Maintaining SA

[PuppetZ]

I have a very hard time keeping track of cons when maneuvering. Unlike in MA, there's no padlock in AvA, a feature wich I use intensively once I found my tgt. How do you guys manage?

[ImADot]

Practice and patience. 

Most guys will keep tabs via the radar...some may call it a crutch - so be it.  While in transit to the engagement area, know where your friendlies are, either via radar or vox or sight.  Once in the fight, do what you can to track 1 or 2 and expect to get shot down...a lot.  Don't get frustrated, and don't fall into the MA pit of name-calling and sweetheartbaggery.

It will take time to be able to have moderate SA, but you will find yourself starting to stay alive longer and longer, and landing kills. 

[captain1ma]

SA? is that why i die all the time? im supposed to look around?

i was one of the ones that started no icons and i still have trouble. if you have a decent joystick, set you 8-way hat to views, and use that alot when you're fighting. thats how i keep track of them, for what its worth. and when the camo paint job meshes with the background well, well then im screwed, so dont feel bad! you're in good company!

[Oldman731]

I have a very hard time keeping track of cons when maneuvering. Unlike in MA, there's no padlock in AvA, a feature wich I use intensively once I found my tgt. How do you guys manage?

You are flying in the most difficult arena. Congrats to you!

We  don't have padlock much here.  Work on your hat button controls

[gyrene81]

situational awareness is easy for me...always someone on my 6 and when i try to get away i end up parking my plane in the trees...    situation, in the tower. 

[CAP1]

I have a very hard time keeping track of cons when maneuvering. Unlike in MA, there's no padlock in AvA, a feature wich I use intensively once I found my tgt. How do you guys manage?

patience. once you get accustomed to it, it's not that hard.

[ink]

the padlock in MA is complete crap, and a hinderance

[Cheese]

Actually, if you spend some time setting padlock up, and mapping proper keys where you can quickly switch between padlock and hatswitch view it is wonderful, especially in cases where there are a limited number of enemies, (like AvA).  I think padlock is linked to Icons, not the actual enemy plane.  Thus when Icons are removed, so is padlock.  Don't know why this is.

IMO padlock is much more realistic than using the goofy hatswitch. I typically loose the con when I switch between views on my hat. Ideally, TrackIR is the way to go.

[CAP1]

Actually, if you spend some time setting padlock up, and mapping proper keys where you can quickly switch between padlock and hatswitch view it is wonderful, especially in cases where there are a limited number of enemies, (like AvA).  I think padlock is linked to Icons, not the actual enemy plane.  Thus when Icons are removed, so is padlock.  Don't know why this is.

IMO padlock is much more realistic than using the goofy hatswitch. I typically loose the con when I switch between views on my hat. Ideally, TrackIR is the way to go.

speaking of trackir.........

i've had to retreat to the mw arena when using it. for now. i need that crutch of having icons turned on to allow myself time to get accust9omed to flying with it.
 my current hit % in mw is over 11%, which shows me 2 things. also.....i've never had a hit % that high before.
 1)flying with no icons helps your sa, and gunnery
 2)i have my trackir tweaked ok, so it is not my problem...i am my problem.

[PuppetZ]

Well I use padlock because it keeps the cons centered in my view. Quote from the falcon 4.0 manual : 'you can't fight what you don't see'. Now if you gentlemen would just stop moving for 10-15 seconds and let me aim that would help alot 

[CAP1]

before i used trackir, i found i could easily keep cons in my view using the 8 way hat switch. especially with those big red "shoot here" signs hovering overt em.

[gyrene81]

if i can get this face tracking software to work i can keep my eyeballs on caps 38 while i use my plane for squirrel hunting...can't hit anything with my guns so i use the entire plane. 

[CAP1]

what i do, is to fly past em, and then throw big aluminum parts at em. if that doesn't work, i throw a spikey heel at em.....

[ImADot]

Well I use padlock because it keeps the cons centered in my view. Quote from the falcon 4.0 manual : 'you can't fight what you don't see'.

By the same token, you can't avoid what you don't know is there.  Target fixation is one of the leading causes of sudden returns to the tower. 

The view system here is pretty good, you might want to take a little time to see if you can get used to it.  In either case, it all boils down to patience and practice.

[CAP1]

By the same token, you can't avoid what you don't know is there.  Target fixation is one of the leading causes of sudden returns to the tower. 

The view system here is pretty good, you might want to take a little time to see if you can get used to it.  In either case, it all boils down to patience and practice.

 know what's sad about the "target fixation part?  i've gotten to a point, when i'm getting multiple check 6 calls, and i acknowledge em....but i stay on my con. till i'm in the tower. dunno if anyone else does this or not........