Spotting

[screwdriver]

I was wondering if anyone has any hints on spotting contacts? I regularly use the Tab 7-1 to point me in the right direction but at what distance could I expect them to become visual? And once you've found them how on earth do you keep them in view, especially after you start manoeuvring? I do use a TrackIR so can swivel my head around but I very quickly lose sight after a few turns, especially if either of us go vertical. And I know that once I've lost sight it's usually all over.

I guess there is some consolation to be found in the knowledge that it's theoretically just as hard for the bad guy to spot me.

Sorry to ask so many questions....but just as soon as I start to get to grips with some aspects of flying online I struggle with another!

Cheers

[Perfesser]

Don't take your eyes off the bad guy in a fight in the first place. Anticipate where he's going and keep looking, he's there. Of course the longer it takes the more likely that he isn't there anymore and you have to expand the search area.

I guess there is some consolation to be found in the knowledge that it's theoretically just as hard for the bad guy to spot me

Very likely not. He's had a lot of practice picking out the dots and has his settings optimized to see as far as possible. You do have to train yourself not just to glance over there but to take enough time to focus on distant things. Look at the little details on a far away cloud, now your eyes are focused at distance. You'll see distant dots better.
With no input (blank sky) your eyes naturally focus a few feet in front of you. Find something far away and take a good look at it for details every now and then.
Start with this thread anyway.
http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.co...t=stare+pixels

[Vlerkies]

I was wondering if anyone has any hints on spotting contacts? I regularly use the Tab 7-1 to point me in the right direction but at what distance could I expect them to become visual? And once you've found them how on earth do you keep them in view, especially after you start manoeuvring? I do use a TrackIR so can swivel my head around but I very quickly lose sight after a few turns, especially if either of us go vertical. And I know that once I've lost sight it's usually all over.

I guess there is some consolation to be found in the knowledge that it's theoretically just as hard for the bad guy to spot me.

Sorry to ask so many questions....but just as soon as I start to get to grips with some aspects of flying online I struggle with another!

Cheers

It is hard by default bud.
There are some things that give people an advantage though, playing with big monitors or tv's, maybe knocked down res 1 step, helps make the dots in the distance more visible.
With Nvidia if your machine can handle it, anisotropic filtering set to 16x accentuates the dots, but also makes shimmering on maps in the distance worse, at least for me, ymmv.

The absolute best advice is to fly always as a pair/rotte, or more.
Wide spacing, cannot emphasize this enough. None of this look at me I can fly tight formation nonesense and be in an airshow, wide spacing, just so you can keep tabs on your wingy in black dot format.
This will exponentially increase your survivability online, as if you can see your wingy, and he can see you, you can see anything coming up to hurt you or him.

[ATAG_Highseas]

I was wondering if anyone has any hints on spotting contacts? I regularly use the Tab 7-1 to point me in the right direction but at what distance could I expect them to become visual? And once you've found them how on earth do you keep them in view, especially after you start manoeuvring? I do use a TrackIR so can swivel my head around but I very quickly lose sight after a few turns, especially if either of us go vertical. And I know that once I've lost sight it's usually all over.

I guess there is some consolation to be found in the knowledge that it's theoretically just as hard for the bad guy to spot me.

Sorry to ask so many questions....but just as soon as I start to get to grips with some aspects of flying online I struggle with another!

Cheers

4 km is visual range... 5 if you are using a TV I'm told.

basically if you have 4 or less you are pretty much on each other... Altitude is a different thing mind as the Tab 7 1 doesn't take account of altitude... its basically giving you the call out from a top down map view.

radar get lost below about 1,000ft so if your guy vanishes... he's probably gone to deck. (you can do this too obviously !!)

spotting low contacts over ground is very difficult and its very very easy to loose someone you have eyes on just by looking behind.

if you check out some U Tube videos... some of the time I'm wondering who the hell these guys are chasing... then you see them.


It does get easier as you get more experience... but not much to be honest !

what does help is recognising what someone is LIKELY to do next...

and keeping eyes on all the time isn't a great idea.. you need to be checking six as well.

Basically it gets easier... but we all have our good and bad days none the less!

4 km.... (altitude is your guess !!)

[ATAG_Highseas]

Additional:

You will often see more when you are NOT zoomed in.

You can test this when you see a bomber formation... just within visual range.

Zoom in... GONE !!!!! same with the ships from far out.

so be aware that zooming in isn't necessarily a great idea.. especially when only just in visual range.

Quirkey huh ?!

[Perfesser]

and keeping eyes on all the time isn't a great idea.. you need to be checking six as well.

That's your partners job. Shooters job is to keep eyes on the target, wingman watches 6. No wingman you say? Expect to be dead .. a lot. Get one. Join a squad or find a partner to fly with, you cannot fly combat alone. Period.

[ATAG_Highseas]

you cannot fly combat alone. Period.

Oh contraire !!

You may do as you wish so long as you do it with a grin !

[screwdriver]

Thanks guys.

My low point came today...I'd been tailing a Stuka quite nicely....then lost sight. Then he shot me down while I was bumbling around trying to reacquire him. Oh the shame...!

