Star Wars: Squadrons

[Tycoon]

8 minutes ago, dburne said:

 

Really? I use it all the time to see what direction the enemy is in relation to me.

Maybe I am misunderstanding.

It's only useful for targets in the forward sector, enemies on your rear will appear just the same as targets at 90 degrees or greater, on the far side of the radar.

 

This is what rear radar looks like. Circle on the left is forward, circle on the right is rear.

 

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Tycoon

[dburne]

Ok thanks.

In any event, I do use it quite regularly to get oriented with what is approaching.

 

[simfan2015]

For this game I use my old tm hotas x... could set it up in 2 minutes since for this and the Xbox counterpart everything works out of the box. It is very obvious to me most, if not all, multiplatform games are built with the ps3 and or Xbox compatible game pads and joysticks in mind. 

I am pleased to read EA even allowed for other sticks... Even the fantastic tm Warthog! 

This arcade game sure is a keeper... One of the very few non-sim games I bought! 

If only trackir would have been supported! 

[RedRider]

I don't understand how people can fawn all over this crap. Went to reddit (my mistake) to try and see if anyone had figured out how to bind HOTAS controls when you have more than 4 devices (and I'm NOT giving up IL2 keybinds for this!) and they're falling all over themselves like they've never played a proper flight sim before. It's just garbage for the filthy casuals, really. We should demand better from game devs. Eve: Valkyrie is literally the same game design and it does it much better and HOTAS wasn't that difficult to set up!

[DD_fruitbat]

I was so excited about this initially, and no doubt will succumb at some point, but please tell me for the love of god, sometimes its in  the 99.999999999% of just normal space!. You know, regular space with out ridiculous nebula and other eye candy crud!!!!

[Archie]

20 minutes ago, RedRider said:

I don't understand how people can fawn all over this crap. Went to reddit (my mistake) to try and see if anyone had figured out how to bind HOTAS controls when you have more than 4 devices (and I'm NOT giving up IL2 keybinds for this!) and they're falling all over themselves like they've never played a proper flight sim before. It's just garbage for the filthy casuals, really. We should demand better from game devs. Eve: Valkyrie is literally the same game design and it does it much better and HOTAS wasn't that difficult to set up!

People like something you don't, move on with your life.

[RedRider]

49 minutes ago, Archie said:

People like something you don't, move on with your life.

Thanks, dad.

[GOA_Karaya_VR]

Somebody has check the sim with Oculus CV1? 

[Tyberan]

WTF is with targeting, i find that 9/10 i lock onto friendlies rather then you know the enemy, its my one gripe at the moment with it

[simfan2015]

As long as we do not compare this arcade entry with simlike titles such as star citizen and elite dangerous we can love it for what it truly is... a fun game. Why would you go through all the trouble to bind the Warthog or other sticks when you can use the cheap joystick of your children? I tried voice attack and maybe that is a better way to do it since there is already a lot of talking being done anyway. BTW the nice nebulae and star systems are nice to have as a backdrop and convey the feeling of the fairytale space opera this star wars saga really is. Try to feel young again. The space sim developer teams should not worry... EA is of no danger to them. I still hope Squadron 42 gets out one fine day... That might be the sim-like spacewar title worth waiting for!? 

Edited October 4, 2020 by simfan2015

[Matt]

42 minutes ago, Tyberan said:

WTF is with targeting, i find that 9/10 i lock onto friendlies rather then you know the enemy, its my one gripe at the moment with it

There's a targeting wheel which you can access by hitting "5". Then you can select what type of targets should be selected when switching through targets.

 

9 hours ago, DD_fruitbat said:

I was so excited about this initially, and no doubt will succumb at some point, but please tell me for the love of god, sometimes its in  the 99.999999999% of just normal space!. You know, regular space with out ridiculous nebula and other eye candy crud!!!!

Not in MP.

In SP, i can atleast remember one mission which only had a planet in the background. Might've been more missions like that, but most SP missions have stuff in the background. Also all MP maps are used during the SP campaign as well.

