Herr Prop-Wasche

Interesting information, Parky. I'm 95% positive my PCi-E slot is 16X-1, so I will be on the look out for that video card. I may also upgrade my power supply, since I can always use the new PS in any future system upgrades.

BTW, I try to end as many running programs as possible with Alacrity or End it All, but they don't seem to have any effect on the drops to desktop. Another thought: with my DM and Fm editing, I have several extra files lying about in my installation. Might be time to clean some of those out.

Thanks for the replies, guys. I built the computer about two years before I heard about phase 3. When P3 came out, the system was just adequate to run the game. I'm afraid HITR took it over the brink. That said, the main frustration is the drops to desktop. I'll be going along fine, with fps in the low 30's, when the game just stops and sends me back to the OFF manager. Seems to happen particularly after a long flight followed by a furball. Short flights or those without furballs seem to go better. Makes me wonder if a better cooling solution will help. Right now, I can only overclock the CPU a maximum of about 5-8%. This also has the advantage of being cheap. But will it improve anything? Perhaps a combo of cooling solution and new power supply? Olham mentioned my CPU as the bottleneck and that upgrading my video card would be pointless. Good cards are cheap these days--is getting a new one worth a shot? Memory and video card should be "adequate" right now, with 3 GB's of Corsair memory on an XP system and a PCI-E graphics card.

Lasses and Gents, Here is my dilemma. I love playing OFF, imagining myself as a young and intrepid "knight of the sky" during the Great War, and tinkering with such things as the DM and the FM for the various planes. However, playing OFF, and especially the campaign, has become increasingly frustrating since upgrading to the HITR expansion. Here is the problem: with my current computer setup, I can either fly a full mission with barely adequate frame rates and the occasional slide show, or I can overclock the CPU or video card by 5-10% and get better frame rates but not be able to complete the mission because I invariably get dumped to desktop. I already run with my sliders set at 3-2-1-5-2 and ground density and air activity set to the lowest settings. I know the problem is my current setup and is not OFF's fault. My question is what part or parts should I upgrade on a very limited budget right now? Here are my current system specs: Socket 939 AMD X2 4200+ 2.33 GHz CPU with stock cooler Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT 256 Mb video card 400 Watt power supply The most likely candidate for an upgrade is the video card, of course. Do the newish cards still fit on 939 MB's? If I have to upgrade my CPU, I will basically have to build a new computer since they don't make CPU's for Socket 939 boards anymore. This is not an option for me financially right now. Perhaps a new cooling solution would allow me to overclock a little better with more stability? Finally, is a 400W power supply enough these days? I only run one SATA hard drive with a CD drive and a DVD drive. If you were me, what component do you think you would try to upgrade first? Which component would you leave alone or wait to upgrade last? Thanks in advance for any ideas and suggestions. I really want to experience OFF in all its glory--but on a budget!

I am drooling with anticipation--and making plans to update my 256 MB Nvidia 8600 GT graphics card!

Olham, I believe I have a very nice surprise for you regarding the "sinking over the tailplane" difficulty. Check your PM box for more info. If Olham can confirm I am correct about this, I should have an announcement for the "general public" soon.

I'll check into the Alb DII fuel leaks. However, I don't think I changed much in that particular plane. I could be wrong, though! Thanks for the report! Interesting information about the pressurized fuel tanks. I had forgotten that piece of information.

I've noticed you can't select the N17bis to fly in any squadron, British or French. However, you can fly the N17B if it is listed in the squadron roster. I believe they are the same plane but with a slightly different name.

Thanks, Olham. That is exactly the type of information I am looking for. Anyone else who has installed my DM and flies Albatros noticed any increase in punctured tanks? I am also interested in information about punctured tanks in Nieuports, Fokkers, and British aircraft. Regarding the tail damage, I increased the hit points to the horizontal stabilizers a little bit over the standard OFF hit points, so, theoretically, it may take a bit more damage to the stabilizer before you notice increased control difficulty.

