trebby 0 Posted March 28, 2010 (edited) A big thanks mr. Polovski and OFF team! Exellent and extremely atmospherical game it is. Clearly made with love. AI opponents still get the better of me rather sooner than later, if I dont kill myself hitting the ground with those crates before... As a kid I played the boardgame Richthofens War to death, no computers but all imagination ( http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1711/richthofens-war ), and loads, loads of atmosphere and background info Then Knights of the air came, technically advanced but lacking somewhat that atmospere again.... ( http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1716/knights-of-the-air ) Red Baron series for PC in 1992 got me back into all that again convincingly for the last time, and missed (?) some titles after that. Again, loads of atmosphere (and colorful, informative manuals and charts: a PC game was really finished then wasnt it?) seemingly overtaken (or trading) by great technical improvements (graphics mainly) and losing that atmosphere again for me. Now, OFF gets me back again and cannot stop playing. I really am exited to see more is being developed, and hope for more planes to fill the career gaps here and there...good luck on Phase 4 Nuff said, of my soapbox and into the air! Cheers, trebb. Edited March 28, 2010 by trebby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted March 28, 2010 Welcome to the World of OFF Trebby. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 28, 2010 Trebby, this was a wonderful ode on WW1 games and sims, and especially OFF. Yes, you will see, that here you must really work on your flying and shooting skills, to become a pilot who can survive 17 hours - or even more. But since it is all created with so much love, you will never get tired of that work. In your case I think I can say: promised. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted March 28, 2010 (edited) I really am exited to see more is being developed, and hope for more planes to fill the career gaps here and there...good luck on Phase 4 Good read trebby I remember playing a WWI Aerial Board Game It had 2 squadrons each player, 1 in every corner of the board, but I can't remember the name It was D7's vs Spads and the li'l plastic planes were placed on pedestals when flying Phase 4 is in the works but I remember the Devs mentioning a 2nd Expansion Pack Hopefully it'll bring more bombers and Widow's Snipe Things have been quiet on the development front for quite awhile now Me thinks sumthin's brewing! Edited March 28, 2010 by Duce Lewis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NS13Jarhead 6 Posted March 28, 2010 Like you, Trebby, my introduction to WWI gaming was via Richtofen's War. I believe that I still have mine somewhre in the basement (along with Tactics II, Squad Leader, and Gettysburg). As a young lad, though I remember that some of the rules didn't make sense. For example, why do the airplanes turn better in one direction rather than the other? My pre-teen mind had not yet grasped the concept of "torque" and the effect of a large rotating engine on which way the aircraft tended to go. Even now, I'm amazed that the designers actually tried to model that in a cardboard square/hex grid map game in the1970s. That respect for authenticity has definetly been repeated here in OFF. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barkhorn1x 9 Posted March 28, 2010 I sold RW some years back - but I still have Knights of the Air and about a dozen other AH games. I don't play them but keep them for the nostalgia. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carrick58 23 Posted March 28, 2010 2 weeks Trebby give it 2 weeks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trebby 0 Posted March 28, 2010 I still own RB and KotS, reread the manuals again yesterday... I tried OFF phase 2 and liked it very much.I basically used it as an "aircraft viewer". The thing that put me off so long was the very same thing that made CFS3 a nuisance: the panning thing. Using a coolie hat in a dogfight just well, doesnt work. I bought an TrackIr2 a few years ago but never got to grips with it because the framerates were bad; flying a slide show and alignment problems plagued me. Also I had problems getting it to work with OFF phase2 without freezes (amongst other problems with an german XP). Christmas brought me an Trackir5. And that was IT! Technologically superior to TIR2 it was what I always had wanted and allowed me virtual cockpit in CFS3 (and conversions). Now OFF phase3 would be available in full glory and I ordered soon after. Moral of the story (kicks in the open door): get TrackIR! (Even in its basic form without clippro the thing works fine, might save a bit on that.) trebb. Cheers, trebb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 28, 2010 Ditto to the last bit - OFF & TrackIR make it so real in your cockpit, that only a windmachine and a Castor oil sprinkler would be missing to make it complete. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barkhorn1x 9 Posted March 28, 2010 Ditto to the last bit - OFF & TrackIR make it so real in your cockpit, that only a windmachine and a Castor oil sprinkler would be missing to make it complete. Agreed. TrackIR becomes so "natural" as you are just looking around and not articfically manipulating a hat switch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted March 28, 2010 Agreed. TrackIR becomes so "natural" Yep, have you ever watched someones FRAPS video and found yourself turning your head, trying to make it pan? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AROTH 0 Posted March 29, 2010 Good read trebby I remember playing a WWI Aerial Board Game It had 2 squadrons each player, 1 in every corner of the board, but I can't remember the name It was D7's vs Spads and the li'l plastic planes were placed on pedestals when flying American Heritage "Dogfight" - still have it somewhere in the basement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted March 29, 2010 American Heritage "Dogfight" - still have it somewhere in the basement. Thanks AROTH, thats it http://www.dogfightgame.com/parts.html I used to frustrate my brother by playing so conservatively that he took risks Many a night of enjoyment there ...at least for me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 29, 2010 Think I envy you Crumpets and Yankees for having those lovely board games about WW1 air combat. I would have LOVED them as a boy, but never saw anything like this in my childhood. