G
D
der Falke
Guest
nice! I have extra new PC for OFF P3 ...........http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-8075635231770422675
O
ovs
Guest
Wow.. watching that video of P2 in action.... we've really come a LONG way since that release... sounds and all.
OvS
OvS
L
Larry1918
Guest
Multiplayer?
Is there going to be a multiplayer phase to the game? If so will you be able to fly cooperative missions with other palyers against the AI? Irealize this is probably out of the question, but has anyone come up with a way for two players to be in a two-seater (1 pilot, other gunner)? Just curious
Is there going to be a multiplayer phase to the game? If so will you be able to fly cooperative missions with other palyers against the AI? Irealize this is probably out of the question, but has anyone come up with a way for two players to be in a two-seater (1 pilot, other gunner)? Just curious
P
peterjh
Guest
Keep this sort of thing coming. It's surprising how many good tips emerge in reports like this. Thanks.
M
Makai
Guest
Hello Peterjh
I apologize for what seems like a sudden end to the reports from the front. The OFF team Beta Testers were finally done with our bug chasing efforts and Phase 3 went to the next step. I am presently on travel so my reports came to a temporary end. I tried to fill each one with helpful information that would help all be better prepared for Phase 3. I have tried Phase 2 since the testing and I have to say there is an amazing difference in how immersive Phase 3 is in comparison. In Phase 2 I found myself trying to see how many kills I could chock up and it didn't matter anymore who my wingman was, and most of all I wasn't all that concerned about not surviving a mission and was very aware of the not so savvy AI. It started feeling more like a game than an experience. I hope everyone got something out of the reports. OVS might throw in a few more if he has the time. Hopefully everyone will soon be making their own reports from the front.
Best Holiday wishes to all.
Makai
I apologize for what seems like a sudden end to the reports from the front. The OFF team Beta Testers were finally done with our bug chasing efforts and Phase 3 went to the next step. I am presently on travel so my reports came to a temporary end. I tried to fill each one with helpful information that would help all be better prepared for Phase 3. I have tried Phase 2 since the testing and I have to say there is an amazing difference in how immersive Phase 3 is in comparison. In Phase 2 I found myself trying to see how many kills I could chock up and it didn't matter anymore who my wingman was, and most of all I wasn't all that concerned about not surviving a mission and was very aware of the not so savvy AI. It started feeling more like a game than an experience. I hope everyone got something out of the reports. OVS might throw in a few more if he has the time. Hopefully everyone will soon be making their own reports from the front.
Best Holiday wishes to all.
Makai
W
WWI Flying Ace
Guest
Greetings and Salutations - I haven't posted in quite some time but do check the forum regularly to keep tabs on the latest development of PIII and just want to say that like the rest I am eagerly awaiting the release and am very much enjoying the screen shots and stories.
Cheers,
Cheers,
D
der Falke
Guest
Hy Olham ! here is the Program http://www.chip.de/downloads/FRAPS_13010723.html
Salute
Salute
O
OLD NAVY
Guest
Capt. Sopwith. I'm 82 and I think I've been flying sims for 40 years or more. Flew for the U. S. Navy until I was 21. Missed flying terribly. When I got a computer I was surprised how sims relieved the ache. I like the World War I sims the best. I think because the spads and fokkers were the ones that I learned about when I was growing up. I enjoyed Pacific Fighters because it simulated a part of aviation I was familar with but for some funny reason I really got a kick out of Red Baron and the likes. We have something special in OFF. We should be very supportive of the work done by the OFF team. These combat reports are fabulous and I'm like everyone else. I can't wait for Phase III.
Capt. Winters
Charter Member
Hi Guys,
I have finally gotten my install of OFF P3 up to the final version. (long story dont ask why its taken so long. needless to say it was nothting to do with the program itself).
I have had several builds of P3 on my machine but now have the final release version up and running. and OMG!!!!
