I would like to raise a concern regarding certain custom sound mods that have recently appeared in the community.
These mods are advertised as providing audible warnings for incoming missiles, as well as voice or tone cues indicating the direction and approximate distance of nearby enemy vehicles – even when the player’s vehicle has no onboard detection system (RWR, MAW, etc.) to justify such information.
From what I have observed, these mods appear to rely entirely on client-side data, which means they can potentially offer awareness that goes beyond what the game’s intended mechanics allow – such as crew skills, visual scanning, or actual sensor equipment. This raises a legitimate concern about fair play, especially in Ground Realistic and Air Simulator battles where situational awareness is a core skill.
I fully understand and appreciate that sound modding has been a long‑standing and welcome part of War Thunder’s modding culture. However, I am worried that this particular type of modification crosses a line – not in terms of audio aesthetics, but in terms of giving users gameplay information that is not meant to be delivered that way.
Therefore, I would like to suggest that the development team at least consider the following:
- Temporarily restricting custom sound mods to strictly cosmetic files (e.g., engine sounds, gunfire, ambient noise) while a proper review is conducted.
- Clarifying whether such mods are considered acceptable under the current EULA and fair play policy.
- Exploring server-side measures to ensure that critical gameplay events (like missile launches or enemy proximity) are not manipulable through client-side audio mods.
I am not here to accuse anyone, but rather to share a growing concern I have seen echoed by other players as well. I believe the War Thunder team has always been responsive to community feedback, and I hope this issue can be looked into before it becomes more widespread.