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#2094979 - 12/21/05 07:46 PM OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Jan 2001
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Uther Offline
Aviation Coordinator
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Upstate NY

Last edited by Polovski; 05/23/12 05:29 PM. Reason: Replaced broken links with new
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#2094980 - 12/21/05 07:47 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Jan 2001
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Uther Offline
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Upstate NY
No buttons when you first start


Right click desktop

Properties

Settings

advanced

General tab

DPI setting should be 96

120 will not work.

#2094981 - 12/21/05 07:56 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
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Uther Offline
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Quote:
PASully:

For some reason if you use pedals they are reversed in cfs3/OFF heres the fix

You need to change the following entries in your XCA file located in C:\Documents and Settings\yourusername\Application Data\Microsoft\Combat Flight Simulator 3.0
The folder may be hidden so check un hide files and folders





All you do is make the origninal entry into a negative number and the pedals will work properly.

How to get trackir 1 and 2 to work in cfs3/OFF

You can get trackir 1&2 to work using tir_attack 1.6 (1.7 doesn't work so well) get it here

http://www.geocities.com/tir_temp/tir_attack_1_6.zip

Get it working in game by doing this:

Tir_Attack works exceedingly well:
Start Trackir proggie and minimise, start CFS3 and Ctrl - Esc out or alt-tab out and then start TIR_Attack - jump back into CFS3 and voila...

You can start Trackir, then Tir_Attack then CFS3 but sometimes Tir_Attack has poke errors.

#2094982 - 12/27/05 03:43 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Jan 2001
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Uther Offline
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Graphics Tweak by bzhyoyo

graphic card : radeon 9800 pro with cat3.9 (best drivers for cfs3 with ATI cards)

resolution : 1280x1024 with AAx2 and FSAAx4

Here are the settings I use in cfs3config. It's French but you should make out most of the things as they are in the same place.

HTH








#2094983 - 01/04/06 02:45 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
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Major Hippie Offline
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Groovy Galaxy
FYI, I installed OFF to:
"?:\Program Files\CFSWW1 Over Flanders Fields" (?=drive letter)

making sure to keep the "CFSWW1 Over Flanders Fields" folder & OFF is working just fine so far.

hip63 :p


...remember always fly HIGH!
hip63\'s SDOE Airfield
for Fighter Squadron:SDOE Mission & Skin files
#2094984 - 01/17/06 08:23 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: May 2002
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Flying Hedman Offline
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Mölnbo, Sweden
I got a warning "WW1Autumn Light folder missing, the game will now close. You need to reinstall Over Flanders Fields" and was kicked back to desktop.
Solution: find the WW1 scenery folder whereever it´s placed go inside copy and paste to the \assets folder in OFF root.
You can get a few "folders missing" calls befor it all will work but be persistent in the copy and paste job and you´ll soon be overhead!!
And if the NoCD discussion is censored I´ll be glad to help via @-mail, drop me a line!

#2094985 - 01/18/06 12:19 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
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Polovski Offline
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Yikes, not recommended! Did you download ALL the updates and run them?


Regards,

Polovski,
OBD Software, developers of immersive flight sims;
Wings Over Flanders Fields and Wings Over The Reich
http://www.overflandersfields.com
http://www.wingsoverthereich.com
#2094986 - 01/23/06 04:29 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
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J18_Weed Offline
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anywere els to d/l the Off files bothe say unavalible...

#2094987 - 03/20/06 11:07 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Jun 2001
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Pobs Offline
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Is this still available, all the links at the top of the page seem to be dead ?


cheers,


Pobs

#2094988 - 03/20/06 01:38 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,387
beowolff29 Offline
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must be a internet glitch on your end, Pobs... they're still working fine for me.

S!

Beowolff

#2094989 - 03/27/06 10:14 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Jun 2001
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Pobs Offline
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Pobs  Offline
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North Wales, UK
Thanks Beowulff,

must have been a temporary glitch, they are alive again now \:\) ,


cheers,


Pobs

#2094990 - 06/10/06 12:12 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 135
VMF-Blaze_UG Offline
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New York Metro Area
I can't get the game to load...

I keep getting missing MSSTDFMT.DDL file...

I downwloaded the missing file from the web site but it doesn't appear to be installing...

Ok can I install it manually and if so what file and where do I paste it into...

~S~

Blaze

#2094991 - 06/10/06 12:55 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Aug 2002
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southernman Offline
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mobile,al usa
I believe .dll's have to be "installed" but it's early and only had one cup of coffee! I can't recall the exact proceedure but:

"If it boots completely, you can use System File Checker (sfc.exe) to repopulate any missing or damaged 'Windows' dll's.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/222471/EN-US/"


Perhaps do a search.

#2094992 - 06/11/06 02:55 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
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Posts: 135
VMF-Blaze_UG Offline
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Posts: 135
New York Metro Area
OK, On a scale of 1 to 10, I would say that the installation this add on was for me about at a 9 (LOL)..

But I did get it to run finally and I must say that it's very cool..

Now I'm tweeking the options to my likeing...

Its a lot of fun guy's thanks for all of the hard work..

~S~

Blaze

#2094993 - 07/06/06 12:15 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
Joined: Jul 2006
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paarma Offline
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Posts: 1
Finland
Hello!
i installed cfs3 updates 3.1a and laughed the game. after that i installed off v.1.0. i also installed MSSTDFMT.DLL FIX... everything works fine until i go to briefing room its says co-ord errors... and in map screen "accept mission" it always says " run-time error `13`"... what ever i choose. it gives that error and kick me to the desktop!!
help me please. I have played rb2 since 1998 and this is first simulator after that is really worth to play!!!

Paarma

#2094994 - 07/06/06 02:37 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc)  
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Polovski Offline
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Really wrong thread to post issues Paarma, repost it in a new thread and I'll try to help. All the other posts re problems here are totally wrong place too hey ho..


Regards,

Polovski,
OBD Software, developers of immersive flight sims;
Wings Over Flanders Fields and Wings Over The Reich
http://www.overflandersfields.com
http://www.wingsoverthereich.com
#2179420 - 04/08/07 06:13 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Polovski]  
Joined: Jul 2005
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MonkGF Offline
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Cary, NC
Combat FS patch links are dead. They're now on an "aspx" page instead of "asp":

http://www.microsoft.com/games/combatfs3/downloads.aspx#update3.1


-- Greg
#2187393 - 04/19/07 08:21 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: MonkGF]  
Joined: Mar 2003
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Polovski Offline
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Thanks for heads up MonkGF


Regards,

Polovski,
OBD Software, developers of immersive flight sims;
Wings Over Flanders Fields and Wings Over The Reich
http://www.overflandersfields.com
http://www.wingsoverthereich.com
#2546548 - 07/07/08 07:12 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Polovski]  
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
LE Heureux Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
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Posts: 415
NE Colorado USA
I am grateful for all the wonderful free Red Baron enhancements enjoyed over the years and am reluctant to complain about the difficulty I am experiencing finding out how to get started with OFF, especially as I am aware that many of the same talented people I already owe thanks to are the same people creating OFF.

That said, I spent several hours scanning the OFF website and Sim Outhouse OFF forum without finding a thread describing recommended system requirements for OFF or a basic tutorial for OFF newbies. I'm lucky if I can find time to fly in tournment games with my RB squad and can't pore over 256 pages of topics at a forum to learn about the next game I'll probably fall in love with.

So far I've learned I should buy the $25 cd version of CFS3 at Amazon rather than the $10 dvd version for XP only. That discovery took a couple hours. Is there somewhere I can "read up" on optimal system/hardware requirements and the steps needed to install and play this great new game?

I would have posted at Sim-Outhouse but my Email address leheureux <at> hotmail.com was rejected. I just got a message that allowed me to register manually, but am not able to post there yet. S! Hex


Au revoir en l'air...S!
Hex
#2547168 - 07/08/08 08:12 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: LE Heureux]  
Joined: Apr 2001
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Shredward Offline
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Lake Louise, AB Canada
Hey Hex!
Here's a link to Pol's FAQ page.
http://www.polovski.com/OFFFAQ.htm
Cheers,
shredward


We will remember them.
#2563426 - 08/06/08 04:22 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Shredward]  
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 20,834
Stormtrooper Offline
Lifer
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Lifer

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Found the game on sale for $5 (CFS3) The only reason i bought it was to play this. \:D

Getting late so i'll set it up later, but i'll be posting screenies probably.

#2595962 - 09/29/08 06:48 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Stormtrooper]  
Joined: Oct 2007
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Global_Explorer Offline
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I just installed Phase 2 and I cannot run the game on a Core2 any more.

I get "cannot load mission" every time.

I installed only OFF 1.0, OFF Videos and OFF 1.9 + 1.9 hotfix. XP is a virgin, SP3 is installed. I did not install the skins which I dont have anymore. I though they were optional?

Other details: German XP, SP3, Regional set to English (USA). I already installed msstdfm.dll.

Pretty frightening if installation doesnt run at all, though for a freeware mod it's acceptable. But this must get 10x better for the pay addon or the makers will be in deep trouble. I will wait until I have positive report that the installation process is working differently next time.

EDIT: It seems to run now, maybe because I hadnt rebooted often enough or because I had to create a new pilot after the change of language, who knows ..

Last edited by Global_Explorer; 09/29/08 06:59 PM.
#2595997 - 09/29/08 07:19 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Global_Explorer]  
Joined: Apr 2008
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Cameljockey Offline
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Hampton, SC USA
It seems that CFS3 has an issue with dual core CPUs. Have you tried the dual core optimizer? (that's what AMD calls it) There is a similar fix for Intel dual cores also. I'll see if I can find it and get back to you.

CJ


NZXT Guardian 921 RB Case
Antec EarthWatts EA650 650W PSU
ASUS DRW-24B1ST DVDRW Drive
ASUS PRIME Z270-A LGA 1151 Mainboard
Intel Core i7-6700K 8M Skylake Quad-Core 4.0 GHz
DEEPCOOL Gamer Storm Lucifer V2 CPU Cooler
G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200)
Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSHD 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
Kingston 2.5" 120GB SATA III TLC Internal SSD
GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1080 8GB 256-Bit GDDR5X PCI E 3.0 x16 ATX Video Card
#2596001 - 09/29/08 07:24 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Cameljockey]  
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 65
Global_Explorer Offline
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Posts: 65
Thank you but that was not the problem. I might run into problems later but the game runs on C2. It was just that I got "could not load mission" every time because some language / pilot setting was not working. Thanks!

EDIT: It seems the problem was definitely related to the language setting again. On a non-english OS you must have it set to English (USA), reboot, create a new pilot (?). From my experience in programming it could have to do with decimal numbers (english use dot, many eruopeans use comma), or some other sign. In some ways this is Microsofts fault, but in the end it must be handled by the programmer, that's actually why my programs are always internally set to either English or Locale Free, we had a lot of trouble with decimal points before that.


