Olham

Sehr geehrter Leutnant Hasse Wind Turnips - it's that bad in Jasta 10, really? I'm in Jasta 15, Nesle / Le Mesnil, in May 1918; and here in the Somme region, the people know to eat well. Their Bratwurst is different to our German ones back home; they make "Merguez", a mix of minced beef and lamb. But I like it; very tasty! These French people know much better how to live well, than us. In Ennemain, I was the special guest of Jasta 33. They have an own "Metzgermeister" (butcher master craftsman) - there, I got a real German Bratwurst, and German beer (something, the French don't know to brew like us). Hochachtungsvoll! Oberleutnant Wolfram "Wolf" Mahlo

I have downloaded and installed Patch 1.30 this afternoon. If I want to use "Hardcore" - should I then use this new Patch 1.30b ?

Thank you, Madmatt, for the sympathy, I feel you bring to this forum, and surely this combat flight sim. What compliment could be greater than one, made by another industrial game developer? (let's hope, they still get their heads through the door now - Lol!) And right - so far, there were rather minor issues, that the support always solved quickly. I like your approach to the planes, and feel similar. Of course, the Fokker Dr.1 or the D VII and D VII F would be more dangerous fighter planes. I tried them, and got my kill tally growing much faster. But somehow, I have fallen in love with the Albatros fighter, and fly all versions. I will surely do campaigns with all the other craft, German and Allied planes, too. And so I'm a lucky man: a dream from days of childhood came true. And it supplies me with so many planes on each side, that this will last for years. THAT's, what I call a good reason for upgrading my rig a lot. (See, if you can get percentage on CPU and graphic cards sales, Winder and Pol! Lol!!!) Hope, you stay here, Madmatt - now that your "stealth mode" is off. Welcome!

In the first flight today, the 4 of our Albatros D Va climbed for 4 Camels. When the gentlemen came down, I ordered "attack" - and found none left over for me. My wolfs must have been very hungry! In a minute or two, all Camels were eaten for breakfast. In my second sortie, I got one for me then. In the third, we didn't meet any other opponents but these two R.E.8s, without escort. I couldn't resist. The gunner of the second plane cut my engine out. He spiraled down, I followed. Seeing Ennemain airfield below, I knew I would get some lunch soon, and that let me attack them again, with standing still propeller. I let them have it, and they crashed beside the field. Happily, I came sailing in to Ennemain, rolled right to the canteen, just in time for Sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and Bratwurst. Lol!!!

My best lasting pilot so far, "Wolf" Mahlo, has many encounters with SPAD XIII. So far, they always lost, except on one occasion, were they outnumbered us terribly, and we were chased back over the lines. But next time, our revenge cost them four more of these planes.

You can go over the edges with a paintbrush, as long as you don't paint into another part. I mark the area for a colour change or whatever, in Photoshop via Lasso, or with the choice square. Sometimes I collect it with the "magic stick". But the edgy Lasso, were you can set point after point, getting lines between them, is my most used tool for choice.

Much did we praise the new sim "Between Heaven and Hell", but I haven't ever mentioned the musical score to it yet. It is great, suits the athmosphere perfectly - a score, that could well be in a movie about WW1 airial combat.

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.

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!

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.