Ok post your thoughts of RoF here

[Wodin 0]

Dagger,

 

Again I ment nothing by it when I thought it would be best if Jason stayed out of this thread because as I saw it the question was aimed at Customers and how they saw the game not a Q&A with the developer....it just struck me that people wouldn't air their views if they had negative things to say about the game if the developer jumped in defending it and saying were being irrational...look at the trouble this thread has caused already and I see nothing wrong said here at all....storm in a tea cup and a massive overreaction going on.

 

By the way I'm a member of RoF forums under the name Woden...so I'm neither biased not anti any sims...I don't even know what sim combatace is supposed to be biased about...

 

Also there seems to be contradicting viewpoints by the Mods here...JediMaster seems to get what is going on and Dagger seems to be overly sensitive...IF the question in the original OP had been phrased differently or if Jason had stated he will always answer irrational viewpoints then none of this storm in a tea cup would have happened.

 

I've re read all the posts on this thread and no one had trashed RoF (what is the definition of trashing? That could mean any negative comment at all) at all nor have they attacked anyone personally...they have voiced their opinions of RoF which is what the original OP asked for...

 

Like I said the original post was asking our thoughts on RoF....now were being asked to only ask questions on RoF and not to say our thoughts unless positive, infact if we have any negative thoughts we should sell it and move on but definatly not voice them nor compare to any other sim quote "Like I said if you don't like, don't buy it, and if you did, you have seen just an e-mail will get the account switched. Sell it and move on, don't just complain and flame. If you have a question, post it as just that a question, NOT well this sim sucks because it doesn't have this or that. Don't say well this sim sucks because the sim I fly has this or that and this one doesn't. Ask your question, be polite, then wait for an answer." Oh by the way no one in this thread said RoF sucked nor did they flame. I mean again flaming and sucked are subjective like saying someone is a troll for voicing a negative comment...what would be considered flaming as if it's any post on this thread then I'm at a loss..

 

Again the original post was for our THOUGHTS on RoF now it's please ask questions about RoF, not sure why we were asked if were not allowed to answer....

 

So I think Jedimaster talks sense and Dagger has overeacted because for some reason it looked as if this thread was a massive personal attack on RoF and Jason...which it isn't and was never ment to be like that either.

Edited January 29, 2011 by Wodin

[Dagger 21]

I don't think I over reacted at all, you are correct in that nobody has flamed, nor has anybody made any personal attacks. My problem to be honest is when a Game owner/developer is told he should stay out of a topic of conversation that concerns his game. I asked for opinions, I got them. Jason then came by at the invitation of combatace, read the posts, and set some things straight. If it had been OFF, or any other sim, I would have expected the same thing if a owner/developer, could clear up some information that was dated and had changed.

The fact the thread is still open and not edited shows that we are not going to hide anything that someone dislikes about a sim. My suggestion of if you don't like it, sell it, is aimed at anyone who just wants to always post negative things about it, not try to get the problem fixed. As for saying you can't post any neg. comments, if you have a problem post it, it won't get fixed unless someone knows about it.. I for one am glad Jason came by and jumped in and answered the questions. He cleared up some info that was dated, and he tried to be helpful.

Yes I did apologize to him on the RoF forum, why did I do that? Because he came here after being invited by the site owner and myself, to do just what he did, answer questions, and set the record straight on things. Then he is told he should stay out of the topic, and chill out, That is the reason I was over there doing that. he was doing nothing more than we asked him to do. I am glad the information is out there now, and folks can make a better decision base on correct information. That was the reason for the original post, to get a better idea about the sim based on informed experiences.

This is a WW1 sim forum, and it will never become a 1 sim fan boy site, unless the boss says so. Like has been said before, we as WW1 simmers need to come together, we need to work together, NOT set up"my sim is better than yours"camps.

There is actually some good points made, and some things fixed here, so yes it a good thing for folks to disagree, but to do it in a polite way, with respect, and restraint.