  

18 minutes ago, simfan2015 said:

Why would you go through all the trouble to bind the Warthog or other sticks when you can use the cheap joystick of your children?

Maybe people don't have more than one flight stick. I certainly don't. Also a cheap joystick won't help you get rid of the hard coded dead zone.

Edited October 4, 2020 by Matt

[Feathered_IV]

I always wondered why the Empire didn't put some video screens on the left and right side of their Tie fighter cockpits.  At least then they could see what is going on out there. 

Cheap arse Empire.

[Archie]

1 hour ago, Feathered_IV said:

I always wondered why the Empire didn't put some video screens on the left and right side of their Tie fighter cockpits.  At least then they could see what is going on out there. 

Cheap arse Empire.

Well the Tie's don't even have shields I think, maybe it's defeatist to think that  someone is behind you!  Maybe the same thought processes as the IJN/IJA not bothering with armoured fuel tanks...
 

It's a fun game to while away some spare moments before RL kicks in again. 

[simfan2015]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Maybe people don't have more than one flight stick. I

Agreed, but then if I, personally, was only interested in true flightsims I would never have considered this title! I have a few old sticks lying around, including the always working gamepads. I don't even intended to bind all possible commands to a hotas. But... I don't fly in VR yet... Unfortunately for this particular title. 

I have some confidence in the fact that EA will sort this hotas mess out and maybe for them doing so will only mean a small patch. Trackir however... Not so... They probably won't even consider support... It's not that they were unaware of it!!!? 

Edited October 4, 2020 by simfan2015

[dburne]

11 minutes ago, simfan2015 said:

Agreed, but then if I, personally, was only interested in true flightsims I would never have considered this title! I have a few old sticks lying around, including the always working gamepads. I don't even intended to bind all possible commands to a hotas. But... I don't fly in VR yet... Unfortunately for this particular title. 

I have some confidence in the fact that EA will sort this hotas mess out and maybe for them doing so will only mean a small patch. Trackir however... Not so... They probably won't even consider support... It's not that they were unaware of it!!!? 

 

Yeah it is surprising they have support for VR but not for Track IR.

[messsucher]

17 minutes ago, dburne said:

 

Yeah it is surprising they have support for VR but not for Track IR.

 

Better this way. It is obviously so called VR title.

[unlikely_spider]

3 hours ago, dburne said:

 

Yeah it is surprising they have support for VR but not for Track IR.

I wish there was TrackIR support as well. I'd likely buy it if there was. I may anyway, but the chances would be higher

[Tyberan]

6 hours ago, Matt said:

There's a targeting wheel which you can access by hitting "5". Then you can select what type of targets should be selected when switching through targets.

Maybe I missed that in the campaign, I played like the first mission the started battle fleet. I've been using the Xbox controller, interestingly one of the control layouts for the 2 analog sticks is the same as mode 2 for rc aircraft so right at home.

 

I haven't tried vr yet, worried I'll need the vomit bucket

Edited October 4, 2020 by Tyberan

[Tycoon]

7 hours ago, Feathered_IV said:

I always wondered why the Empire didn't put some video screens on the left and right side of their Tie fighter cockpits.  At least then they could see what is going on out there. 

Cheap arse Empire.

They did, disney forgot.?

 

 

I haven't played enough to reach a verdict on squadrons yet, I like some of what I see, but this is by a mile the worst problem with this game right now, no way to quickly look left and right, no way to look behind at all, and no rear radar. Unbelievable oversight. 

[Eisenfaustus]

21 minutes ago, Tycoon said:

They did, disney forgot.?

 

 

I haven't played enough to reach a verdict on squadrons yet, I like some of what I see, but this is by a mile the worst problem with this game right now, no way to quickly look left and right, no way to look behind at all, and no rear radar. Unbelievable oversight. 

I get along with the radar quite well - used the rear radar in the old just to determine in what way to turn into the attack - this can be done with the current radar just as well.

