Just flew a jet in battlefield 3... omg.

[Xyphon]

I can fly them relatively well, but no matter how much I try, I just can't get a kill in the damn things. My first "kill" was me accidentally crashing into an enemy jet because I was going too fast while tailing it.

I can't even kill a tank with the main gun, no matter how many strafing runs I do on it. I can't tell if I'm missing or not because that HUD element that keeps moving across the screen blocks my vision of the target. I know it's for lining up shots from your main gun since I've played other jet games, but does the thing even work in BF3 or is it simply cosmetic? I've tried aiming at jets with it and have had no luck in getting a single hit.

 

[AssassinFisH]

The problem with the Jets is that they don't appear to add much tactical depth to the game modes. Generally the jets are above just dog fighting and having nothing to do with achieving any objective. I could be wrong, its just my initial observation.

 

[Tharwen]

I've flown about 6 of them and have yet to shoot down anything. It's probably something to do with the fact that I'm using a keyboard and haven't even unlocked countermeasures yet.

One other thing: Why the hell do DICE still insist on having only one 'invert controls' option for all types of aircraft? I have to switch it round every time I get in a different one.

 

[wooty]

I hate it, and the choppers too. I thought the jets and gunships in BF2 fly easier and far more smoothly.

But like with everything else, practice should help.

Is it possible to use a flight stick when flying? I mean say you jump in a jet/copter and press a simple hotkey on your keyboard which instantly switches controls over to the Flight Stick?

I couldnt possibly say, I had to get it on PS3 because my pc isnt powerful enough. But after some alterations with the controls I'm getting the hang of it

 

[mikey7339]

You are exaggerating quite a bit. I have played a bit on my father's new laptop and I managed to get a couple of kills without ever having played a PC battlefield game before. Maybe it is just you? Then again I have a bit of Flight Sim experience under my belt...

Anyways, if you can learn to dodge and aim with the jet you should have no problem even with the weakest of weapons. It is the player, not the loadout.

See my earlier post in this thread...I have my private pilot license, so no it is not just me. A good number of other people are saying the same thing in this thread, that they can not get a single kill either. Even after I shook the rust off and was flying flawlessly I still could not get any kills.

And another thing, I love how they made R3 the switch view button, love being in the middle of a dogfight and having the view switch on me because I was naturally pressing down on the stick. They couldn't be bothered with letting us assign our own buttons and just had to give us 4 generic setups...

 

[drakythe]

Errr... for capital letters you just press the 'Caps Lock' key. SEE? IT'S EASY!

OT. It only came out yesterday here in England, not picked it up yet.

Think that might have been his way of being enthusiastic without 'yelling' at everyone .

OT: Glad they nailed the experience. I haven't played it myself, might rent the game, but I'm not much of an online person. Ever played Freespace 2? That is the feeling I ha dafter the first dog fighting level in the nebula. That is the level that sold me on Freespace 2, and why it is still on my Hard Drive to this day.

Was just on my way to check if BF3 has arrived yet in my mailbox, but now that you mention Freespace 2 again...

Hehe, for those who played and loved it, FS2 rivals Deus Ex for "omg now I have to reinstall that game again!"

I really gotta find a way to weight my joystick down so I can turn the difficulty up and play through the game again...

 

[XMark]

I flew a jet in BF3... and promptly crashed it. It took even less time for me to crash a helicopter. Is there any way for me to practice flying jets and helicopters without publicly embarrassing myself? They don't give you any chance to practice in the single player campaign.

 

[RicoADF]

How is it compared to what it was like in BF2? If you played BF2, that is.

Far better IMO, I'm loving BF3. If only if was easier to get into a plane tho, its abit of a rush

 

[AnarchistFish]

Someone needs to play some Just Cause 2

now THAT'S what I call flying a jet

 

[Mr Jack]

The problem with the Jets is that they don't appear to add much tactical depth to the game modes. Generally the jets are above just dog fighting and having nothing to do with achieving any objective. I could be wrong, its just my initial observation.

I think this is because it is difficult attack ground targets with the cannon. Dumfire missiles are a later unlock, I imagine that when people unlock them, you will see jets busting tanks frequently.

I flew a jet in BF3... and promptly crashed it. It took even less time for me to crash a helicopter. Is there any way for me to practice flying jets and helicopters without publicly embarrassing myself? They don't give you any chance to practice in the single player campaign.

One of the first co-op missions is a helicopter sequence, the controls are identical to multiplayer. Find a friend, and practice piloting and gunning.

 

[F4LL3N]

Do you mean the controls, how to control them effectively, or how to get in them? You can spawn inside them when they themselves respawn; the best way to get used to them is probably go into third person mode and just have a feel of what does what. You'll crash the first few times but it gets easier.

Well we only got two chances to use them and both times we were able to lift off okay but then a few seconds later we were suddenly upside down...and dead.

At the very worst play co-op with your friend, if split screen is allowed. The second mission has one of you flying a heli and the other gunning.

The problem with the Jets is that they don't appear to add much tactical depth to the game modes. Generally the jets are above just dog fighting and having nothing to do with achieving any objective. I could be wrong, its just my initial observation.

I agree, they should have a bomb upgrade. Even if it's only usable when a recon locks on to a vehicle. It's way too hard to get ground kills in the jet, even when no one is trying to shoot you down.

 

[zuro64]

[caps]that was the greatest thing ive doen in a video game in AGES! [/caps]
Wow, just wow. Hoping into the jet and flying around in BF3 multiplay was just epic.
I advise you try it.

Anyone else enjoy that first experience?

Yes I still do! I did enjoy it the first time I flow a plane back in the BF 1942 era then later when choppers were available in BF Vietnam and then the jets in BF 2 so yes i do enjoy it!

And to answer what your thinking, yes I love the Battlefield series ever since in came out more then 10 years ago. Ahh the good old days, now if youll excuse me i will play some BF 3

 

[Andrew Mitchell]

I think this game is pure gold. I love every bloody detail in it. and the best part is we havent even gotte the first batch of updates yet, and its all ready brilliant. best pc shooter ever.

 

[Techno Squidgy]

I find the jets in BF3 are actually easier to fly with a keyboard than a joystick.
I still can't get anywhere with the choppers as the stingers take me out. I need kills to get flares to stop stingers but I can't get kills because of the stingers because I don't have flares. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH. I also suck as a gunner. Can't hit anything.

This is pretty much my experiance with the aircraft of BF3.
In BF2 i was a pretty good pilot but so far in BF3 ive been pretty hopeless, especially in the jets. As far as i can tell you need to get kills to unlock the flares, and then more kills to unlock the missiles... but getting any kills with the guns has been pretty futile so far.

But flying around in the jets is insanely badass so hopefully i'll stop sucking at it soon.

I find guns kills so much easier than missiles. Because fuck trying to get a lock-on and fire the missiles without the little bastard popping flares.

Ive managed to destroy quite a few enemy jets with the guns but ive yet to get an actual kill. They keep bailing out before i can finish them off

I usually give my opponent 6 seconds or until I'm over a suitable point (which ever is longer) in which to finish me off. Should he fail to do so, fuck that I'm out of there.