flight density

[hoongadoonga 5]

Thanks for the new super patch. I particularly enjoy the new damage effects. It even affected a hi res skin. I had a collision and the outer edge of the lower wing was broken off with the frame jutting out. I also like the improvements to flak. It gives me a clue as to the location of distant flights. Well done.

 

On the down side it seems to have affected player flight density. I didn't see it mentioned in the features but it's definitely changed for me. I've been flying Jasta 11 in March and April 17 with flight density set to high. Before the patch I almost always had 8 in my flight, with a low of 6. Now it is 4 or 3, with an occasional 5 or 6.

[+Winder 32]

Thanks for the new super patch. I particularly enjoy the new damage effects. It even affected a hi res skin. I had a collision and the outer edge of the lower wing was broken off with the frame jutting out. I also like the improvements to flak. It gives me a clue as to the location of distant flights. Well done.

 

On the down side it seems to have affected player flight density. I didn't see it mentioned in the features but it's definitely changed for me. I've been flying Jasta 11 in March and April 17 with flight density set to high. Before the patch I almost always had 8 in my flight, with a low of 6. Now it is 4 or 3, with an occasional 5 or 6.

 

 

Its not a downside - there was a bug that affected the players flight craft count up until now.

On some mission types the player was assigned a flight size that was not in keeping with the OOB and meant the player would always outnumber the enemy irrespective of the war balance.

 

But as you see its gone from 8 (the CFS3 recommended max) to up to 6 for your particular Jasta, your location and the year (OOB)

You should not have been always getting 8 in your flight as your opposition was scaled correctly and this meant an imbalance - yeah in your favour alas.

 

Eight craft max in a flight has been the MS/Aces guidelines since CFS3 relased but I believe we can increase this without any side efects and I am testing this - this means we can have a player flight and enemy flight scaling greater than the maximum limit of 8 that is currently set in the OFF Campaign Code.

 

This would mean we can probably scale the balance of war 'numbers in a flight' over a better more meaningful range than 8 from 1914 to 1918 (OOB) I am looking at 12.

 

I will post more on this as P4 progresses.

 

Finally yes Pol and I were scratching our heads as to what changes occured in the super Patch from early on this year (over 7 months now) and we have left out a few items such as this (not intentionally) - even now more changes come to me:

 

 

1) A new air haze weather effect

 

2) Improved Damaged houses textures.

 

3) Improved retention of settings for QC as long as player stays on QC screen and repeatedly flies

 

4) Improved notification of MP backup configuration procedures

 

5) And I am sure more that will come to me over time.

 

I think its a good idea to say now that many of these items were meant for P4 but we decided to release them earlier for the users benefit.

 

HTH

 

WM

[Guest British_eh]

Funny, but I was always on the other end, (see POLL), and hade to fight off 2:1 odds, usually not very effectively :}

 

Cheers,

 

British_eh

[Olham 164]

Me too, British_eh, me too!

[+Winder 32]

Yeah its very funny...

 

As I see it, reading that poll, many players are not sticking with the second flight - so yes I can easily see the problem....so maybe fly with the second flight as intended?

The balance always includes the numbers in the second flight - and yes sometimes the second flight does not make it (war is hard craft are sometimes grounded)...... then beware...

 

Fight defensively, self preservation etc and set up workshops to suit your style of play - how many times we have to say this I don't know lol

 

But play on see how it goes....

I know we all want to win the war it just did not happen that way.

 

Finally I hope to be able to join the flights together for P4 but this will only happen if we break the non unique skin issue in player flight.

 

WM

[Olham 164]

Was meant to be joking, Winder.

And you're right - people only ever read half.

 

Now that I fly with flight 1, it works very well for me.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Winder wrote:

...but this will only happen if we break the non unique skin issue in player flight...

 

That would be a boon to this already fantastic sim Winder. It's one of the very few things I miss, the ability to fly my own custom skin without seeing the rest of my wingies in the same dress.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

 

[Olham 164]

I'm sure they want that as much as everybody else, Lou. Would be really great.

[Guest British_eh]

Winder - " As I see it, reading that poll, many players are not sticking with the second flight - so yes I can easily see the problem....so maybe fly with the second flight as intended?"

I have been flying this for 3 years, and while I have always known about the second flight, never thought about it being a group to stay with. I know that in some skirmishes, they do join in.

 

I think this little tidbit is HUGE, as many OFF flyer's may not be aware. The poll may have a completely different look to it if every one flew somewhat adjacent to the second flight. I might even last more than 4.333 hours, LOL

 

Thanks Winder.

 

 

Cheers,

 

British_Eh

[Olham 164]

Welcome to the club, British_eh

I only found out some 14 days ago, when I started the "outnumbered" poll.

Before, I had always thought, flight 1 had a different task (and I still believe,

they sometimes do at least fly another path).

