RAF_Louvert

. After the earlier discussion in another thread this morning I felt the need to make a brief post about how some days it can be hard to make ourselves understood in a written comment. While I was not meaning to offend in any way, it seems I initially did, and again apologies if such was the case. Few if any of us have actually met face-to-face, so it is difficult to know what the other person is truly like, and this makes it all the more tricky to understand another’s true intentions in a posted comment. For instance, I am one of the most easy-going and unflappable people you will likely ever run across, and I tend to find humor in nearly everything, (which in and of itself can cause misunderstandings). I perhaps should make more use of smilies and emoticons to better indicate when I am joking or giving another forum member a bit of a wind up, but I tend to assume you all know me already and know when I am posting with tongue in cheek, (it is not fair of me to assume such). Also, please know that when I do so it is with the friendliest of intentions and the truest respect for each of you. I just feel as if we are rather like the collection of characters that populated those Great War squadrons and jastas we so dearly love to claim virtual membership of. There was a lot of lively banter in those outfits, and a fair amount of good-intended humor at our own and others expense. But at the end of the day we are all part of the same experiences at this idealized front. That’s not to say we don’t each bring our own RL experiences here every day: we do, and we should. It all helps to build the camaraderie and esprit de corps that are an honest part of these forums. Let’s face it; this is a fun place to hang around! I’m rambling, so I will stop myself now; just felt I should elaborate a bit. One final note though to offer a little more insight into my character: for health reasons I haven’t had a drink since 1984. But I have so many fond memories of those delicious elixirs that they tend to seep into some of my posts to you lot, (and yes, my choice of the word "some" was meant as a ridiculous understatement). Cheers my Friends! Lou .

. Aaah yes, Shakespearean to say the least. Dej, when you launched into your soliloquy, it brought a tear to my eye, it did, (despite your mustache continually slipping). "To be Turkish, or not to be Turkish, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The Slings and Arrows of outrageously bad brew; Or to ‘guise one's self against a guard's eye, And by that very doing: To drink, to imbibe The better ale; and by such act that we may end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to by such consumtion? Devoutly to be wish'd. To drink, to imbibe To imbibe, and chance the hangover; Aye, there's the rub, For in that hangover of death, what visions may come, When we have shuffled off this sober coil, Must give us pause. There's the respect That makes calamity of so long sobriety.” It truly was a Kodak moment, though I was a bit concerned your speech may have found us out as you gave it in English. But by then we had all shuffled off our sober coils to the point were no one seemed to care. .

. Creaghorn, you are a lucky soul indeed to have had such a rare opportunity. I envy you that. My basic understanding of the samurai way comes primarily from such films as “The Seven Samurai”, “Samurai Rebellion”, “47 Ronin”, “Throne of Blood”, “Ran”, “The Last Samurai”, and of course “Kill Bill”, volumes 1 and 2. I imagine this gives me a slightly inaccurate understanding. Although, I have read fair portions of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”, so perhaps that strikes some sort of balance. .

. And Wodin, that is precisely why I entitled this thread "The Delicate Art of Making Ourselves Understood". Unless we are standing face-to-face it is oft times very hard to know for sure what the other fellow is actually trying to convey, and in particular when it concerns a touchy subject. And the example you offer is touchy for some folks due to less-than-polite comments made in the past by some RoF enthusiasts towards OFF, and vice-versa. It is unfortunate that such is the case, but c'est la vie. .

. Elephant, I installed your tracer mod last night and ran it, along with Creaghorn's excellent improved effects, and found it to give quite nice results. The toned-down brightness of the tracers fit well with the smoke trails in Creaghorn's kit, with the end result still being quite visible yet overall more "muted". While I've never sat behind a pair of Vickers or Spandaus or a Lewis as they were being fired, I believe the modified effects of this combination may be giving a more realistic representation of what I might have actually seen in such a situation. Well done Sir! .

. Olham, I gave your TIR fighter profile a go last night and it worked very well for me. Nice and quick, with minimal head movement on my part. Took only a minute or two to get used to the initial "twitchy" feel of it, and I believe that I prefer it to my usual profile in a dogfight. Hopped into my trusty Camel and had numerous go-rounds with DR1's, Flying Razors, DVII's and the like, and found it easier to keep track of everyone in a furball. It's a keeper! .

. You are very welcome Ratatat, and I hope you enjoy the new trinkets. Thank you too for the kind words regarding my other efforts. I do need to get back to Blum's adventures, and hopefully I will have time to fly a few missions soon. .

. Olham, Dej, and Lou at Belgium bierstube in Chimay: We blended in almost perfectly with another group of German and Turkish offiers who were visiting the establishment at the same time. Olham of course is acting as our superior officer here, due to his command of the language. We got Dej to dirty up quite nicely. And I shaved just for the occasion. Can you pick us out? I dare say you couldn't as long as Dej and I kept our mouths full of beer and didn't speak.. Prost! .

. Send your dear Mum all our best wishes for a speedy recovery. Safe travels Olham. Take care my friend. .

. Now that is neat MM, and I've already saved it to my digital art collection. Thanks for sharing Sir. Cheers! Lou .

. SWEET! Details man, I want details! .

. I should think a large hammer would lower the windshield quite well, Olham. And I've used the gun slide on that kite from time to time to emulate the loading process in combat. Very neat. I just wish we could actually reload the guns in the sim. .

. And so I repeat: Does this allow you to run OFF directly from your HD without having to always use the CFS3 disc to launch?! Please say yes...please. . . Oh wait! I know! This allows you to take OFF with you wherever you go and run it on any computer set up for flying! .

. Does this allow you to run OFF directly from your HD without having to always use the CFS3 disc to launch?! Please say yes...please. .

. ACK! What treachery is this? Shot in the haversack whilest pedaling happily away. Poor Olham. .

. It's the 'MD' I'm wondering about more than anything. Mediterranean Air War add-on perhaps? .

. Looks like a VirtualDub redirect command for your updated 3.1a CFS3 install with TIR5, telling it to divert to your FRAPS for recording purposes. But that's only a somewhat educated guess on my part. .

. I actually do like Creaghorn's mod, but I'll try anything once, (twice if I'm not too tired). I'll give your mod a go this evening when I get home, Elephant. Thanks for sharing Sir. Cheers! Lou .

. That's neat, Lewie! I have a '59 Vespa 150 in my barn. Fun little scooters, they are. .

. Sordid cranium, i.e., dirty mind, less-than-pure thoughts, considering ignoble actions and motives, squalid ponderings, etc, etc. (Hmmm...everyone seems to have left the room again, I wonder why that keeps happening?) .

. You are more than welcome, John. I hope you will enjoy the medals and the books Sir, and for a good long time. .

. I turned that phrase for just such imagining, Creaghorn. Was wonder who might swing at it. .

. hee, hee...right you are Olham. Thought I better change it as Gehtzumbräu would raise less suspicion at the guard crossing. .

. Lewie, I've been accused of being many things over the years, but short-winded is not on the list. Allow me to elaborate, if I may, by giving a brief overview of the aforementioned list... (Lou drones on incessantly as, unnoticed by him, his audience hastily leaves the room.) .

. You see Lewie, now that right there is the difference. I only have two-wheeled mechanical brakes set up on the front, so I have to handle downhills with au pair, (but she's so cute you really don't notice you're careening out of control). As to Belgium beer, well that is hardly French now is it? Great Belgian beer, by all means. And yes Herr Olham, I am willing to chance the lines for such. Oberleutnant Otto Gehtzumbräu, ready and waiting! .