Agiel Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 So after playing through DCS: A-10C, Naval War: Arctic Circle, Dangerous Waters, and the updated Enemy Engaged, I still had an M1 Abrams-sized hole in my modern military simming experience (sure there's ArmA II, but no one's making big armoured cav scenarios), and so I finally caved and put up 136$ for the license and upgrade (plus shipping and handling). Still waiting on the dongle as of now, but decided to inquire about some essentials: Any big mods out there? Are there certain peripherals (hopefully very affordable) that are as crucial to the experience as a flight stick and TrackIR are to DCS? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvtkramer Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 $136 dollars for the license and upgrade (plus shipping and handling)?where did you order SB Pro PE from?you didn't need to buy both the license and the upgrade, and shipping from eSim Games is free.if you ordered SB Pro PE from the eSim Games store, you just needed to buy the $100 dollar "New license, SB Pro PE v2.6" on this page: http://www.esimgames.com/purchase.htm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibsonm Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Welcome.Well mouse Vs joystick is a personal preference.Mods are also personal (no point getting winter modes if you focus on the desert).Anyway I'm afraid all my loan licenses are busy but others here might help you cover the gap while you await the postman. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grenny Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 At least he'll save on peripherals :-PNothing special needed: Mouse-keyboard will do(Ok I like a basic joystick to play it , but thats a matter of taste) and a Headset for TS.Thats it!If you want a M1 control handle replica, pay a visit therehttp://www.afvsim.com/But be prepared to spent a 4 digit number ;-) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agiel Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 if you ordered SB Pro PE from the eSim Games store, you just needed to buy the $100 dollar "New license, SB Pro PE v2.6" on this page: http://www.esimgames.com/purchase.htmOh boy. Hopefully it shouldn't be too eventful of an experience to refund the upgrade dongle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscar19681 Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 So after playing through DCS: A-10C, Naval War: Arctic Circle, Dangerous Waters, and the updated Enemy Engaged, I still had an M1 Abrams-sized hole in my modern military simming experience (sure there's ArmA II, but no one's making big armoured cav scenarios), and so I finally caved and put up 136$ for the license and upgrade (plus shipping and handling). Still waiting on the dongle as of now, but decided to inquire about some essentials: Any big mods out there? Are there certain peripherals (hopefully very affordable) that are as crucial to the experience as a flight stick and TrackIR are to DCS?Welcome! We are a small community , I,ve been away and back a couple of times myself , but somehow i allways seem to find my way back here for some reason. But this is the epicentre for mechanized warfare simulation if thats what your looking for. Make sure to download some serious looking skins and scenerio,s . You wont be sorry. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibsonm Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Oh boy. Hopefully it shouldn't be too eventful of an experience to refund the upgrade dongle.Suggest you email "Ssnake" and outline the issue:ssnake"at"esimgames.com (replace "at" with @)They are usually very receptive. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Colossus Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 You probably want to get the Fire and Smoke mod. Most others are a matter of taste, but this one improves the stock effects so much that I can't see how anyone wouldn't prefer it. It's my favorite mod.http://www.steelbeasts.com/Downloads/p13_sectionid/254/p13_fileid/1489 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFRHawk Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 "For version 2.37 and lower"?Is there a more up to date version of Fire & Smoke, or is that warning superfluous? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibsonm Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Sorry can't help you as I don't use it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ssnake Posted February 9, 2013 Members Share Posted February 9, 2013 "For version 2.37 and lower"?If that's what the description says, there's probably a reason for it. You can't really brake anything however if you put it into your ..\mod\ folder. Just don't copy it into the program folder. Chapter 2 gives in-depth guidance which files belong where, and again, we wrote that chapter for a reason. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Colossus Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 In this case, most of it works with the most current version. It's not affected by the mod folder, however. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agiel Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Got the dongle in the mail and starting out with the M1A1 HA. Though some stray observations:1. I've read over the Last/First Return tutorial about 5 times and it still kind of lost me.2. I realised how pampered I've been in ArmA II with having a CITV on the M1A2 TUSK.3. I developed a practice of counting to two while tracking a target to compute lead, lasing, then waiting another second before firing.4. Aiming can get a bit squirrelly when using the mouse. I've had a few instances where I traversed the turret pretty damned fast, sent the turret 90+ degrees past where I intended to aim, tried to correct, over-corrected, and overshot my target a few more times before drawing a bead on him.Otherwise having a blast. Hoping to graduate to the Leopard 2 series, the Challenger 2, and the Bradley FVs one I feel totally comfortable with the Abrams.Also, any multiplayer sessions out there that can help break me in?Post-script: Hopefully there are sound mods out there for the non-American tankers. Would love to hear the Limey tankers say: "Re-engage. That bugger's kettle hasn't quite brewed just yet." 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibsonm Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 (edited) 4. Aiming can get a bit squirrelly when using the mouse. I've had a few instances where I traversed the turret pretty damned fast, sent the turret 90+ degrees past where I intended to aim, tried to correct, over-corrected, and overshot my target a few more times before drawing a bead on him. Well that's a combination of practice and preference (Mouse Vs Joystick). Also, any multiplayer sessions out there that can help break me in? Well if you look in the "Multiplayer Games / Engagements" area you'll see lots of publicised events. The description includes: "If you are looking for a game, this is the place to check." The US guys have TGIF every Friday "night" their time (its Saturday afternoon for me). Again, as mentioned to others, as a Brit you may want to consider joining "UK Armour" for a time zone convenient, local group. Edited February 10, 2013 by Gibsonm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotareneg Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 1. I've read over the Last/First Return tutorial about 5 times and it still kind of lost me. The beam from the laser rangefinder isn't a perfect 1 dimensional line, it's more of a very narrow cone that gets gradually wider down range. This means that it can potentially see reflections from many objects, not just your target. The first and last return modes simple tell the LRF to show the range to the nearest or farthest object that it measured in the beam. Here are two crudely drawn examples, the first showing when you'd want to use last return, and the second when first return might be better. