Pilot Archive

1. You *must* learn to think in three dimensions. This is not a car or a motorcycle or a speeder.
   By the same token, it's SPACE, so each axis is replaceable by the other - meaning up is always relative to you, not the ground. So you can spin, turn, 'dive', climb, whatever... up is always up. So, as the saying goes, 'think outside the box', and understand that though some rules apply (inertia for example) others don't (like gravity).


2. So then, learning to control your ship - alone.




1. Customize your controls if you have to, but set yourself up in such a way as to have access to all the most important controls without looking (and eventually without thought) regardless of controller of choice.
   These include:




1. Thrust/decelerate


2. Boosters


3. Yaw


4. Pitch


5. Roll


6. Fire Primary


7. Fire Secondary


8. Fire Countermeasures


9. Targetting options

1. You *must* learn to think in three dimensions. This is not a car or a motorcycle or a speeder.
   By the same token, it's SPACE, so each axis is replaceable by the other - meaning up is always relative to you, not the ground. So you can spin, turn, 'dive', climb, whatever... up is always up. So, as the saying goes, 'think outside the box', and understand that though some rules apply (inertia for example) others don't (like gravity).
   


2. So then, learning to control your ship - alone.
   




1. Customize your controls if you have to, but set yourself up in such a way as to have access to all the most important controls without looking (and eventually without thought) regardless of controller of choice.
   These include:




1. Thrust/decelerate


2. Boosters


3. Yaw


4. Pitch


5. Roll


6. Fire Primary


7. Fire Secondary


8. Fire Countermeasures


9. Targetting options
   


2. Once you have the controls configured, you need to learn to combine your motion. Not much different than driving a car or a bicycle at first. To start with, flying in a straight line is easy, but turning 180 degrees takes time, correct? It's like a long, sweeping highway turn. You simply can't turn quickly... so do as you would in a car -> slow down.
   In the case of JtL, the *optimum* turn speed seems to be between 1/3 and 1/2 of your maximum.
   Once you reach the apex of the turn, as you would in a car or a bike, accelerate. You will see your ship 'snap' out of the turn.
   


3. Want to turn even faster?
   Slow down, and do the following all at once:
   Turn right;
   Climb;
   Torque Right;
   then Accelerate at the apex.
   You should have turned much much more quickly. That is because you're turning on 3 axis, not just one.
   


4. Now, notice though that your ship seemed to slide when you tried to turn?
   Yes, that's inertia. Things like to keep on doing what they're already doing... you might want to turn, but your ship didn't. It's trying to keep going where it was going.
   You need to account for this when you plan your turns, and it will apply more later as you gain skill. It can be used as a tactic all on its own....
   You CAN however reduce it -- by applying extra force. So once you get *close* to the end of your turn, slap your Boosters on, and you'll have countered your inertia nicely. Very useful, those boosters...
   


5. You now have the *basic* principles of space flight!
   


3. Learning to fly your ship.... intermediate techniques
   




1. Alright, so you can fly your ship and turn quickly... what does that give you? Well, that's all there is to flying, when you get right down to it. Oh there are advanced maneuvers like sliding rolls, barrel rolls, looped rolls... but they all are a variation on a turn. Now you're going to learn how to apply some of these concepts in three dimensions.
   


2. Anticipation! OK, so you see a ship and he's red and he's coming straight for you!! What to do!?
   Well, don't panic. You have power in the form of knowledge.




1. You know he's going to shoot at you from head on


2. You know he's going to try to turn faster than you to do it again


3. You know if he can he'll try to get behind you and sit on your tail.
   


3. So what do you do about it? Well, first of all, your best defense is not to get hit. Make yourself a VERY difficult target.
   This is best accomplished by a tight spiral.
   To do this (practice on some stationary object first), you need to roll, turn, and lift all at once.
   Preferably not 100% of any... more about 35-50% of each except roll.
   Basically, lift about half, right about half, and roll left about half. With an oncoming ship, he should be (relative to you) sitting about 1/2-way to one side or corner of your screen until you're almost ready to pass him.
   Properly done, you can watch his laser shots fly by you one behind the other... a pretty lights display
   


4. What's next? Well, you're already turning! so when your opponent is nearly at the point of passing you, drop the throttle, reduce the roll, and turn to his tail. You have a strong advantage here - you're turning, he's not -- it's a guarantee it will take him longer to turn than it did you!
   


5. Once you are on his tail... it can get tricky.
   He's going to try to shake you... so you need to make sure he can't.
   AI is good for this. If you let him get too far ahead, he'll turn on you and you're right back where you started - nose to nose.
   However, if you can get in close enough, fast enough... he won't. He'll just try to turn and hope you give up.
   So how do you do that?
   Well, the Boosters, to start, to make sure you get moving quick... but now we have to start thinking in 3d, and not just *fly at something*.
   
   If you fly towards the lead indicator right off, you are going to set yourself up for an intercept course - putting you ahead of him. Since he is already turning and partway turned towards you, you would then be making it EASIER for him to get away from you.
   So, you need to choose a direction about 1/3 the distance between the leader and his ship -- BEHIND him.
   By doing this, you're re-opening that 180 degree angle you want and making it impossible for him to turn on you. Anything he can do... so can you.
   Once the distance is closed, and the angle is closed... creep up your nose at him until you're at the leader.
   EASY, Gentle adjustments. Don't *jerk* at it. Just take your time, and get a solid steady aim.
   


