Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Ozzie556 on August 22, 2008, 02:13:34 AM

Title: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Ozzie556 on August 22, 2008, 02:13:34 AM
Hi Folks,

I have played an online flight simulator in the past (Air Warrior 1 in the 90's) and have fond memories of it. I have lots of spare time now, and after looking at what's available in online flight sims, this one seems about the best. I downloaded the install and stuffed a joystick in the old Amazon cart (Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick). I have a current computer with a good video card. I am anticipating an older game engine in any event, so everything should be fine there as long as Vista works with it. If anyone has a better joystick suggestion (PC,USB) I'd love to hear it. Once I get that joystick, I'm going to start the 2 week trial.

Looking through the pages of posts, there seems to be a well seasoned, maybe even jaded or frustrated player base that posts. There seems a love of the fight, but frustration with people obsessed with internal game ranking or scoring. At least there wasn't any "raid vrs casual vrs solo" threads. I'm looking forward to playing where everyone is on the same level playing field of skill, reflexes and (hopefully) aircraft knowledge (flying an airframe to it's strengths). If anyone has a "wish I knew this at day 1" thought, please hit me with it. Any comparisons to AW1? Any peeks behind the curtain of the potemkin village?

Either way, see you guys out there soon,

Oz
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: BillyD on August 22, 2008, 02:16:37 AM
Welcome. We got some lukewarmish beer in the cooler and stale donuts. help urself
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Chalenge on August 22, 2008, 02:22:56 AM
Welcome!

Yeah pretty sure the first thing you should do is visit the Technical Support forum and read up on the sticky posts. If you have problems the issues are usually:

1) Check for AMD fix
2) put program in compatibility mode for Win 98 SE
3) update all your drivers
   but only if theres a problem...

Most people will probably say X52 for joystick but the purists will say CH products.

Dont give up. It takes a lot of people many many hours to get the hang of AHII.

Fly for Bishops. We need a few more vets though I cant speak to AW1.

Avoid the pretzels.
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Bruv119 on August 22, 2008, 03:17:19 AM

Fly for Bishops. We need a few more vets though I cant speak to AW1.


Don't fly Bish your ears will bleed.

Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: gpwurzel on August 22, 2008, 04:19:39 AM
Fly what you want, where you want - have fun.

Personally I use a full x52 setup and track ir.

Dont fly with stall limiter on, take advantage of the training arena and the guys in there.

If you fly rook - dont ever follow me around - I'm easy to find, I'll be at the head of a conga line of red bods, all trying (and succeeding) in shooting me down....


Welcome to your addiction, and hope to see/kill (well, very maybe) you soon

<S>


Wurzel
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Lord ReDhAwK on August 22, 2008, 07:05:50 AM
Heya Oz.  Lots of us from the old AW days.  Some names you will recognize even though quite a few changed their names when they came here.  There are more of us than you may think :)

Flight model will feel different for you as well as no RR arena.  You will black out but will get used to it quickly.  Your acm skills from AW will transfer here with no problem.  Definately hit the training arena just to get your feet wet, then jump into the MA.  Fly for all the chess pieces then decide where you want to call home.  Heck, you may be one that fly's for all sides.

Just like AW, make sure you have a stick that has a POV hat.  Having a throttle on stick can help, as can a twisty stick for rudder, but both are unnecessary.

We have voice comms here like AW3.  You are able to tune your voice channel to any channel you like, to talk to others tuned to same channel.  More on that in the AHWiki Im sure.

I dont remember a cpid of Oz from AW but would like to wing up with ya sometime if you see me in the arena.  Im normally tuned to vox channel 200.  Look forward to seeing ya.  Welcome back!

ReDhAwK
AW= RedHk
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Anaxogoras on August 22, 2008, 07:16:51 AM
I am like you in that I also took many years off from online flight sims, so I think I have the perspective you're looking for.

1.  Buy a microphone.  No one types check 6 anymore. ;)

2.  Familiarize yourself with airfield layouts so you know what others mean if they say "pork the ords."

3.  Use the n key to fire defensive guns in bombers.

There, that's three important I screwed up on when I started.  Good luck! :aok
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Max on August 22, 2008, 07:17:08 AM
If anyone has a "wish I knew this at day 1" thought, please hit me with it.