Edited January 29, 2011 by Dagger

[Wodin 0]

Would have been good if it had been mentioned that Jason was being invited to answer our critisims. Still I say again if your ead my post in a freidnly way (which was how I wrote it ) you I hope will see nothing malicious in it at all. It was some friendly advice because to me and maybe to others it felt that those very detractors he was trying to convince would only get their back up even more if they felt they couldn't post in a neutral forum without the developer coming along to pretty much say they are wrong and irrational. The most unbiased opinions will be from customers not the developer...surely thats obvious.

 

Anyway enough said...I apologise to Jason. I never ment anything untoward...just some advice to be honest.

[Tamper 9]

First of all, let me offer my thanks to Dagger for being open-minded enough to keep this discussion open. No one needs to be offended, really - and there's no reason everyone shouldn't be allowed to express their perspective - as long as it's civil, and I do believe it has been in this case.

 

This is of the utmost importance, since I think it is discussions just like this that will ultimately bring about products that are the best they can be. Is it always easy to confront honest criticism? No, but then real improvement is seldom easy, either.

 

That being said, I still think Wodin has a point:

 

... those very detractors he was trying to convince would only get their back up even more if they felt they couldn't post in a neutral forum without the developer coming along to pretty much say they are wrong and irrational.

 

There's a crucial point here, and I hope we don't lose focus by placing too much emphasis on the words being used - what matters is the thought that's being conveyed. I think it is absolutely imperative that any customer - any user of any product - should be able to freely express their views on that product (again, without personal insult, etc.). The problem is exactly what Wodin describes: The tactic commonly used to move focus away from the real issues, by claiming personal attack or insult, or dismissing the complaints by attacking the originator as irrational.

 

And I hope people recognize it for what it is - I know I do; it's apparent that Wodin does, and I know quite a few others in 'the community' that know it, as well.

 

I'm not going to tie up time and space here by making the countless examples I could. If you take an objective look around, you'll see it. It's undeniable.

 

Have there been any 'personal attacks' against Jason/777? Perhaps, but maybe not. I think you'd be hard pressed to find anything where someone says "Jason you're an SOB" or something like that (in the public posts; can't speak for private emails, etc) . I think what you will likely find is people using perhaps strong words to express their complaints against a company. But, as I explained above, these are complaints being expressed to Jason as the entity that owns RoF...not against Jason the person. Therefore, you cannot say these are "personal" attacks or insults. It is a part of running any business to have to field customer complaints with your product - and guess what? There's no law anywhere that says the customer has to be nice about it!

Now, before anyone goes off on me, I'm not defending rude behavior, I'm just saying that the company can't fail to address a real problem just by claiming they are being personally attacked. Again, we're confusing the person with the business entity. And it's not the customer's responsibility if a company's staff can't separate themselves personally from their work.

 

I think the "personal attack" tactic is way over-used to avoid discussing some of the more obvious problems in this product.

The problem is that, if people don't feel they can discuss flaws, then the product is far less likely to improve.

 

If we want to discuss what is 'good for the community' then you have to include this aspect of that discussion.

 

If you want to discuss what 'the community doesn't need', then you have to acknowledge that over-using "personal attack" as an excuse to evade a 'sticky' subject is a common problem, and the community actually suffers for this behavior.

 

... The most unbiased opinions will be from customers not the developer...surely thats obvious.

 

Wodin, I hope it is obvious. As I stated earlier, I have nothing to gain or lose by giving an honest opinion, where it should be obvious that anyone officially connected to any product will inherently have at least some bias toward that product. It's not just Jason, so it shouldn't be turned into a personal attack. It's business, and it's also human nature.

 

... Anyway enough said...I apologise to Jason. I never ment anything untoward...just some advice to be honest.

 

I don't honestly believe anyone here has doen anything other than offer honest input. And that's precisely what was solicited.

 

Sometimes, I swear it seems like producers try to prove they're "listening to the community", by making public 'appearances' to solicit input. But then, when that input turns too critical and honest - even when there is no personal attack or insult , it becomes "I'm not going to sit here and let you personally insult me".

 

Jason says [sic] Developers often won't show up in forums because they get attacked by ungrateful mobs (I'm paraphrasing, intentionally). In my opinion, it's more accurate to say that Developers often won't show up because they're too personally vested in their work to take criticism as anything other than a personal insult.

