World of Tanks Sandbox – Test equipment 2.0

New “Sandbox”. Test equipment 2.0 WOT starts June 2, 2020 for all servers.

PART 1: BASIC.

Equipment in World of Tanks has been around for a very long time since its release. Despite all the changes that took place in the game, the equipment concept has remained unchanged over the years.

We decided to rethink the concept: upgrade equipment and make it more diverse. Starting June 2, 17:00 (Moscow time), you will be able to evaluate the equipment system 2.0 during open testing on the Sandbox server. Active test participants who perform special combat missions will receive tank premium days on the main game server.

Equipment test 2.0 in the WOT Sandbox: June 2, 17:00 (GMT) – June 9, 17:00 (GMT).

The test client will be available for pre-loading from 16:00 (Moscow time), June 1. Only players who have signed up for World of Tanks before May 19 23:59 (UTC) will be able to participate in the test on the Sandbox server.

Content:

• The current situation with equipment
• What do we want to change?
• Introducing categories for slots and equipment
• Additional bonuses for current equipment
• New types of equipment
• Combining existing equipment
• Dividing equipment into classes
• Changing the number of available slots
• Binding equipment to types of equipment
• Conditions for transferring equipment
• Changing equipment at low levels
• Improving the interface
• Rewards for participating in testing.

Current equipment situation.

The reason we decided to rework and test the change in the equipment system was the current state of affairs. Most of you have probably encountered the following problems within the current system:

1. Lack of variety of combinations. In fact, the three main combinations of equipment that are installed regardless of the type of equipment are most popular. A classic example of installed equipment: a vertical stabilizer, improved ventilation and a gun rammer. Other types of equipment, such as reinforced springs or additional lugs, are almost never used. We want to make more diverse both the choice of individual equipment, and their combinations.
2. Complex non-uniform classification. In the current version of the game, different types of equipment have a different classification, limitations, and costs. We want to simplify and unify this system.
3. The cost of equipment does not depend on the prior art. The cost of equipment for low-level equipment is disproportionate to its price. We want to fix this by making the use of equipment comfortable at all levels.
4. Narrow focus. Most of the current equipment in one way or another affects the increase in firepower. Just a few types enhance other features such as mobility. We want the equipment to receive a completely different role from the equipment bonus.

What do we want to change?

All of the above aspects are closely related. Therefore, we want to radically alter the current system. Our main priorities are:

• increasing the variety of equipment used, including its combinations;
• provide a selection of sets of equipment for machines with different game roles;
• availability of equipment for low and medium level equipment.
Therefore, we want to share with you the following suggestions and possible mechanics.

Introducing categories for slots and equipment.

In the new system that we want to introduce, the equipment is divided into categories depending on its effect on the combat vehicle. There are four categories in total:

1. Firepower
2. Survivability
3. Mobility
4. Intelligence

Each equipment, depending on its purpose, will fall into one of the categories. For example, the gun rammer reduces the reload time, so it belongs to the category of firepower. The only exception is Improved ventilation, which will be included in three categories at the same time, since it improves all characteristics except survivability.

This step will help to navigate easier in a variety of equipment, and also allows you to implement new mechanics for distributing equipment to slots. On the equipment settings panel, special places for installing equipment will appear – slots with a category.

The number of available slots and categories will depend on the machine level:

• The VIII-X levels have two slots with a category of equipment.
• Equipment VI-VII levels have one slot with a category of equipment.
• For vehicles of level V and below, slots but without a category.

If the equipment category corresponds to the category of the slot in which it is installed, the equipment will give an additional bonus. If the categories do not match or the slot does not have a category, the equipment will give only the base value of the effect. However, any equipment compatible with a particular machine can be installed in any slot, regardless of category. You decide where to install it and whether to consider the category of the slot and the bonus from it. You can also move equipment between slots without any restrictions or expenses to arrange the installed equipment in the slots you need.

You will still be able to install the usual combination of equipment – a gun rammer, vertical stabilizer, improved ventilation. If their categories coincide with the categories of slots on your machine, you will get a great bonus to combat effectiveness! However, thanks to the new system, you will have the opportunity to equip your equipment based on its role in the battle, truly influencing precisely the strengths of the machine.

Advanced and captured equipment is not tied to any of the four categories, so it will not receive additional bonuses from specialized slots. Bonuses from advanced and captured equipment will also remain greater than conventional equipment, even installed in a slot with a suitable category.

In addition, advanced (bonds) equipment will give a greater bonus than in the current version of the game.

Additional bonuses for current equipment.

Some current equipment will receive new bonuses to become more useful in battle.

New types of equipment.

In order to make the equipment more diverse, in addition to the existing bonus, we want to add several new types of equipment. Here is a list of what we want to add to the game if testing on the Sandbox server is successful.

Combining existing equipment.

Currently, some equipment is represented by several options, which creates confusion when choosing the most effective. For example, the game has 21 varieties of reinforced springs. All these modifications will be combined into a single reinforced chassis for all the equipment in the game and divided into three classes depending on the level. We also want to combine different types of gun rammers and vertical stabilizers.

Separation of equipment into classes

On the Sandbox server, almost all equipment will be divided into three classes, which have different cost and level of technology.

