Just a thought on playing online

[+quack74 329]

I guess it's safe to say now that online flying will never happen w First Eagles.

There are no standardized flight models. If everyone is able to edit their planes and weapons, than how could anyone have a fair chance at an online dogfight? To be honest, When I bought First Eagles I was really looking forward to online WWI dogfighting. I loved IL-2's online dogfighting so much I thought It would be awsome to do it in a WWI enviroment. I even painted some IL-2 planes (the old biplanes of course) to look like WWI planes. Being able to play online is where all other games are today. I think this game doesnt have much of a future without "online". I does get boring flying alone sometimes. I spend most of my time w FE fixing things and making skins to make it more exciting. But the sim doesnt even have its own mission builder built in. The KMD mission builder is horrible, and slow. No clear maps. Takes too long, and you cant select different skins for one squadron or Jasta. They have to be cloned. Hate to say it but this game is already dated. I like to play it, but it lakes in so many ways.

Main screen in IL-2 has Single Missions, Campaigns, Mission Builder and Quick Combat. Thats what FE should have had. I want more campaigns, and the ability to create missions and select different skins. For my flight as well as the enemy flight. FE missions dont allow choice of enemy of location or aircraft or skins. Why?

This game could really take off. But it's just missing too many things. I've noticed a lot of new names in this forum.

The other day I was flying a Sopwith Triplane from 8RNAS, and after flying for 20mins I encountered enemy oposition. SIX freakin Zepplins stacked up!

 

This game wasnt free. I guess I just expect more from it. Or too much. So many people have put so much time into this game for years now. It really would have sucked with out them. But they all have helped to make this game a lot better . Thks. I'm going on and on I know. Sorry for bitching, but I just would like to see this game go somwhere. I would like it to be more fun than work. Im sure we all would. Get those flight models close enough in a nice big patch. secure them and create a server. I know so many of you from this site. I would like to shoot you down

[ONETINSOLDIER 2]

with this series? dream on. ITs kinda like my dad used to say, "crap in one hand and wish in the other, see which fills up first."

Edited February 20, 2009 by gwar

[+Tailspin 3]

First, I don't play online. However I was under the impression that cheating was not possible because of a file check system that required everyone to have exactly the same files. Second, you should have done some research about Thirdwire sims if online flying is your main interest. Thirdwire has never had a very elaborate online system and the developer has stated many times that aspect of the game is WAY down the list of things to do. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if it weren't entirely eliminated from all titles in the future. The WHY, to many of your complaints has been stated over and over and over again. Thirdwire is basically a one man operation with a limited budget. It simply is what it is. This series is several years old. I can't understand why people don't seem to have a clue as to what Thirdwire is all about. It definitely isn't about online play or elaborate user interfaces with sophisticated built in mission and campaign builders, ie. not many "bells and whistles". No its not free, but its not a new company with no history that potential customers can't research either.

 

Regarding Zeppelins. They are an add-on. There is no specific game code for Zeps. When you put them in the game, the game "sees" them as normal aircraft.

 

Back to online play. I've been here for a few years and I think its safe to assume that the great majority of all the series fans don't really care about online play. FE is no different. Seems to me that complaining about online play in Thirdwire sims is like complaining that the V6 Mustang you bought doesn't run like a GT.

 

gwar....you've been around long enough to know better. You'd better just wash your one hand and get over it.

[J18Dread 0]

FE is not optimized for online play. If you like one on one or small teams, it has real possibilities.

 

Tailspin is right. You cannot cheat because you fly the whatever fms and dms the host has (because of no standardized fms you end up flying the same plane). If you don't have the plane (you can have more, but not less) you will not be able to join the game.

 

Configuration is a problem, so I suggest that you have a separate install of the latest stock setup and try an coordinate with others before game time. I use the October patch for Instant Action and the November patch for online play.

 

Let me know if I can help.

[themightysrc 5]

"It definitely isn't about online play or elaborate user interfaces with sophisticated built in mission and campaign builders, ie. not many "bells and whistles"."

 

I'll state at the outset that I don't really give a monkey's about online play - I'm sure it's great if you like that sort of play - however I think it's quite fair to level criticism at FE's lack of campaign play and generation. If RB3D could get it so right X years ago with a randomised but date contingent set of missions (in terms of planes) then how difficult would it have been for FE to have had similar? Any designers/modders care to comment?

 

Little things like campaign history should have been addressed as well as more consideration to the number of aircraft and period to cover. I know that TK is effectively a one man operation, and what he created as a one man op is relatively good, however punters aren't to know all of that prior to purchase, and I was fairly wary of buying FE on the basis that it featured a mere 4 aircraft when it came out. Add in that it seemed to be heavily weighted towards the end of the war and it was apparent that it was aimed solely at the US market. That's not a problem per se, but it did mean that a whole wealth of the war was missed out, and I shudder to think what FE would be like (on my PC, at least!) without the wondrous works done by the ameteur modders - ameteur only in name, IMHO - in adding so much to the game.

[+Tailspin 3]

Seemed to be heavily weighted towards the end of the war? The title of the game: First Eagles The Great Air War 1918.

 

Actually there are 4 air arms represented. USAS, RFC, FRANCE, and GERMANY. As for focus the American sector in the first release. The British sector in the EP with new British planes and the addition of more German planes to fly. The French sector will be covered in the next iteration... with new French planes along with more types of German A/C to fly if the previous release is any indication. The focus will likely remain the 1918 time period.

 

The campaigns? Not up to RB3D standards. RB3D is a different game. At least there is some variety in missions and opponents. There are suprises and there is a lot going on in the air. The main problem, IMHO, is the "success" parameters are too stringent.

 

I guess my point is that TK and Thirdwire make no pretensions about the product they produce. It seems to me that too many people tend to expect too much for no apparent reason other than the propensity to compare FE to RB3D. FE never pretended to be RB.

 

The price, IMHO, also tends to reflect content or vice versa. For $30 US you get 8 flyable planes (actually 11 counting the extra Camels and DIII) . With a few easy file modifications you can fly three more fighters (2 SPAD VIIs and the DVa). Thats 14 fighters. Then there are the bombers...not perfect modifications as far as cockpits go but they'll fly and you can drop bombs and hit targets. This is all without add-on aircraft. The AI is very good...again even without modifications. Not too bad a deal, IMO.

[+Tailspin 3]

Oh yeah, FE is date configurable as far as plane types are concerned.

[DaSpungie 1]

all I do with this game is play online or single missions

you want to play fe online just say were and when