BF1942 Gold!

[[AK]Palooka]

I just read that Battlefield 1942 has gone gold and will be on store shelves on September 12. I have a feeling that AK will be back in full effect pretty soon. I'm fairly sure that this is the game that can get the band back together, provided that everyone gives it a chance.

[Widowmaker]

Remember, all who are trying out the demo, about the refresh rate problem it has (it's only maijor bug as far as I can tell). I think it is the problem Squidly was talking about in his reply to my time warped post, since he had the same problem I did. The game would not even load, just switch to a black screen very briefly and back to desktop with an entry in the log about a video problem.

This happens on Win2k and XP systems that have a 3'rd party refresh rate lock tool so they can play 3d games with their desired refresh rate rather than the 60hz default the operating system wants to run it at (damn MS to hell). To fix it you have to reinstall your video drivers to get rid of the refresh lock and then you can play the game. This is the first game I have ever seen that problem with, ever. Refresh rates are not normaly a cause for concern.

This is a bug and it will be fixed, I just hope they don't wait till the final release to fix it since it is alienating a large number of possible users who don't know about the issue or how to work around it.

On a side note after playing this game Friday night and Sunday a bit I now know this feeling I have for the game. It has at least as many if not more "wow" factor for me that the Origional Tribes did when I first played it. And I do have the joystick set up for flying except the throttle is a bit hard to manage since all the way down on the throttle sends the planes in reverse on the ground (planes can go in reverse?) so when I hop into a plane the throttle better be set at 50% or I am in trouble before I can switch to it. I have a gamepad that is a lot like a PS2 pad with dual sticks on it that would probably be better because of the throttle thing, besides I would like to try it out

Palooka, we have got to try to hook up sometime. Oh how I wish there was a friends list in the server browser, not to mention a working filter arangement.

[[AK]Palooka]

Wid, if you would use ICQ, we could hook up. Hardly anyone in AK uses ICQ. I wish more people would, as it makes coordination between members so much easier.

I'll probably be playing tonight when I get home (around 5 PST). If it's just you and me, I can host us (or you can). This would be a fun way to practice our bombing runs and whatnot without people taking potshots at us.

I played A LOT this weekend, and I am thoroughly impressed. I only have a few reservations about the game. First, there is a bit of a lag problem, even when my pings are quite good (under 50). The network code seems pretty solid, but it needs some fine-tuning. You have to lead your target, particularly when dogfighting, more than should be necessary (reminds me of I'76 on dial-up). Also, due to lag, hitting other soldiers with your rifle can be incredibly difficult, even at point-blank range. Second, the small arms do not do enough damage to other soldiers. It should not take two shots from a K98 rifle to knock a guy down. Due to this factor, a bolt action rifle vs. a submachine gun or assault rifle will almost always lose, since it takes awhile to get off two shots. As far as I'm concerned, the bolt action rifles should take out people with one shot (like MOHAA) since the degree of difficulty is so high (even with a sniper rifle). Last, the planes could use slightly better control. Overall, I am pleasantly surprised with the implementation of the planes, but they could use a little improvement and fine-tuning. However, while piloting is a bit frustrating at first, it gets much easier with practice. I'm to the point now where I do fairly well in dogfights, and I hardly ever miss on bombing runs. My worst enemy is the anti-aircraft cannons, which are devastating (as they should be), rather than enemy planes, which I usually knock down or avoid.

[[AK]Devil_Dog]

I have ICQ, but I don't use it on my main system because when I purchased DSL the ICQ got all wacky and started flipping out, so I uninstalled it....

[[AK]Faxman]

I've just reinstalled icq now that i'm in my new apartment and can comfortably connect at 48k consistently. I'm going to get DSL, I just need a game to motivate me. BF1942 looks like it might do the trick. NWN just didn't come together as planned, and it's a shame too. Onwards, and upwards I suppose. Long story short, you'll be seeing me online much more now than in the past year and a half, and it's great to be back, even if I am on a dial-up.

[Widowmaker]

Yeah, I don't use any of those internet chat programs. Call me strange but I just don't use em. If I do it is only for certain reasons, I don't like it comming up whenever I turn on my machine (my machine is always off when I am not on it, that old fasion "turn the lights off when you leave the room" mentality my parrents drilled into me). I am also a kind of private person so don't want my presence broacast out so that I get people trying to chat with me while I am looking up japanese school girl porn (that was A JOKE!).

No, realy, I just don't chat so I don't bother with them. But if that is how we can hook up I guess I could install it just to try to get together with you. Tonight may not be a go. There are a few things I need to do tonight so I may be busy, somebody needs to put a curb on this real life thing.

I agree with everything you posted there. The damage model was either tweaked or there is a problem with the lag in the game. I remeber the infantry weapons being more effective in the single player game. Oh well, I am sure they will be doing some much needed tweaking.

I can dogfight like crazy. If I am on your six it is just a matter of time before you are dead, trying to loose me is like trying to loose the clap and just as anoying. I can bomb pretty well and pinpoint my strikes without too much trouble... and I never use the 3'rd person camera On line I am deadly in the air. Have you ever used the torpedo bomber as an actual torpedo bomber or do you just try to land it on the target? I was just precision bombing with it till I read up some things. Ships will take more damage from getting torpedo'd under the surface than on the deck and drop your torp from very low altitude or it will go so far under water that it will go under your target. I have been practicing skimming the water surface and setting the torpedo in then pulling up from the ship. I wish I knew for how long the torp will travel in the water.
Not sure if the ships actualy take more damage from getting the submerged hull hit or not but that would make sense (you never know how much to believe about what you read on the internet).