 

Just my opinions.

[Tamper 9]

I just read (what I believe is) the review. Forget everything I said earlier; there's obviously no point.

[Wodin 0]

Just wondered Dagger of you have ever played a game that you really didn't like? Or has it always been fixable problems? Sometimes it isn't an actual problem that can be fixed. Sometimes a game just doesn't work for you and when you have paid hard earned cash for something you have every right to say whatever you like about it both positive and negative..I've seen hundreds of reviews on all kinds of products and many are saying very negative things...reason being they have given over their money and whatever it was doesn't meet upto their expectations. However if someone isn't happy at all with RoF they cannot vent their frustrations\anger out here and even though they have given 777 money....I think if you take money for a product you have to take both good and bad comments and maybe deal with angry customers...as Tamper says suddenly 777 isn't a business it's a person called Jason.

[Dagger 21]

Just wondered Dagger of you have ever played a game that you really didn't like? Or has it always been fixable problems? Sometimes it isn't an actual problem that can be fixed. Sometimes a game just doesn't work for you and when you have paid hard earned cash for something you have every right to say whatever you like about it both positive and negative..I've seen hundreds of reviews on all kinds of products and many are saying very negative things...reason being they have given over their money and whatever it was doesn't meet upto their expectations. However if someone isn't happy at all with RoF they cannot vent their frustrations\anger out here and even though they have given 777 money....I think if you take money for a product you have to take both good and bad comments and maybe deal with angry customers...as Tamper says suddenly 777 isn't a business it's a person called Jason.

Lets take this one thing at a time.

Trust me I have a desk drawer full of games, flights, FPS, RTS, you name it, that I didn't like for one reason or another. Some were fixable, some were not. There are fewer titles that I do like compared to the number I don't like or even just flat out hate. I could spend all day trashing several titles, a few mods, and add-ons that I spent money on and was very disappointed with the end product, So I have become very cynical about sims claims, especially mods of older titles, and add-ons from 3rd parties. I even beta tested a couple titles that I didn't like right from the start.

I never said you couldn't say negative things about a game, I believe I said without constructive criticism a game will never get fixed, as how will they know what is broken. What I said was no personal attacks, saying a game needs this or that fixed is not a personal attack, asking where is this or that in the game is not an attack, asking when or if do you plan on fixing this or that is not a personal attack.

If anybody feels the need to vent their anger at anybody, not just 777 Studios, but anybody, or any company, I am assuming by venting you are not happy and want to call them out and tell them what a low down rotten so and so they are for you buying a game they made and you didn't like it, which is what a vent to me means, and then it becomes a personal attack. Lets set the record straight first, a personal attack is when you make comments about a person or a company just to let them know you are not happy and don't mention why and get nasty(for lack of a better term). I mean if you felt the need to vent and posted " well you made a game, and I bought it and I am not happy with it at all so you suck, and your company sucks." That is a personal attack, period end of story, BUT if you buy a game and are not happy with it or have a problem with it and post something along the lines of "I bought this game and hated it, it is buggy and this or that doesn't work" or even "when do you plan to fix this problem, or that problem" You can be negative without making it sound personal. I'll give you an example, and this did happen. The reason I am even on this site was it was a LOMAC site, we were all waiting on it's release. The game was finally released, and yeah it had some bugs, but it was alright, right up until their copy protection fried my disc drive. I hated starforce after that and have refused to buy any title that has it on it. I made a post about it, along with several others who had the same thing happen, my post was along the lines of "your copy protection caused me to have to buy a new disc drive, what are your plans to fix that part of the game, or are you going to do nothing about it?" That was all I said, that was all I needed to say in public, BUT you can be sure my e-mail to them wasn't nearly as nice, if I had posted what I e-mailed them I would have been banned from here in a hot new York second. Like I said we want folks to post their problems, their question in a civil constructive way. If anybody feels the need to rant and vent, before posting remember a carrot works better than a stick, and it keeps problems down. This applies to ALL forums here, and as a matter of fact to other sites as well.