 

My biggest grief is the bounce in collisions - as has been mentioned before feels completely out of place after seeing basically any SW movie ^^

[Charlo-VRde]

Has anyone created or found a Star Wars Squadrons Voice Attack profile they can share here? I don’t want to wait for the HCS profile coming “in October”

[WheelwrightPL]

3 hours ago, unlikely_spider said:

I wish there was TrackIR support as well. I'd likely buy it if there was. I may anyway, but the chances would be higher

 

Star Wars Squadrons is not a flight-sim but twitch-based arcade shooter. And to accomodate that type of gameplay TrackIR is not strictly necessary (it is more in the "nice to have" category). On the other hand IL-2 gameplay really demands TrackIR, because unlike Star Wars it is based on smart planning followed by relatively slow execution. For example in IL-2 you have time to look-down over your shoulder at that bombers formation, then think through all your options how to best engage those bombers, and then execute that plan to the best of your ability. All of that requires good tactical judgment, distance/speed judgment, knowing your aircraft's capabilities and limitations, smooth flying skills (keep the ball in the middle), etc: This is orders of magnitude more challenging and rewarding than Star Wars gameplay of simply locking the enemy, rotating your spacecraft to follow it, and then twitch shooting it (you don't even have to be accurate).       

[unlikely_spider]

56 minutes ago, WheelwrightPL said:

 

Star Wars Squadrons is not a flight-sim but twitch-based arcade shooter. And to accomodate that type of gameplay TrackIR is not strictly necessary (it is more in the "nice to have" category). On the other hand IL-2 gameplay really demands TrackIR, because unlike Star Wars it is based on smart planning followed by relatively slow execution. For example in IL-2 you have time to look-down over your shoulder at that bombers formation, then think through all your options how to best engage those bombers, and then execute that plan to the best of your ability. All of that requires good tactical judgment, distance/speed judgment, knowing your aircraft's capabilities and limitations, smooth flying skills (keep the ball in the middle), etc: This is orders of magnitude more challenging and rewarding than Star Wars gameplay of simply locking the enemy, rotating your spacecraft to follow it, and then twitch shooting it (you don't even have to be accurate).       

I see. Makes sense.

What I've noticed though, which is funny - if I take off my hat or pause TrackIR in a flight sim, then look to either side in the same motion I would do when using TrackIR, I get a brief disorientation/dizziness as the view in the monitor does not move. I wonder if I play Squadrons on monitor it will take some getting used to after all these years of TrackIR simming, lol

[dburne]

Well technically Squadrons could never be a sim.

To simulate represents doing something that is just like does or did in real life.

There are no Tie Fighters or X-Wings in real life.

[Archie]

6 minutes ago, dburne said:

Well technically Squadrons could never be a sim.

To simulate represents doing something that is just like does or did in real life.

There are no Tie Fighters or X-Wings in real life.

You sure about that?

 

[Tycoon]

2 hours ago, Eisenfaustus said:

I get along with the radar quite well - used the rear radar in the old just to determine in what way to turn into the attack - this can be done with the current radar just as well.

 

 

 I haven't found that to be the case, it's impossible to tell if someone is on your 6, the radar indications look the exact same for targets at 90 degrees as they do at dead 6. When the radar shows 5 red dots spread all around the outer fringes of the circle you don't know which of them, if any is in an attacking position. If all you use it for is which target to turn into why not just use auto lock all the time and not even use radar? At least the lock shows range.

   I just don't get what the devs were thinking, it couldn't be that hard to add some kind of ability to see the 6 oclock sector. 

[unlikely_spider]

56 minutes ago, Archie said:

You sure about that?

 

Aren't X-Wings VTOL? Why do they need the catapult?

Edited October 4, 2020 by unlikely_spider

[Archie]

8 minutes ago, unlikely_spider said:

Aren't X-Wings VTOL? 

Only in the movies. 

[dburne]

I had gotten to where I was doing pretty good in the practice in the Tie Interceptor yesterday.

Just resumed today and now getting my butt handed to me again lol. More practice I guess.

Have not got to the X-Wing yet.

[Trooper117]

It doesn't have to be a sim to include trackIR... yet they have included VR which allows the user to look around the cockpit?

