Screen Shots, Videos, Media, OFF Posters

[Olham 164]

Since the "Krauts vs Crumpets" Campaign is very hampered by bad wheather, I have started

flying in Jasta 15 with Ernst Udet and Heinrich Gontermann. La Selve aerodrome is situated

north of a beautiful, hilly landscape.

Today I saved Udet's day by shooting a SPAD VII from his tail. Two days ago he did the same

for me. I suppose, we will have some drinks in the mess now.

 

(The brown Albatros D III early is from May, when Udet is there. The Albatros D III OAW is flying

in October 1917, when Udet has left, and Gontermann has fallen.)

 

 

Edited December 6, 2009 by Olham

[Burning Beard 14]

I think Ricketycrate's Hanger is pretty full now

 

 

 

Beard

[Rickitycrate 10]

Beard, oh there's definately room for this beauty. My wish has come true. I think that's the full set of Showbird Spads now. You are so kind to share your hard work. My choice will be tough to make when we get the ability to have a unigue player skin with the Hat In The Ring add-on. I just got back from a photo mission to grab some pics of Outcaults "Barber Pole" Spad. Thanks Mike, Christmas has come for me early. I had no idea I had been such a good boy.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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WOWZERS!"

 

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[Rickitycrate 10]

The Diamond Dick in action. Thanks to Burning Beard and of course the OBD team for all that OFF is and will be.

[Bullethead 12]

Here is truly the stuff of nightmares

 

Amazingly, I lived through this. See the reports thread. Damn, I'm still shaking from this.

[Olham 164]

Jeeze - how did you survive that?

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

I'd ask the same question as Olham. You are one fortunate B/R driver. You best have bought the drinks all night after that one BH.

 

.

[Bullethead 12]

I'd ask the same question as Olham. You are one fortunate B/R driver.

 

It's taken me all day to get over this experience and try to rationalize it. After analysis, it doens't appear to have been really as dangerous as it appeared at the time, which is too bad. But you asked, so at the risk of jading you a bit, here's what I think.....

 

My survival was due to a mix of AI behavior and pure luck. It really wasn't due to anything I did. This is my tailgunner career, so all I do is take off, land, and drop bombs. The rest of the time I'm just along for the ride.

 

Here's the AI behavior part.... Even when flown by MvR and his crew, AI fighters apparently do NOT like to attack 2-seater formations. They only press their attack on the 1st rush, and then only when they initially approach the 2-seaters from a direction other than dead astern to start with. This 1st pass is very deadly, usually killing 1 or 2 2-seaters. from a direction that's hard to cover and from a range beyond which tailgunner bullets spread so much that shooting back is pretty ineffective anyway. But after that, they always reform behind more or less at the same altitude as the 2-seaters, where they hang around getting no closer than about 550m. They only rarely fire once in this position, no matter how long they stay there. Typically, they'll very gradually overtake the 2-seaters, but once they reach the 550m point, they break off, circle back, and gradually close in again.

 

The only exception to this is that periodically, 1 of them will climb off to the side of the 2-seaters, pulling even and a couple thousand feet higher, then turn in and dive toward you. However, even these guys stay out of range and usually don't fire, ending up back 550m behind you again with no harm done. I think this is just a ruse to get you to break formation (see below). It's SO tempting to turn into this apparent attack, which will of course ruin your formation and bring in the wolves. Being a tailgunner, I can't do this, and so I lived, but I imagine this kills a lot of 2-seater pilots.

 

The above unwillingness to press the attack only applies to 2-seaters maintaining good formation. As soon as the formation comes apart, the fighters jump right in guns blazing, and this is just as deadly as one of their 1st passes. Stragglers don't stand a chance. But the AI appears to define straggling as distance from the flight leader, not proximity to other 2-seaters. Thus, when you turn and all your wingmen keep on straight for a little while, the AI seems to considered them all stragglers even though they're still together and you're off by yourself. Also, if the flight leader is the only plane left, then he's a "straggler" and all bets are off.

 

Lastly, it appears that the AI fighter flights also establish "dibs" on the 2-seater formation. If you've got 1 mob following you around, others will pass you by. But if they're still in the area when the "owning" flight decides to break off, the other flights will charge you, sometimes more than 1 at once. But again, 1 of them will establish "ownership" of you and when that happens the others break off. Thus, you seem to be fairly safe from being totally gangbanged.

 

Now, the luck part.... The AI seems to like to start with the rear planes in the 2-seater formation and work its way to the front, even when they're making their initial pass. Thus, being the flight leader GREATLY improves your odds of survival. But this is somewhat due to luck. AI planes WILL target the flight leader on their 1st pass, it just doesn't happen all the time. Otherwise, luck comes into play during the long, relatively peaceful chase. The 550m distance is measured from the flight leader, so your wingmen are closer to the enemy. They're close enough to get shot at now and again. Interestingly, this often happens when the enemy and your wingmen are both lined up with you, so you often collect a few "overs" meant for your buddy. Finally, you WILL get hit at some point along the line, but if you're lucky it won't be immediately fatal.

