Observational Help

[DubiousKB]

I'm probably going to regret this, but here it goes. 

I've been faithfully reading the forum and viewing training videos posted here, but at times i still feel like i'm the worst green guy in the sky.
If anyone has killed me, or has seen me fly. Any suggestions? Or better yet, notice me doing something consistenly "wrong"? 

[Randy1]

You just got to keep going.  Watch your films.  Schedule a training session with a trainer which will give you a big jump forward.  Forget about how many times you are shot down.  Matter of fact, the more you get shot down the faster you will improve.

How long have you been in the game?

[The Fugitive]

What is your in game name? Which arenas do you fly in?

It takes most people MONTHS to become even average at this game. Flying with the same guys can help, hooking up with a trainer really can help.  Morph is real good at making a few passes with you and then giving you a list of what you need to work on. Then he goes over them with you until you get it set in your mind. Then you practice, after that you practice some more, and finally you get to practice!   After a few days of practice, get back with Morph and he'll let you know if your slipping back into old habits, or getting better.

All the trainers are good. Morph has helped me a lot, and I've been here over 10 years. This game is like golf, there is ALWAYS something else to tweak to get better.

[DubiousKB]

Pilot Name KB, I fly with the knights in the late ware arena.  I just recently joined the Renagades, so I'm getting alot of help from them (when squaddies are online). It seems the best thing for me would be to jump into the training arena and try some of the situations where I felt the "wtf just happened" moments.

I've only been only for a couple months now. It's been leaps and bounds forward, but sometimes a guy wonders if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or if I've done something to put MYSELF in those situations. I'm getting better at SA, but still get tunnel vision when i'm chasing someone down....

Also, I have been having a h*ll of a time with the film viewer. It's like my comp can handle the Film viewer... I'ma try to ensure i have the latest version tongight and go through some film.  That may be part of my problem, not being able to analyze film easily.

As always, thanks for the help! 

[SIK1]

Have you worked with a trainer? The insight that a good trainer can provide is invaluable.

One thing that might help when trying to analyze film is turning trails on. It shows your flight path and the flight path of you opponent.

It takes most people MONTHS to become even average at this game.

Months huh, I've been doing this for years and I'm still learning new things. 

 

[The Fugitive]

Looking over your score card it looks like your doing ok. Your hit percentage is above average which means your hitting what your aiming at. Of course you have a lot of buff kills so that does help push your hit percentage up.

You seem to get most of your kills in american iron so you have the "50's" down pretty well, and you seem about ready to start pushing for that +1 on your kill to death. You may get your self in trouble, but it's not that often to get your numbers close to a +1.

You got some turn and burn going with the zero tho half of the kills are buffs or pt boats. Your dive bombing isn't very good, nor is your level bombing. Some of that looks like it's from flying too low in buffs   but nothing horrible.

If you have only been flying a few months, it looks like your doing ok.

As for films, post your computer specs. It seems to me that the film viewer really hammers a system when you run it. I may be wrong, but it just seems that way to me. Also, if you post your specs other may be able to help you tweak it to get the most out of it. Another option for films is to post them and ask people to let you know what you did wrong, right, or just flat out missed. Get a free account at places like http://www.speedyshare.com/ or http://www.mediafire.com/index.php and upload your films there, and then post the link here. Be warned, the comments can get pretty brutal   but in the long run you'll learn a lot about what to do and when to do it.  

[morfiend]

Ya months...... I've been flying sims since oh around 85/86 so ya a few months!

  Since my name has been mentioned I'd like to thank those for the support!


    KB, I'm usually in the TA Monday to Thursday between 9pm and 11 pm eastern.

 Now please don't expect miracles as it does take considerable time to become proficient in air combat but I think I can atleast start you on the way and possibly give you an idea on what you need to work on and think about.

   I do disagree with Randy1 though,you'd be better off sending an hour flying in the training arena than spending 5 hours in the mains,maybe even 10 hours! In the TA you don't have to worry about being shot down and can spend your time flying,fighting and shooting where as in the Mains you'll be spending most the time in the tower trying to figure out which plane and how much fuel you want next.

  So look me up and I'll try to help the best I can.



