OFF or RoF? Help the n00b!

[Dutch_P47M 9]

It's new name is Canvas Knights and the forum still seems pretty active, they are hinting toward a summer release.

 

 

 

 

Was summer 2009, so now it is summer 2010, mmm, maybe I should Flybert sent a Email about the CK.   

 

 

 

[GaryR 0]

Was summer 2009, so now it is summer 2010, mmm, maybe I should Flybert sent a Email about the CK.

 

Know nothing about it but what i read on their forum. Seems they planned on few planes but it has gone way beyond that. All I care is if the multiplayer is as good as IL2, if I want a WW1 sim I already have the best, BHaH.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

From what I have heard and the brief emails I've traded with them over the last year, von Deutschmark and his team are aiming Canvas Knights almost exclusively at the MP side of things. They want to be able to host the massive multi-player affairs that RB3D used to bring. I wish them all the best of luck with their very large project.

 

.

[extremeone 13]

Then you are lucky. but do a search on Neoqb, rise of flight forum, for the MSI GTX295 card you should even disable one GPU. One guy exchanged his GTX295 for a HD5870 card because of the problems he had [keep in mind RoF is still DirectX9, so no benefit from a DirectX11 OS & Vcard].

I would never take the risk, so my advice for RoF is still the single core GPU.

 

 

 

 

Probably an issue with the setup of the GTX295, not the game.

 

When I first got the GTX295 I ran benchmarks, some were not an improvement on my previous GTX260. I was ready to take it back, but after some checking Nvidia Control panel assumed one card and one GPU (from my old GTX260), and when I changed this in the profile plus a couple of other things (after doing some reading) the GTX295 doubled the GTX260 performance consistently.

 

There are ROF Nvidia profiles available now for dual GPUs (I use one from EVGA, but don't have an EVGA card), and for SLI. Can't say if there are issues with SLI or not, could still be.

 

But multi GPU cards need to be setup to run for some games. It is not like a single gpu card - plug and play, unfortunately. Depending on the game, the OS, and whether or not you reinstall Nvidia Control Panel you may need to get it working - but it certainly will work on all games (that I have) including RoF.

Edited January 26, 2010 by extremeone

[Dutch_P47M 9]

As I said earlier you are lucky, but I would, if you want to buy a new Vcard, never take the risk inhere. If you are doing a search on the RoF forum you will see a lot of dualGPU, SLI or CrossfireX setup problems and even a advice from Neoqb to disable one core on a MSI GTX295 card. Then from my own experience RoF is more CPU demanding then GPU. So I would first spent the $$ on the best quad-CPU and the left-overs to the GPU.

And now I'm stopping RoF-ing in this OFF-forum!!! how is the topic starter running with his new game [=OFF], could you tell us more???

 

 

[OvS 8]

 

And now I'm stopping RoF-ing in this OFF-forum!!! how is the topic starter running with his new game [=OFF], could you tell us more???

 

 

I'm OK with this thread... no need to feel you can't talk about RoF... it was when it was being compared and people were bashing it. That's not what we're about.

 

The info in this thread is very good... a lot of you guys own RoF and some could use the technical info on the SLI'd cards... so it stays.. as long as we only have to fire one shot over the bow as Shred already did..

 

OvS

[UnknownPilot 33]

3. Did not fly FS-WW1 yet, but will. Looks good and we had some conversation about modelling Zeppelins, and how they were built internally, for improving L30's damage model. As far as i heard even the failure of one cylinder of rotary engines is modelled - will see. I have played SDOE back then, and it was a good sim for the time. Fly the Sikorky, but no campaign-mode here .

 

You are quite incorrect about that. I have flown campaigns in FS-WWI. Many times in fact, with many different aircraft. In fact, it's what I did most often when I flew it offline.

 

However, they are scripted, and must be made by mission makers before you can fly them. So you could certainly end up with a plane and no campaign for it, but that is NOT the same as there being "no campaign mode".

