Flanders in Flames Spring campaign 2020

[JG1_Butzzell]

Salute to the Flight Sim Community.

 

Normally we would be offering Flanders in Flames Spring Campaign. Unfortunately we are not going forward with FiF at this time. The recent changes to the DM have created a huge disparity in plane survivability. 

 

We have made a commitment to FC as being the next generation WW I flight sim but do not want to put forward an event based on a sim with obvious problems. The developers are aware of the situation and are actively seeking a solution to the DM problem. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. At that time we will re-evaluate.

 

Thank you for your support and understanding.

[emely]

Gentlemen, I'm starting to suspect our train is a little late

 

 

We are waiting for a patch, but no one will give us a guarantee that this patch will suit everyone.  And judging by the diagram of the reinforcement of the side members, the shock from the new reality can become even greater than now.  There are two scenarios.  The first is the return of FiF to RoF.  The second option is a game in the conditions that exist.  Teams change places, and in the same way, they change the pros and cons of their planes.

 

[J2_Drookasi]

First, I have to thank Butzzell and JG1 for their continue effort to offer us an event in the form of FiF. Your work is very much appreciated.

 

I respect the reasoning behind the decision to postpone the FiF, but I am afraid that I have to agree with Emely. I do not know if anyone has reliable information on when the DM shall be altered, but it might not happen so soon as we would hope for. I only remind you of the announcement that Flying Circus would be released, back in 2018 (if I remember correctly). Suddenly most people just stopped playing RoF, waiting for the new game, as if it was to be released the next day! It only became available 18 months later (again if I remember correctly)! The result was that even the most dedicated players of RoF (I am an example) not finding enough activity in the servers, just quit flying, and this in sequence led to abandoning RoF.

 

I would not like the just frustration from what we consider as a wrong DM to lead in a similar abandonment of FC. After all, our voice has an impact because we are playing the game, we are customers and advertisers. If we start boycotting the product, either willingly or unwillingly, then a wrong message might be relayed, that we do not care. The sequences are to be imagined by any of us.

 

Under this reasoning I am supporting Emely in his ''second option'' - that we could play FiF in the conditions we have now and alter sides sometime in the campaign. I do not believe that going back to RoF is a realistic solution, I suppose that some of the people flying FC have never owned RoF and we are in the FC forum, not the RoF one. Again, this is only my opinion and I would try and support personally and with the Jasta 2 pilots a FiF with the game that we have and not wait for the game that we wish we had.

 

 

[J37_Spyboy]

 

16 hours ago, emely said:

 The second option is a game in the conditions that exist.  Teams change places, and in the same way, they change the pros and cons of their planes.

J_2 Drookasi said    'Support the game that we have and not wait for the game we wish we had' 

These suggestions could allow some momentum to be maintained in the form of FiF Spring campaign. Build it and they will come. Bloody April was really well supported despite the DM revisions.

Salute

@JG1_Butzzell

Edited May 12, 2020 by J5_Spyboy

[1PL-Sahaj-1Esk]

Going back to RoF would only make sense if there would be a team of IT-talented individuals who would be given the opportunity to work further on it, tweak it, add payed content etc. Similar to TEAM FUSION concept otherwise there is no way back to RoF.

 

After what I see from the current DM discussion and even the uncertainity from the DEVS in which direction it will go - it looks a little bit as an episode from the series "LOST IN THE FOG"

 

 

Edited May 12, 2020 by 1PL-Sahaj-1Esk

[JGr2/J46_Hawkeye]

I have a totally great direction that the devs should go.

Throw away the entire last DM update and go back to what we had before.  Sure, it may not be as "advanced".   But everything sure seemed fine up until then....

Same with regard to GLOC....

Next up: screw up the gunnery?

Please no....

These things they are doing must take up a lot of man-hours, and it doesn't generate any new revenue....does it?

Please just make new planes instead, (which you can charge money for) and as far as fixing goes, concentrate on things that people are actually complaining about, such as visibility distance or anomalies, etc.

That will not only make your customers happy, but make your company money, as far as I can tell.