But since I fly with flight1, my chances became much better.

[+Polovski 460]

There's more than 1 way to skin a rabbit as they say :)

[hoongadoonga 5]

Welcome to the club, British_eh

I only found out some 14 days ago, when I started the "outnumbered" poll.

Before, I had always thought, flight 1 had a different task (and I still believe,

they sometimes do at least fly another path).

But since I fly with flight1, my chances became much better.

 

OK, now I am confused. Nothing new there. I've been flying Jasta 11 in March/April 17 for quite some time now - keep getting killed and starting over. Until very recently I flew at normal player flight density and was almost always outnumbered, frequently heavily outnumbered. I then switched to high density to even things out. I set player flight position to always lead.

 

I don't understand the discussion of flying with flight 1 or 2. I've always been the leader of flight 2. I use the TAC to go from waypoint to waypoint. I don't generally see flight 1 anywhere around - it's just me and my 3 or 4 wingies.

 

Is this because I generally select an optional flight in the briefing room before going to the field? While I'm at it, what is the difference between the optional flight and alternative/primary target choices in the briefing room?

 

It sounds like you're saying that flights 1 and 2 should be going together on the same mission. How does this happen? Is flight 1 supposed to be following me, the flight 2 leader as I follow the TAC, or am I to follow flight 1?

 

Sorry if I'm all over the board here.

[TSmoke 2]

Don't shoot me if I am wrong but if you are leading flight 2 that would mean you follow flight one. At least thats what I do now after reading the "out numbered poll." Also 2 comes after 1 so it kinda makes sense LOL.

 

It makes things a hell of alot easier, the numbers are closer depending on the year you are flying and whether there is an offensive on.

 

My 2 cents.

[+Polovski 460]

Not always but sometimes you take off in 2 flights.. follow them as Tsmoke says they go the same way. That simple. If you warp then they will often be elsewhere nearby, so don't warp so much. If you target one of them you can spot them with padlock later too if you really want to warp to target.

[Olham 164]

hoongadoonga, when you come out of warp, they are mostly further up, sometimes a bit off the course

left or right. That's why I exit warp mode short after getting on the route (by pressing Ctrl. + X). Now

I have time to climb up to their altitude, before we meet the enemy.

If you can't reach them, stay at least as close as possible, cause your help might be needed, when they

get jumped on.

[Rickitycrate 10]

You as leader of flight group 2 would follow group 1. Can you imagine the historic aces in group 1 following someone like me around, yeah right. I do not follow too close to group 1 as I find some seperation and when possible additional altitude to be helpful when engaged in dogfight. Those historic aces seldom die whereas my sorry boney butt is always on the line.

[hoongadoonga 5]

Thanks for the replies. I'm catching on now. Sometimes I don't see the forest for the trees. I guess you would say that I'm impatient and want to get to the action so I cut some corners. Here are a few more questions just to make sure I understand.

 

1. The mission starts out with 4-5 small legs of 2 miles west, 1 mile north, 2 miles SE, etc. before moving on. I would shift + W (next waypoint) until the first distant waypoint appeared and then head straight for it. This means that I jumped ahead of flight 1, doesn't it?

 

2. I often choose "optional flight", frequently in order to get something shorter. Doesn't flight 1 follow my final choice here (instead of going to the original target)?

 

3. What about the new "air start" option? If I use that will flight 1 be nearby when my mission commences near the target area?

 

4. What's the difference between "optional flight" and "alternative/primary target"?

[Olham 164]

1. You can press "X" for warp, when everybody is airborne. Now warping will carry you

along all waypoints, until either enemies appear, or you exit warp via Ctrl. + X

I recommend to exit warp after leaving the field circling, when you're on the main route

to the first real waypoint. Cause then you'll find time to climb up to flight 1, before

you meet any opponents.

 

2. You can always choose "optional flight", that will then be for flight 1 too.

 

3. Not tried that yet, but should be like Warp - flight 1 should be with you.

 

4. "Optional flight" gets you another flight path to a same target (like railyard attack).

"alternative target" gives you another target choice (before: railyard - now: airfield)

[hoongadoonga 5]

1. You can press "X" for warp, when everybody is airborne. Now warping will carry you

along all waypoints, until either enemies appear, or you exit warp via Ctrl. + X

I recommend to exit warp after leaving the field circling, when you're on the main route

to the first real waypoint. Cause then you'll find time to climb up to flight 1, before

you meet any opponents.

 

2. You can always choose "optional flight", that will then be for flight 1 too.

 

3. Not tried that yet, but should be like Warp - flight 1 should be with you.

 

4. "Optional flight" gets you another flight path to a same target (like railyard attack).

"alternative target" gives you another target choice (before: railyard - now: airfield)

 

Thanks Olham