[Wels 2]

Hello,

 

found this link to Canvas Knights (formerly "OOF" Over Oleg's Fields) again, however it seems as if the work has stopped (?):

http://mission4today.com/index.php?name=ForumsPro&file=viewtopic&t=6013

Greetings,

Catfish

[GaryR 0]

Hello,

 

found this link to Canvas Knights (formerly "OOF" Over Oleg's Fields) again, however it seems as if the work has stopped (?):

http://mission4today...iewtopic&t=6013

Greetings,

Catfish

 

This is the most active CK site I know - http://allaircraftarcade.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=91

[Dutch_P47M 9]

You are quite incorrect about that. I have flown campaigns in FS-WWI. Many times in fact, with many different aircraft. In fact, it's what I did most often when I flew it offline.

 

However, they are scripted, and must be made by mission makers before you can fly them. So you could certainly end up with a plane and no campaign for it, but that is NOT the same as there being "no campaign mode".

 

Maybe the new version is including a decent full campaign mode, but what I could remember, FS-WW1 campaign was nothing more than a few separate single missions. But the new release is free to judge at FS-WW1 and ArgonV is always very helpfull if you are facing problems.

Like Wells said we need to support these WW1 flysim makers.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Dutch_P47M

[themightysrc 5]

I suspect Dutch is correct - there's no campaign in FS-WWI per se, although there are some themed collections - for example, the Pup missions in North Africa. That's liveable, however the lack of time compression (not an issue for diehard DiDers) means that missions can be a bit tedious, and of necessity have to be started very close to where the action is expected. That in itself mitigates against a 'proper' campaign, since flights from 20 miles behind the front lines to a target 10 miles inside enemy lines become prohibitively time consuming.

 

Having said that, FS-WWI is good fun for the occasional quick flit, so I might well download the latest version to see how it's improved from the last one.

[Dutch_P47M 9]

I suspect Dutch is correct - there's no campaign in FS-WWI per se, although there are some themed collections - for example, the Pup missions in North Africa. That's liveable, however the lack of time compression (not an issue for diehard DiDers) means that missions can be a bit tedious, and of necessity have to be started very close to where the action is expected. That in itself mitigates against a 'proper' campaign, since flights from 20 miles behind the front lines to a target 10 miles inside enemy lines become prohibitively time consuming.

 

Having said that, FS-WWI is good fun for the occasional quick flit, so I might well download the latest version to see how it's improved from the last one.

 

 

Good idea because things have changed.

BTW, I made a invitation to a person who knows more about this game, I hope he will explain more about the new FS-WW1 and will give an answer to all our remarks and questions.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Dutch_P47M

[UnknownPilot 33]

Um, what you guys are calling a "string of themed missions" is actually called a scripted campaign. Very much like what is in IL2.

 

It's still a campaign any way you look at it.

[themightysrc 5]

Well, it's a campaign if you wish to consider it thus, but it's not dynamic, which is my idea of a campaign. The Bloody April campaign in FE was a similar beast, but wasn't satisfying for similar reasons.

[OvS 8]

Well, it's a campaign if you wish to consider it thus, but it's not dynamic, which is my idea of a campaign. The Bloody April campaign in FE was a similar beast, but wasn't satisfying for similar reasons.

 

 

I was never a fan of scripted campaigns. It's too easy to repeat the mission, knowing the outcome, and simply dying enough to prepare better for it.

 

With a dynamic campaign, you never know what is about to happen. I loved that about RB3D and I love it deeper with our campaign manager that Winder created. It's totally random, you have no idea what is about to happen.

 

Games like Wings and Wings of Glory, which had scripted campaigns got away with it because the rest of the games were saturated with atmosphere and storylines that replaced all other aspects... but re-playability suffered because you knew what the end result would be.

 

To me, the the Ultimate dynamic campaign was in EA's 1990's "Birds of Prey". Not only was the game so random, but the end result of the War resided on the success of your missions, or the missions that you had to assist. You flew your missions with a certain sense of urgency that you HAD to be successful. That's a great formula for a ficticious war, but not so desirable for history buffs.

 

Anyway, back to point... a scripted campaign is really a campaign to say that your game has a campaign side to it... a dynamic campaign is more what a war game should be all about. Without it, what's the point.

 

OvS

Edited January 27, 2010 by OvS

[UnknownPilot 33]

OvS,

 

I hear ya, and agree, but only to a point.

 

If all you have is bland, barren scripted missions, AND you choose to fly carelessly and just "re-fly" until you succeed, then yes, it will be boring. Likewise, if you either try to replay too soon, or remember specific details too well (me, I have too many and too varied interests to remember minutea of specific missions after about a year or so), then perhaps replay can suffer as well.

