GreyBadger

Hi All I haven't taken the plunge with "P-51d" yet, but I've watched some videos of a quick intercept mission, the objective of which is shooting down a transport plane. Does anyone know what model this transport plane actually is? (I won't bore you with the story of why.) I've found some threads which mention the mission, but they only describe the target as "cargo plane" or "transport plane". Thanks guys Badger

Hi All I know the following question is going to make me look a little daft, but I'm far too old and ugly to care about looking silly. :lol: I've had "Black Shark 1" since release and was tempted by the "Black Shark 2" upgrade, but never got around to actually doing it. I also bought "A-10C" on release and having converted to the DCS World module version of that instead, I had another reason to put the Shark upgrade on hold, as frankly the old grey matter is strictly limited and I didn't want to try concentrating on both at the same time. :lol: The recent DCS sale though has made me pounce on "Black Shark 2" (I couldn't be bothered working out how to upgrade the original, for the sake of a $4 difference) and also "UH-1". My gaming piggy bank is now empty, but my flight sim cup doth overflow. :lol: Installing "BS2" though (and keep in mind you're not dealing with the sharpest tack in the box) initially saw me able to select it afterwards, but not seeing any missions etc. Until I noticed near the missions window a link labelled something like "Install English". I clicked on this and a gig and a half download later I had the missions. :thumbup: So it was like an install within an install I guess. Inspired by this success I suddenly realised that the "SU15" which came free with "DCS World" also has one of these links. (Yep that's right.. I'd never clicked on it!) So another gig and a half later I now have missions for that as well! Fantastic! But what is the question I hear you ask?.. Well "A-10C" and "UH-1" didn't have one of these "Install English" links, the missions were there right off the bat and once I did the clicking for "BS2" and "SU15" they also had the missions instead of the link.... But today I notice that the "Install English" link is there again for both "BS2" and "SU15". I suppose I could just click on it and see what happens, but I thought I'd ask you guys first. Why is the link back? :lol: All the best Badger

Oooooh... talk about StarTrek? Here? Really I shouldn't..... oh all right then, you twisted my arm. It was better than the first one imho leafer. (I'm assuming you mean the first of the reboots right? Of course right.) I grew up in the original school of Trek and as much as I've really enjoyed all the spin off series, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the original series and movies. Probably because of this I've had a hard time acclimatising to the newest movie reboot. It's Trek, but it's not my Trek. This is entirely my own fault of course, but realising that fact is not enough to stop my mind from zeroing in on changes I can't see the point in them having made. In focussing on what it isn't, instead of more properly focussing on what it is. So when we went to see the first of the reboots I spent twenty minutes or so struggling with.. "well that's not right is it!".. "Why have they done this?".. "Why is he saying that?" ... "Why are she and he.... oh that's just wrong!" But then I settled in, relaxed and just let it come at me and despite myself I left the theatre having enjoyed it overall. So come this one I had higher hopes and of course it also had the advantage of my already having had my tantrum at the start of the first. I still grumbled to myself a little bit, but this time it was only for ten minutes instead of twenty before I settled in. And then in fairness much of my discontent is aimed at Uhura. (With all due apologies to Zoe Saldana) If I might be allowed to cling for a moment longer to my original series prejudices, the original cast were very much two tiered. (well...more than two tiers actually..but let's not delve too deeply here.) There was the main trinity of Kirk, Spock and McCoy and then there were the secondary characters who were always included and who sometimes the stories focussed particularly on. Uhura, Sulu, Scotty, Checkov...etc. In the newest film both Scotty and Uhuru have very much been elevated to first tier characters and I'm all for that, as long as the characters in question are strong enough to warrant the promotion. In the case of Scotty I think the promotion is well warranted. I'll be honest and say that I came out of the first film thoroughly unimpressed with Scotty and wondering if the acclaim seemingly going to Simon Pegg was mostly a case of the kings new clothes. In this new outing though his character comes into his own and I finished up not only being swayed, but actually liking Simon Peggs portrayal. Uhuru though.... I just don't see it. If there still is a "trinity" at the heart of the story (and there isn't really anymore, nor does there really need to be I suppose) then I'd even go as far as to say that they've unjustifiably bumped McCoy from it in favour of Uhuru and I just don't think she's a strong enough character to deserve it. As far as I can tell, her main reason for being there is the whole romance storyline between her and Spock (don't get me started.) and that's not enough. She needs to be a proper character in her own right, otherwise she just looks like a token female thrown into the loop for political correctness sake and that's not fair to her character at all. That aside... and despite having just dedicated five paragraphs to grumbling about it. When Mrs Badger turned to me on the car journey home and asked me what I'd thought of it. My answer was.. "I really enjoyed it!" Singing it's praises without writing any spoilers is a tricky prospect, but here goes... Firstly I think I did myself a huge favour by keeping strictly away from media discussion and/or making of programs on TV. The reason I say that is that the main baddie is one who is a particular fave of mine from the original series and had I known that in advance I'd have been very sceptical about both the story and Benedict Cumberbatch's ability to pull off the character. Because I only discovered these things as the story unravelled though, I was able to judge and enjoy them by their own merits instead of ill pre conceived ideas based on a time gone by. Benedict Cumberbatch as it turns out was terrific. Not the character I knew, but why should he be! To break through my unwarranted prejudice, he really did great. The story touches on numerous occasions to earlier iterations, with both nods and homages for fans and interesting turn arounds aplenty. By this point my inner voice which started saying "But wait..that's not the...." Was quickly told by my other inner voice to stfu! (If you'll excuse my being vulgar.) Some people have criticised it for being more action orientated and not concentrating as much on the relationships between the characters. But for me and for who these new characters are, I think they got it just about right. I should probably think about winding up now I suppose. So in closing I'll just say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and I heartily recommend it to both new and old fans alike. I only suggest that the old fans leave their pre conceived ideas at home and enjoy the new reboots for what they are. For my part I'll try to do the same and I confidently predict the grumbling at the start of the next one will drop down to five minutes. Particularly if Uhuru stays at the coms desk where she belongs. (Oh you did not just say that!!) Badger Out.

