Newb questions

[Revthought]

I, like some others I've seen post in here, am having a bit of a problem with this game. Let me start by saying that I am not your typical flight-sim player. In fact, I don't believe I've played a flight sim since f-16 eagle in the early 1990s (maybe even late 80s).

So with this in mind, I'm really interested in this game... which seems awesome. My problem I suppose is that the game seems VERY tilted in the favor of flight sim fans. Which is great, as long as the tutorials are good.

The problem is, there aren't any tutorials. Except for "training" missions, which are really missions that involve you being "told" what to do in the title screen. So I managed to do the takeoff tutorial loading it, then reading the key maps to see what did what.

I took off and moved onto the landing tutorial. Of course, there is no tutorial (you see where I'm going with this)...

So my first question is about the landing tutorial. From what I can tell, there isn't actually a landing strip (or I can't find it). I've found the airbase, complete with hangars... but there seems no appropriate place to land. And with no guidance (I originally just assumed I was on final approach so go straight until you see a landing strip) I just end up landing in fields or flying around in circles. So where is/how do I identify the landing strip?

My second question is this, should I bother playing this game with my keyboard? I don't have a flight stick (and don't really want one), but I am finding it incredibly difficult to not get shot down in the "Turkey Shoot" scenario. I can't seem to, using the keyboard, get my aircraft to make hard banks, she just slowly turns as the German me109 flies circles around me.

Are there any resources for new players, and true flight sim-novices out there?

Cheers,

-Scott

[buddye]

Hi Scott,

First, BOBII is as historicly accurate as possible and most RAF airfields had grass during the BOB (1940). Yes, grass airfields are harder to ID. It takes some practice to ID grass airfields (they are a lighter green). You should practice your takeoffs and landing on Airfields with real runways (no grass) so you can see the runways easy. Select the airfield at Tangmere rather then the default as you have done on your landing mission.

Second, the game is not really designed for the keyboard (I do not recomend you learn to fly with the keyboard). You will need a good joystick to fly and enjoy BOBII (get one with a twist handle so you can control the rudder).

Here is a post that I did for another Novice which I think fully applies to you (I hope anyway):

I had a very frustrated Novice who purchased BOBII at another forum. This is the advice I offered him at the time. I offer this information here in hope some other BOBII interested Novice players or buyers will come along and read it. I also hope some of our outstanding community will offer some Novice tips to this sticky thread.

Hi NOVICE, welcome to BOBII, and sorry for the disappointment and frustration. I have been there myself. I hope you will stick with it as the rewards are significant for player interested in history, WWII, A/C , flying, and BOB. The game simulates each and every day of the BOB in the campaign and you can play on either the RAF or LUF side but you must learn to fly, shoot, and control the game first.

The game has a learning curve even for the very experienced flight simulation players (100's of features and options with over 200 key commands) so controlling the game takes some time and effort. The features are explained in the Users Manual (located in the BOBII folder in the Docs folder) for the GUI (Graphic User's Interface), options in appendix A, and Keys in Appendix H. You will need to scan and read the User Manual.

Take you time as BOBII is more of a hobby (if interested) than a simple game. We like to think of BOBII as "The BOB Time Machine" where you can get the closest feeling possible to a real life BOB pilot fighting in the BOB that any simulation can provide.

Yes, a Newbie Guide or some well documented tutorials would be outstanding but the game is being maintained and update by an all unpaid volunteer group called BDG (see other sticky threads for BDG information). We do not have the people to do another document or well documented tutorials. Most all information about the game is in the Users Manual but I do agree the information is not directed at the new flight Simulation player. Actually, all Flight Simulation games are that way in my experience.

I will give you a few tips but the best thing is for you to come to the A2A forum (if you are reading this then congrats you made it) and meet the community and ask questions. Our community is a G rated and very mature group of BOBII fans who will gladly help you with your questions, concerns or comments.

BTW, I recommend reading all the sticky threads on both the technical forum and the General forum as they contain some very useful information.

Now for Buddye’s Newbie Tips (or BoBII for beginners). This is how I started my grandson out on BOBII but I hope many players will add their Tips to this thread in the future.

First, try to set you game up for Novice.

Options->Sim , set flight model = Novice

Second, Go to your BOBII folder (where the game is installed) and find a file called the BDG.txt (Appendix A in the Users Manual). Double click on the Bdg.txt file to open, or open it with NotePad so you can edit it (be sure to save your edits). Find and set the following Bdg.txt parameters (use the find under the edit for Notepad):

Novice_AI=ON #Only valid in Instant Action missions
Novice_Target_Size=ON #Note: Larger target for easy kills (practice or testing)
Novice_Gunnery_Predictor=ON # NOTE Must padlock target to see predictor, switch to view F8 to practice

Also for a bit more punch for your bullet hits:

Player_Stronger_Bullets=ON #NOTE Only the player has the stronger bullets (not the AI)

The Novice_Gunnery_Predictor will require you to padlock a target (the enter key is a toggle for ON/OFF padlock) but it will help you learn to shoot (and deflection shoot) by showing the "lead" (a big red X to shoot at).