1. The cost of equipment of the 3rd class will be up to 50,000 silver. It can be installed on all equipment of II-IV levels and some cars of the V level or higher.
2. The cost of equipment of the 2nd class will be up to 300,000 silver. It can be installed on vehicles of V-VII levels and some vehicles of VIII level or higher.
3. The cost of equipment of the 1st class will be up to 600,000 silver. It can be installed on vehicles of levels VIII-X. New equipment will remain at approximately the same cost range as it is now.
The exceptions are the camouflage network and the vertical stabilizer. They will have only two classes with different cost.

• The cost of the camouflage net will be 50,000 silver for equipment of the II-IV levels and 100,000 for equipment of the V level or higher.
• The cost of the stabilizer of the vertical interference of the 2nd class will be 200,000 silver, and the equipment itself can be installed on the V-VII level equipment.
• The cost of the stabilizer of vertical aiming of the 1st class will be 600,000 silver, and the equipment can be installed on equipment of levels VIII-X.
Without dividing into classes there will be only one type of equipment – anti-fragmentation lining. It will be available in four different versions, each of which will be suitable for a particular tank.

• Light anti-fragmentation protection can be installed on light tanks and tank destroyers of VIII-X levels.
• Medium anti-fragmentation protection can be installed on heavy tanks of V-VII levels, as well as on medium tanks and tank destroyers of VIII-X levels.
• Heavy anti-fragmentation protection can be installed on heavy tanks and tank destroyers of VIII-X levels weighing less than 75 tons.
• Extra heavy anti-fragmentation protetcion can be installed on heavy tanks and tank destroyers VIII-X levels weighing more than 75 tons.

* Equipment class cannot be changed after purchase. You can still buy or sell equipment, as well as dismantle it from the machine for 10 pieces of game gold or with the help of a dismantling kit.
The rules for removing advanced equipment will not change.

We have combined the entire system, and now there is only one way to remove the equipment. We also want to avoid cases when some equipment is useless for a certain technique, for example, a camouflage net for heavy tanks, but is installed only because it can be dismantled for free.

We want players to choose equipment, taking into account its bonuses and advantages for a particular machine. In addition, we will provide you with a number of dismantling kits for free removal of old equipment. You can get them by completing special combat missions. Please note that combat missions on the Sandbox server were added only for testing purposes, and with the release of functionality, their conditions may be different.

Change the number of available slots.

The number of slots available for equipment will depend on the level of the tank.  From II to IV level, the number of available slots will gradually increase. 

Such a system will help to solve a set of problems: it will improve the process of adapting new players to the conditions of the world of tanks, help get rid of equipment credits that are incompatible with the cost of equipment, and reduce costs when researching new branches of tanks from scratch.

Binding equipment to types of equipment.

Some equipment can only be installed on certain types of tanks. This is necessary so that the equipment is better combined with the role of the machine in battle.

** For example, light tanks will receive a wide selection of various equipment related to camouflage and detection. It can be both bonuses for the light of vehicles in motion, and an improvement in the light of cars in the bushes. New equipment will allow you to choose a specific disguise bonus that best suits your style of play.
We have expanded the selection of equipment for camouflage and detection, combining which you can customize the machine to the characteristics of its playing role. At the same time, it will become impossible for them to install a camouflage network operating on fixed equipment.

Binding certain equipment to specific types of equipment will help you choose modules according to the role of the machine in battle and increase your combat effectiveness.

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Conditions for the transfer of equipment.

If all of the above changes get to the main server, your equipment on all the equipment will be transferred to the new system, taking into account the following rules:

– Old equipment will be replaced by new ones taking into account the specifics of the recycled system. For example, medium-sized gun rammers for tanks and self-propelled guns will become a class 2 gun rammers. You can install it on vehicles of V-VII levels, as well as on machines of VIII-X levels, to which it was suitable before. Large-caliber gun reloaders for tanks and self-propelled guns will become 1st class gun reload guns and will be suitable for Tier VIII-X vehicles.
– If any equipment is already installed on the equipment, then the level of each specific machine will not be taken into account. Take, for example, a Tier II vehicle on which Enhanced Optics worth 500,000 silver is installed. When all changes take effect, the machine will be equipped with Enhanced Class 1 optics, which is designed for VIII – X level equipment. However, this equipment will remain on the Tier II, and you can continue to play it freely. If you dismantle this equipment, you can install it on any machine that this particular class of equipment is suitable for. However, you cannot install it on equipment for which a different class of this particular equipment is used.
– If any equipment was installed on a machine for which it can no longer be used in the new system, for example, due to a different type of equipment, it will be automatically removed, sent to the Warehouse and converted into a new piece of equipment.
– Moving equipment from one slot to another on the same machine is not considered a withdrawal and therefore will not require a waste of gold, bonds, or the use of dismantling kits.
– All advanced equipment on your tanks will be automatically dismantled and unloaded at the Warehouse.
– In some cases, the cost of equipment will increase. On the one hand, we want to take into account the interests of players who will acquire new equipment. On the other hand, we also take into account the interests of players who already have this equipment and may want to sell it. So the new cost will remain quite affordable for the widest possible range of players.
– For equipment that will have fewer slots for equipment, all equipment from non-existent slots will be removed and sent to the warehouse.
– After the release of the functionality, each player will receive several free dismantling sets. You can also earn more disassembly kits by completing special daily tasks for a limited time.
*** The conditions for the transfer of equipment are not final and may change by the time the new system is released.

source – wotexpress