Last edited by Global_Explorer; 09/30/08 12:27 PM.
#2684665 - 03/04/09 12:29 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Global_Explorer]  
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 177
Gremlin_WoH Offline
Wings Of Honor
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Wings Of Honor
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Posts: 177
Germany
The Official Over Flanders Fields Forum has moved temporarily to:

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showforum=206


Gremlin_WoH

Wings Of Honor - Where Combat Simulation Begins!
Your W.W.I Flight Sim Resource: News, Forums, Links, Downloads ...
#2684825 - 03/04/09 03:52 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Gremlin_WoH]  
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 20,834
Stormtrooper Offline
Lifer
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Posts: 20,834
...or you could stay here and talk about the same thing wink

OFF members do visit these boards also.

#2692895 - 03/17/09 06:52 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Stormtrooper]  
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
LE Heureux Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
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NE Colorado USA
Salut all,
I'm happy to report I flew my first campaign mission last night after a marathon session with my dad trying to figure out how the various cfs3 commands work and how to "put them together" to be able to fly with some semblance of the skill set I learned in Red Baron 3d.

It took quite a while to figure out that I could use the tab key and then tilde key to padlock a bogie and snap from the padlock to guns view (and back). That's how I do it in RB, where numpad slash momentarily helps me orient without breaking padlock, which I find essential to keeping track of a bogie. That CFS3 targeting cone stinks - it's like a bird dog pointing where the bogie is without knowing what the bogie is up to so you can anticipate his next move.

I'm sure trackIR will be great but I'm upgrading a PC (GPU, RAM & CPU) and buying USB CH gear, so cash flow is an issue for a while. Happily I got my gameport CH pedals to work via a USB converter, saving myself about $70 bucks.

Has anyone written a primer on how to use the commands in OFF (or CFS3, I suppose)? I haven't figured out how to find wingmen the way <tab> finds bogies and I don't want to use invisible cockpit. Formation flying is a real challenge without some way to keep them in view. I can deal with sight obstruction caused by my own plane - in fact it helps me stay oriented some. The problem is the lack of a way to readily find what I'm looking for and (again) padlock it if needed. Snap view is fine for routine flying and landing, but scroll view is awkward without TrackIR.

FWIW, I have found what may be the bare minimum system requirements:
Celeron D 2.53
2 Mb RAM
GeForce 9400 GT PCI video card

Frame rates are low even with sliders at 1 or 2, but it's still prettier than Red Baron. I have a Northwood Pentium 4 3.2 on the the way, which I hope will improve things considerably with both a clock speed increase and an 800 fsb instead of the Celeron's 533 fsb. I realize it would easier and maybe even cheaper to just buy a new PC but that's not really an option and it has been fun learning to rebuild my PC. Much easier than I thought.

Hex


Au revoir en l'air...S!
Hex
#2693012 - 03/17/09 09:57 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: LE Heureux]  

**DONOTDELETE**
Unregistered
Narsinha
Unregistered


Hello LeHeureux, S!
good to see you, i take it you are the Heureux from the RB3d forums ? :-).

The pre-programmed keys from MS's CFS3 are a chore, you have to be an octopus at least to decrease engine mixture via 3 keys in the middle of a dogfight lol.

Biggest change from RB is the panning exterior view with the coolie hat, instead of pressing a joystick button, and then move the stick. There was a mod from LaserGabi (?) to use the mouse in RB3d, but unfortunately THIS does not work in OFF - yet.
From within the plane the coolie hat lets you see in all directions (like the arrow keys at the number pad), with instant coming back to forward when releasing the "hat". If you want a view to stay, press "scroll" so that the light on your keyboard (scroll lock) is on, that way the view you chose stays when releasing the hat. You can accelerate the speed of panning from the cockpit, in changing the number in a file - don't know which it was now - anyone ?
As well you can move up, down, forward and backward in the cockpit, and sideways with the appropriate key commands. Then there is Track-IR, so if you move your head the tracker will display the part of your plane you look at, so no need for the Arrows or coolie hat any more.

The key commands:
Press "Esc" when in Quick flight, mission or campaign screen, and a menu will appear - click at controls and a new window with the key commands will appear. Here you can look for each command and what it does, and as well edit it to your liking - indeed every key command can be programmed to what you like - i switched all this to the RedBaron commands/controls since i am used to it wink

All control commands are stored in the "mine.xca" file, residing in the main OFF directory or so i think. You can change anything you like, BUT: Do NOT - NEVER change the following key commands: "Ctrl-Shift-E and Ctrl-Shift-R" !! Those commands accelerate and decelerate the time in game, and once changed to something else you will not be able to get this time functions back, without a complete new install of the sim.

As an example: I use F1 for cockpit forward view, F2 for exterior view, F3 for following/chase view, F8 for observer station, F12 for bomb view and so on. As well i changed the cutting-off for the fuel mixture, from the standard "Ctrl-Shift-F6" to a simple "^". As well i use magnetoes on with "Shift-M", and off with "Ctrl-M", engaging the starter is "Ctrl-S" and so on.

Pressing "T" or "Shift-T" will open the target radar screen - you will unfortunately need this. Take it as a compensation for the lacking view on your computer screen compared to what you have in reality. When there are some dots representing planes in your vicinity , you can mark a dot, and cycle the mark along the other dots, and then switch to a view at that dot, and vice versa looking at your plane from the marked one. I guess it was F4 with RB ? But you can program it as you like.

Greetings,
Narsinha









Hex



[/quote]

#2693576 - 03/18/09 06:37 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: ]  
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
LE Heureux Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
LE Heureux  Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
Member

Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
NE Colorado USA
Yes, I'm the same Heureux - I'm gratified you've heard of me. Real life has kept me out of the air since last Fall. I appreciate your tips - sounds like a great idea to change the keystrokes to the RB3d keys. The more I can play in the manner I am accustomed to the better I'll do. I had no idea I could mark an aircraft contact on the TAC screen to padlock it. I also like the tip on accessing the commands control panel in game.
Thanks,
Hex


Au revoir en l'air...S!
Hex
#2706163 - 04/10/09 03:46 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: LE Heureux]  
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
LE Heureux Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
LE Heureux  Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
Member

Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
NE Colorado USA
I've studied the game and think I've figured out which commands I want to use and how to program them into my CH Fighterstick.

I decided to pretty much keep the commands used by CFS3 the same, since the CH software really doesn't care what you map to the buttons. It will be easier than figuring out what new single keystroke to assign to each function, especially when communicating to someone what I've used. This way all we have to do is figure out which commands we want to use.

I decided to keep the 8 way hat switch the way it is by default. It's too tough to discriminate between adjacent positions when there are eight. Right-left-up-down are about all I can reliably select. Here are the commands I think we need most:

Thumb Hat (#3)
up Shft+T TAC Display (toggle on/off)
down Ctrl+Shft+T Cycle TAC Display (range displayed)
left T Cycle TAC Display (objects displayed)
right Ctrl+Shft+L Aircraft Labels (toggle on/off)


Left Hat (#1)
up Tab Next Target (TAC dot changes color, padlock keys on that contact)
down Shft+Tab Prior target
left Ctrl+Shft+F4 Toggle Player/Target View*
right Ctrl+Tab Next Friend**

(*not sure - have to try it but hopefilly goes back & forth between own view and closeup of selected contact. **not sure - have to try but hopefully works like "F" key in RB3d))

Right Hat (#2)
up F6 Go to Pilot Seat (cockpit views ahead, sights, down & up)
down F4 Next View (cycles available views*
left [ Zoom In (also works in views other than cockpit)
right ] Zoom out (also works in views other than cockpit)

(*- not completely sure how they get selected but can learn by flying I think)


Pinkey button

B "`" (Accent) Padlock View (Toggle)

Thumb Button

B 1,0 (repeating list) 10% power, 100% power "Blip" switch


Au revoir en l'air...S!
Hex
#2726075 - 05/16/09 08:58 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: LE Heureux]  
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
LE Heureux Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
LE Heureux  Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
Member

Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
NE Colorado USA
I flew my third campaign mission last night - this is starting to get good...I learned a couple things.

The BRACKETS button is important because that's the easiest way to tell which of the TAC screen blips you selected (the yellow one) is which contact in the air. In other words, as you change the yellow from blip to blip on the TAC screen, the brackets jump from aircraft to aircraft in the sky.

You move from friendly blip to friendly blip (the blue ones) with the Next Friend command and from enemy to enemy (red blips) with Next Target (I think it is).

Both the brackets and where the padlock is pointed will jump to the aircraft indicated by the yellow blip.

Eindeckers are sitting ducks for the Strutter. I'm surprised I even ran into them - I expected Halberstadts in June 1916 Flanders (flying with RNAS "C" squad). Things should get tougher in October when Boelke's boys begin to appear in their new Alb DIIs

You must end the game with the END GAME command if you want to claim kills. The quit selection on the CFS3 pink drop down dumps you directly to the main screen. I had no claims on my first two kills because of bypassing the end sequence screens. No matter, I was credited 2 I didn't realize I got the very next mission. All I did was give 'em a burst or two and roll so my gunner could take a crack at them as I zoomed or overshot them. I bet it'll be a gas doing that in a Biff later in the war.

#8) PS: I'm not using my 1,0 BLIP command as the motor sputters impressively as one throttles it down. Landings are a dream if you come in low and slow and stall her as she touches down, then chop the power if not bouncing out of control.


Au revoir en l'air...S!
Hex
#2734329 - 05/30/09 04:46 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: LE Heureux]  
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
LE Heureux Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
LE Heureux  Offline
Red Baron ESC 124
Member

Joined: May 2001
Posts: 415
NE Colorado USA
Months ago I asked the question:

>>Has anyone written a primer on how to use the commands in OFF (or CFS3, I suppose)? I haven't figured out how to find wingmen the way <tab> finds bogies and I don't want to use invisible cockpit. Formation flying is a real challenge without some way to keep them in view. I can deal with sight obstruction caused by my own plane - in fact it helps me stay oriented some. The problem is the lack of a way to readily find what I'm looking for and (again) padlock it if needed. Snap view is fine for routine flying and landing, but scroll view is awkward without TrackIR.>>

Months later I have played around with the game to the point where I think I can address the above issue myself. I am posting this in the hopes it may help another newbie catch on with less effort. Feel free to add or correct anything I write. I'm still learning:

Use of the TAC screen to select contacts (instead of "N", "E" & "F" in Red Baron 3d):

Instead of using an "N", "F" or "E" key as one does in RB3d, in OFF, you move from friendly blip to friendly blip (the blue ones) with the "Next Friend" command and from enemy to enemy (the red blips) with "Next Target". There are also white blips when the contact is farther away and the contact is unknown, kind of like the Red Baron "N" key working when "F" and "E" won't yet pick up the contact.

