WHY?

[zelil]

Why are you not allowing padlock in the campaign? 

[No601_Swallow]

Practice!

 

(For what it's worth, I usually do the campaign in "Normal", but disable the HUD when my normally rubbish situational awareness has a clue about where everything is. Then I can be happy, knowing that a "cheat" is an "H" click away!)

 

 

Personally, I think the Devs have hit that sweet spot (in Normal and Expert) between playability and challenge. It suits me down to the ground, and makes everything fun but nerve-wracking - particularly going on to make a landing. Sweaty-palm time! 

 

But it's all intensely personal. I remember with CloD two thirds of my squadron threw hissy fits at not having an HUD display, and having to actually read the gorgeous cockpit dials! I was on cloud 9 - until I discovered the self-icon on the map in CloD didn't work in the same way as IL2! Each to his own, as they say.

[Yakdriver]

please ask your question to the dev team, because the community has a s little an answer as you.
Thank you.
http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/7-questions-developers/

[=38=Tatarenko]

A question I asked before release too. The answer was that padlock isn't properly ready yet.

 

I'm not sure that's a good answer but that's what they said.

[avlSteve]

Hopefully more

 

Practice!

 

(For what it's worth, I usually do the campaign in "Normal", but disable the HUD when my normally rubbish situational awareness has a clue about where everything is. Then I can be happy, knowing that a "cheat" is an "H" click away!)

 

 

Personally, I think the Devs have hit that sweet spot (in Normal and Expert) between playability and challenge. It suits me down to the ground, and makes everything fun but nerve-wracking - particularly going on to make a landing. Sweaty-palm time! 

 

But it's all intensely personal. I remember with CloD two thirds of my squadron threw hissy fits at not having an HUD display, and having to actually read the gorgeous cockpit dials! I was on cloud 9 - until I discovered the self-icon on the map in CloD didn't work in the same way as IL2! Each to his own, as they say.

 

 

Yes, it seems that normal is too difficult or restrictive for some (padlock, outside views disallowed, right?  not even sure).  And that expert is too easy for others (on board GPS and friend or foe identifier).

 

More levels of preset difficulty would be nice, if not fully configurable (distribute xp accordingly, i.e. no GPS, add additional .25 modifier to the multiplier).

[zelil]

I've retired my Track Ir for reason ill leave unanswered. The custom settings work great in mission and quick mission mode no problem. I love the cinematic camera, the way the view bobs around in external view padlock, sometimes the plane looks so real. I play the game a different way than most, lots of flyby and external padlock looking for targets. I would love to use that in campaign mode. Thanks

 

 
 

[Rjel]

The padlock does seem a little squirrelly compared to the old IL2. I keep trying to talk myself into a Trackir but haven't convinced myself yet. The bandits do seem a lot harder to track in BoS than I'm used to.

[Lusekofte]

I find attacking AI very good pilots, wingmen ai idiots and bomber ai the same . Old IL 2 got the best all-round and most developed AI in any game to date. They become better for every patch. Now the novise AI is almost impossible to beat

 

Anyway, in a ground pounding attack I always have great difficulties to see where I am attacked from, the AI attacker is rather good in deflection shooting. So I many times believe I am shot down by flak

Edited November 8, 2014 by LuseKofte

[Idaho]

Seriously, someone answer this for me: 

 

Are you saying there is no padlock view in normal difficulty in the released game?  

[-=PHX=-Satch]

Seriously, someone answer this for me: 

 

Are you saying there is no padlock view in normal difficulty in the released game?  

 

Padlock???? for what?

[Idaho]

Padlock???? for what?

 

For those of us without TrackIR. 

 

For those of us who have been playing sims for twenty years that all have a padlock, including ROF, the previous game from this studio. 

 

Meanwhile, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION?  

[Finkeren]

The difficulty presets is one of the worst design choices made for the campaign (and that's saying something) but I just gotta say:

 

Don't use padlock

 

It completely removes the most essential part of air combat. Using icons might be unrealistic as well, but at least that has you actually looking out for the enemy.

 

Btw: I don't own TrackIR or any other headtracking device.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Finkeren

[Finkeren]

Meanwhile, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION?

You already got your answer: No you can't use padlock in any of the difficulty presets. This is indeed a horrible feature, but for now that's how it's designed.

 

If I were you I'd make lemonade out of the devs' lemons and use this as an opportunity to learny fight without padlock. I promise you, you'll get a much deeper flight sim experience.

[Yakdriver]

Wrong.
he can not use padlock because it is NOT READY.
the fact that there are presets comes ON TOP of the fact that Padlock is not ready.

but the base reason is not presets.
please try and be as accurate and objective as you can, even if that does not line up with your presets pet peeve.

[Lusekofte]

I never liked padlock myself, never used it in IL 2 for other stuff than ground targets 

[BzKBravoZulu]

Seriously, someone answer this for me: 

 

Are you saying there is no padlock view in normal difficulty in the released game?  

 

Hi Idaho, Not sure you actually got a straight answer about your padlock question.

 

There is padlocking in the sim... I don't understand why the devs say it is not ready, cause it seems to work fine.

