Rookie arena?

[FraS]

Being a newbie and being extremely bad I find this game a real challenge to say the least( but fun ).
I've read quite a few posts spanning all the way back which have been a great help! What I would really like though is a fully working pizza map rookie arena. I realise there is a training area, and I do appreciate this, but imo it hinders learning having to ask someone to engage. I think this is probably why it's never very busy, I spend 99% of my time flying in the main arena due to this.
The only other flying game I've played is Air Attack. They have a non-scoring rookie arena that was almost as popular as the main arena - it offered a noticeably less skilled pilot standard and a much better learning arena for new pilots.
Not a gripe atall, I do like the game, but everytime I seem to meet any enemy planes there's suddenly someone on my 6, the screens going black and red and i start spinning and hit the floor ;p

[vorticon]

you could always try in the hth the arenas are small (8 people max) but the opponents are hard and always ready to help. only real scoring we have is by the amount of kills you can land

[Xjazz]

One thing about h2h rooms:
Arena settings are many times totally different than in arenas.
Unlimited ammo & fuel, outside views on, continius lo alt fights etc  could teach to you some bad habbits in long run.

Anyway there are some good h2h rooms with ok settings: SaburoS exm.

Ask somebody training with you who are in same time zone and speak same language.

[ccvi]

What do you need to be allowed to fly in such an arena?

[Xjazz]

I can host ones  SNAFU h2h room.

You never know is your Hurri I .303s storg as 37mm HE and vice versa or Ponys 100% + 2*DT last min. Time is money...

[Soda]

FraS,
  Try the MA and pick a spot where the friendlies out-number the enemies and just try to get a feel for the pace of the game.  You may not get very many kills since you are fighting for the couple of enemies around, but you also won't get blown out of the sky by 1 on 5 situations.  Usually, new pilots tend to first learn to take-off/land, shoot, and then get the rude lesson that situational awareness if King once they hit the MA.  Make your SA job easier and fly where more friendlies exist than enemies.  Also, see if you can't get into a mission and fly as a group of people.  Missions tend to have a common radio channel and will bring a large group of friendlies to a point where you should have some support to help you out.

  The TA is a bit of a mess right now.  It's turned into a reduced lethality dueling arena for most of the guys who fly in there.  Half the guys I've seen in there are good enough to move on to the MA but seem to like hanging out in the TA to they can check-6 everything and fly around in Me262's without the risk of losing one in the MA.  I know there are some trainers around to help out, but if they get the same response as I do when I go there to offer help (I've been there a half dozen times this tour just to help people) then I can understand why things are the way they are.   I radio on open channel an offer to help anyone with anything and have only had 2 responses (both times I immediately helped them out).  The rest of the guys were just flying around vulchig each other or were simply too good to actually remain flying in the TA.

-Soda
The Assassins.

[Furious]

Having flown FA, which had rookie arenas, I can say that it does not work.

First, you are not going to improve if you don't fight the good guys.

Second, baby seal killers would reak havoc in a rookie arena.  These would be the folks with medium skills that get tired of losing in MA and have no desire to improve and won't care about killing newbies to feel more 1337.  

FA tried limiting the tardage by requiring ones rank to be below a specific amount in order to enter the beginner arenas.  To get past this folks would just auger in the main until there ranking was low enough to get back in.


Watch the kill buffer and follow around the guys/gals who do well.  Get in as many fights as possible and film them.  Ask for help in the TA from a trainer.


F.

[anton]