In what way "broken" Scorch?

Nah that's not it. Wait....what was that just went past my window!...

Morning all. Mrs Badger and I went to see the new Star Trek film last night and before it started I saw my first promo for the upcoming Superman reboot..erm..reboot, "Man of Steel." And there, right in the middle of the clip, blink and you'll miss it... did I just see an A-10 opening fire on Supes? If so, then a foolhardy move for our Hog I would think. Then just as I was thinking how rare it is to see the A-10 in a movie, along comes the next promo which was for Brad Pitts new one, "World War Z" and yes, unless I'm mistaken, a squadron of A-10's flying past an aircraft carrier! :) Is the Warthog going to become all in vogue and stuff do you think? Or could it be that the respective directors are actually "DCS World" denizens. Badger Out.

As jay points out the difficulty settings scroll right down to an arcade mode. In that way you can tailor the amount of learning required to what suits you best, so you really can't go wrong in that regard. I'm guessing though that an arcade mode is not really what you want and while I've never flown "FC3", I did fly "Lockon Gold" and I'm guessing the two are not a million miles apart. Based on that comparison I'd say that you're absolutely right, "A-10C" is harder to learn than that. Ultimately though you shouldn't be making your decision based on how hard you think it might be, (trust me,, I would't be flying it if that were the case) but rather on how much fun you think it will be. You'll certainly end up scratching your head with this game and if that puts you off there's no shame in that and there are plenty of more accessible sims out there to jump into the cockpit of. But if you think you might enjoy the feeling of satisfaction to be had from rising up to all of it's individual challenges, then frankly I don't think I've quite met its like in all the years I've been dabbling in flight sims and I can't recommend it enough. In closing I would also point out that you're not learning alone. This forum is stuffed to the gills with new and experienced enthusiasts, who from what I've seen so far are only too happy to share their experience with you. They're a friendly and knowledgeable crowd and I've asked them questions ranging from "I can't read the HUD text" to "Can anyone help me find my missing sock". All questions have been answered and as yet I've not managed to stump them. I will keep trying though. :) Badger

Hi Flyboy (Is it just me or should I rethink that greeting? :lol:) It's nice to be able to offer advice for a change rather than always being the one befitting from it. :) I'm sure you'll get loads of great tips for this question. But for my part I wonder if this series of videos might be helpful. This chap flies the A-10A for most of the vids, but he switches to the A-10C for the latest few. Point is though that he's telling you all the time what his tactics are and you can see his approach to different scenarios. Hope it might be helpful for you. Badger http://www.youtube.com/user/4023446/feed?filter=2

