Oolite Bulletins

Yeah, but we kind of forgot it and then we got in a freeze. Sorry!

One of my preferred techniques for large groups of hostiles is to wind them up, then cruise away from them picking them off one by one with the rear laser as they follow me. After a while you get really good at this, so much so I'm probably more accurate in 'reverse' than forward these days. In other words, practice makes perfect.

Smivs wrote:

One of my preferred techniques for large groups of hostiles is to wind them up, then cruise away from them picking them off one by one with the rear laser as they follow me. After a while you get really good at this, so much so I'm probably more accurate in 'reverse' than forward these days. In other words, practice makes perfect.

This. It used to be the only way I was able to fight in my first incarnation in ArcElite, so I'm pretty good at it these days. It took me a long long time before I learnt how to dogfight - it happened sort of by accident when something finally clicked.

Using this technique can keep them at bay for quite a while, and if you're good at sniping, then zooming away gives you a far safer chance of taking them all out. I tend to try and take out the smaller, more nifty, escort ships first, as their lasers still hurt you if you're in close, but it takes far less effort to take them out. Only then do I usually go in close for the final kill.

When I was a young punk just getting into computer gaming with my trusty, rusty C64, I had one of the early versions of the original Elite. Seems to me it had the ability to reverse the controls when firing from the aft guns. If I recall correctly (this was about 35 years ago), you toggled this with the R (for reverse, I suppose) key and it did not automatically revert when you went back to forward view, which at least added some fun to using it. For those of us with a little eye-brain-hand coordination issues, this was a great feature and I second the request for a new OXP to do this.

I joined this BB for the sole purpose of looking for or asking for this OXP, but I'd like to add that I have become enraptured with the game. As I said earlier, I had one of the earlier Elite games and was addicted to it, too ( I believe I had made it to an Elite rating before I quit playing it for unknown reasons - possibly I wore out my old C64 or graduated to a new PC and never got a new copy of the game for it. I love this incarnation of that old game much more than the original - so much richer experience.

Unlucky, SilverWolf... but welcome aboard anyway!

I made elite status on the c64 version, and used the different gun stations regularly. There was nothing to spend your cash on, so eventually you had military lasers on all mounts.

I thought that I was a stud and and learned how to fire in all directions, but thinking about it, I think I just flipped my joystick around. Easy to do with an Atari Joystick.

The joystick I have now is all heavy and coutour shaped and has tons of buttons, so I'm either gonna have to learn to transpose my thinking or buy a simple joystick and use that and keyboard commands for throttle and the rest.

another_commander wrote:

Zireael wrote:

Back on topic - is the thing requested possible to do?

Everything is possible. Will it be done though? Answer: Not before v1.76 is out.

So does this mean it's now on the cards for 1.77?

wthomas33065 wrote:

The joystick I have now is all heavy and coutour shaped and has tons of buttons, so I'm either gonna have to learn to transpose my thinking or buy a simple joystick and use that and keyboard commands for throttle and the rest.

This is my stick.. I'd hate to try and reverse it.. (mine's not wireless, though)

Found this rather old post relating to reversing the axis of the joystick for rear view combat. As I recall on the C-64, the "J" button would reverse the X & Y axis & made rear view combat much easier. Has anything ever been done with an OXP for this?
On my old C-64 & I think even on the Amiga you could just spin the joystick around(no yaw axis) if you wanted. However, most of the newer joysticks(mine is the same as Diziet Sma) & no way to turn it around backwards. I just can't get my eye/hand coordination to work in reverse!!

Try [wiki]ReverseControl[/wiki] OXP, it is working with joystick, keyboard and mouse also.

Thanks Norby. Got it & seems to work quite well with the Joystick. Only got to try it once in actual combat & after about 20 seconds, the targeted offender would jump up or down in my rear view. Possible conflict with Sniperlock OXP? Will definitely try it some more. Great to be able to defend myself while running away or letting the front shields heal.

You are right, a workaround in  v1.1 will turn off Sniperlock in the rear view.

Got v1.1 works GREAT! Thanks

Yes Thanks Norby , It's just what I needed!
(he bows up.....I mean Down in thanks)

I using a 15+ year old M.S. Sidewinder Precision 2 (loose, but not broken.)
Did turn it around but paused first.(bad for the game flow)