As we continue developing the next major update for Ground of Aces, we want to share a behind-the-scenes look at what the team is working on right now. This devlog is a snapshot of ongoing work that is currently taking shape, with the plan that these features will be part of the next big update (changes may still happen).
Redesign of the Mission System
We’re reworking how you get served missions. When new missions become available, you’ll be prompted to open the new mission map. This map will comfortably display locations and connected missions from a partial view of Europe.
A major improvement is that the same mission type can now occur at different geographic locations—such as cities, airfields, or regions. The location will influence mission descriptions and fuel costs, while other mission parameters remain the same.
As part of this overhaul, we’ll also be creating and adding new missions to the game.
Screenshots from the UI design work-in-progress for the new mission selection screen:
The new missions notification tab as it looks like in Unity while our UI designer is working on it:
For the next update, we will add more difficult missions for late-game playing. On a collaborative online whiteboard, we work on new missions and their logic like this:
On a Google My Maps, our game designer collects possible locations for mission targets:
Experience Aerial Battles Over Your Base
We’re expanding the aerial animations that play out above your base so you can witness more of the action firsthand. These sequences will be tied to your scramble report, where there will be a new eye button that lets you observe the fight. You’ll see your fighters intercepting and shooting down incoming enemy aircraft as they attempt to attack your base.
Vickers Machine Gun
We’re adding a new defensive tool to your arsenal: the Vickers machine gun.
Here’s an early animation test:
Work on the shooting effect for the new gun:
Testing the shooting range with a test plane inside of Unity:
Finding the right height and positions of the NPC models:
The Vickers can be operated by a single crew member. It requires fewer shipment slots than the Bofors gun but comes with trade-offs: shorter range and reduced damage compared to the Bofors.
Growing New Trees
Currently, wood is a limited resource in Ground of Aces: you can’t plant new trees, nor can you order wood (only planks). This often results in long harvest treks and large empty fields. To improve this, we’re introducing a new mechanic that allows new trees to grow from seedlings automatically planted when a tree is harvested.
If you don’t want a tree to regrow in a particular spot, you can remove it using the Destroy tool. This will give you the wood from the tree but will not create seedlings. Seedlings appear as small plants and will eventually mature into full-size trees. For now, this system applies only to trees, not other plant types.
Character Generator & Import Functionality
This is a new feature that is already available in the game for community testing: the ability to create your own characters and import them directly into the game. It's still in BETA, but you can already try it out right now.
Go to our web tool for the character generator, export the file with the metadata, and then import the character into the game. Create your own character here: https://blindflugstudios.pythonanywhere.com/
Learn more here: View game pagePLEASE NOTE: This feature is still in an experimental state.
Tell us what you think in the Steam forum!
Thank you for following our development journey. We’re continuing to shape and refine these features. Stay tuned for Major Update 3, which is planned for release before Christmas.