Test Pilot

Nice report there Bullethead! OFF sure seems to get the creative writing juices flowing. Olham, thanks for the info. Didnt realize the Spad had such a good climb rate; Ill need to take advantage of that. I guess it just takes a strong will to stay out of the turning fights I'm so accustomed to in planes like the Camel. The neat thing about the Spad is that it's tough to do a quick turn to the right due to engine torque.

At least she riped off doing those tests on the ground! Father would have likely blamed himself had she broken up in flight.

A quick venture over the front. Starting to like the Spad! Just wish I had the PC to put my terrain detail above a 2, but still looks great.

Well said! Thanks for all the great work!!!!

Hmm, tough one. Im new to WWI aviation history so I will seem a bit biased: 1. P-47 2. F4F 3. Any of the Albatross Scouts

Dont think of Cntrl Shft B as a burden, just imagine it as a dexterity exercise - but no cheating! For total engine management I'll fly FSX's A2A P-47, but a little extra detail where I can get it is still very nice :yes:

Haha! It's 1918, no one even knew so we too must stay in character Our time is filled with simpler things than today. All anyone had to worry about in 1918 was total war...............

Given its almost complete lack of maneuverability but its plus dive speed, Spads are a plane that should not get in a turning fight and instead use high energy tactics. What are some tips for this bird? No matter what I do, it seems I get pulled into a turning fight because I always find a fokker on my tail and no amount of climbing or diving ever allows me to shake an EA. Even my wingmen in their Spads seem to have no prayer in this plane.

Well hopefully I was wrong! I had forgotten all about null zones in MSFS series (no doubt because OFF is nothing like it!) and realized my null zone and sensitivities were at their (very annoyingly set!) defaults. Bumped the sensitivity up and the null zone down and flight was much better; well other than having lost elevator control until started a new flight. Actually shot down a Alb. DII in QC with the Spad until I ran out of ammo. Im almost scared to see what the Camel will be like now! And I haven't even touched any of the triplanes in OFF3 yet...

Id simply blame it on my lack of piloting skills in the Spad, but when using the Camel, I can take on 4 of anything and never worry about being outmaneuvered even against those odds (steering clear of the ground is another thing....). Obviously the Camel is almost in a league of its own, but what Im doing isnt entirely wrong at least. Ill try monkeying around with the Spad's trim as that could certainly play a major role.

Geez, I was just playing that as soon as a week ago... Now if I remember...... Pretty sure there was smoke! Oh yes, Im certain I remember seeing smoke. I think.....

The run up is really just done for testing the magnetos and seeing (and yes listening too) how the engine responds. Sure the mechanic will listen but once the plane is on the line for takeoff, its the pilot who will be doing this. In the sim, this mythical bogeyman mechanic who would never want to part with his precious plane isnt going to have any say here at all.... The key press is really no different than motioning with one's hand to free the wheels for the takeoff roll. I like the idea of the chocks, at least so long it doesnt actually say parking brakes instead on the screen.

I think the best idea of increasing sales may lie simply with including CFS3. Maybe even including the required files from CFS then in the installer itself so that CFS never needs to be installed. CFS3 would certainly ship with the game so as to fulfill legal reasons of copyright and the like, but for someone just using OFF, CFS isnt really part of the install process at all. Even market the OFF DVD as including "the classic WWII combat sim". Itd be like getting a bonus sim and the casual buyer probably would hardly notice the CFS requirement for OFF. Now would MS go for that???

I for one would like chocks (aka parking brakes) to be simulated for a run up.

This is one pretty game!

First screen shot posting.

I should be able to fly in formation with my squadron mates at the same speed right? (formation flying by rank where Im not the leader) Of course, this depends on how well I fly in the sim, but am I correct in assuming that it can be done in OFF3? I'm flying in the 94th Hat in the Ring squad. in a Spad XIII and at times have my wingmates zoom right by me suddenly even with throttle wide open and mixture set properly.

Really close to getting trackIR, but want to be sure that it works without problems in Vista64..... Is it good to go?

Or as he himself put it, "his friends". Kind of a narcissist really.... but as Freud would say, who isn't?!

Well regardless of whether one would play it or not, it'd certainly be a bold move for OFF4!!!

I have no idea if this is possible, but maybe having direct links for copies CFS3 for people to find on the main OFF page would help to lessen (the perceived) "burden" of needing CFS3 for OFF. Such as links to amazon.com page for CFS or an ebay auction tracker or something along those lines....

Come on, who would say Kaput when they are about to die? but then again...

Ok, thanks for the reply. It was way more immersive flying in formation and looking around for enemy a/c (really need trackir and itd be incredible). May take quite a bit longer to fly missions now, but the hour long mission literally flew right by as my attention was constantly focused on both the sky around me and the plane on my wingtip.

Haha! Well if I ever become dictator in the next 4 (or 8) years and meet Obama at an international summit, Ill give him my copy of OFF3!

It'd be pretty neat if some sort of Eastern Front was worked in. Lots of early / fragile looking planes there.