Manny in Vietnam

[SFC Tako]

Fellow Huey-pilots!

I'm workin' on a Vietnam campaign, or rather, I've only just started.

So I've put out a sample mission in the user downloads section. Why? Well, with my history I sometimes get a bit "snowed in" when creating missions. The problem is that when I test them I get so used to everything and sort of drift away from reality. What reality? The reality of how OTHERS fly, how THEY react/respond to certain situations. Also, when I know the whole story of a mission...it sure helps when flying.

 

So please, DO give me feedback on this first mission. My aim is to make shorter missions that aren't over-complex BUT I still want them to be a challenge. Aaaand...as mentioned before, I tend to get "snowed in", so don't hesitate in pointing out if this mission is just too damn hard.

 

The questionnaire is all about the difficulty level, please respond to it so I can adjust accordingly. I don't want people to feel like it's mission impossible. But then again - this is Nam, man ;)

[DarkCrow]

I really enjoyed your mission. It took me a couple tries because I had trouble locating the ruins. They were very difficult to see even when I circled them for awhile. So I closed the mission to study where on the map it was and replayed.

 

I really liked the running insertion. However the first time I did it, it went smoother because I got lost for a little while looking for the ruins and my gunners had some time to expend some ammunition making me a little lighter not to mention fuel burn.

 

The second time I knew exactly where I was going and when in the LZ and in ground effect my rpm warning started going off and I had full collective pulled. I tried to reduce left pedal and even went to right pedal hoping to increase rpm and the only thing that saved me was the troops jumping out while I was spinning. :)

 

I didn't trigger any mines either time in the LZ. Very fun and I look forward to some more missions. I love a good challenge with the Huey!

[SFC Tako]

Big thanks, DarkCrow!

The ruins...I had trouble spotting them myself! Will adjust, most likely put them more in the open or perhaps on the northern treeline of that clearing (much better chances of spotting them.)

[rge75]

I'm also struggling finding the ruins. They should be somewhere between waypoint 1 and 2? I went North-East when the radio told me to do so and flew around quite a bit. Maybe it could help if people would know how the ruins look like (Picture in the briefing?). This way people know what to look for. And does altitude and speed matter to trigger it?

 

I'll give another try later on ;-)

[SFC Tako]

No worries, rge75 - it WILL be changed (I've already changed it in the campaign version). And waypoint 1 is just the ingress, waypoint 2 is VERY close to the ruins. But you're right, they ARE hard to find in this version of the mission. That picture idea...it's a keeper! :)

Altitude and speed doesn't matter at waypoint 1, altitude and speed DOES matter at the insertion though (it gets triggered when you keep five feet to the ground and cruise at about 5 knots).

[SFC Tako]

Just some work in progress. Will release a fully JSGME-compatible mod with everything. But first I'll have to ask herr Starway permission (cause he's done all the hard work really).

And furthermore, this campaign will be fully playable without the mod as well. I mean, it's in the central highlands of Vietnam - add some fog/low clouds and it looks pretty much alright without jungle anyway (Vietnam ain't ALL jungle, especially in the highlands). Have taken great care to have most missions as far away from civilization as possible ;)

 

EDIT: Tryout mission updated - ruin moved

Edited June 20, 2016 by SFC Tako

[FastForward]

Hey ! thanks for this great mission :thumbup:

 

I'm reading just now "Chickenhawk" and Wow ! I was really in the atmosphere, that's really great

 

I admit I had to cheat a little and go in the ME to see where I had to go, and yet I hovered long minutes above waypoint 1 to locate the ruin.....actually they're almost at waypoint 2.

 

I'm reading just now "Chickenhawk" and Wow ! I was really in the atmosphere, that's really great :)

 

No problem with take-off of the fake insertion though I'm not a great pilot, but it's definitely not for beginners.... Keep that level, I really LOVE it !

 

And I already have Starway's Vietnam mod and Skull's Huey Sound Mod installed, I had a great time.....

 

Looking forward for the campaign ! Great work, thanks :thumbup:

[TwoLate]

Thanks for this. Our squad has done some Multiplayer Vietnam missions with Farps, Hueys, A-7. It is a lot of fun. Also some radio 60 's music. Love hearing the CCR flying the Huey. And who can forget the classic What a wonderful world this is. Will follow this.