Toggling "Brackets" on is an easy way to quickly tell which yellow TAC screen blip is which contact in the air. Tabbing to the next TAC screen blip and following the brackets to indicate which aircraft is the yellow blip, allows you to situationally aware. As you move the yellow from blip to blip on the TAC screen, the brackets jump from aircraft to aircraft in the sky. Both the brackets (and where the padlock is pointed if engaged) jump to the contact indicated by the yellow blip. That makes it much easier to tell if that blip moving behind you (for example) has a altitude advantage or not - a critical thing to know.

Sometimes the padlock view will jump, but you won't see the brackets (especially common when the contact is behind you somewhere). I'm not sure, but I think this happens when the view of the contact is obscured by your own aircraft. At any rate, you can find find them by toggling the "invisible cockpit". I don't leave it on because I need to see where my own aircraft is as a reference point, but quick peeks are helpful. It also seems one has a slightly better span of vision with the invisible cockpit (ie: can twist the head a little further to see the contact).

Use of views to see the contact (like "F8" in Red Baron):


Target ID is greatly simplified if you use the "Player/Target" toggle to see the contact in the foreground. The label at the top of the screen will changes for each view. Hit "Next View" until you get to "Player/Target View". Then hit "player/target view" toggle and you will to see the other aircraft. You should only have to do that once -after that just hit "Next View" until that view comes up.

Once in "Target View", you can use "Next Target" to cycle through the view of each target aircraft, as you cycle through the blips on the TAC.. This is an easy way to see how many of each type there are, similar to repeatedly hitting "N" in Red Baron when in F8 target view.

You may find it necessary to pause the game when doing this because it's hard to fly when you're not in the cockpit.


Making it more realistic (and Harder)

It occurs to me that one could tailor the amount of help the game provides in identifying contacts. On the one extreme you could use all the above, plus enable labels that tell you what it is you are seeing. Steps along the path to reducing the help include 1) reducing dependancy on the TAC screen by dragging it nearly off screen, then using the brackets and padlock view just to watch the sky while tabbing from contact to contact; 2) losing the brackets and just trust that you are looking in the direction of a contact, and 3) you could even rely solely on visual ID. I suppose with TrackIR, you could 4) go entirely "au naturel" and constantly scan for pixels to turn into aircraft. It is a lot harder to have to pick out a tiny dot that is a contact rather than using the brackets which track the contact like police helicopter FLIR locks onto a pursued vehicle, and even harder to visually ID it as friend or foe. You might need a different type of help, if that's you idea of fun, such as a silk scarf to reduce friction and Ben Gay liniment for neck muscle aches. 8^)

Last edited by LE Heureux; 05/30/09 04:47 PM.

Au revoir en l'air...S!
Hex
#2738252 - 06/06/09 03:05 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: LE Heureux]  
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Polovski Offline
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Thanks for posting that Le Heureux. Just for reference there is a key chart linked from the main FAQ page now too, plus many hints and tips over at combat ace forum that cover targetting etc (links on our website).

Can't recommend TrackIR enough for OFF (or any sim) by the way for anyone without, makes viewing and tracking completely natural.


Regards,

Polovski,
OBD Software, developers of immersive flight sims;
Wings Over Flanders Fields and Wings Over The Reich
http://www.overflandersfields.com
http://www.wingsoverthereich.com
#2816160 - 07/12/09 12:29 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: beowolff29]  
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I might have overlooked it, but is this game running on Vista 64 without anyproblems?

S! vH

#2817351 - 07/13/09 11:13 PM OFF ADDITIONS [Re: Polovski]  
Joined: Aug 2008
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5555 Offline
Phil S
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Civilized California

Hello Mr. P, Uther or whomever,

I noted on CombatAce some aircraft, missions and campaigns additions for OFF. The site does not qualify if the creations are for versions 2 or 3, though some of the available maps are from Rabu, which gives the material credibility.

But before my next computer FFU, my mind inquires if they are safe to import.

#2850397 - 08/29/09 03:56 PM Re: OFF ADDITIONS [Re: 5555]  
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Polovski Offline
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Yes it runs on XP, Vista 32, 64, Win7 too.

5555 I think you asked already. You need to check with the 3rd party authors that made the missions. However old missions made BEFORE P3 came out will likely NOT work properly without some editing.


Last edited by Polovski; 08/29/09 03:57 PM.

Regards,

Polovski,
OBD Software, developers of immersive flight sims;
Wings Over Flanders Fields and Wings Over The Reich
http://www.overflandersfields.com
http://www.wingsoverthereich.com
#3575656 - 05/19/12 07:44 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Navigation: #1
The early aviators didn't have pop-upmaps or GPS do help guide them. They only had ded reckoning and landmarks to help. Most carried maps either folded up or on a scroll that they could use. Of course, after flying over an area long enough, they learned the landmarks and views so that they didn't need them so much. Fortunately, WM's scenery is so good, you can do the same.

To navigate, you need maps. Forget the in-game map. It's too vague and mis-guided. Part of the F5 HUD is a perfectly working Compass.
With good maps and a functional compass, who needs 'M'
TRICK . . If you drag the compass into the center of your TAC, both still work perfectly ( assuming the screen is cycled to aircraft ). If you use Padlocking and Brakets the compass gets rather hard to read.

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 01:52 PM.
#3575678 - 05/19/12 08:07 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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TRACKIR GOODIES #2
Trackir is a bit of a vampyre, in that it strongly dislikes bright lights, especially sunlight. That includes reflected light, so if you're folically challenged (Bald), cover that chrome dome, it has been known to cause problems.
You could have a glass covered picture of your Mother-in-law hang on the wall BEHIND you, which reflects light into your Trackir ruining everything . . You're on your own as to solving that problen

If you're starting using Trackir, you'll feel abit woosie, not to worry, it happens to everyone, you'll quickly become used to it. But I'd advise in the beginning you keep a pail handy, just in case.
There was a guy who bought Trackir , for use in Phase 1. He had flown every sim since CFS1, he used Trackir and lost his lunch all over his keyboard. Turns out he would get violently airsick, Who Knew ??? The following day he took out an Ebay Ad.

People have actually asked here, where they can buy Dramimine wholesale, so there must be a need.
I've heard of many temporary cures, from pills to wristbands. I'd say see an MD, if so afflicted.
Then use Trackir

One common problem the beginner complains of, is their inability to get the exact sight alignment, to head position, during a dogfight.

Just get it close, and hit the (F12) Key. The sights will center themselves to match Your Head Position. Beginners will get real familure with F12

PS . . It's always good to F12 it when the mission starts__________________

What is Trackir ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AO0F5sLdVM

Just so as nobody gets Sticker Shock, Trackir is an expensive toy, it costs around $125.00
If this makes anyone feel better, I paid $180 for mine about 6 years back

Trackir 4 or TR4 is all you need,. . TR5 is the latest thing for roughly $25 more
HOWEVER . .The Camera Unit is so light sensetive, some find it's use troublesome ( ME )

When you make a purchase, all's you get is the camera and the hat clip ( the Software is via Download )
On the download page is the software for TR4 and TR5 ( take what you want )

Sooo the Hot Setup which most pilots use is the TR4 Camera with the TR5 Software. If for some reason you don't like the TR5 Software,
Uninstall and use the TR4

Free Track . . . for those who can't stretch their budgets, or sneak Trackir past the Wing Commander

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QqAqb_SZV0
Free Tack itself is rather old, I don't know if it even exists anymore

Track - Noir is:
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3198640/Face_Track_NoIR_No_more_hats_h.html

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 02:45 PM.
#3575683 - 05/19/12 08:16 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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How To continue to fall #3
round, taking a Dirt Nap
Might or might not apply if you're already Dead

Left Side.................................................................................................. of Workshop

Auto Exit CFS3. . . . .ON

Auto Exit Mission . . OFF

.................................................................................................
Any other way, the instant your aircraft is considered unflyable by the Manager. the mission just ends . . NEXT

It's enough to Piss-off the Pope

NOTE: Must have Hat in the ring installed, otherwise the controls don't exist

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/24/12 04:50 AM.

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575685 - 05/19/12 08:23 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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The Story Behind the Force Feedback Joystick #4



Now some people will disagree with this way of thinking, different opinions make the world go around. I don't see how in the name of all that's holy, you can fly an F18 Hornet, and a SE5 with the same Joystick. The Hornet can't vibrate at 585 MPH, it would self destruct. While the SE5 firing it's weapon, shakes like a washing machine on steroids. The only way to simutate it is with a Force Feedback Joystick. You'll feel the instant you're flying, instead of everything getting smaller. And most importantly you'll feel the stall coming, 1/2 second before it arrives, giving the pilot ample time to alter his activities, thus avoiding the stall. It could be a lifesaver.

Especially with WWI Birds, many times after take-off, you can attempt to gain altitude too quickly and stall. It's very easy, to change, just level out and build some speed, when you feel the 'Death Rattle'. Without Force Feedback, just stall and die.

In a Dogfight you might make one turn too many. You can maintain the attack and stall, and the Hunter becomes the Hunted. Or you can break off the attack, rebuild speed, and attack again. Without Force Feedback you don't have a choice.

The stall itself is just the lack of Flying, below a certain speed, it just stalls. The only way to recover with these low power engines, is to dive inorder to gain speed of air, over your wings and control surfaces. Not enough altitude . . you die.



If it feels unatural to you to bring your left hand across your body in order to work the throttle, ( throttle on EVO is Bad) it works fine, but such a placement. I'm rather fond of the Saitek Trottle Quadrent, if you use the massive clamp deal for a boat anchor, and secure the quadrent itself to your desktop with
adhesive back Velcro, you can put it wherever you want. It features 3 staulks, of which you can only use one, the other two vanish, and the slots are neatly covered with black tape. It also features 3 Rocker Switches, which function like 6 Buttons, programable of course
That Micky$oft Sidewinder II is a great FFB Joystick, but it's painfully short of buttons

My personal opinion as far as OFF is concerned, any HOTAS would be a bit of overkill. The WWI pilot never had all those controls at his fingertips. About the Only positive is the left hand throttle, which I simulate with the Saitek

That leaves you Free to use a Force Feedback Joystick

Your Choice of Pedals, and Trackir . . Round things out

That's just the way I did it . . . . . .I'm sure there're other versions of the OFF experience

NOTE: Used too be everybody offer a Force Feedback joystick, unfortunately those are history, the ONLY FFB offered NEW
is the $300 Logitech system

I was Lucky to find a Power Pro Force NEW in the box

And the only one used that you can depend on is the MICROSOFT Sidewinder II

Watch Out. . there a lot of Microsoft FFB Sticks for SALE on Ebay, but you need the USB Unit Like the Sidewinder II
Anything else makes a good doorstop or paperweight or an anchor for a very small boat


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575688 - 05/19/12 08:27 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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A little clearification about the functions of Auto-Pilot and Trim #5

World War One - there was a existing form of Autopilot, that depended on Magnets and pullies, as most of these Birds had NO electrical system, outside of a switch for the engine magneto. But if not set-up right you'd find yourself in an unfriendly country if your petrol lasted that long. And it was much too expensive to install in an aircraft bound for battle.

