New Pilot

[OneoftheLost 0]

Hello all! I'm not entirely sure where this belongs, so I'll post in the general section. Now, I recently purchased CFS3 and OFF (Not the expansion however. YET.) and they should arrive in a week or two. Naturally, while I wait, I had a few questions. Keep in mind that I am coming from two other WWI era sims, so I like to compare things to see how the game works. Instead of making a massive post, I'll just number some questions. :)

 

1. How in-depth is the game in regards to engine management options? Should I expect to be dealing with fuel mixtures and radiators on certain aircraft?

 

2. Does the game have padlock, or a sort of 'aiming-assistance'. I know everyone and their mother touts various things, and Freetrack, and TrackIR seem to be high on that list, but I don't have the money, or resources to build either, nor the spare time to figure it all out. I spend enough time learning about these sims! Maybe down the road eh? What I am asking is for a 'snap-view' in addition to the joystick 'hat' for view. Is this workable? Im not sure how viable it is in game, or if the game even supports it.

 

3. I was pretty excited to see so many aircraft, and was wondering on documentation? I for one, like to see every single gauge in my cockpit and know what it is.

 

4. During Campaigns, should you get new planes are you able to keep older models? I.e. I would rather fly my pup or whatnot.

 

5. I never did find a DVD copy of CFS3. Everyone mentioned it, but I only ever saw the CD model for order. Will I still need the CD in the drive?

 

6. Is there somewhere I can get a .pdf manual or some other form of documentation to read while I wait?

 

7. I hear nothing but good things about the flight model, but how much can I change my stick responses in game?

 

8. How long is the average campaign mission? Ive seen a great disparity among sims. With some taking ten-15 with time compression, and others taking upwards of an hour WITH time compression.

 

Whew. Quite a bit. Just some questions from a new customer. :) Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Edited July 9, 2011 by OneoftheLost

[Olham 164]

Welcome to the skies Over Flanders Fields, OotL! (Well, almost. Soon...)

 

1. How in-depth is the game in regards to engine management options? Should I expect to be dealing with fuel mixtures and radiators on certain aircraft?

 

You have mixture management, if you want, but you can switch it to "auto", if you like.

You can also use "fuel management", at least on German side, which allows you to reduce weight.

 

2. Does the game have padlock, or a sort of 'aiming-assistance'.

 

Yes, there is a padlock view. But I also recommend TrackIR. Save for it, get a second job, sell your grandma - it is easy to handle,

and after using it, you will never understand, how you could have been flying without it. A must-have for flying.

 

3. I was pretty excited to see so many aircraft, and was wondering on documentation? I for one, like to see every single gauge in my cockpit and know what it is.

 

There the forum comes in handy - these guys here know all these things and can tell yer.

And as for the aircraft: "Hat in the Ring" add-on brings you even more of them (Fokker E.V/D.III; DH-5, Nieuport 28)

 

4. During Campaigns, should you get new planes are you able to keep older models? I.e. I would rather fly my pup or whatnot.

 

This is a history-orientated sim. Your squadron/Jasta receives the new planes historically. The guys had to use what they got, right?

 

5. I never did find a DVD copy of CFS3. Everyone mentioned it, but I only ever saw the CD model for order. Will I still need the CD in the drive?

I don't know, to be honest. I think not. DVD makes installing easier though, and you get them at AMAZON.

 

6. Is there somewhere I can get a .pdf manual or some other form of documentation to read while I wait?

 

Not that I knew, but you can se through the pile of good info in the "sticky threads" above.

 

7. I hear nothing but good things about the flight model, but how much can I change my stick responses in game?

 

That cannot be changed - not that I knew. But I never heard of anyone, that it was necessary.

[+elephant 36]

 

5. I never did find a DVD copy of CFS3. Everyone mentioned it, but I only ever saw the CD model for order. Will I still need the CD in the drive?

 

To answer to the question Olham left unanswered...

You don't need the CD other than in intallation and as a matter of fact you don't need CFS3 at all in your hard drive, after succesfully installing OFF.

(OFF only needs some files from CFS3 CDs or DVD in order to install properlly and that's it).

 

Wellcome to OFF World!

 

Edited July 9, 2011 by elephant

[33LIMA 972]

I hope you have a decent supply of sale-able relatives, because a pair of rudder pedals is also highly recommended. I can manage without TrackIR by having the padlock and straight ahead keys mapped to my joystick (until I make the effort to get used to FacetrackNoir) but OFF is the only sim I've ever played (including Flying Corps Gold which was supposed to be the previous 'gold standard' for modelling adverse yaw and similar inconveniences) where I'm not sure my wrist will take much more of flying and aiming with a twisty joystick for rudder control.

