Third Public Test of Update 8.9

Update 8.9 is coming, and it’s time to test the changes!  The World of Tanks development team needs to conduct a thorough test and they want you to take part.

The development team want to make the game as good as possible and getting your feedback is a big part of that.  Taking part in the public test is your chance to let us know your thoughts and suggestions on forthcoming updates.  This means we can review your feedback and make any further changes before the update goes live.

All World of Tanks players are eligible to take part in the public test as long as they registered before 1st October 2013.  You don’t need to be an experienced tester to join in; you just need to be willing to try out as many of the new features as you can and send us your feedback!

Main Features of Version 8.9

• New German Tank Destroyer tech line
• Added T-34-3 and 112 Chinese Premium vehicles to the in-game shop
• New North American map: “Northwest”
• Optimized “Swamp” and “Erlenberg” map performance
• Encounter battle option for “Erlenberg” map
• New game mode: “Team Battles”

For the full list of changes, please visit the In Development section on our website.

When it is time to run a public test, the developers will release a test version of the client.  This can be downloaded by following the instructions below.  Make sure that you follow all of the instructions carefully, so that you don’t accidentally cause problems to your main play account.

Your test client account will usually be a copy of your play account, meaning that all the vehicles purchased and research that you have completed will be the same.  However, please note:

The test account is completely separate to your normal account.  Achievements and research that you complete on the test client will not be carried over to your play account.

Financial transactions are not possible on the test server and payments will not be accepted.

Depending on the needs of the test, your test account may be credited with gold, credits or experience. 

The test server is subject to the same EULA and general rules as the World of Tanks game server.  This means that you still need to play nice, or face the usual consequences just the same as on the official game server.

All test accounts will receive a one-time credit of:

• 100,000,000 free XP
• 100,000,000 credits
• 20,000 Gold

The rate of credits and experience gain will not be increased for this test. 

Once you have logged into the test client, you are encouraged to play as much or as little as you want. Feel free to try out all the new features and see what you can do!

Once you have been playing for a while, please let us know your feedback by posting to these special forum threads:  The first is for bug reports and the second is for general feedback about the test version.  The community managers will collect up all your responses on the thread and send them to the developers.

The sort of feedback we are particularly interested in includes:

• Any bugs or glitches that you have found in the game.  Got stuck in the scenery?  Game crashes when you do a certain action?  Tell us all about it!
• Honest feedback about vehicles and game mechanics.  If you think something doesn’t function well, then please tell us.
• Anything you particularly like?  Do you love the new stats for a previously underpowered vehicle?  Confirm to the developers that the community is now satisfied with that feature, letting them focus on other new improvements.

How to Join the Public Test

Eager to get going?  Follow the instructions below to join the test!

1. Download the test client installer.
2. Make sure you pick a save location that is different to your regular World of Tanks game files.  Save and run the installer. (10.7 MB)
3. Run the new copy of the game.  The launcher will download all the additional data (5.97 GB).
4. Log in and start playing.  Remember to post your feedback to this forum thread.

Please be aware of the following:

In order to make the test experience more efficient, it may be necessary to limit the number of players on the test server.  .  If the server is full when you log in, you’ll be placed into a queue.

The test server will be restarted regularly, according to the following schedule: 

• First Periphery: 07:00 CEST (05:00 GMT) every EVEN day of the month.  Average duration will be around 25 minutes.
• Second Periphery: 07:00 CEST (05:00 GMT) every ODD day of the month.  Average duration will be around 25 minutes.
• Central Database:  8:00 CEST (03:30 GMT) every day.  Average duration will be around 2 or 3 minutes.

The test server may be subject to unscheduled restarts and maintenance.

And of course, remember that it is a test server!  This means that you may encounter bugs and temporary features. Everything in the test version could change before the final release.