[EDIT Polovski: Autopilot works fine in OFF Uncleal, CTRL+ALT+A. This is a level flight AND HEADING autopilot, although technically it doesn't exist in WW1 of course See FAQ.]

PS . . some British pilots, late in the war, had battery powered map reading lights

Auto-Trim . . While some find these Birds difficult to fly, it was their very unstableness that separated each one from the next. There was NO Auto Trim on any aircraft. But there's been conflicting reports, of Pilot Controlled Elevator Trim on the SE5a in 1918
And if you nose around cockpit of a Sopwith Triplane, under the seat you'll find an elevator trim adjustment wheel. Unknown if the pilot could reach it in flight
Some aircraft had Grounds Crew adjustable trim, on reports of flight manners, from the pilot.
Some had no adjustabilty period
Judgement call on it's use

In real life pilots would take her up for a short flight, just so they could give instructions to the Grounds Crew. It might take 2 or 3 of such short flights, to get everything dailed in.

That Picture of the Young Officer, reporting for duty, on the Flight Line . . . is pure Hollywood

To be fair, I'd say trim once, at the start of the flight, then hands off

Some use Auto-Trim as a sort of Autopilot. You still need to be there, but you can read a book, glancing at the moritor now and then. Not Holding the Joystick
Best done at 17,000 . . where chances of being 'disturbed' are less

Last edited by Polovski; 05/21/12 05:05 AM. Reason: Corrected fact about OFF controls

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575702 - 05/19/12 08:54 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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Some Settings #6
INVINCIBLE - Sounds good but it ain't...you can't even land....the instant your wheels hit ( Poof ) 2000 feet

AUTO RUDDER - Stay away....makes you fly like a brick....left over from CFS1

AUTO MIXTURE - The Newbies friend, it'll handle the Mixture adjusting rather than the pilot... if you lose all power above 5000 Feet chances are it's your mixture

AIRCRAFT STRESS - Some Aircraft have a weak lower wing, it's OK when new, but after battle damage you can dive and lose a wing, check Yes for a steel wing

#3575706 - 05/19/12 09:04 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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GAMEPLAY #7
Quick Combat is where you practice and 'Hone' your skills

You control all the variables, please remember 'every airfield' is considered enemy. Two minutes after you take off, don't be surprized if they shoot at you when you attempt to land


In a P51 you flew at 400mph, and had six heavy machine guns, whatever you hit, you destroyed. Now you fly at 110mph, with one .30 cal machine gun, maybe two. Your target is mostly wood and canvas, if you fail to put a few bullets into the Pilot, the Fuel Tank, or the Engine. It could be a long day
It's a rather small aicraft, easily missed without the labels. Roughly 1/2 the size of a Spitfire, both in wingspan and overall length
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro9be9ceRtk

There is NO way to load more bullets



Your supply of ammo is limited, but you've got more than enough to shoot down six aircraft. So get close, and only fire when you're sure you'll hit. Short Bursts Only

Also New for Phase 3 Gunjams just like the real thing. You have the choice to not use them in Workshop, you can also opt for unlimited ammo

They were installed basically because that's the way it really was, in that time period

5 shots for a single gun is a good size burst, 10 you're living Dangerously

I've had my gun jam up, and I was being a Good Boy

Perhaps a bent bullet, or a flattened case, thing's happen. And I had a German Pilot in my sights, ready to send him to his maker, and my gun jammed. As it turned out, I died

Sometimes the jam will clear by itself, sometimes it won't. Some members have claimed success with performing High-G manuvers.

The same kind off manuvers as you might make, with an aircraft shooting at you, while your guns are jammed.

Anybody that played RB3D, looks for the "U" Key as it unjammed your guns, you can press it as much you want, it ain't gonna help

When you 'THINK' you're good, try Campaign. All missions begin on the runway. You have a main purpose, Question is What is it?
Stay Alive
Do your Duty
Earn lots of Medals

The average Pilot in World War One, lasted 17 Hours . . CAN YOU ?

Every 5 Kills ( confirmed claims) they give you a medal.


You could drop an enemy aircraft at your CO's feet, the claim report must go to Home Office. Where it's at the mercy of the pencilpushers. How long ? A week, maybe two, just hope they didn't lose the report, it has happened.

As it stands now, you've got to provide alot of information on that claim report. If you want life to go alot smoother. Write down the names of your flying mates now, on some scrap paper, for possible use later

Sometimes they will reject the victory, you will be informed, what they say GOES

The only time you can earn a Kill of a balloon, is when it's your assigned target. ANY other Balloon is treated as a ground target

Be prepared you're gonna KILL a bunch of Pilots, when your pilot gets himself Killed in Quick Combat, he's dead in Campaign also. Do yourself a favor, Put QC as his first name. So then there's nobody else to blame

It depends on what you call cheating death, because there's cheating, then there's cheating

I play with a pilot that can Never Die, which is fine if you follow some self-imposed rules. OFF has nothing to do with it, you'll live forever as far as the Manager is concerned.

Anytime your Hospital Stay EXCEEDS 24 Days, you face a manditory permanent retirement. It won't be mentioned, however you've worn the goggles for the final time.

Example: Go down in a ball of flames from 8000, 27 Days in Hospital, time to retire, you know he died, I know he died, but according to the manager he went to the hospital for 27 days

It has it's rewards as well, a crash landing deep behind enemy lines, you spend 21 Days with the nurses, sleeping on clean linen.

Upon your release, you become a P.O.W., but you alway's escape within a few days, to Fly Again

You can survive quite a while, or cheat and last forever and nobody knows but YOU

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 03:26 PM.
#3575712 - 05/19/12 09:18 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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KEYBOARD Use in OFF #8



Those functions marked with an ******* should be converted to single keystoke in Control . Because at a moments notice, you don't want to be messing around with 3 keys, also it's one heck of lot easier for your joystick to accept a single command, than a multi-stroke

There are many single key commands, not used in OFF that can be utilized this way
Flaps Up & Down .............. F & V
Gear ................................ G
Brakes ..............................B
That's 4, right there, I believe there's 9
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Mixture Full Rich . . . . . . . . Ctrl+Shft+F7 **************
Mixture Increase . . . . . . . . Ctrl =
Mixture Decrease. . . . . . . . Ctrl -
Mixture Idle Cutoff . . . . . . .Ctrl+Shft+F6 ************KILLS that engine Dead, with one press ( whatta fitting use for 'B' )
Aircraft Labels . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+Shft+L ************
Virtual Cockpit . . . . . . . . . .Unassigned ****************
Float View . . . . . . . . . . . . Shft+F6 ( personal choice, for exterior view )
Disappearing Cockpit . . . . . F3.. . . . Place yourself in the V.C, first, want Gunsite .. F5
Start Engine . . . . . . . . . . . E
TAC Screen. . . . . . . . . . . Shft+T. . . Drag to Lower Left Corner . . it's an immersion Killer Up There
TAC Targets . . . . . . . . . . . T
TAC View Range . . . . . . . . Ctrl+Shft+T ************
Fly-By View . . . . . . . . . . . Shft+F9
Auto Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+A ( Austrailian Autopilot )
Select Weapon . . . . . . . . . Back
Fire Weapon . . . . . . . . . . . Enter
Machine Guns . . . . . . . . . . Spacebar
Bomb/Rocket View . . . . . . . F9 *****Trackir Conflict
WARP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .X
Cancel WARP . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl+X
HUD w/Gauges . . . . . . . . . .F5
Gauges Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl+Shft+1/2/3/4/5
Emergency Brake . . . . . . . . Ctrl+Shft+B
Dive Brakes Strutter . . . . . . D
Bomb Bay Doors Strutter . . . Shft+B
Windshield on N17 . . . . . . . .Shft+C
Reload Lewis Gun N17 . . . . . Shft+C also the SE5a. Doesn't actually reload anything ( Just for Show)
Advance 1 Waypoint . . . . . .Shft+W
FPS and lots of info . . . . . . .Z. . . . . Red Jumble of numbers. . Upper Left of screen . .That's where the gauges get all their data from
Maps in Cockpit . . . . . . . . . F7
Bombsite in SHORT . . . . . . . F7 . . . Phase 3 Doesn't Feature a SHORT
Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M. . . Very Crude, give general idea of direction.
Pilot & Iron Sights . . . . . . . .F6 . . useful when trying to shoot the Lewis Gun on the Bristol Scout
Rear Gunner . . . . . . . . . . . .F8
Zoom IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]
Zoom OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[
Why Bail Out - Got NO Chute
WINGMAN COMMANDS
Attack . . . A
Rejoin . . . .R
Help . . . . .H
Split . . . . .S



Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 03:32 PM.

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575715 - 05/19/12 09:26 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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Interesting Fact #9
This may be known to many, but a revelation to others



The pilot having the ability to fire his machine gun forward, without shooting his own propeller

off, wasn't always the case. Fly our Bristol Scout, with the angled Lewis Gun. Or the Nieuport

11, with the Lewis on the top wing, not the easiest to reload.

A French pilot in 1915 name of Roland Garros, fitted heavy steel deflector wedges on his

propeller where the bullet might contact, then fired his Hotchkis machine gun, at the surprized

Germans. He scored 5 Victories, before he was shot down and was captured before he

could burn his ship. Then his secret was known by both sides.

The next advancement was by the Germans, the interrupter gear, which mechanically stopped

the gun from firing when the propeller was in the way.

The Fokker EIII was a very poor aircraft, it was slow, a terrible climber, not very agile, it was

a wing warper, hard to fly. But it had an interrupter gear, which made it a deadly weapon

But in war, aircraft get shot-down, it was a secret no-longer

And the race was on
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575717 - 05/19/12 09:30 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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OFF Tips and Cheats #10



Explination of the TAC screen

We know that in 1917, Radar was not yet invented. Think of it as 'Superman's Eyes'. It will be visable or not, on your demand ( Shft+T )

There are many screens possible, for varied targets. In OFF we are only concerned with Aircraft. Cycle Screens ( T )

The Field of view for the TAC can be cycled 8/4/2/1 in Nautical Miles, the radius of the screen ( Ctrl+Shft+T )

The number at 6 O'clock is your Field of View

The number at 12 O'clock is the distance to your next waypoint in Nautical Miles.

As an 'unknown' aircraft approaches, it will appear as a 'White Blip, when it gets closer the Blip will change color. Red or Blue, enemy or friendly.
Also you'll know His direction. About the only thing it doesn't tell you, is His altitude. Sometimes he Will appear to be at the center of the screen, yet the skys are clear? . . He's above you . . You are the center.

