New Tutorial:: Flying Online: A Beginner's Guide

[Ironhand]

Hi Folks,

 

Just a quick note to let you know that, at long last, there's a new tutorial on my website. You'll find it on the Flight Basics page.

 

It's called "Flying Online: A Beginner's Guide to Getting There" and the title describes it. The tutorial demonstrates how to connect to existing games both on your own and through the Ubisoft and Hyperlobby clients. And you'll also learn how to host your own games. Along the way I'll tell you about some potential roadblocks (firewalls, etc) and introduce you to software that will enhance your experience.

 

So, for anyone who's wondering, come, learn, and join the fun.

 

An HTML document containing useful links is included in the ZIP file.

 

Download Size: 45.4 MB :: Runtime: 25:17 Minutes

 

Hope you enjoy it.

 

Rich

[christopher m]

online tutorial

 

Thanks for this tutorail.

 

I have never played LO on line becuase I think it would be very different

 

experience than SP mode.(less immersive and more headaches)

 

Headaches include, compatability issues, ping rate, bandwith issues .....

 

Also don't relish being slaughtered by sharks waiting for fresh meat.

 

I also think the online play is mostly geared twoard the fighter jocks who are

 

a different breed than ground pounders. (I count myself as ground pounder)

 

Although I have some time in the Mig; and really appreciate that bird in LO.

 

Thanks for your efforts and rep_inbound.

 

Best Regards,

[51GRIZZLY]

Posted by Christopher m:

Also don't relish being slaughtered by sharks waiting for fresh meat.

I also think the online play is mostly geared twoard the fighter jocks who are

a different breed than ground pounders. (I count myself as ground pounder)

 

If your a ground pounder our squad ( VVS504 ) has 2 servers running, one for Fighters / mudmowers and one for hogs and frogs only ( now called [DC]A2G ) running 24 - 7 on Hyperlobby .

Here you can smash ground units as much as you like without getting bothered by fighters.

 

BTW.

Really nice work there Ironhand :thumbup:

[Ironhand]

Chris M and CountryCowfreak,

 

Thanks.

 

Thanks for this tutorail.

 

I have never played LO on line becuase I think it would be very different

 

experience than SP mode.(less immersive and more headaches)

 

Headaches include, compatability issues, ping rate, bandwith issues .....

Flying online can be more immersive than SP but in a different way. Rather than complex missions, the complexity (along with enjoyment and satisfaction) in MP comes from working with teammates in a coordinated attack. For instance, in the mission with which I began and ended the tutorial, we were coordinating our attacks (alternating the SEAD role and follow up, etc) and, after his weapons were expended, the gentleman from the 77th took on a FAC role and marked targets for others with smoke. The entire flight was great fun and very satisfying for those reasons. There's no denying, however, that connection issues can cause headaches from time to time. But so can spouses, girlfriends, bosses, and cars.

 

Also don't relish being slaughtered by sharks waiting for fresh meat.

I don't know how many times I've had my head handed to me (I can't count that high) flying alone in MP. It truely is Air Quake. As part of a team, though, your chances of surviving long enough to enjoy it are greatly increased. (It's that teamwork angle again.) That's where comms software such as TeamSpeak helps a lot--assuming the people you're playing with use it.

 

And humans are much more wiley than the AI will ever be. Part of the fun can be watching the replay--at least it is for me. Download LOTU. Record your flight and use LOTU to open the views, turn on labels, etc. Then pop a bowl of popcorn, put your feet up, and play the track to see what actually happened. You'll find out that your missile missed because your opponent was ridge hopping and ducked into a mountain valley when you launched, etc, etc. Of course, you'll also witness some of the ...ahem.. "interesting" tactics people use to come out on top.

 

I also think the online play is mostly geared twoard the fighter jocks who are a different breed than ground pounders. (I count myself as ground pounder)...

