Located here are some basic (READ VERY BASIC) information on how to go about
flying in a Red Baron 3D Team Target/Melee Server and surviving !!!
When I first switched from the melee servers (where you just take off and shoot at
the closest plane), I got a nasty shock. I found myself flying aimlessly around and
getting bounced from above before I even saw who was shooting at me. The single
most import hint I can give you is Altitude, Altitude, Altitude. Always gain height
above your home Airfield first, then go out looking for trouble. It is also advisable
to to latch on to another Pilot on the same team and fly with them, safety in
numbers and it's a great way to learn !!!
GETTING STARTED
1) To connect up to a server, I start my Red Baron game from the Multiplayer
Start menu shortcut (You will need the 1078 patch to do this). This will bring up
the Pilot select screen. From here you can choose/add a Pilot and change your
game preferences. Once they are set, simply press connect. From here you will
now see a list of servers with a description of what the server settings are. Click
on one to enter it. I prefer finding a server to play in this way other than
connecting to a website to find them. I seem to get a better connection and also I
can close my web browser, hence having less things running in the background
and freeing up my PC's memory etc.
2) You will now be in what is called the 'Gold' room or 'Lobby'. Choose which
Plane you want to fly and which paint ID number you want to use. To locate which
Airfield the other pilots are flying from, ask them! Simply type in 'Drome please'
or something similar in the chat box and wait for a reply. The reply you get will
be something like a name or the code 'C2', which relates to the names or grid on
the map. Select the correct airfield and enter the game.
2a) Plane choice: In most servers, you are only allowed to bomb in certain planes
(usually a Neuport 17 or Albatros D2) This is done to try and make the game more
realistic, as these planes are slow and handle more like bombers. If you not sure
which planes are "bombers" just ask the guys in the server.
3) It is always polite to 'Salute' everyone in the game when you first start. Also
whenever you shoot someone down or get shot down, you should 'Salute'.
Right, now your in the game and up in the air, here are the little hints and tips on
how to utilize the games functions. HOW TO LOOK AROUND
"F" KEY: This key locks onto the Friendly planes within range. Its handy to know
where the nearest help is.
"E" KEY: This key locks onto the Enemy planes within range. Its very handy to
know where the nearest trouble will be coming from.
"N" KEY: This key locks onto any plane, friend or foe, within range. This works at
a longer range than the 'E' & 'F' keys but not let you see the aircraft with
the 'F8' key
"F8" KEY: This key locks onto the whichever plane you found with either the F or
E key and will show it close up, looking back towards your plane. I use this
regularly during a dogfight to see if the other plane has the advantage over me
and to pin point it in relation to where my plane is. It will not work with the 'N'
key.
"D" KEY: Use this to find a plane you have 'programmed' onto this key. Do this by
first selecting a plane with either the 'E' or 'F' key, then press 'Shift+D'. After you
do this, when you press the 'D' key, you will automatically look to this plane.
"L" KEY: This key locks onto ground targets, it is rumoured that it will show you
the building, that when bombed, will take out the whole target, but is it yet to be
confirmed. I've tried it and seem to have mixed results. OTHER KEYS AND FUNCTIONS
"SHIFT+N": This will bring up names above each plane. Its good to know who you
are fighting against (eg helps you stay away from the real good pilots :))
"SHIFT+M": This will change your ammo type between regular, incendiary and
tracer. Its generally considered a no no to use incendiary against other aircraft.
Use it on ground targets only and sometimes you can only use it if you flying in a
plane which has been classified as a"bomber" in the server you are flying in.
"ALT+I": This will bring up two small indicators in the top right corner of your
screen. These act like a artificial horizon and help you keep orientated.
"ALT+F": This will bring up a counter in the top left corner of your screen that
will show you your frame rate. The rates below are only my guess.
20
50+fps = lucky bugger with ISDN/T3 and a great video card
"ALT+T": If you you are running in 3D Glide graphic setting (you have to have a
video card to support it), this will give you a transparent cockpit. Use can use this
with the invisible cockpit patch, as it will make your instruments transparent.
"SHIFT+F": This will fire a flare. Not of any great use unless your flying in a
tournament which disallows chat. It can then be used to with pre-arranged
signals to let other pilots know what your doing.
"KEYPAD 0": Brings up your kneeboard map, this will show you where you are.