As for RoF, it's not meant to be a solution or development....only a substitute to take the place of what we've (hopefully temporarily) lost.  BTW, RoF went through much of this same stuff before it reached the stage of "no more updates".

 

Disclaimer:  These opinions are totally my own and do not in any way reflect the official attitude of JG1.

Edited May 12, 2020 by JG1_Luftritter

[JGr2/J5_Baeumer]

AnP states clearly that rolling back the DM is not possible.  This is not a WWI DM only for FC.  It is a platform wide DM that flows across ALL the IC games through their engine.  Not happening.

 

What IS happening are corrections to variables within the individual planes that affect strength of the structural components.  That, it is hoped, will produce changes across most but not all planes, that will reduce wing folding and bring us back to a closer approximation of a historical /more realistic damage model.

 

In theory.

 

[JG1_Butzzell]

The latest patch for Flying Circus may not be perfect but is felt to be a step in the right direction. We would like to go ahead with a shortened version of Flanders in Flames 2020 Spring campaign. This will be a "Dry Run" on 30, May followed by just four weeks of combat, June 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th. Each team will  have two weeks as Entente and two weeks as Central. 

 

Planes will be Dolphin, SE5a, Bristol, Alb DVa, Pfalz D3, Fokker D7 vanilla - no f- and Halb CL 2.

 

While Flying Circus allows for many more "Live" targets, we found that in the last campaign that the large number of bombing targets removed the need to do many of the specialty missions. For this campaign we will return to a map with numbered targets. The game will announce which of the targets is "Live" for this session.

 

Machine guns still line the trenches on each side but have been removed from targets. Targets have one flak gun except for factories which have two. 

 

No trains. Entente has three ships that are stationary and must be found. Central has three ships moving on rivers.

 

Each side has three on road vehicle convoys. Last vehicle is a flak gun.

 

Because of soggy ground the Spy mission and the General capture mission have been removed.

 

The Prisoner Rescue mission is back. The time for the ambulance to go from the prison to the airfield has been reduced. Mission works exactly as in RoF. Landing at the enemy airfield to pick up the prisoner will not be seen as a capture by the game.  The Prisoner now mentions an area that must be searched for a target. This is similar to the Spy and general Capture missions of the past. When Landing at a friendly base the Prisoner mission activates a Reserve Unit target.

 

The Trench attack mission is still triggered by completing the Trench Map recon. The Trench attack mission has been changed. It has been moved closer to the middle of the mud. It represents a weakness in the Central front lines.  It is now a broken city. There are several broken cities on the map with tracers all around them. You will have to make sure you are at the correct position. There are 7 Central MG posts next to buildings and 9 Entente MG posts around the city in a semi circle.  The MG posts on both sides have a circle of crates around them for easier spotting so that you know you are at the correct target. Entente must destroy all 7 Central posts and Central must destroy all 9 Entente MG posts. The first team to complete their mission blocks the other team from completing the mission.  Success 1, Failure 0.  This is a change from our normal scoring system.

 

Updated maps and info will be posted shortly.

[J2_Drookasi]

Good news.

[Stab/JG1_Klaiber]

Hi All,

 

Just a reminder - the FIF Spring Campaign will be starting this Saturday, 6 June 2020!

 

Start times are posted on our calendar: https://forum.jg1.org/topic/3010-flanders-in-flames-calendar/

 

As with all FIF campaigns, we of course recommend that people arrive a little early, so that they can get last minute instructions and test their connection to the server.  The server password will be passed out via voice communication.  Make sure you know where your team is meeting!  This information can be found on the FIF boards (after you login), but PM me @Stab/JG1_Klaiber if you have any questions.

 

Looking forward to flying with you all!

[JG1_Butzzell]

S! All

 

The present FiF is almost a completely new file. Thanks to the many people that have been testing it, most of the bugs and glitches have been found.

 

A couple of changes from the past.

 

A trench attack plane is not necessary. Any plane can attack the MGs when the trench attack mission pops up.

The altitude for the HQ recon is  above 2 km and below 4 km. There are only three locations. There is no way to know which one is active. You must fly directly over the building. About 10 seconds later you will get a message to make a second pass. 