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trebby 0 Posted March 29, 2010 Nice link Aroth & Duce, Wow, real 3d pieces in the pre-computer era... that was real hi-tech back then! @Barkhorn/NS13Jarhead: never threw away any of those games too for nostalgia despite several pleas from the wife to "clean up" finally... Cheers, trebb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barkhorn1x 9 Posted March 29, 2010 @Barkhorn/NS13Jarhead: never threw away any of those games too for nostalgia despite several pleas from the wife to "clean up" finally... Cheers, trebb. Oh I get the same plea but MY closet is mine! Some years back on the Battleline.com boards we were discussing Squad Leader/Advanced Squad Leader and how that system really changed the look and feel of tactical board games. I bought it back in '77 when it came out - lavendar box - and I still have The General magazine - that the ad ran in. I scanned it and here it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 29, 2010 Cripes! I need a reincarnation to be able to play this all in a next youth! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted March 30, 2010 Think I envy you Crumpets and Yankees for having those lovely board games about WW1 air combat. I would have LOVED them as a boy, but never saw anything like this in my childhood. You sure would have loved Dogfight Real simple game so it was easy to learn for youingsters Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rabu 9 Posted March 30, 2010 You sure would have loved Dogfight Real simple game so it was easy to learn for youingsters I'm almost embarrassed to say it.. did any one else enjoy the board game "Battleship?" You played against one other person, you each had a dark blue plastic case that looked sort of Navy'ish and inside was this wonderfull sea green peg board grid with little grey ships.. destroyers, subs, escorts, and the prize, a battleship. Each person in turn would try to guess where the other persons ships were located, call out the coordinates and wait for a response from the opponent. We invented all sorts of verbal sound effects for this, when a shell missed or hit it's mark. Lots of fun. They later tried to upgrade it to an electronic version with lights and noise, but I still liked the old version where you created your own movie effects. It was actually first played as a paper and pencil game back in the 1940s during WWII Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trebby 0 Posted March 30, 2010 OK Barkhorn, Still in mint/unpunched condition! Got SL too and then moved on to Advanced Squad Leader. Never came to grips with the monstous pile of rules tough... Had a good time with "Tobruk" armour game. Armour penetration tables/rules by a guy (Hal Hock) who actually fired most guns after WW2 testing grounds. Maybe I will sell the ASL game on ebay some day, also have many expansions. Stalingrad and Pegasus bridge the finest, just laying around. Airforce, B17 queen of the skies, Flight leader, KotS, Tobruk and RB being my once favorites. @Rabu: my kids still play seebattle with me every now and then...Kids are great alibi right? Trebb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted March 30, 2010 I'm almost embarrassed to say it.. did any one else enjoy the board game "Battleship?" Yep, had that one, we probably all did It was advertised day & night on TV Probably more embarassing, I also had a Dastardly & Mutley Board Game too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barkhorn1x 9 Posted March 30, 2010 (edited) So you want me to name my AH games in the closet - eh? I rise to the challenge: Alexander the Great Submarine Wooden Ships and Iron Men Gettysburg '77 Devil's Den Knights of the Air Fligth Leader Seige of Jerusalem Panzer Leader Patton's Best B-17, Queen of the Skies Midway (Smithsonian addition) Guadelcanal (Smithsonian addition) ASL: - Beyond Valor - Paratrooper - Yanks - West of Alamain - Croix De Guerre - Solitair ASL - Streets of Fire (Deluxe ASL) - Hedgerow Hell (Deluxe ASL) - Kampfgruppe Peiper I (Historical ASL) - Kampfgruppe Peiper II (Historical ASL) - Pegasus Bridge (Historical ASL) - A Bridge Too Far (Historical ASL) ...think that covers it. Nope - forgot Flat Top BTW, I have a confession to make. I never really liked the tactical flight games all that much (RTW, Knights of the Air, Flight Leader) as I usually played solitaire and - well - not much fun moving everything yourself. Also, the 2D nature of a board game just did not translate well for me into a 3D simulation. This is why I got into flight sims in the first place - to feel the real time 3D nature of air combat. Edited March 30, 2010 by Barkhorn1x Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trebby 0 Posted March 30, 2010 Hmmm, can handle that: Red Baron Knights of the Sky Flight Leader Airforce Airforce expansion-Pacific Panzerblitz (gone now, to abstract imho) Panzerleader (gone too) Arab-Israeli wars (gone but most intersting of 3 still today) Tobruk (and all related articles from general mag) Advanced Tobruk (AT)(couple of years ago) AT-Panther line AT-Kursk AT-4 desert expansions SL ASL - Paratrooper - Yanks - Beyond Valour - West of Alamain - Streets of Fire (Deluxe ASL) - Hedgerow Hell (Deluxe ASL) - Pegasus Bridge (Historical ASL) - Stalingrad/Red Barricades (Historical ASL) B17 Pattons best Gladiator Rise of the luftwaffe (GMT) Luftwaffe (AH) Flat Top I envy you for submarine as that was on the top of my wishlist but never came to the store in Amsterdam (the American discount-an exotic store in those days...) Postordering (and pocketmoney) stopped any plans for ordering overseas. Cant have em all right? Cheers, trebb Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barkhorn1x 9 Posted March 30, 2010 Man, nice collection. Between the two of us we could open up a game store! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trebby 0 Posted March 30, 2010 (edited) Yep we could, there is quite some overlap too, scary. It gets better, same age, too. Edited March 30, 2010 by trebby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