 

Internal and external padlocking... for both air and ground... Friendly and enemy.

 

 

However, ATM it is only available in QMB & single missions on custom difficulty ... Not in the SP campaign, nor are there any MP servers up that have it enabled.

 

Hope this answers you question.

[Idaho]

Hi Idaho, Not sure you actually got a straight answer about your padlock question.

 

There is padlocking in the sim... I don't understand why the devs say it is not ready, cause it seems to work fine.

 

Internal and external padlocking... for both air and ground... Friendly and enemy.

 

 

However, ATM it is only available in QMB & single missions on custom difficulty ... Not in the SP campaign, nor are there any MP servers up that have it enabled.

 

Hope this answers you question.

 

Thanks, that's very helpful.   And it saved me a hundred bucks. 

 

If the basic keyboard commands aren't present in both single missions and campaigns then this sim is obviously not done yet. 

 

There's just no reason for this.    None in the world. 

 

Back to ROF till they get this to the state it should have been when it was released. 

[avlSteve]

Thanks, that's very helpful.   And it saved me a hundred bucks. 

 

If the basic keyboard commands aren't present in both single missions and campaigns then this sim is obviously not done yet. 

 

There's just no reason for this.    None in the world. 

 

Back to ROF till they get this to the state it should have been when it was released. 

 

I'm guessing one reason is that it would add complexity and more code to implement additional levels of difficulty for a campaign in which mission success and score are related to rewards (unlocks).

 

Check back later, and maybe they'll have revamped it.

Edited November 9, 2014 by avlSteve

[SharpeXB]

Padlock is a terrible gameplay crutch and you should all learn to fly without it. Seriously.

Labels and icons are a way of making up for the lack of resolution on your screen although they are highly unrealistic as well. But padlock is completely out of reality. Nothing in the real world locks your view on another object. With hat, snap view, mouse or head tracking you have to actively maintain sight of your opponent. It's the #1 most important skill in air combat.

Padlocking also is literally target fixation so you're not practicing good habits.

When you turn off dependency on all these game aids is when flight simming becomes more fun and challenge.

[Rama]

Now that the lost thread has be found again by someone knowing how to search the forum, this thread can be closed

Edited November 10, 2014 by Rama
stupid mistake from the moderator

[Rama]

Ooops..... seems I locked the wrong thread... I must have been very tired....

Sorry to all and thanks to avlSteve to have reported the mistake by PM.

[-NW-ChiefRedCloud]

I've been flying awhile now but someone give me the "OFFICIAL" definition of PADLOCK.

 

Chief

Edited November 10, 2014 by -NW-ChiefRedCloud

[Rottweiler]

I've been flying awhile now but someone give me the "OFFICIAL" definition of PADLOCK.

 

Would love an explanation as well. This is my first flight sim, and a lot of the lingo used just goes over my head.

[Creepermoss]

Padlock is a feature that allows you to "lock" your pilot's view to an enemy's aircraft or ground targets, removing what many people consider a vital part of air combat.

Edited November 10, 2014 by [JG2]Creepermoss

[Rottweiler]

Oh, thanks. Never knew that was an actual part of flight sims. :/

[=LD=Hethwill]

Maybe the DEVS are trying to code padlock so it gets broken once it gets obscured by:

 

- clouds

- airframe

- external objects

- etc

 

??

 

I understand the concerns of some folks but the padlock vs human eye contact is not even game IF NOT coded correctly.

[dkoor]

You already got your answer: No you can't use padlock in any of the difficulty presets. This is indeed a horrible feature, but for now that's how it's designed.

 

If I were you I'd make lemonade out of the devs' lemons and use this as an opportunity to learny fight without padlock. I promise you, you'll get a much deeper flight sim experience.

Curiously enough, I've never really used padlock.

It was always impractical for me.

 

The only times in old IL-2  I've actually found it useful is on arcade servers when in outside view one pumps F6.

But inside cockpit I've used it few times in 10 years.

 

Mind you I've always had underdog rigs, now too.

[Airdrop01]

Polsting here because my question about it was deleted (shocker).  I missed this one at first because probably the title of "why" didn't seem pertinent.

 

Anyway:

 

You're looking at a 17" screen.  It's not an airplane.  And oh, by the way, not everyone has TrackIR.  And if this were such a hardcore sim, then surely it wouldn't have bombers where you can't bomb unless you fly those ever so challenging Tutorial missions and get unlocked weapons. 

 

It is a single monitor capable game. 

 

It's not air combat. 

 

Padlock is something that is designed to replicate air combat, since I obviously cannot track the enemy as he flys around a sweet IMAX setup in my living room.

 

Why on earth would they not have padlock for the campaign.   

 

This cluster just keeps getting better. 

Edited November 11, 2014 by Airdrop01

[SharpeXB]

I'm sure padlock is not included in Normal difficulty because that setting is also used for multiplayer. There are many I'm sure that consider it to be rather unsporting that you can hold down a key and have your view locked on an opponent and then they have no chance to lose you.

