RoF Sale

bob48 · December 22, 2013, 06:33:12 AM

Just in case anyone missed it......

RoF sale on now, and if you buy the new Sopwith Strutter 1.1/2 you get the single seat version free.

Slick Wilhelm · December 22, 2013, 09:24:43 AM

Yep, I already prepaid for the Strutter. I've got every plane in the set with the exception of the two float planes. I'm pretty sure that I've never paid full price for any of them. These sales are great.

sandman2575 · December 22, 2013, 11:09:36 AM

Are there any issues/restrictions with getting content bought through the RoF Store to work on Steam?

Nefaro · December 22, 2013, 01:05:36 PM

Quote from: sandman2575 on December 22, 2013, 11:09:36 AM
Are there any issues/restrictions with getting content bought through the RoF Store to work on Steam?

They don't work together.

If you bought the base Steam package, you need to buy the Steam add-ons last I heard. At least with that ROF login tied to your Steam acct.

I believe all the Steam stuff is 50% off on the Xmas sale right now, however.

sandman2575 · December 22, 2013, 02:11:13 PM

That's what I was afraid of -- thanks.

sandman2575 · December 23, 2013, 08:32:17 PM

Anyone have thoughts about the RoF DLC bundles on sale on Steam?

http://store.steampowered.com/app/244050/

I can see the appeal of the St. Mihiel campaign -- but things like the "Ace Pack" seem a little more questionable, in terms of usefulness.

Any of these "must buys", in the opinion of ye who are knowledgable in matters RoF?

Nefaro · December 23, 2013, 09:20:14 PM

Quote from: sandman2575 on December 23, 2013, 08:32:17 PM
Anyone have thoughts about the RoF DLC bundles on sale on Steam?

http://store.steampowered.com/app/244050/

I can see the appeal of the St. Mihiel campaign -- but things like the "Ace Pack" seem a little more questionable, in terms of usefulness.

Any of these "must buys", in the opinion of ye who are knowledgable in matters RoF?

There is a thread on the Steam forums that details how the aircraft types link together regarding the campaign. There is a certain pack to get, depending on which nationality you want to play an extended campaign in, that will get you through much of the last half of the war.

*digs around*

Awesome! Someone finally stickied it after getting sick of me bumping it!

http://steamcommunity.com/app/244050/discussions/0/846964363992631666/

That guy's post details each Steam pack and what you get in terms of campaign and multiplayer gameplay out of them.

I've been debating picking up the Ace pack but I'm not sure if I really want custom gun mounts all that much. It's obviously helpful in multi-player but I've not played any thus far.

I did pick up Furious Wings first since it extended the French and German campaigns back further than the base game, with the new aircraft models in it. Later picked up Bloody April to do the same thing for the British. Ultimately the Best Fighter is very late war Fokkers and a couple two-seaters so it's just more variety although it has the best version of the DVII (the 'F'). Likewise the Battle of Saint Michel is just some extra variety but I wanted it for the F2b 'Brisfit' two-seater (also has the Sopwith Dolphin, Pfalz DIII, and Halberstad CLII for those who want some of the less glorious German aircraft).

I've not picked up the big bombers pack or the early warbirds as I'm not into flying the huge beasts or the old slow pushers. Just read the thread I linked to get an idea what you can do with the packs, it's a good write-up.

Regarding price, you tend to get a bit more value out of the Steam packs.. all sales being equal. I've only picked up my ROF content while they were on sale, so it has taken some of the sting out of being DLC'd to death.

sandman2575 · December 23, 2013, 10:04:46 PM

Thanks Nef -- very helpful summary.

Little confused though about "St. Mihiel" DLC -- my impression was that this added a new campaign, but it sounds from Trup's post like it actually only adds some new planes that are interesting but hardly essential -? Or maybe it adds a new campaign that can only be played with the particular planes the DLC includes?

"Furious Wings" and "Bloody April" sound like must-gets. Of the fence though about "Ace Pack" -- I'd like to play with "full real" settings, and so without the "simple gauges" HUD -- kinda sounds like you need Ace Pack to do that.

Nefaro · December 24, 2013, 01:20:48 PM

I think the Ace Pack adds extra guns, gauge, and sights options, along with streamers and some other fluff.