I recieved my DVD from WM and was immediately impressed by the new install functionallity, it is so much more straight forward, asking a series of simple questions that then set the scene for the install proper. including an option to install from the CFS3 disk1, which means you do not have to have CFS3 installed on your machine at all.
now before everybody starts jumping up and down about having to or having not to own a copy of CFS3, I'll explain.
This means you buy CFS3 but you havent gotten around to installing it. or maybe you do not have a Vanilla copy of CFS3 on your hard drive, so you run the OFF P3 installer, and select install from cfs3 disk option.
what happens next is the installer pulls all the required background bits from the CFS3 disc and then compiles it all into the OFF P3 install, including the required updates from the patches to get it upto 3.1
OK so its all installed (effortlessly) I fired up the game, and the feel to the manager is just superb, subtle changes have really picked up on the atmosphere of WWI, some of the button and options etc have been re-formatted (for want of a better word) to make it easier to understand what the required sequence of events are required to get your first fledgling pilot into the air. lots of small advice windows to help guide the new player through. now dont get me wrong having said this, it is far from being complex, its a piece of cake to get from first time entry of the manager to flying in game.
OK so I have my pilot signed up, pick a campaign mission and selected to fly. there has been a tremendous amount of work done over the last couple of years, we have all heard and seen the talk of skins and squads etc etc. but what really grabbed me was the change in the scenery and the way the whole dynamic world seems to have come to life. dont get me wrong the abundance of correct skins in game is amazing, but it all pales into insignificance when compared to the actual world in which we fly, there was just litterally a million (well you know what I mewan) things going on, as if other little men were living in my game and all doing their bit for the war effort.
the flight dynamics have been redone and then dredone again and again to a point were I can honestly say I have not felt the sensation of flight like this from any other sim. here I speak with some authority, I have flown just about all of them and have a fair amount of stick time in actual Biplane aircraft (all be it a WWII Tigermoth rather than a WWI fighter).
you have to realy feel the way the plane is flying, when you take off theres no pulling the stick back and just soaring into the blue yonder, rather you have to watch your pitch, your RPM, your air speed and be very mindful of the fact your on the knifes edge of controlled flight and stalled accent to destruction. how ever once in the air and having built up altitude and airspeed/energy you can really through these babies around, as long as you manage your energy. treat them badly and they treat you just as badly.
But really they are all a joy to fly once you have worked out what is just the right way to fly each one. with over 30 flyable planes it will take you quite sometime just to be able to call yourself compitent on each type. this truely is a flight sim and not an arcade shootem up. you need to take the time to learn to fly, and understand the basics of flight.
OK were airbourne, at around 7K feet I have spotted an EA (alb DIII) hes below and slightly to my right heading away from me. I drop the nose feed in some rudder, throttle up and find myself closing fast from just off striaght behind my EA. hes completely unaware of my approach, I close to with in 75 feet, I'm thinking I've nailed this swine, I pull the trigger, the single vickers pops away (Sopwith Pup), I have a couple of minor hits, some light smoke erupts from the cowl erea, and just when I think I'm the best fighter pilot to bless the planet the EA reacts to my intitial opening burst, its not the classic CFS3/OFF manouver though, no this bloke wings over dives, (I follow) then half rolls out to be flying in the opposite direction, then swings around on his left wing tip, fires a short burst as we go head to head for a split second. then the chase is on, it took about 10 more minutes of twisting and diving before I gained that postion were I could get a goodly burst and finally see him peel off and head towards the earth at an ever increasing rate of knots, black smoke thickening as he fell, and I can not be sure but I'm pretty sureI seen just the faintest hint of fire starting around the engine cowling just before he hit the ground.
I leveled out took stock of my situation and relised I had neither the fuel nor the ammo to complete my assigned task so back to camp I went, my first P3 flight over, mission not really accounted for but one less Hun hiding in the sun.
as I fly more, I will now continue to post my encounters.
to all a happy Christmas and I really hope the DVD people who are looking after the shipping get going soon, you are all going to be blown away, even you die hard Phase 2 players, your going to love it.
regards Rob.