 

But the first thing I thought of when you said replay being hurt in scripted campaigns was Wing Commander. This was a unique split between scripted and dynamic, but still, if you did everything right, you saw the same string of missions every time. However.... I use this example because it is my favorite series of all time. I have played it countless times. And from time to time I get the urge and will play the entire series straight through (WC1, SM1&2, WC2, SO1&2, WC3, WC4, and Prophecy along with all the downloaded episodes). That is what I could call replayability, and it has not been hurt through the scripting of missions or mission branches.

 

There's a couple of things to consider - how well are the missions written (particularly the brief) and how much atmosphere can they bring; and of course the AI; finally, how do you as a player play the missions.

 

Chris Roberts's stuff (Wing Commander, Strike Commander, and Star Lancer) have the atmosphere and story elements, so it's just like watching a beloved movie all over again.

 

But even without that, you can still have a great time, if you choose to. For instance, go to mission4today and look for the White Sun Blue Sky campaign for IL2. This was made by someone who once called himself Chuck Older (in homage to the pilot), and is probably the most detailed and well written AVG (American Volunteer Group, aka "Flying Tigers") campaign ever made. Yes it's scripted, but it's tense, INtense, and the briefs draw you in, you can't help but enjoy it.

 

Now as for replay? Well... that's where the AI come in. Technically the missions are never the same twice, even though the same craft spawn at the same points and times and fly the same paths each time you load it, they have an inherent bit of randomness to their behavior, as do you, and this interaction results in a different fight, with potentially different outcomes each time you fly it.

 

And for me, once I complete, or get frustrated from trying to play it DiD style, I'll move on to something else for a bit, and eventually move my interest on to something non-sim related for a while, then work my way back, and at some point get the hankerin to fire it up again and it's enjoyable all over again.

 

So I guess it's really what you make of it, but there is always an element of dynamism present, even if you know the campaign's final outcome (such as in "dynamic" LuftWaffe campaigns in IL2) and they are still enjoyable to replay, whether auto-generated or pre-written.

[Creaghorn 10]

i also loved wing commander, realizing by the way that i'm looking more and more like hobbs, if not getting a haircut soon .

but i can't say it's a simulator. neither during a mission nor from the campaign. i compare it more to a modern space-version of amigas wings gamewise.

but anyway, i loved it. very good story and characters etc. especially admiral tolwyn is the best.

[UnknownPilot 33]

Well, I suppose that depends on how far you want to go with your suspension of disbeleif. If you hit the burner and let go, you can 'drift' it, and in WC3 you can go into total inertial mode, allowing you to spin in any direction while maintaining your original course and speed, so they do account for physics (at least to a point), and then you have to consider that you are dealing with a future that has inter-stellar space travel and truly weaponized lasers and particle weapons, as well as shield technology and artificial gravity. None of which, strictly speaking, are absolutely 100% impossible (we just can't do it yet)l, so with all that combined, it's not too much of a stretch to see field technology making the space fighter fly where you point it like a aero-fighter.

 

Either way though, I brought it up because of the fact that it had a campaign, the missions were scripted, and you were inside a "fighter" blasting baddies.

 

And Tolwyn? Ugh! Hated that snide bastard. And in the end, he finally came unglued and nearly destroyed Confed. He couldn't die soon enough.

 

In 1, Shotglass, Halcyon and Hunter (and Paladin) were my favorites, in 2 Paladin and Sparks, in 3, 4, and 5 (Prophecy) it was Maniac. Though the mechanic in 4 (Pliers) was pretty cool, and that brunette with glasses in 4 (can't remember her name) was pretty sweet too.

 

It's funny to think that Pliers was the Jump To Conclusions mat guy from Office Space.

 

 

As far as space sims go though, if you aren't willing to really suspend disbeleif for plausible, or potentially plausible things, then the only space simulation out there is Orbiter. And it doesn't have campaigns (or even "missions" per se), and no combat of any kind.

Edited January 27, 2010 by UnknownPilot

[vyrago 0]

Thanks so much for all the feedback guys. I anxiously await my copies of CFS3 and OFF in the mail!

 

I'll post my reactions when I get everything installed. (I also plan to get Hat in the Ring)

[ArgonV 2]

Hello gents!!

