Author Topic: Padlock (Read 293 times)

Zipper9 · « **on:** September 23, 2002, 08:46:10 AM »

Hi,

I am totally new to AH and have previously been flying another flight sim.

In a previous post i have asked about padlock and how it works and it seems like not a lot of people understand what this is or even know it exists.

Padlock can be compared with a real situation where the pilot turn his head during the dogfight to view the enemy. In the sim that is the same as using the joystick-hat to change view but automatically.

Yesterday during my debute in AH (it was really great and hours just flow away) i have asked a few peopel about it and a common answer was; padlock, what is that? The other comment is that AH is a realistic sim and padlock does not fit into that model. I do think it fits into this realistic model because the fact that it does reflect a realistic view system simulating the pilots head movement. I know the hat is for this thing but in the real world the pilots head is following the enemy automatically except for when there is no view.

The choice to use it is our own and i happen to use it very successfully and would like to continue to use it in AH.

Anyhow, i have not yet got this function to work.

Cheers

Zipper9

This is the text in the AH manual about padlock:

Padlock in Aces High

To get padlock view to work you must make sure it is mapped under the View Keys in the keymapper. If you have just installed Aces High or if you haven't previously mapped keys, the padlock keys should already be mapped for you. You should see the padlock view associated with the F11 key, the target cycle with the Tab key, and the friendly mode toggle with the Ctrl-Tab.

Once the keys are mapped, use F11 to go into padlock view mode. Use Shift-Tab to center on a target and the Tab key to cycle through the targets in your view. The chosen target will appear with a thin rectangle around the icon.

After you have selected a target and changed to a different view mode, you may reacquire the target by hitting F11, then getting the target back into your view.

If you are trying out the padlock offline, you will need to use Ctrl-Tab to toggle on friendly padlock, as all drones offline are friendlies. While sitting in the tower or on the runway, use the Tab key to target on a friendly in view, and hit F11 for padlock view mode. Your view will then follow the targeted drone.

Curval · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2002, 09:07:04 AM »

Zipper9,

The reason why no-one knows what it is all about is that they don't use it. AH has an excellent snap view system and 99.9% of the pilots here use it exclusively.

I'm assuming, of course, that we have the same idea of what padlock is.

Padlock, in my experience, is where you select an enemy and the view follows that enemy until the "padlock" is broken. This happens in AH when you lose sight of the contact, I believe.

So, if you still want to use it in AH you will need to program your stick to be able to use it. According to your post the key to map is the F11 key..this will put the views into "Padlock mode"...the tab key will then cycle through the cons. So set up the tab key on your joystick too. I would also suggest that you program a button to return to snap-view.

What kind of stick do you use?

To be honest I wouldn't recommend that you try and stick with the padlock. The view system in AH is top notch and takes very little "getting used to". You can manipulate the snap views very easily to give you excellent SA (situational awareness).

If you need help with this just let me know.

ccm@cml.bm

Curval

AvidMC · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2002, 09:24:21 AM »

Got to agree with Curval here Zipper. With padlock you will find that 100% of your attention gets placed on the con that's locked. In a sim that is as dynamic as AH this is deadly. With the snap views I can always take a quick look behind me or in other directions to see if another con is jumping into the fray. With padlock you are forcing yourself into a target fixation situation, and it will get you killed.

My thoughts,

Avid

Zipper9 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2002, 10:41:18 AM »

Well, you may be right there as this is what i am used to and it may be part of the learning curve for AH.

I find myself loosing sight of the enemy all the time and i do want to give it a shot as it have worked very well for me in the past.

BTW, may i ask how you have configured the view up (360 degrees) as i have all other views programmed into my joystick except that important view. I dont know where to fit it. As a matter of fact i would really appreciate examples how people program their joysticks.

I have a Microsoft FFB 1.

Cheers

Zipper9

AvidMC · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2002, 10:58:42 AM »

Hey Zipper,

I have the Microsoft FFB Precession Pro II and have the up view mapped to the #5 button. With that I can hold the 5 button down wile looking in all directions with the hat and it will give an up view associated with that direction, ie Up Right, Up forward right etc... Work like a charm. If you feel the need to use padlock to get through the learning curve go for it. I just thought that you should know that it may be a disadvantage in many situations. SA (situation awareness) is the most important skill in any online combat flight sim and the padlock may handcuff you a bit. Have fun and try not to get to frustrated while fighting through the learning curve. If you just keep pluggin away you will soon see multiple kills landed.

See ya in the virtual skies!!!

Avid

AKSWulfe · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2002, 10:58:55 AM »

If you lose sight of the target, so does padlock.
It will break lock when the target passes behind the instrument panel, head rest, basically anything.. maybe even the canopy supports...

It will not assist you in keeping track of targets that disappear from your sight.
-SW

Zipper9 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2002, 02:04:35 PM »

OK Avid, that sounds reasonable i will try that.

Despite that i just cant get the padlock locking on anything at all.

Cheers

Zipper9

faminz · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2002, 02:33:01 PM »

re not getting it to lock on anything at all Zipper...

Maybe you have the same prob i had.. ie: you have to acquire a target first. I have that key mapped as tab which targets the central enemy in view. A box appears around the icon. Once youve got that then I press end which engages enemy padlock.

remember, if youre practising offline you have to use the friendly version of targetting, control + tab I think....

It certainly works and despite generally using snap views myself I have just started trying padlock as I am willing to try anything that 'could' give an advantage.. Its vertainly worth some experimentation...

I suspect tho that I will return to snap view in furballs. as stated above its just too valuable to not become fixated on a target..

But B&Z? hmmmmmm ...

hitech · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2002, 02:55:05 PM »

There is a setup option to use snap or smoth pan for padlock. It's under setup/flight

HiTech

Curval · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2002, 03:02:04 PM »

Something else you might want to consider....

You can use the "panning views" to keep the cons in sight. Sometimes, no matter how good your snap views are set up, you can easily lose sight of a con in a dogfight. They can be "just" out of the view in a given direction. So..I have panning mode set to a button on my throttle. When I engage this I use my hat to pan the view so that I keep the con in sight..but, I also have the snap view button set up on my stick so that I can quickly re-engage snap views to look back etc.

Also:

Hopefully you are aware that you can adjust the snapviews as mentioned in my previous post.

For example - the #2 button on the keypad looks directly back..into your seat. But, if you hold down the #2 button and then hit the page-up button the view rises over the back of the seat a bit. Then you can use the left (or right) arrow keys to orient the view over and to the side of the seat. Once done then hit the F10 key to save that view (don't let go of the #2 button until you hit F10 otherwise you will have to start again). Then when you pull back on the hat on the joystick it will give you the adjusted view everytime.

The only downside is that you must do this for each plane...but it is a very quick process and can be done "in-flight".

Hope this helps.

Curval

Zipper9 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2002, 04:27:54 PM »

O yea, this helps alot. Thanks a lot

Zipper9 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2002, 05:29:55 PM »

faminz,

I had the same problem as you had. It did work but i need to practice a little bit to learn.

You guys are probably right, in a furball it is not as easy to use as the one i am used to and snap is a very good complement. I am getting into it but need more practice. This is like starting all over again but it is really fun.

Zipper9