I have finally gotten my install of OFF P3 up to the final version. (long story dont ask why its taken so long. needless to say it was nothting to do with the program itself).
I have had several builds of P3 on my machine but now have the final release version up and running. and OMG!!!!
I recieved my DVD from WM and was immediately impressed by the new install functionallity, it is so much more straight forward, asking a series of simple questions that then set the scene for the install proper. including an option to install from the CFS3 disk1, which means you do not have to have CFS3 installed on your machine at all.
now before everybody starts jumping up and down about having to or having not to own a copy of CFS3, I'll explain.
This means you buy CFS3 but you havent gotten around to installing it. or maybe you do not have a Vanilla copy of CFS3 on your hard drive, so you run the OFF P3 installer, and select install from cfs3 disk option.
what happens next is the installer pulls all the required background bits from the CFS3 disc and then compiles it all into the OFF P3 install, including the required updates from the patches to get it upto 3.1
OK so its all installed (effortlessly) I fired up the game, and the feel to the manager is just superb, subtle changes have really picked up on the atmosphere of WWI, some of the button and options etc have been re-formatted (for want of a better word) to make it easier to understand what the required sequence of events are required to get your first fledgling pilot into the air. lots of small advice windows to help guide the new player through. now dont get me wrong having said this, it is far from being complex, its a piece of cake to get from first time entry of the manager to flying in game.
OK so I have my pilot signed up, pick a campaign mission and selected to fly. there has been a tremendous amount of work done over the last couple of years, we have all heard and seen the talk of skins and squads etc etc. but what really grabbed me was the change in the scenery and the way the whole dynamic world seems to have come to life. dont get me wrong the abundance of correct skins in game is amazing, but it all pales into insignificance when compared to the actual world in which we fly, there was just litterally a million (well you know what I mewan) things going on, as if other little men were living in my game and all doing their bit for the war effort.
the flight dynamics have been redone and then dredone again and again to a point were I can honestly say I have not felt the sensation of flight like this from any other sim. here I speak with some authority, I have flown just about all of them and have a fair amount of stick time in actual Biplane aircraft (all be it a WWII Tigermoth rather than a WWI fighter).
you have to realy feel the way the plane is flying, when you take off theres no pulling the stick back and just soaring into the blue yonder, rather you have to watch your pitch, your RPM, your air speed and be very mindful of the fact your on the knifes edge of controlled flight and stalled accent to destruction. how ever once in the air and having built up altitude and airspeed/energy you can really through these babies around, as long as you manage your energy. treat them badly and they treat you just as badly.
But really they are all a joy to fly once you have worked out what is just the right way to fly each one. with over 30 flyable planes it will take you quite sometime just to be able to call yourself compitent on each type. this truely is a flight sim and not an arcade shootem up. you need to take the time to learn to fly, and understand the basics of flight.
OK were airbourne, at around 7K feet I have spotted an EA (alb DIII) hes below and slightly to my right heading away from me. I drop the nose feed in some rudder, throttle up and find myself closing fast from just off striaght behind my EA. hes completely unaware of my approach, I close to with in 75 feet, I'm thinking I've nailed this swine, I pull the trigger, the single vickers pops away (Sopwith Pup), I have a couple of minor hits, some light smoke erupts from the cowl erea, and just when I think I'm the best fighter pilot to bless the planet the EA reacts to my intitial opening burst, its not the classic CFS3/OFF manouver though, no this bloke wings over dives, (I follow) then half rolls out to be flying in the opposite direction, then swings around on his left wing tip, fires a short burst as we go head to head for a split second. then the chase is on, it took about 10 more minutes of twisting and diving before I gained that postion were I could get a goodly burst and finally see him peel off and head towards the earth at an ever increasing rate of knots, black smoke thickening as he fell, and I can not be sure but I'm pretty sureI seen just the faintest hint of fire starting around the engine cowling just before he hit the ground.