Oz

I wish I had invested in a full CH Hotas set-up prior to throwing a lot of $$ away at cheaper sticks & flight gear.

Welcome to AH, Oz.

Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Bruv119 on August 22, 2008, 07:23:28 AM
1) turn off stall limiter
2) save head positions with f10
3)  hit shift + 1 for full vis mode
4) enable stick scaling
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: thndregg on August 22, 2008, 07:28:24 AM
Looking through the pages of posts, there seems to be a well seasoned, maybe even jaded or frustrated player base that posts.

I love a fresh perspective & opinion. Welcome aboard. <S>
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: SkyRock on August 22, 2008, 07:29:36 AM
welcome
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Dadsguns on August 22, 2008, 07:40:02 AM
Glad to have you aboard, you will see there are many different kind of players and opinions, no matter what category of player you fall into, welcome.
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Dragon on August 22, 2008, 07:40:02 AM
Alt/F4 does not give you unlimited ammo - but it might turn the plane invisible

Welcome
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Ozzie556 on August 22, 2008, 07:47:30 AM
Thanks for all the replies guys. I went ahead and switched the joystick I was going to get to the "Saitek X52 Flight Control System". It has features I always had to use the keyboard for originally. It looks amazing , LCD display, 2 controls, ect. All I ever had before was a CH flightstick Pro back when analog ports were on the sound card. This is going to be a treat.

I appreciate the AHwiki reference, I hadn't thought to check for that, but it makes sense there is a wiki for every concern of human beings. Also thanks for the "If I knew then..." information. It doesn't all make perfect sense, but it helps me understand what I need to look up. I'll be refering to it for sure.

In Air Warrior I was in the 103rd Combat Squadron under CC, back when borking the fuel was normal and dropping parachutes across the runway was fun under fire. I was in the bomber wing. From what I read though, attacking airfields isn't considered good play unless your willing to "take the field".
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: CAP1 on August 22, 2008, 07:50:56 AM
Welcome. We got some lukewarmish beer in the cooler and stale donuts. help urself

onl donuts left.....the SAAP guys took all the beer with them
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: lagger86 on August 22, 2008, 07:58:29 AM
there have been a lot of good replies here, but the best advice I can give you is don't fly like me :salute
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: 007Rusty on August 22, 2008, 08:08:16 AM
                     :salute  Welcome  :D
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Max on August 22, 2008, 08:25:26 AM
I was in the bomber wing. From what I read though, attacking airfields isn't considered good play unless your willing to "take the field".

Bombing airfields isn't a requirement to taking a field...destroying the town and getting 10 troops to the maproom does the trick. Interrupting a great fight by destroying all fighter hangars is frowned upon by many. In the end, it's your $15; play as you wish.
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: BaldEagl on August 22, 2008, 08:36:34 AM
<--- another old AW.

You're going to stall.  When you do push the nose down, apply rudder opposite the spin, regain control then pull out.  That was the big one for me on my first day or two.

It's probably going to take some time to shake the rust off.  Don't get discouraged if you feel like a n00b again.
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: beddog on August 22, 2008, 08:44:51 AM


Looking through the pages of posts, there seems to be a well seasoned, maybe even jaded or frustrated player base that posts. There seems a love of the fight, but frustration with people obsessed with internal game ranking or scoring.


Just ignore the "seasoned" guys that think they are actually flying airplanes and their harsh opinions about other guys "flying" skills and you'll enjoy the game.....



Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: ROX on August 22, 2008, 09:41:19 AM

Just ignore the "seasoned" guys that think they are actually flying airplanes and their harsh opinions about other guys "flying" skills and you'll enjoy the game.....



What he said.


Oh....and stay away from me too.  I am Satan.


Welcome back!!! :salute





ROX
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Nwbie on August 22, 2008, 09:49:51 AM
And remember

Newbie is now a word of reverence

or respect

OK maybe acceptance

............................. ............................. ....

