Finally Going to Start Playing OFF - Need PC Help

[Von Paulus 8]

If you go for Corsair, go for the HX models, which are more reliable than TX.

It was Parky who told me this, and after a few researches I confirmed that he was right.

[bruceD 1]

I've been following this thread for awhile now and since I got hooked on OFF, I've been think of a new build myself. Right now I use a 22" Samsung and OFF runs just barely good enough at 1050x1680 at around 55 FPS. It hesitates quite a bit, but runs just well enough to get by. I'm really surprised you don't want to go with AMD MB and CPU as they seem to offer better bang for the buck and a "slight" amount of futureproofing.Although for a graphics card I still like the GTX460 1Gb by Gigabyte. OK its not top notch, but it sure is a great card for the money.

 

Since I'll be staying at 1050x1680 I just wonder how much MB and CPU I really need to run OFF fairly smooth ? I was going to go with an I5-750, but for the same money I think I can do better with AMD, even though I've always had Intel. Is there a reason no one really talks about AMD ?

 

 

[Panama Red 22]

The new AMD six cores bump up to 3.6 MHz so that should equal them to the Intel CPU's that also bump up to 3.6 MHz.

 

I used AMD CPU's for years and years, it was only with this last PC that I went over to the "dark side" and bought an Intel CPU (i7 975) that Turboed up to 3.6 (witn Crossfire 4890's). As a result, with this PC, I can finally run OFF smoothly ranging from 25 FPS on the ground with my wingmates to 60 FPS (with VSync on) flying using a 25" 1920 x 1200 HP monitor.

Edited August 17, 2010 by Panama Red

[bruceD 1]

You may be quite right about the setting problem. I've read all the faq's about settings, but I still have issues with real smoothness.One of the biggest I have is when I fly low to the ground. I'm using the sopwith Tripe which turns fairly quick. Problem is when I turn fast I'll see like white triangles or patches of white on the ground. As I said I'm running at 1050 x 1680 which is the natural res of my LCD monitor. I have a 2.67 Ghz Core 2 Duo running a 8800GT 512 with 2GB of RAM.

 

I'm not trying to steal this thread, so If this needs to be moved just let me know. But If I can get this to run smooth enough I can put off building my new PC a little longer and get the funds ready to do so.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

[Von Paulus 8]

Reduce the scenery and terrain settings one notch down.

Try to balance your Nvidia drivers more for performance than quality. Watch out for your AA settings.

[bruceD 1]

Its funny I had the same white triangles when I was trying to run Red Baron 3D, but they were different triangles.I'm also reading Scott Muellers book repairing and updating PC's which at over 1000 pages will take me awhile, but I want to know more about PC's. All this info does is fuel my curiousity about why and how different PC components work together.

I also can't figure out why when I change my settings in OFF like shut off stress and G forces I can still hear the airframe creaking and see the screen shaking when I go over around 150 mph in a dive. Granted I'm practiving in the quick missions, but shouldn't changing the settings affect the quick missions as well?

I hope that GTX 460 1GB Gigabyte video card will have enough memory for OFF. I was going to get it now and use it , but I'm sure my old slow CPU would just bottleneck it anyway.

I'll try those changes ffor the scenery, anything else you could think of ?

[BirdDogICT 3]

BruceD,

 

I recently built a "budget" machine that runs OFF (and everything else I throw at it) very well:

 

AMD AM3 dual core processor (X2 550) overclocked to 3.6

ASUS M4A79XTD mother board

4MB G.Skill Ripjaws memory overclocked to 1600MHz

Corsair TX750 watt power supply

Sapphire Radeon HD 5770 1MB DDR5 memory (not overclocked)

Antec 900 Two case

Zalman 9700 cooler

Seagate Barracude 1TB SATA hard drive

LG 24" Widescreen Monitor

Windows 7 Home Edition 64 bit

TrackIR 4

CH Pro Pedals, Pro Throttle, Fighterstick

 

There's nothing special about any of the components or anything I've done in tweaking the system. I just make sure that I do regular maintenance defragging the hardrive and registry. When I build a budget machine, I usually leave room for potential future processor, graphics and memory upgrades.