I leveled out took stock of my situation and relised I had neither the fuel nor the ammo to complete my assigned task so back to camp I went, my first P3 flight over, mission not really accounted for but one less Hun hiding in the sun.
as I fly more, I will now continue to post my encounters.
to all a happy Christmas and I really hope the DVD people who are looking after the shipping get going soon, you are all going to be blown away, even you die hard Phase 2 players, your going to love it.
regards Rob.
P
Polovski
Guest
Good one Rob at last you are sorted 
Maybe post that in the main threads below the stickies too?
Maybe post that in the main threads below the stickies too?
Z
ZoomZoom
Guest
Gonna really have to work to be the "Good Hunter", like Richtoffen now. No more bungling in and, "lets see what happens". This sounds fantastic.
ZZ.
ZZ.
C
CaptainCernick
Guest
Does this mean I won't have to uninstall MAW and reinstall a "clean" CFS3.1? That's wonderful news!
S
shredward
Guest
Reports are coming in from various sectors of a bright red 8rp machine flying low over the trenches on both sides, dropping objects as it went. They do not appear to have been munitions, and no explosions were observed. Otherwise, All Quiet on the Western Front.
Happy Christmas,
shredward
Happy Christmas,
shredward
E
edn
Guest
Just recieved mine today. Loaded without any problems and I'm using Vista( one thing I did do was shut down UAC(user account control) and it loaded up without any problems. After flying a QC free flight all I have to say is Outstanding!!!! It is well worth the cost. Thank you OFF Team.
W
Windchill
Guest
No screenies, sorry about that.
1st quick combat in BHAH - flight of 4 Halberstat DII's against the dread 4 DH-2's - random pilot ability for the bad guys, veteran for the good guys!
As noted elsewhere, right to the cockpit on the airfield, with krumpets inbound! Shades of scramble missions, but the DH-2s were far enough away for me to get about 900 feet under the craft before we joined. The Halb is a delightful craft that helped me to nick 3 DH-2s (with help from AA MG and rest of flight). I believe that 2 of the bad guys I downed were rookies, they pulled up into a near vertical climb at 200 feet or so - I didn't follow those antics and a good thing, too. I'd have crashed right along side them! I was angling on #4 when I noticed the ground approaching rapidly, I was banking left but kicking right rudder to bring the gun to bear, and I had stalled the ship. Instead of kicking left rudder and letting her fly, I kicked right even harder and ruined a perfectly good flying machine (and pilot)!
A GREAT deal of fun! I'm OFF to go again!
1st quick combat in BHAH - flight of 4 Halberstat DII's against the dread 4 DH-2's - random pilot ability for the bad guys, veteran for the good guys!
As noted elsewhere, right to the cockpit on the airfield, with krumpets inbound! Shades of scramble missions, but the DH-2s were far enough away for me to get about 900 feet under the craft before we joined. The Halb is a delightful craft that helped me to nick 3 DH-2s (with help from AA MG and rest of flight). I believe that 2 of the bad guys I downed were rookies, they pulled up into a near vertical climb at 200 feet or so - I didn't follow those antics and a good thing, too. I'd have crashed right along side them! I was angling on #4 when I noticed the ground approaching rapidly, I was banking left but kicking right rudder to bring the gun to bear, and I had stalled the ship. Instead of kicking left rudder and letting her fly, I kicked right even harder and ruined a perfectly good flying machine (and pilot)!
A GREAT deal of fun! I'm OFF to go again!
L
leonard
Guest
3rd Sortie
Ok, its 1917 and I am flying a Fokker triplane. This is my third flight in the Fokker and in the first two flights we had two brief encounters and I never got a shot away. My wingman made a kill in the second flight and I covered his tail.
3rd flight. Evening and scattered cloud. We were just across the line when suddenly there were tracers zinging by me. I did a wing over and was side slipping at the same time and basically was just trying to survive. By the time I was reoriented it was quite a furball. I think they were mostly SE5s but there was at least one Camel in the mix.
