Olham

Dej: You're correct about the DVa of course, I'm just thinking if I can beat them then the DIIIs will be easier still. Mind you, I think the DIII's your favourite lady so perhaps it's better than the DVa? I like all Albatros versions in their ways. You cannot compare a D II with a D Va in terms, which one was better. They flew in different times, against different opponents. In my graphic, you can see though, that the D II was a better climber than the D III. D II: Empty 637 Kg (Max. start weight: 888 Kg) DIII: Empty 661 Kg (Max. start weight: 886 Kg) Tripe: 643 (probably empty, not noted in Wikipedia) When we tangle with Tripes, I use my "Dolphin tactics" - I curve into a Tripes path and give her a burst; then, when she turns hard left, I jump out of that turn to about 20 - 30 ° right, climbing a little, and see, which one to jump on next in the same manner. Quickly, they are all damaged enough, that I can come back and finish them off - one after the other. PS: I didn't get correct detailed data for the Tripe's climb. The climbing data for the Albatros were detailed, in that they show varying performance curves for the different altitudes.

Just shot down two BE2c. Now I'd like to know, how to write the right things. My report reads: 1 BE2c RFC-8 craft hit and destroyed at 08:33 h, near Lens. 1 BE2c RFC-8 craft hit and destroyed at 08:45 h, south-east of Lens; south of Haubourdin airfield. Do you "crumpets" write "south-east" or "southeast", or maybe "S/E" ? And how would "south-southeast" be right? Is it better to name cities or airfields - or as many locations as possible? Thanks in advance. Olham

Haha! Hauksbee - when you're at that stadium: "My girlfriend is a shallow little tart, but I love her", wait how it will be, when you say: "My girlfriend may look a shallow little tart - until we Tango!" Dej, the Albatros D Va can't even really run away from that Tripe - they are both more or less similarly fast. Still though, in BHaH, no Tripe has shot me down yet - but I have killed 5 or 6 of them (in an Albatros DIII - the D Va wouldn't have met the Tripe, I'd think). But there, the "luck factor" comes into it. Any next time, I might get toasted...

Don't know if I got you right, Hauksbee - an altered skin would NOT cover the old. It is a Bitmap, from which the sim knows, which part to use for what part of the aircraft. Now, when you altered a skin, you save it under an own name by changing the last part of name. OFF_Alb_DIII_Jasta 23 1917.dds would now be saved as OFF_Alb_DIII_Jasta 23 Hauksbee.dds This way, the original skin remains in the game folder, and your new version is just added to it. Also, the skin will not be overlay for another skin underneath. The 3D models are just blank, like white plastic models. Now, from your choice in QC or Campaign, the sim "clothes" it with what you chose. So, as long as you don't forget to save your creations under a varied name, the old skins remain untouched; your new skins are just additional ones. PS: when you cut out parts, and put them onto another (same plane's) skin, you just have to make sure, to move them exactly to were they belong. To insure that, I sometimes cut out something fro the surrounding too, that helps me to make an exact placement; and after that, I erase those undesired bits. (That's easy in Photoshop - don't know for other programs).

So, my conclusion is that some of us get the damage and some don't. Sorry, didn't know about this. Now I understand, why you tweak damage. I wouldn't miss it, too.

Yes, Jim - I had, some time ago, announced, I would make screenshots from at least all the German aces skins, and show them, time after time, in a special thread. I didn't do it, cause I was surprised, how many they are. It would take me ages, to choose the planes and skins, enter QC, and make the shots, then edit them etc. This sim is a cornucopia of planes and skins!

Unfortunately for the French, the N28 did not serve with any French escadrilles, only with the Americans. I'd like to see the N24/N27 in the game, but even these, the last of the Nieuport sesquiplane fighters, did not serve with many French escadrilles. Why was that? Are there reasons? Did the Americans pay more for them (Lol!) ?

Why shame, Widow - I still have to experience all the Allied planes. Only had several QCs with S.E.5s and Camels - never flown the Tripe yet! A day's time is always somehow full of other things to be done first. The Halberstadt is a solid plane with a good climb and diving ability, as far as I saw yesterday. The gunsight is rather bad - you must find out, were the shots go; but then it may be fun. Nupes are a bit more like butterflies, agile and all over the places - and as fragile! So, I made the best of the Halby, and scored better than Manfred! Lol!!

Haha!! What have I set off here? Me, an East-Friese, now living in Berlin, getting help from an American game designer, who visited this forum, cause he also likes (or even loves?) my absolute top air combat sim; and who left his "lurk mode" to help, only to be written to by other nice chaps around here, who know, were the Wright Bros. bicycle shop used to be. In films, this would end with all the nice people sitting together over a glass of Jack Daniel's, talking about WW1 and future air combat sim developements. Lol!!! Edit / PS: to save the reputation of OFF Support, I want to put right: OFF Support E-mail with the same advice arrived at AOL at 20h17. For some reason, I only found it after Madmatt's help, which was around midnight here. Thank you all again - sometimes, life is just wonderful!

My goodness - clicking the link on UncleAl's post, I saw, what you lucky Americans all can get. Osprey books, Jagdstaffel 2 Boelke - great stuff! If I can't get it in German, I will order it from America.

