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Hello gentlemen.
By the way any lady around?
So I am trying to refine my key mapping for dogfighting. And so, I am wondering about few controls.
- How much do you guy use the "lock direction" in a fight? I guess it is useful to turn around slow cons/miners, but what vs. fighters?
- Better to use rear and side views, or maybe just use quick F3 views to better localise dangerous foes?
- And finally the zoom. Worth to improve targeting?
Any comment?
Rgds

I'm no vet so take this with a grain of salt.
Vector lock makes you static, a sitting duck going into the same direction, until you unlock it.
You are better off using side thrusters.
-F3 gets you a better situational awareness overall so go with that.
- The Zoom is definitely worth for practicing targeting.
Vets will give their opinion which is more accurate than mine

Hi Shomke,

Blacksun's right, map the thrusters to WASD or similar and have boost handy.
Forget the views for DMing (rear view is handy for prox in scout).
DM is about position and aim, so use the thrusters to get that advantage, but don't spam 'em like a weener.

Zoom is on num pad +/- keys and is only useful when turreting a bomber/cap ship. I prefer to use pre-set throttle keys for that instead.

my humble advices, i am not exactly BAD but i am not by far the BEST so also, take this as a help to reach my level at least

first of all, important keys to map and use would be thrusters, all of them, i just use 2 targetting keys for enemy and friendly and i cicle untill i find my desired tarjet, but that is WRONG, you should set easy and fast access keys for target enemy, enemy miner, enemy bomber, enemy constructor.. same with friendly enemy miner cons bomber.. makes for 8 keys that i dont like or i either set up in the numeric pad (right numbers of keyboard)

i have an unusual setting with forward thruster on right mouse button because it prevents my generic keyboard from jamming..
and backtrack as spacebar, using shift to shot missile (shift+spacebar) and cloack.. (control+spacebar)
z and x for chaff and probe respectively.. wasd up down left right thrust.. and mousewheel for speed up and down (wich i might change..) and mousewheel click for fast autopilot!

a key for easy accessing mouse mode on off (default 0 on numeric pad) is adviced for superquick response to teleporting and stuff

I do not zoom.
I never lock vector while in dogfight.
I dont change the view while I dogfight either.


The best set of control is the set that allows you to move your ship in any direction you want while using minimum effort.

And babs does both vector lock and view changes occasionally.

But yeah basically don't worry about dogfighting... it's a rare time indeed (the opening cons of a squadgame) that you're going to be shooting something that's shooting you back.

Yeees I know. Anyway in generally get blasted by someone appearing on my back before I can even think to escape

I came up with a system to use mouse button combos to change to any view direction, but it was tricky and took a good while to get the hang of. Tapping F3 is a useful alternative. Using vector lock is only helpful in very specific situations (boosting away for a reload, and then turning without slowing), and if you need to start dodging you will want it off. Zoom is handiest in a turret or firing snipers.

If you do use vector lock, be aware that you only maintain your speed while facing the direction you are going. If you end up looking behind you or just looking around too much, you'll only be traveling about a third of your top speed.

OldDragon wrote:QUOTE (OldDragon @ Sep 22 2014, 10:13 PM) If you do use vector lock, be aware that you only maintain your speed while facing the direction you are going. If you end up looking behind you or just looking around too much, you'll only be traveling about a third of your top speed.

iirc the cruise speed for interceptors, unlike for other ships, is same in all directions?