I used to spend alot of time in TA when I had an ISP that couldnt hold my MA connect, I always offered help but spent more time policing the vulchers  with the only power I had- firepower. If you really want to learn, ask for help. Theres plenty skilled pilots that drop into the TA to help out.
 My advice to most n00bs is to pick a good trainer plane, if yer planning on flying MA I suggest la7 because MA has become a fast arena. Spits & N1k are also great trainers but they are slower.
 Spend time in TA learning the plane you chose, get up to 15k alt, level off, get up some good speed & see how she feels.
 Now yer ready to learn some SA- fly over a base or somthing on the ground you can keep visual contact on. Now try some manuvers while keeping this object in view (if ya cant keep track of a still object how can ya keep track of moving enemy) learn your view keys & when you loop & turn where to look to see stuff.
  Now learn ACMs. There a many textbook moves that are used & worth knowing. A good pilot knows how to turn his plane quickly & without loosing to much energy (slowing down).
 To me plane knowledge is also very important. Knowing what each planes flight characteristics is imperitive when it comes down to how to fight it.  For instance A yak pilot would do well to turnfight a 51 but  turnfiting a hurricane could likely prove fatal. Know yer turnfiters & yer BnZ planes, know what planes climb well, what planes dive well. & what planes are good at hi-alts/on deck.
 The game is very deep & has many aspects to it, I think thats what helps it from becoming boring. I feel the most appealing aspect is the people, just ask & someone will help ya. Of course askin nicely will most often bring the best results:)
Anton

[Soda]

The La7 is not a great ride for a new pilot, it's hard to handle, has poor guns, poor views, and MUST be fought in a style that maintains high speed in order to be successful.  It's a better intermediate to advanced plane though only a reasonable pilot can really make kills in one against other well flown planes.  The typical newbie will have a tough time maintaining enough defensive speed and likely won't be able to handle the really poor firepower.  The best newbie planes simply have to be the Spit or N1k.  Both offer carefree handling and good firepower at all ranges, helping the newbie who tends to fire at long range (which is hopeless in an la7).  The Spit does a little better with altitude while the N1K can basically out-turn anything it can't outrun.  The N1K also has a HUGE ammo load, which allows for a little spraying to get a kill or two.

For info on the plane, check out my website:
Soda's AH Plane Descriptions

I know this link is referenced elsewhere but I thought I'd drop it in again.

-Soda
The Assassins.

[poopster]

Originally posted by FraS
suddenly someone on my 6, the screens going black and red and i start spinning and hit the floor ;p

First the thread "helpful links" has alot of sites to read and get up to speed. Second have you played with your stick scaling. Your stick may be setup too sensitive.

As soda said, take off where the friendlys out number the badguys, fly around, practice your views and watch, then fly home and land. Practice shooting the drones offline, have fun.

Welcome to AH.

[Betown]

Fras,
    Something else you may want to consider is training. The learning curve for this game is very steap and it's always nice if somebody can sit down and explain things to you. I would be more than happy to teach you the basics of the game along with some more advanced aspects of it over a few sessions. You will be amazed at how much difference it makes!

Email me and we can arange them if you so wish...

Regards
Betown <---Email

[anton]

good points soda. I guess i just take for granted that i been flyin awhile. As a yak pilot, to me the La7 seems uber. Much more ammo, fuel, speed, accelration, while only losing just a hair in turning manuverability.
 I did in fact cut my teeth on spit9, then when I understood about perk points I began to fly the slower, better turning spit5.  My points became livable right about the time I tired of everyone flying away from me after they lost their alt advantage.
  Hurricanes are also relatively easy to fly & have good firepower, indeed worth mention. Dont see many zekes on, I think the canes are much better, but dont know for sure.
 Anton

[Soda]

I'd say the biggest problem(s) with the Hurris are a general lack of speed, and somewhat mixed firepower.  The Hurri I with .303's requires a little time to work, so requires you to hang in the saddle for a while.  The Hurri II D guns are pretty poor, slow firing and bad ballistics (not to mention they waggle the aircraft from side to side).  The IIC has great guns, but small ammo load.

The Yak is a good plane, I think a little better in overall performance than people give it credit, but it does have a slight problem with weak firepower.  It's another plane that needs to be kept fast and not turn a whole lot.  The Yak does have nice views, nice high speed handling, and good climb though.

For the money, I'd have to say that the N1K is the best starter plane.  It might be frustrating to not be able to catch anyone who decides to run, but having 4 cannons and a HUGE amount of ammo will give for a larger kill area.  Anyone who decides to run from a N1K has to get outside D800 before they can start to feel safe (and even then maybe not).  The N1K can also out-turn anything except a Zero if you use the vertical to eliminate planes like the Hurri, F4F, Spit V, etc... all those planes simply don't have the power to use vertical like a N1K.

-Soda
The Assassins.