This time I locate my wingman before much has happened and he has one on his tail. He's doing pretty well but he has already taken some hits so I come in there thinking I will be the hero. After about half a minute.. tracers again! So I'm dodging and finally I pull into a tight turn.. man this thing can really turn.. nearly stall out but the Camel (yeah Id fly a mile for a Camel) has decided this isn't a good idea and he is diving away and already has some good distance.
To my surprise (we are around 8000 feet) he dives into a cloud and I am wondering just how good the AI is.. sure enough, I dive through the cloud and no sign of a Camel anywhere. Damn.
Well I can tell you my pulse was about 140 the second time I was dodging tracers. My wingman somehow survived and we both made it back to base. Lost one in our flight but also took one out so we are still one up on the enemy. We'll fudge the numbers a bit for public consumption tho. Hey, three sorties survived isn't too bad for a rookie.
Have to say the terrain and aircraft, effects etc pretty damn impressive. I'll get my TIR hooked up over the wkend if all goes well.. may have to pay the wife off and send her to the spa.
Frame rate seems good, currently running a 4850 with 512 but a 4870 with 1 GB is on the way.
Ok, its 1917 and I am flying a Fokker triplane. This is my third flight in the Fokker and in the first two flights we had two brief encounters and I never got a shot away. My wingman made a kill in the second flight and I covered his tail.
3rd flight. Evening and scattered cloud. We were just across the line when suddenly there were tracers zinging by me. I did a wing over and was side slipping at the same time and basically was just trying to survive. By the time I was reoriented it was quite a furball. I think they were mostly SE5s but there was at least one Camel in the mix.
This time I locate my wingman before much has happened and he has one on his tail. He's doing pretty well but he has already taken some hits so I come in there thinking I will be the hero. After about half a minute.. tracers again! So I'm dodging and finally I pull into a tight turn.. man this thing can really turn.. nearly stall out but the Camel (yeah Id fly a mile for a Camel) has decided this isn't a good idea and he is diving away and already has some good distance.
To my surprise (we are around 8000 feet) he dives into a cloud and I am wondering just how good the AI is.. sure enough, I dive through the cloud and no sign of a Camel anywhere. Damn.
Well I can tell you my pulse was about 140 the second time I was dodging tracers. My wingman somehow survived and we both made it back to base. Lost one in our flight but also took one out so we are still one up on the enemy. We'll fudge the numbers a bit for public consumption tho. Hey, three sorties survived isn't too bad for a rookie.
Have to say the terrain and aircraft, effects etc pretty damn impressive. I'll get my TIR hooked up over the wkend if all goes well.. may have to pay the wife off and send her to the spa.
Frame rate seems good, currently running a 4850 with 512 but a 4870 with 1 GB is on the way.
R
Rooster89
Guest
Ol' Spaatz is at it again!
From the journals of Leutnant Rudolf Spaatz. May 22, 1916
KEK Avillers, Bechamps, France
As I walked out of my billet and across the yellow mud towards the hangers I couldnt help but remembering the previous days flight. Gerhard had perished, I shall never forget his look as red and yellow flames licked his face, while he reached for the revolver we all hoped we would never use. I climbed aboard my Fokker E.III. Snugged down my fur lined helmet and donned my goggles. It was a beautiful day, hopefully it will be an enjoyable one. We all need a break here, the dogfights have been furious, the new Halberstadt D.IIs would surely make life easier. No British or French machine can touch them.
Chocks away! I am barely airborne flying alongside Hans Berr, although he has no confirmed kills and has not yet even submitted a claim form, we are all sure he will become an ace. He handled that crate down the runway with grace that has yet to be matched. We are all off the ground twisting and circling to get into formation before we reach our first waypoint over Habshiem.
Over Habshiem I notice that the 'drome is rather sleepy. Must be out on a front patrol as thier planes are nowhere to be seen. I always love looking down over my wings and taking in the beautiful scenery of the Alsace. Today is no different. Admiring the landscape and the dense forests slipping away underneath me, I start to daydream.....home. What had mother and father thought as they read the news of my crash last month? Mother must be scared for my saf.....FWUUMP! Archie, and another, the black bursts engulf the sky below at my 10 o'clock. Viktor Adler and I disengage the flight to see what all the hubub is about, the rest of my flight carries on.
