To: falcon3 (Falcon3 Mailing list) Reply-To: falcon3 (Falcon3 Mailing list) Errors-To: postmaster@onion.rain.com Precedence: bulk Bcc: falcon3-outgoing Subject: Falcon3 Digest V3 : I91 Falcon3 Digest Volume 3 : Issue 91 Tue Jul 27 19:03:02 PDT 1993 Compilation copyright (C) 1993 Jeff Beadles Send submissions to "falcon3@onion.rain.com" Send add/drop requests to "majordomo@onion.rain.com" Archives are available via ftp from onion.rain.com [147.28.0.161] Today's Topics: Air Aces Robear Thoughts about interfaces hoppie@kub.nl (JeroenHoppenbrouwers Re: falcon pilot conversation.. tenbrins%ccmail@TACOM-EMH1.Army.Mil two little circles, and a dot. cisko@d0tokensun.fnal.gov (Greg Cis I goofed, folks.... jjsterre@acs.ucalgary.ca Re: 2 'lil circles & "I'm a dot!" cisko@d0tokensun.fnal.gov (Greg Cis ------------------------------------------------------------ From: Robear Subject: Air Aces Air Combat Electronic Squadrons, Inc. recently sent out a flyer to announce the actual organization of competitive wings. They have a list of impressive names as "advisors", and are setting up the regional squadrons, with local bbs's supplying the info exchange points. There will be some kind of newsletter, and a manual with lots of info on various sims, hardware and relevant books, updated regularly. You will get a listing of other pilots in your area code, (yes, you can choose how much info they get for privacy), monthly updates, and info on individual and squadron-level contests. You can request the sign-up forms from Mike Drake, ACES, Inc, PO Box 53, Prior Lake MN, 55372 USA. Within USA, call (800) AIR-ACES for strictly signup info; (612) 440-2530 to chat about the games themselves. THIS IS MIKE'S HOME! Both numbers should be used only during business hours, US CST. Anyway, that's the deal - $25 per year for local competition. David Pipes ------------------------------- From: hoppie@kub.nl (JeroenHoppenbrouwers) Subject: Thoughts about interfaces Hi there, What about these dark-rainy-evening thoughts? Q: What do I like about Falcon? A: Mostly its complexity, stress on technical skill and knowledge, its effort to be as realistic as possible (given our hardware), and the degree to which all things "live" in it. Q: Is Falcon a game, or is it a simulator? A: Definitely a simulator. It's too complicated to play with and for most gamers it needs far too much background knowledge (i.e. you *need* to read the manual, and a lot more if you want to become good at it). Q: So if it isn't a game, why should it contain all those extravagant stupid things like animations, custom controls, background music et al? A: Dunno. Some people apparently felt like creating a game. Who else thinks that Falcon 4 should be less game-like and more simulator- like? I mean: get rid of the animations and music, use normal controls for the configuration screens (preferably OS/2 PM like; Windows still looks and feels like a game to me), so that I see a familiar user interface that looks more like a technical setup utility, and update all the mission edit screens to conform to the rest of the civilised world. It would be most appropriate if all screens had at least 640*480 res, with the possible exception of the real-time simulation screens for performance reasons (sigh). I feel I really can do without all the Nintendo hype and would *LOVE* to give up music, animation, bitmaps etc. etc. if we could gain in terms of plain complexity. How many Falcon owners bought their copy because of the intro sequence and the F16 pilot stepping into the cockpit? These animations are wonderful, but I switched them off after one look and now only use them to impress gamers who appear in my room (so I agree, the gaming world wants animation and music. That's why they buy CD-ROMs today). Strike Commander *is* a game, although it is a damned difficult one. In that program, the animations etc. are very well placed. But in Falcon, you spend less time in the cockpit than in the planning room. I can do more with AutoCAD-like maps and drawings than with the current pictures of theatres. I want DATA, NUMBERS, GRAPHS, TABLES--much like FalcCalc provides me with. No need for graphics (well... some are fun :-) More people think that Falcon should become more technical? Even if it scares away gamers? Jeroen ------------------------------- From: tenbrins%ccmail@TACOM-EMH1.Army.Mil Subject: Re: falcon pilot conversation.. ..you were talking (gushing) about a pilot who is the only living pilot with their plane on display at the air and space museum in DC? When did Chuck Yeager die? Or isn't the X-1 considered an aircraft? No flame intended, just wondering. I also think there are some WWII vintage anonymous planes who anonymous pilots are probably still around. How about the space vehicles? Some of those astronauts are still with