War Thunder: Sky Guardians Update Improves Aircraft Visuals

War Thunder developers want the game to be as realistic as possible. That is why in the newly released Sky Guardians update, they’ve made improvements to the visual and physical effects of War Thunder planes.

Players will now see pilots visibly ejecting from burning planes in the Sky Guardians update. The animation includes a series of events. First, the cockpit canopy is torn off by the explosive charges. Second, the pilot seat is ejected from the cockpit. After which, the seat is disconnected from the pilot and the rescue parachute is triggered in the process. These new mechanics will now work for most rank VIII aircraft in the game, including:

• A-10A (all versions)
• F-4S
• F-4EJ Kai
• F-16 (all versions)
• MiG-29 (all versions)
• MiG-23MLD
• MiG-23MLA
• MiG-27K
• Hunter F.58
• Tornado F.3
• Kurnass 2000

Hopefully, the ejection seat animation will also be available for other planes in War Thunder soon.

The Sky Guardians update brought new quality-of-life features as well. For instance, players will now learn what type of ammo was used to destroy their vehicles by looking at the in-game kill log.

Changelog

• Button for control of the available missile/bombing weaponry with displaying of the control key used for that weaponry and the amount of the weapons has been added to the aircraft action panel in air and ground battles (in AB and custom battles).
• Color indications of modules of different types have been added for view mode of internal modules of the vehicle in the hangar.
• In aircraft and helicopter HUD colors of all types of sights (missile, cannon, bomb) depend on the option of the sight color selected in the settings of the corresponding type of vehicle.
• When selecting the control preset in the control settings help/hint will be shown for it.
• Possibility to fine tune the hit indicator (markers at hit screen edges) of the player's tank has been added. You can change the indicator type - simplified or extended, its size, display time and position on the screen. These settings can be found in the “combat settings” for ground vehicles.

• Ballistic lead indicator system output on the Head-Up Displays (HUD) has been added for the aircraft’s cannon armament systems. The system has been added for following aircraft:
  • МiG-29 (all versions)
  • Mirage 2000 (all versions)
  • F-16 (all versions)
  • Tornado (all versions)
  • F-4S
  • F-4EJ Kai
  • AJ-37
  • AJ-37D

• Prandtl-Glauert visual effect when crossing the sound barrier has been updated.
• Visual effect of the aircraft collision with ground with the appearance of the ground and dust effect from the aircraft impact has been added.
• Visual effect of aircraft condensation footprint has been added.
• Visual shrapnel damage of the aircraft when hit by non-contact fuzed ammunition have been added.
• Dynamic burn traces of aircraft surfaces in the places of fires have been added.

The full patch notes of War Thunder Sky Guardians update is available on the official site.