The TAC as a navagation 'cheat'. In Campaign Only, there is a Blue Neon line, on screen. That's Your Direction of Travel. It will guide you, between waypoints, if YOU keep that line Vertical, You can't get lost PERIOD

As you get nearer to your waypoint, the line will become shorter, till it finally disappears. Only to reappear, full length, guiding you to your next waypoint.

One Cheat for the people with poor eyesight ( ME ) is to turn Labels Off (Ctrl+Shft+L ) soo the view isn't ruined by 6 British Trucks.
But leave the TAC on, as an early warning system.
When Enemy Aircraft appear on my TAC screen, Labels Hot, TAC off
Time To Party !!

NOTE: If you drag that TAC screen, to the Lower Left Corner of your screen, you just might be inclined to Leave it up

In the stock location it IS an immersion killer BAD
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There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575721 - 05/19/12 09:34 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Different Ways of Killing Your Engine #11



It really makes No difference in the game, because if the enemy didn't set your aircraft on fire in the air, there's no way you're going to burst into flames on the ground. However IF in 1917 you stopped your prop from turning under power by retarding your Magneto 3 times. Your engine will indeed stop running, but now you will continue pumping a mixture of aviation fuel and air, or aviation fuel and Castor oil to a Red Hot Air cooled engine without it running. NOT A GOOD IDEA

On a modern aircraft engine, when the engine stops running, the fuel pump stops pressurizing, and everything comes to a halt.

But in 1917 with some aircraft there was NO fuel pump, air was pressurized by the pilot, via a bicycle pump deal atop the fuel in the tank. Which can explain your engine just stopping, without a fuel leak. An air leak, like from one bullet hole, means you can pump till you're blue in the face, but that engine is gonna stop.

The only SAFE way to stop that engine is via Mixture Idle Cutoff, problem being that's 3 Keystrokes (Ctrl+Shft+F6). Which is a definate candidate for a little work in Control Options

I'm just amazed at how many people, recommend the Magneto method to newbies. Then rave about Immersion

I guess it just comes easier to me, I've never flown a modern engined aircraft


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575727 - 05/19/12 09:40 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Gauges .......... HUD ..........Z . . #12



There are a complete set of Gauges, included is a compass that appears as it would have in WWI they are usable but they obliterate the Immersion, with it is the printed HUD ( F5 )



Along with the gauges, the printed HUD contains some goodies
1) a more accurate digital fuel gauge, than the dial Gauge in your cockpit.
If before combat it shows 87%, but after combat, it shows 84%.
You've got a leak friend, nothing to get excited about, but I'd start looking for someplace to land. You could attack another enemy aircraft, and run dry at 9000 feet. YOUR CHOICE

Some folks say it's cheating. But I say the WW1 pilot, could smell a minor leak, you Can't
2) The ONLY ammo counter in the game. Sometimes it's nice to know when you only have 23 bullets, Before you attack 2 aircraft

The Printed Part CAN be dragged anywhere you want ( even off screen). But you need to attempt the drag, by the Left side edge ( anywhere else, it ain't gonna budge)

Those Gauges can be thrown over the side, selectively, they cycle as to function, then one by one vanish, and will stay vanished until You cycle them back
( control + shift + 1/2/3/4/5 )
You can
drag the gauges, one by one and place them wherever you want, and they'll remain there until you move them

( Z ) yields much more than F. P. S. used for Tweaking the Running.
It appears to be a mass of numbers, which shows up in the upper-left corner of your screen. That mass of numbers contain lots of information.
It Speedo, Altimeter, Rate of Climb in Degrees + or -Latitude, Longitude and Compass Bearing in Degrees ( if you consider the TAC as a cheat, perhaps you might favor this )
A Timer . . usefull when your mission is to Patrol an area 13 minutes

That's where the gauges GET their information, I leave it up all the time, but I 'cheat' alot. The only time it leaves my screen, is for a Dogfight

It can't be dragged anywhere, what you see, is what you get

There's more than one way to sink a ship. Not so much for Archie damage, but definately after an enemy encounter where shots were exchanged. There exists a highly accurate Digital Fuel Gauge, as part of the HUD
( F5 ) . . once you have jettisoned those silly gauges, the only Useful Gauge is the compass. So that only the printed part remains. Nevermind constantly monitoring your fuel gauge for signs of a leak, above 3/4. then below a 1/2. Chances are . . it's too late to do anything once the leak is discovered. With the digital gauge, you have 72.6% and two seconds later, you have 71.2%, you have a leak pal, nothing to get crazy over, but it ain't gonna get no better.

Some Pilots ( ME ) Leave it up always, when it's tucked into a corner, you'll never notice it. It also features the ONLY ammo counter in the sim.

The rationale behind it's use: The WWI pilot could smell a leak, we can't

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 03:21 AM.

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575728 - 05/19/12 09:45 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Video Performance #13

Makes No difference if you're running a Pentium 4 in AGP, or a Quad in Vista 64. The maximum slider setting for Terrian is 4, some of the newest most powerful can run maxed out, but it'll look just as good on 4, plus you won't encounter any unexplainable problems down the road.
Also if you check your FPS ( Z ), it'll be higher on 4

A bit of troubleshooting you can do yourself. Firstly if things start looking strange, back off on all your sliders

If you can play Quick Combat, but NOT Campaign
Your Computer MUST think in English, however it also must be REGION USA, UK, or South Africa. Take Heed you guys in OZ


Quick Combat is where you practice and "Hone" your skills, as you control everthing.
Campaign is meant to be real.

However there are some members, who can't spare the time to start a Campaign, and never leave QC. . . . . . schitt happens

And if you want just repeated mano y mano dogfight action CFS3 QC is the ONLY place you can setup such activity
There are also folks, brand new at this who jump into campaign with both feet, and kill alot of pilots, it's your's

Many Newbies play Quick Scenarios. I never have, these all work, but in Phase 2 they didn't. Old habits are hard to break
The most common complaint is being killed very soon without a shot being fired. You're part of a 12 aircraft formation, 11 of them are at full speed, you're not. You are getting run into by your own chums. My solution is to dive for a second as soon as it starts


The Configuration accesable from desktop is CFS3 not OFF
The Configuration you want is accesable from OFF Workshop

OFF loves speed, Quads are good for building bridges. My Q6600 is only 2.4Ghtz, marginal for OFF, I run 4-3-3-4-1, 30 FPS
My Newer Unit is at 3.6Ghtz at 5-4-4-5-5, 60 FPS
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Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 03:44 PM.
#3575730 - 05/19/12 09:50 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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OFF Slider Locations, and assorted settings #14

Clic on Graphics Config . . white area, LR . . Workshop

Give it a while to work. . it can take 90 seconds

When it's done it'll list your video card

File > Custom settings > End of the world notification > OK

There's your . . Graphic Detail Sliders

Note: Never Exceed 4 on Terrain, 5 might look great Today,

but down the road . . you might have Big Time Problems

That 1st slider, the Overall ain't connected to schitt in OFF.

It's a leftover from CFS3. Some list it, others don't

It's been prooven that the Clouds will Only Hide You from the

prying eyes of AI aircraft on 5

So I say put it on 5 - if it doesn't turn it into a slide show leave it there



I don't know about you, but I see no visual difference

between 1 and 4. Some run on 3 . .Why ???

Clic on Window: That's where all your Overrides and assorted

settings are to be found

If you wish to experiment, proceed slowly, and write everything

down

Each time you're done with a catagory, clic on window again.

Till you return to Image Quality, clic on OK > at the bottom

You'll find yourself back where you started

DO NOT X your wayout, you'll lose your settings, it Defaults

File > Exit
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#3575733 - 05/19/12 09:55 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN CONTROLS #15
up OFF > Go directly to Workshop > along the bottom is CFS3 QC ( clic on it) > Go to Field > clic on HANGER ( Menu Drops Down ) > clic on CONTROLS

You never played Phase 1 or 2. . . . I see said the Blind Man. . .
Start you're looking at the OFF Control Listing, in it's Stock Form, it's identical to CFS3
When things start coming up, and they come at you quickly. You don't want to mess around with 3 keystrokes
.................................................. .................................................. ......................................
The first 3 are mixture (Auto Mixture in Workshop) . . Takes care of them
Then is . . Mixture Idle Cutoff ( Kills Engine Dead) Problem is it's 3 Keys, and you ain't got any brakes
Soooo Scroll down to . . Mixture Idle Cutoff and Highlite it
Clic on Delete Assignment
The 3 Keystrokes vanish. . Mixture Cutoff Remains. . .It remains Highlited
Clic on ADD assignment
A small Window will appear, asking you to enter command, . . .'B' no need for a capital, just plain old 'b'
Then it'll hand ya some Stuff about B is for brakes..... Just OK it
From Now on . . Mixture Idle Cutoff . . is. . B
.................................................. .................................
Next is . . Aircraft Labels . . . . L . . .that's dashboard lights
TAC screen is 2 strokes. . . give that an 'F'
Virtual Cockpit . . . V . . .it sits you in the cockpit looking foreward ( unassigned at installation )
Float View . . . is 2 strokes . . give a . . G . . . exterior view of your aircraft
.................................................. .....................................
When you're done changing Stuff around, go to the. . . Officers Mess ...that will eventually bring you back to Desktop, and you're done
With the Multi/strokes gone, you have the CHOICE of putting them on the stick, or not
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#3575736 - 05/19/12 10:00 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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TALKING TO YOUR WINGMAN #16

There was NO radios in these little birds, all communication with fellow pilots, was via hand signals, so the closer to you he was, the better of a chance of seeing your signals

Unfortunately, there's also a better chance of him running into you, when dogfighting

There's 2 choices of Formation: Normal and Tightest

You want him to be especially able to witness your shooting down the Balloon, in the Balloon Mission. So there it's a good idea to repeatedly even feverishly

Press ( R ) . . Rejoin to get his attention

NOTE: Any Balloon you just saw it, so you shot it. Is only thought of as a ground target. You'll get no medal for it . And even after you shot down the proper balloon head straight home avoid any enemy contact

whenever possible, as you might fight your way clear, but your Wingman Must. Dead Wingmen make terrible witnesses


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575739 - 05/19/12 10:05 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Clouds #17

The Clouds in OFF are like No Clouds you've experienced in any other sim.
Wispy, Misty Clouds are OK.
But stay out of those thick, excellent to seek safety in, take a shortcut through the cloud, Clouds.

The Big Pillowy ones contain some violent up drafts, down drafts, and crosswinds.
747s experience turbulance in these clouds.
P51s get buffited
You in your canvas and wood aircraft, stay the Hell out of Clouds

If you're running to save your butt, being chased by six aircraft, duck into the first heavy cloud you see, but when you do, hold your crucifix in your free hand. If you have a better rate of climb than they do, I'd try that first.