 

[Creep]

4 hours ago, WheelwrightPL said:

 

Star Wars Squadrons is not a flight-sim but twitch-based arcade shooter. And to accomodate that type of gameplay TrackIR is not strictly necessary (it is more in the "nice to have" category). On the other hand IL-2 gameplay really demands TrackIR, because unlike Star Wars it is based on smart planning followed by relatively slow execution. For example in IL-2 you have time to look-down over your shoulder at that bombers formation, then think through all your options how to best engage those bombers, and then execute that plan to the best of your ability. All of that requires good tactical judgment, distance/speed judgment, knowing your aircraft's capabilities and limitations, smooth flying skills (keep the ball in the middle), etc: This is orders of magnitude more challenging and rewarding than Star Wars gameplay of simply locking the enemy, rotating your spacecraft to follow it, and then twitch shooting it (you don't even have to be accurate).       

It sounds like you are saying that Squadrons doesn’t require strategy which I believe to be false

[Eisenfaustus]

3 hours ago, Tycoon said:

 I haven't found that to be the case, it's impossible to tell if someone is on your 6, the radar indications look the exact same for targets at 90 degrees as they do at dead 6. When the radar shows 5 red dots spread all around the outer fringes of the circle you don't know which of them, if any is in an attacking position. If all you use it for is which target to turn into why not just use auto lock all the time and not even use radar? At least the lock shows range.

   I just don't get what the devs were thinking, it couldn't be that hard to add some kind of ability to see the 6 oclock sector. 

what auto lock? after shooting something down, I go for next ship attacking me in the targeting system. When the dot is very far and the 3d ship in the monitor is showing it's front, I'm in trouble ^^

 

Anyway - turning into your next attacker is what boelke said should be done ^^

[Matt]

TrackIR would be nice to have, even if it's only useful on some of the craft and you usually need to look at your instruments a lot to get the most of your craft. But it would be pretty immersive on the Rebel fighters atleast.

 

I spent a bit more time playing fleet battles against AI to really understand the system. I still don't like it that much. Especially because it's morale based. So for instance, if you're attacking the enemy capital ship and your squadron members or Corvette/Raider get blown up, you might lose enough morale to put you in the defending phase immediately, which means that the capital ship you're currently attacking gets a massive boost in fire power and shields and you get blown up right away, no matter how good your attack is. It is fun attacking captial ships with bombers though (Y-Wing and Tie-Bomber are becoming my favorite craft), taking out the sub systems, dropping bombs while going full speed through the shields etc. But this morale based mechanic adds a random and unpredictable element to the whole gameplay, which makes it feel less rewarding and often frustrating. Also all those additional AI craft are completely useless, because their AI is just terrible (as opposed to the 5 enemy AI squadron members, which are doing pretty well). They are no threat at all, sometimes just slow down to a stand still and can just be left alone. Feels a bit like a mess.

 

There's no other mode you could play against AI and TDM online is also getting old.

 

There are also a couple of nicely modelled ships in the campaign which don't show up in MP, which is a shame. Having to take on a huge Rebel or Imperial fleet with all those different ships with limited player respawns (tickets, like on other tactical games) or with a time limit could've been pretty amazing and not that hard to do technically, either in PVP or cooperatively against AI or just offline against AI. Or just a 8vs8 or 12vs12 dogfight mode with no respawns at all.

 

Lots of wasted potential here unfortunately.

[messsucher]

This phenomenon where friendly AI tend to be bad and enemy AI good is very puzzling, and I would like to know what the devs try to achieve with it. To make everything count on the player, so that the game would not be too easy? I don't think that is the right way. A player should be just another pilot, everything should not count on him. And if want to make hard, then make harder missions, and do not gimp friendly AI.

[Matt]

It's not like there's a difference between friendly AI and enemy AI. Atleast i don't notice any difference.

 

In fleet battle mode it's basically 5vs5. That AI is pretty capable, both friendly and enemy. They also customize their crafts, switch to different ships during the mission (they often switch to bombers to attack the enemy capital ship), can be given commands to etc.