[Finkeren]

AirDrop01: I have never owned TrackIR and use only my hatswitch to look around, and I stopped using padlock years ago. I can only advice you to do the same.

 

Yes: The difficulty presets suck, we all agree on that. I've heard people defend the unlocks, the format of the campaign, the increase in difficulty as you level up etc. I have never heard anyone outside the dev team defending the presets.

 

Yet, the presets are what we have, and we can either choose to live with them and criticize them where appropriate. Or we can whine and moan and argue amongst ourselves endlessly instead of, you know, having fun.

 

The choice is yours.

[SharpeXB]

I have never heard anyone outside the dev team defending the presets.

I assume the difficulty presets are driven by multiplayer. Having too many (Rise of Flight used to have 5 I think) divides up the players too much.

[pilotpierre]

AirDrop01: I have never owned TrackIR and use only my hatswitch to look around, and I stopped using padlock years ago. I can only advice you to do the same.

Yes: The difficulty presets suck, we all agree on that. I've heard people defend the unlocks, the format of the campaign, the increase in difficulty as you level up etc. I have never heard anyone outside the dev team defending the presets.

Yet, the presets are what we have, and we can either choose to live with them and criticize them where appropriate. Or we can whine and moan and argue amongst ourselves endlessly instead of, you know, having fun.

The choice is yours.

Jesus Finkerin, do yourself a favour and get TiR. The longer you leave it the more you are going to kick yourself for not getting it sooner when you finally do get it.

[Bearcat]

I still think that as far as difficulty settings go... IL2 should be the benchmark to start from.. Not only in terms of options but implementation.

[jeanba]

I love padlock :

When I shoot down an enemy (well, usually ..), I padlock to "confirm" my kill, and it is easier to do this than "reviewing" the whole record

 

So yes : not having the possibility to padlock in campaigns is a great "miss".

Padlock is a better option than those awfull icons, and do the same.

For instance, a "padlock mission objective" would replace the "red square" and be more "immersive" (the loss of realism would be similar)

Edited November 12, 2014 by jeanba

[Finkeren]

I love padlock :

When I shoot down an enemy (well, usually ..), I padlock to "confirm" my kill, and it is easier to do this than "reviewing" the whole record

Well in BoS you rarely get a kill where your target isn't trailing some kind of smoke/vapor, so kills are pretty easy to follow down.

 

So yes : not having the possibility to padlock in campaigns is a great "miss".

Padlock is a better option than those awfull icons, and do the same.

For instance, a "padlock mission objective" would replace the "red square" and be more "immersive" (the loss of realism would be similar)

Don't agree there. As unrealistic and ugly as icons may be, they don't remove the action of actually spotting aircraft and keeping track of them. That in and of itself is an important element of CFS experience, that 'padlockers' are missing out on.

 

Again: I'm against the forced difficulty presets, it's a horrible design choice, but I do encourage people who use padlock to make the most of a bad situation and learn to fight without it.

[Adj]

I miss the choice to use padlock, some would not wish to use this function which is fine. I don't have TiR and the padlock in the single mission works very well. The lack of it in the campaign spoils it for me, the hat switch is not quick enough to track the opposition. I seem to spend all of my time searching for the enemy, or flying into the ground. The game is very good, and feels realistic: but it is after all a game. 

[33lima]

Padlock is a terrible gameplay crutch and you should all learn to fly without it. Seriously.

Labels and icons are a way of making up for the lack of resolution on your screen although they are highly unrealistic as well. But padlock is completely out of reality. Nothing in the real world locks your view on another object.

 

Wrong.

 

Padlock neatly replicates the instinctive ability to follow an object you are concentrating on.

 

'Flying' with no peripheral vision...now THAT'S unrealistic, whether your shift your view with mouse, hatswitch or moving your head. Padlock also helps compensates for this.

[Sokol1]

 

 

 the hat switch is not quick enough to track the opposition.

 

Set as default - in camera - the PAN mode as control for HAT. Adjust camera speed if needed.

 

And set a button for center the camera - better one near HAT or the pinkie button (if you joystick have one).

 

This allow you track enemy planes easily with HAT, and when need (shoot) center view instantly.

 

BTW - Game Padlock allow people do with one with TrackIR does, stay focused on some plane. 

 

Sokol1

Edited December 14, 2014 by Sokol1

[33lima]

Set as default - in camera - the PAN mode as control for HAT. Adjust camera speed if needed.

 

And set a button for center the camera - better one near HAT or the pinkie button (if you joystick have one).

 

This allow you track enemy planes easily with HAT, and when need (shoot) center view instantly.

 

Sokol1

Good advice, there.

[SharpeXB]

Wrong.

 

Padlock neatly replicates the instinctive ability to follow an object you are concentrating on.

 

'Flying' with no peripheral vision...now THAT'S unrealistic, whether your shift your view with mouse, hatswitch or moving your head. Padlock also helps compensates for this.

No, Padlock does not realistically replicate following objects. Even with head tracking as in real life you have to actively keep your view on a target. That's much different than having it done automatically for you. If I had a nickel for every target I've lost sight of using a TrackIR I could buy one for everyone on this thread! ;-)