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Need Dogfight tip - How to sharp turn and wheel on a dime

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Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 12:19 am

Need Dogfight tip - How to sharp turn and wheel on a dime

QUESTION: How do some guys wheel and turn on a dime. I tried this, from thrust - engine cut out/strafe in that direction/mouse in that direction and rethrust after but I don't wheel anywhere NEAR like them. I guess being a heavy fighter is why, I have light fighters buzzing mosquito's about me.

I can still spank the LF's I am fighting but they move like I am a standing still.

Is there REALLY that much manueverability increase on the LF's?

Thanks

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 12:53 am

hmmm i dunno... lfs dont have THAT much more maneuverabilty than HF, but maybe its the ship... some hf move faster than others, and for inst, the liberty hf is slow as a mofo... but others are faster... also maybe (i dunno) they have better engines, tho i think all they do is just increase possible afterburn time

Did somebody say my name?
-Gamma Wing
It's the dreaded G-Man[![![![!
-Moose

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 2:31 am

if your sheilds can handle the beatings of enemy ships.. drop your Speed down to Zero! so your just standing still, then use the thrusters to move closer to your enemy targets.. it's a easy kill!

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 2:36 am

at times, engine kill can be useful in shaking people, giving the appearance of manueverabilty, although I don't think the AI ever does it..

Just cut your engines (x key), turn 90 degrees on some axis, and hit afterbuner (tab). To anyone following you, it will appear you magically changed direction at 200m/s, leaving them in the dust.

Perhaps not exactly what you were looking for, but might be useful.

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 4:53 am

The default keyboard layout has X as the reverse thrust key, Z is the one that cuts your engings. So..

X = Reverse Thrust
Z = Cut Engines (this only works in free flight mode for me?)

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 11:03 am

Yup, kill your engines and use the afterburner to quickly thrust in the direction you want.
Note: don't do it in a mining zone

-----------
The Guardians, a guild for StarWars Galaxies (MMORPG)

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 2:56 pm

and dont forget to drop some mines when you do the trick. Most (human) pepole will crash in to them. agains ai those things are worthless

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 4:52 pm

Yes the AI does it. I've been right next to one dogfighting an ally, and have seen it clearly cut the engine and drift, then spin and thrust back at him. The appearance of them doing it "on a dime" is most likely because you're using a heavy fighter of very heavy fighter. I fly a Titan now, and light fighters buzz around me like flies. Of course, that's why I equip my ship with class 10 fly swatters.

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 5:48 pm

Try using the Hammerhead!

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:11 pm

I like the reverse thrust key. Hold down reverse thrust and point toward your target, he'll line right up for you.

By practicing with reverse thrust, normal thrust and afterburner, you can keep someone in front of you.

Me no gun

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:21 pm

Does anyone use the strafe keys? Do they help at all? I find myself fumbling for them and sometimes pop a needed shield repair bot instead

I've since changed my key config, but I still don't see a huge difference when I do the engine cut and turn manuever and try to hit the strafe button in that direction.

Thanks

Post Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:44 pm

against AI strafing is unbelievably helpful.

Strafing in one direction (or alternating) you can fly straight towards a cluster of nomads, correcting your aim slightly, and probably kill 2-3 of them before you even get into a turning fight. The AI is horrid at correcting for it, so you essentially get to pour lasers into them with little risk to yourself.

It's also nice way to throw people off if you're busy killing someone and you have his wingman on his tail.

Against humans I doubt it does much, but I haven't played much PvP.

EDIT: oops, missed main point of the question:

"ut I still don't see a huge difference when I do the engine cut and turn manuever and try to hit the strafe button in that direction."

In that situation, no, strafe isn't that useful. At that speed it doesn't really throw them off. Only use strafe at high speeds when you want to juke without leaving your current manuever. If you've already gone to the effort of cutting engines, it's much more practical to just change your heading and go to afterburners.

Edited by - AH_Tze on 18-03-2003 18:47:33

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