Why do all that work? Just changer the gunnery settings in workshop towards easier. And if you say, that's cheating - well, changing the damage model, is, too. I have "Hardcore" installed, and guns set to normal, and I have shot planes literally to pieces. One British two-seater broke up in mid air in my gunfire. Wings come off in part or totally. No need to change the damage model. Another point: if you have the look of the planes on "Highest resolution", you don't see damage. Change that one lower, and you'll have more fun! Edit: In Hardcore, planes are harder to destroy; so you may want to overwrite it with normal. But even in Hardcore, I see lots of terrible damage. Last idea: fly two gun planes - come to se Dshermans - vee hav se killer planez, mein Herr!

Rickitycrate: Just kidding buddy about flying correctly but it is a little backasswards. Well, Rickity, you can fly the sim in another order, that makes sense, too. I actually would even recommend that for the rather unpatient newbies. Fly the easy-to-fly planes like S.E.5a, Fokker D VII, Nieuports and SPADs first, and slowly work your way backwards - the last plane you do, is the Fokker E III Eindecker. But I will definitely try some day, to fly the whole wartime in orderly manner, and to survive it long enough, to get to the D VII F. Fortiesboy: How anybody saw what the hell was going on flying a Camel, I don't know. It simply was the best two gun turn fighter the British had at it's time. Tricky to get to grips with, but in the hands of skilled pilots a good fighter. But I would also say, that, like with the Dr.1, there is a lot of myth and legend connected to the name. Hassewind: I eat Halbies for breakfast in my French Nieuport 17 campaign... Yes, I should think so, after trying the Nupe. But beware: the climb of the Halberstadt is exellent for the time! Hassewind: One of these days I must start a career in 1915 and try what's it like to fly the Eindecker. So many planes to fly, so little time! Yes, absolutely true! Isn't that great? I mean, what you got for the money - keeps you busy for maybe years!

In case, you didn't know: the skins for the contest can be placed or viewed here: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?autoc...amp;showcat=351 They can also be downloaded there, for your own use and pleasure. Enjoy! Olham

Didn't know they released a book - but I saw the GHOSTS calendars before; large photographs of the old warbirds from two World Wars, superb shots!

So, next to do is, ask Gous. Come out of those bushes...

Hauksbee - it's time for some campaigning now, old chap. Cause there, you won't know before, who to expect, or how many of them. Will be much harder. But if you don't have much time, you may warp. So join us "Campaigners" now - come to the field of duty!

Hahaha! Dej - now he may change it all, with our avatar pics on! Good grief!! What a crazy nice community we are. Do you all feel, how rare this really is in life, to join to something so beautiful, at the right time and place? I can't say, how much it means to me...

Tch, tch! - Rickitycrate! Why not ask? There are Widowmaker, Gous, Beanie and I, and others, who do skinning attempts. Come on and join us. And ask your questions, following TYPHOON's great motto: The only stupid question is the one not asked.

Yes, right, Pol, saw it now. Last time I had checked, there was no mail shown. However - I'm happy, it ain't anything really bad. If one knows this can happen, you just set it up right again; and no pilot is lost. (My Fokker Dr.1 pilot might become a really good one !)

Keep your questions coming. And best is, to visit the forum's "OFF skinning department" here: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showforum=212 There are tutorials to get advice from, and many posted skins.

Madmatt, you solved my problem! And I'm so grateful, I could keep my pilots! The problem occured before; like this: I pressed "go to field!", weather report came, voice: "Contact! Clear!" came, and then the screen "WW1 world initialising..." - but it was only half there, cause too large. I had then used the "monkey-grip", cause I couldn't get to any button at all. After restarting the game, I had then first checked resolution in Workshop, and found it set wrong suddenly. I put it right, and everything went alright again. This happenend several times. This new "version" of the accident didn't show me the "WW1 world initialising..." at all, but threw me right back to the briefing room; again and again. But it was the same reason: the resolution had changed to 800 x 600 this time. Maybe, nothing worked, cause I have disabled any other resolution but 1280 x 1024 x 32, in the overrides. So, here's the solution, thanks to you, Madmatt!

And fun is the best engine. I have surely learned more about my Photoshop through this skinning job, than in my graphic work before.

The dev team surely want themselves to get some more planes into BHaH, but such models take long to build perfectly. I dare to guess, that they already work on ideas in that direction. The Americans want the Nieuport 28. For the Germans, it could be early Fokkers, or late war Fokker D VIII, or Siemens-Schuckert D III. The British seem to want the Sopwith Snipe mostly. And the French, having the good Nupe 28 to share with the Americans already, might get an additional Morane Parasol. An add-on package with these planes couldn't be free, and most of us, who want those planes, would be willing to pay for them - no question. They may come one day - but until then, I have enough planes yet to experience.

OvS, Paarma, Makai, Sandbagger and Polovski could tell you better, how they are done; but I think, the main upper wing is just done a bit larger on the edges, than necessary. So, the parts, were they overlapp with other parts, are not really seen later on the 3D model. Also, you may see, that the fuselage shows two left sides. The upper one will appear mirrored on the 3D model. So, if you want to write something on it, you must mirror it for the upper fuselage.

Yes, there is so much to do! I have by now flown all Albatros versions, except the D Va 200, in campaign. In addition, I have now started one Halberstadt and one Fokker Dr.1 campaigns. Then there would be still the D VII and D VII F to fly, before I could even say, I'm through with the Germans. So, then the whole wide field of Allied planes was yet to come!