[bruceD 1]

Well I shut off shadows and reduced the scenery and terrain, to the point of having no trees at all, and still get the white triangles. Though I must admit, without the trees I get much smoother framerates, but surprisingly not higher framerates, still around 55 - 56. Looks like thats the best I can do, at least for now anyways. I'll have to program my stick to F4 so I can switch views ,better than hitting the actual F4 key all the time.

 

So is the virtual cockpit view the best one for flying the plane with a forward view?. I usually keep using the chase view for the wider angle then switch back to virtual cockpit to shoot them down with. Cloudy days are murder though as I usaully can see planes or they suddenly just disappear, instead of graduallly fading away into a cloud.

 

 

[bruceD 1]

Never really had a Control Stick I could program, so you can actually put things like F4 and have a button on the Joystick configured for F4? I also changed the terrian and scenery under windows and changed them to on eof the settings precribed in the Graphics card setups for Nvidia cards and now the white triangles are gone, at least so far anyway. Only problem is now all I get is constant rain, its april and before it was sunny, so its hard to make a comparison from before to the settings I have now.

[bruceD 1]

No TrackIR here, so I tried to fly without using exterior views, and promptly got shot down a lot.I'm not even sure my stick has POV, but I think it does. I got so caught up in OFF, I sort of forgot about everything. I remember using it in EAW quite a bit. I haven't ventured back to the campaign in quite awhile. Been doing the quick sorties, and trying to shoot down every German aircraft I can with my trusty Sopwith Tripe. That plane is great, except for once in awhile it just seems to snap roll for no apparent reason, especially If I get heavy handed with the controls. Only gone to veteran pilots so far , didn't enable the aces yet. But tried 2 wingamen last night and my neck hurts still from looking around so much !

 

Thanks muchly for the tips. Any other OFF sites I should know about?

 

 

[themightysrc 5]

I have to concur with UncleAl here - you simply must get TrackIR if you want to enjoy the game to the full - I'd be lost now without it. He's also correct about the aircraft he mentions, although I'd add that life as a Brisfit pilot can be pretty good fun, as your tail is very well protected by twin Lewises! let the AI gunner exercise his deadly aim on the Huns, and enjoy chasing them around the sky.

 

One final point though: this isn't an ordinary game. I spent - literally - months getting stomped by the AI opposition, and couldn't figure out why, given that I'd prospered playing RB3D and FE. The penny finally dropped when I realised that every new pilot I created, I flew as a new pilot: I ignored the basic rules of WWI air fighting. So...

 

Stay high.

Never go into an unnecessary fight.

Don't swan off on your own.

Stick to the mission, except when the odds manifestly turn against you. Run away, if that happens.

Keep looking round for enemy planes - even with TAC on.

Climb out of trouble if you can, dive if you must.

Don't fixate on targets - you'll get killed sooner rather than later.

Disabling two enemy planes in a fight is of more use to you than shooting down one.

Hit and run, rather than dogfight.

Know where you are at all times, and have your escape route ready.

Never fly low, unless you wish to get it in the neck from both above and below.

 

And, finally, remember - there are bold pilots; there are old pilots. There are no old, bold pilots.

 

The above is the Dikta MightySRC!

[bruceD 1]

Thats the thing I'm practicing in the quick missions or sorties where you pick your fights and aircraft your flying against. But then the enemy aircraft just never seem to attack very much they just make an attack and then fly just below stall speed close to the ground. They don't really mix it up much. Just to clarify though ,I haven't bought the Hat in the Ring add-on yet, so anything that was added with that I don't have yet.

Sopwith Tripe is my aircraft, and I like it a lot, except for the singel gun, but that will improve my shooting... I hope !

[bruceD 1]

I happen to read your tip on displaying hit accuracy, so I copied it it down with a few others. I will add to this as I go along and learn more. That thing the AI aircraft do flying so slow and staying close to the ground really doesn't help in dogfighting practice, but it does teach you not to go too slow really close to the ground. I finally just kept coming in again and again and taking shots, what is it called zoom and boom, or something like that. The enemy usually sustains enough damage and just crash into the ground.

 

I also did manage somehow to bring down a Fokker DVII by slamming into it with my landing gear, and no I wasn't trying to copy Waldo Pepper, I just got too close !