Olham

Yup! Smoother easier head movement control is a big enough reason to change.

Yes, but he is on another camping tour, chasing the sun.

After reading and experiencing how much seems to have been improved again (fighting Fees for example), I found we should bring out a toast to a devel, who hasn't been named here so often; who quietly "tweaked" software codes in the background - a toast to RexHannover! He must be responsible for much of the improvements towards a more realistic WW1 air combat sim. Thank you for your good work, Rex!

I will sure look out for those Nupes, Hasse! Where they British or French? I have enterd MFJ1 in Aertrycke, May 1917. My first flight was a recon escort of 4 DFW. Nothing happened, but after your event, I was triple careful, and my nerves where really strained after 17 minutes, I must say! But I always wanted to find a simulation, that would be able to give me exactly this: not at all arcade, but the toughest trial to survive. Incredible, who they got this done!

I'm running this rig: Intel Core2 E6550 (1.79 GHz) 2 GB RAM ATI RADEON X1900 And I use TrackIR 4 Pro with it. I saw improvement with 1.32c, all is running smoother. Slider are set to: 5, 3, 2, 3, 1

Sounds like they improved their behaviour? Has Bullethead's nudging had success? Yes, best way to approach them is from underneath. I fly right under the last craft, and then pull up steep to fire into her belly. I drop the nose again, before I get into the reach of the gunner, and repeat the proceedure. But they had so far always been rather stubbornly following their route, withour evasive movements or even fighting. Must try the next one I meet!

All, who only knew Phase 2 so far, and many of those who remember it as having lots of fun, may read these thoughts. It must be clear by now, that the OBD Team wanted to create a SIMULATION of the air combat in world war one. And I find, they achieved that to an incredibly great extent. Now, a simulation of air combat of those days MUST be hard. If you want to simulate that success- fully, the life expectancy of the average pilot WILL be around 17 hours. Because it was in those days. I have just made an escort for a recon flight of 4 DFW, at the front near Aertrycke. We had to stay 17 minutes, and they appeared nervewrecking long! While I was constantly checking (I fly without TAC, Labels etc.), my nervousness grew - where are they? Someone will jump on us from out of the sun. Or sneak up to us from the ground. Or come from our side, from behind? Constant artillery fire, plus occasional Flak, when we got too close to the front line, hammered onto my consciousness. After 17 minutes, we flew back. Nothing had happened, but I felt, as if it had. This must be as close as you can get right now, when you want to experience that war; I don't know any other sim, that will get you into it to such an extent. Very well done, OBD, I'm stunned. But now to my ideas and tips for newbies, or those who come back from a hard day's work, or just want to fly for some fun and maybe victories, but not for stress: Create for that one or several pilots to have some fun. Don't feel ashamed to use all the tools and stuff to make it that way, with these pilots. Use TAC, Labels, Targetting Cone, Pause, outside views - whatever. Don't regard the realism number in Workshop. Tune the sounds that way, that they don't annoy you. Click on "Time advance" or "Optional flight", when the mission type doesn't suit you, or when the way is just too long. Use "Start in the air", use "Warp". Do everything it needs to make it a "fun flight". Fully aware, that this is not a realistic WW1 air combat flight. And when you want it the hard, realistic, almost true way - you know what to switch on and click off. You have other pilots enlisted for that. With those you will challenge it again; make the experience, that you might not be an Ernst Udet, who survived throughout the whole war; and who was the exception - not the rule.

Would it make sense to upgrade my TrackIR 4 Pro, when it's working fine? I mean, are there advantages or improvements?

I'm still thinking about such a campaign - 50 hours! I'm so far from that still. You are now my other hero to follow, next to Creaghorn. I haven't been flying for 2 days now and get the fever. I will enter one of those MFJs now, to check, what's going on up there. But I'll choose a nicer season - I hate grey wheather (we often have that at the north sea, where I come from).

Oh dear! I really feel sad for him/you, Hasse Wind. So many hours - I must express my deepest respect. You must have been really careful and level-headed to make it so long. But as someone said about WW1 fighter pilots: on a long enough timeline, your chances to survive this war descend towards zero. And he did at least survive! I like to see your logs, and if you ever want your personal pictures for them, feel free to send me pics, where you are 20 - 40 years old, and I'll do my Photoshop tricks on you. Sometimes, I don't feel right to fly any of my longer lasting pilots - after all, it is stress to me. But one must admire the form of attack - camouflaged right for a sneak up from below! A big compliment to the devs for making the AI so much more unpredictable.

Update 08/15/09 15:20 Berlin time Emile, Belgium, added. The maps are in post 1 of this thread

Found these at the great picture archive at www.earlyaviator.com The "Krampus" looks like a German Gremlin to me. The Triplane is Collishaw's "Black Maria" . Enjoy!

These pics and so many more can be found at the website: http://www.earlyaviator.com Enjoy!

Valuable words from a "rantboy" - and very well said, Wels. Can only ditto that.

Update 08/15/09 13:30 Berlin time MThrift, Texas, added. Cobra427so, Florida, added. The maps are in post 1 of this thread

You could switch Labels on for a sec.

My name is Detlev Juergen Guenther Mahlo. So my German pilots are using these first names; their family names are either Mahlo or Harms (mother's side). My foreign pilots will have first names with D. So my British pilots are named David Marlowe (fighters) or Douglas McMarlow (two-seats). My Americans are named Donald Marlowe (fighters) and Dennis Marlowe (two-seats). My French will be Daniel St. Malo (fighters) and Didier Malo (two-seats). Ain't this fun?

British_eh: Oldham, the "Directors Bitter" is brewed by the Courage Brewery and I had one not two months ago. My English brother, recommended it when we were out for a few. Newcastle Brown Ale, is a great classic. My favorite, brewed on the Praries of Canada, actually Calgary, is Old Rock - Traditional Ale. Perhaps not quite so sweet as NBA, but smooth and tasty. Sorry, no German wheat beers, or American. It has to have a bit of flavour! Sorry saw this only now, British_eh - yes, Courage is right. I think it's one of those major companies, but their "Director's Bitter" was good, wasn't it? And I never liked wheat beers (Weizenbier), too. Too fizzy, sourish, skinny stuff.

Update 08/15/09 01:20 Berlin time redwolf, Canada, added. The maps are in post 1 of this thread

Hey, Pol, you guys are great. I think we all can only agree on letting them go off now to their well deserved holidays, without further complaints and uncivilised ranting. Dismissed! Have a good time, Pol and Winder!

My goodness, what a report is this? Have you joined Bullethead's A.C.E. Club (Absinthe Consumers Elite)?

Yeah, looks very good! I'm interested in that DM - do you fly it over the 1.32c patch? Oh, and how is the SPAD VII?

So you used it after installing the 1.32c Minipatch, RedDog?

Could have been red "KP" - that's Konrad Poralla's DIII OAW, Jasta 32. But that would have had a black tail? I didn't check through the DVs; too much work. Next time just add the Jasta, please.

Brrrr (shudder)! Must I now take a bible with me on my flights? Definitely this name will be known all along the front line soon.