As some of you know I am new to BF2. I was curious to know what you all use to fly. Do you use the mouse and keyboard combo, just the keyboard, or a joystick?

 

I noticed in this game, if you have the pilot skills, you will go far. I've played a few games where a great pilot died only twice and had over 50 kills. I get frustrated often (I'm temperamental so that doesn't help ) because 85% of my deaths are mostly do to Heli missiles, plane bombs or artillery. Sometimes even 10 deaths in a row. I try to spwan out at the flag thats under attack, so that we can hold off. But when it's me vs a combat heli and a pilot that knows what hes doing and where I spawn, theres no chance in hell. (also without a clan, team play isn't always there - I remember seeing a tank drive away from the flag that was under attack and I was calling out all the troops and enemy vehicles that were in the area!)

 

Anyway I would like to know what the best method is to learn to fly. I won't even touch one of these on a populated server as I know my team needs someone thats knows how to use it. I often make servers and host private games with staff @ FileFront, and use this time to learn. I have a joystick, but should I just learn with the mouse and keyboard (thats all I did in BF42).

 

Thanks for the the input.

Most people use a joystick to fly, but there are some very good pilots using the keyboard/mouse. I think the joystick is a quicker learning curve however. Just be ready for the upcoming changes in the new patch, air power is getting taken down a notch. Less hit points on all air vehicles and heat seeking missles that can keep up with planes even in tight turns.

 

Btw, I love that avatar, rofl!

Most people use a joystick to fly, but there are some very good pilots using the keyboard/mouse. I think the joystick is a quicker learning curve however.

I bought a WingMan Extreme back when I was playing the WWII Online trial. I wanted to fly the planes and even back then the tanks required a joystick or custom settings to allow for the keyboard. I'll need to configure it and then give it a shot. I'll make some recordings

 

Btw, I love that avatar, rofl!

Hehe - It's a modified version of the, "For the Horde", baby pic.

 

http://www.filmor.net/hosted/baby_horde.jpg

 

i fly all via keyboard. awsd and arrow keys baby!

well i can take down most guys in a jet, but people like impact would rather crash into the ground then die by my bullets

 

1 tip is to keep flying, or even when our server is just starting up fly around, hang around guys like impact, gator, or k2 and watch how they fly learn from them cuz in this clan they are the top dogs in flying. once u get some ideas on how to fly use it in ur own style. plus by watching them u can predict their moves, keep on their tails and shoot em down

First off, I use just a keyboard to fly: AWSD, throttle and roll, and U,D,L,R arrows for pitch and yaw. Space bar is primary fire (Since I only fly heli's, that's all I use).

 

Secondly, there are a few kinds of pilots:

1. The safe, experienced (Gator, Impact). The kind that is very experienced, knows the maps well, where to go, and what to do in a handful of situations. These pilots are typically very skilled at solo flying attack choppers and flying jets and bombing. They are exceptional at air-to-air combat. These are the guys you see that get 50 kills a game and a smal amount of deaths. These types are usually fairly poor at gunning as they are usually the ones flying, and are often only decent at getting a gunner into position. What they lack in support flying, they more than make up for in personal skill with primary rockets/misiles.

2. The safe newbie (Any number of people). Name says it all. Not really good at flying, shooting, or gunning, but they take it slow and easy. These often turn into safe experienced pilots. Usually horrible at getting a gunner a good shot.

3. The experienced maniac (myself). This kind of pilot can control their craft extremely well, and are very good at getting their gunners good shots, through shaky, but well controlled, piloting. These pilots often have no problems putting them and their crew right in front of a STINGER site to take out a tank. These pilots are usually only decent, at best, at firing their primary missiles and hitting their targets. This type of pilot is also frequently the one crashing into towers, usually because of trying to do something nearly impossible (Barrel rolls through the Dam on Kubrah, flying upside down to increase your rate of decent, making crazy maneuvers that usually end up with your face planted into the side of a cliff, etc.). These are usually pretty good to exceptional gunners, due to the fact that they can get more kills and points gunning for a safe experienced pilot. This combination is absolutely devastating (only greater combo is a full-time gunner with a Experienced maniac flying), because two very skilled pilots, one who can shoot his misiles very well, and one that can handle a gunner seat well enough to make up for a safe pilots usually lesser ability to position a gunner. This kind of pilot also tends to give more reign to the gunner, as they are aware that their flying and aiming skills grant a significantly less chance of landing a lethal blow then getting a TV guided misile from their gunner in there. These pilots will either go 100-0, or 0-100. These pilots are often mistaken for noobs. These pilots are generally horrible at air to air combat.

4. **** Maniac. All the above, minus the skill.

5. Straight up ****. The guy who lifts off the chopper/plane and crashes it before even getting off the ground. This is the guy everyone laughs at the first few times, then gets mad because he keeps doing it. Most people start at this point. If you are here, join an empty server or play single player and learn to fly.

 

Now, be aware that the above are just general observations, and there are combination pilots out there, and those are very vague descriptions. Most of those descriptions are per heli's as well, as I absolutely hate airplanes in this game (I suck with them and there isn't enough space for them to be truly effective).

 

Pros and Cons:

Keyboard only: Shaky and hard to make minor adjustments, but easy to get a craft steadily lined up. Usually used by the maniac pilots.