Some people Disable the Clouds in Config. Overides, even that doesn't help sometimes
Aircraft Skins . . . Norm = Default
High Looks Great But = NO visable Damage, not even a bullethole
To my eye, those Clouds LOOK the same, with that slider on 1 or 5. Some think there's a difference, and run on 3


A little tidbit your Flight Leader is AI, he can climb without slowing, his mixture is always perfect, he's not affected by Head Winds.

Here's another reason to be the flight leader; As you follow your flight leader, he disappears into a cloud, you follow him and get your wing's torn out ?

Ya All Keep in Formation

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 04:02 PM.

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575743 - 05/19/12 10:09 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Assorted facts about the settings in Workshops #18

Workshop LR corner, is the Ground Gunner Accuracy. On Normal ( Default ) = do you feel lucky today
Hard = Everybody in the valley wants you dead, and that includes the soldier with a rifle
Easy = Machine Guns ONLY

Workshop. . . . . .Ground Object Density . . Medium = Default
High = High Powered Machines
Low = Guess !!! ( the trees will always look better on High, but there are no trees at 9000 )

Workshop . . . . Aircraft Skins . . . Norm = Default, fine for the High Powered Machines
Low = When you have too, you have too
High = NO visable Damage of Any Kind EVER, not even bullet holes. But the aircraft look GREAT, with a low-end machines the FPS suffer
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There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575749 - 05/19/12 10:17 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Sopwith Camel the Widowmaker #19

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6PnKUEFX8g

In the proper hands, it was a great weapon, if the pilot lived long-enough to learn it. In 1917 she killed so-many pilots, she was called the widowmaker. If you can get it up in the air, too steep a climb, it stalls. A tight turn at low speed, it stalls. A sharp turn to the left it climbs, a sharp turn to the right, it dives. If it turns too long, to the left, it stalls.
When you turn quickly to the right, if you're not expecting the dive, it's a killer.
High Rudder must be used in turns, when the aircraft is sideways, the rudder is used as a huge elevator.
It'll then turn tighter then anybody.
It then becomes a very dangerous weapon, with the twin guns, and the great sight.
IF you're still alive that is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch7Z4UurPSk

I'm a fan of the Sopwith Triplane, excellent visability, great low speed manuverability, but it's single gun, but that's enough if you hit your target.. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . This one is for NO Reason it's fun to watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88p2xSOrEK8&feature=related

Same story for this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jHRuEkvO8E&feature=related

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 05:40 PM.
#3575787 - 05/19/12 11:49 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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The Finer Points of WARP #20





Assuming, you're already cheating with the TAC, it'll tell you how many miles to your Next Waypoint. It's your call, but below 20 miles, I'll fly it. However it's a great way to reach mission altitude quickly.

If it states say: 23 miles, you may elect to Warp the first 18, and fly the rest. You achieved 15,000 the easy way, now you want control.
Easily Done . .with the Cancel Warp Command ( Control+X ). By the way, the EIII is not known for it's climbing ability

Sometimes you are awakened Mid-Warp because of enemy activity in the area ( you're Not getting penalized, for using Warp ) they would've been there anyway, but you might've missed seeing them.

In 1915 and early 1916, there weren't all that many aircraft in the skys to begin with, plus you might have pulled duty in a quiet sector. Relax and enjoy the lack of activity while you can, see how your controls work, and get a window seat

Mid 1916 and later, still quiet. Use those Labels and the TAC, they're probably there, but you don't see them. As they're rather small,

This video will show just How Small ( Sopwith Camel flys in formation with a Spitfire )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro9be9ceRtk



By 1917, you can pretty much bet on enemy contact, every mission. By 1918 you'll wish your Father, never met your Mother

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 04:38 PM.

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575793 - 05/19/12 11:51 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Auto Trim ( Aussie Autopilot ) #21

Technically there is NO autopilot, because there is No electrical system.

Autopilot Devices Did Exist in 1917, however they were much too expensive, to take to WAR

NO aircraft could adjust their trim in flight, some could only be adjusted by the aircraft mechanic on the ground, some didn't feature the ability to adjust the trim PERIOD

I've heard talk of late in the War, SE5a's could adjust their elevator trim while in flight

Who said flying these crates was easy

If you can spend the time, but you don't wish the stick time, it ain't legit but it works SOMEWHAT, SOMETIMES
Point the aircraft in the proper direction, nose high, in a slight climb.
Then repeatedly press Ctrl+A, until you get the desired results
Sometimes it dives
Sometimes it climbs
Sometimes it Flys in circles
Sometimes it Flys straight, all by itself
Guess it's all in the touch . . Practice makes Perfect

There was a way to alter time, but that was in Phase II. Not recommended now, because you'll piss-off the Manager


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575794 - 05/19/12 11:53 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Screen Resolution #22



I know this doesn't make any sense whatsoever, but it's true, OFF runs smoother at higher resilutions.
Don't take my word for it, leave( Z ) up, your FPS gauge

Normaly what Limits you is your monitor, because today's Video Cards can go way up there

My 22" LCD can support 1680 X 1050 sooo that's what I ran in the past

I can't afford a new rig ( Faster ) soo I recently picked up a 27" LCD, which runs at 1920 X 1080, I could scarcely believe the results. I picked up 7 FPS and the scenery looks outstanding.

However I must admit, I'm lucky I only run OFF. Because anything else would look pitiful at that high a resolution


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575799 - 05/20/12 12:03 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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I gave this answer about a month ago, to a rather angry chap, who just had his ace pilot, interned for the duration. You might like it. #23

You can eliminate that bit of nastiness, and always escape the POW camp. By selecting Pilot NEVER Dies, in Workshop. However you MUST volutarily Retire your pilot when the time in Hospital exceeds 24 Days

Example: Make a forced landing over enemy territory, 17 Days between the sheets, then escape the camp over the weekend.

However, you get shot down in a ball of flame, from 9,000. That's 27 Days in Hospital . . . . . .Instant RETIREMENT. You know he died, I know he died, but according to the manager he just went to the hospital

'Die Roll on Death' is just as the name suggests, life or death is a matter of luck. Sometimes your number comes up and you are killed in a minor mishap, the same type of mishap, you would normally walk away from with a severe limp. I like to think, I banged my coconut really Hard. Yet other times you'll make an attempt at landing, crash badly, and survive with just 3 weeks in hospital. Knowing full well nobaby should live, but you do. Good place to be if you have an angel on your shoulder.

'Dead is Dead' The choice for excellent pilots, or the schitthead who thinks he's an excellent pilot. There is NO margin for error. Come in a little hot and snap a tailskid, even a bullet weakened tailskid, you Die.
If you desire to proove something, the only thing you're going to proove, is you're good at making pilots

#3575801 - 05/20/12 12:06 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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What can cause a bit of confusion, are the keyboard commands to use your SECONDARY WEAPON ( No aircraft from Hun land has one )( except the Bombers ) #24
OFF features two Keys: Select Weapon = Backspace, and Fire/Drop = Enter
This is a leftover from CFS3, as the P51 could load out with 8 rockets, and two 500 pound all at the same time
That particular problem doesn't happen in OFF

Since you only need to Select Weapon ONCE, I think of it as Arm Weapon. And while it's on my joystick, it occupies one of the lower keys

Another function that could proove interesting is Rocket/Bomb View = F9. It allows you to view the weapons impact, or miss the target.
However you must learn how use the function, you'll kill a few pilots, so don't use your most senior, first time out

It seems to be normal, as everybody seems to think that their rig is the most powerfull thing on earth. Consequently they 'Max' out the settings, identical to the CFS3 settings, run for awhile CRASH and 'Throw the Baby out with the Bath Water'.

I was running CFS3 on straight '5's', Two machines ago, with my 5700 in AGP

OFF desires SPEED, it doesn't give a damn about power

I'm running a QUAD right now, but at only 2.4Ghtz. . .It's marginal for OFF

I've my Graphic Sliders at 4-3-3-4-1 I average high 30's FPS and smooth

I recently tried 4-4-4-4-1, it looked great, first two missions, then I repeatedly CRASHED into the Briefing Room

Slid back to my old settings 'No More Crashes', Never Looked Back, and that was the end of May. 09


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575802 - 05/20/12 12:08 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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LANDING these Birds, without Flaps, or Brakes ain't as easy as it sounds. On your approach, anytime you dive to shed altitude you'll speed up. And while chopping your throttle is always a good idea when diving, don't turn that engine off, as you might not be able to restart. #25
I don't care what the CFS3 routine is to start your engine - you don't have a starter. So unless you're flying at 160 mph and that prop is going to spin in the wind, or you brought along a mythical corporal to spin your prop, you're SCREWED'

Fly with your throttle, losing altitude can be a good thing, but you might need to start your approach 5 miles out, especially if your aircraft is a 'Good' Glider like a Nieuport.

You find most airfields have a Row of trees, at the end of the runway. If you can't clear the trees, you'll need to give it gas, to fly over them.
Now you're 25 feet up, going 85mph, anything above 60mph, your landing gear collapes, followed by a loud noise which you might not hear.

So you do a little SIDESLIPPING. Engine at idle, mild left rudder, with a gentle bank to the right. You're now flying slightly sideways, in the same general direction, you're losing altitude and slowing down. Don't attempt to Land without straightening out first, as your landing gear will collapse

Forget . . the 3 Point Landing, that's with a tailwheel that you don't have, and your engine Lacks the power to do a decent flare.

The instant your wheels touch the ground. Kill that engine ( the quicker, the better ). Then Dig for Potatoes with your tailskid to stop

Exception with the DR1, as she'll do a backflip, a little Rudder side to side is required . . watch those wingtips. After you're down to about 30 mph, dig those potatoes

The SE5a is a Bouncer, only cure for that is stalling 6 inches up, easier said than done

#3575804 - 05/20/12 12:18 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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One of the Hidden Features of OFF #26

Clic on CREDITS ( nobody ever does ) Make sure your speakers work. After the actual credits, there appears a field of red poppies, and the taped voices of four WWI pilots, all of them frightfully British, followed by the reading of "Over Flanders Fields"

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One thing worthwhile to think about! Originally; Quick Combat was considered a practice area, where you you could work on your gunnery, and your Piloting Skills, till the action of the AI became just toooo predictable to be a challenge anymore. Then you would advance to campaign. Well QC has changed, some accomplished pilot's never leave QC. As there you control ALL the variables. Also it's a great place too practice dead stick landings, and sideslipping, with nobody bothering you in Free Flight

But if you wish to jump into campaign, with both feet, and die a lot . . . . . . . be my guest
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Then we have the other extreme, the newbie who says, "The best place to begin is the beginning". Sooo I'll start OFF in Jan,1915 flying with RFC-3 in the Bristol Scout.

Well 6 missions later, and you've yet to have an enemy contact, frankly you're bored stiff.

Nobody to blame but yourself. In early 1915 there weren't that many aircraft anyway, mostly recon and spotting for the field artillary, most of those endless 'patrols' were just to keep you busy.