[SFC Tako]

@FastForward: Hey I've heard about that book! I'll buy it AFTER I'm done with this campaign. And then I'll get cross with myself for missing out on so many cool things ;)

About Starways Vietnam Mod: it's pretty damn well made but it's set in the FALL...so I can't amp up the temperature to more than 30 degrees C. I can't have that, this campaign begins in the dry period and I really need them day missions to be hot. So I've tinkered around and made Starways mod into a SUMMER mod! Anyways, I'll keep fixin around on little things like VC-skins and what not. Also, I'd recommend initially to run my mod separately from Starways mod. Just to avoid problems. JSGME is our friend - it's the best damn invention since sliced bread! ;)

 

@TwoLate: I've sort of fooled around with music, gonna make it loop on a certain frequency which you can have on while flying...and hear how it ends playing when Charlie hits your antenna (radio is usually the first system to die). But it'll be pretty dark music as this is the early seventies and morale is down with the Vietnamization, stoners, Nixon and all ;)

Will keep you posted.

[Andrew u.k.]

Great atmosphere again.

Read Chickenhawk. Best book about helicopters let alone vietnam.

Had a quick 10 mins today , looks good I'll have proper flight tonight.

 

@faastforward If you enjoyed chickenhawk, I just read easy target by Tom Smith, Similar style very good.

[SFC Tako]

@Andrew u.k. - Thanks :) And it's a done deal, will order Chickenhawk today! I've read too many zombie survival novels as of late, gotta get some Nam into me again ;)

 

Here's some more porn (very long though)

[Andrew u.k.]

Well done, a superb book, you'll love it, it reads like one of your campaigns.

I'm afraid I've skipped through the video and watched the highlights, however it's persuaded me to buy a TrackIR again.

[SFC Tako]

Andrew, I'd be dead like a Dodo without TrackIR. It's a MUST! ;)

[Andrew u.k.]

Nice mission.

I did struggle finding the ruins. I was expecting a castle or something. If I'd paid to go and see them with the kids I'd of felt gutted.

 

However Once I'd found them insertion was just right and fake drop off across valley was nice touch.

 

I also liked the climb back home.

 

Will you be making missions of a similar duration or will be longer? I personally like the shorter ones. That was just right.

 

Thanks for the mission.

[rge75]

The thing that confused me was that there was no feedback when I found the ruin, so I was not sure if it really was the ruin or not. However, I went down and the insertion worked ;-) I'm not sure if I did it the right way, but the event got triggered. It took me slightly longer on the 2nd insertion point. It was more hovering than anything else but when I pulled back the stick a bit to get slower, the event was triggered again. I'd say it wouldn't have looked good in a replay, but I was able to finish it at the 2nd attempt (in the 1st one, I crashed into the ruin because I wasn't 100% sure what to do *g*).

 

My opinion about the mission. It's a good difficulty for the 1st mission of the campaign. IMO it could be slightly more difficult if there aren't a lot more tasks to do. So either short and semi-difficult or long and not too hard ;-) What I dislike is a very long mission with a very hard task in the end. This can be frustrating for less skilled pilots. Overall it was pretty cool to once have a shorter mission. It was just the right thing after a long day at work.

 

edit: The thing I'm still not able to do is a sling load, so hopefully there won't be any in the campaign ;-)

[SFC Tako]

Will you be making missions of a similar duration or will be longer?

 

I'm leaning towards shorter missions. MAYBE some recon mission later on where you have to locate a propaganda radio station of sorts...but mostly short and intense. And hey, thanks for the feedback! :thumbup:

[SFC Tako]

What I dislike is a very long mission with a very hard task in the end. This can be frustrating for less skilled pilots.

 

I'd say I have to agree on that one, can be frustrating for ALL pilots ;)

And sling loads? Fuggetaboutit! Not in my missions. Same goes for embarkation, can't be trusted, won't be used. And again, thanks for the feedback! :)

[rge75]

And sling loads? Fuggetaboutit! Not in my missions. Same goes for embarkation, can't be trusted, won't be used.

 

You're the man :thumbup: Looking forward for the whole campaign. You're testing video already looks like a challenge.

[SFC Tako]

rge75, I lied about only putting out one tryout mission, the second is out as well.

Reason: I might have gotten carried away (again). I need some sane balanced testers for it ;)