[J37_Spyboy]

Thank you for continuing to put a lot of effort into this. Salute

 

[JG1_Butzzell]

S! All,

 

As we start this FiF please remember. Blue team is Central and is using J5 Discord. Red team is Entente and using JG1 TS.

 

Good luck to all !

[jokerBR]

Oh boy, I lost all this discussion (and the first event of FIF too). Hope to be on board on the next weekend. Played UBOAT all day yesterday...
Salute!

[JG1_Vonrd]

13 hours ago, jokerBR said:

Oh boy, I lost all this discussion (and the first event of FIF too). Hope to be on board on the next weekend. Played UBOAT all day yesterday...
Salute!

One would think that all that time in the water might clean your teeth.   ?

[jokerBR]

12 hours ago, JG1_Vonrd said:

One would think that all that time in the water might clean your teeth.   ?

 Oh yeah... those flies... can't help myself, I keep smiling whenever I'm in the air... you know, open cockpit and such... ?

[J37_Spyboy]

@jokerBR you havent got FC Vol1 in your avatar. Do you not have it?

 

[jokerBR]

Hi Spyboy, yes I have it. Long ago I changed from standalone to Steam, and then I lost some skins and badges and all this stuff became a mess, lol. To be honest,  I only noticed this because you mentioned it. Not to worry, the poneys are all at the stable. ?

[J5_Gamecock]

S! to the Reds for a well fought Phase A...... Looking forward to next week.

[JG1_Butzzell]

S! All

 

I am not sure what is causing the disco at the beginning.  I am using the single line spawn in at the airfield. This limits about 6 planes in line and then someone needs to move forward for others to spawn. I am testing a multi line airfield spawn in. If it is successful, I will change them over. It would mean that you have to be careful when you spawn in because there may be someone in front of you.

 

Obviously I do not really know what is causing the disco. Why does it happen once and then not after the restart? Is there a maximum number of players no mater what is selected in the SDS file? at present we have about 64-67 players. Server file is set to 70. I will increase it to 80.

 

Have fixed a Supply Depot subtitle error again.

 

I have added a Central air start to the Entente side and an Entente air start to the Central side for the practice map. This will shorten the times for practicing 2 seater missions. These are just air start. You cannot land at them to complete missions.

[JG1_Butzzell]

S! All

 

We switch sides this week.  Blue team is Entente and Red team is Central.

 

The spawn in point for planes has been changed from a single line abreast to an array of 5 wide by 4 deep. This is to allow more people to spawn in at a base. Please remember that when you spawn in there may be someone in front of you.

  

This should also get rid of any bugs where planes spawn in behind hangars.  Famous last words.

[Stab/JG1_Klaiber]

The FIF 2020 "Spring Campaign" has officially come to an end!

 

Unfortunately, due to the very late start, we were only able to get one phase-of-play in before July.  But what a Phase!

 

After 4 weeks of fighting, only 2 points separate the two teams.  And with no Phase B, the Blue Team has emerged victorious!

 

Congratulations to everyone for an extremely well-fought and well-flown campaign.  Both teams adapted well to the new environment that Flying Circus offered.  And while there were a few technical snafus here and there, the overall experience was extremely enjoyable.

 

Should anyone have any suggestions on how FIF can be improved, definitely let @JG1_Butzzell or I know.

 

As we pause for the Summer, we've already started working on the next Campaign!  We'll share more details in the coming months.  We look forward to flying with you all!

 

In the meantime, let us lift our glasses filled with our favorite libations and toast our virtual opponents.  Prost!  Salut!
 
To celebrate the conclusion of the Spring Campaign, here is the FIF campaign ribbon.

 

Blue for the Blue Team.  Red for the Red Team. 

 

Large version:

 

Small version:

 

And as always, thank you to every pilot who flew!

 

Without your continued support, this tournament would not be able to function!

 

The scores can be found on the FIF forums, located here.

[JG1_Butzzell]

Congrats to Blue team. Well fought!

[JGr2/J5_Baeumer]

S! and thank you JG1 and Butzzell.

Good times as always.