 

The most important part of luck, however, seems to be in when various enemy flights decide to break off and give up their "ownership" of you. The sooner they break off, the more often you get attacked by a different flight, so the more deadly 1st passes you face. The safest thing is to be "owned" by 1 flight for a long, long time, because really they're pretty harmless when just following along behind you, and while they're doing that, you won't get swooped by anybody else. However, you have no control over the "interest level" of the different AI flights. Sometimes they get bored quickly and break off nearly at once, sometimes they follow you 30 miles all the way home. It's just luck of the draw.

 

So here's how I survived....

 

On the way to the objective, we got attacked by 2 different flights, neither of which had a long "attention span" with us. The 1st flight made its 1st pass, knocked down 1 of my wingmen, and flew off without ever getting into "tag along" mode. As soon as they turned away, the 2nd flight swooped but did only minor damage, then did go into "tag along" mode. MvR n' The Boyz came along at this time but totally ignored us because we were "taken" by the 2nd flight.

 

Then 2 things happened in quick succession. First, the 2nd flight broke off, which alerted the several other enemy flights, including MvR's, that it was their turn, so they were already heading towards us. Second, my AI pilot reached the objective waypoint and turned through about 330^ back for home. This sharp turn right naturally broke up the formation--my 3 surviving wingmen did the usual thing of flying off straight for a while before turning to rejoin, so got way off to my left. Before they could catch up, MvR pounced. But his whole flight went for the wingmen, not me. The above screenshot was taken just after this. You can see my last wingman off to the left, although is proper place was on my right--he's still trying to rejoin me. You can also see the smoke trails from my other 2 wingmen, who very quickly died under MvR's assault.

 

There were at this time Albatri from various other flights closing in. However, MvR quickly established "ownership" so they broke off. But 1 wingman survived long enough to MvR got into "tag along" mode, and he also decided to follow us a long way (although not before dragging somebody over to me and getting me badly shot up, too). Thus, not only was MvR not shooting at us, but he was preventing other Germans from attacking us. Of course, the deeper on our side we got, the less likely we were to meet other Germans, and the more likely some friendly fighters would show up. I was really surprised he followed us all 30 miles back home--once we got out of sight of the Lines, I figured he'd break off.

 

So we went on in fairly perfect safety for nearly 30 miles, being "escorted" by MvR. Neither side was firing at all, but Archie was taking a toll on the enemy. By the time we reached our field, Archie had claimed Schafer and Allmenroder, plus one of their no-name hangers-on, leaving only 3 of them. All this way, we'd been flying at 7500'. However, 1 mile from home, my AI pilot hit a waypoint that required him to lose a lot of altitude while going straight ahead. Even though my last wingman followed us immediately, this dive switched MvR from "tag along" to "feeding frenzy" mode, probably because we quickly got so far below him to put him back into "initial pass" parameters. So here they came again and shot up my last wingman.

 

I stayed in the back seat until we leveled off just above the trees, still more or less in formation with my now-smoking wingie. I had absolutely no intention of sitting through the interminable AI landing approach, nor get out of range of the airfield's AAMGs. So I was going to land immediately and turned hard toward to line up with the runway, naturally leaving my wingman behind, hoping MvR would chase him and let me land. But at this point, the surviving Germans simply flew away. For whatever reason (damage, fuel, ammo?) they decided to go home. Thus, all I had to deal with during my landing approach was messed-up ailerons. It was soemthing of an anti-climax, but I was quite happy for it. And I immediately hit ESC to kiss the sweet earth before MvR had 2nd thoughts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You best have bought the drinks all night after that one BH.

 

Don't worry there. He who dies with the biggest club bill wins

[Rickitycrate 10]

BH, your report of the A/I is spot on with my experience. That's why I always lead. The A/I tailgunners are also better shots than I so I let them shoot and be shot at.

[Bullethead 12]

BH, your report of the A/I is spot on with my experience. That's why I always lead. The A/I tailgunners are also better shots than I so I let them shoot and be shot at.

 

I always lead for a lot of reaons, this being one of them. And when I do a real 2-seater career, I never get in the back, either. But as a new experience in OFF, I'm trying that interesting idea somebody (You? ZoomZoom? I forget.) had about just being a gunner.

 

It's HARD to hit with that tail gun. First, the AI pilot is always bobbing up and down, so it's hard to keep the sights on target. Second, the Lewis doesn't have a sight and the bullets appear to go to an unmarked place high and left of the bore. And third, with the realistic gunner accuracy setting, your bullets scatter so rapidly that shooting beyond 200m isn't likely to do serious damage in the time available, and beyond 300m it's a complete waste of ammo. But the AI rarely gets within 200m, being perfectly content to blow you away from 300-400m. I only really get a good shot in during the 1st rush, when an enemy closes in on either me or (more often) a wingman. When they're after me, they're usually coming from outside my field of fire (and view). And besides all this, most gunners are standing up so are big targets .