They are but I'm a ground pounder, too. [DC]A2G has some great A2G-only missions running. (Of course, there's an A2A element there, too, in a sense. There are some individuals who just love to Vikhr you out of the sky.) My favorite on their server, though, is the Supply Lines (Valley) mission. The coalitions are working their own valleys. So they never encounter each other. And the valley confines are fun to work in. You should get online and try that mission when it's up.

 

But I've also enjoyed A2G on mixed servers, too, asking for (and receiving) fighter cover when enemy fighters were pressing too uncomfortably close. Pressing my attack under their umbrella and then running for home. Or sometimes just running for home when no help is available and using every tool available to get me there.

 

So it's definitely a very different experience from SP. Is it always great? No. But, then again, neither is SP. Is it usually fun? Yes. Can it get a bit frustrating from time to time? Of course. But all in all, the pros outweigh the cons and it gives the sim a completely new dimension.

 

Rich

[Treudd]

Thanks for another great tutorial movie.

 

I noticed an item in your Windows programs menu; "Black Shark".

Is that the real thing? I mean, do you take part in some kind of beta program? Is there a beta program? I would like to join but also understand that only veterans are allowed in that testing program.

[walternowi]

Thanks Ironhand!

[Ironhand]

...

I noticed an item in your Windows programs menu; "Black Shark".

Is that the real thing?...

I just put that there to tease people... ;) The sim isn't out yet.

 

Rich

[tflash]

Hello Ironhand, many, many thanks!

 

I happen to have two beginners questions:

 

1) when you start from the parking area, how do you know which way to turn to in the runway? On larger airbases, I often get completely lost.

 

2) when I land with an AI wingman, everything goes fine, I make sure I take the left side of the runway and the AI wingman is nealtly descending with me on the right side; but always, at the moment I touch down, the AI guy accellerates and flies away instead of landing. He the lands a few minutes later. What am I doing wrong?

[GhostRiderLSOV]

Very nice tutorial. :)

Though I still feel very uneasy to go and play online in HL.

I feel I'll do something that will mark me as "that guy must be AI", like the 2 A-10s colliding in the end. :P

[51GRIZZLY]

Originally Posted by tflash:

1) when you start from the parking area, how do you know which way to turn to in the runway? On larger airbases, I often get completely lost.

On most servers ( if no all ) you can use the F11 wiev to toggle trough all airbases then if you get to the one where you can see your self standing on tarmac ( zoom in and look at your aircraft number if necessary ) you allso will have a nice look from abowe where to go for the runway.

[Ironhand]

...

1) when you start from the parking area, how do you know which way to turn to in the runway? On larger airbases, I often get completely lost.

CountryCowfreak's suggestion certainly works. It just might take awhile to find your base and, then, yourself. Especially if you're like me and not sure which of the 2 or 3 bases your coalition is using is where you're starting.

 

If you stay in the cockpit, though, there are two useful clues--both premised on the fact that your aircraft will appear on the proper end of the base. Most (but not all) airbases have vehicles parked at both ends of the runway. Zoom your view and look for them. That's where you taxi to for takeoff. Usually you will only see one set because the other is too far away.

 

A second clue is the low rotating radar that is located midway down the runway at every airbase. Zoom your view and find it. First, remember that it's closer to the runway than you are. Second, if it's to your left, turn right out of the parking area. If it's to your right, turn left.

 

2) when I land with an AI wingman, everything goes fine, I make sure I take the left side of the runway and the AI wingman is nealtly descending with me on the right side; but always, at the moment I touch down, the AI guy accellerates and flies away instead of landing. He the lands a few minutes later. What am I doing wrong?

One of two things. Either you're not far enough to the left. Or your landing profile is too far out of parameters for the AI. (You might get down fine but he won't attempt it.) As you cross the threshold you have to be at the proper attitide, slow enough, and at an acceptable sink rate. At least that how it seems to me. I've never bothered to look into it closely. I just know that as long as I'm in a good landing profile crossing the threshold, he'll follow me down. It doesn't seem to matter how out of parameters I've been before that.