I'm sorted out on this now with NoJoe's suggestion. But thanks to Gryphon and adese for the extra alternatives and once again to everyone for the usual speedy and informative responses. Badger

Morning Pilots, thanks for all the suggestions. Long may I continue to fail to stump you. :thumbup: @ Wild Bill, see PM. :) Of course of course! I was on the right track look, but I was over complicating it. I was trying to do in the TrackIR software, what as NoJoe has pointed out, I could simply have done in the cockpit. Now don't I look silly. :doh: :megalol: I don't care though, I'm immune to feeling silly. My message to new pilots throughout the forum is this.. Here at Badger Towers, we'll continue to ask the silly questions so that you don't have to. :smilewink: Badger

Hi All Badger here, with an issue I'm SURE I've read a post on in these very pages, but can I find it? (No..no I can't. That wasn't the question.) This problem is my mothers fault! Clearly she should have given me more carrots in my formative years, or at least made sure I ate the ones I was given. She didn't, I didn't and the result is that now making pretty graphics on my puter screen, means a trade off with trying to read text which makes my tired eyes rebel. Funny thing is I really like Carrots now. Ah well.. Anyway, I've been struggling slightly with the way that when using TrackIR, the tiny text on my HUD, which used to come closer when I leaned in with the mark one eyeball, now moves away from me as I lean. It makes me feel like Wile E Coyote! (See..the text is the Road Runner and...no? Hmmph.) I'm have a feeling that in that post I found before, the original poster was not actually offered a solution as such, but instead assured that this is a nod to realism, as the "infinite zoom" HUD text is just the same way on the HUDs of the real life pilots and that moving your head forward with TrackIR is supposed to simulate..well...moving your head forward, not zooming. Well that's all well and good realism fans and never let it be said that I'm adverse to little bit of realism here and there, I loves it I tells ya. Yet sometimes in our pushing of realism to the nth degree, I think that we fail to take into account that with true realism, the first thing to be thrown out of the cockpit window would be most of us armchair pilots! The likes of most of us would never been let loose in one of these beasts and thank the Lord I say! So while realism in the temple of the Hog is a wonderful thing. I think we can all agree that sometimes it has to be tempered with some optional cutting of the slack to compensate for the inherent naffness of some of it's more..challenged (if enthusiastic) acolytes. In my case let's face it... I need new glasses is what I need. :lol: But what are ya gonna do.. I spent the money on a TrackIR instead! So how thrilled was I when a friend of mine sent me a solution provided right there in the A-10C control options. :thumbup: Look in the axis controls, says he, for "zoom view" and then in the TrackIR column select "TrackIR_Z" And Lo it doth work. I was like a blind man but now I see! I lean forward and that crafty HUD text is locked in place. No longer can it flee into the distance laughing at me as it went. (Because that's just what it was doing you know..oh yes.) Now I can read my heading with no squinting and guessing and I like to think that the free world is probably a safer place because of it. :pilotfly: Of course there's a price to pay and this is where I hope that you fellas might be able to make my joy complete. Before, the HUD view on starting the sim, would start in close and then slide slowly out until eventually it arrived and settle at a position that actually I was rather comfortable with. (Aside from not being able to read the text obviously.) But now it starts sliding out, then suddenly resets to a position just that little bit too far forward to be comfortable. So I slide my chair back a little and yes..that's more or less where I want it... but now my arms are too short to sit comfortably for an extended flying session!! :megalol: Seriously..it's a joke isn't it? Somebody is playing a joke? I can't zoom out slightly with the "/" and "*" keys, because even though I didn't delete those default options, they don't work anymore because presumably I overrode them when I mapped the function to "TrackIR_Z". I turned to the TrackIR software itself and sat looking at the grid in the hopes of finding a key which would move the default view out a little for my profile. But unable to find one I found myself instead leaning forward slightly, then hitting the re-center view key, which then when I sat back, saw my view point a little further out than it was and this seemed to translate to the sim as I "felt" (but wasn't sure, so I'll have to experiment more) that I did in fact end up a liiiiitle further back than I was. Of course this is a lot of messing about and it remains to be seen whether that adjustment is something which is now saved to my TrackIR profile, or whether I'd have to do it every time. I'm going to assume it's every time, since you do have to center the TrackIR each time you turn it on. In fact now I type that out loud.. d'oh! Badger

