overwhelming!

I have tried but I just cannot "fly" this sim, it is huge and has a steep learning curve the manual (all 383 pages) I mean who is really going to print of all that and read it all?

Two problems I currently have, even using the "quick" commands the "auto pilot" functions are difficult to actually work out what you have selected and as I found out, clicking "off" all those little blue square buttons = unflyable a/c and = crash and dead.

Waypoints, I can't even workout where the next one is, which button to press and well....

just too hard, sorry to sound so frustrated but I am finding this all a bit much, any advice on how to get this a/c in the air, and use auto pilot and waypoints just for starters, however apart from my struggles it is a beautiful sim, well done.:thumbup:

Check out the producer's notes in the video section of the web site. They're incredibly informative, and cover most aspects of using the various systems. You'll go crazy if you try to go by the manual alone...

Stick with it; the feeling of satisfaction is enormous, once you get the hang of things.

....and as I found out, clicking "off" all those little blue square buttons = unflyable a/c and = crash and dead....

Indeed :)

Barring Altitude Hold, those other 3 Blue Buttons are best left permanently on. As for the rest, all it takes is practice and then some......Do not worry about Waypoints etc etc as you can pretty much navigate by sight in any event for much of the time. Not that I'm saying that waypoints are not important - what is more important is that you get used to the Whirly-Bird and that's best accomplished by just flying about and sightseeing......Blowing things up can come later :D

And yeah - Trim, Trim,Trim! Vitally important to start at the outset.

Feel free to hop onto the 159th Teamspeak server/BS Dedi if you have any questions/need advice. There should be someone willing to assist in realtime.

I'm lovingg now that I got my resolution problems squared away. Nothing more gratifying than eventually conquering a learning curve that's so steep that it's basically a vertical line :D

As far as the manual, I will most likely buy one when they are finally released, but I am in the process of manually collating the pages as I print it on my home laser printer. HINT: Go in sections - it' easier lol!

many thanks

Thanks for your friendly and helpful advice, nice to find a forum with some helpful people. :thumbup:

Check out the producer's notes in the video section of the web site. They're incredibly informative, and cover most aspects of using the various systems. You'll go crazy if you try to go by the manual alone...

 

Stick with it; the feeling of satisfaction is enormous, once you get the hang of things.

Definitely watch those videos. Also do the training missions more then once. I just stuck with training and trying to fly the thing before I even attempted to shoot something. You really do feel great once you can control the Helicopter and engage targets with ease.

A point to add some weight to Viper's excellent advice: first off just learn to fly the chopper. Nevermind waypoints, autopilots and all that. Ignore all of it for now, just spend a good couple of hours just flying the thing. Cra... I mean land it often. If it takes a couple of days to learn how to fly it with anything resembling grace, that's normal.

Then, when you are feeling confident that you can fly the helicopter, select one system that you want to learn - just one. Say you go for the PVI-800 inertial navigation system (the thing at the lower right with the keypad). Then do a bit of a theory session with the tutorial videos and then get in there and see if you can get the hang of it. Then watch the tutorials again - even if you did get the hang of it - and repeat it all.

That done, fly around a bit more - having a rudimentary knowledge of the mission editor helps there, since you can then make an empty map with just you and a bunch of waypoints for you to follow. Use that to practice, and when you feel you know it well (not just barely know it), select another system and repeat the procedure for that.

Since this sim is of such high fidelity the true complexity of a military machine like that does shine through, so one really has to manage one's workload when learning, and doing multiple systems at the same time is just asking to get confused and you'll end up forgetting what you've learn as soon as you shut down the computer for the day.

And I'll recommend the 159th server; I've been there a few times (including when giving some tutorials to new players) and they are always gracious about you using a slot or two to practice on. Do take him up on that offer if you run into a snag in your practice sessions. :)

I have tried but I just cannot "fly" this sim, it is huge and has a steep learning curve the manual (all 383 pages) I mean who is really going to print of all that and read it all?

 

Two problems I currently have, even using the "quick" commands the "auto pilot" functions are difficult to actually work out what you have selected and as I found out, clicking "off" all those little blue square buttons = unflyable a/c and = crash and dead.

 

Waypoints, I can't even workout where the next one is, which button to press and well....

 

just too hard, sorry to sound so frustrated but I am finding this all a bit much, any advice on how to get this a/c in the air, and use auto pilot and waypoints just for starters, however apart from my struggles it is a beautiful sim, well done.:thumbup:

As for whos gonna print and read the manual, I will, already printed it and already reading it. But its a study sim so its not supposed to be easy and the learning curve is what its about otherwise we'd all be playing HAWX lol! Dont worry I've been playing for a week and a half and have a long way to go learning things so practice makes perfect, you'll get it! Lots of great people here to give advice to you and if it still frustrates you the sim does have scalable difficulty settings but wheres the fun in that.:pilotfly:

It kind of puts into perspective the skill these pilots must have not only on how to technically fly it, but also to manage the infinite weather parameters or system failures ALL while trying NOT to be shot down .

As good as DCS is real life has got to be MUCH tougher.

Patience you'll probably need about 20 ish hours (especially if you're SUPER fresh to helo sims) to start feeling comfortable. Trial and error, use the advice in the forms and check out the producer notes. I did 60% of my learning with those, the rest from squadies and just trial and error.

ONe day you'll be transitioning from 220 km'h 50 feet off the dirt into a controlled hover while scanning for contacts on the horizon with scvhal (spelling sorry). You'll smile softly to yourself knowing that huge task of taming the beast is over.

Of course proper input devices and tracker IR REAAAAAAAAAAAALLY facilitate the learning curve.