 

The CFS3/OFF padlock feature isn't great, works ok but you have to turn on the little 'radar' (aka TAC) to be able to start padlocking and to cycle targets. If like me you prefer not to see the 'radar' to stick as far as possible to the Mk1 eyeball (which ain't easy in OFF as the planes are hard to see at above about a mile - closer if against the ground - without either labels or the 'radar', even if you know from the Archie bursts that they are there) then turning the TAC on and off is a bit of a chore.

 

CFS3/OFF supports snap views or panning (with numpad keys or coolie hat, scroll lock toggling between them), there's a file somewhere you can edit to change the panning speed which I find a bit slow. You can also zoom your view in or out in steps, from the cockpit view, bit like European Air War.

 

The good thing about OFF's version of CFS3's padlock is that it doesn't display the yellow brackets around your target (harder to see but more immersive).

 

Gauges I never use, with planes whose stalling and top speeds are about 60MPH apart they're of limited benefit, and as in real life some planes don't have much but a rev counter, a clock and a fuel gauge, not so much as a basic T eg Albatros scouts. I use the Z key to display speed, height or heading if I have to, not realistic but once you get the lie of the land around your airfield you can usually get by without much assistance besides what you can see, which seems to be how they did it for real mostly. You have your own area of operations and you get used to the landmarks, and the orientation of the Lines, rivers, main towns etc in your sector.

 

Fuel is rarely an issue especially with the Hat in the Ring expansion where you have to choose between having a skin just for your plane or the former (BH&H) ability to choose your fuel load. At the briefing screen you can change your mission objective, usually you get distant ones but to reduce or eliminate the need for 'warp' and to make things more realistic I usually choose a mission to the front directly oposite my aerodrome, and invariably I run out of ammo, targets or luck long before I get close to running out of juice. This 'optional flight' facility also enables you to influence mission time, and in my case keep it short enough to fly in real time (especially flying German side; OFF/HiTR still gives the German scouts too many missions on the enemy side of the Lines as opposed to patrols or intercepts on their own side; but when I draw one of those I generally ignore it and just go hunting; sometimes it takes a while but just watch out for the black bursts of 'Archie' and you'll get some trade sooner or later).

 

I installed OFF using an existing CFS3 CD install not DVD and it worked just fine, just has to be patched to 3.1a. IIRC the advantage of the DVD version is that you don't need the disc in the drive to play (No-CD CFS3 .exe's can reportedly cause probs for OFF).

[Shiloh 12]

Welcome to the community OneoftheLost as there are some really great people here who will bend over backwards to help. My advice would be to stay plugged in to these forums and you'll learn a lot in a short period of time.

 

Just to chime in quickly I've been flying OFF for 3 months and it's an amazing SIM. I got a joystick and the TrackIR (V4) and I couldn't be happier. I think rudder pedals would be pretty damn cool as well but just the JS and TrackIR should get you into a great experience.

 

You guys play without the CFS3 CD in the drive? Do I need it in there because I installed off the DVD as it definitely ask for it if it's not in the drive.

Edited July 9, 2011 by Shiloh

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Welcome to the OFF forums OneoftheLost. As a stated fan of WWI combat flight sims you are really going to enjoy Over Flanders Fields. I agree with my cohorts here, Track IR honestly is a must-have for this sim, and you can pick up used IR4 systems on eBay for around $40, sometimes less. I run IR4 and use the IR5 software with it and it works great. To your query about changing your stick responses in game: if by this you are asking can you set up your JS to better suit the OFF flying and fighting requirements, the answer is yes; if however you mean can you change your JS settings while actually flying, the answer is no.

 

BTW, new lads buy the drinks, and as it is still early here I will simply have another nice hot cuppa' with a lump of sugar, thank you very much.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

.

[Olham 164]

Shiloh, it may depend on the way you installed OFF.

Some old recommendation said, you needed to install CFS3 and fly one sortie, so that the savegame folders would get created.

This proceedure is not necessary.

If you own a DVD, you start installing with the OFF disc.

After some seconds it will ask you to insert the CFS3 DVD.

Now it will grab some necessary files from there, and then ask you then to re-insert the OFF disc.

The rest goes from there, and it's done.

 

After this prceedure, you will not need either the CFS3 disc, nor the OFF disc in the drive.