If you're not using the on-screen gauges, then you may have to play it by ear with some aircraft types. The Nieuports were extremely thin on cockpit gauges, for example.

I tend to use the on-screen gauges just because you can't really glance down at them. Even using a TrackIR, you still have to lower your head and stare down into the pit which isn't exactly realistic when you just want to quickly glance down at your speed or tachometer without moving your head.

Having said that, I still picked up the Ace Pack recently just so I could use some of the optional equipment if I felt the need. If you want to go with purely historical armaments and gauges, then there's not much of a reason to get it.

Slick Wilhelm · December 24, 2013, 03:02:50 PM

Quote from: Nefaro on December 24, 2013, 01:20:48 PM
Even using a TrackIR, you still have to lower your head and stare down into the pit which isn't exactly realistic when you just want to quickly glance down at your speed or tachometer without moving your head.

I'm trying to remain as historically realistic as possible, but it's precisely for this reason that I'm tempted to use the on-screen gauges. As to the other gauges, gunsights, streamers and other falderal, I'm too much of a purist to use that stuff. If I wanted to use a Mark II Gyro sight, I'd go fly an F-86 Sabre.

Yes, I know that the Mark II Gyro is not part of the Aces pack. ;)

Nefaro · December 24, 2013, 05:44:51 PM

Some of the purists may look down on such things as gauges on the interface, but there is absolutely no way a computer sim will ever be "realistic" as they like to think of it.

Many of the interface niceties are there to make up for the missing sensory inputs and physical capabilities of actually being there. They're substitutes for things we take for granted. Purists are just trying to make it more difficult for the sake of doing so and saying they have.

Sure, there may not really be gauges showing on the inside of your eyelids if you were actually there flying, but you certainly wouldn't have to look down towards your feet to briefly shift your eyes to a couple gauges. We all know how that works, even if we have never piloted anything, since we do it all the time while driving. Similar comparisons can be made for all the various situational awareness assists in many flight sims because we have no sensation of movement, including moving our bodies, G-forces telling us which direction we're currently travelling, and concepts of speed and movement in relation to other objects around us. There are lots of sensations you just don't get and I think PC pilots shouldn't feel bad for using viable in-game substitutes.

Staggerwing · December 24, 2013, 06:39:20 PM

I suppose it's no more fantastic than the 'red out' and 'grey out' screens some sims use when you pull too many negative or positive G's.

Slick Wilhelm · December 26, 2013, 09:13:46 AM

Quote from: Nefaro on December 24, 2013, 05:44:51 PM
Some of the purists may look down on such things as gauges on the interface, but there is absolutely no way a computer sim will ever be "realistic" as they like to think of it.

Many of the interface niceties are there to make up for the missing sensory inputs and physical capabilities of actually being there. They're substitutes for things we take for granted. Purists are just trying to make it more difficult for the sake of doing so and saying they have.

Sure, there may not really be gauges showing on the inside of your eyelids if you were actually there flying, but you certainly wouldn't have to look down towards your feet to briefly shift your eyes to a couple gauges. We all know how that works, even if we have never piloted anything, since we do it all the time while driving. Similar comparisons can be made for all the various situational awareness assists in many flight sims because we have no sensation of movement, including moving our bodies, G-forces telling us which direction we're currently travelling, and concepts of speed and movement in relation to other objects around us. There are lots of sensations you just don't get and I think PC pilots shouldn't feel bad for using viable in-game substitutes.

Completely agree, Nef, and I hope I didn't come across as sounding like an elitist snob.

My purism kicks in when they start offering things like special gunsights and such that weren't widely available during the war.

Silent Disapproval Robot · December 26, 2013, 02:09:34 PM

Thankfully RoF ships most planes gauge free so you needn't waste valuable time checking for things like your altitude and the amount of fuel you've got left.

I ended up buying the Channel Map, the Felixstowe, and the two Halberstadts. I'm not really sure why. I don't play much RoF these days and none of these crates ever seem to make the roster on Syndicate server. (full real, no gauges for me, damn it!)

Staggerwing · December 26, 2013, 07:09:37 PM

The Felixstowe is kind of cool to fly around in. I found it much easier to fly than the Gotha or Handley Page though that may have something to do with being able to take off from water as opposed to doing a face plant 3 out of 4 times while taking off from a grass field.