RoF Forum backed up anywhere?

[Ort_Hog]

I dabbled with RoF several years ago, but have only this week discovered both a joystick and the Opentrack face-tracking that means I've been able to a) attempt to fly properly and b) see around me. What a difference! I just bought some more early-war aeroplanes and have for the first time (almost) completed the course through the factories on the practice server map.

 

I used to spend a lot of time on the RoF forum, and still get lots of hits from it when doing searches, but of course all the links redirect to the main page here. It had a wealth of information and I've seen references to a read-only version. Is there any way of seeing that, or have I got to ask all my questions again?

[LukeFF]

Most of the key material from the old forum was brought over here by @TG-55Panthercules before it was shut down.

[Ort_Hog]

Yes, I realise, and jolly good too! I'm downloading PWCG and the gigantic number of skins.

 

It's just that I get search hits with no cache and tantalising previews of the content within, so hoped it was still available somewhere. I wanted to read Plank's account of his homemade joystick again, too...

 

I've got some of the help I need through the Wayback Machine, which has archived some forum posts.

 

For example, I'm doing many a quick mission with the E.III trying to get the hang of not getting shot down by D.H.2s, but can't find any E.III assistance threads in the new forum, I guess as it's not in Flying Circus yet. I've been managing to do high skidding right-hand blipped turns to jump novices and eventually shoot a few down, but it bleeds a lot of speed and when they jump me I can't climb away nor work out how to evade with rudder and elevator. A hugely fun aeroplane, though!

[VonS]

@Ort_Hog,

 

If you become interested in modding your RoF install, check over the various mod threads that Panther has brought over from the old RoF forums too. For the latest AI/DM mods for RoF, I would also humbly recommend checking over the first post in this thread at the CombatAce forums.

 

Cheers & good RoFing to you,

?

Edited December 2, 2023 by VonS
Fixed typos.

[Ort_Hog]

Thank you. I remember some of the mods from being a member of the old forum years back, and I'd seen some previous references to CombatAce, but as so many links to do with RoF are now dead it takes a while to get one's head around where things are. Having a consolidated mod assembly is a consolation for coming back to a game so late, I guess! It looks like you've put in a lot of work.

 

I probably will apply mods to it, as I've been spending some time on the New Wings training server for getting my basic flying up to speed and apart from when my friends join me I've not seen any other people. I was never any good at multiplayer, but it was quite fun getting shot down by real people.

 

I think getting the best single player experience through mods will be important as the game is wound down. I suppose I'd better buy all the aeroplanes before then...

 

For immediate help, have you got any references for improving dogfighting in the E.III? I can't even work out where the sights are supposed to align, though I have managed to destroy a whole convoy on the training mission. Having a Dolphin appear over Lille didn't go too well, though. I don't know why they didn't have a better-matched aeroplane for the 'fly now' missions!

[VonS]

@Ort_Hog,

 

The only (somewhat) extensive references I could find for the Eindecker are from the SimHQ forums, for WoFF -- not much help for RoF that has a different FM for the Eindecker.

 

General tips that might be of use:

 

- maintain altitude whenever possible in the Eindecker since it doesn't have the best climb rate (in RoF)

- try to maintain close to top speed as much as you can (the Eindecker is an easy target especially when slow)

- ease into turns by trying whenever possible to apply/coordinate both rudder and wing warping (but watch so that you don't slip out of turns if being ham-fisted on the controls)

- also keep your nose slightly below the horizon when turning, so as not to lose too much speed

- I usually don't use the sight-view on the Eindecker so can't be of much help with that topic (I tend to aim by "visualizing" where necessary between the cabane struts)

 

Other impressions/tips:

 

- the Eindecker in RoF seems to me easier to fly than the one in WoFF (or its various iterations in modded FE2, such as the E.I, E.II, and E.III), and tends mostly to display docile behavior in RoF if you are not too wild with it (it does fairly well against the DH.2 and early Nieups., such as the 11)

- I am aware that there is some stigma relating to the Eindecker in RoF, or that there was, from what I remember from the old RoF forums (i.e., that its FM is not very accurate), but I tend to give it some slack considering that other FMs in RoF are not necessarily, fully authentic either (the Eindecker seems, overall, to fit well enough into its historical "performance bracket" in RoF - so I suppose that is at least one reason to fly it)

- I tend to be skeptical that the DH.2 or Nieup. 11 were so much better than the Eindecker historically; somewhat better, yes (and fielded in greater numbers), but not a day-and-night difference performance-wise (so, again, the Eindecker seems pretty good in RoF, good enough to deserve some fun flying, and with the M-S Type H "campaigning tweak" provided in my RoF AI/DM mods. package, you can "fly it" as an early Morane, or encounter it as a Morane opponent, too)

 

On that note - happy flying,

?

