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| Meet the Author of Crimson Skies: Sybex's Official Strategies and Secrets | |||||
David Chong is a licensed private pilot and an avid flight simulation fan. He has a special place in his heart for Crimson Skies, as he has been a devoted player of the board game since its release by FASA. His related strategy guides include Flight Unlimited III and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000, both from Prima, and he is also contributing to the upcoming Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2: Official Strategies and Secrets guidebook from Sybex. +Debbee@ZEvents> Welcome to the Zone David! David@Cskies> Thanks much Debbee! Brasc> First of all, I wanna say that Crimson Skies is a great game. Is the game ever going to go into World War 2? David@Cskies> Well, I cannot speak for the licensor, but the releases of game supplements for the board game have advanced the timeline. So at some point, there is indeed the possibility of a global war. It would not be WWII though, since we are ultimately in a different universe - an alternate history - than what really happened at the beginning of the 20th Century. Grendel724> I just wanted to say thanks for chatting tonight. I don't know how much this relates to strategies, but how true is the game to real world physics of flight? I know the moderator said that you are a licensed for flight and all. David@Cskies> It is pretty much 100% absolutely, positively like real world physics in no way whatsoever. :) Grendel724> So that means it's not. Am I right? David@Cskies> Yeah, it's definitely a flight *game*, not a flight simulator. kingaloha> How long before the game ships do you get it for research? David@Cskies> Hmmm. . . a nice project will give me about a month with the game before I start writing, and then about three weeks of frantic typing. I am in the middle of a project right now in which I had only 1 week with the game, and now four weeks later, the book is almost done! On the opposite extreme, I had software for one project for 9 months before I wrote a single word. kingaloha> It must be tough under a tight schedule. Thank you. David@Cskies> It can be! jadecaz1> Is Crimson Skies in the same universe as Shadowrun and Earthdawn? David@Cskies> No, it's a completely different world. It's set in an alternate history 1937 where the US has broken up. Shadowrun is future tech on Earth, and I think Earthdawn is interplanetary. They are all different universes owned by the FASA game company, which is now a subsidiary of Microsoft. jadecaz1> Earthdawn isn't interplanetary, its pre-history. Thank you. I was curious. David@Cskies> Oh, thanks for the clarification. I hadn't played that one. DK_Hawkee> In the mission where you prevent the sub from attacking your base, which loadout would you recommend in sinking the sub the fastest? David@Cskies> I like AP rockets. I use the *Blackhawk* design, which is described in the guidebook, and pump all my AP's into the conning tower. I save a few boomers for A-A usage. Guyzen> How much time did you play the multiplayer? Were you able to play with 7 other people when the game had yet to be released? David@Cskies> We played with 6 players, but never 8. I probably logged... hmmm... maybe 5 hours of multiplayer. Not very much! That's where overall flight sim experience comes in, with games I've played in the past helping me to generate useful strategies. Guyzen> Any tips for us newbies at air combat? David@Cskies> Sure... read the book... :) Especially chapters 3 and 5... however, some general tips: stay fast, never fly straight for more than 3 seconds, and always keep looking around. CnG_Porthos> With all of the space and modern sims out there, have you received a lot of flak (pardon the pun) for being more action than sim? Specially using the spyglass technique? David@Cskies> Hmm... well, actually I think this is really filling a niche market that has not been filled adequately. Crimson Skies has very, very few ties to reality - it's all about arcade flight action. However, it has these little complexities to it that make it possible for ace pilots to still beat rookies. So it's got a great learning curve, and a great level of depth, even in this apparently simple looking action game. I write hard-core flight sim books, and so I can go there, but even I have an appreciation for the enjoy-ability of this little gem - it's truly a great game, and if the sales are a measure, I think it's not getting much flak, nope :) psychadelic> Do you know if 'Seekers' are effective without "beepers" in multiplayer? David@Cskies> "nopers", they are not. :) Grendel724> I am downloading now, takes awhile on a 56K so just wondering, you probably don't know this, you might have broadband, but is there any lag in the code? I am really bad at lag shooting, dunno why, can't get it in MW3 at least. I know some is expected, but I have a lowly 56K and don't like lag. David@Cskies> Hmm. . . actually even the prerelease code seemed to handle 56K clients fairly well. We didn't have to lag shoot at all, really. You may encounter trouble on a 56K host with more than 1 client though. Grendel724> Thanks, thought that was close enough to a tactic (lag shooting that is) but it sounds like it runs off of code like RogueSpear, thanks. David@Cskies> Yeah - you should be hitting what you see on your screen. It's pretty tight. Brasc> Have you heard of Harry Turtledove? He's written some alternate history books that could make good games. David@Cskies> Yes, I have! I have not read any of his novels - isn't he the one that gives AK-47's to the Confederacy? Brasc> Yeah, that's “Guns of the South”. He's done a lot of others in a lot of different time periods. You should look into “How Few Remain and the Great War “series if you like ”Guns of the South”. David@Cskies> Yep, definitely a good author. I've read excerpts and synopses of his work. Good point on the playability of some of his stuff! Thanks for the tip! DK_Hawkee> I am curious as to which plane+loadout you would recommend in the last mission. I have tried many combos but can't seem to find anything that matches his Fury. David@Cskies> Hmm...well, you need EVERYTHING. Firepower, endurance, armor. I beat it with the "Blackhawk" because it's got armor to spare on the sides of the buildings when Miles takes you downtown, it's got firepower to take down the Dante, and it has plenty of ammo to deal with all those enemy planes. Yes, do you have the guidebook? DK_Hawkee> Your book or the book that came with the game? David@Cskies> The strategy guide; my book :) DK_Hawkee> Ahh, no, I just ordered it yesterday. David@Cskies> Check page 82 for a killer design - you can beat any mission in the game with that plane. (well any mission that you can choose a plane on). Good hunting! Kill them all. DK_Hawkee> Concerning multiplayer, would you recommend 3 types of a/c for teach matchup, CTF, Zep, DM, and which model bases for each would be the best? David@Cskies> Hmm. The book has some great tips on this, too. First, be fast. Be the fastest. Nothing counts like speed in CS MP, because climb rates mean nothing and everyone can turn on a dime. Turn rate is awesome of course, but if your opponent can outrun you you'll never be able to engage on your terms. So take a Bloodhawk or a Devastator and get fast. Alternately the Hoplite can trample anyone that tries to turn with you. Most people try and die. The way to beat it is simple: disengage at high speed, and come back in a rocket-and-gun pass. The Hopper can't answer that. So: Hoplite against anyone but an ace, Bloodhawk against equals, or a Dev against an unknown. Good luck. +Debbee@ZEvents> I'd like to thank David for being here tonight and all of you as well. Nite All! David@Cskies> Thanks guys, it was a pleasure to field your questions. Thanks to the Zone for hosting this event, and to you players: may all your enemies be at 12 o'clock. |
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