us. Ok, enough. I wish I could again visit the hills of W. Va. Steve in Michigan ------------------------------- From: cisko@d0tokensun.fnal.gov (Greg Cisko) Subject: two little circles, and a dot. >Look you HUD, boyz, see *two* little circles. See one dot. One little Okay, you got me here! >circle have little line up top. Other little circle have 3 little line, >one each side, one down bottom. One little circle, call him "flight I'm sure that the "other" with 3 lines is the flight path marker. I believe, that the 3 little lines represent your f16's wings & tail fin. I think that is what I read on page 140 of the owners manual. >path marker", OK. One little dot never move. Call him "center of HUD". >Other little circle, him have 3 little lines. Two little circle both >move. Both little circle slaved to joystick. Put flight path marker They ARE slaved in a round about sort of way. Since the flight path marker will show your change in direction. Try moving your stick while you are on the runway. Are the 2 circles still slaved? >on top runway, good you land. Put other little circle on bandit butt, >good you shoot. Little dot for contemplate when no can see navel. >What you call him, "other little circle"? I guess I must be loosin' it. I have really, only noticed the one circle (with 3 lines) moving around (in BFM). The second one, that has no lines, that you line up on the runway??? I'll check when I get home. But it sounds like it is related to angle of attack. Could this one only appear when the ILS is on?? >-longjohn OH ya one last thing: >From: primus@netcom.com (Robert keng) >Subject: Ghost planes and the funnel... >Gun kills in padlock?!? How'd you manage that? I've tried to do that before 6) The most important! Is to practice, practice, practice. Then practice some more. >but it seems that in padlock, for some strange reason, the bullets don't go >where I expected them to go. Maybe it's because I'm used to using the center And this is why--> 5) Your best bet... Watch your tracers & adjust accordingly. >dot as my frame of reference and not the funnel.. Well, be carefull about spending too much time contemplating dots & circles. You might just miss that Mig coming up on your 6. In which case, the names of those little circles wouldn't matter as much as how to use them. Greg Cisko ------------------------------- From: jjsterre@acs.ucalgary.ca Subject: I goofed, folks.... A while back I suggested an alternate method for running campaigns via modem in Falcon 3.0. Further testing over the past couple sessions has shown that it is not very reliable. 8( When I'm the answerer, it works. When my buddy is the answerer, it works only about half the time. (He changed modems during this process - the 9600 worked better than the new 14.4K). (For thosewho forget, this method involved breaking the connection to cause F3 to save the campaign data.) Thus, I'm afraid I can't recommend it anymore (unless you feel lucky!) Sorry about the earlier false positive; we're having a bake sale of humble pie at my house just now.... James Sterrett jjsterre@acs.ucalgary.ca ------------------------------- From: cisko@d0tokensun.fnal.gov (Greg Cisko) Subject: Re: 2 'lil circles & "I'm a dot!" Okay, as promised I looked up this info. I even sat on the runway & moved my stick to see what was & what wasn't slaved to the joystick. >Look you HUD, boyz, see *two* little circles. See one dot. One little >circle have little line up top. Other little circle have 3 little line, The circle with 3 lines is definately the "flight path marker". As described in my earlier message. >one each side, one down bottom. One little circle, call him "flight >path marker", OK. One little dot never move. Call him "center of HUD". "One little dot never move." Definately this is the centerpoint. >Other little circle, him have 3 little lines. Two little circle both >move. Both little circle slaved to joystick. Put flight path marker Yes both little circles move!! The one with "line up top" is definately the only one that is slaved to the joystick. I confirmed this by sitting on the runway, moving my stick. This circle followed wherever I put the joystick. So it is apparently a visual cue for the position of your joystick. Nothing more. :-) >on top runway, good you land. Put other little circle on bandit butt, If you put the flight path marker at the base of the runway then "good you land". Assuming you have met all the other landing parameters. >good you shoot. Little dot for contemplate when no can see navel. Perhaps... Perhaps not. >What you call him, "other little circle"? You mean the one with "line up top"? I'm starting to think it's a pain in the ass!! Does kind of look like a joystick icon though. >-longjohn Phew... Greg Cisko ------------------------------- [[ End of digest Volume 3 : Issue 91 ]]