[Ort_Hog]

Thank you! I have tried to put these into practice and had more success  - four 'average' D.H.2s in a row before I got cocky and spun into the ground. Blipping and a 'wing over' works well to swoop down on them (I understand the original aeroplane was considered very manoeuvrable and could perform short vertical dives, and it was only the wing-warping that stopped it being more competitive later in the war). Keeping altitude is harder, and escaping by climbing has not been successful. The AI (on the easiest) so far seems to want to turn ever lower, but when I got too close turning with the nose below the horizon I was able to use the rudder to gain height in a sort of lag turn and come down on his tail again, so it does climb sideways if one manages to avoid side-slipping into the ground...

 

Turning left is also a recipe for a stall, though in this fight I did recover from both left and right hand spins when diving too zealously.

 

Sighting with the struts is a good idea. I will practice with the tracers against stationary targets and see where the fire ends up.

 

I have another post in the PWCG support section as I'm trying to get that working. I downloaded your package but haven't read all the readme files yet. I guess the tweaks you mention are for PWCG? I will look forward to them as RoF does seem a little thin on early war aircraft - a missed opportunity! Roland Garros, your tennis career lies before you!

[VonS]

Glad that some of the tips were of help. Have now posted under the PWCG thread - you will find there a link to an older (more stable) version of the PWCG.

 

(Agreed that RoF is thin on early war aircraft - a shame really that the Morane Bullet, or at least the Morane Parasol, was never included, and perhaps an early-war two-seater, for some good 1915 campaigning.)

 

Cheers,

?

[Ort_Hog]

I've just installed your AI (1.4) and damage mod, VonS. Does this mean that in a PWCG campaign (e.g. auto-started 1st January 1916) there'll be some time before everything I encounter is a Nieuport 11 and basically a deathtrap (chance to fight Morane-Saulnier lookalikes etc. as you mention)?

[VonS]

Hello Ort,

 

The AI and damage mods will help to improve your RoF experience overall. However, in order to encounter early monoplanes in the PWCG campaign (ver. 16.3.1) - recommended is to look into the folder (in my mods package) that is called "05_MStypeHcampaigningTweak_VonS." In there you will find a "Read Me" file that includes further details regarding that tweak. Also there you will find a "RoFCampaign" folder - if you drill down into that folder you will find the necessary files to install, in order to experience early monoplanes in the PWCG.

 

Necessary files, per directory structure, are as follows:

 

RoFCampaign/Data/Input/AircraftInfo.RoFCampaign

 

RoFCampaign/Data/Input/SquadronInfo.RoFCampaign

 

RoFCampaign/Data/Input/Skins/fokkere3.txt

 

They should be installed into the same place (i.e., directory structure) of your RoF install - for the early monoplane campaign tweak to work. They may also be lumped into a JSGME-friendly folder, if you prefer the JSGME route instead of manual file installation.

 

In terms of your other question - you are correct that with the "M-S Type H Campaigning Tweak" applied you won't encounter, or get to fly a Nieup. 11, before approximately the summer of 1916, and sometimes no earlier than Sept./Oct. of 1916 especially if you are flying on the eastern front (there is no 1915 campaigning possible in RoF so I have had to "alter" service dates somewhat for 1916 - to postpone arrival of the Nieup. 11, 17 ,etc., by a few months, in order to give the early monoplanes a window until the summer of '16).

 

The Morane-Saulnier Type H (i.e., Fokk. E.III masquerading as the M-S Type H) substitutes, if you load my tweak - for Parasols, the Morane Bullet, as well as the Nieuport 10 (ineffectual predecessor, mostly, of the Nieup. 11).

 

Happy early campaigning,

?

Edited December 24, 2023 by VonS
Fixed typos.

[Ort_Hog]

Fabulous! What a great Christmas present. I'm still getting to grips with joystick, face-tracking and mixture control, so I'd like to stick with the early aeroplanes for a while yet. This looks like the way to get there without just hanging around in the training server, so I'll be digging into your mod files shortly; probably after a party in the mess for this year's Truce... Pink champagne, Bruno?

 

Thank you again, and Happy Christmas!

[VonS]

Happy Holidays & all the best in the New Year to you too Ort, as well as to all fellow RoFers!

 

(Have now PM-ed you regarding the M-S Type H skins that you weren't able to find.)

 

Cheers,

?