"ALT+F4": If your game freezes while you are flying and doesn't let you exit, use
this to completely quit the game so you can restart it more quickly. This happens
due to 'timing out' or being 'out of sync with other players'. You can usually
restart straight away but sometimes the game freezes so bad that no window
comes up to let you do so, use this a last resort. COMMUNICATIONS
To chat during the game, simply press "BACKSPACE" and type in what you want.
You can also use the chat 'macros'. Access them by pressing the 'INSERT - HOME -
PAGEUP - PAGEDOWN - DELETE - END' keys after you press backspace. To
program these keys, locate the 'mplayer.ini' file in your Sierra/RedBaron folder
and change what is written in it.
Also, located on the chat bar is four options on which type of chat you can use,
change them by pressing the left or right arrow keys.
OPEN CHAT : Everyone in the game will be able to see your message.
TEAM CHAT : Only the those players on the same side as you will see your
message (Allied or German).
VISUAL CHAT : Only those planes in visual range, on your team, will see message.
SQUAD CHAT : Only those planes using the same paint number and on the same
team will see your message.
COMMONLY USED CHAT CODES COMMONLY USED CHAT CODES
'RGR' = ROGER : I have understood you message/order and are complying.
'CC' = COPY/CLEAR : Much the same as roger except its doesn't relate to being
given a order or command to do something.
'LOC ?' = LOCATION : To either ask someone their location or being asked for
your location (see Location Code at bottom of this section for how to reply)
'V x 2' = VISUAL ON TWO AIRCRAFT ; This is used to tell your team mates you
have spotted 2 aircraft. 'Visual' means you have identified the aircraft using the
'E' then 'F8' keys and usually relates to enemy aircraft. This code can be used in
many different ways.
EXAMPLES :
'V x 2 NME' = VISUAL ON 2 ENEMY AIRCRAFT
'V x 3 10oc Hi' = VISUAL ON 3 AIRCRAFT 10 O'CLOCK HIGH (Lo = Low)
'V BIGGLES' = I SEE YOU BIGGLES (pilot name)
'CON x 2' = CONTACT ON 2 AIRCRAFT : This is used to tell your team mates you
have spotted 2 aircraft. 'Contact' means you have not identified the aircraft. This
is used when you have picked up aircraft using the 'N' key and cannot use the 'F8'
key to see if it is a friend or foe. This code is used in the same ways a 'V'.
'UNK' = UNKNOWN or 'UFO' = UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT : These two codes
can be used instead of 'CON' and mean the exact same thing.
'RTB' = RETURN TO BASE : Used to either tell your team mates you are returning
to base, or to tell them to do so. Sometimes the reason for returning to base is
added to the end of this code.
eg. 'RTB - AMMO - REPAIRS - BEER'
LOCATION CODES
To be able to tell your team mates your own location or the where abouts of enemy
aircraft, the following codes are used.
First off, you give out the map reference of your kneeboard map, to do this, access
the map by pressing 'KEYPAD 0' (zero) and look at the grid on the map. You will
see letters across the top and numbers down the left hand side. The red plane icon
on the map is you, so simply work out what square of the grid you are in and type
it in, eg 'B2'. To further pin-point your location within that grid, it is broken up
into smaller squares by you 'imagining' that the keys on your PC's keyboard
keypad have be 'overlaid' onto the 'B2' square.
So by typing in your location as 'B2/7' means that you are in the top left corner of
the B4 square, because that's where the number 7 key is on you keypad.
'B2/3' means you are in the bottom right of the B2 square.
B2/5 means your are in the middle of the B2 square and so on.
OTHER NOTES
VULTCHER: This nic name is given to pilots who shoot up planes while they are
on the ground. Its is acceptable to do this in most tournaments, but doing this in
the public servers is frowned upon. Be warned, you will proberly be hunted by all
the pilots in the game if you are seen to be vultching, not a good thing at all.
EXITING TO AVOID DEATH: Some pilots exit the game just before they die to
avoid getting a death recorded against them. This is also frowned upon and wont
help you endear yourself to other pilots.
PAINTS: Please do not use other squads paints while flying under your Squad
name, while this is not a bad thing, some pilots do take exception to their squad
paints being used by other people.
FLAMING: When you 'Flame' eg. your plane catches fire due to damage, restart
asap. like smoke, flaming cause's bad lag and kicks people from the server, so
please to not ride out flamers. Well, that's about all for now, I'll be adding more soon as time permits. If anyone
has any suggestions on what would be good info to include, let me know and I'll be
more than happy to add it. Cheers and happy hunting !!!