:thumbup: Thanks guys. This thread took on something of a life of its own and I've felt on and off that I'd put the Cat amongst the Pigeons. :lol: But all my original questions have been answered and then some. So thanks again to all for the advice. @ Gryphon: The whole auto pilot question makes much more sense to me with some flying time under my belt since my original post. I now understand the different modes and I also understand why nothing appeared to be happening when I was trying to engage it before. Thanks though for checking in. @ Digital Aura: Having gained a little cockpit experience now, I'm getting on better with that tutorial. Although I haven't achieved a landing well rounded enough that I can honestly point at as sufficient to tick that box and move on. Still things are feeling more right, more often so I know I'm moving forward. I didn't have a problem with the space bar thing, but I did and still do have issues with the instructor not always keeping up with my progress and moving onto the next stage. (We're talking after the point of the last space bar press, which is when you take control for flying to the ILS intercept point (for want of the correct description) and the actual landing. The problem I think is that after this point the next phase in the instructions is no longer prompted by a "spacebar" press, but by you fulfilling the previous set of instructions to the programs satisfaction. Since I'm not always accomplishing this, the tutorial moving onward can be unpredictable. In all the times I've landed so far for example (and I almost always land) there has only been one occasion where the tutorial has moved onto the Warthog shut down phase. Only two occasions where the instructor has managed to keep up with what I'm doing in terms of announcing calls from ATC as they happen, or the actual touchdown itself. Other times he's made these announcements at various inappropriate times, even on one occasion, after I had already parked! Though he still didn't move onto a shut down procedure. I'm satisfied though that the problem is the furry creature behind the joystick. The program wants to see a a certain set of parameters being achieved and it can get a little stroppy if I don't do it just so. I'm alright with this as in the first place I "want" to do it just so and in the second place I'm enjoying the process. :) As for the tutorial itself? It's a difficult one to call really isn't it. On the one hand all "learning sims" are daunting to the uninitiated like your Badger and some might perhaps reasonably suggest that I'm being a little overambitious trying to tackle it, given my already admitted challenges in the grey matter department. But on the other hand is it unreasonable to expect a good tutorial to be able to guide even the most newbish of newbies, through the most basic skills required? Before moving on to the more complicated aspects? This landing tutorial in my opinion (having now clocked up at least a little time in the air) has aspects which are certain to cause problems for the unwary. The approach vector given by ATC for example, leaves you as an inexperienced pilot, with very little time to make the required left hand turn at the appropriate moment. While I've discovered that when the instructor gives you control to make that ATC heading change, he'll start talking again and take control back, at whatever heading you straighten out at. So I've been straightening out a little early to give me more time to make the turn into the runway when it comes to it. (Did that paragraph make sense outside of my head?) And why so high? From memory the approach pattern altitude is 2500ft, but the tutorial wants to leave you virtually on top of the airfield at something like 8000ft. That's fine for an experienced pilot, but why that extra layer of difficulty for someone so wet behind the ears, that he's got his work cut out just following all the aspects of the ILS landing? Here both Digital Aura and I are I think both suggesting that having spent time with the tutorial it is making more sense and it's various aspects are now coming properly into focus. Great. And I'm enjoying the process which is the main thing after all. But is a basic tutorial which requires pre developed skills in order to properly grasp, not something of an oxymoron? Yours with a "taking my thread back" stripe. :lol: Badger

