Getting Started Questions

[Ozzie556]

Hi,

So far ...
1. downloaded and installed the client.
2. bought an x52 controller which also doubles as a large blue bug light  :  installed and calibrated.
3. In <options> I set up the controller as best I could. It was really already mapped.
4. Trying to take off, fly, use weapons and land in offline mode. I figure if I can get that much done alone, I can learn the rest online.

Questions :

Is there a keymap available anywhere for the game outside of scrolling the map keyboard menu?
I seem to have 50 buttons to fire my guns. How do you launch rockets and bombs (on a fighter for example).
No matter what throttle I select in the controller setup (Throttle 1-4 available) none of them work, and I end up SHIFT = to take off. It doesn't even seem to adjust engine power in flight.
Is gear deployment disabled by excessive airspeed? A problem when my engine only has one throttle setting. Landing have been 'slighty' bouncy. Like dropping a TV out of a 4 story building 'bouncy'.
Does AH2 have a target lock, or paning target lock?

Thanks in advance.
Oz

[BaldEagl]

Hi,

So far ...
1. downloaded and installed the client.
2. bought an x52 controller which also doubles as a large blue bug light  :  installed and calibrated.
3. In <options> I set up the controller as best I could. It was really already mapped.
4. Trying to take off, fly, use weapons and land in offline mode. I figure if I can get that much done alone, I can learn the rest online.

Questions :

Is there a keymap available anywhere for the game outside of scrolling the map keyboard menu?

You can print it from the help section linked at the top of the main page.  You might want to print out the dot commands too.

I seem to have 50 buttons to fire my guns. How do you launch rockets and bombs (on a fighter for example).

Hit the backspace key to select ord. then use your fire secondary weapons button.

No matter what throttle I select in the controller setup (Throttle 1-4 available) none of them work, and I end up SHIFT = to take off. It doesn't even seem to adjust engine power in flight.

Did you calibrate your throttle?

Is gear deployment disabled by excessive airspeed? A problem when my engine only has one throttle setting. Landing have been 'slighty' bouncy. Like dropping a TV out of a 4 story building 'bouncy'.

Yes, you have to be at around 150 mph or less to drop gear except in the F4U's which can use gear as a dive brake.

Does AH2 have a target lock, or paning target lock?

Thanks in advance.
Oz

[Murdr]

Set thottle as "throttle 1".  Make sure you do not have RPM mapped to an axis, as it can override your main thottle control.

[Ozzie556]

Thanks for your replies. All that helped. I think my throttle problem might be a matter of perception. There doesn't appear to be a dashboard indicator showing engine power, or none of my throttle commands matter at all. Baring something that says 50%, 60% ect, I thought I would gauge engine power by RPM's. But once it reaches around 30 it doesn't move no matter what I do, after take off. Even the keyboard command "-" should down power the engine, but air speed doesn't seem to drop, rpms don't go down. Lacking an audible clue or a specific dashboard indicator I'm not sure if it's my trouble with the flight model or the fact an 8 year old could put the proper setting in the menu (setting throttle 1 to a slider that I'm moving in real time and watching the number go from 0 to 64k should be obvious enough).

Is the crosswind on take off enough to really push you 45 degress off? I was hopign so or I'm having more stick problems than I am aware of.

Thanks for listening

Oz

[bozon]

The throttle indicator is the manifold pressure. It is an indicator with "man" or "boost" written in it. The RPM stays constant unless you change it separately with a different button/controller.

To check your controllers setting, go to the clipboard in-game and find the calibration page. There you can select an axis and watch the response that the game is reading from it in the graph on the left page that will open.

You are veering off of the runway due to various effects caused by the prop, not because of cross winds (there usually aren't any). You have to compensate by the use of rudder and partially with trim.

[ImADot]

To use the auto-takeoff feature, you must enable it in the Flight section of your clipboard's setup page (OPTIONS -> PREFERENCES -> FLIGHT) by clicking on it so it is checked. With auto-takeoff toggled on, all you have to do is click on the direction you wish to takeoff, put your throttle at 100%, and your plane will do the rest. It takes you down the runway, lifts off, raises the landing gear, and climbs out, eventually taking you to the best climb speed. DO NOT TOUCH YOUR CONTROLS while the plane is rolling down the runway! If you move your joystick during auto-takeoff, the "automatic pilot" is disengaged and you are in control. Your controls all go to their neutral position and there is a good chance you will swerve out of control.

This was taken from the Trainer's website on Airfield Take-offs, found here: http://trainers.hitechcreations.com/takeofffield/takeofffield.htm

[BaldEagl]

As mentioned, the throttle controls the manifold pressure (or boost) while the RPM (+ and - on the keypad) controls the prop pitch.  The planes are all constant RPM.

The tendancy to veer on take off is due primarily to torque and propwash effects.  The direction depends on the plane.  Use rudder to compensate or, better yet, use auto take off as mentioned above.  If you use rudder manually, it will take less and less rudder as you gain speed.

[Ozzie556]

Thanks again, that answers all of my questions. The trainer section linked will get an extensive reading before I ask any more. It also contained the forementioned dot commands and much more.

Thanks for your time and patience

Oz

[Ozzie556]

Created an account, and tried to fly online. Sucked so bad, I'd rather play WoW then this garbage. You guys need to advertise your user base better . .... "amazinhunks and morons wishing to target newbs, please join our wonderful game." "crap talk making barrens chat in WoW seem like a childhood walk through gumdrop villiage" or maybe "forum users who do not represent the user base...your milage may vary LOL".