Plus if you believe in Flying without aids ( Labels ) Might have been a enemy around, but you never saw him.

He could be behind a cloud .... you'd never see him. NOTE ... there's no hiding from the TAC with the aircraft only screen up, in your lower left corner


PS . . .If you can hit anything with the Bristol Scout ( other than a tree) you were born too late
The trick is use of ( F6 ) Iron Sights . . . as then you're looking straight down the gun

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/20/12 12:22 AM.

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575812 - 05/20/12 12:32 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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The OLHAM Method for ordering your wingmen about #27

My way is dead simple:
You press your "select target" key (don't know the default one, see under "controls", mine is put on joystick).
In your TAC (which has to be on for this, I'm afraid), you now see the previously red dot of one craft as a yellow.
Also you may have a yellow bracket shown at the selected craft (the bracket has to be "on" - see "controls").
If you don't want brackets, switch them off - it still works, as long as you have the TAC on; you must now look
for the yellow specs.

If there are too many craft around you, you MAY press pause, and click through your enemies, until the desired
craft is marked. Of course an immersion killer.

If you got a target marked, that you want your wingmen to attack, press the "Attack" command.
If you want them to stop and come back, press the "Return" command.
If you want them to attack a different target, mark that one, and press "Attack" again.

Your wingmen can also be ordered a general "Attack" order, when nothing is marked. Therefor, the enemies have
to appear as RED dots - then they are close enough. When you press "Attack" now, your wings will attack a craft
of their own choice; probably the nearest.

Your direct wingman no. 1 will stay with you, if he can. If you press the "Help" command, he will attack the craft
next to you. He can be a great help - but he might also fire at the same craft you are hunting, when it is the closest
to you. To make the wingman stay with you, press "Help" right after "Attack" - that should keep him with you.
But when there are a lot of enemy fighters, he may get forced away from you.

I have put the wingman commands on the joystick base buttons. So I can use them very fast, and often effective.
Not always though. When your wingmen are carried away by the fighting, and appear as white specs on the TAC,
they will not "see" your commanding signs and carry on doing what they do.

Edit/PS: Oh, and don't forget to set the TAC for the right target type! There are "aircraft", "buildings", "vehicles" and
"ships". If you want to attack a railyard, you have to switch to "buildings" or "vehiclesMy way is dead simple:
You press your "select target" key (don't know the default one, see under "controls", mine is put on joystick).
In your TAC (which has to be on for this, I'm afraid), you now see the previously red dot of one craft as a yellow.
Also you may have a yellow bracket shown at the selected craft (the bracket has to be "on" - see "controls").
If you don't want brackets, switch them off - it still works, as long as you have the TAC on; you must now look
for the yellow specs.

If there are too many craft around you, you MAY press pause, and click through your enemies, until the desired
craft is marked. Of course an immersion killer.

If you got a target marked, that you want your wingmen to attack, press the "Attack" command.
If you want them to stop and come back, press the "Return" command.
If you want them to attack a different target, mark that one, and press "Attack" again.

Your wingmen can also be ordered a general "Attack" order, when nothing is marked. Therefor, the enemies have
to appear as RED dots - then they are close enough. When you press "Attack" now, your wings will attack a craft
of their own choice; probably the nearest.

Your direct wingman no. 1 will stay with you, if he can. If you press the "Help" command, he will attack the craft
next to you. He can be a great help - but he might also fire at the same craft you are hunting, when it is the closest
to you. To make the wingman stay with you, press "Help" right after "Attack" - that should keep him with you.
But when there are a lot of enemy fighters, he may get forced away from you.

I have put the wingman commands on the joystick base buttons. So I can use them very fast, and often effective.
Not always though. When your wingmen are carried away by the fighting, and appear as white specs on the TAC,
they will not "see" your commanding signs and carry on doing what they do.

Edit/PS: Oh, and don't forget to set the TAC for the right target type! There are "aircraft", "buildings", "vehicles" and
"ships". If you want to attack a railyard, you have to switch to "buildings" or "vehicles
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575819 - 05/20/12 12:44 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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Phase III was promised to install on Vista and it did. CFS3 QC #28

In order to prevent accidental exposure it was rather well Hidden Away

NOTE: . . As of late, a great many computers have appeared on

the scene, equipped with Windows 7 64 bit.

Nowdays it seems the accepted practice of 'I buy power' as well

as many other custom builders, to use it.

Also I should think more than a few 'disgrunteled' VISTA users,

took that path as well.

Seeing as this little piece of information, was originally written

long before the release of Windows 7, I can safely say . . . .

Anybody running Windows 7, has no reason to fear CFS3 QC


. . Start OFF, go Directly to Workshop, there to find CFS3 QC along the bottom, clic on it. After some on-screen magic, the Quick Combat screen will appear, That's the one place you can activate Spawns via a little white check box in the center of the screen, clic on 'Go to Field'. Then put your hands in your pockets, more on-screen magic, and the Hanger Page, that looks just like Phase II will appear. There's a Medal with a maroon ribbon on the left side of the screen.

Clic on the Maroon Ribbon , the Menu will slide out, you can customize your entire experience


Clic ON the term FLIGHT TYPE
You'll get your choice of: The Type of Action

Clic on AIRCRAFT
You can choose the Aircraft you Fly
Also the Possible Loadout
All the German Aircraft ONLY have twin MGs, except the Fokker EIII and the Haberstat with a single gun, along with some of the bombers
British and French aircraft most have rockets or bombs, some you have a choice.
There's also a Model 'T' Ford and a Moped if you get bored

Clic ON . . . LOCATION you can then choose
country of flight
area of country
airfield in area
Time of Day or Night
Where you start
Weather
Season

Clic ON . . SKILL
skill of the enemy pilot
can the ground gunner hit an elephant or not
How will you initialy confront the enemy

Clic ON . . FIGHTER
You get to choose the type of aircraft that trys to Kill You

On the right side is HANGER . .a drop down menu, that speaks for itself


#3575821 - 05/20/12 12:49 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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GUNNERY in WW1. You don't actually Aim, You try to Ram him, and just before you hit him, you open fire, you'll only have time for a short burst or you WILL hit him. And had than a few mid-air collisions learning this stuff. Your guns are solidly mounted to the aircraft, if you tried to aim Presto you're on a collision course. Besides who is busy doing all that aiming if you're busy flying the plane. In order to Aim you need a front and rear sight ( most aircraft have one or the other not both ).The Nieuport 11 doesn't have ANY, as the gun is on the upper wing. If you only have a Front Sight, you'll try to get closer soo you can't miss NOTE . . the twin gun German aircraft don't use a front sight at all. They pick an imaginary point between the two guns, such as the top edge of the windscreen on the Alb DIII, or just above the gauge on the Fokker DR1. There are long distance shots taken, but it's only done by experienced pilots.
MEAT or METAL If you fail to hit the Pilot, the Engine, or the Fuel Tank, it could be a long day. Just getting behind somebody and openning fire, unless by luck you hit the pilot in the back of the head, you can shoot all your bullets without doing anything. All the goodies are in the front third of the fusilage. Never said this Schitt was easy. If you dive on somebody, without him seeing you, and you shoot him in the wing. You haven't accomplished anything except announced your presence, and if he's a better pilot than you, you Die
There is NO Blood in OFF . . If you're close enough, you'll hear him scream as your bullets turn him into hamburger #29
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

#3575824 - 05/20/12 12:58 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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WHY you should fly as FLIGHT LEADER. Sometimes the newbie will figure, If I fly as second fiddle, I'll see how it's done, and learn how to handle a WWI aircraft at the same time. WRONG . . Quick Combat is there just so the newbie can learn how the aircraft will react to your input, and YOU control ALL the variables. However if you wish to jump into Campaign, and Kill a bunch of pilots, be my guest it's yours afterall.

For my money, I'd select: Player always leads, enlisting my pilot in one of the top 2 ranks possible for that nationality, ie . . NO Sargents. Because leaving the TAC up, you can't get lost period.

Plus there's the little matter of wingmen, ONLY the mission leader can command his wingmen. And without commands, they do anything they damn well please, which can include them just watching as you get killed facing 5 enemy aircraft alone.

Incase anybody is wondering why your Flight Leader doesn't announce his moves before He does them, He Can't . . it's 1917, there's no radios in these tiny aircraft

If you decide the hell with the mission, I'll just go looking for trouble, you'll go solo

If you can keep up to your mission leader you're good. He's on your side but he's AI, which means he can climb without slowing down, his mixture is always perfect, he's uneffected by any kind of wind.

More importantly, he can fly through a cloud with NO effect, when you try to follow, you can get your wings ripped out, or not. Feeling Lucky Today

Sooo as the leader, you circle the field once, to get all your ducklings in a row. Then Warp to Mission Altitude in 6 seconds flat

And you can never get lost by following the Blue Neon Line on your TAC . #30


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575825 - 05/20/12 01:05 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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OPERATION OF YOUR SECONDARY WEAPON IS A TWO KEY OPERATION #31

Unless you're flying a scout for the Dark Side ( German Aircaft don't have rockets or bombs ) excepting of course the Bombers

Seeing as OFF was a patch of CFS3, Firing Rockets or Dropping Bombs is a Two step operation

Select Weapon - - Backspace, that's pure CFS3, as the pilot could Select if he wanted to fire rockets, or drop bombs, on the target. We don't have that dilema in 1917, it's one or the the other Period,

I like to think of it as the arm command, it only needs to be pressed Once, at the beginning of your mission. After that you just deal with the Fire Button - - Enter

What I'm saying is only one button need be on your Joystick, if you're running an X-52 No Sweat, but most other sticks, especially with Force feedback. Buttons you can hit with your Right Hand, without emptying your hand, are at a Premium.

For those of us who see reaching across our bodies, as an unnatural movement. Enter the Saitek Throttle Quadrant's six buttons


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575828 - 05/20/12 01:08 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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A TRICK FOR THOSE NOT UTILIZING PEDALS YET #32
The Human Body was never designed with the Twisty Stick in mind, in WWI Sims ANYWAY
In WWII Aircraft, there was some use of Rudder. In Jets even less, except for runway activity

However we're dealing with full travel use in gunnery. That violent momentary course correction just prior to shooting.
It's rather simple actually, I won't say impossible, but it's Very Difficult, to hold a totally flat pivoting action, while squeezing the trigger.
Unless you're Very Careful, you're always going to have a slight Alerion Movement. Just enough to Bank Off Target

I haven't met the pilot, who can hold a turn that flat, without pedals, in a dogfight. I'm sure they exist, but I ain't one.

