now this is progress

[sitting_duck 3]

This is a quote from eric, its at the end of stumpers post about the mp turnout last weekend

 

I would be interested in providing a static MP session(s) and static Teamspeak server for OFF. I would be interested to know what the "community" at large would need to make this a viable solution for always having a game up and running that could be joined and if this would be useful.

 

can only lead to good things....

[von Baur 54]

I agree that it would be a tremendous boost to multiplay activity. One of the great things about Red Baron was that there was always a server available, and it usually had some activity. Richtofen's Skies parent (as well as Target Rabaul's, Target Korea's, Target for Today's, etc.) even has a website that monitors server activity, so you can see how many people are online without having to go all the way into the game. That may not be possible with so much hardcoded into CFS3, but knowing that there's one up would likely entice more people to jump in and hope for company to join later.

 

Don't know how that would react to mission play, though.

[Axgrinder 0]

I for one do not want OFF MP to become nothing but a dogfight game. I enjoy the co-op mission aspect of what we are doing now. I don't mind the occasional team dogfight but to much gets boring. I have a bad feeling we will be split into two camps. Those who want a dogfight server like RB3d and those who want co-op and team dogfight missions like we are doing on OFF MP now. But like TV if I don't like it I can turn it off.

[sitting_duck 3]

gotta feeling lot of ppl share your sentiments axe (but,,i think you would be lying if you said you dont enjoy shooing down ME over shooting down an AI)

 

But it was the dogfights that got the majority of us to the point where we are now, and lets face it,,,not everyone is able to meet the time slots we play, so this is nothing other then a good oppurtunity to make mp game play available to a broader band of pilots, at all times.

 

And am sure that most ppl trying dogfights will migrate into missions.

[Axgrinder 0]

On TS right now. Can you jump on for a minute?

[phantomjoker 0]

On TS right now. Can you jump on for a minute?

 

Or a mission oriented MP game with some on allies and some players on axis? I enjoy it all actually.

[von Baur 54]

I agree with the duck. The first step is to get folks online and see how much fun it is to play with other people. Once they're used to going online they'll be more likely to try organized missions.

[von Baur 54]

Axe, I remember the days of Red Baron's afm melee servers, and fondly. At one time that's where practically everyone flying mp could be found. But I don't think that'll be a problem here, and this is why.

 

One thing to remember about Red Baron is that all the stock flyable planes were fighters. On top of that, the flight characteristics remained the same whether a plane was empty or fully loaded, including 8 bombs and 12 rockets. In a situation like that it's easy for things to degenerate into dogfights even on team target servers. After all, if you start out bombing and someone attacks you you're going to defend yourself, and with no rear gunner that means you turn to fight.

 

In Richtofen's Skies, as in OFF, there are flyable two-seaters with AI gunners. A lot of people would take them up, at which point things would fall into co-op by default, with the scouts defending or attacking the two-seaters. My favorite was to fly a DFW to bomb London. No chance to make it back, but it would be fun flying to the mouth of and then up the Thames to the center of the city...and that was with no 3D buildings. I'd often see someone else join up as Allied, thinking he would get an easy kill, but I'd already be well past any bases from which he could take off. With the Gotha available online one could easily make the round trip...well, easily fuel-wise.

 

And I think there are plenty here who would give something like that a try. Which, in a lot of ways, would be even more realistic than a co-op mission. I mean, imagine joining a server when I'm already in flying a two-seater, and you want to track me down. You'd have no idea where I was and have to try to find me, just like the real thing. And knowing that anyone who came into the server later might not be able to find you could very well give some people the incentive to take up a two-seater who might not otherwise do so. I won't lie and say that I'd never fly scouts, or even that I'd usually fly bombers. But I can assure you that I'd fly them often enough.

[Axgrinder 0]

I can see this type of scenario working if we had a dedicated server that ran 24-7 unfortunately we don't have one - YET! The only way to play MP as you know is to have someone host the game IP to IP so it's tough to have guys pop in and out whenever. However, the type of mission you describe can easily be put together by one of us and flown online. I don't know if you have Mission Builder up and working but if you do I encourage you to create and build the types of missions you would like to fly.