[Shiloh 12]

Crap. So I suppose I would have to reinstall OFF to run it without the disk? It's not a huge deal but I'd rather not use my DVD drive whenever possible as they often need replacing if overused. I did follow the instructions that were posted on the main site but maybe I missed something?

[Olham 164]

I'm afraid it was only really found out later. Maybe it was RAF_Louvert, who wrote it somewhere.

However, now that you know how to save a pilot (I hope you don't have many). it might be worth a new install.

And if you put it on C:, you could later also get a backup program.

That will be able to save your OFF and Windows very well.

[tranquillo 10]

Crap. So I suppose I would have to reinstall OFF to run it without the disk? It's not a huge deal but I'd rather not use my DVD drive whenever possible as they often need replacing if overused. I did follow the instructions that were posted on the main site but maybe I missed something?

 

Give this a go - works a treat and it's free.

It creates virtual cd/dvd drives so no more wearing out your drive.

Edited July 9, 2011 by tranquillo

[tranquillo 10]

And welcome, OneoftheLost. Mine's a pint of Spitfire old chap

[+Polovski 458]

Welcome OneoftheLost

 

the guys have answered most of the points but some other comments:

 

3) See 6) but also see these primers made by some of the guys here ;

http://combatace.com/forum/286-off-survival-in-the-air-series/

 

4) In campaign you keep whatever craft your squad is assigned at that period historically, and depending on when you join (date) you would have it for a while until the squadron gets a new type of course (you could of course fly QC and choose whatever you like too - note the choice of craft depends on your Nationality).

 

5) Seems tricky to find the DVD version (which Ubisoft has no disk protection), but the CD one works OK, again see the FAQ for info on installing and using the CD or DVD.

 

6) See the FAQ, there are links to keyboard docs and also tells where you can find other manuals .PDFs after install.

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

[Lewie 7]

I have not a whole lot more to add except to welcome you to our Barmy Group, OneoftheLost.

 

Cheers.

 

Given the simplicity of setting up Freetrack for 2 axis view tracking, you might give it a go. I survived well enough prior to setting up Freetrack, by setting up the Views to the Hat switch and toggling between slew and instant view using the default scroll lock key. Just remember when you're in a fur ball, to always check your six when attempting an attack. Most of my pilot losses were when I was in the middle of an attack, and I forgot to watch my rear quadrant.

[OneoftheLost 0]

Thanks for the warm welcomes everyone!

 

I'm afraid you all have lost me, but I'll be sure to check the FAQ.

 

From the sounds of it the DVD doesn't need to be in the drive if you install correctly. Does the CD version? Thats what I have in the mail. I never once saw a DVD on amazon. Also, thanks for easing my fears. Just curious questions of a new guy. In regards to the Track IR. I once tried free-track, but apparnetly my webcam wasn't supported, and since I play on a (rather powerful) laptop, I don't really have the money to buy a new comp JUST for track IR. Maybe when I'm out of college and have money in the bank. :)

 

I'm sure I'll have more questions when the game arrives, but for now I'm content. Thanks again!

[Olham 164]

I wonder where our UncleAl is - he usually is among the first to answer a newbie?

Are you ill, Unc? - He may be on holidays...

[33LIMA 972]

Thanks for the warm welcomes everyone!

 

I'm afraid you all have lost me, but I'll be sure to check the FAQ.

 

From the sounds of it the DVD doesn't need to be in the drive if you install correctly. Does the CD version? Thats what I have in the mail. I never once saw a DVD on amazon. Also, thanks for easing my fears. Just curious questions of a new guy. In regards to the Track IR. I once tried free-track, but apparnetly my webcam wasn't supported, and since I play on a (rather powerful) laptop, I don't really have the money to buy a new comp JUST for track IR. Maybe when I'm out of college and have money in the bank. :)

 

I'm sure I'll have more questions when the game arrives, but for now I'm content. Thanks again!

 

For me anyway, I DO need to have the CFS3 CD (CD2 in fact) in the drive to play. The OFF interface ('OFF Manager') runs fine without the CD but when you try to enter a mission if won't, unless the CD is in the drive.

 

You might also want to give FaceTrackNoir a go, no need for LEDs and I just used it with a cheapo Asda webcam; just got my first kills with it a few mins ago but at the moment it sort of wanders a bit, still need to adjust the settings somewhere.

[OneoftheLost 0]

Wow, I never knew about FaceTrackNoir. I'll have to see if that works with my cam. Thanks!

 

Now I just have to wait on those darned disks.