rabu

I have no idea if it was Atari.. I remember playing it on my PC many years ago.. may have even been an IBM XT PC.. can't remember. I just know that each time I've tried to find it I find "updated" versions that actually, for me, aren't as much fun as the original version which was very simple, but very challanging. Would love to see what you have though and would probably need some instructions on how to get it running on XP! All the best, and thanks!

Where is this guy.. let'me attem.. comon, comon.. Seriously, not to worry, sounds like one of those chaps who stands in the corner at a party and criticizes others for socializing, when in fact, the problem is he can't think of anything to say. I know everyone here always enjoys your posts, Widowmaker, thanks.

Has anyone found the original version of "break out" with out all the dressed up additions, etc., and one that will play on XP? That's the arcade game with the balls bouncing around and you try to build walls to contain them.

Interesting idea!

One scene I really liked was in Flyboys where they were all assembled in the tent.. wonderful ambiance!

What about the photo with the Camel.. the tent looks identical to the last shot taken of it?

That was a pretty good summation of BHH, I liked it!

Yes, I think this was brought up a few months ago, but I believe the wind socks are right and do change direction with the wind.. Pol? I would go by the sock, not smoke.

Average size, Otto, it's been documented statistically that the average size has only changed a few inches. The ROF argument as to why their plane pilots look so small is that pilots were much smaller back then. If you read the forum thread you will see I posted graphic overlays showing that the way they sized the pilot in their ROF planes he would have been child size..(click here, interesting) yet they still continue to make excuses and argue that the game pilots aren't too small.. I give up.

Very well said! But I want them all, it doesn't have to be an either or situation... I'll probably fly ROF off and on (no pun intended) to enjoy the eye candy and experiment with the many aircraft dynamics and controls, then, when I get tried of it I'll fly OFF to experience the historical immersion, then, maybe, if I get around to buying First Eagles I'll fly it, then maybe I'll drive Test Drive Unlimited to have some fun, then back to ROF, etc. Great that we have so many choices, and it's cheap entertainment, especially when you consider that it costs about $50 or more to go see a movie once these days with the wife or friend after buying the tickets, paying for the food, etc.

Understood, I'm just optimistic that there is a LOT we can do.. look how far we have come already. The CFS3 game gets a lot of flak by its distractors, but it's actually pretty amazing, it is the Flight Simulator 2000 engine, so it's understandable that it is so powerful S!

Thanks Stump, but quit shouting! Actually, you guys have all done a LOT for the multilayer side and I do hope you can do more. When we started working on OFF we didn't even consider MP as an option, I guess because all of us working on it were pretty much SP and historical oriented, so we were surprised way back in P1 when some guys said they were playing MP and it was actually going pretty good, even with out the Microsoft server set up, (or what ever it is that is missing in CFS3 now). Anyway, all I'm saying is that we really appreciate all you and others have done creating campaigns, organizing groupsk, etc.. OVS was saying the other day what a good time he had playing on line and he had not done it before, I would love to try too, just can't seem to work it into any sort of schedule as I'm on call all the time and my schedule is to scattered. What is it that is the current problem in MP that needs fixing?

I'm aware of that, my hope was that maybe there is some way to load hi res, but smaller maps for areas you are in. They could cover a maybe, 100x100 mile area, big enough to probably handle any mission you are on, instead of relying on the whole western front map loaded each time. Do you think something like that is possible? ..could it be tied into the data base of your campaign missions and area you are flying from?

Thanks, GZ

Yea, some of the blasts were making the planes jump, but with no damage? ..come on.. Hollyweird, indeed!

Good idea, Creaghorn. What I've found though, is a lot of times, those players are just ignoring OFF, pretending like it doesn't exist, or they've heard the, "it's just CFS3 put downs, and if you bring it up you get very negative responses. Still, can't hurt to try.. I know, I always do.

I agree, and most of what's coming up are just wish lists. I think all of us know that some things probably can't be changed, some can but the way to do it hasn't been discovered yet, and some are good ideas, but probably low priority. I think the main thing would be to put as much effort as possible into the real problem things, like the in cloud death demon and a few other things that come up a lot and tend to ruin a career and a players fun with the sim?

How about a different solution to the Ace killed before his time problem? How about just making the Ace invincible till his historical death date.. any way to do that? So if you ran into one of them and got in a battle, even if you were to hit his target boxes, he wouldn't crash or die, maybe only get injured or crippled, but survive? And, if some one wants to test fly against a ace to see if they can beat him, we could set it up with a special QC with a list of most well known aces to fly against.