 

As an owner and player of many a WWI sim, I can tell you that for the pure pleasure of flying I find RoF and FS-WWI unbeatable. The flight dynamics in RoF are superb (The engine management is very nice!), as are the graphics if you can afford it.

 

That said, for campaign action and really awesome dogfights I get the most out of OFF P3 BHaH. If I want to get nitty and gritty in the WWI air war OFF's attention to detail and accuracy are bar none.

 

Now with that done, some clarifications on FS-WWI :) :

 

The campaign modes are a series of scripted missions tied together with a story. Some are long, some are short. The actions of one mission do not affect the other. That said, you can play each of these missions dynamically. That is - You can play each mission from every side, every squadron and even pick your own aircraft from the flight to fly in. You can do all of that real time, from the start of the mission. So really, the dynamic aspect comes out through you. Now by default, the missions are written so you pick a side before hand, and start the campaign with only the Entante squadrons showing as an example. But you can change aircraft and sides in-game mid-flight.

 

FS-WWI is now stand-alone and you do NOT need the original SDOE game CD anymore if you get the All-In-One package. It's a free WWI flight simulator that for the price cannot be beat. The selection of aircraft, campaigns, training missions and senerios are vast in number (Over 55 aircraft to fly).

 

You can get the All-In-One here: http://www.moddb.com/mods/fighter-squadron-world-war-one/downloads/fs-wwi-plane-pack-5-all-in-one-exe-installer

And Patch v1.0 to it (Just released not too long ago) here: http://www.moddb.com/mods/fighter-squadron-world-war-one/downloads/fs-wwi-plane-pack-5-patch-v10

 

FS-WWI review by Rock Paper Shotgun here: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/05/10/tumult-in-the-clouds-fighter-squadron-wwi/

 

P.S. We have the best Zeppelin damage model of any flightsim, ever. ;)

Edited January 28, 2010 by ArgonV

[GaryR 0]

Thanks for the info ArgonV, can never have too many WWI sims IMO! No one has mentioned online with SDOE-FS-WWI, is there any or is it just bad?

Edited January 28, 2010 by GaryR

[ArgonV 2]

There is multiplayer support through Hyperlobby. It is not an open dogfight server however. Everyone has to join in at once. Great anti-cheat in place though: Everyone has to have the same aircraft and weapon files otherwise that person will not be able to join in. Online play has been scarce for a while... But you can get a group together. Also, you can man the gunner positions online and offline. However no multi-crewing. When you switch to a gunner or bomber station the AI takes over the station you first occupied.

 

You can play the same mission over again as many times as you wish. It will affect your Pilot profile score however depending on how bad or good you do. You could even fly the mission one time as a pilot and another time as the gunner. If your aircraft is so equipped as the bomber or recon camera man if you wish. Though it might be boring ;) . You have to have discipline however, it takes a lot to not want to take back over the pilot position from the sometimes crazy AI flyer. In the mission editor, you can set the sanity level. On some missions, it has been set quite low. ;)

 

A great Zeppelin DM is this:

 

The Zeppelin does not blow up and just disappear.

A frame is left over on the ground.

You can see each gas bag blow, and the underlying structure when it goes.

Lots of smoke, fire and explosions.

The Zeppelin can be blown up in different ways with a different outcome each time.

 

Some screenshots and explanation here: http://www.moddb.com/mods/fighter-squadron-world-war-one/news/in-the-pursuit-for-a-better-zeppelin-damage-model

 

P.S. Those screenshots are old. The final version in the Patch I mentioned above has much more smoke and fire, with the underlying gas cells modeled with holes burst through them.

Edited January 28, 2010 by ArgonV

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Hi ArgonV

 

Am a big fan of your FS-WW1...really good fun.

The 'G' key, that moves your line of sight to the Crosshairs is really useful.

 

Shame TrackIR doesnt quite work with it...but the padlock works well.

 

As everyone has said, although OFF is my favourite of all...it's great to support as many WW1 sims/mods as possible.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

PS ArgonV...I tried several times to download the .ISO and the .EXE from moddb...and they stopped at about 20%...PITA!

(got it much quicker at Stratedgyinformer

[GaryR 0]

I have it running and looks like it will be fun. Did all the "tweaks" but although my CH Pro throttle is seen and works in controls it does nothing in game. Also, how do you get rid of the "HUD" degree lines?