themightysrc

"most of all the new menu picture of with the pilot leaning on his albatros. wow." That is Olham, isn't it?

"OFF is not a business venture, thus there are very few compromises OFF is a labor of love, short on cash, but long on heart Devs here have done a marvelous job and deserve to be knighted for their achievemnts" I've been thinking about this for a while, and I now perceive the key advantage that this gives OBD when working on OFF - either now or for the much anticipated Phase 4. We've probably all been following the travails of TheOtherSim in its painful birth into the market, and it strikes me that because NeoQB had to pay a team of developers over a period of time and therefore incurred (presumably) considerable costs and overheads prior to making a bean out of their product, they ended up cutting corners - some might say far too many corners - in the rush to start recouping any money. The result appears to have been a semi-finished product driven exclusively by fiscal demands, and apparently this has led to a large number of disappointed and unhappy punters who feel that the product is simply not good enough in terms of what was promised (or at least, heavily implied) in the pre-release hype. And this is where OBD have a key advantage. We all know that Shred, Pol, Winder and the other guys are doing this primarily because they wanted to produce a top class WWI sim - hence the long gestation via P1, P2 and one could say P3 - that will undoubtedly come to fruition in P4 (or perhaps P5!), but they didn't need to rush OFF to market in order to pacify backers or accountants (big assumption, perhaps). The result of this, if I've interpreted the circumstances correctly, is that OFF is a far more polished product, and, therefore, one that's rather more likely to please and inspire loyalty. In addition to this, we all know that OBD have rather more well developed PR skills than the people at NeoQB - although I'm sure that language barriers don't particularly help - and their almost constant presence on CA, plus their openness to suggestions for changes and improvements is in stark contrast to the situation with TheOtherSim, where I sense an almost daily increase in frustration amongst the user base, as the perception of an unfinished item foisted upon an unsuspecting market is apparently compounded by indignation and disappointment that the manufactucters simply aren't listening, or if they are, they're not moving far enough and fast enough to satisfy the paying punters. That unhappy situation has, however, had one silver lining. The hype that surrounded/preceded TheOtherSim did at least raise the profile of WWI flight sims, and it's clear that many gamers have bought a copy of the game. As they say, a rising tide lifts all ships, and OFF seems to have benefitted by being highlighted as a very viable alternative for frustrated buyers, and I'd be willing to bet a small amount of someone else's money that OBD have recently seen a rise in sales of OFF:BH&H. Does anyone think that the above is a fair summary? I'm trying to be impartial over this whole issue.

Hi Fates, I really like the new look of the CA forums - it's extremely clean and simple looking, which makes it more readable IMHO. A job well done, take a bow!

Sorry I couldn't make it on Sunday evening - I was trying to get back from North Wales at the time; still, at least I got to hear us regaining the Ashes, so it wasn't a complete dead loss. see you all on Sunday evening.

Alright Baldric, Welcome to the bar - your round I believe! Feel free to ask anything regarding OFF here, we're all relatively friendly, expect unlceal (inserts obligatory smiley at this point). Be prepared to develop the WWI equivalent of the thousand yard stare.

Lou, Oops, sorry, that'll teach me to skim read the rules! <slaps own wrist>

Hi, At work and busy (though not too busy to browse here briefly!). First one's a Sopwith Triplane, second's a Halb DII (as noted) whilst number 4 is undoubtedly an SE5a. Don't know about number 3 but I think the gunner is Sergeant Ted Thrasher, RFC born Doncaster 1888.

"Nothing wrong with just collecting ideas and thoughts though." Well, that's my opinion too, Olham. I'm very much hoping that Pol, Winder and the other members of OBD are far, far away from this thread at the moment and will only read it when they return to give their livers a rest from, er, relaxing with their families. I'm delighted with what they've already done, and their responsiveness to ideas and suggestions (apparently somewhat unlike TheSimWhoseNameMustNotBeMentioned) is already legendary. Thus, I reason, when they finally return, tanned, sated with decent beer and a high carb diet, and with their gaming minds honed to the highest level of preparedness, they will see this thread and realise just how much we care about (a) OFF:P4 and (b) any changes in their body mass indexes.