This has been a very civil and interesting discussion, with informative comments and opinions, all kept in the thread, so I see no harm in it, OVS, please don't close it or it will be used against OFF on the other forums in the worst way. Don't let WF2's post of the pretty ROF video push you over the edge.

I saw this over on the ROF forum, it's very impressive WF2; Posting it here isn't going to get this thread deleted I made the following comment on the ROF forum, and after viewing it again, I still feel the same about it: "I really like the CP details, the vibration of the gun mounts and the animation as they're fired. Damage modeling is also terrific, can't wait to fly it. Sounds are top notch and believable. As before, the lighting on the plane is great and the clouds and haze look really good. The landscape seems to vary in effectivenes from video to video, sometimes it looks outstanding, other times, like here it looks just OK to me and I've never thought the trenches/nomans land looked that great, to uniform in appearance. What still bothers me are the rivers in some of the videos. You can especially notice the problems near the start of this video with strange dead end appendages, twists, etc. I'm sure they will get around to working on it, but right now they really look odd to me, where as the effect of the water at low altitude is pretty amazing." Some one else pointed out that the AI didn't seem very aggressive, I've noticed this in some other videos, but we'll just have to wait and see. He had the guns on unlimited ammo, hence the non stop shooting and it's several videos spliced together. Some of the videos look very different then others; in some the terrain looks almost cartoonish, too smooth and too colorful, in others it is just amazing looking and convincing.. the best I have seen. In some videos the ground is completely covered with grass at low level, it's even animated and very convincing, but there is just too much of it, especially on an air fields, not a sign of dirt or worn areas, which makes it look phony. In other videos it looks much better with dirt and grass variation... more like the work in OFF, which I still feel is the best consistent terrain work I've seen in a flight SIM. The trenches just don't look good, to me, OFF has done a much better job modeling the look of the battle areas. In some of the ROF screen shots you can even see patterns of non stop explosion holes marching away into the distance in obvious pattern, like in the old RedBaron terrain.. was really surprised that slipped through. The rivers in some of the videos, like this one, look really odd (see about 2:30 into the video) with strange appendages and turns and twists. But down low the rendering of water is pretty amazing with sky reflection of clouds and objects, transparency and animation, though too clear and clean in most shots I've seen it's still pretty amazing. I'm sure that most of the problems will be ironed out with time, other things, like the connection requirements, the lean content, the lack of a dynamic campaign, the weak SP? (we don't even know for sure yet), etc., isn't going to prevent many from buying it, I just don't know if it will hold their attention long enough for the game to stay afloat. Like others have said, I support their efforts, and a LOT of effort has gone into it. My understanding is that they have also kept it very open for participation by those who want to make skins, planes, etc., but again, we'll just have to wait and see. [/size]

Would you please see this thread and tell me if I was being overly critical of ROF? I got blasted for mentioning what some one else had pointed out, and maybe my come back was overly paranoid (you would have to be familiar with how much I've been attacked), but I think the put downs of OFF were unwarranted. See it here (click)

I'd love to see the Zep added back in.. remember it fondly in phase I, but it isn't that big a deal. My biggest peave, that I would love to see fixed, is the in cloud death wind. It's a real problem, because if you follow a leader in bad weather, the AI seem to be able to fly right through these clouds, but if you dare to follow, you are likely to get thrown down to the ground with little chance of gaining control. I also don't like the sudden ending when you are shot down or killed.. would like to see my plane falling and crashing, that is a lot more exciting then suddenly being thrown back to the game interface with the announcent that you are dead, or what ever. I also still refuse to believe that there isn't some way of improving the ingame map resolution. What I would love to see added, that I think adds so much to the feeling of being there, are animated arms and legs in the cockpit.. a few of the planes have it, like the Nieuport 11 and I think it adds a lot to the game. Also some animation of the pilots from out side view would add a lot to the reality, if that is even possible, but it isn't as impressive as the in pit view.

Ubisoft was selling a DVD version of CFS3 that didn't require having to have the disk in the drive, but I can't find it any where. Xplosive has a two CD set in a DVD case. Microsoft original version is a 2 CD set in a jewel case or in a cardboard case.

I agree, I bought the pre release DVD and am wishing them all the best of luck.

I really like what you can do with the specular s.dds lighting files added to a plane skin. I used them on my Nieuport 17 skins I did for OFF and they add a lot to the looks. Just be sure to add them with a plane skin with no decals, or the decals will show up as ghosts on some plane skins; also don't over do it, or like OVS said, it can look strange. The Camel and Se5a also use the speculars.