Thanks for the great advice as ever you lot. I'll grit my teeth and see if I can muster the courage to tinker. :thumbup: Meanwhile, the petulant pout was wiped slightly off my mush (sorry...face) by my best flight ever yesterday:) I learned how to use the mission designer to create the basic nav flight I talked about in the original post (easy) and I took my hog from the ramp at Batumi (sp?), up and away, around the circuit, down again and safely to the parking. :pilotfly: The only hitch came when I couldn't get a reply from ATC on takeoff permission, but I quickly realised that just because I was sitting right next to ATC, didn't mean I was actually tuned into its frequency and with that addressed I was soon legitimately on the move. :) (Although I've just realised that technically I landed from the wrong end of the runway. But they don't care about little stuff like that right?) Next target then... Proper ILS landings instead of all this (albeit with proper permission) seat of my pants stuff and then the actual navigation tutorial. Which I've only looked at once before running away screaming! With all that done, it'll be watch out enemies of liberty! Because I'll know where you are, be able to fly to you, wave and...erm... fly back! Yeah..that'll learn em! :lol: Thanks again all Badger

Evening Pilots I'm sure you're catching on by now that most anything technical brings me down with a bad case of facepalmitis....... but I'm getting ahead of myself. In need of a bit of variety from my ongoing single player learn-a-thon, I encouraged a friend of mine (a lapsed Warthogger) to download "DCS World" and upgrade from his standalone to the A-10 module, on the basis of our being able to fly occasional coop missions together. My short/mid term goal, would be to learn how to use the mission builder and create a series of simple scenarios we can fly, to help with our ongoing practice. Eventually these would hopefully evolve into full blown missions with targets. But to begin with I was thinking more of just a simple take off, follow waypoints and land safely somewhere else. Today we experimented with the multi-player component, just at this stage to make sure we could link up and that our respective machines could handle it smoothly and wouldn't you know it, we fell at the very first hurdle. :( He could not see the server I tried to create and I could not see the server he tried to create. So we ended up joining an existing server which had "free flight" in its title and were at least able to verify that our connecting was basically viable and that both our machines coped admirably. Since then I've had a look on the forums and found a few threads touching on the same subject and which I read with an increasingly sinking feeling, involved my old friend "port Forwarding." And when I say "old Friend" I'm sure I don't need to tell you that I'm being sarcastic, because he is certainly no friend of mine! On any occasion in the past that this swine has raised his ugly head, I have turned tail and run. I'm not clever enough to mess with these kinds of things. My modem/router (whatever) does what I ask it to both in terms of talking to my PC and to my Games Consoles (Someone smart helped me with the games consoles by the way) and I don't want to mess that up so that suddenly it doesn't work properly anymore. But I was really looking forward to this...... I started gaming in a time when single player games meant messing about with Config.sys and autoexec.bat file. Creating boot disks which shifted high memory about (or some such) to enable the games to run. When multi-player meant carting your entire PC system across the country to connect up at a friends house (many happy hours spent playing "Doom" or "Geoff Crammonds Grand Prix") or too a mass event like a LAN Party. Hundreds of gamers sitting in rows with their PC's. Many like me waiting for the tech guys to work their way over and help set you up properly. I can't tell you how I managed it...except to say that back then I knew a lot of clever people. These days....not so much. But that's not what gaming is anymore. Single player games run right out of the box and if they don't there's hell to pay! Multi-player is there at the touch of a button and I play "Portal 2" every week and have done for years, with a friend from St.Louis USA ! Yeah... I sit in foggy cold old England and play games with and talk live to someone in St.Louis ! (Anyone reading this and thinking "so what", stop reading now. Oh..and pull your trousers up for goodness sake and put your hat on the right way round. it looks silly you know!!) Anyway, I just don't understand why in this day and age, where games can and do make it possible for mental midgets like me to do such amazing things, there are still games which wrap themselves in their cloaks of binary snobbery plus five, and insist that we try to learn science in order to prize open their arcane portals and prize out the exiting goodies nestled within. :cry: But you know what?.. My moaning about it changes nothing. I'll either be able to manage it or I won't and no amount of belly aching and griping will make the slightest bit of difference will it. So where to begin... we begin our epic journey with a single step. By asking a question... Can anyone point me at a laymans guide for "How To Do Port Forwarding And Make Your Warthog Server Go Zoom, Without Breaking Stuff You Already Have". Because I've used the search function and I've looked on the net and while I might be missing the obvious, I ain't seein one. All the best as ever Badger