 

Then in addition to that, there are plenty of other generic AI fighters flying around on both sides. I guess because the devs rightly thought that 10 crafts is not enough for a "fleet battle". It's just the AI of those extra fighters that is terrible and not comparable at all to the 5vs5 "squadron" AI. They basically just serve as decoration or cannon fodder.

[messsucher]

4 minutes ago, Matt said:

It's not like there's a difference between friendly AI and enemy AI. Atleast i don't notice any difference.

 

In fleet battle mode it's basically 5vs5. That AI is pretty capable, both friendly and enemy. They also customize their crafts, switch to different ships during the mission (they often switch to bombers to attack the enemy capital ship), can be given commands to etc.

 

Then in addition to that, there are plenty of other generic AI fighters flying around on both sides. I guess because the devs rightly thought that 10 crafts is not enough for a "fleet battle". It's just the AI of those extra fighters that is terrible and not comparable at all to the 5vs5 "squadron" AI. They basically just serve as decoration or cannon fodder.

 

So it could be they try to "enchance" the experience of the player. Do you think it could be possible that making everyone under good AI could be too taxing for the system?

[Varibraun]

On 10/2/2020 at 1:38 PM, dburne said:

When I was trying to assign decrease throttle it was not recognizing the axis.

 

I know Don got this sorted out, but an FYI to anyone having throttle issues:  You have to physically UNLINK your HOTAS dual throttle controls BEFORE mapping the increase and decrease throttle axis. 

 

I didn't do this and thought I had mapped the throttle correctly, and then found myself being a really bad pilot for half an hour or so before realizing what was happening.  In fact, I basically only had full or zero power, which made life a little difficult.  Things got much better once I figured out that the decrease throttle had not actually mapped to the throttle.   

 

Personally, I am enjoying the game in VR, recognizing it for what it is.  My time has been spent here because of a Reverb cable issue that gives an occasional blackout which I can tolerate in learning in the Star Wars environment - but I have been out of action in GB for a month though awaiting the warranty replacement.  I really hope HP has this weak cable fixed for the G2.

[Matt]

 

2 hours ago, messsucher said:

 

So it could be they try to "enchance" the experience of the player. Do you think it could be possible that making everyone under good AI could be too taxing for the system?

Could be the reason  for MP, but there are usually more good AI crafts in the SP campaign. So atleast for SP, i don't think it would be too taxing.

 

But i think the real reason why they differentiate between those very different AI levels, is their strict 5vs5 "elite" squadron idea. They want to focus on the 5vs5 experience and they dumb down the other AI so that not all AI crafts have the same good AI. The additonal AI is not supposed to have a real impact on the mission outcome.

 

 

Also btw, there's another TIE-Fighter variant being used by one of the characters in the prolog mission. Seems like a bit of a waste to create a complete model just for that, so i think there might still be a small possibility, that there'll atleast be a DLC with maybe one new craft for each side. Even though EA made it pretty clear, that no additional content is planned for the game. But then i also heard that the developers are already working on a different game.

[Charlo-VRde]

I finally fixed an issue with my Quest and was able to hop into a TIE and an X-Wing.  Compared to Star Citizen, Squadrons is is much easier to set up my controls. I also found my joystick and rudder pedals much more responsive after I found in the options menu the joystick sensitivity sliders and pushed them up to 100%. I can now make myself dizzy in VR as I swing and spin through Star Wars space (something I can also do using vorpx to force VR in Star Citizen).

 

Say what you will about Star Citizen, which I find deeply frustrating after seven years of occasionally playing, then setting aside - it really is the the Best Damn Screenshot Maker Ever, and has spoiled me with its rich, detailed graphics, to the point that parts of Squadrons look relatively cheap.

 

But maybe that's what seven years in alpha will do ?

Edited October 6, 2020 by Charlo-VR
Grammar

[Remontti]

I'm also having a blast with this in VR. It runs very well with Reverb but performance is somehow choppy with monitor. 

 

But the menu controls with hotas are horrible. You need like 10 different buttons for choosing things in the menus.