FAss. On - FAss. Off Miyagi style space combat for beginners

[CMDR Corleone]

Not another AI thread, but a Flight Assist n00b's advice on gitting gud.

Pre-2.1 I've been farming Elites, Deadlies, FDLs, Condas, Pythons, wings, whatever in my Vulture.

Then the patch came, and first trip out I got destroyed, big time.

I sat back and took some time out to read the forums, FB groups etc. and decided "git gud" is actually the answer.

So tonight I set up a Voice Attack command to toggle FAss. and went into the training missions.

Died instantly trying to launch, decided that doesn't matter and switched to the combat missions.

That's when I discovered FD hasn't upgraded the training AIs, even flying around like a drunk, hobbled, three legged cow with FAss. off they were thirty second events, so I took a deep breath and headed into Mobius to face the steep learning curve.

I headed to a Low RES, started picking off small fry; lined up my opening salvos to ensure maximum effect, hit them hard, then as they come in for a strafing run FAss. off, spin fast to track them and pick up weapons lock quickly, FAss. on, chaff when you need to, and despite being a bit wobbly I was winning my fights.

Stepped it up a bit, refined my technique, started looking at bigger, higher ranking targets, Competent Pythons, Dangerous Clippers, Master FDLs, even one Elite Conda (with much police assistance!) and discovered that this is a workable technique, but you need to remain fluid, there are some real differences in the enemies' styles and skill levels now so flexibility, adaptability and improvisation are vital.

I came out of the RES after an hour forty minutes not far from 2,000,000cr richer on 100% hull.

Not only that, I felt that I was improving my skills, quickly, and becoming a combat pilot and reward winner rather than a bounty farmer.

Flight Assist appears to be the key, and while nerve wracking and unwieldy at first it gets easier quickly and the forced concentration makes the game more immersive, more focused and I came away from tonight's session with a real feeling of having achieved something.

Hang in there fellow FAss. n00bs, we can do this!

 

[Flavourless]

Wash on, wash off, paint the fence.....oops I mean FA on, FA off, manage the pips.

 

[mojododo]

100% agree with your post mate!

I too never bothered with f/a off in a conda in res sites as the enemies just kept at a managable distance from you and were predictable (or blatently stupid) Now, having to quickly learn f/a off manouvres (wobbly as heck) and needing to improvise as the AI adapt to you and actually manouvre themselves properly.

Completely makes for a much needed experience in Res sites. I find the Res sites for me i roleplay being a miner's protection (solo mode) havent myself tried actual bounty hunting on the mission boards.

 

[CMDR Corleone]

Wash on, wash off, paint the fence.....oops I mean FA on, FA off, manage the pips.

Yes, much more pip management needed now, more to focus on, loving the necessary concentration levels!

 

[Cmnd Fulsom]

Good on you, I will say, it is not necessary to fly FA Off all the time. But learning how to use it, and notably when not to, is useful. FA Off can increase your turn rate, but it messes with your direction when you do, so I find this is actually the least useful use for FA Off. What FA Off does do that is very useful, is allow you to accelerate faster and uncaps your vertical, lateral, and reverse thrust Very useful. But beware, if you are being attacked FA Off slows your deceleration making avoiding incoming fire much harder. It's a tool, respect it, learn to use it properly, but also when to put it down.

 

[CMDR Corleone]

100% agree with your post mate!

I too never bothered with f/a off in a conda in res sites as the enemies just kept at a managable distance from you and were predictable (or blatently stupid) Now, having to quickly learn f/a off manouvres (wobbly as heck) and needing to improvise as the AI adapt to you and actually manouvre themselves properly.

Completely makes for a much needed experience in Res sites. I find the Res sites for me i roleplay being a miner's protection (solo mode) havent myself tried actual bounty hunting on the mission boards.

I use a HOTAS set up, I'm wondering if now that a greater level of accuracy is needed when manoeuvring we're going to see real advantages in buying the high level kit rather than the $50 Thrustmaster I use.

It might be that a more refined joystick will reduce the wobble factor more than a steady hand on a cheaper stick can.