G'Day folks I did look at the axis section, but couldn't see the function in there. To be honest choosing different headings from that drop down menu and then searching to see if I've hit on the right one is a right old pain. It often seems easier just to select "all" and then wade through the entire list to find the control I'm looking for! Fingers crossed after I've had to do that for a while, I'll start to get a feel for where they've put stuff in that list. Actually I had been thinking along those exact lines and for that exact reason. :) At the moment I've only set up (in the game, not the stick software) the controls I need for takeoff and landing. When I go back to that Nav tutorial, which I skipped because it was so complicated, I'm guessing I'll be sharing HOTAS and keyboard duties at this stage rather than trying to figure out where to put what. :lol: Yes they're great pii. I did post a quick first impressions, but in fairness it was more of a "ooooh" and "ahhhh" post than a proper "Paws On", so I don't blame you for missing it. Ah yes.. that's not mine pii. Somebody else posted that as a suggested alternative so that I might get the pro clip thingie if I wanted. I opted for the basic one instead and now model a nifty baseball cap as I fly. Being made to Look like "Rimmer" from "Red Dwarf" is a small price to pay to be able to see all the way around the furry dice hanging in the cockpit. Oooooooh.... six really is opposite one. It's a miracle I tells ya! Hey... so setting it temporarily to that metal rocker turned out to be exactly the right thing to do. :) Maybe I have a feel for this after all. Maybe I just got lucky. Only time will tell. :lol: Erk!! So Who's on first again? Yup.. all things considered the rocker is looking pretty good to me after all. :lol: Badger

Afternoon All I have a new question today relating specifically to the "X52 Pro" and not yet knowing how the forumites like to see it done, I was torn between adding it to this thread, or starting a new thread... I'm going to add it here I think. I've already talked about both peripherals here and it keeps things tidy right? Anywhoo.. I've still not done any programming on the HOTAS. Despite jay43 very kindly taking the time to write me out two pm's worth of basic instructions to get me started, I still haven't quite got my head around it yet. I just need some time for it to filter through though, coupled with reading the programming guide I found on the right click menu for the stick. :) While I'm cogitating though, I need a basic working stick and so I used the link provided by Mac10 and poached some of the good ideas for button placement (just for the bits and bobs I need right now) and set about adding them in via the games options menu. The profile had the speed brakes mapped to the slider on the throttle, which I rather liked and the trim mapped to the two twirly wheels on the throttle, which I wasn't so sure of, but on reflection can see working out. When I went to add them in the control options page though, the Warthog wasn't having any of it and I found I couldn't select them as control imputs. (Instead I've temporarily mapped the speed brakes to the third of the metal switches on the bottom of the Joystick and the trim to the coolie hat on the throttle.) The upshot of this is that I "think" I just learned something about the programming software and my new question to you clever folk is, am I right? Up to this I've been struggling a little to understand why I would want to bother with the HOTAS software programming, which seems a fairly mammoth task. When DCS A-10C provides me with perfectly good tools to map out the joystick functions. The "X52 Pro" though, simulates keypresses on the keyboard after it's programmed. Something jay was trying to tell me and the relevance of which might have been a little lost on me at first. But if (when I feel clever enough to do it) I program the speed brake for example to the slider and tell the software that the keys used (presumably using a modifier function of some sort) are from memory L-ctr + B & LShift + B. Does the game then accept the slider that it wouldn't before as a simulated keypress? And is THAT why I'll be wanting to use the HOTAS software? :) Hopefully that all made some sense. :lol: Badger