I agree once a company puts it product out for the public, then yes they have to take the good with the bad, BUT to a point. Nothing personal is a big one for me, If someone feels the need to make it personal, I am telling you take it off board. You are more than welcome to post your feelings after buying Rise of Flight, we want you to, we encourage you to, how else will 777 learn if there is a problem. All I am saying is do it a constructive manner, like an adult, and there will be no problems. This isn't just for this forum, but all of combatace. That's what I am trying to say, you can be negative, but don;'t make it personal, and don't feel like the company is out to get just you.

Yes 777 is suddenly Jason, just like Thirdwire is suddenly TK, and we expect the same level of respect in that forum as here. People post things on the internet they would never say in person, and that bothers me, yes Jason, TK, or whoever are their companies, BUT they are also just working guys, and while I am sure they don't like hearing bad things about their games, until someone releases a game that pleases 100% of the people(like that will ever happen), they are going to and have to be ready for it. I have been a member here for a very long time, and on staff for most of it, I know how they feel when I see negative things posted about combatace, and it makes me pretty mad, but I have learned to try my best to solve those problems, so I have a little insight into how they must feel when it is their baby.

I'll get down from my soap box and hope that this clears up any thoughts that I was saying no negative comments, I didn't say that, I hope if you have a problem you post it, same as if you have a good experience you post that also. This doesn't apply to just here, but any sim, or shooter, or what ever you play.

Edited January 30, 2011 by Dagger

[Wodin 0]

Dagger,

 

I understand where your coming from and I agree. It just seemed odd that this thread has been considered in negative terms. The "Jason needs to chill" comment has been misunderstood. How can we be to blame here when we where never given the information that Jason had been invited over to comment on our thoughts? If I had known I'd certainly never had said it. Though no malice was ment when I did. I've read countless threads that would be considered rude and damn right insulting which needed an apology. For this thread to be considered in the same way and require an apology which then makes it seem even worse is in my opinion wrong. It has turned the thread into something nasty which I know I never ment anything nasty at all. It has also most likely confirmed to the RoF forum goers that CombatAce has bad apples. Even though I see nothing on here, when it's all taken in context, to give that impression.

 

I also find it strange that two mods on the same site have conflicting views over this particular thread. Especially as one of them felt so strongly it required a public apology. Obviously Jedimaster read my post the way it was ment to be read. With no underlying malice or hatred.

 

I'd reply over at RoF my side of things but the thread is locked...............

[Dagger 21]

Wodin,

The long and short of it is simply this, Jason was invited here to do just what he did, set the record straight, he didn't say he was attacked here. He gave the facts of the game, not old facts, but current ones. We shouldn't have to announce that anybody is coming to post, I don't care who it is. How many other game owners do you see coming and posting on sites outside their own, or their "official" outside sites?

TK and others comes here from time to time and posts, and we have not announced him coming, so we are not going to start now. Anybody can post on any forum, answer any question, as long as they follow the rules. Yes even game owners and developers have to agree to follow the same rules as everyone else. If they come here and start attacking folks for saying negative things about their game I will treat them no different from anybody else.

As far as 2 mods seeing things different, maybe that's because I invited Jason here, along with the site owner, finally get him to come back and give us updates, and the first time he makes a post and answers question, he is told he shouldn't have posted on that thread, he should sit back and chill out. I for one was glad to see him here and answering questions.

If I came to a forum and was thinking about buying a sim, and saw a thread asking about it, I would want the correct information. NOT old and dated views from folks who tried it in the past. My review is based on the current state of the game, NOT the original release, so I could give a current and up to date view of the game.

As far as other threads go that sound bad, I don't look over all the forums, just certain ones, and I haven't seen any in them. I might just look at certain sub forums inside a forum at that. If you see one that you think is bad and breaks the rules, report it to us.

Edited January 30, 2011 by Dagger

[Tamper 9]

BUT if you buy a game and are not happy with it or have a problem with it and post something along the lines of "I bought this game and hated it, it is buggy and this or that doesn't work" or even "when do you plan to fix this problem, or that problem" You can be negative without making it sound personal.