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ssnake Posted February 10, 2013 Members Share Posted February 10, 2013 It should be noted that, to reduce CPU cycles for this, in SB we're not testing the entire cone of the laser beam for possible echoes, but use a multi-point measurement. In the vast majority of all cases it works well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3instein Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Hi Agiel, "Also, any multiplayer sessions out there that can help break me in?" You mention that you are a Limey,lol. I have only been playing a few weeks and since last week have joined UK Armour for a few online matches as I am from Scotland so the time thing is perfect. They meet up on a Sun,Mon and Wed night at 20.00,you can get their info in the online section. I strongly advise you to take the plunge as I have learned loads in a short time and they are a really helpful bunch and make playing this sim a whole lot better. Good luck and maybe see you soon M8, Mick. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt DeFault Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Aiming can get a bit squirrelly when using the mouse. I've had a few instances where I traversed the turret pretty damned fast, sent the turret 90+ degrees past where I intended to aim, tried to correct, over-corrected, and overshot my target a few more times before drawing a bead on him.Try clicking the left mouse button twice when you want to stop the turret. This will briefly disable control of the turret and will center the cursor at the same time. Then you can slew the other way with less chance of over correcting. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koen Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 2. I realised how pampered I've been in ArmA II with having a CITV on the M1A2 TUSK.Hello Agiel,Just wondering, given your experience with ArmA & its M1A2 SEP:Do you think that a playable M1A2 SEP would attract a lot of new players to SB,or rather is the current stock of tanks interesting enough in SB for newcomers ?Rgds, K 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agiel Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 The latest and greatest is always a huge plus for me. For instance, a lot of talk is going on at the Eagle Dynamics forum that the next bird will be the F/A-18C, and to be honest, I'd be a bit disappointed if I had to settle with the legacy Hornet over the one with the avionics, the gas, and the payload to get the job done like the E/F Superhornets. Then again, this is the only real sim that features tanks with smoothbores and composite armour.That said, would of course love to see the M1A2 and the Leo 2A6 with that L55 firing German ammo that laughs at even Kontakt-5. But as a secret Frenchmen, to hear the Leclerc will be making an appearance would make my year (Battle management datalink? 12 RPM Autloader? Sign. Me. Up.) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordsman422 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I'm following this thread with some interest as well. I have been watching SB develop since the original was released and have been wanting to purchase SB pro PE for about 6 years now. I finally did and I'm just waiting for the dongle in the mail before I break into it.As an avid player of Bohemia Interactive's titles (Operation Flashpoint, ArmA, and ArmA 2) what actually attracted me to Steel Beasts was not the importunity to rumble around a 3rd world country in an M1A2 taking on poorly maintained T-series tanks with dismally trained crews (Armored Fist 2 and 3 were pretty lacking I thought), but instead the ability to play in the original M1 Abrams with the 105 rifle in Cold War scenarios. I came across the videos posted by tanit and Cobrabase and finally decided to jump in.While I think a lot more US players would be attracted by the M1A2 as a playable, I also worry about those who would expect it to be an invulnerable killing machine that rolls over T-72s as though it was at a monster truck rally. I don't mean to step on anyone's toes with this comment. It is not directed at anyone (and I'm too new to this community to be purposefully passing out insults), but too many years of seeing gripes in other simulator forums about the lack of the latest God-machine have worn me pretty flat. I'm not here for the A2, but the much more common A1 and the 105-equipped M1. I'll be perfectly happy when and if eSim decides to add it. Frankly, I'd rather have the option to add CIPs to the HA for modern scenarios, but I can be patient. I'm here for what SB has and not what it might have eventually. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibsonm Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Welcome to the community. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grenny Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Welcome swordsmen...Good comment on the M1A2. You'll find that most people here are quiete resonable...and SB helps in the understanding that a T-72(or even a T-55 for that matter) in a close flank or 6 o'clock position is bad for your health, not matter what you ride in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tacbat Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I'm here for what SB has and not what it might have eventually.Well said. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scowlmovement Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 The latest and greatest is always a huge plus for me. For instance, a lot of talk is going on at the Eagle Dynamics forum that the next bird will be the F/A-18C, and to be honest, I'd be a bit disappointed if I had to settle with the legacy Hornet over the one with the avionics, the gas, and the payload to get the job done like the E/F Superhornets. Then again, this is the only real sim that features tanks with smoothbores and composite armour.That said, would of course love to see the M1A2 and the Leo 2A6 with that L55 firing German ammo that laughs at even Kontakt-5. But as a secret Frenchmen, to hear the Leclerc will be making an appearance would make my year (Battle management datalink? 12 RPM Autloader? Sign. Me. Up.)Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Leopardo 2E basically the 2A6 in Spanish service? It mounts the L55, if I remember correctly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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