I count one...two....no three Nieuport 11's with a half moon insignia on the fuselage. Haven't encountered this squadron before. I think to abort our attack as we are outnumbered but, Viktor is a good pilot, I know he will have my back.
Lining up the sights on the nearest aircraft, I let loose with a short burst. I hear the familiar pinging of bullets ricocheting off of metal....but I see no damage on the Nieuport. SWOOSH. A fourth enemy pulls up right in front of my nose. I hadn't noticed him in the excitement. Then I realise...the pinging was coming from my Fokker! I spin around and as he is coming out of his climb I spray him with hot lead. He does his best to evade me, weaving about the sky like a madman. His canvas rips and the engine bursts into flames....."Thats for Gerhard" I say to myself. The sound of splintering wood alerts me to my other opponents presence. I twist my head around to see, but it is too late, my engine gives out and screeches to a stop. Poor Viktor is on his own.
And thats the end of my attempt at a story while trying to highlight the finer "in game" points of BHaH.
Sorry if I got a little carried away there, you should see my claims reports!........"Hurry go get me another piece of paper...and this pen is dried up too."
-Rooster
From the journals of Leutnant Rudolf Spaatz. May 22, 1916
KEK Avillers, Bechamps, France
As I walked out of my billet and across the yellow mud towards the hangers I couldnt help but remembering the previous days flight. Gerhard had perished, I shall never forget his look as red and yellow flames licked his face, while he reached for the revolver we all hoped we would never use. I climbed aboard my Fokker E.III. Snugged down my fur lined helmet and donned my goggles. It was a beautiful day, hopefully it will be an enjoyable one. We all need a break here, the dogfights have been furious, the new Halberstadt D.IIs would surely make life easier. No British or French machine can touch them.
Chocks away! I am barely airborne flying alongside Hans Berr, although he has no confirmed kills and has not yet even submitted a claim form, we are all sure he will become an ace. He handled that crate down the runway with grace that has yet to be matched. We are all off the ground twisting and circling to get into formation before we reach our first waypoint over Habshiem.
Over Habshiem I notice that the 'drome is rather sleepy. Must be out on a front patrol as thier planes are nowhere to be seen. I always love looking down over my wings and taking in the beautiful scenery of the Alsace. Today is no different. Admiring the landscape and the dense forests slipping away underneath me, I start to daydream.....home. What had mother and father thought as they read the news of my crash last month? Mother must be scared for my saf.....FWUUMP! Archie, and another, the black bursts engulf the sky below at my 10 o'clock. Viktor Adler and I disengage the flight to see what all the hubub is about, the rest of my flight carries on.
I count one...two....no three Nieuport 11's with a half moon insignia on the fuselage. Haven't encountered this squadron before. I think to abort our attack as we are outnumbered but, Viktor is a good pilot, I know he will have my back.
Lining up the sights on the nearest aircraft, I let loose with a short burst. I hear the familiar pinging of bullets ricocheting off of metal....but I see no damage on the Nieuport. SWOOSH. A fourth enemy pulls up right in front of my nose. I hadn't noticed him in the excitement. Then I realise...the pinging was coming from my Fokker! I spin around and as he is coming out of his climb I spray him with hot lead. He does his best to evade me, weaving about the sky like a madman. His canvas rips and the engine bursts into flames....."Thats for Gerhard" I say to myself. The sound of splintering wood alerts me to my other opponents presence. I twist my head around to see, but it is too late, my engine gives out and screeches to a stop. Poor Viktor is on his own.
And thats the end of my attempt at a story while trying to highlight the finer "in game" points of BHaH.
Sorry if I got a little carried away there, you should see my claims reports!........"Hurry go get me another piece of paper...and this pen is dried up too."
-Rooster