[phantomjoker 0]

I can see this type of scenario working if we had a dedicated server that ran 24-7 unfortunately we don't have one - YET! The only way to play MP as you know is to have someone host the game IP to IP so it's tough to have guys pop in and out whenever. However, the type of mission you describe can easily be put together by one of us and flown online. I don't know if you have Mission Builder up and working but if you do I encourage you to create and build the types of missions you would like to fly.

 

I think it would be fun to "occasionally" play a mission when we have say 6-8 pilots, where some are allies and some axis, if that is possible. Would be nice to have the extra variable of real pilots attacking each other or trying to complete their mission while the other side is doing the same thing or trying to prevent you from completing your mission. Could even put half the pilots on one teamspeak channel and the other half on another channel so they can discuss strategy..Of course I don't even know if this type of scenario is possible.

[von Baur 54]

I can see this type of scenario working if we had a dedicated server that ran 24-7 unfortunately we don't have one - YET!

 

Inless I'm misreading the Duck's post, that's exactly what Eric is offering.

 

Duck?

[Axgrinder 0]

I think it would be fun to "occasionally" play a mission when we have say 6-8 pilots, where some are allies and some axis, if that is possible. Would be nice to have the extra variable of real pilots attacking each other or trying to complete their mission while the other side is doing the same thing or trying to prevent you from completing your mission. Could even put half the pilots on one teamspeak channel and the other half on another channel so they can discuss strategy..Of course I don't even know if this type of scenario is possible.

 

 

I have already built an online mission like this. We tested it Saturday morning and ran into some problems so I am ironing out some of the quirks. Neither side made it to the objective. Both squads of planes were all decimated by spawning enemy aircraft while taking off! I hope to test it out again next time I run a session. The basic premis of the mission is as follows:

 

Half the online players pick allied planes and the other German. The Germans have a forward observation post that the Brits are trying to overun and take over. The Brits have sent troops and aircraft to drive the Germans from the area. SE5a's have been sent as cover for the troops and to bomb the German postion. The Germans must defend this critical forward position! Reinforcements of German troops are on their way to repel the Britsish offensive. D7's have been sent to give the German troops air cover and turn back any Allied aircraft!

 

So you have the potential for a great dogfight over a bloody ground battle with the underlying mission of taking or keeping the observation post by either side.

 

How's that sound? I hope I have worked out the kinks from the first test! If not I will keep working on it till I get it right.

Edited June 8, 2009 by Axgrinder

[+Erik 1,805]

I think we could have some fun with this but I'd need to know what we need in order to get setup.

 

What would the needs of the Multi-players be if they had any? I think that's where I left the other post somewhere in the OFF General Discussion.

 

For example: I can setup a dedicated Teamspeak server and provide admin level access to those who normally host the games. I can provide a windows server for hosting games but because I'm not an OFF'er I don't know what that would entail nor do I know how you guys normally host now.

 

Just let me know and we'll see what we can get worked out and onlin

 

E

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

I think you have to go the MP furball route, to have any chance of tempting ppl over to MP

[Axgrinder 0]

Eric,

 

The way I see it is if a dedicated server is to be set up it will have to be like the RB3d server, strictly dogfights. I don't know of any way to run co-op missions on a dedicated server unless the administrator would be able to put up a mission that would run at a certain time. Otherwise we would be limited to a game like Rb3d again and groups of pilots would form squads and challenge each other to dogfights for bragging rights.

 

Anyway I'm not familiar with running a dedicated server so someone else with that experience will have to fill in the blanks. As for my preference, I would like to run a mix of team dogfights and co-op missions. I know the boys that fly with me in the D&H squad would be glad to challenge other squads in a dogfight over France!