 

But all that aside, I wanted to kill MvR SOOOO badly as an RE8 gunner. Man, that would be bragging rights . So when I'd see him hanging there 550m behind me, I couldn't resist squeezing off bursts at him. I must have fired 200-300 rounds at him that way. My tracers sprayed in a circle all around him, but I never hit him. Maybe the bullets ceased to exist before they got there, maybe it's just impossible to hit anything that far away with the tailgun.

[Rickitycrate 10]

BH, I take turns in the observer position but I switch to pilot if/when E/A are encountered. For screenies and monotony relief. I've learned to leave the shooting to the A/I. He's better at aiming the gun and I'm better at flying the kite. But I'm not really telling you anything, you are masterful in your observations.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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I agree with Rickitycrate. A very concise analysis Bullethead, thanks for sharing it. I too take the lead for the very reasons you have so clearly outlined.

 

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[Olham 164]

Okay, but now Screenshots again.

This is my latest skin, inspired by Cole Palen's Albatros from Old Rhinebeck aerodrome.

I'm still tweaking it. The rudder fin was dark greygreen first; now it is like Palen's fin

all white. Not sure which to keep.

 

All pics are from my last two flight for Jasta 15, where I sometimes fly with Ernst Udet

(great feeling - and he is really doing great!).

The aerodrome below me was devastated by Strutters short before. Short after that,

I shot one down with my last ammo. In a wide turn, he returned to the field, as if he

wanted to add some final destruction with his crash.

 

Meanwhile, all the guys know me for my dead stick landings, due to petrol being out.

This time I landed at a farm complex. The women where very shy at the sight of a

German pilot; the men where at war on the other side, I suppose. When I spoke my

best possible French, they gave me apple tarte with almonds and cream, and coffee!

What a wonderful country!

 

Next time I'll come back in the evening and try their wines with them... O lala!

Edited December 10, 2009 by Olham

[Rickitycrate 10]

Heaven, I'm in Heaven...

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Heaven, I'm in Heaven...

 

You're in Heaven AND Hell Rickity!

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Oh yes, me too! To be able to look out and see my personal paint scheme on my plane and my plane only...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SWEETNESS!

 

Many thanks to the OFF dev team. You guys are the best.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

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[Shrapnel 0]

You can't tell from the screenshot but I was playing in stereoscopic mode (3d mode) with the 3d glasses I just got. 3D mode works beautifully in OFF and the game is just that much more amazing when you feel like you are actually looking down the top of you plane or over the side when you flying low.

 

Great job off/hitr team.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Shrapnel

[Rickitycrate 10]

Shrapnel tell us more about them glasses. Expensive, available, comfort, do they look like WWI goggles?

[Shrapnel 0]

Shrapnel tell us more about them glasses. Expensive, available, comfort, do they look like WWI goggles?

 

 

They look like heavy duty sunglasses and with shipping I think it cost $3 or $4.

 

They fit me perfectly and are made of thick durable plastic.

 

Here's the link to the glasses I got, be warned however that they get shipped from Hong Kong and take about a month to arrive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-pair-Red-Blue-Cyan-3D-3-D-Glasses-For-Movie-Case-A_W0QQitemZ140366069777QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray?hash=item20ae784011

 

There is only one left so you if you're interested better bid, I don't know if he's getting more. You can look from others if this one gets sold but there are a lot of crappy ones so make sure it's thick plastic and it wraps around a bit to cover your peripheral vision.

 

If you have the latest nvidia drivers then you are already 3d capable. Once you get the glasses go to the nvidia control panel and activate stereoscopic mode and then go in-game (flying) and fine tune the 3d.

 

Stereoscopic mode taxes your system more but I had no problems and run the game at max.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Shrapnel

[Shrapnel 0]

There is a down side as some people get headaches or eye pain. I have no issues and I play for many hours but did take me like 20m to train my eyes to get used to seeing 3d the first time I used it.

 

Also games are darker because you are looking though red and blue lenes but I just turn up the brightness ans gamma and up the digital vibrance.

 

Many of my other games support it as well (WoW, prototype, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Clear Sky, Dragon Age, GTAIV, Total War and others).

Edited December 13, 2009 by Shrapnel

[Gous 0]

Hehe...I am so lucky. I went to see this crappy Beowulf movie like two years ago, and they gave us 3D glasses to watch it. (as the movie was in 3D mode) I still have them here somewhere...

[MikeDixonUK 5]

My first attempt at personalizing a skin.

I know the logo looks cheesy but the cartoon was the only Whirlwind like "Character" I could find.

 

John Reginald 'Johnie' Green is my imaginary rear gunner / observer.

[Bullethead 12]

While the DH5's lower wing WILL rip open a gasbag, I can't recommend this method of balloon destruction. You have to land at about 100 knots if you want to keep the thing level.....

[Burning Beard 14]

My first attempt at personalizing a skin.

I know the logo looks cheesy but the cartoon was the only Whirlwind like "Character" I could find.

 

See if you can find Warner Bros, Tazmanian Devel when he is spinning.

 

Beard