posted 02-09- 07:51 AM               

Go over to www.world-at-war.com and check out the recent "padlock" debate. It's in the "Square-Off" section, and it's 2 well written looks at that age old contoversy.

Be sure to post your comments about the articles!

posted 02-09- 01:18 PM               

I have nothing against padlocking.

I do think though, that padlocking should have certain limitations, such as breaking off if a pilot could not follow the sight of the plane in real life, i.e. flying into a cloud, flying under your aircraft, on the other side of a hill, etc.

I personally don't use padlock, not from a purist sense, but simply because it gets me completely disoriented as to what lift vector my plane is in compared to 'ol terra firma.

I used to use it in SDOE to simply find a bandit when we were playing without tags, and then as soon as I had them in sight, however small, I disabled it, and flew with view keys.

That's just the way I learned to do it. For me personally, the numpad view keys give a definitive, precise reference to my brain as to where the bad guy is in relation to me, and at the same time, where exactly my aircraft is in relation to the ground, which then helps me keep track intrinsically of my airspeed and energy state.

So I say live and let live. I think "limited" padlocking is just fine for those folks who want to use it. I've shot down a lot of folks that use it. I don't think it gives anyone an unfair advantage. I'm sure if I was a real pilot, I'd probably keep my eyes on the bandit, and would use the feel of the aircraft's motion, g forces, and sound of the engine to help me keep my plane's position in relation to the ground and energy state.

Also, in real life, I'm sure you can look away from the bandit to look at something else really, really quick, whether it be the instrument panel or the ground to double-check just where in the hell you are, and then right back to the bandit in the flash of an eye.

Different strokes for different folks, and as long as no one can lock onto me behind a hill or a cloud, or follow me under their plane, I have no problem with anyone using padlock.

Hell, I flew for quite some time in SDOE with padlocking that allowed you to keep someone in "sight" no matter what, and I never really felt they had an unfair advantage at all.

I just can't fly with it, and keep my shite straight as to where the hell I am in the virtual sky!

posted 02-09- 02:18 PM               

I feel exactly the same way about padlock (padlock should break if target is hidden from view for more than a couple seconds), and I use it all of the time- rather when I can. When I fly in WB I get a chance to hone my tracking skills, but I often get frustrated because I don't have a hat on my joystick.

I liken using padlock vs. fixed views to using a keyboard only vs. a mouse and keyboard to play a FPS type game. It's just that useful. You get more information on your target and what he/she is doing. I believe that allows you to counter more efficiently.

Yes, orientation is a bit difficult at first, but most would agree that as intuitive as a mouse is, it wasn't an inherent skill.

The ability to track an object through the fuselage is more info. than you should have. You may be able to infer directional info. but you still can't see exactly what the target is doing.

Sure, it's a good debate, but the argument really only applies to multiplay (Who cares what you do on your own) and I'll bet that WB and other assorted oldschool fliers are the only ones that frown upon its use.

One could argue that outside views are more dangerous to multiplay.

posted 02-09- 03:38 PM               

Here is my little issue with padlock: I agree with Gecko about everything he said, but one key thing is missing. When the game moves your viewpoint for you (that is what padlock does) - it causes a great deal of confusion in your mind. In real life our brains move our viewpoint, so there is constant feedback towards orientation. When the game moves your viewpoint, it just throughs you into confusion.

That is why I mouse-pan. Now my mind tell me where to look like normal. After you do this for a while, you get REAL good at it - so good that after you stop playing you might find yourself trying to move your head with your mouse-clicking hand

The disadvantages of mouse panning are obvious, but the lesser of two evils to me. I can keep people in my view with onyl a tap on the mouse now and then. Also I can check my six and get back to the bandit quick because the mouse just workds GREAT for this - you just move you r hand back to where it was when you started the scan.

I can't even fly for one second without mouse panning, it feels amazingly constrictive. The slight angles that many rarly see in the game combined with the constant smooth panning motion give you are feeling of being there (and being in control) like nothing else can.

Plus, when you are padlocked on the enemy it tends to promote bad flying - it is very hard to "fly" the plane when you can't correctly determine your attitude. With mouse panning I just wiggle the mouse now and then to re-situate myself, just life you would do with your eyes/head in real life.

I fly with my right hand on the stick, and my left hand on the stick throttle AND mouse. I right/left click to zoom in and out. I just bounce back and forth between throttle and mouse - it becomes quite natural.

But I think the best solution would be a 3d eye glass system that sensed your head position - this would be so fun! I had a blast jus using the 3d Revelator glasses.. SDOE looks like magic when these are on.. you can just feel the bullets zipping away - it REALLY made leading the target MUCH more fun and easy. It did help my shooting allot...