If I want to play with vulger kids I have neighbors.

/Done +wasted time

[Yossarian]

Created an account, and tried to fly online. Sucked so bad, I'd rather play WoW then this garbage. You guys need to advertise your user base better . .... "amazinhunks and morons wishing to target newbs, please join our wonderful game." "crap talk making barrens chat in WoW seem like a childhood walk through gumdrop villiage" or maybe "forum users who do not represent the user base...your milage may vary LOL".

If I want to play with vulger kids I have neighbors.

/Done +wasted time

I take it you encountered some very offensive total avacados on line.  If so, don't worry, and ignore them.  There are a surprising number of people on there who are unbelievably offensive.  On my trial account (a 346378-type one), I encountered people saying "get a real name first" sometimes when I asked a question.

This is a game that has a pathetically-advertised help section, which is actually excellent and very detailed once you manage to track it down (and I don't mean the training pages).  When I get home, I'll copy the help websites from my bookmarks, and that'll help you immeasurably.

If you're online soon, switch to Knights, post your ingame name here and I'll fly with you a bit (I'm using a mouse at the moment so I totally suck  ).

<S>

Yossarian

[Murdr]

Created an account, and tried to fly online. Sucked so bad, I'd rather play WoW then this garbage. You guys need to advertise your user base better . .... "amazinhunks and morons wishing to target newbs, please join our wonderful game." "crap talk making barrens chat in WoW seem like a childhood walk through gumdrop villiage" or maybe "forum users who do not represent the user base...your milage may vary LOL".

If I want to play with vulger kids I have neighbors.

/Done +wasted time

Just so you know, the online arenas are moderated.  Not only is there an auto text filter for profanity, but live moderators may be online in the game at any time.  Players can and do get pop-up warnings, and/or muted for inappropriate comms.  The moderation system is set up so that issues are handled quietly, and it isn't always appearent when a problem player has been moderated.  Players individually have the option to squelch other players and even some channels via the .squelch command.  There is also a report tool availible for abusive comms via right-clicking on the roster or dot command.

That said, since HTC offers a 2 week free trial, some players are jaded when it comes to dealing with new players due to the steady stream of "two weekers".  Many of those "two weekers" are often "kids" who jump right in to the main arenas and annoy players with stupid questions.  That is why it is advisable to get the basics down in the Training Arena before jumping into the Main Arenas.

[PFactorDave]

I'd like to see perma-bans for any tard who tells another player that Alt-F4 does anything other then close out the game.  People like that are abusing new players openly and deliberately.  I fail to understand why HTC tolerates it at all.

[BaldEagl]

Created an account, and tried to fly online. Sucked so bad, I'd rather play WoW then this garbage. You guys need to advertise your user base better . .... "amazinhunks and morons wishing to target newbs, please join our wonderful game." "crap talk making barrens chat in WoW seem like a childhood walk through gumdrop villiage" or maybe "forum users who do not represent the user base...your milage may vary LOL".

If I want to play with vulger kids I have neighbors.

/Done +wasted time

Like everywhere in life there are a few bad apples.  That's why, again as mentioned above, there are squelch and report features plus moderators in game.  Also understand this game can be incredibly frustrating and some of what you hear in the MA's is just someone blowing off steam after getting killed.  The learning curve is steep.

While there are kids in the game, there are a lot of adults too.  Many of us have been around playing these types of WWII flight sims for 10+ years.  There's a lot of good people in the community.

Spend some time in the TA and here in the H&T forum, get you feet under you, then venture into the MA's.  You'll still get killed a lot but at least you'll have the basics down and a foundation to build on.

[Murdr]

I'd like to see perma-bans for any tard who tells another player that Alt-F4 does anything other then close out the game.  People like that are abusing new players openly and deliberately.  I fail to understand why HTC tolerates it at all.

Well I don't take such a harsh view on that one (permaban).  Maybe because when I started flying in 96, the common gag was to tell newbies to press "p" for power, when in that game it was for parachute    The counter argument would be that anyone who uses windows should have a clue what alt-f4 is.  I agree though that is a poor welcome, and that gag may get a player booted from the TA.

[PFactorDave]

Well I don't take such a harsh view on that one (permaban).  Maybe because when I started flying in 96, the common gag was to tell newbies to press "p" for power, when in that game it was for parachute    The counter argument would be that anyone who uses windows should have a clue what alt-f4 is.  I agree though that is a poor welcome, and that gag may get a player booted from the TA.

It isn't fair to assume that anyone, let alone everyone, knows what Alt-F4 does in windows.  I'm fairly computer saavy, and I never ever ever use Alt-F4 to shut a running program down.  As far as I know, Alt-F4 is more a tool for folks who are doing something they probably shouldn't be doing while at their desk at work, Alt-F4 to dump the game when the boss comes around.

You may view the Alt-F4 as an harmless "gag", but put yourself in the shoes of a new player.  You've been online for a bit, crashing and/or being shot down repeatedly.  You ask a question that some tool thinks you should already know the answer to and you get fed the Alt-F4 gag.

May seem harmless, but is it really one more frustration heaped upon a two weeker that HTC wants?  It was my understanding that the end goal for HTC is that those two weekers actually pay a subscription at some point.

I say perma-ban, make it widely known that it is ban worthy.  The issue goes away.