Olham

"THE VINTAGE AVIATOR" have restored a Mercedes D.IIIa engine. They found an interesting repair - either a field modification, or done at an Armee-Flugpark - the black bracing in this photo. I wonder what happened to the original. Was it shot away, or did it break in a crash landing? However - this repair shows the craftsmanship, that made a broken engine installable again. http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/projects/mercedes-engine/mercedes-engine-restoration

Intersting points about economy and politics - a different kind of game then, maybe more like a board game? I like the way the armies march and attack in Shiloh's "Total War" - does the other have that too?

Thank you guys! That mod for Total War looks great, Shiloh - I wonder how all those groups can be controlled!

Damn, Makai makes me realise, how LAZY I am. He does that job with the diveboat; does these illustrations; he is skinning for OFF - and I am tired, when I have got my shopping home and cooked a meal! I am a sloth! Great stuff, Makai - thank you for posting, Shredder!

Dear Devs, I know you have already work enough on your hands. But perhaps, when you go to revise and overhaul some of the aircraft, you can have another go at the FMs of the Albatros aircraft. As it is now, the Albatros D.II seems to be the nicest of them all; easy going, light fighter with sturdy wings - great to fly and fight in. The D.V and D.Va feel much clumsier. I know they were not MUCH of an improvement, according to von Richthofen, but saying "not much", would suggest that there was a little improvement, still. Most astonishing I found the opinion of the RNAS boys, that the D.V was superiour to the Tripe, which may be a bit too much respect? Now, I don't mean to ask for any super-fighter - just if you could check once again for the balance of their FMs - even if that should mean, that the D.II would become a bit less great. It won't be wasted work and time - I fly these craft mostly all the time, and I'd be very grateful. PS: one point just comes to mind here too: when I push the throttle forward, there is quite some lag in the reaction of the engine's forward-driving power. Is that for a specific reason? And if it can't be dropped - could it be reduced quite some? Thank you for reading.

Okay, in that case: could I also have - let me think - ah, I'll come back to you with a list; must write all my wishes down!

Good idea!

The devs must dizzy by now from all the recent requests - OFF won't be ready before Xmas, when we carry on like this. And each request seems to trigger new ones.

Let's not overstretch it, Hasse Wind - after all they are only human (I guess).

One question from a newbie at strategic games: Is there a really good historical (no modern weapons) Civil War sim; and if there are many - which may be the best one?

Like: "Mmuahahahahahahaaaaaaaa!!!!!"

Update 24 March 2012 - 11:34 h Berlin time (= GMT + 1) Makai, Hawaii, corrected. I'm sorry, Makai, the orange outline colour must have got changed, when I changed all American names from red outline to white outline - yours was a 'victim' of that process. I did not mean to say, that your contributions to OFF were minor in any way - I know you have made lots of aircraft skins, and I love skins, as you may know. All the best! The maps are in post 1 of this thread

Me? I haven't suggested anything like that! No, but perhaps a kind of fluttering fabric noise or such would be possible. Although it should be tight enough not to flutter.

Great, that is good enough for me, Pol - thank you.

They would be, if they used boom & zoom tactics, as they should. Maybe in OFF II.

No fear, rjw, I do also appreciate the time the team invest in the building of the sim, I really do. But sometimes (and only very rarely) I may take the freedom and ask for something that I think should be looked at again. Like the throttle lag of Albatros for example. But I only do that, because I want to help to improve OFF - not to criticise.

Redpiano, the "Player Flight Altitude" seems to set the alt. you will reach, when you press "Warp". Of course you could still go higher, if your craft can do that.

...at your heels? Gee, looks really threatening - which they were, I'm sure.

When JFM says, a pilot would feel a coming stall in his bum - perhaps an electric wire could be developed, which sends an electric shock via USB cable to - ah, forget the idea.

Naw, you wouldn't want that, Shredder - Gaugin spent his last years suffering from syphilis. Just go back at your desk and add some fine history to OFF II, and we'll send the money.

Don't give them anything BEFORE they release - they may never get it done!!!

ADVERT ...or you know your craft - and what it can do, or what it can't. ALBATROS The Bird to carry you through a World War! (Sorry, couldn't resist also. Mmuahahahahahahahaaaaaa!!!!! )

Here are three pictures from the "Buddecke" website, which is always well worth a "sightseeing tour". - The first photo is said to be Jasta 72 in May 1918 by the road Roye - Nesle. - The second shows Jasta 69 in September 1918 with their Pfalz D.IIIa. - The third is a birdseye view of the Jasta 5 airfield at Boistrancourt, Winter 1917. http://www.buddecke.de/fotos.htm

Congrats to your find, Lou. The title is strange - as if the editors had misread "35b" for "356" ? There was, of course, no such high number for a Jagdstaffel; so I had always thought, the work might be rather fictional. However - what I didn't find among your books is that of Julius Buckler: "Malaula! The battlecry of Jasta 17". That book is definitely not fictional, and you can even get it in English, translated - I believe - by Norman Franks. I don't know how good the translation is, but the original is a great read - I recommend it.