I've had another crack at the Landing tutorial and, well I'm on the tarmac... it wasn't pretty, but it was effective, it was safe and the Hog could certainly loop around to the start of the runway again and go for another flight. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I think landing DCS's Warthog is actually pretty easy. (Yeah.. .I said it!) But landing it properly? Not so much. I mean to say, the first time I ever took it up and flew a circuit, (at the end of the Startup tutorial where you are left to your own devices) I took it around the airfield "Microsoft Flightsim" style and then expecting nothing but a smoking hole in the ground I ventured in toward a seat of my pants landing. Only to discover that if you can land "MSFS"s Cessna, you can pretty much land this too. At least in a rough and ready format. Add ILS etc into the equation though and so far it's a very different story. I'm sure that this surprisingly innate ability to put the Hog safely on the ground, will stand me in very good stead once the lights, dials, gauges and the machine that goes "Boing!" (Ok, there might not actually be a machine that goes "Boing!", but clearly there should be!) become second nature. But right now trying to concentrate on all these things at once is really cramping my style. I'm not looking good up there maaaan. :lol: That said, this latest attempt was certainly my best so far. Not to mention much more fun with the recent inclusion of the "Trackir" and the "X52 Pro" I've mentioned elsewhere. Not thatI'm attributing the improved performance to these peripherals specifically. Not at this stage anyway. At least.... I don't "think" I am. But more things seemed to be "right" than have been up to now. I didn't explain that very well did I. Hey.. it's a Pilot feeling right? :pilotfly: The ILS thing is still pretty much beyond me and clearly I'm going to have to break this down into it's individual parts and look at what I'm supposed to be seeing. Doubtless temporarily skipping the Navigation tutorial, because I just couldn't grasp it, hasn't helped here. But none the less this time I was obviously pointed in the right direction (a distinct advantage!) moving at more or less the right speed, talking to the Tower and asking proper permission to land, and while I obviously wasn't at the right height for most of the glide path, I think it's fair to say I was at the right height at least twice! If you count the bit where I ended up on the runway. :megalol: At any rate I was fairly pleased with myself overall as I taxied. But then the instructor took the shine off it a little. As I taxied down the runway, he suddenly piped up "Now you see the option to ask ATC for landing permission" (or words to that effect.) and I thought.."Umm..no, we already did that." Then as I turned off the runway and started toward the parking, he announced enthusiastically "Touch Down!!" He's not Dustin Hoffman is he? Doing "Rain Man" and "answering a question from a half hour ago." :lol: Badger PS: Oh by the way, if I might just be allowed to make a quick "Trackir" comment/question, without hijacking my own thread.. Before Tir I had to wear my glasses to be able to read the HUD information and even then I had to lean forward for some of it. Now I still have to lean forward.. but the text doesn't get closer, it seems to move with me! (If that makes sense), this might be a real problem. PPS: I wonder if changing the colour of the text might help me read it. How do I do that?

I have to be honest here and admit that I'd never even heard of "SAS" (not including the "Who Dares Wins" variety obviously) until "Kerbal Space Program." :poster_oops: Badger

Hi all Just thought I'd thank you all again for your various advice and let you know that both items arrived unexpectedly today and so they're now.... well.. not set up, but in place anyway. :lol: They arrived "unexpectedly" because I didn't read the dispatch notes properly. I thought that the Trackir was coming by post in May and that the X52 was arriving today by "UPS". "UPS" duly arrived, but delivered the Trackir... erm... ok.. on rechecking it was the X52 which was coming by post and not in May but next week on Monday. Except that an hour later it turned up as well! My head hurts. Seriously, how much hope have I got of learning this sim, when I can't even master two delivery dates without malfunctioning! But enough of that rubbish, what about the toys. :D Well I started with the Trackir and was immediately concerned by the fact that the accompanying manual came in about six different languages... but none of them was English! There was a quick start guide in English though and happily the manual is available in English on their website. I hooked the camera onto the top of my monitor (isn't it dinky? For some reason I thought it was going to be bigger) downloaded and installed the software and with baited breath I turned it on..... it worked, but it wasn't right. Now the truth is I saw the bit about making sure that the camera was the same height as the sensors, but I just thought "fnar fnar blurg, they're just covering themselves." the desk I use has a sort of shelf section with draws in it, which sits at the back of the desk and on which the monitor was sitting, so what could I do? Nope, they weren't covering themselves. Turns out it's really important :music_whistling: and my desk no longer has a shelf bit with draws in it, which sits at the back. ( I always hated that thing anyway!) Now I tried again and it was too low! (Oh come on!!) The camera was properly tracking the sensors now, but I couldn't bob up. It's logical that the monitor should have a height adjuster no? but I can't see it if it does.:huh: Help was at hand though in the form of a little shelf with legs we had kicking around, which sits about three inches high and which seems to have solved the problem. The guide cross in the software display is still a little high, but I can bob and I think I'll get away with it. :thumbup: Time to fire up the Warthog then. :D By now I didn't have time for an extended session, so I just replayed the startup tutorial and Great Caesars' Ghost, that is a HUGE difference! :lol: I can just look where the arrows are pointing! No more coolie hat followed by fevered pressing of "/" and "*". And I watched the canopy come down.. all the way down! And the up front dash.. it's not a 2d box at all, it's a wedge and there's a dashboard beyond it! just..wow! Look I've yattered on so long that I don't have time to tell you about the X52. Except to say..ooooooh, sooo many buttons and see, see it has pretty lights..ooooh..oh and it's telling me the time and the date.. I'll never be late again I tells ya! but so many buttons and three "modes" which triples the buttons and with one switch as a modifier, well that would... erm.. sextuple the buttons!! Aaaaaaaand my head hurts again. :lol: That's it lads, I'll let you go. thanks again for all the hints and tips. Badger

