I think that the cockpit view was developed for when the early versions of Freelancer supported a joystick. If they had intended Freelancer to only support a mouse from the start, then I believe that that they would have never spent the time on creating cockpits.

Ok you got me, what the hell does IMMHWO stand for?

Jose Chavez: "Trent! It's good to see my kind of scum."

It is a useless thing in combat but when u are in it you have a better sound effect for the cruise engines and thruster but for the most things....stick to 3rd person

If you mess with the Dragons you will get the Flames

@ mustang he ment to type IMHO = In My Honoured Opinion

Anyway the best pvp pilot I knew always used that view, it takes getting used to in pvp but aiming is easier and more precise, as you don't have your Ship blocking your view

IMMHWO = In my most humble wumble opinion? :O

It's like a fluffy wuffy bunny forum here.

Anyhoo, I hate the cockpit view. It looks like you're in some kind of a cage (it shakes horribly!) and you can't see anything in combat due to the flashes the weapons make. Plus there's nothing of interest in the cockpit, whereas in Starlancer was.

And you can't see your lovely ship from it's exterior beautyness :/

Actually ye are both incorrect.
IMMHWO = In My Most Humble Worthless Opinion
This takes into account that the majority my be disinclined to accept what is said or consider it disingenuous.

It is hard to soar with eagles when you fly with turkeys.

I sometimes use the 1st person mode, but not usually in combat, but to just break up the monotany or get the cruise engine glare out of my eyes for awhile.
I really like the way the cockpit view draws you right into the combat and it's more intense with the lasers going at eye level and enemy ships streaking right by you flaming and losing parts...heh and going boom. The problem in first person mode is while it brings you into the battle from a certain point it also severely limits your depth perception and the sense of where you are in relation to the other ships. I think the third person mode gives you this sense closer to the reality of being in a ships cockpit because you have some idea of whats beside you. In a real cockpit all you'd have to do is turn your head or look over your shoulder. In the FL cockpits you can't do this. If they pulled the camera back into the ship a bit, just a bit and did better work on the cockpits I think that would work to give more of a genuine feeling. In the FL Cockpit mode I feel like I've got my nose pressed against the windshield, or I'm trying to watch television from about two inches away from the screen. BTW. I think the best looking cockpit is that Britonian Light Fighter, what is that called, the Cavalier?

Don't like it much, I always over correct in tuning during combat. and the shaking gets anoying real fast. weapon flash is neat at first, but not for long.

Sanic

"47 is the most reoccuring number in the universe!"

"They come in Pints??"

I like it in a ship such as the Eagle, since you actually feel you are in combat. The incoming laser fire crackles across your shields and you can see and hear it!




Jose Chavez: "Trent! It's good to see my kind of scum."

I don't know HOW to use the cockpit view!

Corsair likes to refer to himself in the 3rd person.

As stated EARLIER {which means if you read all posts}: CTRL+V switches between 1st & 3rd.

It is hard to soar with eagles when you fly with turkeys.

Sorry to rez but good topic, I always use Cockpit except when in comabt with a freighter. I'm use to flying ship like that, spent two year play a Space sim RPG called jumpgate and its' all from the cockpit. It is to bad there was no joystick support for Freelancer but lots of people in jumpgate use mouse instead of a joystick.

I like how it reminds me of my days in jumpgate flying from the cockpit. Not quite the same since jumpgate had near true space physics but close enought.

I would use Cockpit more if the guns didn't flash so darned brightly! My screen flashes more than a rave concert.

On larger vehicles from mods, I like cockpit better, because I can't see past their rears as well in 3rd person.

But I like the dynamics the best of 3rd person.

However, I can't wait to try the difference of the upcoming Privateer: The Reckoning mod which will make all guns (yours & NPCs) static. Only the turrets will be able to move as was the case in the WC franchise. This might be a case where cockpit might be better, because you don't need as much range of the mouse and movement as you get in 3rd person when the guns are static.

Sir S