http://www.4shared.com/file/06J2p_yV/film50.html
This one was today. But the guy is a better pilot than I gave him credit for. It is a deck merge and it's not the same as the ones we did the other night mtnman. It is the -4
Keep in mind, these are just my opinions, and are the way I would probably go about things. They're not necessarily "right", and it's tough to say what would have happened in the end if you'd changed things... I'm sure your opponent would have changed his approach too, if you'd changed yours. Anyway...
Film 50- Deck merges are fine. But, he let you go up first, and then just stayed below you as best he could. You could have turned flatter, or else recognized what eh was doing and transitioned into more of an "E" fight. At about 2:15 I'd have been pulling DOWN harder, and then rolling right side up and pulling for a point about 2-3 plane lengths BEHIND him (not diving for speed, so much as flying a longer path, that would have placed me behind him). At 2:30-2:31 (2:32 is too late) I'd have rolled LEFT and looked to pull onto him again. It'd have been quicker. Following him around to your right took too long, and let him get too far around the circle. Left would have been a nice "short-cut". What I think I'm seeing mainly with your rolling scissors is that at the bottom of your helix, your not setting up enough lag pursuit. At the top though, you're swinging through with rudder nicely. I go for a bit of "extra" lag as I swing my nose up, and make adjustments with my rudder at the top (even going for some temporary lead pursuit there). Keep in mind, the object of the rolling scissors is to "lose" it, and have your opponent pop out ahead of you. Racing to get a shot will get you killed. Of course, you don't want to fall so far behind that he gets around the circle on you, but most people having problems with the scissors aren't doing that. They're pushing too hard to finish things up.
Don't get me started on the HO, lol! IMO, the fault doesn't go to the guy who squeezes the trigger, it goes to the guy who fails to keep his plane from being somewhere it's gonna get shot! Going for a position BEHIND your opponent helps avoid those HO-type shots though, as would rolling the opposite direction occasionally. You're fighting to turn too tight in several instances, which can be seen as "forcing" the HO, even if you don't want to shoot HO. You need to learn where in a fight you can "back off" for a second, and actually set yourself up in a better position. It's hard to describe where, exactly. Watch some films where you get HO'ed, and try to run some other options through your head- If I'd have rolled left there, what would have happened? What if I'd have pulled tight, turned flatter, gone more vertical?, etc..
The trick is to kill the guys who try to HO you, not complain as if it somehow isn't a "fair" or "legitimate" shot. His job is to shoot you, after all.
http://www.4shared.com/file/0zYiGCGd/film48.html
You set the merge up fine, but where you messed up a bit was not realizing he wasn't using an immelmann. He was staying a bit "flatter", and staying below you, even though you started out under him (where you normally want to be). So, the merge wasn't bad, but what happened afterward is the problem. Had I been in your position, at 2:46 I would have gone down towards him just a bit (not HO, and not close enough to get shot) to maintain or recoup just a bit of speed (while he's losing his), and THEN gone up again as I passed him. He's scrubbed more E than you at that point, BUT, he has enough to stay close enough for a shot. By nosing down slightly, and watching him to be sure he doesn't QUITE have a shot, you tempt him to hold his nose up, while you get ready to pull up, roll over, and drop back into him as his E bleeds too far. Had he recognized that, he'd have been forced to get his nose down, and you'd have been behind him. As it was, you pulled up a bit more, but it was at the time that was most convenient FOR HIM. You realized that, but a bit too late, and now you're stuck reacting to him.
Even so, at 3:10, I had hope again. At 3:16 though, you needed to go UP, and then roll RIGHT over on top of him. It's flirting with getting shot, I know, but I doubt he could have gotten his nose on you. Also, at this point, you do have enough speed to do that, and had he tried to follow, I think he'd have wallowed.
At 3:33, I would have rolled LEFT just past "wings-level" and pulled up into a left-hand barrel roll, denying the shot that hit your pilot, and looking to set myself up with a better angle. I would have been watching really close to him, and adjusting the size, angle, and speed of that roll to either pull in behind him, or else set up an over-shoot of sorts. Hard to describe, and hard for you to visualize, I'm sure. And it may not have worked... But, pulling the turn tighter (like you did), is a situation where you only live through it if he decides not to shoot, or messes up/misses his shot.
The rolling scissors after that is oh-so-close! A little more laggy in your pursuit might have helped. Killing him on your first shot would have been nice too... But not bad at all! You're getting there!
http://www.4shared.com/file/zU4W5D6z/film49.html
these 2 are from a dueling tournament. I have more but these show pretty much how badly i do the merge and the rolling scissors.
At 3:32, I would have rolled a little more left, and pulled up (to get my nose down), and built more speed. I would have been planning to build some speed and zoom upward as I passed him. Not a huge dive, just enough. I'd have been a bit UNDER him at 3:38, coming back up. To me, you're flirting with hesitation, not quite going for an energy-type fight, and not quite going for a tight angles fight. Since I got that impression so early here, I'd not try to adapt to a tight turn anymore, especially if I think that's what my opponent is after, because IMO I'd be to far "behind" in that game already. Since he's going for a quick shot I'd let him pull for it, staying just out of his guns, holding some of my own E, and getting above him.
The shot at 4:00 is tempting, and just what I like to present my opponents with. You hit him, but barely. Had you recognized where he was headed, and NOT pulled for it, you could have flown behind him, pulled up , and possibly had a kill shot. Pulling for it (and failing to kill him) is where the error was, IMO. If you're gonna go for it, you have to make it. If you don't think it's probable you'll make the shot, let it pass for abetter set-up 3-4 seconds later. That pull for the shot, and little wing-wobble was what ended things for you. Sure, you lasted a little longer, but you were in big trouble.
Editing your films would be nice. I'm not complaining, I'm guessing you just don't know how. Clipping out the "boring stuff", like the flight to the fight, and what goes on after, is greatly appreciated though.
To do that, watch your film, and figure out when you think it would be "best" to start your clip. About 5-10 seconds before your opponent comes into icon range would be great for these. I would watch your film with your mouse on the pause button. Click it when you see his icon, and note the time. Say it's at 2:45 into the film. Drag the slider back a bit, and begin playing the film again. Now, however, put your mouse on the [Start Select] button near the top-right of the viewer. Don't watch the film, watch the time. At 2:35 into the film (with it still playing), click on the [Start Select] button. Now, move your mouse onto the [End Select] button, and click on that when the action is over. Now, click on [Copy Select], and choose the location you want it Saved to (My Documents, or Desktop, maybe). Name it. Click [Save]. Close the viewer, go find the clip, and watch it. If it's good, upload that instead of the "full version".
If you haven't found it yet, you can speed up the play speed to make editing your clips easier. At the top of your viewer is a small slider above a [1x] box. Sliding it to the right will speed up the film 2x. Sliding it back gives you "slow-motion".