Flying in the warm sun...

[Olham 164]

Today I did a real "Siggi's DiD standards" flight with my three wingmen, in our white Albatros from Jasta 9.

It was so much fun to look around, constantly on the watch for enemies, but undisturbed by Labels,

Instruments or TAC. Okay, I did the trimming only after takeoff, as I first hadn't planned this.

But since I lost so many pilots recently, I suddenly felt a lot easier about all my struggling so far.

I thought, why not try this? And really - I was so much more aware for the world around me!

I saw the two SPADs, long before they decided to attack us. They were 3000 feet higher up, and they flew

further away first, and I thought, let them go, there will be others.

Then they entered a huge white cloud, but I found them, when they came out the other end.

They look threatening when they attack. Falling from the sky like hawks with incredible speed.

But I know that, and I know, that this speed makes it impossible for them to get behind me, when I turn into

their attack. I mostly manage to get behind THEM, quicker than they imagined.

Fortunately, the second attacked my wingmen. So I could brush off the first, and then go over there.

I was very carefull with my Albatros (Pol's order), and it remained in one piece. The SPADs didn't.

After 4 minutes, the show was over; the SPADs killed, and we flew home.

I had two rounds left - these SPADs can really take some hits. Flying home was calming me down a lot.

So golden the sunlight and the hilly landscape. A flight of seven or eight planes passed overhead; through

my binoculars, I saw D VIIs escorting Hannovers.

I will repeat that with this pilot - it's so much more realistic. Try it!

[Macklroy 2]

This is the only flight sim i play with all the labels and text warnings off. Spotting those little dots in the clouds and then trying to squint and id them as friend or foe before they get wise to your presence is great fun.

 

I just did an escort mission last night. I had my flight perched happily about 4000feet directly above the 2 seater formation. On one of my lazy rolls i checked out the situation bellow and saw a second group of planes just behind and bellow the friendly 2 seaters. I did a nice peacefull and slow decending 360 to put us above and behind our newest group of aircraft. I ID'd them as enemy just as they started to open up on the bombers. Within seconds our flight was upon them. Moments later the few enemy planes that were left were smoking or on the deck scurrying for home. Reformed with my flight and retook our place above the bombers as they made their attack. Turned for home and didnt have another encounter. Could have been enemy in the area but the only ones we picked up were attacking our bombers.

 

Starting to get good at id'ing planes at a distance since with no labels you have to figure out which guy to shoot at.

 

S!

[Rickitycrate 10]

May 1916 my flight of 3 Roland CII's are patrolling the front noting troop advancements, yeah right. Those boys are not leaving those trenches anytime soon. I'm flying with the latest patch and one of my first missions using TrackIR. The view is splendid as it's a sunny day and I am relieved to not have to fly deep into enemy territory. I find that my Walfisch's windows are now somewhat practical with TrackIR. I have the TAC running and see white specks at my 12 o'clock, high. I continued on watching to see what color they became....... red, and 6 of them as best I can tell. I decided to keep us close to our line and to descend. The E/A stayed aloft but pretty much overhead. For the first time I was able to really keep an eye on the E/A and fly defensively. The situation was not one for fighting with too many disadvantages. But my how I loved the ability to see the situation and make moves accordingly rather than be blindsided and then trying to sort things out. I was able to reach the waypoint and then headed for home. AA whizzing by but not picking us apart. I see below a bridge being shelled and then notice the smoke from a train engine. I flew low to grab a pic. The last few railcars ended up in the drink but the most part of the train carried on. So no dogfight or air combat but plenty to do and enjoy. I can't imagine I'll ever tire of this. The sim gets better and better and TrackIR puts your head in the game. That's the story behind this pic. No big deal. Just me being a happy OFFer.

 

Olham as you know I usually fly DiD. I think now I could perhaps not use TAC so much but with TrackIR spot and follow the planes and then use zoom in and out as binoculars to better identify the planes. I'm glad you are giving DiD a try. It is different and satisfying for me. Do you find it more suspenseful like I do?

Edited April 23, 2009 by Rickitycrate

[griphos 0]

Amen to continually finding things that make you smile in this sim. Here's a great example. Zoom in that pic from Rickity again and notice the cars. They are all wooden freight cars absolutely faithful to the era. No, WWII era metal cars here. I stay impressed with all the details these guys so carefully got right!

 

And I've said it plenty of times. DiD is a blast! It's not about being macho. It's about being in this amazing virtual world.

Edited April 24, 2009 by griphos

[Hasse Wind 46]

DiD is hard, often frustrating, but it's also VERY rewarding. Every achievement feels so much better when you know you have to be careful with your pilot - no second chances! I've never thought about being somehow macho or better than people who don't play with DiD, I think everybody is entitled to enjoy this great sim any way they like, DiD or no DiD. And using TAC is very understandable before combat, because players don't have the same advantages as AI pilots when it comes to spotting enemy AC. Just don't rely too much on the TAC, then it hurts the immersion...

[Macklroy 2]

I'd love to play with the TAC off all the time. Unfortuneatly i dont have a track ir *yet. So i use the poor man's trackir via 'padlock view' in game. Problem is that you can not select a target that has not yet been recognized by the TAC screen. So if you do not have it (TAC) up when an enemy draws close, you will be unable to target and thus padlock view that enemy. You have to turn TAC on, select a target, then you can turn it back off and use padlock and next/prev target. But should any enemy other than those already near you, come close, you will be unable to target the NEW aircraft unless you switch TAC back on again.

