Anyone having fun with ESFs?

[phungus]

Anyone still having fun flying ESFs? What server are you playing on and what do you do to stay engaged in the game and enjoy yourself?

Took a week break and tried to play again and just kept running into flak everywhere, lost my two ESFs in short order to Burster MAXes, one of which of course was invulnerable behind his spawn shields, can't even dogfight with other ESFs without getting killed by burster MAXes from god knows where.

I'm actually pretty serious here, not just trying to complain/whine. How are people still having fun flying these things, what are you guys doing, and where are you doing it? I can't figure out how to do anything but get shot by omnipresent flak and I really just don't find that experience engaging.

[Shogun]

no joystick support, no fun on any aircraft.

[Roderick]

I have fun with ESF's still, but I agree with the above poster. This game needs true joystick support.

[RSphil]

errr no. the joystick thing doesn't bother me anymore as they are more like helo's anyway. the main problem i have is lack of dogfighting. nearly every engagement ends up in hover wars and dont like it. they need to severely imped maneuverability when hovering or put proper STOL jets in the game for goo dogfights.

[Whiteagle]

Originally Posted by Roderick

I have fun with ESF's still, but I agree with the above poster. This game needs true joystick support.

Apparently Waterson is the only good Server for Air, considering I too still have fun with my ESF...

[snafus]

Originally Posted by phungus

Anyone still having fun flying ESFs? What server are you playing on and what do you do to stay engaged in the game and enjoy yourself?

Took a week break and tried to play again and just kept running into flak everywhere, lost my two ESFs in short order to Burster MAXes, one of which of course was invulnerable behind his spawn shields, can't even dogfight with other ESFs without getting killed by burster MAXes from god knows where.

I'm actually pretty serious here, not just trying to complain/whine. How are people still having fun flying these things, what are you guys doing, and where are you doing it? I can't figure out how to do anything but get shot by omnipresent flak and I really just don't find that experience engaging.

It is a different case for each server phungus. There are some other servers where I can fly without seeing it for an hour. While on Connery I get blasted any time I sniff a fight these days. The best thing to do in my opinion is go A2G and avoid any prepared position that has AA. Find the weak and farm them before they burster up and ruin your day.

[Roderick]

Originally Posted by Whiteagle

Apparently Waterson is the only good Server for Air, considering I too still have fun with my ESF...

I can say with certainty that Waterson has a very nice compliment of ESF players on all sides that roll around with their squads and take on all comers.

When you get into ESF battles with 4 or more opponents and going in all different directions trying to avoid more collisions than bullet fire, it brings a higher level of excitement to the game.

[ThatGoatGuy]

Mattherson-The Enclave-Talon. Nuff said.

[snafus]

Originally Posted by Roderick

I can say with certainty that Waterson has a very nice compliment of ESF players on all sides that roll around with their squads and take on all comers.

When you get into ESF battles with 4 or more opponents and going in all different directions trying to avoid more collisions than bullet fire, it brings a higher level of excitement to the game.

Sadly I also heard Matherson and Waterson use A2AM in over abundance. This was told to me by multiple people who play actively there and get on Connery from time to time. To me that really ruins any kind of air game you might have since it takes away any skill that might be present. I don't care if you have thirty on thirty dog fights if A2AM are the weapon of choice, all I see is 60 nubs flying around.

[Sunrock]

Originally Posted by RSphil

errr no. the joystick thing doesn't bother me anymore as they are more like helo's anyway. the main problem i have is lack of dogfighting. nearly every engagement ends up in hover wars and dont like it. they need to severely imped maneuverability when hovering or put proper STOL jets in the game for goo dogfights.

All they need to do to make the dogfighting more dogfighting and less "hover wars" is to nerf the hover ability of the ESF. If you go under 100km the ESF drops out of the sky as a stone and problem solved.

[Roderick]

Originally Posted by snafus

Sadly I also heard Matherson and Waterson use A2AM in over abundance. This was told to me by multiple people who play actively there and get on Connery from time to time. To me that really ruins any kind of air game you might have since it takes away any skill that might be present. I don't care if you have thirty on thirty dog fights if A2AM are the weapon of choice, all I see is 60 nubs flying around.

This is not totally true. While I too have used A2AM like I am sure everyone has here, the ratio of true ESF rotary fighters I believe dominates ratio wise over A2AM users. This does not include those using lock on SAMS on continents like Indar where we lose the flight ceiling advantage.

I feel 8 out of 10 times I will be shot down by a rotary gunner than an A2AM.

Don't go by what you "heard". Go on the server and judge for yourself.

[Whiteagle]

Originally Posted by snafus

Sadly I also heard Matherson and Waterson use A2AM in over abundance. This was told to me by multiple people who play actively there and get on Connery from time to time. To me that really ruins any kind of air game you might have since it takes away any skill that might be present. I don't care if you have thirty on thirty dog fights if A2AM are the weapon of choice, all I see is 60 nubs flying around.

So instead of dealing with A2A missiles, which you see as skill-less, you'd much rather be blown up by flak that must be so thick it blackens the sky?

Originally Posted by Roderick

This is not totally true. While I too have used A2AM like I am sure everyone has here, the ratio of true ESF rotary fighters I believe dominates ratio wise over A2AM users. This does not include those using lock on SAMS on continents like Indar where we lose the flight ceiling advantage.

I feel 8 out of 10 times I will be shot down by a rotary gunner than an A2AM.

Don't go by what you "heard". Go on the server and judge for yourself.

Indeed, you do realise they nerfed A2A Missile Lock-on ranges, right?
Need to get them in the Circle at around 150-200 meters, which means they are useless in a turning fight.

[Sunrock]

Originally Posted by snafus

Sadly I also heard Matherson and Waterson use A2AM in over abundance. This was told to me by multiple people who play actively there and get on Connery from time to time. To me that really ruins any kind of air game you might have since it takes away any skill that might be present. I don't care if you have thirty on thirty dog fights if A2AM are the weapon of choice, all I see is 60 nubs flying around.

And every one that does not only use a knife to kill is a noob too right?

It takes skill to use A2AM now a days. I had agreed with you if this was during beta when A2AM first was introduced to the game but if you still think they are no skills involved in using then in a dogfight you cant have played the game the last 5-6 months. Or at least it takes skills to use them on experienced pilotes that know what they are doing. And killing noob pilotes are easy no matter what weapon you use.

PS: And yes the A2A gun is allot better then A2AM anway. A2A are only good as a "finisher" if they try to out run you in a strait line or running down a Liberator.

[snafus]

Originally Posted by Whiteagle

So instead of dealing with A2A missiles, which you see as skill-less, you'd much rather be blown up by flak that must be so thick it blackens the sky?

Flak sucks but our flying community does a good job of chastising most pilots who use A2AM. We still have a very lively and competitive group of flyers on each faction. We just have to play carefully when anywhere near a fight due to Connery's obsession with AA. But yes I would rather deal with the ever present light show that AA provides then swarms of mindless pilots using A2AM and calling it a good flying community.

Edit: And on a second note I would vote Helios as the most air friendly server I have ever experienced. Can't tell you how long you can fly around there without a lock on or burster round singing your paint.

[Ghoest9]

I enjoy and make good use of my ESF.

But Im not really using it what you might consider the right way.