Edited June 8, 2009 by Axgrinder

[phantomjoker 0]

I have already built an online mission like this. We tested it Saturday morning and ran into some problems so I am ironing out some of the quirks. Neither side made it to the objective. Both squads of planes were all decimated by spawning enemy aircraft while taking off! I hope to test it out again next time I run a session. The basic premis of the mission is as follows:

 

Half the online players pick allied planes and the other German. The Germans have a forward observation post that the Brits are trying to overun and take over. The Brits have sent troops and aircraft to drive the Germans from the area. SE5a's have been sent as cover for the troops and to bomb the German postion. The Germans must defend this critical forward position! Reinforcements of German troops are on their way to repel the Britsish offensive. D7's have been sent to give the German troops air cover and turn back any Allied aircraft!

 

So you have the potential for a great dogfight over a bloody ground battle with the underlying mission of taking or keeping the observation post by either side.

 

Sounds great!

 

How's that sound? I hope I have worked out the kinks from the first test! If not I will keep working on it till I get it right.

[sitting_duck 3]

Eric,

 

Wish i knew more about servers and such, but i dont. Not sure what you have in mind, let alone what is possible, but going to assume that you plan to just host a multiplayer game, and pilots can join and leave as they wish.

 

The other scenario would be you setting up something along the same lines as the old cfs3 servers, and pilots would host their own games, but now they show up on that server list window, and pilots can join in that way.

 

Assuming we are talking about the first way, (you hosting),,I would suggest you poll the pilots, to see what the general consenses is for "realism" settings, as they effect the game play more than anything.

 

This is where you select such things as unlimited ammo,,fuel,,,allow or disallow targetting aids, external views...

 

Will try and put up a screen shot later of the window, so you have a better idea of what i am talkinng about.

 

Also have to make sure that the time advance is disabed,,,other wise someone somewhere is going to be getting on when its always 3am in the morning,,,,and its pitch dark.

 

And, as long as your bending arms,,,,bend someone's really good and get an answer to this question.......In mp dogfight, and team dogfight, planes spin as the fly, not unusual to have the plane in front of you flying backwards...its also not unusual to have a plane in front of you, with your finger getting ready to squeeze the trigger only to have the same plane tear you up to shreds,,,,ie,,from your perspective they where in front of you, and from thier perspective, you where in front of them,,,and unfortunaly, they were right...

 

 

switch to a mp mission, and 99% of this goes away. THere has to be a difference from the "engine" that dogfigts use, and missions use. Have to admit i am using terms here that i have no clue what they really mean....

 

Will try and get a short fraps up to show you what i mean.

 

Hope this provides some help..

[Axgrinder 0]

And, as long as your bending arms,,,,bend someone's really good and get an answer to this question.......In mp dogfight, and team dogfight, planes spin as the fly, not unusual to have the plane in front of you flying backwards...its also not unusual to have a plane in front of you, with your finger getting ready to squeeze the trigger only to have the same plane tear you up to shreds,,,,ie,,from your perspective they where in front of you, and from thier perspective, you where in front of them,,,and unfortunaly, they were right...

 

I mentioned this too somewhere Duck.

[sitting_duck 3]

well...lets hope we get an answer...

 

But, thinking about it more, you know how when you get a new player in dogfight, just to show them how to connect and such, and u usually start flying in formation, or flying a river or road low..., and it seems like you can do that for hours, and not see anything strange......

 

Is it the quick sudden movement of the planes, the guns firing that brings on the strange flying?

[BluDog 0]

Alright well lets just jump in on this and figure out where and how this is going to work.

 

I'm going to install a static IP Teamspeak server for you OFF guys. This means you'll have your own static server that will always have the same IP address and it means that you guys don't have to host a TS server while trying to play.

 

To make this work correctly I'd like to have maybe 5 or so key players that we can enlist to admin the server. I would like folks who are familiar with TS Servers and who the community generally sees as being online hosts or leaders. These people may be called on by the people on teamspeak to either change it's configuration and in general just make sure it's being used properly and without abuse.

 

We'll need some sort of community password established that folks can find and remember. This will allow the server some privacy from outside interruptions.

 

Let me know and we'll consider this step on in getting something setup for you guys.

 

E

 

Nice one thanks !

 

I've only recently started flying OFF and I love it. This should make it even more fun and fascinating I hope . . . . . . . . assuming I ever get off the ground that is.