OK fine.... puzzlement...

so basically.... it is about the same


 :uhoh


Welcome to the addiction

 :D

NwBie
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Soulyss on August 22, 2008, 10:01:21 AM
You can also check Saitek's website for refurbed product.  The first one I got had some problems and I had to send it back in but the replacement they sent me lasted 3+ years, which was a pretty good run for a HOTAS system that I got for $40.00.  :)

Check the trainers webpage, see how the joystick is set up and calibrated (not sure how the system worked in AW so it may already be familiar) properly set up controls go a long way to easing the transition into this flight model.  It also helps to just look around there, and you'll probably see a lot of answers to most of the "new guy" questions that come up. 

Welcome back to the hobby.


Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: JunkyII on August 22, 2008, 10:13:20 AM
Welcome Knights have been outnumbered the last 4 months join us getting ganged :D :salute
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: _vic_ on August 22, 2008, 01:44:35 PM
I'm totally surprised that nobody mentioned getting a TrackIR! (http://www.naturalpoint.com/)

As for the community, I'm sure you can see by now that it's a lot of really friendly people. I myself am a complete n00b not only to AHII, but to flight sims in general (7 sorties flown!) but I've met some amazing people who are really willing to lend a hand. I think the negativity in the forums is just people blowing off steam... but they keep coming back for more, so they can't be too upset!

Personally, I'm glad I jumped in-game before I ever looked at the forums... I may have come to the same conclusions you had!

Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be seeing you (or more aptly, not seeing you) on my six sometime soon...

Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: ink on August 22, 2008, 02:36:16 PM
welcome aboard the greatest flight sim ever created; 

the most important advice i could give ya is to play your own game, dont worry about what people say to ya, but have fun!!!!!
  there are allot of things "looked down upon" in AH but you will find almost every one doing them, although that dont mean you have to do them, take Vulching, its when you shoot down an nme plane trying to take off, and possibly landing, most every one does it, i do not, will not(there are others that wont also), i am here for the fight so why would i jump on a plane that has zero chance of defending?

   i guess what im saying is fly the way you like but dont expect every one to be happy about the way you fly,
if you want respect, by the community, fly with respect, dont be that 4th or 5th plane on a single con, dont vulch, unless you are chasing down a runner, dont run unless you are bingo, (after all the fight is where its at.)
 use channel 200, as a way to Salute your opponents, and dont fall into the trap of many on 200 and rant and rave about how much someone sucks or how they are just Hoing dweebs.

 in any case welcome to your new addiction. <S> 
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: Murdr on August 22, 2008, 11:57:42 PM
take Vulching, its when you shoot down an nme plane trying to take off, and possibly landing, most every one does it, i do not, will not(there are others that wont also), i am here for the fight so why would i jump on a plane that has zero chance of defending?

Because it's there   :D  He said he played AW.  He knows what it is, as it was invented there  ;)


Welcome ozzie.  Here are some places you might want to visit to help get started with AH.
AHII Trainers Site (http://trainers.hitechcreations.com)
netaces (http://www.netaces.org)
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: mensa180 on August 23, 2008, 12:04:27 AM
I wish that I had started out switching countries, instead of sticking to just one and limiting who I met and what I learned.
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: trotter on August 23, 2008, 01:32:15 AM
Something I wish I knew when I started:

If red guys around, when in doubt, keep the nose level or down. The "pointless climb" during multi plane enagements is the leading cause of death for noobies age 50 sorties and younger. It keeps you slow (unmanuverable), screams that you are an easy target, and all because you keep thinking that if you climb another 2 seconds you'll have that perfect shot on a higher con. Simply, if you're not sure you can reach an enemy higher than you, don't try.
Title: Re: Newbie Getting Ready to Dive In
Post by: ink on August 23, 2008, 09:24:28 AM
Because it's there   :D  He said he played AW.  He knows what it is, as it was invented there  ;)


Welcome ozzie.  Here are some places you might want to visit to help get started with AH.
AHII Trainers Site (http://trainers.hitechcreations.com)
netaces (http://www.netaces.org)

thats cool for you, vulching that is, but you wont see me doing it, and no not even to "Take a base" for i do not take bases, i enjoy the fight to much to ruin it