Cruising around YouTube yields some interesting stuff.
I ran across a WarBirds video that was published on YouTUbe by Bruno Sham - He flew in the main arena for a couple of months with the handle of "shambr". He joined the Dolittle Raiders his 1st or 2nd day of trying the game (if memory servers me correctly). Apparently, he loaded the game, plugged in a stick and started flying. Maybe somebody worked with him later on with regard to setting up views, but in this video, he flew without ever using anything but the straight ahead view. He used the in flight DAR as his situational awareness tool. Even when getting ripped apart by a con, he used the in flight DAR to try to assess his defensive maneuvers in relation to the con.
I haven't seen this handle in the game in several months now. Seeing the video just begged the question, "How many guys give the game a spin, don't know squat about setting it up, and never receive any help, even after joining a squad?
I know that there is online help available in the form of trainers, but to be honest... I was one of those that tried to figure everything out on my own in the game. I flew more offline hours than you can imagine before I ever even clicked the play online button. After flying around online for a few days, I noticed that juice= had put an announcement that the training arena was open and he said "come one come all". Curiosity got the better of me, and I mustered enough courage to go click on the training arena. By luck of the draw, juice= was the first person that contacted me in the arena and we started at square one. The 1st night was very very little flying, lots and lots of going through the settings, then I shared some of my questions regarding game do's and don'ts ... game etiquette so to speak. A few sessions later (with trigr I think?) had me familiar with some of the trainer names. I realized that if I flew in the same approximate airspace as juice, trigr, blue, sqtc,, in the main arena, they seemed to be try to keep an eye on me and I can't tell you how many kills most of the trainers racked up just by following me around and clearing my 6 :)
Valid point dazed. One of the things we have suggested is all new guys get put into a trainers squad. So yes Newbie squad, baby seals, etc..but if guys with =s log in to the main, they are in the squad as well and a quick "hello" on squad or a .ros squad and you can see your newbies. My thought was after xx hours the squad commands become active and they can "leave the nest". Trainers flying cover and helping these guys set up would aid in retention...and show them the value of teamwork.
By trainers squad...I don't mean the 475th, 352nd, etc.. I mean a squad where it is only newbies and trainers.
I think a training squad automatically assigned to new pilots would be a huge step toward helping the new guy to have a valid opportunity to enjoy success within the game. The only reason any of us stay is because we manage to find fun. Without the fun factor, the frustrations and challenge of the game simply wouldn't be worth it. Of course, that training squad would really need a few very dedicated trainers, and almost a 24/7 presence. I imagine that would be the hardest part to make the training squad a reality. Not everyone is cut out to spend an hour at a time going through setting up views, and to be able to accomplish that on a variety of platforms, and with an endless list of potential mouse/keyboard/joystick combinations... what a job!
Being a former Raider, I watched this with mixed feelings...
Like you -dazed, I spent A LOT of time flying offline before I had the guts to try it online. I have a feeling this is something our friend shambr didn't bother doing much before logging in.
I feel the DR indeed played the role of the newbie squad when I joined in Jan. of 2013... Although I didn't know anything about the internal politics and previous history among old timers (who can, really?)
While the COs couldn't train us as well as the 475th does it, Darryl sure knew how to motivate us and make us feel like we all belonged. This is probably one of the reasons why I still play this game.
Looking back now, I feel like my piloting and ACM skills could've progressed a little more within that year and a half. But good times were had and, in the end, that's the most important.
Furnac... just to let you know, my post was NOT intended as a swipe at the DR's, or at Darryl. Just noting that I can't help but think that there have been a good number of folks who have tried the game that didn't understand how complicated it is to properly set up, didn't realize how complicated dogfighting can be, and left the game without really giving it a "fair shot". Pointing out that just because somebody is in a squad, doesn't mean that they are being taught anything.