I have a couple of items for the wish list. The first is that the post flight replay have a change in detail. I wouldn't mind losing the extreme detail in favour of detail only to cover my aircraft and those I hit - I'm happy to read that other planes from such and such a squadron/jasta crashed, as long as I can see names of pilots, rather than a number. might also speed up the replays? The second concerns the map. In short, it's pretty rubbish, and could do with the introduction of major roads, railways, rivers and larger villages, plus perhaps well known landmarks - Vimy Ridge springs instantly to mind - plus the general locations of major military units. With all of that, I'd be tempted to ditch TAC. As an afterthought, how about airfield names within X miles radius of your own? You'd probably know them anyway as a pilot, and quite possibly which squadrons/jastas are stationed there. I'd like all the currently empty aircraft slots filled - well, wouldn't we all, I suppose. I can't imagine I'm the only player who chooses only units that give me a chance of flying with them for the entire duration of the war. Fat chance though, given my current inability to remain alive for more than about 2-3 months! But I digress. Applying for leave would be a nice touch, and could be made contingent upon the number of hours/flights you've racked up (ie, how buggered your nerves are likely to be). As an adjunct to this, once you've been away from the front, teaching the next lot of cannon-fodder, er, brave young boys, how to fly, your return to the front could be to another squadron, in another capacity such as flight commander? This would be realistic and get round the RB3D transfer lottery that we all knew and loved. FM/DM/AI are all, I'm sure, down to the limitations of what can be done with the CFS3 engine, so I'll not even comment on those, except to say that I dearly hope that the OBD team manage to construct their own engine for P4 - with TheSimWeDareNotName now acknowledged by many to have the best engine (and pretty much little else going for it, apparently), it would be the natural step forward, but one, I'm aware, that would take a goodly amount of time and effort to enact. Let's hope... I'd love to see some sort of spotting missions for two seaters: that's why they were there primarily, and why scouts existed to shoot them down. To be able to somehow indicate fall of shot to batteries and to be able to adjust their aim and register targets wouldn't simply be very satisfying (to the anally retentive, like me) but would also give two seaters rather more of an aim in life. I still say that an aircraft gazetter as per IL2 would be a cracking addition to the game - it certainly added immensely to IL2 - and would surely be straightforward to put together. If we *must* have ground attacks, can there be visible bodies of troops to mow down and scatter? Probably only suitable for late war encounters, I'd say. One final - frivolous - one, but one that would add to the atmosphere: leader's pennants/streamers for flight leaders, please. Here endeth the list (for now).

"I have been playing Rise of Flight and finally got disgusted. The constant errors of online logging just to play the single player got old. Half the time it works, the other half it doesn't. I spent more time just trying to log in and make the game work than I was flying. I deleted it off my system." Well, I hope you have more luck with it as and when they get their fingers out and sort out the problems that you and others have reported. I was a long time devotee of RB3D (as the amount of add-ons on my hard drive testifies!) and thought it was the dog's bollocks, particularly after the promise and then disappointment of First Eagles and its lack of a decent campaign. I was put off OFF for a long time by the CFS3 thing, and because there simply wasn't much information to be found, but, having reloaded RB3D, WF2 and FCJ for the umpteenth time, I finally took the plunge. When I first loaded and flew it, I'll confess that I was underwhelmed by the game. The reason? Well, let's just say that old inadequate video cards and insufficient RAM make for a poor experience, so I'd advise that you check your kit and ensure that you're well tooled up to run OFF at the highest settings - believe me, it transforms the experience. The other thing that you'll notice is that you are dead meat. I've never experienced AI like that found in OFF - it is bold, sneaky and immensely aggressive. Of course, that's great for immersion, as you'll find yourself paranoid and haunted, fearing every new blip on the TAC or distant shape in the sky. Don't forget - this is the Great War: bail out and it's a long way down; stay and burn to death - or, if you get lucky, you'll kill your opponent. It's not a chivalrous duel, it's the ultimate in kill or be killed, and after you've nurtured a pilot for hours on end, you'll probably develop a healthy reticence to putting your life at risk, learning to hit and run - or just run. Now that's immersion. Add to that, there's about 40 flyable aircraft in this (just wait until you get behind the rear twin guns of the Brisfit! The power!), and a consistent and historically accurate - not to say beautiful, in a wierd sort of way - world in which you'll be interacting. Suffice to say, it's easily the best money I've spent on a game - any game - in the last 10 years. I envy you the voyage of discovery you're about to take. Best of luck, watch your tail and with luck I'll see you in the bar!