Still, fair play to him. I made mistakes and paid the price....

[ATAG_Highseas]

Thanks guys.

My low point came today...I'd been tailing a Stuka quite nicely....then lost sight. Then he shot me down while I was bumbling around trying to reacquire him. Oh the shame...!

Still, fair play to him. I made mistakes and paid the price....

No shame in that at all... Stukas are hard work at the best of times !

Most (me too) will say "Check Six"... but more important that that by far...

Keep an eye on the fun gauge. It's the most important gauge there is barr none.

If it dips below about 90% leave it to warm up again.


See you up there Screwdriver !

'Seas

[DerDa]

Absolutely no reason to be ashamed.

Many Hurricane and Spitfire pilots (including me) find it very hard to fight against a well flown Stuka.
That's because the da... thing is somewhat slower but turns better than your ac.
So you have to act against everything you trained yourself for a fight against the 109. The roles are swapped and you have to be the energy fighter. As a rule, never try to dive with a Stuka and never try to turn with it.

And another thing: I can't call myself a noob anymore, but there are some guys around here, who would shoot me down even if I flew a Me 262 and they a Tigermoth (and I do know that the Moth has no armament ).

S!

DerDa

[ATAG_Highseas]

As a rule, never try to dive with a Stuka and never try to turn with it.

hahah... !

Pretty much sums up my sentiments on the irritating '87 !

[ATAG_Lewis]

Keeping eyes on with TrackIR...and following the target while manoeuvring...and flying backwards (or checking 6 for long periods)...is just practice...Anyone can kill an enemy who hasn't seen them...Engaging one that has is where the real player/pilot gets to use all his skills...As I say its just practice...

You have to get use to being killed a lot at first in order to get the practice required in multiplayer...

The 'Contact spotting mission' is a good start too...That will tell you if your game, software and hardware are set up the best for play...

A large monitor will help no end for spotting too...

PS...I usually ignore stukas...They are over-modelled at present and will be addressed in the upcoming patch from what I hear...Until then tangle with them at your peril...

[screwdriver]

Haha, cheers fellas.

Fun gauge is definitely still bouncing off the 100% mark! Loving it...

[ATAG_Ezzie]

I was wondering if anyone has any hints on spotting contacts? I regularly use the Tab 7-1 to point me in the right direction but at what distance could I expect them to become visual? And once you've found them how on earth do you keep them in view, especially after you start manoeuvring? I do use a TrackIR so can swivel my head around but I very quickly lose sight after a few turns, especially if either of us go vertical. And I know that once I've lost sight it's usually all over.

I guess there is some consolation to be found in the knowledge that it's theoretically just as hard for the bad guy to spot me.

Sorry to ask so many questions....but just as soon as I start to get to grips with some aspects of flying online I struggle with another!

Cheers

Hi Screwdriver,

I can spot a co-alt contact at 13 km as they are above the horizon. If they are lower then visual detection becomes tricky due to ground clutter and light level and sun position. One thing that helps is to hunt overwater - this removes ground clutter somewhat but be aware that if u are overwater then you are easier to see by someone above you.

Also wit time u will figure out standard patterns that most players follow. Ie many enemy pilots take off from base A and head towards area X and climb at the same time and are often at around Z altitude when they get to X. Extra clever enemy will then do something different and try and bounce people trying to bounce people flying the standard pattern. Cat and mouse and all good fun.

Like Lew and others said it takes practice and more practice for it to become second nature.

Ezzie

[ATAG_((dB))]

Hello screwdriver I've the same question when I start playing Cliffs.

Few things

1st The bigger the better

2nd Calibrate your TV/Monitor colors using the window tool is easy step by step proceedure

3rd Then like Perfesser says do that
http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.co...t=stare+pixels

4th Practice

5th some more

6th again

Good luck

[Dai-San]

I find spotting other planes easy (but then I do use a triplescreen setup) it's IDENTIFYING them I find hard. Even when fairly close in a furball I still find it hard deciding who's chasing who and this leads to many of my deaths as I just end up flying around in a fight not knowing who to shoot.

[Erpr.Gr.210_Mölders]

Normally I start spotting aircraft contacts at a range of about 14 Km ( ATAG main server ).
Note in addition that the visibility distance at which you will start spotting aircraft contacts is depending also on the settings and parameters that the server has\uses about it, independently to your computer settings.

An example ( same pc settings on both servers ):

ATAG Main server: about 14 km

Storm of War server: about 10-12 km

I hope this could help!

[ATAG_Highseas]

Wow !!

a few here with 14-15km potting range !!

way beyond mine !!

unless its a group of bombers....

Single contact though... tiny 109...

5 absolute tops.

Not using a TV though.

27" IPS full HD monitor here.

[screwdriver]

I find spotting other planes easy (but then I do use a triplescreen setup) it's IDENTIFYING them I find hard. Even when fairly close in a furball I still find it hard deciding who's chasing who and this leads to many of my deaths as I just end up flying around in a fight not knowing who to shoot.