Thanks again all. :thumbup: Mrs Badger tells me it's all ordered, so now I just have to play the waiting game. It's pretty exiting stuff I can tell you! Although I play a good few genres and RPG gives it a run for its money, simulation has always held a special place in my heart. But before this I've never had the opportunity for the kind of immersion that these items should bring to the table and I can't wait to try them out not only with A-10C, but with "IL2 1946" and "Take On Helicopters" as well. :) And that's just to start! There are plenty of others hiding in my games chest. But I really would like to try and learn the Warthog this time around and to do that I'm going to have to keep the list have on board short but distinguished. Just to clear up a wrong impression I gave by the way. I DO use a headset. I use it for MP gaming with my friend from the States so we can talk on Skype while we play and I use it if Mrs Badger has gone to bed and I don't want to make any noise. But I have never found headsets comfortable and I have tried a number of them over the years, both over ear, on ear and in ear. The only difference has been how long it is until I find I have to take them off. Because the pro clip uses a headset though, adopting it would put me in the position of having to wear a headset EVERY time I fly the hog and to borrow a phrase from my trans Atlantic buddies..... "Thet dawg ain't gonna hunt!" :lol: I was once invited to play multiplayer "IL2" by the good folks over that the "Combatsim" forums and I still remember it years later as one of the best MP Sim sessions I've ever played. Sadly I've not played a flightsim online since, (unless you count a very quick look at the v's mode of "Rise of Flight") but if I do get the opportunity to play multiplayer Hog, I'll just wear the headset over the hat for that session. Of course I'll also need my glasses.... so it'll be the glasses under the headset, over the hat. Oh..and a Biggles scarf.. so Biggles scarf under the headset and glasses, over the hat. Wait..that doesn't sound right.. oh whatever, you get the gist. Badger

I'm not really much with the tech Hornet, so probably shouldn't be giving advice in that direction. But I do know that if anything the module actually runs more smoothly for me, than my stand-alone did. It doesn't make much sense to me that the opposite should be the case for you and my non expert feeling is that perhaps something went wrong during the download and you ended up with a faulty bit of code? If there's no way that could be the case, I'm sure the folks here will quickly put us straight. But can you delete and download it again? It couldn't hurt could it? Badger

Thanks for the advice all. :thumbup: Well that advice is a bit daft if you don't mind my saying so! Clearly it's not going to be under the...... oh....... ok, well it seems it was there actually. Thanks for that then. :music_whistling: Badger

No problem for you here Hornet. I bought my retail boxed Warthog a little while after release and well before DCS World. I have just downloaded as above, using my original serial number to activate it and it was plain sailing. :) Same for Steam I am told. Badger

Ok so here is another question for each of the components. Firstly the "X52 Pro". this might sound like a silly question, but I'm trying to get a picture of the average setup in my head. The joystick and the throttle bit (that bit is the HOTAS? Or is the whole thing a hotas) are joined together by a serial cable. So would you have one either side of your keyboard? Now the TrackIR. It's a camera based gizmo of course, so can you use the camera for anything else, like Skype for example? Just as a point of interest by the way. A couple of you have advised that I be sure to get the "Track Clip Pro", but actually reading all about it I don't think it's for me. It's a shame to miss out if it is more precise, but from what I hear the standard version is fine and more to the point having to clip the pro clip to a headset won't work for me. I've never been able to wear a headset for an extended session and as much as I hate the idea of having to wear a hat (hats don't suit Badgers) it definitely seems the the lesser of the two evils. Badger

Oh that's handy. Added to favourites. :thumbup: Oh dear.. I have to tell you that I hate it when my gimmble gets crossed!