 

OK, then...to 'borrow' your words:

 

I bought RoF, and hated it (although it's gotten better). I am not happy with (certain parts) of it.

 

The damage model claims by it's producer seem to be inaccurate; there are many videos, postings, etc. all over the internet to prove this. One shows a Dr1 flying with almost the entire top wing gone - no ailerons at all - and then the same plane goes on to shoot down (5) Camels, with no apparent loss of control or even any ill effect on the Dr1 at all.

 

Another common problem is planes that crash into the ground seldom if ever have damage to the fuselage that are proportional to the impact.

 

There are many other examples of problems with the damage model that is supposedly superior. It would seem impossible that a DM - as advanced as this one claims to be - would never allow for such things to happen.

 

It may be that the Damage Model is/was designed or intended to be superior, but in practice there are ovious issues.

 

When does the publisher plan to fix this problem?

Edited January 30, 2011 by Tamper

[Wodin 0]

I bought the game five weeks ago and disagree with your review so my thoughts aren't dated. I agree it shines in certain areas but I stand by and I'm sure Tamper does with our opinions of the game whether they are irrational or don't agree with yours or Jason's. The game has little single player involvement and at the minute it struggles to keep me playing for long because of that. Your being very presumptuous to assume that any negatives thoughts posted here are dated and misinformed. Can't you see the dilemma here...you asked for our thoughts, didn't agree with them and dismissed them as old and dated. Why bother asking in the first place? You really should have titled this thread better. Then none of this misunderstanding, which is what it all is, would have happened.

 

I didn't read anything about the negative issues the game has in your review. Issues that even the most hardcore fan would have to agree with. Yes it may all come right in the end with the release of the single player career and more planes, however we have yet to see it to be able to make a decision. I also feel though the graphics for the planes themselves are superb the terrain is sadly lacking compared to other sims, the water is superb but the fields and especially no mans land is sub par just look at the trench systems and the way there is no gradual transistion from fields to cratered landscape. Also the current land objects are very dissapointing. The odd MG gunner here and there. Flak that is few and far between and I've yet to have it even come close when flying level and straight. A current career system that doesn't use skins nor can be played historically with any plane from pre 1917. Lack of AI two seaters for said career. So all in all the game is a work in progress. I know it and I expect many others do, what it has done in terms of FM and the feeling of flight it has no equal (though I'm sure we've all seen the footage of a Dr1 flying with no top wing) but it still has a long way to go before I'd say it has become a fully fledged sim. I didn't read any of that in your review. The best reviews no matter how good the person thought the game was are ones that point out any negatives the game has. The only con you had was the system required to run it...I don't have a top range system but run it fine and it looks great so I wouldn't agree with your one and only con. The tone of your review was that the game could do no wrong and you where a believer, infact you where getting a tingling feeling before really getting stuck in. I think you should have played it a few weeks then when that initial "oh my god this is amazing" (I'm as guilty as the next for this, many a time I've got a new game and thought amazing only to find a few weeks later it wasn't as amazing as I first thought. Thing is I don't review these games) has worn off taken a good objective look. I'm not saying you should have slagged off a sim you enjoy that would be silly, by all means heap praises but you should also in the same breath point out any negatives\flaws the sim has and please don't say it doesn't have any because no game is perfect.

 

Oh and one last thing I was generalising about bad things being said about games\people in forums not this particular one. I don't believe you've never read a forum post anywhere on the net that wasn't rude or out of order.

Edited January 30, 2011 by Wodin

[Dagger 21]

First about my review, I feel it was done in a matter that was fair, and from my point of view accurate. Yes it is a work in progess, that's why there have been 16 updates with more on the way. As for sim out there that are better, in the WW1 cat.? I haven't seen one. I still enjoy RB3D as my squadron still flys and fights it. As for the others, I have ArgonsV mod for Fighter squadron, but I will not invest money for a mod on a sim that is 10-20 years old, with dated graphics, and limited by a very old game engine, or needs to have a sim I absolutely hated to start with.