HPW DM 2.3 update: I am still testing and working out a few kinks in the new DM. The main question I am concerned with is the tendency for an aircraft to lose all of its fuel after being hit. Has anyone noticed an increase in the frequency in which your aircraft is hit and loses all of its fuel after installing HPWDM2.2? If so, have you noticed it more for any particular aircraft, and if so, does it happen too frequently in your opinion, or is it just about right? Before 2.2, I noticed that the majority of aircraft could develop up to three fuel leaks from hits to the fuel tank. In 2.2, I added a third fuel leak to the fuel tank of aircraft that previously only had two. For these aircraft only, do you think I should go back to two leaks or keep it at three? Another area I am working on is the number of oil leaks. Most aircraft can suffer up to three separate oil leaks from hits to the oil reservoir. However, some aircraft (particularly Nieuports) can only get two oil leaks from hits to the oil reservoir. Is there any evidence that Nieuports or other rotaries were any less likely to get oil leaks than other aircraft? Thanks for any information or advice anyone can provide on these issues. I now expect I will be able to release my next update to HPWDM in about a week or so.

Welcome to the forum, Christine! Expect a note from Olham soon, asking for your permission to post your location on his world-wide map of OFF players. And watch out for that chap, Widowmaker--he has quite the reputation with the ladies!

Thank you very much for the maps, Olham! I have hesitated using printed maps to navigate with, but may try now thanks to your efforts.

Hmmm, that is indeed great news, Winston. Don't know how I missed that. Must be "old-timers disease."

Confirmed? Source? If true, drool! Now for some French two-seaters for both French and American campaigns!

Thanks to Burning Beard, I am using rudder pedals. Thanks, BB! At first, I had trouble adapting to them because they were more sensitive to slight input than the twisty-stick. Once that problem was solved I find them to be much easier than the stick. I do have to remember to depress the pedals at least once before I take off, because if I forget, the first time I use them my elevator goes into the full up position! After that, everything works as it is supposed to. Strange.

Cheers!

As a lifelong civilian, I can only guess what hardships you had to endure in that Asian heat factory. My ex brother in law served and was wounded twice in the 'Nam (once in the chest by the flat part of a piece of shrapnel!) but he rarely talked about it--can hardly blame him. Congratulations on your belated recognition, Winston!

HPWDM 2.3 to be released soon I have been working on one more--and hopefully last--update to my damage model for BHaH. The update is about ready for testing and should be released in a few days. The update contains mostly minor changes, but there are several. Off the top of my head, they include reductions in hit points for elevator, rudder, and aileron cables for all aircraft (they are cables, after all); slight adjustment in hit points to wings and wing tips of Fokker DrI; making all Nieuports slightly more resistant to fire, making several German two-seaters slightly less resistant to fire; and slightly slowing the rate of fuel loss in most aircraft. Watch this thread for the release announcement.

No story update today, although I hope to have one up either Friday or Saturday. My last mission was scrubbed due to computer hang--I was flying back to base when the screen froze and the sound went into a loop. Had to reboot. Bletchley-- I thought of another possible addition to the 3P rules. After any mission in which any pilot whose Outlook/Attitude towards you is "Friend" is announced as KIA, your pilot loses -5 points and rolls a die. If you roll a "1", your pilot class changes into one of the following: 1: Egotist 2: Coward 3: Killer 4: Heavy Drinker 5: Loner 6: Priest This might make for an interesting turn in events in an individual campaign, with the outlook and goodwill of other pilots changing as a result of your change in personality. Reflects the possible effects of the loss of a good friend in battle and why some veterans tended to avoid making friends with new pilots. An optional addition to the rule might be that pilots may no longer have an Outlook/Attitude towards you as "Friend" anymore. Relationships will now be a bit more of a challenge for your character.

Thank you, Lou. I look forward to reading this and the next installment.

I concur. Gives the player some leeway on how he wants to play it: normal or hardcore.

Darn pencil-necked paper-pushers!

Nice job, Hellshade! If your claims are confirmed, that would make you a one mission ace! Is that the voice of a calculating, cold-blooded killer?

Thank you. Glad you are enjoying the story. Well, there are bad pilots and then there are BAD pilots, so I can't rule out that someone might be sent back to the home front for additional training. I also wonder if a human player would be willing to assign himself to a poorer rated squadron. I think that most people would simply start a new campaign pilot. Historically, however, I'm sure you are right.

