WWII Fighters lesson 1: Basic Online Play info

Dude Joined: Jul 21, 2003 Posts: 12 Location: USA

Lesson #1: Basic Online Play Information

This is lesson 1/6, to help new pilots get a handle on how to be successful at playing Janes World War II Fighters in HyperLobby. This post is just a reference for new pilots. Referring them here will save a lot of time, typing, and confusion.

Playing Janes World War II Fighters online:

As fun as this game is playing offline (single-player), it is no where near as chalenging and satisfying as dogfighting with and against human pilots. Since this is a relatively old game, there are not as many people that show up in the Lobby as a few years ago. So if there is no one in the lobby when you sign on, let people know you are available to play online by staying logged on to HyperLobby. Even if you decide to fly single-player mission, log into HyperLobby and launch the game from there. Then come back and check to see if someone is waiting to play every few minutes. Your callsign will stay listed in the main lobby on the "In Flight" list, and people will wait for you to come back.

There are all kinds of pilots who play this game at places like HyperLobby from all over the world. Ages range from 10 to 80 year old, with the same kind of ranges in personality, mentality, and egos. Even if they are not Americans, most every pilot speaks English, and many will gladly help you when asked. But remember, they are there to fly and it can be hard to get some attention and help until people get to know you, so please be patient. Assuming that you are a new pilot, you should know that you are welcome anytime, and that the veteran pilots love to meet new people from all over the world ... and kill them. Seriously though, there are some standards, which are generally accepted, that make online Dogfighting more pleasurable for everyone.

Standard Online Game Settings:

There are two ways to change the game settings (listed below); one is by selecting them in single player mode under "Game Options." Or you can edit the "ww2" Notepad configuration (or sometimes called the ww2ini) file (found in the file folder at C:Program Files/Janes Combat Simulations/WWII Fighters). However, for online-play some of the settings are determined by whoever hosts the mission. The host will be the pilot in the top slot when you launch the game from the main lobby. So the hosts settings will apply to everyone in the game, regardless of your personal settings. Whether you host a mission or not, there is a certain difficulty level that you should get used to. Good pilots spend a lot of time keeping their skill level sharp, so if you host a mission with easy settings, many veterans will quit your game early, if they play with you at all. I am going to explain some of the game settings here, but talk about changing them in more detail in the following lesson. As stated, some of these settings will depend on who hosts the mission, but most of the game setting will apply only to the way you see the game.

Ammo (line item ".UnlimitedGuns" in the ww2 config file): Determined by the host. There are three options; Normal, Triple, & Unlimited (value range from 0 to 2 in the ww2 config file). Unlimited (2) ammo is for novices since it allows people to spray instead making a shot. Triple (1) ammo is a popular choice. Normal (0) or single ammo requires the most skill, but it can be frustrating if the online-lag is bad, because you will waste a lot of your ammo shooting at lag-ghosts.

Durability (.Invulnerable): Determined by the host. This setting ranges from Normal to Tough to Invincible (0 to 2). Set this to Normal (0) and get used to it. This game is a simulation of reality, not an arcade.

Flak (.Flak): Determined by the host. This setting ranges from Easy to Moderate to Realistic (0 to 2, I think). Moderate to Hard Flak (1 to 2) will frustrate many people with surprise kills. Easy Flak (0) still allows some flak, but keeps the contest result mainly between the combatants.

Flight Model Level (.FlightModelLevel): Determined by the host. This setting ranges from Easy to Hard (1 to 5). Flight Models 1 to 3 (FM1 to FM3), will delay airplane-stalling to the point that it almost never happens. FM1 to FM3 are novice settings and should be avoided because they make flying too easy. The art of Dogfighting with propeller driven aircraft is being a good pilot, which means managing your energy. Every time you turn your plane, you will loose some speed, keep turning hard enough without any regard for your energy situation, and eventually every plane will stall. Anything below FM4 gives too much of an advantage to poor energy managers. Several veteran pilots think anything below FM5 gives too much of an advantage to poor managers. So set your game to level 4 or 5.

Gun Difficulty (.GunneryDifficulty): Determined by the host. This setting effects your gun aiming, and ranges from Easy to Moderate to Hard (0.000 to 0.25 to 1.000). Except for Hard-Guns, the computer will shift your bullet stream from where you are aiming (sometimes incorrectly) to an angle that will strike your opponent. Getting your guns pointed in exactly the right direction at just the right time is probably the toughest job a pilot has to do, and if you allow the computer to aim for you, how will you know when you are really on target? In other words, Easy to Moderate aiming will literally teach you to be a poor shot, and should be avoided at all costs!

