Stick stirring and flopping like a dying fish.

[Lipwig]

When did this become the tactic of choice? I of course don't know all that much about flight models but it would be really nice if this sort of thing cause a slight loss of control instead of having very little effect on how a plane handles - or so it appears.

[OOZ662]

This issue comes from the network smoothing code that this game uses. The fact that most people generally don't notice it is an attestment to how well it works; otherwise aircraft would be much more jittery and nothing would be smooth.
One of its biggest downfalls, however, is the prediction system that cause "stick stirring" to work. The game attempts to predict your current vector based upon how you're moving at the moment in order to stop jitters. When someone makes many small inputs in random directions, it can fool this system into over-predicting and make it look like the enemy plane is spinning like a deathstar in midair. Sometimes there are people who try to take advantage of it, but most of the time it's either people actually trying to move very slightly out of the bullet stream or those who are suddenly panicked by the opponent's appearance and don't know what to do.

[FLOTSOM]

when an opponent is glued to your 6 and you are trying to shake him then anything you can do to break him off and defeat his attack is good ACM.

or should he just fly straight and level for you so you get your kill without much fuss? should he move into your line of fire and set up the shot for you?

if you close to the point where stick stirring actually defeats your attack then you got too close, if you stay back a bit (200 or so) then you retain the advantage and the jerking and flopping only slightly delays the inevitable.

besides, if you know that the opponet, no matter how much he bounces around, is still limited in where he can go and how fast he can get there, then you will still be able to lead him and make the kill shot. although not exactly true to reality, the game does employ the laws of motion and physics, thus you can anticipate and lead your opponent no matter what he does. leave yourself the room to do this and you will find that you lose nothing in advantage when he flops around and he just dies tired.

[Lipwig]

I think a sim that tries to be as realistic as possible with regard to flight modelling and gunnery is spoilt by a stupid gamey tactic that a child would think "cool"

[FLOTSOM]

well if we are going to play the realistic card, do you think that if someone was shooting at you and you knew you were going to die that you would sit still and fly level for him? or would you bounce of the walls trying to screw up his aim? is it gamey to attempt to get out of the line of fire? or closer to reality than what you give it credit for?

[Lipwig]

See Rule #4

[Muzzy]

Lipwig what do you do when a con is on your six inside 600? I'm just curious.

[FLS]

Stick stirring causes your controls to lock up. Jinking makes you hard to hit.

[JunkyII]

Stick stirring causes your controls to lock up. Jinking makes you hard to hit.

And laggy

[FLOTSOM]

See Rule #4

[Bruv119]

When did this become the tactic of choice? I of course don't know all that much about flight models but it would be really nice if this sort of thing cause a slight loss of control instead of having very little effect on how a plane handles - or so it appears.

if someone really is shoving their stick all over their desk the game does have a "don't move your controls so rapidly"  where they will not be able to control their plane for around 5 seconds.   

If you pull too hard at speed and enter a permanent blackout this also stays for around 5 seconds.   What you describe could well be someone riding the blackout by pulling hard then easing off to prevent the permanent black out.  Throw in net lag to the mix then you have something that may look extremely fishy.  Some planes do this better than others see 190's / Spit 16's etc.

The counter to it, as flotsom correctly points out, is to not fall for their attempt of making you overshoot.  Reduce throttle, burn off your Energy to stay well behind them and when they pause stick stirring for a second, nail them with a solid burst.   Of course in a multi-con situation it is probably wiser to let the troublesome stick stirrer go rather than waste precious time with them.

[Hawk55]

See Rule #4

[Skuzzy]

Folks, play nice.

[FLOTSOM]

Thanks for the support Hawk.

i am not a really good stick, but i fly with the Muppet's, most of whom are counted amongst the best sticks in the game. so i do learn by being around them. people like Grizz and Jetsom are masters of the close in knife fighting style and are extremely talented at forcing the overshoot. i have not perfected the skills, but i do understand the methods.

[Flench]

what I have been seeing in the arena lately is BS ! (Stick stirring )If I tried to do that it would give me the (Don't move your control's so rapidly ) message .  Now how is it they can do it ? and I'm not talking about the Muppets or the Few , never seen any of them do that , they don't have too .