Part Two of the tale of Sergent Phillipe Fromage: When I awake, I am told by my wingmate that I have been assigned my first mission! However, when I report to the duty room, I am informed that my first flight is only a training flight, to help get me acquainted with the airfield and its surroundings. (New players may undertake up to three training missions to help them accumulate early campaign points. Landing successfully at your home airfield results in +5 campaign points, failing to land at your home airfield results in -5 points). At Start of Each New Day a.. Add/Subtract campaign points (CP’s), for field, squadron morale, and lodging conditions. b. Generate a Standard Encounter from Table 2 with a random active pilot from Table 1 and determine his initial Outlook/Attitude towards you or if it changes by referring to Tables 3-5. c. Calculate goodwill points towards you from Table 7 for each active pilot in squadron and add/subtract from total CP’s. d. Check total CP’s At the beginning of the next day, I determine that decorum dictates that I should make another attempt to meet my commanding officer. This time, the Adjutant whispers to me that the C.O. appears to be in a better mood and is looking forward to meeting with me. However, before I go inside, he warns me not to talk politics with him—there are rumors the C.O. has a relative in Russia who has been detained by the Czar’s secret police for “anti-government activities.” As I step into his office, the C.O. appears to be pouring over maps and combat reports. He doesn’t look up until I stop directly in front of his desk at exactly the regulation distance, give him a crisp salute, and announce, “Sergent Phillipe Fromage reporting for duty, mon Capitaine.” Without looking up, the Capitaine motions for me to sit down. “At ease, at ease, Sergent. No need for such stiff displays of formality here. We’ll leave that to the Generals and their friends in Paris who think their titles and bourgeois mentality entitle them to special displays of respect from the so-called common folk. For now, you may simply call me Claude—Claude LeFevre, or Capitaine, if you insist.” At this, he lets out a loud guffaw and claps me on the back. I soon learn that Cpt. LeFevre is, at heart, a Bolshevik. Despite his incautious statement to me, he has apparently been able to keep most of his political views to himself—at least to this point. Even more importantly, and despite the snub from the previous day, he seems to take an immediate liking to me. Although I have yet to see any air combat, at this point I am feeling pretty good about the assignment to my first squadron. I have tucked a couple of training missions under my belt (+10 campaign points), the field is not in too bad a shape, and the morale of the squadron is very high (+2 campaign points per day). The only negative is the drafty tents (-1 campaign points per day), but I have hopes the lodgings will eventually improve. In addition, I have a positive feeling about the three men in the squadron I have met so far (campaign points of +1, +1, and +4 per day). Just as I am thinking that life on the front lines may not be so bad after all, I accidently bump into a pilot I haven’t seen before. “Watch out, you stupid oaf! Get your head out of the clouds!” he exclaims. In addition to a pug nose, the man appears to have several scars on his face. He also seems to me to be somewhat old for a pilot with the rank of Sergent. “Who are you?” I clumsily reply. “My name is Sebastian Quinchez!” he practically spits in my face as he heads into the duty room. I keep a mental note to try and stay clear of this man, as he appears to have taken an immediate dislike to me (NPC class of Natural Enemy, with a -2 modifier on all Standard Encounter dice rolls, resulting on this occasion in a decrease in Outlook/Attitude from Like to Neutral). Before Each Mission Generate a Standard Encounter from Table 2 with a random active pilot from Table 1 and determine his initial Outlook/Attitude towards you or if it changes by referring to Tables 3-5. Inside the duty room, I am told that I will be participating in my first official combat mission. Sitting next to me is a Sous Lieutenant with wavy blond hair and blue eyes. Later, I learn that his name is Gaston Gendranneau. A tricolor ascot is tucked neatly into the top of his blouse. With a grave look on his face, he asks me, “So, Sergent, did you enter the air service to fly fast airplanes or to meet fast women?” Sputtering, I tell him what my father had told me the day he saw me off to flight school: “You fly for the glory of France!” For a moment, the Lieutenant stares back at me in silence. Suddenly, he laughs so loud that the rest of the squadron turns to look at the both of us. “Ha ha, I think I’m going to like you, Sergent.” (NPC class of Romantic, with a +1 modifier on all Standard Encounter rolls, resulting on this occasion in an increase in Outlook/Attitude from Like to Friend). “See you after the mission!” (continued) Edit: added 3P instructions for clarification.