Mid-Air Collisions (.MidAirCollision): Determined by the host. For some reason this is separated into two line items in the "ww2" configuration file. Collisions-Off allows people to make unrealistic head to head confrontations, but it keeps the people with little Dogfighting ability from ramming. Collisions-On can be frustrating, but it requires more skill to avoid ramming, and then fly away from a head to head attack.

Blackout/Redout (.BlackOut), Whiteout (.WhiteOut), Shadows (.Shadows), Lens Flare (.LensFlare), Target Window (.TargetBoxDisplayed), Real Size (.RealSize), etc. are all personal settings and do not effect the other players in the mission. There are many other settings in that file, but its up to you to get them how you want. Basically, for online play you will want to sacrifice graphical detail for a higher frame-rate speed, that way the planes move in a smooth continuous flight path on your computer screen. The alternative is setting the graphical detail so high that your internet connection can not handle all the extra data, and "lag" will be introduced to the game and cause the planes to jump around in the sky, sometimes making the game unplayable. .NumDeer is a prime example of something that should be set to 0. Those deer running along the ground serve no useful purpose in a Dogfight, and they only contribute to lag for everyone.

Additionally, to avoid any unwanted changes to your "ww2" configuration file, you should save it as a read-only file. It is also a good idea to save a read-only copy of the original file in another folder before you make any modifications, so you can refer back to it when needed. That process is explained in the next lesson.

Plane and Side Selection:

To join an online fight, click on an empty space in one of the missions in the main lobby. The host is the pilot in the top slot, they will start the mission. After you launch from Hyper Lobby and before you actually start flying, there are two ready-rooms. One room is for selecting teams, and discussing the rules of engagement (see below). The second (last) room is for selecting your plane and its configuration.

Game Title: Most everyone displays the game rules, some in some abbreviated form in this top line. (See below)

Allied (Friend) or Axis (Enemy): Click on the menu (down) button, and select a side or team, then click the "Ready" button to confirm your choice. If you need to change sides, hit the "Ready" button again, change sides, then ready-up once more (do not hit the "Cancel" button, that will take you completely out of the mission), and send you back to the main lobby. If someone asks you to change sides, do not take it personally, just do it and you will probably understand why later.

Chatting: Click in the lowest part of the chat area and type there. Please do not interrupt the host while they are trying to explain the rules in the ready-rooms. If you have some thing to talk about, wait and do it in the main lobby. If you have any doubts about the rules or what the host is saying, be sure to get your answers before the host continues to the plane selection screen.

In the second ready-room where you select a plane, only your options will be active. The other players selections will be in Grey, but they may or may not be accurate. The game-host will determine the rest of the selection in this second ready-room.

Planes: Unless otherwise directed, leave this number at 1. Extra Artificial Intelligence (AI) piloted planes cause lag, and will not be able to revive once they are shot down.

Skill Level: This feature allows you to select Ace, Veteran, Experienced, or Rookie pilot skill level for the AI piloted planes only. It does not directly effect the performance of your plane unless you activate the autopilot function.

Plane Type: No matter whether your are on the Allied or Axis side, you may select any "fighter" plane you wish. However, the P-38 and the Me-262 are planes for experienced pilots, they require special tactics and a lot of patience. If you are fighting a 2v2 fight and you do not know what you are doing with these planes, your wingman will pay with his life, over and over again. All the other fighters are by no means simple, just simpler.

Loadout: If you are flying a Fw190 or a Me109, then you can choose gun pods. The pods may cost you some speed and maneuverability, but they are a valid choice. Rockets are fun, but they almost NEVER hit another plane, and THEY WILL SLOW YOU DOWN (even after you fire them, because the game simulates rocket racks under the wings causing drag on the plane) and that will make you more of a target. Bombs and Fuel are not useful for Dogfighting.

Altitude, Weather, Time of Day, Situation, Separation, and Target settings all are selected by the host. You may or may not see any changes the host makes before the game starts. If you have any preferences or questions on these settings, be sure to tell them to the game-host before you click on the "Ready" button.

Online Game-Play Rules:

This game is about pilot skill, teamwork, and the enjoyment of getting a fair kill against other good pilots trying to do the same. To keep things from getting too heated, there are some generally accepted rules. If you make a habit of breaking or disregarding these rules, then other pilots will make a habit of disregarding you. The pilot in the top slot of the mission list is the host. He determines the rules of engagement as well as many of the game settings (see above). If you have any questions about how the fight will be conducted, get your answers before you sign up for the mission in Hyper Lobby. Please do not waste other pilots time by quitting in the ready room once everyone has launched from the lobby.

