Quick scenario - camels and DR-1's

[tdacon]

I'm kind of new to OFF. Up until now I've mostly been flying the Quick Combat turkey shoots to learn how to fly and maneuver. A couple of times I've tried the first Quick Scenario: I'm in a flight of Camels above a flight of DR-1's who have just, so it says, become aware of us. First thing I do, as soon as the scenario starts, is instantly, within less than a half-second, hit the Pause button and clean up the map to 1NM scale and aircraft only. Then I hit the P key again to start the clock, find the plane pitching way up and reach for the trim key to trim the ship out, and both times I've tried this scenario I am IMMEDIATELY killed, I mean IMMEDIATELY, even before my finger can move from the P to the 7 key. I don't think the game clock has been running for more than two seconds.

 

So what is it with this scenario? Does this happen to you guys too? And if so, what's the point of this thing supposed to be?

 

Thanks for any insights you can offer,

Tom

[NS13Jarhead]

tdacon,

 

It almost sound like you're trying to fly this with the keyboard and mouse. A joystick is a must. Some say the same for rudder pedals and TrackIR, but I'm too cheap to buy them (yet).

 

A couple of recommendations:

1. Ignore the "trim" it won't make that much of a difference until you're much more familiar with the game and even then, it's just to make cruising between waypoints easier.

2. If your rudder is set to "auto" turn it off and use some form of rudder control - pedals or twisty stick or whatever your joystick provides you with (I've got a paddle on the throttle on my Saitek X45).

3. Set your map to "aircraft" and "1 mile" immediately (which you're already doing - good call).

4. Set your fuel and ammo to "unlimited" in the workshop (but only until you get the hang of OFF - otherwise it's cheating).

5. If you haven't done so already, set up a series of Quick Combat missions with you and a wingman against 1 enemy until you're comfortable, then increase the number and repeat. Also it helps to have everyone else at "rookie" skill level.

6. Start a campaign and just fly and enjoy. Don't rush from combat to combat with the "warp" function. Fly to the waypoints so that you can get the feel of controling your craft.

[+Olham]

tdacon, welcome here in the OFF World!

Although I don't know what goes wrong your end, I recommend to use the "Quick Combat" for training.

First you create a training pilot, then you go to the "Quick Combat" menue.

There you can select your aircraft, your number of wingmen, your start position (field, 5.000 feet, 10.000 feet etc.);

and the same for your opponent.

You can also choose, whether you are in advantage, equal, or disadvantage to your enemy.

You can choose the season, and the time of day.

 

So you can build everything there, that you may find in "Turkey Shoot", and much more.

 

AND: you will have a little more time, before you meet your opponents.

 

If it's true, that you fly OFF with keyboard and mouse, I can only say: forget about that.

Even in less realistic settings, this is still a flight sim. A joystick is the first thing to have - an absolute must.

If it is a twist stick, you don't need rudder pedals. But rudder is essential here, so get a good twist stick, like my

Thrustmaster T.Flight Stick X (26,39 Euro at AMAZON).

TrackIR is some big thing to have - when you get addicted to flying flight sims, you should get one sooner or later;

you will feel like in the cockpit; you just look around without keys or hat switch.

 

If you have questions, please ask. And please give me a PM with your home town and country -

I want to add you to our OFF Forum Pilots maps. Thanks!

[+Polovski]

Hi Tom

It's also mentioned in the FAQ see Q33.

 

http://www.overflandersfields.com/FAQ.htm

[Winston DoRight]

Simply engage auto-trim. It instantly tames the Camels tendency to pitch up violently. Make sure you turn it off before you use warp.

[Barkhorn1x]

Hello tdacon - new guy buys the beer, BTW.

 

Quick Scenarios 1 - 3 are tough as the enemy starts behind you in an excellent attack position whereas your side needs to maneuver. So, they immediately start blasting away and often it is the player that catches it.

 

Don't know why they were designed that way. Perhaps to discipline the player into always checking the pilot never dies box?

[Herr Prop-Wasche]

I have found that if you press Pause after the black and white screen with MvR and other pilots show up but before the game screen loads, the game will pause immediately. While paused this way, look around and see who or what may be shooting or crashing into you. Note: sometimes you have to press Pause twice quickly in succession after the game screen shows so all of the graphics are loaded. Then you can look around and see what may be lurking about!

[tdacon]

Thanks, folks. This sounds like real good advice. I'll try the scenario again with auto-trim, and full throttle as soon as I start, and see if I can survive long enough to look around and get some situational awareness.

 

Likewise it looks like building some custom scenarios of increasing complexity will be the way to go, to get a little better at shooting and scooting. Even in the one-on-one turkey shoot I'm getting better at setting up the kill.

 

Thanks for your good suggestions.

 

Tom