I think the simple answer is to run away sharpish from them - they certainly won't catch you! B&Z appears to be the only way to down them. Dive on them, and if you don't give them a good kicking, keep diving! I've tried taking them on in a Pfalz, and, frankly, it's suicide. I bottled it el pronto and took advantage of the Pfalz's excellect diving characteristics to put a few miles between me and them. Seriously, like Biffs, avoid unless you're sure of getting the drop on them.

The Pup's a wonderful plane to learn OFF in. I'd agree with pretty much everything that's already been stated regarding flying and fighting in the thing, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's not yet tried it. The only real problem I have in flying Pups in campaigns is the numbers thing - if you're faced with twice you number of DIIIs about 2-3 feet above you, there's really no place to hide and you're likely to pitching for your Victoria/wooden cross in pretty short order.

I'm not fussed one way or another. I'd simply agree with the above poster who said not to bother - it ain't broke; don't fix it. Invest your valuable time in new planes and the mouthwatering prospect of P4.

Pol, Step away from the PC, I repeat: step away from the PC..... Thanks awfully for the new patch - sterling work, as usual. Now go and have that bloody break!

Hi Kankkis, I've got a Mickysoft FFB2 stick, and I concur that there's no centring spring as such, but does it need one? Once I've fired up OFF, it seems to centre itself nicely (prior to shaking like a jackhammer when taking off). What is the problem that you're experiencing?

"Not to hi-jack the thread, but please consider removing the realism % for P4. I think it would save some heartache for those who just can't seem to get over it." Yes please.

My wife would just like to say "thanks very f&*£ing much for encouraging the little sod to spend even more time playing that silly game!"

HI everyone, Sorry I wasn't there last night - my day overspilled into the evening, unfortunately. I did bob onto Teamspeak about half nine, but unsurprisingly there was nothing there except a few tattered bits of charred canvas with large roundels on. I had a feeling it had to have been you lot.

I thought that Stump had an American accent?

Nice post. Now go and read "No Parachute" by Arthur Gould Lee, and you'll see how you have a kinship.

Try Spanish Riojas - pronounced "ree-ock-ah" - for our colonial friends. Generally, but not always reds, occasionally white, but generally wonderful as laid down in oaken barrels to pick up flavour - and Christ, they do. Other favourites are Barolo (Italy) and one particularly obscure one - Naoussa Grand Reserva, a win I first tasted on Naxos, in the middle of the Aegean, surrounded by the madness of Naxos harbour as the ferries come in. Barolo is lovely, but there's something so chewy and unexpected about a *Greek* red wine being that good which is both totally unexpected and completely bewitching. It's possibly the finest red wine I've ever tasted. But I still stick to Moorhouse's Pendle Witch - I really should have posted on the beer thread!!

Excellent - if you're lucky, you might even find Vasco online (although it is a Saturday afternoon, 2.30 here in the UK).

"Maybe I need my wife to dress like a french bar maid so I can get a shot of whiskey after I fly too :)." Oh, come now - surely everyone's other half does that to add to the immersion.....don't they?

Hi JonnieJ, Your English is quite good! Yes, you need OFF patched to version 1.32d. The flying time is 1900 hours BST (British Summer Time). You are normally 3 hours ahead of us, so if you are in Moscow that will be 2200 hours Russian time. To find the server information, PM (private message) the member Vasco and he will be able to supply more details to you. Also, read the 'stickies' on how to configure your connection and, importantly, how to use Teamspeak - you will need a headset and a microphone. Hope this helps!

Hi, Just thought I'd better mention that we don't have the Jasta 4 (or much other) stuff up on the MP calendar. Vasco - do you want to update this. Incidentally, we might just have a new flyer if recent posts are owt to go by.