 

[anikaiful]

FA-on/FA-off tinkery has always been your friend - now tho a notch more than before

 

[CMDR Corleone]

Good on you, I will say, it is not necessary to fly FA Off all the time. But learning how to use it, and notably when not to, is useful. FA Off can increase your turn rate, but it messes with your direction when you do, so I find this is actually the least useful use for FA Off. What FA Off does do that is very useful, is allow you to accelerate faster and uncaps your vertical, lateral, and reverse thrust Very useful. But beware, if you are being attacked FA Off slows your deceleration making avoiding incoming fire much harder. It's a tool, respect it, learn to use it properly, but also when to put it down.

Yes, moderation and correct application.

Thanks for the input, I'm very happy for this to become a "help CMDR Corleone and other FAss. n00bs" thread.

All advice gratefully received!

 

[Garbarrage]

I use a HOTAS set up, I'm wondering if now that a greater level of accuracy is needed when manoeuvring we're going to see real advantages in buying the high level kit rather than the $50 Thrustmaster I use.

It might be that a more refined joystick will reduce the wobble factor more than a steady hand on a cheaper stick can.

Isonona uses FA-off full time and a Hotas-X... Moar gitting gud needed.

 

[Fost]

Assuming you are travelling in a straight line, what's the fastest way to do the FAO manoeuvre? Does the blue zone matter in FAO?

-Turn Flight assist off
-Throttle to zero here or into the blue zone?
-Spin your ship
-Turn flight assist on
-Throttle backwards

 

[Jason S]

FA off being the way to do combat well could be an issue for those that do not read these forums.

So someone buys ED finds that the AI is totally dominating them no matter how much they practice, so they move on to another game.

If FA off is key it needs to be better communicated to players in training. Do not expect players to read forums or watch you tube to understand that.

 

[CMDR Corleone]

Isonona uses FA-off full time and a Hotas-X... Moar gitting gud needed.

I don't know who Isonona is, but already I don't like him!

 

[anikaiful]

If FA off is key it needs to be better communicated to players in training. Do not expect players to read forums or watch you tube to understand that.

If someone in FDev has time to, would probably be a good idea to introduce an in-game (a hands on, instead of youtubing) FA-on/FA-off tutorial.

 

[Cmnd Fulsom]

Assuming you are travelling in a straight line, what's the fastest way to do the FAO manoeuvre? Does the blue zone matter in FAO?

-Turn Flight assist off
-Throttle to zero here or into the blue zone?
-Spin your ship
-Turn flight assist on
-Throttle backwards

What manuver do you mean, the FA Off flip? The The blue zone does matter, you can also put all pips to engine, turn FA off, boost and flip, the boost will increase your turn rate dramatically..

Also FA off is not needed to beat the AI now. It is perfectly possible to take on the AI without it. But it's definitely an advantage.

 

[CMDR Corleone]

Assuming you are travelling in a straight line, what's the fastest way to do the FAO manoeuvre? Does the blue zone matter in FAO?

-Turn Flight assist off
-Throttle to zero here or into the blue zone?
-Spin your ship
-Turn flight assist on
-Throttle backwards

Still very new to this, I've been hovering around the top of the blue zone, then accelerating before switching FAss. off, and depending on the enemy's next move to decide how I move from there.

Happy to see answers from the experienced for this one.

FA off being the way to do combat well could be an issue for those that do not read these forums.

So someone buys ED finds that the AI is totally dominating them no matter how much they practice, so they move on to another game.

If FA off is key it needs to be better communicated to players in training. Do not expect players to read forums or watch you tube to understand that.

Yes, I was disappointed to see that the training missions really weren't reflecting 2.1.

 

[mojododo]

I use a HOTAS set up, I'm wondering if now that a greater level of accuracy is needed when manoeuvring we're going to see real advantages in buying the high level kit rather than the $50 Thrustmaster I use.

It might be that a more refined joystick will reduce the wobble factor more than a steady hand on a cheaper stick can.

I think for me its learning that fa off needs less input than when on.. find myself overshooting and just being wobbly. Ive got a warthog and pedals, im still wobbly haha!

 

[CMDR Corleone]

So I can't just buy my way gud then!

 

[Cmnd Fulsom]

I actually still wobble a lot when I FA off, it really is just a matter of learning not to over compensate.

 

[Tuub t Tute]

Have you got the Joystick Curves software installed to smooth out your Hotas-X? Makes a big difference (to FA ON at least)

 

[Jason S]

It is a bit amusing how if FA off is so essential for combat and at the same time it is not the games standard flight model, I suspect most of the million players have never tried it.