List of changes in Public Test 3 compared to Public Test 2

• Fixed some errors in Team Battle UI
• Removed possibility to change server while in queue for battle
• Improved reloading time indicator
• Fixed lags and freezes while using user improved CPU's

List of changes in PublicTest 2 compared to Public Test 1

• Added a lot of fixes and improvements to 'Team Battle' user interface
• Added a separate tab for 'Team Battle’ to the 'Statistics record' tab
• Fixed small issues in visual models of following tanks: Waffenträger auf Pz. IV, VK 45.02 (P) Ausf. B, M7 Priest, Type 64, Pz.Sfl. IVc, IS, Rhm.-Borsig Waffenträger, KV-1S, AT 15A, M103, BТ-2, Object 140, Waffenträger auf E 100, StuG III.
• Fixed tank icons: Waffenträger auf E 100, Rhm.-Borsig Waffenträger, Pz.Kpfw. V/IV, IS-3, Pz.Sfl. IVc, Pz.Sfl. V.
• Fixed client freezes during launch of training battles
• Fixed battle types description in the battle menu
• Fixed small issues in Statistics window
• Fixed inconsistency of information regarding medals on different vehicles.
• Added details to the amount of battles as a tool-tip (victories, losses, draws)
• Added animation to 'Personal Rating' in 'Statistics' tab
• Fixed display of negative time values of reload timer after using a first aid kit
• Fixed de-synchronization of actual and displayed point of the gun
• Fixed several issues in 'Missions' window
• Fixed small issues with 'Northwest' map
• Fixed issues with getting stuck on a bridge on 'Komarin' map
• Removed 'Encounter' battle type from 'Mountain Pass' map
• Fixed the error of using Russian crew sounds in Tutorial disregarding the nation of the tank
• Fixed incorrect work of 'suspension effect'
• Fixed impossibility to change training battle settings when players entered the battle without training room creator
• Fixed 'horizontal stabilization in sniper mode' option saving
• Fixed random client freezes during battle launch
• Fixed reload sound
• Fixed platoon chat display after leaving the platoon.
• Fixed several problems with changing focus between different hangar elements
• Fixed the display of battle chat in replays.

Patch Notes for Version 8.9 of Public Test 1

Added new German Tank Destroyer Tech Tree Branch:

• Marder III (Tier IV)
• Pz.Sfl.IVc (Tier V)
• Nashorn (Tier VI)
• Pz.Sfl.V (Sturer Emil) (Tier VII)
• Rhm.-Borsig Waffenträger (Tier VIII)
• Waffenträger auf Pz.IV (Tier IX)
• Waffenträger auf E 100 (Tier X)

 Added T-34-3 and 112 Chinese premium vehicles to the in-game shop

 Added 'Northwest' map. This is a North American map of 1000x1000 meters size and mixed (hills, forests, buildings, open areas) landscape

 Rebalanced certain elements on 'Pearl River' map

 Optimised 'Swamp' map performance

 Optimised 'Erlenberg' map performance

 Added encounter battle type to 'Erlenberg' map

Edited parameters of Personal Rating:

• Strongly reduced influence of battle quantity after reaching certain limit
• Added limiting factors on 'cheating' with percentage indicators
• Removed low end limits on average damage dealt and average XP received

 Due to the addition of the new German TD line, Panzerjaeger I and Marder II TDs were rebalanced

 Panther/M10 camouflage and inscriptions will be changed from German to American nation. If player has active inscriptions and/or camouflage, their cost will be reimbursed.

 8.8 cm Kw.K. L/56 added to stock turret of VK 30.01 (P)

 Changed exterior, armuring and balance of Pz.Kpfw. V/IV and Pz.Kpfw. V/IV Alpha vehicles

 Rebalanced (slightly improved characteristics) the following SPGs: SU-26, SU-122A, SU-8, SU-14-1, SU-14-2, 212A, G.Pz.Mk. VI (e), G.W. Tiger (P), G.W. Tiger, M41, AMX 13 105 MA mle. 50

 Rebalanced (slightly improved characteristics) the following vehicles: BT-7, Pz.Kpfw. I, Hotchkiss H35, D1, Cruiser Mk. I, Vickers Mk. E Type B, Jagdpanzer IV, Renault FT AC, Universal Carrier 2-pdr, Lorraine 40 t, Vickers Medium Mk. II, B1, Churchill VII, VK 30.01 (P).

 Reworked 212A SPG visual and armour models

 Reworked IS-3 visual and armour models

 Corrected armour models for the following vehicles: Tiger, Tiger (P), Marder II, Panther II, KV-1С, SТ-I

 Fixed visual issues with the following vehicle models: А-43, S-51, Т-28, IS, Т18, Tortoise, А-32, T-34-3, ISU-152, Birch Gun, Cruiser Mk. III, E-100, WZ-132, Somua SAu 40, M53/M55, 110, FV207. 