Stick to the Instant action Missions (Turkey Shoot, 1-on-1, and single fighter against single bomber) until you get comfortable with flying and shooting. It seems that most people keep interest if they are flying and killing AI A/C.

Then you can slowly back off the Novice setting one at a time.

If you are really not interested or you do not have the time for learning how to control BOBII then you should consider other games which are simpler to play.



Here is a link to the Users Manual for you to review:

http://www.shockwaveproductions.com/bob_dev/bob2_manual.rar

Here are some key new items to review:
1. Key Description Document -- Appendix H
2. BDG.txt -- Appendix A
3. The menu setting/options

All BOBII players started out as Novices. Please come to the BOBII forum and let the community help you with your learning curve (which is significant but well worth the cost if you enjoy WWII, history, A/C and BOB). BoBII is more of a hobby then a game.

Here is a link to the BOBII General Forum:

http://a2asimulations.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=10

[Revthought]

ORIGINAL: buddye

Hi Scott,

First, BOBII is as historicly accurate as possible and most RAF airfields had grass during the BOB (1940). Yes, grass airfields are harder to ID. It takes some practice to ID grass airfields (they are a lighter green). You should practice your takeoffs and landing on Airfields with real runways (no grass) so you can see the runways easy. Select the airfield at Tangmere rather then the default as you have done on your landing mission.

Buddye, many thanks for this. I thought I was going mad! I will try switching the airbase as you've suggested, but first I'd like to take that information and see if I can actually find the airstrip.

Second, the game is not really designed for the keyboard (I do not recomend you learn to fly with the keyboard). You will need a good joystick to fly and enjoy BOBII (get one with a twist handle so you can control the rudder).

This part really disappoints me. Afaik, flight sticks run anywhere from $50 to $200. This is quite an expense considering I'd have no use for it other than playing BOBII.

Maybe someone could give me some suggestions on cheaper options, if there are any, otherwise I think I'm going to be confined to using a keyboard.

Here is a post that I did for another Novice which I think fully applies to you (I hope anyway):

I had a very frustrated Novice who purchased BOBII at another forum. This is the advice I offered him at the time. I offer this information here in hope some other BOBII interested Novice players or buyers will come along and read it. I also hope some of our outstanding community will offer some Novice tips to this sticky thread.

I've actually seen this thread already, but I still have a question. And comments.

First the question, do I need to edit that bdg.txt (I don't mind if I do) or is there a way to alter the settings from inside the game?

Now the comment. I don't want to end on a downer, but while I am authentically interested in history, the BoB, and historical simulations (I'm usually a naval sim guy myself and I'm currently playing Jutland) I am kind of concerned with how you've described the game. Having the options to really get into the nit and gritty of the BoB is an awesome feature of this game, and I could see it adding to my ability to play the game well into the future.

At the same time, I'd sort of liked to have known that it was more geared for the hobbiest before I purchased. Especially if more arcade style play isn't available to players just starting out, and I have no choice but to learn all 200 of the commands on top of how to fly a, and fight in, a perfectly (or some permutation of perfectly) simulated WWII fighter aircraft.

To be totally honest with you, gaming is my hobby. A hobby I take very seriously . On top of the two MMOs I play (eve-online and warhammer,) the countless hours I spend play wargames (table top and PC) and pencil and paper rpgs I'm also a graduate student.

I am just not sure I am that interested in the topic--the WWII air war or the BOB--if you know what I mean. From the sounds of it, I may have to set aside other parts of my pre-existing hobby to put in the time to learn this game, and I'm just not sure I'm willing to do it.

I do thank you for the help, and a will give it at least a couple more weeks before I jump ship.

Cheers,

-Scott

[buddye]

You can play BOBII at the Novice level and set up the game for Novice level if you want.

All real Flight Sims (not Arcade) are geared to the hobbiest by design. You are trying to simulate a WWII combat A/C and pilot in ever way possible duing one WWII's classic air battles. After all, a simulation is how the Space Shuttle crew trains for missions, so it a very serious business. You may be more interested in an Arcade Flight "game" rather than a "Simulation".

You will need to change the Bdg.txt to change some parameters (like the Novice settings). Other parameters can be changed from the game. All the BOBII parameters have defaults but to set the game up the way you want requires you to change parameters both in game and the BDG.txt.

Sounds like to me you really do not have the burning interest or the time to learn a flight simulation and fly an A/C which is fine. BOBII and flight sim's are not everyones cup of tea.

Please, make a back-up of your downloaded game so that years from now if your interest change you will have the game. Then all you will need to do is update to the newest BOBII version.

BTW, I know of "no" serous flight simmer who does not own a joystick. It would be like a real pilot with out a stick or rudder peddles to control his A/C. Without controls a pilot can not fly, fight, or stay alive. I do understand that learning to fly for you is not enough of a priority to justify the cost of a good joystick and that is fine.

We all have to set priorities on our hobby time driven by our interest. [:)]