What you just pointed out are things that need to be brought to 777 studios attention if you feel they need attention. That is what I said, they can't fix what they don't know about. I usually fly MP, so that is the one part of this sim that has me the most excited. The MP is rock solid, and every server I have flown in has been the same. Unlike alot of other sims this one will also be hard ot cheat in, not impossible, but hard. I don't care if a sim has the most perfect single player career, or campain, with out MP I would be hard pressed to give it a 5.0.

I guess we will just agree to disagree, and leave it at that.

[Wodin 0]

"I don't care if a sim has the most perfect single player career, or campain, with out MP I would be hard pressed to give it a 5.0."

 

Lets hope you don't review OFF phase 4 then. Not everyone flies multi player and those who don't and read your review will be misled by your very high score. You really should edit your review and state your only interested in the multi player side of the game and thats where your score lies...you should also give the game a single player score as well.

 

To be honest I can't believe you've just said that. Totally discredits your whole review...you can't review just the part you like and score it on that only....

 

Finally my problems with the game like the terrain would require a massive graphical overhaul that isn't going to happen...I know it and anyone else would know it...the other stuff will I'm sure improve over time but I'm not giving my view on how good the sim maybe sometime in the future I'm giving my opinion on what it is like now...not finished with a long way to go...but has potential...

Edited January 30, 2011 by Wodin

[Dagger 21]

I did try try the SP and enjoyed it, It gave me a chance to learn the aircraft, in both missions, campain, career, and the fly now, I shot up plains, trains, and automobiles(no really). As for OFF, I am sorry but I won't be trying it. If i want to play a WW1 sim I have 3 in RoF, RB3D, with the promised land free mod and SDOE with the WW1 mod.

[Wodin 0]

Thats a shame because your missing out with OFF...I have both and enjoy it's as they both have their merits...maybe you should give it ago you maybe surprised...but like you said if single player isn't for you then maybe RoF is the one.

 

I do think if you want us all to come together and you love WW1 sims then the more the merrier.

 

I do hope I haven't come on to strong or have upset anyone including yourself.....for me it's been a constructive debate. I did feel like commenting on your review but decided against it as it may come across as inflammatory...thats not what I wanted.

 

However I did want to comment on your apology over at RoF but the thread got locked...which in a way speaks volumes...this one didn't.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Wodin

[JediMaster 451]

Well, Dagger and I aren't the same person, so it stands to reason we'd see things differently.

 

That's why we have multiple mods here and not just one!

[JediMaster 451]

Gogamer had a sale on ROF:ICE yesterday and I picked it up for only $30 including shipping! That savings I'm sure will be translated into at least 1 extra plane later on!

[rotagen 0]

Well I guess I want everything, but I'm not happy with ROF. Why?, well the Mission Builder is like a trip to the dentist. Just try it, you'll see what I mean...and its buggy too. Software is normally written to SAVE time, here you might as well be entering the 100010101011 I hope that translated to "no software at all....just an excuse to say ""we have a mission builder""

 

Actually, if you combined First Eagles greatest feature, the random campaign generator, with ROF easily superior flight dynamics, and then gave them both the superior graphics of Wings of Prey...well you get my drift. Noone has made a combat flight sim (prop sim) that I can say did it right.

 

CFS2 was amazing, it was endlessly customizable, down to geographic positioning, I flew over death valley with data from real world 3d, etc, in a Heinkel he51 all free add ons...if only it didnt have terrible AI and buggy mission builder.

 

If anyone gets it right before I die, I would be willing to pay 100 bucks for the game, they need to get it all right though....customizable everything with endless add-on planes like CFS2, random missions and lots of planes in the sky like first eagles, beautiful terrain like Wings of Prey, etc

 

Not holding my breath, will die of cancer first....so I guess I'll continue to play one for a few hours , get extremely bored with it, then play another.

 

Oh yeah, you guys that are playing OFF, how did you avoid the extreme boredom of flying forever before you see an enemy and then having your wingmen wander off nowhere to be seen ?? I've never played a mission where there was any action near my drome. Maybe I should try it again, but I found it very dull, time compression may help I guess. And are the campaigns dynamic and random? If so I may try it again, but if I can get my old RB3D to work I still think it has way more "fun factor" than any other ww1 sim. Alot of it was just the way the planes handled, and little fun things like the customizable sounds...my pilot scream was Sam Kinison.