Okay, I can definitely relate to this as well! When I do eventually spot the pixels, figuring out who's who is an order of magnitude harder! I'm always erring on the side of caution and trying to get close enough to make a positive ID...then once I've identified the bad guy I try to keep my eye on him - which of course leaves my six vulnerable.

Definitely see the advantages of flying with wingmen!

[No.119_Marshy (VK-M)]

Hi Screwdriver

Looks as if you and I are in the same boat! If you want I'll look out for you when I join the server and fly with you - I am sure the combination will fill the enemy with fear! I don't know if there is a private messaging thing on here, but if there is let me know when you're up next and I'll try to get you on TeamSpeak.

This is only on the condition that you don't laugh at my take-offs, some can be a bit adventurous!

MM

[ATAG_Pattle]

Using the right res for my 27inch screen, 1920 by 1080, I can see 7-8 miles out, so about 12 kms.

If your graphics card can handle higher res, you can choose that, but it will smooth our your graphics, taking out the longer range dot. I tried that early on so I could get better looking graphics but the lack of distance put my at a dis advantage, so like many traded eye candy for longer spotting aka survivability.

Re identifying aircraft. Have the zoom in and our keys handy on your stick or throttle. If you don't know where to find those in settings, let me know, as they are a bit obscurely named.. I use them all the time, including as my lean to site version, except on the 109 as I don't have Track IR, (I use Edtracker) allowing you to identify who's who in the zoo early enough to decide, who, how and when to join in.

Try not to get target fixated, look back regularly. Sometimes doing that may mean you lose the one in front temporarily, but it might save thy bacon.

Pattle

[ATAG_Highseas]

Good point!... I meant 5 miles not 5km !

I'm a sucker for eye candy..... Max settings for me!....

[ATAG_Vampire]

Like Pat I have dialled down the graphics setting on my 1080. The highest resolution was great but not for spotting contacts in CloD.

On the settings I use at the moment I reakon I can spot at about 12 -13 Kms.

Zoom is a must for identifying friend of foe in plenty of time.

~S~

[ATAG_Highseas]

Like Pat I have dialled down the graphics setting on my 1080. The highest resolution was great but not for spotting contacts in CloD.

On the settings I use at the moment I reakon I can spot at about 12 -13 Kms.

Zoom is a must for identifying friend of foe in plenty of time.

~S~

sort of goes like this:

"Hey vamps... you said bombers? Where? I don't see them"

"On your port wing mate.. you cant miss them"

"Erm.. no... I don't see them... you sure?

"On your port wing 'Seas. Nine bombers, formation of 4 and a formation of 5. You see them now ? Big huge bombers with big huge engines. They are right there. Co-Alt !"

"Negati... oh... oh yeah I see them now"


It's as if I were clairvoyant... (I foresee that I'm not though)

How cares though right? I get all the eye candy !

[screwdriver]

Hi Screwdriver

Looks as if you and I are in the same boat! If you want I'll look out for you when I join the server and fly with you - I am sure the combination will fill the enemy with fear! I don't know if there is a private messaging thing on here, but if there is let me know when you're up next and I'll try to get you on TeamSpeak.

This is only on the condition that you don't laugh at my take-offs, some can be a bit adventurous!

MM

I'll look out for you mate, would be good to team up. I can just see the enemy quaking with fear now simply at the suggestion.

I tend to jump on at weekends. Not sure where in the world you are, I'm in NZ, but go online either mornings or evenings Sat/Sun. This coming Sunday is looking good for me at this stage. I do go on TeamSpeak but when there's a lot of guys on I tend to listen more than speak cos they usually know a lot more than I do. Good way to learn, I figure. But yes, if I see you on there I'll give you a yell.

[No.119_Marshy (VK-M)]

I'm in the frosty UK. I'll be around tomorrow at various times, but will keep an eye out for you when I go to join the fun...

[Blackc5]

4 km is visual range... 5 if you are using a TV I'm told.

basically if you have 4 or less you are pretty much on each other... Altitude is a different thing mind as the Tab 7 1 doesn't take account of altitude... its basically giving you the call out from a top down map view.radar get lost below about 1,000ft so if your guy vanishes... he's probably gone to deck. (you can do this too obviously !!)

spotting low contacts over ground is very difficult and its very very easy to loose someone you have eyes on just by looking behind.

if you check out some U Tube videos... some of the time I'm wondering who the hell these guys are chasing... then you see them.


It does get easier as you get more experience... but not much to be honest !

what does help is recognising what someone is LIKELY to do next...

and keeping eyes on all the time isn't a great idea.. you need to be checking six as well.

Basically it gets easier... but we all have our good and bad days none the less!

4 km.... (altitude is your guess !!)

are you sure about this? I keep getting contacts that show 3k of separation and are changing headings rapidly, like type in tab 7 1 and the response is heading 180 3km then type it in again and the heading is 330 3km, then I will find them above or below me at much less than 3km of horizontal separation. The rapidly changing heading is usually my first clue that I have passed over or below them.

[ATAG_Highseas]

Well.... Generally I'm not sure about anything much.

But.... Yeah... On that I think so.

Now I'm full of doubt..... Curses!