This was big fun - flying after RAF_Louvert's map

[Olham 164]

Today I wanted to know it: can I fly after a real paper map in OFF? Yes, I can - and you could also do it quite easily.

 

First, I took the right bit of RAF_Louvert's Western Front Map and printed that out on letter size paper.

Then I studied possible landmarks to get me to my target area: Furnes airfield - I drew a course into the map with a red crayon.

And OFF we went!

After take off, we followed the river Lys to Menen, where we turned W-NW to follow the road to Ypres.

We passed Ypres easterly, and followed the Canal Furnes-Ypres. At Bixehoote, we flew along the road north to Dixmude.

Northwest of Merckem village we sighted D.F.W. bombers and Loerzer's distinctive black-white Albatros of Jasta 26 performing a ground attack.

Passing the large water bassin and Woummen town, we came to Dixmude, where we turned W-NW to follow the road to Furnes.

 

The flying felt different - it felt somehow "grown up" - I had a map, had overview, had the control about our flight path.

I enjoyed it so much, that I didn't need any enemy fighter and dog fights!

Although the water ways didn't always look quite right, it was possible to use them in combination with roads, as an orientation.

I still used the inflight map for paused counter checks, to see if I was still right, but I intend to drop the inflight map completely.

with the thrilling chance of course to "verfranzen" myself. (to take wrong turns)

 

It was very easy to find the large water bassin, which is in Lou's map, S-SW of Woummen. From there, the roads were a clear and easy guide.

In modern Google maps, names can be different. Curnes = Kuurne; Ypres = Ieper; Paschendaele = Passendale; Dixmude = Diksmude;

and Furnes = Veurne; it's all more Flamish now, but I could find, where I had been.

This was great fun, and I will carry on using the map in future.

Try it - it is quite rewarding.

Lou, thank you so much for the map - today, in my mind, I sat over the map with you, with a hot mug of tea or coffee, exchange ideas about OFF flying.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2010 by Olham

[77Scout 3]

Well done Olham. It adds a whole additional level to the simulation, doesn't it.

 

I have been using your recently posted maps (the Rabu maps with your airfield icons added) and they work great too. Thanks for all that work you did.

[Olham 164]

Yes, it is a very different feeling in the air, Scout. I didn't feel so lost or so depending on ingame aids.

I felt very free.

I will try Rabu's map too. It may be even more according to the ingame situation.

Then again, Lou's map looks more realistic. I'll try both the next weeks.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

WOOO HOOO! Another convert. Glad you enjoyed the experience Olham, flying by "paper" map gives another very deep immersion level to this sim. Also, you will find after a time of doing this in the same AO that you will start flying by landmarks more and more, and referring to the map very little, (just like our RL counterparts did back in the day). BTW, for those who might be looking for it, here is the link to the post of the map I put together:

 

Western Front Map Post

 

Enjoy.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

.

[themightysrc 5]

That does it: I'm really going to have to try this.

 

I guess it's easier given that the map we have in the game is, er, not optimal, so I tend to use it only for waypointing and thereafter float about a Google map of wherever I'm headed, but I think that the time has come to finally take the plunge and do it properly with printed paper maps (possibly laminated, if I can sneak them into work - f*** knows how you laminate an A3 map!).

 

I've noticed that the better I've become at flying in OFF, and the more things I hit with both bomb and bullet, and the easier I find dogfighting - in a BE2c of all contraptions, for God's sake - then the more I'm beginning to nudge towards DiD and chucking away the player aids. I'm not quite ready to fully ditch TAC, although I have the white blobs mod and the opaque labels as well, and don't think I could pilot without the onscreen compass - did they really not put one in the BE's? - however I'm slowly but surely getting into a semi-DiD mode, and this seems the next logical step.

 

I'll let you know how I get on (with a new pilot, I hasten to add...).

 

Cheers,

Si

[77Scout 3]

don't think I could pilot without the onscreen compass

 

Flying with no compass is hard, and doing that in full DiD while using paper-maps is probably the pinnacle of being 'hard core'. Nevertheless, it actually can be done, and when you survive and even get good at it it is damn rewarding.

 

On sunny days, you can use the sun and time of day to determine what direction is what, without too much difficulty. On sunless days you really have to keep a very close eye on landmarks and your map at all times, and you can thus stay aware of where you are and the direction you are heading. This will keep you very busy throughout the flight, but is a very enjoyable challenge. After any scrap you will be all turned around and lost, which I find to actually be great fun. You have to figure out where you are by comparing landmarks to the map. Being lost is a thrill and danger that real pilots experienced all the time, but that the typical OFF pilot (using in-game map and other aids) is totally missing out on.

 

Now for real fun, do this all in an OFF-generated snowstorm (grin).

[Olham 164]

themightysrc: f*** knows how you laminate an A3 map!

 

Well, Lou's whole map is pretty large, but if you have access to a program like Photoshop

or Corel Draw or other, you may choose excerpts from the map.

I picked the area around Bisseghem, and made a DIN A4 map (letter paper size).

That was large enough for me.

 

77Scout: After any scrap you will be all turned around and lost, which I find to actually be great fun.

You have to figure out where you are by comparing landmarks to the map.

Being lost is a thrill and danger that real pilots experienced all the time, but that the typical OFF pilot

(using in-game map and other aids) is totally missing out on.

 

Now for real fun, do this all in an OFF-generated snowstorm (grin).

 

Man, you are the REAL hard stuff - I may still need another year to get that far.