JGE Flight Dynamics Discussion

[Vinegar Goose]

(Original Thread: In a response to flight assist mode. )

I would like to continue this discussion on this forum. I love writing about Jumpgate Flight.

[Lord Alderaan]

Originally Posted by Teeleton

If there's no reverse thruster (only lateral), then there's no penalty when flying in a straight line. The dampeners would only counter sideways motion, so it's more like a directed drag force that tapers off to zero as you straighten out.

Teeleton

That is what I meant in my earlier situation. Real newtonian physics make flying harder. Dampeners would be an automated system of jets that simulate a form of drag so that controlling your ship is easier but they require engine power to do this.

Disabling them would allow you to fully employ your engines at all times and to actually abuse netwonian physics to perform more complex maneuvers but makes precise flying harder.

The only difference is that you only want this for lateral movement and I also suggested to use this for medial movement (ergo no dampener means continued constant speed in last direction even if that is forward or backward).

(Of course maximum speed would still be un-newtoniously limited)

[Karash Amerius]

The use of Dampeners in the DANCER flight engine is about the top concern for old JGC players coming back into JGE. The system cannot hold any advantage or disadvantage when in use compared to using the 'pure' model. If there is a percieved advantage in any sort of manuevering in combat, you will never hear the end of it. This includes using a mouse over a joystick setup.

I am just stating the obvious to most people, but it cannot be stressed enough how important Dampeners are to get 'right'.

Edit: Spelling

[Veoba710]

I don't really have a problem with the dampeners. I also don't think they have to be something "only newbies use." To me it's just another way to control your ship. The best example of this I can think of is the way the "Glide" function works in Beyond The Red Line. Flying with and without glide on both have their advantages and disadvantages.

[Campion]

This sounds like something that needs testing. Make a ship with dampners and a ship without and make them fight. If the one with dampners wins all the time... scrap it.

[OmniOck]

I remember one of the interviews saying that pilots will be flipping the dampeners back and forth during fights, dancing between each. And remember, just because JGE is different, won't mean it is worse, or is becoming detached from the Jumpgate idea.

[Lord Alderaan]

In a skill based game of course there is gonna be difference between mouse and keyboard, dampeners and no dampeners. Hell there is gonna be a difference between person one with Joystick A and person two with Joystick B.

That is part of the fun. Get good gear both in-game and out-game to take maximum advantage of your personal flying and combat skill. And then there is personal preference. Some people actually are better at this game with a mouse then a Joystick. Some people rule with a 10$ dollar Joystick while they suck hard using a 70$ one.

But if you suck at combat to start with then dampeners and/or 1000$ Flight Control System (as in uberjoystick) aren't gonna help you. Gear can only give you so much of an advantage but personal skill is where its all at.

And just remember that everybody has his own choice. They can use dampeners or not. They can train using on-the-fly dampening flipping or train solely on combat without dampeners, etc.

I'm more interested in exactly what dampeners do (Does it consume engine power making u slower? How does it make flight 'easier'?) and when and how I can use them (does it take a modx slot?, can I flip it on/off during flight?).

[Campion]

I didn't expect the game to have dampeners, I don't think it's necessary. Time can be better spent elsewhere.

[Emon]

They were necessary to make the game more easily accessible.

And its done now, i doubt it takes much time to add a dampener flight model to each ship now that they've set it up.

[Karash Amerius]

The smart bet: One system will have inheirent advantages over the other because thats the way games turn out to be, regardless of the theory "its just another way to control your ship". Game design is not a perfect science of turning theory into reality.

The sucker bet: "Everything will be fine, dampeners wont give anyone advantages, its just a different way to control your ship, etc etc"