I still haven't learned auto pilot so yeah make that last on your list of priorities. As Viper said...TRIM is key trim and that little vertical "CLIMB" dial just left of your hud...it's your best friend.

Keep at it mate and ask questions, lots here would be glad to help out.

If reading the manual is an issue to start with (and I can understand how it can be overwhelming, especially if you have no experience with such systems) then I suggest watching the producer's notes.

I also suggest watching the tutorials that come with the game ;)

I have tried but I just cannot "fly" this sim, it is huge and has a steep learning curve the manual (all 383 pages) I mean who is really going to print of all that and read it all?

 

Two problems I currently have, even using the "quick" commands the "auto pilot" functions are difficult to actually work out what you have selected and as I found out, clicking "off" all those little blue square buttons = unflyable a/c and = crash and dead.

 

Waypoints, I can't even workout where the next one is, which button to press and well....

 

just too hard, sorry to sound so frustrated but I am finding this all a bit much, any advice on how to get this a/c in the air, and use auto pilot and waypoints just for starters, however apart from my struggles it is a beautiful sim, well done.:thumbup:

Again thanks

I just completed my 1st mission (on easy) however your all 100% correct, I will slow down a little and learn about the sim. Just to show my age I started playing flight sims back on my C64, anyone remember "Apache Gunship"? I played it to death, loved in, then came "Longbow" on my 1st PC, two classic games IMHO:thumbup:

I am having better luck using joystick and keyboard (keyboard for collective) and once I learn to fly this on easy game play I will move onto realistic. Again thanks guys and gals.

Cheers:pilotfly:

Actually if you really want to learn on realistic, I'd think playing on easy would be handicapping you.

you recomend

Actually if you really want to learn on realistic, I'd think playing on easy would be handicapping you.

Just starting on realistic and staying there?:pilotfly:

That is what I would reccomend. It's a rougher start, but if you have troubles you can ask for advice over here - everything from what buttons to push, to take-off/flying/landing/hovering technique.

But PLEASE make an effort to go through the tutorials first. :)

Just starting on realistic and staying there?:pilotfly:

Hi Leroy1964,

I think that is the best way to learn the sim start on realistic, this is how I learned the systems I started basic flying "immortal of course",then targeting and weapons systems, navigational systems, datalink and autopilot systems :thumbup: I watched a couple tutorials on each one before I done them and the manual is your best friend when it comes to the datalink and autopilot systems ;) I have owned the game for about 2 weeks and I'm already in the advanced settings you just need to take a couple hours out each day to do them btw I saved the engine startup for last if you do that when you are watching the tutorial you'll understand it better.

Sincerely,

Viper169th

Ditto for sure then when you do play on easy it'll be a cake walk!

EDIT: If you even want to go back to easy after that.........

Just starting on realistic and staying there?:pilotfly:

Definitely ;)

It's amazing how quickly you learn to swim when accidentally landing in the Deep End of the Pool.......:)

Don't give up. It might be a tough road, but the rewards are worth it! Besides, the Black Shark is a piece of cake compared to Falcon 4:AF!

You're certainly not alone, I really wish i had the time to learn everything properly.

As with most sim's I'm alright at flying, weapons, navigation- it's just trying to bring all that together.

I did one mission, think it was "Battle" where it finally did all come together, complete with sweaty hands :joystick:

Don't give up. It might be a tough road, but the rewards are worth it! Besides, the Black Shark is a piece of cake compared to Falcon 4:AF!

You're joking right? The f16 is so easy to fly, it practically flies itself. The cockpit is straightforward and the avionics were designed to be easy on the pilot. Everything was designed so that the pilot can concentrate on one thing and one thing only - combat. Bombs even release themselves!

Compare that to the BS.... have you navigated your ABRIS and GPS systems? How about setting up waypoints? Have you memorised the EKRAN codes... or what the ARK-22 does?

And if we were to compare flight models of the two.... lets jut say that apart from trying to fly a heli, which is a lot harder than a jet, the actual flight model of this game is still ahead of the F4:AF.

I'm not knocking F4, I loved the sim. I bet everybody in here loves it... we're all simmers if we're here. But DCS:BS has set the new benchmark.

If you're gong to compare it to Falcon, the only one that I would compare it to is OP.... and even then only for the detailed avionics. The flight model is still F4.

Just starting on realistic and staying there?:pilotfly:

Yupp, there is no such thing as an arcade level for us :D Start on deep waters.

I haven't even read manual, all information I dug from tutorial videos, squad mates, and informative forums :) First experience was same though - "overwhelming", but the advanced checklist and videos got me started real fast. Rest was pretty much trial and error - don't even ask how many times I crashed ;)

Definitely ;)

 

It's amazing how quickly you learn to swim when accidentally landing in the Deep End of the Pool.......:)

Trying to learn this sim on Easy is like trying to learn how to swim by standing in a puddle. :D

Easy mode definitely can bring about some bad habits and confusion. When you use a simplified mode then all of a sudden things you think you know how to do, you don't and everything has two sets of behavior that are some the same between modes and sometimes very different. What a headache!

The trick to any complex problem is deconstruction, always. The first day I had the Ka-50, all I did was go through the start up sequence. That was plenty of learning that day!

The next day try taxiing and shutdown. Try a hovercheck next and then a circuit around the airfield, etc, etc. You don't want to worry about navigation until you've got airmanship and don't worry about combat until you've got a firm grasp of pretty much everything else.

Another lesson is to know what to ignore (at least at first). You don't have to check the fire suppression system every startup or learn the PVI-800 inside and out. Try to pick out what everything you're introduced to does and how really necessary it is.