[[AK]Palooka]

I've just been treating the torpedo like a regular bomb. Every time I have tried to actually use it like a torpedo, nothing seems to happen. No explosion, no nothing. I will have to experiment with it some more.

I don't use the chase view anymore. Since you told me that you can get rid of the cockpit (F9), I've been doing great with the in-plane, no cockpit view.

[Widowmaker]

Remember that you can redefine that f9 key to something else more useful.

I had the same problem with the torpedo bomber using it like a torpedo. I have a lot better success if you skim the waves, you were probably doing like I was doing, droping it too high and going under the hull, angle of drop probably has a lot to do with it too.

There are a bunch of tips on the BF1942 MP demo site where you get the info on the multiplayer game, look for a link marked "Tips" or something like that.

Coming at the carrier from a low alt, watertop alt, you avoid the AA fire. If you have played the AA guns at all you will get know their blind areas, up high you are playing their game. Down low they can't see you. Up way high and they will probably not be looking for you.

[Widowmaker]

Just so he knows he is not being ignored... /wave Faxman! Maybe he could host a server for us? He gets 48k! I bet that would be lag free for at least 20 players!!!

[Widowmaker]

And because I feel like making this post have a lot of replies...

One thing that players don't do on the public servers is make any use of support units, or very sparse use. How many times do people repair your tank? How often do medics heal you? When is the last time you saw someone make good use of an APC?

Here is the scoop on APC's, in my opinion one of the least used good vehicles. Most try to just use it as weak armor and take it on the attack, sometimes with a few clowns in the back. APC's have the ability to heal any infantry that jumps into the back, you can get in the back by pressing any number key other than 1 or 2 (driver and gunner) 3+ will put you in a back seat. You get healed and resuplied in there. Also within a certain radius it will resuply armor units just like an ammo crate. The only thing it does not do is repair. I had one occation where I tried to use it like this and followed behind an allied tank while it fought I just kept the tank at full ammo and was an engineer so I would keep it repaird while jumping into the back of the APC for a heal. I would switch to gunner to shoot then hop in the back for a quick heal if I was still alive No other players seemed to know about the heal/resuply of the truck or no one cared to take advantage of it. All was good till I was in the gunners position and some idiot decided to drive it out in front of the tank into the last flag choke point, what a waste of a suply unit... idiots. We had gone from a single choke point to taking back the entire island except for the last flag before that idiot thought that sitting there behind the tank was useless.

Engineers rifle is crazy, but I have read that a headshot with any bolt action rifle is a one shot kill. Most use the engineer to lay out a ton of mines and the occational sapper charge. I rarely see people repairing other people. Japaneese engineers can keep the boats repaired as well, anyone manning the boat driving or gunner should be an engineer to keep it repaired. But you have to watch for the pesky Allies that decide to parachute onto your deck or find... other ways to infiltrate your boat then run around killing everyone they see. This is especialy bad on the carrier as the AA gunners are exposed and there is a lot of lower decks that they can hide on like around the boat launch area. A sapper comming on board a ship is bad news too.

The medic is a great unit. Not only does it have a good gun, SMG... Thomson for the allies and some other gun for the Axis. They also get a good amount of ammo for their guns and can heal. You heal yourself and anyone within a short radius around you, I have healed many a trooper to their great suprise.

Also you can switch kits at any time with a fallen soldier either friend or enemy by walking up to its pile of equipment that the game leaves there and hit "g" to switch. This actual changes your class, you were assault and switch with your dead medic's kit and you are now a medic. This is useful especialy when you are low on ammo.

[Hale]

I use the engineer a lot on the Jap side. I'll stay on the ship and repair it as necessary. I've also found out the hard way that snipers can reach the carrier in its starting position. Once I move to land I switch to anti tank.

Is it possible to fly with a mouse? I spend most of my time trying to make sure I'm not diving into the ground.

I'm gotten pretty good with the big guns. I'd like to try using a spotter with one.

[Widowmaker]

Turn your mouse sensitivity up in the AIR menu. I can fly and dogfight just fine with the mouse and keyboard though I tend to do more correcting/over correcting with the mouse.

The Gravis Eliminator Aftershock controller works GREAT with planes (and other vehicles except the tank because you can not map mouse movement to the analog sticks in the game) , dual analog sticks ala' Playstation.

To use the mouse/keyboard combo effectively USE THE RUDDER KEYS A LOT! They will help you maintain a turn without nosing down. Bank with the mouse and turn with the rudder while banked and you can get a nice flat turn going. I use the rudder keys A LOT even with the gravis pad, but the rudder is mapped elswhere with the pad.

[Hale]

Cool! Thanks.

If AK does something with BF 1942, count me in!

[[AK]Palooka]

Referring to the previous discussion that Wid and I had about torpedoes, I have done some experimenting with them, and they do work! I couldn't get them to work before because I was too high (as in altitude, not illicit drugs) when I dropped them. I have found that you literally have to skim the waves at fairly low speed to make sure that the torpedo doesn't go under the target ship. You will know when you've scored a hit by the explosion. If you don't hear an explosion, you missed. Torpedoes are definately worth using; they seem to do a lot more damage than the conventional bombs. In fact, I have sunk the carrier with three torpedoes on a few occasions. Try sinking the carrier with three regular bombs.

I have no doubt now that AK will be involved in BF1942, Hale. Hopefully, we'll get on a ladder and be as dedicated to BF1942 as we were to Tribes 2.

[Hale]

If you use the keyboard for throttle control, are you limited to full and off? I was fooling around with dive bombing and want to throttle down in the dive but its seems like letting go of the 'W' key switches the engine off.