   

[Latrobe]

It most definitely takes months, or even years to get really good at fighting in this game. Just take it all in baby steps! Slowly work on you ACM, SA, and Gunnery. Then move on to some of the more advanced stuff like flap fighting, stall fighting, and throttle control. Then move on to the Elite stuff like fighting 2v1s and 3v1s. One of the best ways to learn this stuff is to fight everything.... literally everything. You're at 8K in a 51 and you see 4 F6F's off your nose slightly lower than you? ENGAGE! You kill 1 of them but now you're low and slow with the other 3 on your 6? Continue to engage! Fight until there's no more red in the sky or you run out of plane parts. Then when you die, look back on the fight and try to figure out where you got yourself in trouble. It was the moment when you followed that 1 F6F down low which allowed the other 3 to dive on your 6 and get you, wasn't it? Next time you'll remember that and instead of following the guy down you'll use your speed to climb up above them all and attack the next biggest threat.

-Learn every planes strengths and weaknesses either by flying them or fighting them enough to know what they can do.
-Learn just how far you can push your planes performance before it stalls out or breaks apart.
-People will argue that the biggest threats are the best shots, others say its the one who can out fly everyone. The truth is the biggest threat is the one who can out fly everyone AND hit everything he shoots at.
-Become AWESOME in your preferred ride and preferred fighting style. Maybe you like the BnZ style in P51s. Get good at that and then branch out and learn the TnB fight with Spits. Mix it up and learn how to TnB in a P51. The only thing more threatening that the pilot who can out fly and out shoot everyone is the pilot who can out fly, out shoot, and has more weapons at his disposal! A good BnZ Pony pilot with good aim is pretty deadly, but a Pony pilot who has good aim, can BnZ, AND TnB is even deadlier.

Getting with a trainer is probably the best thing you can do. They know more about this stuff than us "Ace Pilots" think we know.

In the end always remember that this is just a game and the goal is to have fun 












Also, ignore scores. They're stupid and don't work properly and serve no real purpose. 

[Debrody]

Latrobe nailed it.

Im flying as a knight too, i would say, wing with me, but my english is still quite poor 

[JimmyD3]

Latrobe nailed it.

Im flying as a knight too, i would say, wing with me, but my english is still quite poor 

Sounds okay to me.

[DubiousKB]

Wow, thanks for the ego boost whilst keeping me humble gents! 

The last couple nights i was online, there wasn't anyone in the TA, it's alright though I got some valuable "learning" done in the LW MA.

Seems to me thus far that if you aren't aware of what's happening around you, (situational awareness), you're dead.  I hope it's not just the newb blood in my veins but man do I get tunnel vision when I'm on a red guy. That's usually where a bogie will jump all over me or saddle up, then by the time I realize the guy in front of me isn't trying to evade but rather lead me, there's bullets ripping through my plane!

Now that I'm more aware of the Training Arena, I'm always looking when i log to see if there's anyone in there. 

[gyrene81]

i don't think you have much to worry about...when you start feeling like this is the best you can do


then start panicking...or stop drinking  




i quit drinking while flying and that's the best i can do... 

[ink]

Latrobe gave you some great advice

I would say that knowing what you are going against is one of the most important aspects of dogfighting....just reading what they can do is not enough....you need to get in them and push them, get them to stall out learn the stall...learn what they can and can not do, so when you come against an enemy you will know first hand......

this game has a very steep learning curve...few take to it right away.... most though it takes years to get to the point people will ether fear you or try to hunt you.....

learn the merge.... 80% of fights are won or lost in the merge....

Aim is the most important...... if you cant hit...it dont matter how well you can fly.....

good luck and have fun...if you ever see JETSOM ingame I am always willing to help someone learn to fight.

[Rodent57]

KB,

If you have a regular "flying" schedule, go ahead and post asking for help with a time (Time Zone helps a lot).

The formal AH Trainers exist to help you, but your probability of randomly finding one is not so high as you might think.

A couple of us are able to be more flexible with our time than others...all are excellent at getting you to the point that you can be truly dangerous to yourself .... then come back a while later for the next phase :-)

Also helps to know which platform(s) you think you want to learn.

Let us know and we'll assist you.

BTW:   People saying this game has a "steep learning" curve is like saying "Everest is a big rock"  -- True, but you still don't know what you are up against until you start climbing!


- Rodent57