SOLUTION: Don't use the trigger. Use the Spacebar, your Machine Gun will still Fire, plus your hit percentage will be noticeably higher

Try it and see, and what is your other hand doing then . . in my case I'm on the throttle, but I'm using pedals
HOW TO FIND Your HIT % in OFF . . . Player Stats in Workshop . . On or Off

#3575830 - 05/20/12 01:10 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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Becoming the ultimate 'Tourist' in OFF, Anybody running VISTA skip this topic, as it's unsafe for you. For everyone else, in CFS3 QC British Fields England / Free Flight / Runway / Suttons Farm / I prefer a Sopwith Pup w/ Rocket Loadout . . . Yanks Only
Take off and fly NW, in about 6 minutes you'll reach the Thames, hang a right, you'll be travelling West. The first stream on your right, features roughly four bridges, very satisfying with rockets
Turn your Labels On, as some of the sights further along the Thames simply amaze, such as Tower Bridge ( flying Under the roadway) Big Ben, Bittersea Power Station #33


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3575832 - 05/20/12 01:17 AM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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BALLOON BUSTING ( Hopefully staying alive in the process )

Any Discussion about the proper method for destroying a balloon, should include how it was actually done. Let's get one thing straight, a balloon is a PRIME Target. You know it, I know it, and the enemy defenders know it, so to say it will rather heavily defended, is an understatement.

What is a balloon, but a bag of gas, which when mixed with air is extremely flammable. Your attack plans must differ throughout the war. Early on the incindary ammunition was highly unreliable. It was known to Light-Off from engine heat alone.

The Great Willie Coppens, Balloon Ace Extrodinaire, would purposely kill his engine at high altitude directly over the balloon, as noise abatement, as he did a full dive on the balloon. when within gun range he would restart his own engine, the gunners couldn't hit him because the Balloon was in the way. Soo he'd destroy the Gas Bag, only to fly away at full speed, he did this 16 times. It Worked, but the method was never copied


The more accepted method, is to ventilate the Gas Bag real good with your machine gun, so that the area near the Gas Bag is saturated with a mixture of Air & Gas, which only needs to be exposed to flame to destroy the balloon.

Enter the PRIUS Rocket, little more than an overgrown firework. Your aircraft carries 8 rockets, fired electrically, all at the same time, and they're none to accurate.
Sooo get close, fire your rockets, and hopefully set off the escaping balloon gas, destroying the balloon.

As soon as the incindary ammunition became more reliable, the Prius Rocket Disappeared.

The Rockets in OFF, belong on a P47 in terms of Range, Accuracy, and Destructive Power. However it's Hardcode CFS3, you want rockets, use these, or none at all. Said CFS3
PS . . Those rockets are great for Bridges and Locomotives

Just How close you wanna get before openning fire, is up to you, but there's no hiding why you're in the area

The diving attack has some merit as the defending Machine Guns can't hit you until 2000, but the AA fire has no limitation, plus you can't bob and weave on the way down. Once you Open Fire you're commited, and they know it !!

Balloon Busting is no Easy Job

Unless you're talking about the one every airfield features, you can destroy those just testing your guns

You could of course make a show out of the ballon mission, order your wingmen to attack, while you just watch.

However you can't claim the balloon, if they shot it down

If you're the guy who destroyed the balloon, go straight home, no dogfights along the way. You may survive, but your wingman has to, he's your witness, He dies, kiss that balloon goodbye

THE OLHAM METHOD OF BALLOON ATTACK

For balloon attack, I approach the balloon at 2.000 - 3.000 feet, zizagging first,
and find out, how he is lined out, cause I always attack them along their full length axis,
and if possible, from the sun side.
From the right position, I dive on it in a 30° - 40° dive, stabilise my aim, and fire bursts
at it, when it appears big enough.
I mostly destroy it in the first approach. If that fails, I go back to 2.000 zigzagging, and
then dive down on it much steeper (45 - 50 °), blow it up, and then pull out and away
zig zagging, not climbing too hard, as that would reduce my escape speed.
(I stop firing at the balloon at about 400 feet distance, latest, and pull out.)

NOTE: German aircraft can not carry rockets, of any kind, ever.

When out of reach of the balloon's Flak, I climb higher for crossing the line.

NEW PILOT'S METHOD AND IT WORKED

Long story: I went around the front and circled around from the east. The balloon was high in the sky by the time I found it. Wingmen went down to the deck and started suppressing the German defenses, I bored straight in on that sausage. Took a hit from something (no idea what) that knocked the Nieuport around like a kite. I had a look and my left bottom wing tip looked as though Superman had grabbed it and bent it upwards. It wasn't sheared off, it was just bent upwards. Very bad for the controls, I was sideslipping all over the sky and flak/mg fire all around. HOWEVER I was still able to flame the balloon and because I was already aiming west I was able to kind of make my plane coast towards friendly lines. The landing didn't go so well, I landed among the British troops in no man's land. "Landed" is overstating it since the plane crashed and sent me to the infirmary for 2 weeks.

ps. Seeing as how it's 'Bloody April', missing 2 weeks of it may not be a bad thing.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3576157 - 05/20/12 05:22 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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If you ever get tired of being the Pilot in a 2-seater, take a turn as the gunner ( F8 )
The pilot will keep you in the air as long as possible. You are the one doing the protecting after all

That's the reason the 2-seaters fly so damn high, no scouts can fly that high

Or they fly Very, Very Low, so no scouts can attack them from below ( their Blindspot )

The Pilot of the Scout can be a sneaky SOB by flying directly behind you, at your altitude. So you can't shoot at him without shooting off your own tail

It becomes a game of cat and mouse. You put 2 controls on your joystick (F6) the Pilot. .and (F8) the gunner

When the SOB gets on your tail, switch to Pilot and Dive then level out, switch to gunner again, and that SOB will be exposed above you.
Then as the gunner you get to carve him up

The NEW OFF is slated to do that automatically - - what a gift

PS . . . That's the reason for the Hole in the Floor on the Twin Engine GOTHA Bomber, this allowed the rear gunner to shoot at you as you attempted to attack from below, the original "Belly Gun"

PS . PS . Many Folks are WOWed about the accomplishments of MVR, he was a great pilot and an efficent Killer. However many of his early victories were against British 2 seaters with a top speed of 85 mph, while he had an Albatros DIII, his victims flew in formation. He would Attack whoever was at the edge of the formation at roughly 10 O'clock meaning there was No Way the pilot had a shot, while the gunner couldn't traverse his gun far enough to allow a shot. One Burst from his Spandous was normally enough. And so the Legend Grew. Many is the time if the odds weren't in his favor, he ran. But he lived to fight another day. He finally cashed in his chips, when one Bloke got a lucky shot from the ground, exactly who is still in dispute.
Back in the Day, I considered myself an above average Deer Hunter with the Bow, and I'll never forget what the guy who taught me said . ."Never Shoot an arrow at anything that can eat you" SOUND ADVISE
If you go on Utube you'll see many videos of guys bagging the Top 5 from Africa with a Bow
They always omit to show the guy Off Camera with the 375 H&H whose there to settle disputes

Last edited by Uncleal; 05/24/12 02:26 AM.

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3576282 - 05/20/12 08:40 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal Offline
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Don't know exactly where to put this because it contains many different types of items. But they definatly deserve Sticky
Soo I'll lump them all together under

PILOT ITEMS OF INTEREST



RFC Pilot Training . . Aerodrome Story . http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/aviation-personnel/23225-rfc-pilot-training.html

The Red Fighter Pilot . . on line book . http://richthofen.com/

Rosebud's . . Many OLD Photos . . http://www.earlyaeroplanes.com/archive1.htm

The Vintage Aviator . Website . http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/node

Illustrated History of WW1 Aviation http://www.wwiaviation.com/ . Enter by clicking on area of Pilot's Heads

Fighting the Flying Circus . on line book . http://richthofen.com/rickenbacker/

The Great War in Color . .extensive Website . http://www.greatwar.nl/frames/default-color.html

Knock your Sox off Photos http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/642541-Photos-of-original-Dr1-D-VII-Morane-AI-in-flight

WW1 Battlefields as they look today http://www.coolcrack.com/2011/11/amazing-pictures-of-landscape-still.html

WW2 in photos http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/pages/ww2/

WW2 after the war in photos http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/world-war-ii-after-the-war/100180

How to dive in an SE5a http://www.southsearepublic.org/article/1764/read/how-to_dive_an_se5

Low Flying http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/S...-Wagon-Rut.aspx

Many Pictures German WW2 http://www.histomil.com/viewtopic.php?f=95&t=3918

60 squadron RAF .. E Book . http://openlibrary.org/books/OL6287542M/Sixty_squadron_R.A.F.

Last edited by Uncleal; 09/11/12 02:52 AM.

There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3578185 - 05/23/12 05:27 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Thanks Uncleal. I think we should put this whole thread into the new FAQ sub forum but will think on it.


Regards,

Polovski,
OBD Software, developers of immersive flight sims;
Wings Over Flanders Fields and Wings Over The Reich
http://www.overflandersfields.com
http://www.wingsoverthereich.com
#3578410 - 05/23/12 10:30 PM Re: OFF ADDITIONS [Re: 5555]  
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Uncleal Offline
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Originally Posted By: 5555

Hello Mr. P, Uther or whomever,

I noted on CombatAce some aircraft, missions and campaigns additions for OFF. The site does not qualify if the creations are for versions 2 or 3, though some of the available maps are from Rabu, which gives the material credibility.

But before my next computer FFU, my mind inquires if they are safe to import.


As far as I can tell the only reason to utilize some of the third party missions is the level of enemy contact

That is No-Longer a valid reason, with the manager as it exists in Phase III you can enlist a few pilots around May of 1918 and you will shortly wish your mother never met your father, as 6 on 10 is fairly commonplace.
I'd even venture to say it happens all to often. Many times you will encounter the 6 on 10 going on . . . and will join to even out the odds. Things have a way of escolating in 1918

The smart money enlists 6 Pilots in 1916, 6 in 1917, and 6 more in 1918.
That way you can fly as you choose


There's no such thing as Bad Weather, only unsuitable clothing
#3600165 - 07/01/12 05:32 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Uncleal.. good info here, thanks!

#3974488 - 06/29/14 12:23 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Gibt es eigendlich auch ein Forum in deutsch, ich bin leider dem englich nicht so machtig.
Da Rof meiner Ansicht doch einschläft und wir eine onlinestaffel für ww1 sind habe ich die frage wie ist das mit WOFF online fliegen, geht das?

#4209917 - 12/25/15 01:51 PM Re: OFF Essentials (Links, Tips, Tweaks, etc) [Re: Uther]  
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Pawgy Offline
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None of the links above are active. Not a problem at my end.

How do I get rid of contact and dog barking??? can not find sound files.

How do i get labels and brackets to show up when flying.. I can not find the enemy at all.

Where should I post for answers to problems in OFF an Hat in Ring add on. Seems like there is no activity in this game but I just got back to flying and am not intrested in the High priced WOFF download.

Thanks for any help or direction.

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