 

 

...I still feel very uneasy to go and play online in HL.

I feel I'll do something that will mark me as "that guy must be AI"

We all do something that marks us from time to time--some of us (me for instance) more often than others. :) But the truth of the matter is that nobody really much cares--friendly fire excepted (that one will usually get a rise out of your victim). But anyway, just go out and enjoy yourself. You'll screw up from time to time. But we all have.

 

Rich

[tflash]

Thanks for the good info!

[Woodstock]

Thanks a bunch, Rich, for this contribution!

From a community point-of-view, this is the most valuable track/video you ever did. It´s gonna be a classic. We´re going to see new folks online just because of this.

 

S!

[bSr.LCsta]

1) when you start from the parking area, how do you know which way to turn to in the runway? On larger airbases, I often get completely lost.

 

If external views are disabled you can also contact the tower. They will give you your runway, and then you need to check your HSI to determine the direction to taxi.

 

2) when I land with an AI wingman, everything goes fine, I make sure I take the left side of the runway and the AI wingman is nealtly descending with me on the right side; but always, at the moment I touch down, the AI guy accellerates and flies away instead of landing. He the lands a few minutes later. What am I doing wrong?

 

Like Ironhand said, if your profile is not correct he will abort. You can tell your wingman to "vector to airfield" once you reach final approach marker, then take the #2 position and follow him in. This will get you familiar with the AI landing profile.

[Banquo]

Thanks for all the tutorials you have done Ironhand.

 

As someone who has recently started playing Lock-On, they have been a big big help and are really appreciated.

 

Keep up the good work :thumbup:

[Ironhand]

...From a community point-of-view, this is the most valuable track/video you ever did. It´s gonna be a classic. We´re going to see new folks online just because of this.

I certainly hope so. Nothing worse than having people curious and/or interested but not knowing how to get there.

 

Rich

[VR_Chalky]

New Tutorial:: Flying Online: A Beginner's Guide

 

~S~ Rich

 

Thanks for your excellent tutorial "Flying Online: A Beginner's Guide to Getting There" :thumbup:

 

Ironhand:

Wonder why no one thought of it earlier. Wonder why I never thought of it earlier. :)

 

Absolutely invaluable.

 

Cheers

Chalky

[Flexman_UK]

Echo the above, thanks for the online play tutorial.

 

As an experienced online player with other games this tutorial did provide incentive for me to get online with Lomac and try a few servers which I probably would have put off or not tried at all without it.

 

I'm glad I did, although I found flying online still to be a fairly 'solo' experience but at least I has someone to chat to occasionally. But all the servers I tried had disabled external views which I really like, this diminishes the experience. So I don't think I'll be flying online unless someone can recommend some servers that are not so restrictive. Details on such options are not shown in game descriptions.

[Ironhand]

...But all the servers I tried had disabled external views which I really like, this diminishes the experience. So I don't think I'll be flying online unless someone can recommend some servers that are not so restrictive...

Most of the large servers on Hyperlobby (funded and run by various online squadrons) tend to have external views shut off because they want a more 'realistic' flight experience. A number of the 'servers' on Ubi, however, have external views turned on. (Or they have when I've dropped in--this is by no means a scientific sampling.) Many of these (perhaps all) are simply people using their personal PCs as servers so others can join their missions. So rather than having 30 slots available, you might only have 4 or 5 or 6. I've hosted a few missions there myself--externals on. It helps the new guys get the lay of the land. And, also, I enjoy watching the scenery (aircraft and otherwise) from outside the pit from time to time.

 

Rich

[theGozr]

Great work!

[Zuki]

Hello Ironhand, many, many thanks!

1) when you start from the parking area, how do you know which way to turn to in the runway? On larger airbases, I often get completely lost.

 

Just ask ATC for permission to taxi, they will tell you what runway (I.E. runway 24), then just look at your hud...see what direction 240 deg will face you, if turning left will get you to that heading... then taxi right... you will end up where you need to be.