Before each battle, the game will randomly divide players into two teams according to the level and the development stage of their vehicles trying to make both teams equal in overall power. This means that a team may include tanks from different nations.
The only case of “nation-on-nation” battles are special history-related events (i.e. the battle of Prokhorovka).

DEVELOPMENT

What is a tank tree?
All the armored vehicles in World of Tanks are divided into American, German, and Soviet machines. Within each nation, tanks compile a development tree. In order to get a desired vehicle, players will climb up those development trees.

Can you upgrade your tank? How “deep” can upgrades be?
Let’s take Panzer IV as an example. The model had a dozen of modifications (Ausf A to Ausf J). The basic version of the tank will be available as Ausf A and you’ll be able to install all the upgrades that were available in all further modifications. So you can either have a full development of Panzer IV upgrading it to the Ausf J level or you can switch to the next tank in the development tree once buying a detail for your Pz IV that was installed in that tank as well.

How do you upgrade your tank? What development stage should you reach to get access to a tank of the next level? Can you switch to a parallel development branch if considering a chosen one wrong?
All the upgrades are available according to the development trees. You start with the lightest and cheapest tank and by earning your experience points you can further upgrade your vehicle by installing better equipment of higher levels. Here we pay extra attention to history; once you’ve installed a detail that was also used for a tank model of a higher level, this tank becomes available in the tank tree. If while upgrading your vehicle you decide that you’ve chosen the wrong development branch, you can switch to another one by jumping several levels back to the branches intersection.

Can I keep more than one vehicle in my hangar?
Players’ personal hangars will be able to store up to five vehicles at once regardless of their country of origin. I.e. you can simultaneously keep American, German, and Russian vehicles in your hangar and use them at any time. Moreover, you’ll be able to buy additional hangars thus expanding your fleet of tanks.

Can you equip your tank with any engine?
You will be able to install the elements that are plausible in terms of history. This means that not only will installing a large powerful engine on a light tank be historically incorrect, but the engine will simply not fit in the tiny machine.

Can you take off all the armor from your rank and thus add 20 more mph to its top speed and vice versa?
You won’t be able to take the basic armor off a tank, just as you won’t be allowed to thicken it at will. You can install additional shielding giving more thickness to your frontal, side, rear, and turret armor. Depending on a tank model, there will be from zero to several shielding packages for every tank.

Will tanks have their own crews?
Every tank will have a tank crew, and every member of a crew will have their own qualities that will influence tank characteristics. The number of crew members will change depending on a chosen tank and will coincide with real data. The tankers will learn their skills relatively fast, and by the time you climb up the top of the development tree, you’ll have several fully experienced tank crews. For example, with a veteran gunner aboard, a tank will be more accurate in shooting and will deliver a larger number of critical hits.

Will the game include ready-to-use commands, similar to the ones implemented in the Counter Strike series?
There will be built-in short commands that will help for fast and effective communication between teammates. To use these commands, you’ll need to operate hotkeys, which are the F1–F6 buttons.

FINANCES

Will I have to buy the game?
Order of War is a free-to-play game, which means you can freely download the game files, install the client, and launch the game at your leisure. You won’t have to spend a penny in order to get to your desired tank or other vehicle.

How does the payment system work in World of Tanks?
In World of Tanks, players have credits which they gain by taking part in battles and eliminating their enemies. Apart from credits, there is gold that every player can purchase for real money. Possessing gold will result in some bonuses that will neither affect the gameplay nor give players decisive advantage in battles.

What advantages can I gain for gold?
You can buy a temporary premium account that will give you +50% to your experience and credit earning. You will also spend gold to buy special shell types (cumulative and sub-caliber), premium tanks that will not be superior to their analogs, and special tank customizing features, such as unique coloring, special symbols or tokens.

How do I repair a damaged tank?
The amount of credits you need to spend on repairing your tank depends on the class of your vehicle as well as on the upgrades you have installed on it. The heavier and the more upgraded your tank is, the more credits you’ll have to spend in order to fix it.

Will there be any form of trading? Can you buy or sell shells to your mates?
Players will be able to sell various elements of their tanks (shells, cannons, engines, chassis, etc.) to others. Players can agree on using either of payment methods (credits or gold). As for in-clan exchange, teammates can share all the elements for free.

What about tank auctions? Does it make any sense when you have a tank shop where you can buy and sell tanks?
Yes, it does. Any player can put their vehicle on an auction, and this will benefit for both a tank owner and a buyer. By selling your tank in the shop you’ll get much less money than you spent buying it. On the other hand, other players will be eager to buy a tank from you rather than spending a fortune on it in the shop. Thus you as a seller and another player as a buyer can reach the golden mean where the price will be somewhere between its maximum and minimum points.

CLAN WARS

There will be clan wars in World of Tanks. How will they be arranged?
In the clan war mode, there is a global map (Earth 1940’s, similar to that of Hearts of Iron, Europa Universalis, or Total War) divided into hundreds of provinces.. If a province is not occupied by other clans, it will be captured by a clan with no losses. If a province is occupied by another clan, a newcomer will have to fight for it.

Will captured provinces provide clans with resources?
There are several economic categories of provinces, from basic ones to “capitals”. Occupying a common province will give a clan credits, whereas possessing a key province will result in gold benefits. So, “capitals” will give most monetary benefits to their owners. There is also some “economy” and “crafting”, along with monetary revenues; Clans can build factories, which produce special tanks and tank components/ammo over time.

How will clans arrange battles?
Every clan has a certain amount of “chips” equal to the number of its members. By putting a chip on a chosen province, a clan shows its claim on capturing it. If another clan expresses its will to capture the same province or if the province belongs to another clan, the two clans are to engage in a battle for it. Clan Masters can declare attacks on neutral or enemy provinces once per day, and a corresponding number of battles are scheduled and take place accordingly.

How big a clan can be?
Players can form up clans (up to 100 participants) and the bigger your clan is, the harder it gets to repel attacks and expand your empire. We must also point out that some players may choose to become freelancing mercenaries rather than being in a clan. There is a Mercenary market, where Clan Masters can recruit such players for reinforcing their clans in Clan Wars or other events.

How many members should a clan consist of in order to start the global campaign?
The more tanks you have the more powerful your clan is, but in order to start fighting and capturing the provinces you should gather a team of 15 players. New clans enter the map by having a chance to fight a battle for one of the “coastal” provinces. If they kick the owner out, that province will be their new home, from where they will expand deep into the continent.

What about “inter-clan” relations?
Diplomacy is of great importance. Clans can sign treaties, non-aggression pacts, become vassals, etc. — pretty much like in Civilization or Total War series. The exact distribution of Clans’ forces among captured provinces is not visible to opponents (thus, many battles will have the element of surprise), but the game allows special recon and anti-spying techniques, which increase/decrease the “strategic visibility”. Having a couple of solid alliances will help protect the Clan’s flanks and rear. But we also expect a lot of treachery, changing alliances, double-agents, stubbing in the back and other political tricks.
As soon as you organize or join a clan, get ready for fierce fighting. So you’d better think over your tactics and strategy ahead, because from now on you’ll be constantly involved in negotiations, politics and fights.

Will there be any historic campaigns?
Yes, and here you need to think of the North African Campaign of World War II, or the imaginary German invasion of Britain. Historic Campaigns have the same province-by-province (or town-by-town) mechanics as in Clan Wars, but are much shorter and with less diplomacy and building options: typically, such campaigns can be completed within a couple of hours. They are designed for the teams which are formed on the spot and will last for just one evening (who knows, maybe they will evolve into a new clan). Obviously, each campaign will have its historic sets of available tanks.
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