6. FIRE! Shoot that crosshair! You may have to adjust your exact location in the crosshairs, gently... if you're missing, STOP SHOOTING. Get a steady spot you think will hit, and try again.
   Notice where you miss... too far, close behind, off to one side... and adjust a little accordingly.
   You'll find your sweet spot.
   Remember too that while too close is very tough to hit, otherwise the closer the better. To me, optimum range is about 75 to 100 meters. For others they prefer to shoot from 150-200. Just be close enough he can't turn on you, and you can find your own *sweet spot*.
   


4. Mutliple Targets!!!
   




1. Don't Panic!!!
   Habitually, in a wing of 3 opponents, they will come at you as a wing, in formation, until after the pass.
   So, the same spiral maneuver will save your forward shields, and the same rules apply for turning about.
   What to do after you turn? Typically, one will break off to try to draw you - usually whichever you decided (or the auto-targetter did) to target first. Don't let him. Stick with the pair. As a matter of fact, take the leader of the pair.
   Two in front that can't shoot you and one behind is far preferable to 1 in front and 2 shooting at your back....
   DISABLE. One behind the other. The commands for that are [ and ] to target the engine or reactor.
   Just disable them, then sweep out for the third.
   If you feel you are in too tight of a spot, or the 2nd also breaks, you can always change targets.
   


2. Do not get glued on one target if the others are behind you!
   I can't stress that enough.
   If the other targets are hitting you, then break off, unless you are sure you can handle it.
   Break off, and execute some maneuvers. The Spiral will work just as well when the enemy is behind as it does when he's in front.
   It will also let them catch up to you. Wonder why that's a good thing?
   Because when they get close enough, you can execute the 180 degree turn you learned earlier twice in a row, and that will put them right in front of you.
   Pick one, follow it, disable it, and move on to the next target.
   Fighting in space can be much like a sport - you need to formulate a strategy, and adjust it as you go.
   Sometimes there's overtime, just dig in and prepare for the ride.
   


3. Don't get caught in the single-leader trap. What that basically means is that while you are shooting at the ship in front of you, you are at your most vulnerable to that ships wingmen. You are flying in HIS pattern, at HIS speed, in HIS turning arc. That means his wingmen can follow you exaclty and shoot you down very quickly.
   That means you need to be aware of your opponents positions at all times! If you think they're setting up behind you, BREAK.
   


5. Set up a safety!
   There is a thread somewhere here that has an excellent escape macro.
   When all else fails... well... RUN!
   It's much easier on the wallet!

There is, of course, much much more to piloting than just this, but these are the basics.

Once you get comfortable with the above, you will find yourself suddenly duplicating maneuvers you see others do, or *inventing your own* (though there's not really much that's truly new hehe) and having a great time of it.

Myself,I like to barrel roll out of a turn and slide in underneath them... I call it *dropping in un-invited*... but I know it's not original... but it sure is fun!

I hope this helps at least some people who are finding JtL challenging.

Vets of flight sims, feel free to add anything you feel I've missed that's important, or a continuation of what I started.

Message Edited by IonControl on 11-08-2004 06:19 PM

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casho wrote:

Seeing as no real life "flying risks"up here, use them to your advantage. No G suits here, so one killer move particularly in PVP, is a negG turn, a roll out or break in your opening move tells a lot about you. and I have experienced a few great fights, and the best ones opened up with that, and I knew I had a good one on my hands.. Think of it as doing a forward flip roll.

Most people have a tendency to come down on a target, it is natural, works withgravity, it's a blind spot in real life and what everyone will do naturally. You tend to follow high, fight that reflex, approach from underneath when in ragne match their speed and continue doing so, so when your opponent roles out and up, most break left and up, you are already leading them. Watch your opponent in the opening volley or their approach, which way did they break or fly by. There is no way to predict any opponent, unless you have flown with them or against them time and time again. WIth this in mind, there are two characteristics about a person that translate a lot to the game. Sighting is one, and dominant hand is the other. Now, none of this is based on science, but as a small recreation aircraft pilot, I find that most times, people have a tendency to follow thier dominent hand direction, a comfort reaction. They turn better one way, role better one way. Next time your in combat, don't think about it, react to it. You will find if you are right handed, you prefer to bank left, and roll left. it is a natural tendency you also find that 90% of the time, when you engage, your turns and rolls will be based on this, and you will keep your targets on your approaching left side. Now not saying that knowing which hand your oponent writes with is important, cause it is not, but by knowing just a little about your tendancies will go miles in the right direction and also seeing patterns in other people quickly, to be one step ahead of them.

Didn't proof read, hope its coherent, send a message if ya got a question

Do not become predicfable. because someone will own you.

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Most especially for PvP (where extended fights are possible), repeating the same maneuver twice in a fight is either a mistake or *suckering*... repeating it 3times is a guaranteed death certificate.

Whenever you teach yourself tactics, do not get caught in habit-forming maneuvers.

Where you know you'll be repeating yourself, (f. ex. Duty Missions), then do something a little different each time.