naiman-jeffrey@cs.yale.edu (Jeffrey Naiman) (01/27/91)
I've had Falcon for a while now, and I recently upgraded to V2.2 (I think, not sure about number, but the most recent version in any case). The problem: I cannot land anymore! Can someone who can land tell me the secret? Here's what I try to do (what the manual says): Speed: 125-150 knots AOA: 8-10 degrees (flying in at low speed gives me this AOA automatically) landing gear down (usually anyway :-) descent rate: I can usually get down to 6ft/update, but I've even cheated using the ' key which brings you down to 1 ft/update and still BOOM! horizon perfectly level What am I missing? DO I have to land on a specific part of the runway? Does my engine have to be below a certain level? Do I have to jettison all my weapons? Does my plane have to have no damage? While on the subject, the AOA indexer (the arrows on the left of the HUD) doesn't seem to agree with the AOA indicator. I'll often be at 10 degrees but the indexer says I'm coming in too slowly. Should I watch the indexer or the indicator? BTW, anyone who doesn't own this game should get it. It is incredible. It is complicated, but not overly so. Thanks! - Jeff Naiman (naiman@cuhhca.hhmi.columbia.edu)
jcoper@ccu.umanitoba.ca (D. Joseph Creighton) (01/28/91)
In article <28389@cs.yale.edu> naiman-jeffrey@cs.yale.edu (Jeffrey Naiman) writes: >I've had Falcon for a while now, and I recently upgraded to V2.2 (I think, >not sure about number, but the most recent version in any case). >The problem: I cannot land anymore! >Can someone who can land tell me the secret? Here's what I try to do (what the >manual says): > [ manual perfect info deleted ] >What am I missing? DO I have to land on a specific part of the runway? Does >my engine have to be below a certain level? Do I have to jettison all my >weapons? Does my plane have to have no damage? Things sound fine to me. Here are some specifics which may help in any case: You must land very near the center of the runway (along its width, not length). If you taxi on the runway and let the center line stray out of the bottom edge of your HUD, you will most likely crash. Your throttle should be set to about 72 percent for the Super Engine at lower ranks, and about 80 percent for the Normal Engine at Major or higher. It helps if you are using your flaps and speed breaks intermittently to control your rate of decent (I pitch the nose of my plane down so that I can see the runway better, as I usually never land on the ILS supprted runway). It helps if you flare the plane just before touching down, but if you cannot handle this, don't worry about it - just be sure your rate of decent is no more that 5-6 ft/update. When you do touch down, throttle down immediately and engage the wheel brakes when your speed reaches 100 knots. I've landed quite heavy many times - I don't believe that weight has any sort of influence on your landing ability, other than timing it properly (ie: more thrust may be required to keep you airborne and at the right airspeed). Your plane cannot have any damage which would affect the landing performance of your plane, but non-hindering damage (such as a Gun Jam) will not matter. >While on the subject, the AOA indexer (the arrows on the left of the HUD) >doesn't seem to agree with the AOA indicator. I'll often be at 10 degrees but >the indexer says I'm coming in too slowly. Should I watch the indexer or the >indicator? I seem to ignore the indexer and go entirely with the true gauges (the air- speed indicator, and rate of decent measured through the altimeter). I've landed many times without any problems when this indexer says "too low and fast" or "too high and slow". >BTW, anyone who doesn't own this game should get it. It is incredible. It >is complicated, but not overly so. I think it's about the best keyboard flying simulation around. Or, to use an appropriate slang, it's Sierra Hotel!! :) >Thanks! >- Jeff Naiman (naiman@cuhhca.hhmi.columbia.edu) No problem. I hope this helps. Major D.J."Sky Fox" Creighton wishes you good hunting! --- +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | D. Joseph Creighton | Department of Computer Services | | <jcoper@ccu.umanitoba.ca> | University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
chuck@gistdev.gist.com (Chuck Welsh) (01/29/91)
I've just ordered Falcon so I'm afraid I don't have any insight into your problem. Since you said you like the program, though I had a few questions for you and perhaps other Falcon users: How are the controls? Are they awkward or easy? Does it use mouse and/or keyboard? I've played a number of games which seemed to make rather lame or awkward use of the input devices. Has anyone used a trackball or joystick with Falcon? -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- | Chuck Welsh, GIST, Inc., 1800 Woodfield Drive, Savoy, IL, 61874 | | INTERNET: gistqa!cwelsh%gistdev@usc.cso.uiuc.edu | | UUCP: {uunet,pur-ee,convex}!uiucuxc!gistdev!gistqa!cwelsh |
awessels@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Wessels) (01/29/91)
In article <1065@gistdev.gist.com> chuck@gistdev.gist.com (Chuck Welsh) writes: >How are the controls? Are they awkward or easy? I'd guess that depends on how good you are with two hands on the keyboard. >Does it use mouse and/or keyboard? You can fly with the mouse or the keypad with most of the rest of the keyboard mapped for a zillion and one functions. >Has anyone used a trackball or joystick with Falcon? I use the Gravis MouseStick with Falcon. It works well and it doesn't shift around on the table when you're flying one-handed. My only gripe with the Gravis is that I wish they'd bring out a 3 button mouse to plug into the MouseStick's microprocessor.
Andrew.Martin@f1.n354.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Andrew Martin) (01/30/91)
I have the Amiga version of Falcon but I think they're basically the same, I
don't think there's exactly a trick to landing, all I do is aim the nose of
the plane at the runway then get an outside view and get so the plane is
sideways and just keep evening out. I think that helps a little anyway, it
isn't 100% effective but it usually works for me. TTYL
--
Andrew Martin - via FidoNet node 1:105/14
UUCP: ...!{uunet!glacier, ..reed.bitnet}!busker!354!1!Andrew.Martin
INTERNET: Andrew.Martin@f1.n354.z1.FIDONET.ORGd90-mwd@sm.luth.se (Michael Westlund) (02/03/91)
Andrew.Martin@f1.n354.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Andrew Martin) writes: >I have the Amiga version of Falcon but I think they're basically the same, I >don't think there's exactly a trick to landing, all I do is aim the nose of >the plane at the runway then get an outside view and get so the plane is >sideways and just keep evening out. I think that helps a little anyway, it >isn't 100% effective but it usually works for me. TTYL I don't know about the latest version of Falcon for the Mac (2.2?), but I've never seen any outside view-option in my Falcon (2.0) I've seen the Amiga version, and it's much better. It's no big deal to land at all. In the Mac-version, I've always have to make a reapproach or two to make a proper landing. Something that's not too easy to do when you've only some fumes left of your fuel storage and a mig in your tail... --Mike -- | Michael Westlund | c/o Rocklin | Voice natl. 0920 - 132 91 | | University of Luleaa | Lingonstigen 77 | intl. +46 920 132 91 | | SWEDEN | S-951 55 Luleaa | Internet: d90-mwd@sm.luth.se |