#1772926 - 06/26/06 05:59 PM
Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6
Bman2006
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6
Springfield Missouri
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Ok you F4:AF masters. Help out the hack. I have read through the FAQ's... I have been to around the globe on the internet looking at F4:AF sites... I ran scared away from a 700 page manual... (but shall return)... I need some help.
A little background. I have been simming for a while now. I have been cruising the sunny skies with FS2004, CH yoke, TrackIR 4.... All is well. I thought I would take a break from the 250 page manual of the 727 dreamliner (thinking it was rather large) and would install F4:AF which came with the TrackIR. Naturally I thought this was going to be some turn and burn fun game - you know, to take a break from the study of the 727 / 737 aircraft manual.
To my amazement, this couldn't be further from the truth. In a great way. I am glad to see that there is a hyper-sim for well, faster aircraft.
I don't even know where to truly begin this under taking. What would a complete noob do? What would you do if you had to learn everything over again that you know now? Do I
1 - Read the operating manual from cover to cover? 2 - Where do I practice what I have learned? In the free flight training mode? 3 - I read the FAQ's on this forum and they are already over my head. 4 - Does F4:AF come with any interactive tutorials? I am use to doing the flight training on FS2004. It holds your hand, they say do this and you do it. I see that there are lessons on F4 but you click and just go with what you know with the manual in the other hand? Is this how it is done?
... So, I want to learn... I just want to learn it in an efficient way.
This is you chance to shine Yoda(s). Point me in the right direction! If not, it's back to Cessna 172 for me. Ha.
Thanks Y'all. Feel free to post here, PM or email. Heck if you have really good info, Yahoo me @ vanepo2001.
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#1772927 - 06/26/06 06:09 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,169
Dusty Rhodes
Hard, Fair, Play to WIN
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Hard, Fair, Play to WIN
Member
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,169
Southern Oregon
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Well.....you could read the manual......But better yet, load up the training missions and fly them. Click buttons and mess with it on the fly. That is how I learned it. Plus some time on the Can, reading the manual
Dusty Rhodes
Fight Fair! Fight to have fun! Fight to WIN!
Win 7 Pro, Intel i7 4790K OC'd to 4.6 Gigs, EVGA GTX Titan 6 GB Memory and ASUS GTX Titan 6 GB Memory, 32 Gigs Tri Channel Ballistix RAM, Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog and HOTAS Cougar, TrackIR 5, Cougar MFD's, Saitek Combat Rudder Pedals
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#1772928 - 06/26/06 06:13 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,771
Para_Bellum
Oberkriegkaboomführer
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Oberkriegkaboomführer
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,771
Germany
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Read BeachAV8R's tutorial and campaign AARs. IMO the best, most fun way to learn the ways of the Falcon. Link. They're done with Falcon 4.0 (not AF) but almost anything still works the same in AF.
"...late afternoon the Air Tasking Order came in [and] we found the A-10 part and we said, "We are going where!? We are doing what!?"
Capt. Todd Sheehy, Hog pilot, on receiving orders during Operation Desert Storm
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#1772929 - 06/26/06 06:30 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond
Strategerizer
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Strategerizer
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
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My advice would mirror Dusty's. I first learned the sim on F4SP. With so much to learn I had to come up with some plan. Luckily I'd had experience with other top-notch jet sims like Jane's F/A-18 and F-15, so many terms and systems weren't completely foreign to me.
What I did was run through each training mission (the manual had walkthroughs, not sure if the AF manual does?). Started with free flight. Then takeoffs, then landings and right on down the list.
I didn't move on to the next one until I could complete the mission successfully without pausing or referencing the manual.
Once I felt I had the basic skills and systems down I spent a couple of days in the instant action module. This is an oft-overlooked training environment with unlimited ordnance and heaps of bad guys.
The test came a week later when I fired up my first campaign. The next day I flew online in a campaign, did well enough, and have been hooked on this sim ever since.
I feel like I'm proficient in this sim, but even after several years there's plenty I don't know, or know well enough. The ICP, TACAN, and other stuff. There's a hell of a lot to learn. But only about half of it is really needed to fly and fight effectively.