In-Flight Messages: Be sure to pay attention to all messages that appear on your screen during the fight. Some are for fun, some are compliments, some are trash-talking, and some are important information or instructions. To send a message or ask a question in flight:

1. Hit the Tilde-Key ( ~ key, right above the Tab-Key);
2. Then the F2-Key;
3. Type your message;
4. Then hit the Enter-Key to send the message.

If you wish to send a private message, you may also select a specific pilot or side from the menu. This is very useful in combat situations. Replying to a message is secondary to flying. But if you see a plane level out and sending messages, take a break from the fighting and listen up.

Hot or Cold Pass: This is a rule that deals with the very first of the game when all the planes start face to face. Hot pass is where you shoot on sight. A cold pass is where you do not engage another plane until all planes have passed and separated a prescribed distance. Cold pass also means that no one should begin turning or executing ANY kind of tactical positioning (such as diving or climbing) until after the initial pass. The idea for a cold pass is to let the game data settle into smooth operation when it first loads up into all the players computers, (which can usually be remedied by an initial separation of 5 miles at the start). A cold pass is not a "free ticket" for fast turning planes to get behind slower turning planes. (For me, if cold is not really cold, then it is hot. Which means as soon as I see anyone turning or positioning, then its GUNZ GUNZ GUNZ).

Running Score: Kill marking decorations appear on your plane if you have a positive net score. These are "+" markings on the side of Allied planes, and "i" markings on the tail of Axis planes. You can get a rough running total of your net score by switching to an external view and counting the kill markings on the side of your plane. For example, if you shoot someone down, then go head to head against another opponent; only to get killed in the nose to nose collision, you have made two kills and gotten killed once, resulting in one net kill. This will add one kill marking to your plane. Every time you have a net loss, you will loose a decoration. Overall, if you have been killed more than you have scored kills (negative net score), then you may only see one kill decoration, or none at all. When you see an opponent with a lot of decorations, that was probably not luck, so be careful about going after them again, lest you add yet another kill decoration to their plane.

Reviving (Alt-R): Generally, you should not revive in mid-air. Most people will be repositioned after a revive, and reviving when you are in trouble is not sporting. When someone gets a kill, lucky or not, let them have the win, wait a few moments, then revive. Luck goes both ways. Additionally, there is a game glitch; where if someone revives too quickly after a kill, the games graphical damage model may not have enough time to fully reset, causing a plane to regenerate with graphical (but not actual) damage. When this happens, you will see a plane flying without a wing or an engine, or even be smoking carcass. Many times those planes will become invisible or un-targetable to the other players in the game. In the rare case that someone tells you that you are invisible, you should revive immediately (in flight) without any discussion or arguments, because the pilot of an "invisible" plane will not be able to tell that he is invisible to other pilots. Additionally, do not continue to shoot someone once they are dead. That may cause them to revive with actual (not just graphical) damage. If you revive and are still being shot (from the previous kill only), then quickly revive again. These are the only times mid-air reviving is acceptable.

Bailing out (Shift-Alt-B): Some hosts allow you to bail out of your plane and then revive immediately, even when you are still high above the ground. If your plane has not sustained too much damage, and you can successfully bailout, just as soon as you see the canopy pop open, send the message "bailing out" to everyone in the game, and then wait until your parachute fully opens before reviving.

Ground-Only Revives: Most mission hosts will not allow bailing out; or if they do, they want you to wait and revive only after your plane crashes and your pilot is on the ground.

Quitting a Match (Shift-Q): Be sure to send a message (see above) thanking everyone for the match, at the very least say "gg" (for great game), and quit by pressing Shift-Q. This will notify everyone that you have left the fight and your plane will totally disappear from the game. It will also take you to a screen that shows you the results of the match: Like how many kills your team made, how many kills you made, how many losses, etc. Be advised, these results can be wildly inaccurate if bailing out and reviving at altitude is allowed by the game-host. Another method to leave a game is the Alt-F4 command, but this command gives no notification to the other players that you have left the fight, it also leaves a ghost of your plane still flying around in the game, and you will not get to see the results page. Alt-F4 is designed to let you get out when your computer locks up, otherwise it is very rude to use this command for simply exiting a game.