 

Does any of that nonsense make sense? anyway, it does to me and what it has forced me to do now is always have the TAC on but i just drag it really low in the center of the monitor so i can barely see it. But it still allows me to target enemies and i dont have to feel like im relying on it to find the badguys in combat.

 

Anyway, ramble off. Cheers.

 

S!

Edited April 24, 2009 by Macklroy

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

I have been a bit of a chicken when it comes to DiD so far!

 

Although I fly total realism otherwise using only my wits and a map.. I cannot bear the thought of my pilot being killed!..I know it's woosie of me, and I will one day make the transition, as I know that is the way to go...I just feel like a kid pedalling his bicycle without stabilisers for the first time, with his dad still holding the saddle!

[Macklroy 2]

I have been a bit of a chicken when it comes to DiD so far!

 

Although I fly total realism otherwise using only my wits and a map.. I cannot bear the thought of my pilot being killed!..I know it's woosie of me, and I will one day make the transition, as I know that is the way to go...I just feel like a kid pedalling his bicycle without stabilisers for the first time, with his dad still holding the saddle!

 

 

And when you lose your favorite pilot to a cloud....you just may go back.

 

Clouds 3

Enemy 0

...so far in my DiD campaigns.

[Olham 164]

Hi, Rickity - great you're enjoying TrackIR so much. Yes, flying this way increases the thrill, the feeling of actually being there, having to care for yourself and your wings. An intensive, lively feeling.

 

Griphos and Hasse Wind: Absolutely! Ditto!

 

Macklroy, binoculars would be possible; so for IDing other planes, you may press "+" several times, to zoom the image.

Another tip: don't use "padlock view". There is a command key for toggle between the view in fixed angles, and the pan or

glide view (forgot how it's called). Now, you can put this command on a thumb knob of your stick. You can now check the overall

situation with gliding view, and when it comes to direct fighting, switch to fixed angles view. That is much faster for checking the six,

or left and right; better for fighting. Inbetween you may switch back for overall check.

Also, try to mark a target, and then switch off TAC. As far as I remember, you could then still assign new targets, without the screen on?

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

And when you lose your favorite pilot to a cloud....you just may go back.

 

Clouds 3

Enemy 0

...so far in my DiD campaigns.

 

That just doesn't bear thinking about!

[Olham 164]

Widow, I just have 5 pilots right now. One of them is doing the DiD standards flying.

If he should die, I still have the others.

I do it like this:

I start first flight with my DiD pilot. If that went rather stressfull and bad, I don't fly another sortie with him,

but choose another brother, for some fun.

I don't fly the DiD man, when I'm tired, nervous or elsehow distracted too much.

Make yourself a brother in arms, and try it with him - it's sheer excitement!

[Creaghorn 10]

for me flying without anything is the way to go. it's so cool and immersive to search the skies and bend your neck all the time, searching the area below you and above you. beeing concentrated all the time. it's a completely different feeling when spotting a formation by yourself than seeing a white dot in radar. also getting surprised is very cool because very realistic. no labels, no radar, no anything. if i can add some skins or markings or signs into my claimreport, than because i have seen them from my cockpit, never using outsideviews or something like that.

i am thinking to go back from DiD to diceroll mode. reason is, on dead is dead you have never a chance to go to hospital. you're dead, or you are alive like nothing has happened. on diceroll mode, when braking apart in midair, and still surviving, hospital or not, i consider my pilot as dead and start a new one. when crashing whilst landing and he's dead, it's ok. but he also has a chance to go to hospital. as long as i know there is no hospital in DiD.

[Olham 164]

There is, Creaghorn. I always used "Dead is dead", and I have been in hospital for 20 days.

After that, you can go on.

 

But, as Tttiger said, "Die roll at death" makes the same sense. You loose your records and begin like a new pilot,

but you don't have to write it all again.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Olham

[Creaghorn 10]

really? is there hospital in BHAH? never experienced it, though

cool, of course i'll keep then my DiD.

[Parky 8]

Didn't know there was a hospital??!! That means you've never had your injuries treated by Nurse Gladys?? My God Man!!! You have no idea what you've been missing out on. Gladys has a bedside manner to die for (or at least get injured for). Not to mention, she has an amazing rack......full of magazines you can read while you're on the mend

 

In all seriousness, I also tried the "true" DiD standard in campaign. Harsh reality is what that is. Lost so many pilots over a two week period I've chickened out and gone back to Death on die roll. Still occasionaly use the TAC to spot EA at distance as well. I find neither of those features hurts the immersion factor to any great degree. Flying without them is borderline masochism as far as I'm concerned....lol.

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

Parky

[Olham 164]

Okay, I admit, that I switch it on shortly sometimes, to check, were the planes are, that I have to escort;

after having been distracted by attacking SPADs.

What everyone seems to enjoy though here, is the atmosphere, when it's switched off again; the more natural

view of all around you.

[Macklroy 2]

Okay, I admit, that I switch it on shortly sometimes, to check, were the planes are, that I have to escort;

after having been distracted by attacking SPADs.

What everyone seems to enjoy though here, is the atmosphere, when it's switched off again; the more natural

view of all around you.

 

 

Exactly!