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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#1772930 - 06/26/06 06:51 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 18
stevie
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 18
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Yes, use the manual together with the training missions. And Don't skip anything - even if you think "uh ok, i did that before". And don't move on to the mission when you think "uh ok, this looked like the way i should do it.. i guess". Doing all training missions together with the manual will make you feel 'comfortable' in the cockpit. You really start to learn and enjoy F4:AF once you go online. I suggest having a peek at http://www.tacticalgamer.com and browse for the f4 forum. Also multiviper is a cool place to hang out (which i actually less then i should) Good luck! stevie http://www.vlie.com/falconlog
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#1772931 - 06/26/06 07:39 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6
Bman2006
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6
Springfield Missouri
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Hey guys - thanks!!! I wish I wasn't at work or I would dive right in, again, for the 5th time...ha. I see a lot of reference to F4SP... what is it? I see a lot of reference to SP4... this reminds me of SP2 (as in service pack). So far I have only installed the game and updated it to 1.07. Regarding the training missions, I see the information on the pages shown before you click "fly" - is this all the information that is provided for the training missions? How do you know that you have successfully flown the training. Will it tell you ? I did the takeoff training...simply took off and began to follow the leader on the course indicated by the HSI (i think that's what it was called ) Keep the comments coming. I am printing them off and tagging all of the links. Thanks again. To print the manual at work...or not to print... haha. Benjamin
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#1772932 - 06/26/06 07:57 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,771
Para_Bellum
Oberkriegkaboomführer
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Oberkriegkaboomführer
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,771
Germany
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F4SP is the original, 1999 version of Falcon 4.0 with the additional "SuperPack" patches made by members of the Falcon community.
You will find additional, detailed information about the training missions in the PDF manual
"...late afternoon the Air Tasking Order came in [and] we found the A-10 part and we said, "We are going where!? We are doing what!?"
Capt. Todd Sheehy, Hog pilot, on receiving orders during Operation Desert Storm
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#1772935 - 06/26/06 08:12 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 23
psychp
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 23
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Bman, Unfortunately there's no way in game to reference the training information. BUT... What most guys do is print out the training portion (much shorter than 700 pages) of the PDF and use those as reference as they are doing ths mission. Just get use to using Pause to read up while in flight. Hope this helps -BlackAngel
BlackAngel
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#1772938 - 06/26/06 08:31 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
DBond
Strategerizer
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Strategerizer
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 13,199
NooJoyzee
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In a pinch you can pause your training, alt-tab out of F4 for a gander at your reference material, website, manual, whatever, then maximize and continue on.
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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#1772940 - 06/26/06 08:48 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 18
stevie
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 18
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I used it for training the instrument landing. In the 2d pit looking down using the instruments up to 1 miles away from tacan at 200 feet and then look up to see if you did it ok. The hud is then very handy to use. Anyway, i'm pretty sure thats not the main use of the hud in a mfd
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#1772941 - 06/26/06 08:50 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 415
H4rM
Member
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Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 415
Orlando, Florida
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Bman2006, a great friend in flying the training TE's so you can learn as you go is the use of the FREEZE instead of PAUSE. P=Pause while Shift+P=Freeze. Freeze will allow you to stil be able to use your mfds and switches for locking up Air to Air or Air to Ground targets and give you the time to apply what the manual teaches. Later, once you hone your knowledge, you can try them without the Freeze switch. BTW: If you read the manual, some training TEs cannot be accomplished right off the bat, like the Air to Air one. Just do like the manual says and Freeze the game, lock onto the different targets and practice acquiring them. Later when you get better, you should be able to fly it without the freeze and get most all of them easily. Just remember "baby-steps".
Another great learning method that I highly recommend is joining a virtual flying wing, flying falcon4-allied force that has a great training program. There are many good ones, but I would like to suggest the Freebirds-VFW (freebirdswing.org website for info). After flying for years on my own, I learned more in 3 months from them than years on my own.
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#1772943 - 06/27/06 04:00 PM
Re: Step 1 - Holy Smokes ... I am not sure.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,556
Li'lJugs
Hotshot
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Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,556
St. Cloud MN USA
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re: Following the training missions, in order, and not progressing until comfortable.
Probably depends on one's personality, but I tried that, and quickly got bored. No doubt it's the best way, but not for me. My method? Do what interests me, and push a lot of buttons, LOL!
I love A-G, so am presently concentrating in GBU delivery, and getting pretty good at it, if I do say so myself, but I still can't land 100% of the time. It's just a game, even if it is a sim (oh, the humanity!!).
Anyway, succeeding in some the "advanced" training missions gives me incentive to learn the more basic ones, since you need them all to succeed (or just stay alive) in the campaign.
Main thing, I think, is just to have fun!
Hi, I'm Larry and this my brother Dayrle, and this is my other brother Dayrle.
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