 

yours truly, cranky old fart.

Edited February 7, 2011 by rotagen

[Javito1986 14]

Oh yeah, you guys that are playing OFF, how did you avoid the extreme boredom of flying forever before you see an enemy and then having your wingmen wander off nowhere to be seen ?? I've never played a mission where there was any action near my drome. Maybe I should try it again, but I found it very dull, time compression may help I guess. And are the campaigns dynamic and random? If so I may try it again, but if I can get my old RB3D to work I still think it has way more "fun factor" than any other ww1 sim. Alot of it was just the way the planes handled, and little fun things like the customizable sounds...my pilot scream was Sam Kinison.

 

yours truly, cranky old fart.

 

 

 

I'm surprised nobody ever answered you. OFF simulates the WW1 air war as it was. It's certainly possible, even likely, you can fly around without making contact with enemy planes since they're often hard to see if you're not using TAC radar to make them easier -- if you do use that radar then you can find enemy planes any time you go up. It is dynamic so all the squadrons in your area, friendly and enemy, are out performing their own missions and patrols from their actual historical aerodromes. If you're flying Royal Flying Corps and you want to see Germans the place to go is the frontline. Always Jastas there, especially if you go to their side of the Line where you're likely to be bounced. Also if you fly campaign and set regional air activity to 'heavy' you will see a lot of enemy planes and probably 20 - 30 plane dogfights.

 

There is time compression to speed along the journey, use the x key to warp when there are no enemies nearby.

 

The campaign isn't meant to be instant action, it's meant to be the most exact simulation of the WW1 air war today, and it succeeds. That said, OFF has plenty of quick scenarios and quick combats if you want to just jump in and shoot stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

[themightysrc 5]

"Oh yeah, you guys that are playing OFF, how did you avoid the extreme boredom of flying forever before you see an enemy and then having your wingmen wander off nowhere to be seen ??"

 

If you hit X, you'll warp until you encounter planes. Never had wingmen wander off. Escorts, when I'm in a bloody BE2c, yes, and very annoying it is, but they're flyboys, aren't they? We're just the poor sods in two seaters. Don't get me started...

 

"I've never played a mission where there was any action near my drome."

 

Try a campaign: if you don't get a scramble to intercept incoming planes, I'll be very surprised indeed. Even we stalwarts flying BEs and RE8s have been called upon in such a manner! Madness, I tell you...

 

" Maybe I should try it again, but I found it very dull, time compression may help I guess. And are the campaigns dynamic and random?"

 

Yes, probably and yes. If you don't own OFF P3, you're doing yourself a disservice if you're into WWI flight/war sims.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Well, I kinda slagged off FE at one time...but I am really getting into it now....try as I might though..ROF doesnt really float my boat.

 

Yes, the flight Dynamics and damage modelling is superb...but after a few flights, I just feel really uninspired by it.

This, coupled with the feeling of being ripped off having to buy any aircraft worth flying, and lack of Campaign (yes, I know ones coming..but doubt it will be free...you'll probably have to buy Trees or a Hanger!)...just takes away any short lived pleasure the good points have.

 

That said...ROF has great potential...I'd be interested to see what the ICE version is like...though as I have the original, yet again, I would feel ripped off

 

(edit) oh I see...New people get some decent planes thrown in..and f*ck the rest of us...hmmm...and it plays crap on a Dual Core...but thats Microsofts fault too?...not looking good from where I'm sitting.

And there was me thinking of giving them the benefit of the doubt.

 

Nope...It's OFF and FE for me!

Edited April 16, 2011 by UK_Widowmaker

[33LIMA 972]

Like the saying goes, there's no point disputing matters of taste, but the question was asked so here's my take.

 

I'm not really keen on buying RoF. If I want to get the real experience of flight, including all the little real-world pilot stuff, I'll take flying lessons. Last time I looked, even FSX doesn't simulate you standing on the gear leg of your Cessna while hanging onto the wing and dipping a stick in the filler to check your tank is full. If I want fidelity to that sort of detail, I recommend flying lessons, for which no sim is a real substitute, not even FSX.