Keyboard and mouse: Very precise control, too precise in fact. I find it very difficult to control any air craft with a mouse. May be good for you, but I stay away from it.

Joystick: Precise, easy to learn, and probably the most fun for most people. No real cons here other than your hands are away from the keyboard and mouse, and it is but one more thing to take up space on your desk.

 

In the end, it is all personal preference. Try them all, see what you like. I even know a guy who flies using a game-pad. You may even find you don't even want to fly. As a medic, I can get 100 points, with some effort, on a map with helicopters (My record is 172, dragon valley), and never even step in a chopper. However, I can also hop in a chopper and get about 30-80 points, and a fraction of the deaths. Most of those points are driver assist points/passive kit points.

 

Remember, it is all up to you! And choppers will now be toast really fast with the new patch! (FINALLY!!!!) I hope this helped.

Flying are for Chickens

falcon u forgot my class.

the great pilot in everything that likes to try new things at the wrong time. ahahahah JP

dood i am so the maniac. i have leet chopper skillz like death out of engagement zone due to out of control spin and the ability to fire 14 rockets within 3 feet of a target but not actually hit the target.

hey grim, Nice words what the others say about me but I'm not really good in a jet, I just get lucky alot.

 

I use a modified keyboard (zboard with bf2 keyset) and mouse (logitech g5). I have my flares (which i rarely use) set on the thumb button on the mouse and my different views on the tilt mousewheel, and switching weapons on scroll mousewheel. I tried to fly with a joystick and yes it's alot easier to fly especially in turning, but i prefer the keyboard/ mouse combo.

 

As far as learning how to fly; play the single player and fly with the jets. get the hang of basic manuvering & attacking. then as you go fly the jet in multiplayer maps. we all crashed and burned but the only way to really get good at it is to be involved in the air to air battles. Get fimiliar with the chase rear view button for which you will use it alot to see who's behind you, or when doing a fly by to see if any troops are on the ground for a bomb run.

 

Every jet is different so you will have to learn how to fly each one. I prefer the J-10 (chinese jet), & the FA-18 (USA Jet) I presonally dont like the F-35B (USA jet that hovers) its mainly good for bomb runs the MIG-29 (MEC jet) is nice but not that manuverable. F-15 (USA Bomber jet) is good but only dogfight in the air if you know what your doing. MEC and Chinese bomber jets are nice bombers too. With the bombers use their ability to go slow to your advantage.

 

If your dog fighting and chasing another pilot to shoot him down; switch to bombs so he doesnt hear you have him pinged (locked on target) and jsut follow him while using your guns.

 

A little technigue I use is ping a pilot i'm chasing just to let him know i'm behind him and stay with him so he always hears the annoying alert. then when they fly in a straight path thinking I dont have any missles cause I hads him pinged so long I take him out. Plus that gives you a feeling how the other pilots fly under pressure.

 

When you in-game let us know your around and we'll help you through it.

 

P.S. in ventrillo you might not hear people that well when flying a jet from the engine noise.

 

good luck in the air and if i'm ever behind you don't panic; your just gonna get die!

I use joystick for fighters & helis and stay hidden or far away from Gator, Impact, Flip or Phrogg else they kill you so fast when they fly around you...

And BTW, nice Avatar.

Egidio.

hey grim, Nice words what the others say about me but I'm not really good in a jet, I just get lucky alot.

 

I use a modified keyboard (zboard with bf2 keyset) and mouse (logitech g5). I have my flares (which i rarely use) set on the thumb button on the mouse and my different views on the tilt mousewheel, and switching weapons on scroll mousewheel. I tried to fly with a joystick and yes it's alot easier to fly especially in turning, but i prefer the keyboard/ mouse combo.

 

As far as learning how to fly; play the single player and fly with the jets. get the hang of basic manuvering & attacking. then as you go fly the jet in multiplayer maps. we all crashed and burned but the only way to really get good at it is to be involved in the air to air battles. Get fimiliar with the chase rear view button for which you will use it alot to see who's behind you, or when doing a fly by to see if any troops are on the ground for a bomb run.

 

Every jet is different so you will have to learn how to fly each one. I prefer the J-10 (chinese jet), & the FA-18 (USA Jet) I presonally dont like the F-35B (USA jet that hovers) its mainly good for bomb runs the MIG-29 (MEC jet) is nice but not that manuverable. F-15 (USA Bomber jet) is good but only dogfight in the air if you know what your doing. MEC and Chinese bomber jets are nice bombers too. With the bombers use their ability to go slow to your advantage.

 

If your dog fighting and chasing another pilot to shoot him down; switch to bombs so he doesnt hear you have him pinged (locked on target) and jsut follow him while using your guns.

 

A little technigue I use is ping a pilot i'm chasing just to let him know i'm behind him and stay with him so he always hears the annoying alert. then when they fly in a straight path thinking I dont have any missles cause I hads him pinged so long I take him out. Plus that gives you a feeling how the other pilots fly under pressure.

 

When you in-game let us know your around and we'll help you through it.

 

P.S. in ventrillo you might not hear people that well when flying a jet from the engine noise.

 

good luck in the air and if i'm ever behind you don't panic; your just gonna get die!

i always expect people to do that. i am the one not on the list; the paranoid pilot. i always think theres a jet behind me and i do a lot of hard turns and crazy stunts just to try to get them off my tail, but to no avail.

Like Klink said, just a question of practice time, stick may learn faster.