 Fixed an error with the incorrect position of E 50 Ausf. M. gun mantlet

 Slightly changed the form of Panter II Schmalturm turret gun mantlet

 Fixed an incorrect visual model for the D-10T 100mm gun mounted on IS tank’s first turret

 Fixed small errors in FCM 50 t’s suspension geometry

 Fixed firing effect of 7,5 Pak 39 L/48 Hetzer TD gun.

 Fixed firing effect of 10,5 cm KwK 46 L/68 Е-75 tank gun.

 Fixed exhaust visual effect of Bat.-Châtillon 155 55 SPG.

 Type of French Saurer engine changed from gas to diesel. Chance of fire reduced from 20% to 15%.

 New game mode "Team Battles": battles for teams of up to 7 players with balancing based on player experience levels.

 Re-worked the window for choosing the game mode.

 Removed the rule for HEAT shells that excludes ricochet if the shell's caliber exceeds the armour thickness by 3 or more times.

 Deflection angle for HEAT shells changed from 80 to 85 degrees.

 Fixed bugs and reworked design for medals tooltip in the Achievements window.

 Descriptions were changed for some achievements.

 Added an option to disable horizontal stabilisation in the dynamic camera mode.

 Changed the line "Damage upon spotting" in the battle results window

 Returned the classic mechanic of saving the battle camera: player now starts the battle with the camera position being the same as at the end of the previous battle.

 All types of reticle now have the reload indicator displayed in seconds (including hundredths of a second).

 Fixed inability to exchange experience from elite tanks to free experience in some cases.

 Fixed some bugs in the combat missions window.

 Fixed inability to save the "Dynamic effects' quality change" option change.

 Fixed the display of the empty barracks window.

 Fixed the bug with non-switching language in the "post-mortem" mode when the option of the national voiceover is enabled.

 Fixed some problems with "freezing" in training rooms.

 "Turret rotation speed" removed from characteristics of TDs that have no turret.

 Fixed some cases where the effect of Improved Ventilation didn’t show in a crewmember tool tip.

 Improved the display of the dialog window that informs you if the version of a replay does not match the client version.

 Fixed the availability of improved graphics options in the general graphics mode.

 Fixed the problem with replay recording stopping after re-login during the battle.

 Fixed the display of the voice chat indicator on a player nickname.

 The display of "Expert" and "Engineer" active achievements removed from the upcoming awards.

 Fixed incorrect display of numerical values for Kay's medal.

 Fixed some objects to avoid "driving in" and following "glitches".

 Fixed the display of Bölter's Medal as unachieved award.

 New point "Insults and Provocations" added to the "Complaints" menu in the after-battle statistics window that is activated by clicking right mouse button on a team member.

 Fixed inability to turn off the FXAA anti-aliasing option when switching to the standard graphics in cases where it was switched on for improved graphics.

 The cost of consumables that were purchased earlier is no longer added to the total cost after "manual" repairing.

 Fixed the missing display of another player statistics in some cases.

 Fixed the display of tanks that are not available for purchasing in thein- game store in the combat missions window.

 Fixed inability to dismiss a tank crew member if the tank he was trained for is not in the garage.

 Fixed the blinking of the Service button after pressing "Ready!" for platoon/company.

 Scrolling speed of the tank list in the hangar returned to the speed level of the version 8.7.

 Fixed the missing checkbox "Accelerated crew training" for elite tanks (in some cases).

 Fixed the problem with non-displaying ally team killers in the after battle statistics window (in some cases).

 Fixed inability to close a player info window in the after battle statistics (in some cases).

 Fixed a rare bug when the voice chat is not separated in the training room.

 Fixed the missing award tips in the after battle statistics after the list of players was sorted.

 Fixed inability to type in the platoon chat window (in some cases).

 Fixed some cases of excessive barrel lift when one moves the sight on the close obstacle.

 Fixed incorrect saving of some hangar "Depot" and "Store" windows options.

 Fixed incorrect display of the "Brothers in Arms" perk effect (in some cases).

 Fixed client-server dis-synchronisation for the option "Censored messages".

 Fixed incorrect display of long clan names in the statistics window when looking at another player in the "Battle efficiency" tab.

 Fixed inability to enable/disable accelerated crew training for the tank that is in battle.

Thank you for taking part in the public test!  Good luck and have fun!