 

In a COMBAT flight sim I can happily live without (in fact, I much prefer not) having to worry about fuel mixture, carburretor heat, warming up my engine or watching my engine and oil temperatures and all the rest. That sort of thing is firmly at the bottom of my list of criteria for buying a combat sim. I can also happily do without having to make expensive upgrades to run at decent settings; irritating and/or intrusive DRM requirements; and limited plane sets.

 

RB3D was my kind of sim because it had the features that DID mater to me; reasonable graphics (with the mods), a great planeset, and an immersive campaign world. I also liked Rowan's Flying Corps Gold which, despite much fewer flyables and a quite different approach to campaigns, got the balance pretty well right, in its own way. Both these sims paid attention to the kind of things that mattered to me. Starting (of course!) with Biggles - being written by a real RFC/RAF WW1 veteran, it's not too far from reality - I've read a lot about WW1 air combat including the autobiographies of MvR, McCudden, Arthur Gould Lee, Duncan Grinnel-Milne, Rudolph Stark and a lot more besides. I've read the campaign histories, I've built the models (plastic and balsa), watched the movies (good and not-so-good) and I've bought and studied the Profiles, Aircams and Ospery Publications on the planes. I want a sim that gives me the feeling I get when I read the books, watch the movies (Blue Max and Aces High anyway!), study the profiles and build the models. I got that feeling from playing RB3D and FCG and now I get it from First Eagles, in spades.

 

First Eagles didn't appeal much to me when it came out; the latest patches transform it and it's my current favourite sim. Patched, it has gorgeous planes (and a decent variety of them, expanded considerably by mods) an immersive WW1 environment, good attention to historical and geographical detail, a decent campaign system, passable AI and flight models, an open architecture so even I can fine tune how it works, and no intrusive DRM. I'm not in the least bothered my plane starts with its engine running - does any sim have a 3d mechanic standing in front you can interact with to get him to spin your prop, so what's wrong with that? To me, FE is a great half-way house between FCG and RB3D but with excellent visuals, well up to current standards. Any WW1 air combat simmer who wrote off First Eagles on the basis of its first release and generally lukewarm reviews at the time is missing out on a real treat.

 

OFF I know so far only from Phase 2 where I find the AI and the clunky OFF-CFS3 interface somewhat frustrating; I plan on upgrading to Phase 3 soon.

Edited April 16, 2011 by 33LIMA

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

 

 

OFF I know so far only from Phase 2 where I find the AI and the clunky OFF-CFS3 interface somewhat frustrating; I plan on upgrading to Phase 3 soon.

 

Might be worth you holding fire until P4 comes out...have a look at the screenshots on their website!...NO cfs3 there!

[33LIMA 972]

Yeah I was considering holding off [sic] for Phase 4 tho would be concerned that the recommended spec will be ramped up again to get best results. Even my current budget card makes (patched) FE look great with low but quite acceptable FPS (and runs SFP2E somewhat better than WoE; so can likely play FE2 without an upgrade and both better than it can play Phase 2, let alone Phases 3 or 4). I've never had, nor will ever have, a cutting edge PC and OFF's strong tendency towards that end of the range, as with RoF, tends to put me off [sic] when, as is the case with First Eagles, I can get something rather excellent without a stellar and expensive PC.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Yeah I was considering holding off [sic] for Phase 4 tho would be concerned that the recommended spec will be ramped up again to get best results. Even my current budget card makes (patched) FE look great with low but quite acceptable FPS (and runs SFP2E somewhat better than WoE; so can likely play FE2 without an upgrade and both better than it can play Phase 2, let alone Phases 3 or 4). I've never had, nor will ever have, a cutting edge PC and OFF's strong tendency towards that end of the range, as with RoF, tends to put me off [sic] when, as is the case with First Eagles, I can get something rather excellent without a stellar and expensive PC.

 

Yeah, fair point m8...I dont know what the P4 spec will be..but I suspect quite high