Descent Piloting tactics and techniques

[Sickone]

DJ...

If you need Descent and can't find your disks, you can always get them at www.gog.com.

If you need a 3dpro converter and don't want to build it, drop me a line. I still have a few, but doubt there is enough interest currenty to support me doing another run.

Can't help at all with a crappy ip

[Sergeant Thorne]

Maybe if he got a better ISP it would also help the ip problem.

[Djcjr1]

Maybe if he got a better ISP it would also help the ip problem.

Internet Service Provider, Internet Provider, Internet Protocol... they're all the same.

[deathbeam]

Kind of unrelated, but:


Actually, an ISP and an internet provider are the same.
But, \"Internet Protocol\"(or, IP) is different.
IP is part of TCP/IP which is a set of rules for how data is transmitted over the internet.

I just to spread interesting information like this all around.

[Sickone]

heheh

Deathbeam.. I am fairly Certain everyone knew what Dj meant, and Thorne was just razzing him. DJ's response was just further razzing. Besides, eveyone left out intellectual property as another def for ip

[d0ggY]

And the famous author, I.P. Nightly ...the guy that wrote the book Rusty Bedsprings.

[Ferno]

Internet Service Provider, Internet Provider, Internet Protocol... they're all the same.

LOL. no.

[Djcjr1]

heheh

Deathbeam.. I am fairly Certain everyone knew what Dj meant, and Thorne was just razzing him. DJ's response was just further razzing. Besides, eveyone left out intellectual property as another def for ip

Sickone is correct. I originally meant intellectual property.

[Pandora]

just to come back to the tactics bit:

deathbeam, you do also know about afterburner pulsing?

might be self-evident, but one thing I like to do with tricording is bank 45 degrees before/while doing it. this way you can keep your nose relatively level with the floor and you'll see better what's coming at you.

to me the most underrated secondaries are homers and concussions, particularly in the tank. I have them quite high up in my weapon selection. They don't pack as much punch as the frags or napalm, but really work well especially if you have more of them.

best advice I can give is to not use the Phoenix while you are still learning. It teaches you all the worst behaviors: i.e. reliance of speed rather than predictability, running away from missiles rather than dodging them, etc.

[Alter-Fox]

I use the Phoenix and I'm good with it...

EMD is by far the best primary in the Phoenix. Dodging your opponents shots will naturally create a wall of fire homing on your opponent that will be very hard for him/her to dodge. It's even better when you're the only Phoenix in the game... everyone tries to keep it away from you.
The other advantage of the Phoenix is that it's the best ship with just lasers and concs. Quad lasers are often all I need to get a couple kills.

I think the Tank and the Pyro would be better ships to start though. The Black Pyro is probably the worst, because you need to get some specific power-ups for it to be useful. It also only has three shots with its concussions to start with.

[Fusion pimp]

I use the Phoenix and I'm good with it...

EMD is by far the best primary in the Phoenix. Dodging your opponents shots will naturally create a wall of fire homing on your opponent that will be very hard for him/her to dodge

You can't be serious.

[Foil]

Agreed. Alter-Fox, I'd suggest trying to use the EMD in any given multiplayer game with good opponents. You'll see that the EMD is one of the easiest primaries to dodge, and it's very very weak.

[Sirius]

I managed to get a fair bit out of AB pulsing in a Pyro in VVeins... the only downside is that if you're really running for it you can't see anyone ahead of you, but if you're returning to base there might not be anyone ahead of you.

The most consistently effective primary weapon for me in D3 seems to be fusion... no way was this the case in D1, you had to be pretty good with it to hit - but D3 seems to work by different rules. Plasma and quad super lasers aren't bad (probably better on a Phoenix because of the wider spread, but I haven't tried using that since I've returned) but they actually seem to kill most people slower.

[Zero!]

best advice I can give is to not use the Phoenix while you are still learning. It teaches you all the worst behaviors: i.e. reliance of speed rather than predictability, running away from missiles rather than dodging them, etc.

smart man

[Alter-Fox]

Maybe I'm the one person who is good with EMD then. I get more consecutive kills with it than with any other weapon. No matter who is in the game.

[Duper]

EMD is good when your opponent has been softened up a tad. Also, you need to lead your shots with the EMD. It can be quite effective.

Incidentally, it's the same weapon that tailbots use; only it's blue instead of red/orange.

[Pandora]

EMD is good when your opponent has been softened up a tad. Also, you need to lead your shots with the EMD. It can be quite effective.

agreed --- it can serve as a replacement to vauss. Also, because most people never use it and are unsure how to deal with it, it can sometimes really annoy your opponent and disrupt his game.

[Duper]

remember also that EMD has weak homing abilities that shines over some distance and not really up close.

[Sergeant Thorne]

I propose that there are three stages in the life of a Descenter with regard to EMD.

1) Fascination with a primary that homes.
2) Learned that EMD fired in a line toward your opponent doesn't cut it if he has fair dodging skill.
3) Learn that what homing ability the EMD does have is indeed useful if used from the launch-pad of good aim and predictive leading. Think of it like any other energy weapon, but while it's a little bit weaker it goes that extra step to correct small aiming mistakes when fired to intercept an opponents expected flight path.

I challenge anyone to a 1on1 in a level with EMD if you think it has to be ineffective! I'll show you how much it hurts.

[Ferno]

EMD = crutch.

if you need it to make a kill, you really need to learn how to lead.

[Duper]

meh. It's in the game. We've gone around and around about Tri fusion and MD's. Same thing. They each have their over advantages. If one wants to be a skillz elitist, then it should be whittled down to level one lasers and concussions. *shrug* You still need to lead with the EMD.

[Pandora]

with the EMD, do you actually get a \"lock\" warning?

[Alter-Fox]

No.

[deathbeam]

I usually get a lock warning from EMD, but only for a second.
Unless, they just wont stop firing. Then I get lock warnings just like I do for a homing missile.

When it comes down to it, I think that what weapon is being used doesn't matter much.
I think it's who is using it.
I've had both sides.
I've tri-chorded around and around people who couldn't quite make that hit with their EMD.
But I've also had times when I just can't seem to dodge their EMD at all.



I am unfamiliar with AB pulsing.
It would be great if someone could explain it.

[CDN_Merlin]

AB Pulsing is just that. You tap your AB in short bursts instead of a constand stream. The theory is you go faster and the initial boost is more from the AB then if you just press your AB button and hold it.

[Grendel]

Pulse the AB. Try to keep the charge above 95-98%. Allows you to sustain the speed indefinately. It's a bit slower than AB at full blast.

[Sirius]

Works much better with a cooler, though, and it can get impressive sustained speed out of even a Pyro-GL. Can't remember how well it works for Magnums.

[Foil]

Works well for the Tank, but the ship-shake gets really heavy. Enough that I generally prefer the GL nowadays.

[jesusfr3ak4evr]

I just want to say that this thread is made of win because of the players who posted in it. I still miss Descent occasionally. You all are a really cool community and mad fun <3

[Neo]

There is no lock warning for EMD.

[deathbeam]

I get an EMD lock warning only in Group-C.
No lock warning when I'm on a normal server.

I play Group-C a lot.