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GaryR

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Posts posted by GaryR

  4. Posted

    I've hesitated to throw my $0.02 in, because I haven't been flying lately

     

    I stepped back a while ago because the net code simply sucks and dogfighting (humans) is a joke. Add to this the "Falcon 4 syndrome", an anomoly i've seen before where there are 200 different versions of a sim causing nothing but grief to internet multiplayer. When Falcon 4 Allied Force came out it was a godsend, ONE version of a sim, everyone on the same page. While it's great OFF is open to modification it isn't great for multiplayer. Even on an untouched, original install I had to spend an hour with Duck downloading and copying his files just to play, yet a week earlier (with no mods or updates added) we were fine! Regardless, all the whining in the world won't change the fact that unless the source code of CFS3 is released AND a super-coder is around that can re-write the connection code this is as good as it's ever going to be. You want real internet multiplayer, gotta look elsewhere...

  7. Posted

    One of our regular online pilots has figured out how to convert single player campaign missions into multiplayer campaign missions. You can now fly the same campaign missions you were flying by yourself offline, online with other players as your squad mates. Fly online with us on Sundays and you will be pleased with what we have done with MP campaigns.

     

    Yep, I understand that part Ax, he actually sent me the steps to save the missions and use them.

  8. Posted · Edited by GaryR

    It's probably not lag/latency that gave you an unpleasant multiplayer experience. Multiplayer in OFF is quite broken and we're hoping the developers will start to repair these problems.

     

    It's my understanding that the OFF team has no access to the MP code and can do nothing to re-write it and what it is it will always be. Is this incorrect? After flying sims like Aces High, Falcon 4, IL2, etc. etc. the bad positional data problem just kills the online experience for me. Mig Alley had the same problem, loved the sim but hated it online... It's the Campaign that keeps me flying BHaH, absolutely love it. Now if the MP could be fixed and you could fly a Campaign online I most likely would fly nothing else!

  9. Posted

    GaryR,

     

    Not that I've found, but as that's how I'm creating the online campaigns I'll tell you how I do it:

     

    1. Start offline campaign in OFF

    2. Fly mission (or start the mission up and exit while still on the ground

    3. Exit OFF

    4. Locate the file entitled "OFF_Camp_Mission.xml" in the OBDSoftware/CFSWWI Over Flanders Fields/missions/historical folder

    5. Copy file and paste it into the OBDSoftware/CFSWWI Over Flanders Fields/missions/training folder

    6. Rename file using any format you like - I use <Squadron Name><Date/Time>. For the date and time I open the OFF_Camp_Mission.xml file with Notepad and copy the date/time from the header text

    7. Open the file in the Over Flanders Fields Mission Builder

    8. The opening screen should show the players flight - make any tweaks you want to make to the mission here. I usually enable all the aircraft on the players side flyable by choosing the version with the '*' at the end of its name (these aircraft have cockpits)

    9. Save mission, invite friends and run it in MP

     

    You can create an entire MP campaign in this fashion by flying missions in an offline campaign and editing the mission file as described above.

     

    Simple! :good:

     

    Thanks Vasco, that looks like a tutorial to me!

    :biggrin:

  12. Posted

    Anyone wanting to see an incredible display of firepower from the ground, get into pds fuel train mission, and make a beehive for the second train. Send a wingman in to attack it first, from the rear, and stay off to the side so you can watch the action. Tried to make a fraps out of it, but they just didnt do the action justice.

     

    Was pretty wild wasn't it!!

  17. Posted · Edited by GaryR

    ps...you indicated you might start doing ph3 missions....that still a liklyhood? All i see on the download link are rabu's maps, not sure if i am looking in the right place.

     

    I saw the new mission post also, hopefully they will be up soon. I have an old utility that does ping, polling, and traceroutes to an IP address called "UOTrace", it was created for the original Ultima Online series of games. Be glad to email it to anyone (only 88K) that wants it, may find it with Google also. The number of Hops to an IP is very telling and the avg. ping showing any dropped packets is important.

  18. Posted · Edited by GaryR

    Is there a repository of P3 MP (co-op) missions somewhere? Also, i'm a bit lost as to how the whole add-on missions thing works... is there any type of tutorial/walkthrough in getting set up with existing or building new ones? I looked at the builder and quickly exited. :biggrin:

  19. Posted

    I'll add that I laugh my butt off the whole time we do dogfights so don't think for one second I don't have a great time!! I just think, due to the net code in this game and the internet, that a ladder is going to be less than accurate to show who is flying the best.. Too bad the old Aces High "Dawn of Aces" isn't available. Used to be able to do up to 8 plane dogfights free of charge and the netcode was the best in existence... Not the same as P3 but fun and would be an accurate ladder format.

  20. Posted · Edited by GaryR

    Unlike flying co-op mission where your all on the same side, different PC specs make a difference, faster PC's seem to do better. Internet conections, faster one's are better. The host is usually fastest because he is hosting, so the further away from the host and the slower your pc and net connection is the greater your ping will be. This means there will be more lag in your game. So if your shooting at someone but he shoots you down first from being in front of you, then you're seeing his ghost so to speak because he has made the turn on you already but because of the lag you are still catching him up.

     

    Aussie, I think you are pretty accurate with your statement. If all conditions are perfect and everyone is >50ms a dogfight can go well. As soon ast the numbers start to vary all heck breaks loose. I think everyone here knows and has seen the results as you describe them. It's the net code and it's a shame. It was exactly the same with Mig Alley (a game I loved due to the era of jets). You would be on a Mig's butt in a MP dogfight and then you would see orange golf balls (his cannon rounds) flying by you from behind with no one there! I think both games were designed to run on a 10 mbps network back then and the internet, with up to 30 hops between machines, just introduces too many variables. It's too bad the coders from Warbirds and Aces High didn't write the code back then... those sims have some amazing code for mega plane mp online.

     

    I'll add that because of the state of affairs a MP dogfight is just fun but you can't draw any conclusions from it. I would rather, on the whole, fly 6-10 human co-op missions with a purpose that last a while. A well written mission is an absolute blast online.

     

    Just my $.02

  24. Posted

    Thanks Pol,

     

    That's what I thought. And it seems the trick about renaming the .exe and shortcuting to it from the desktop with XP compatibility checked makes MP work in Vista. I'm very glad not to have to un- and re-install.

     

    Now if the headset I ordered will get here, I'm ready to fly a differently crowded sky. What a great thing, to have a sim with the immersion and realism of OFF for campaign mode, and still be able to MP!

     

    Hey griphos! Was a blast fighting with you and Duck the other night. laughed my butt off! Was even better when I jumped in the Newport Lewis and you couldn't see me!

    :biggrin:

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