Warhawk (PS3)

[Number45]

Ugh, here's hoping something gets done about the proximity mine abuse in this - specifically the dogfights. They're far too powerful considering how abundant they are, played a couple of ranked dogfights tonight and virtually everyone in there was tagging the powerups.

Wouldn't be so much of an issue if a lot of the powerups were in the open, but more often that not you have to swoop through some scenery to get there and often you don't notice the mine until it's too late, if you notice it at all that is.

In other news, looks as though the ranks/medals etc... are now working.

[Yoshimax]

Yeah but I STILL haven't been able to join a ranked server - it's beyond a joke - Showed this to a mate last night and we played offline splitscreen to get used to it "amazing" he said "show me online" - cut to hitting about 7 or 8 servers all reporting 5-6 spaces available and being shown the message telling me to f-off

[Number45]

I had that a couple of times last night, but in the other attempts I've made I've been able to join with no problem at all. When I filter for DM games though, I don't seem to see *any* SCEE servers in the list, they're all SCEA, and I have my region set to show all in the filter.

Wonder if the ranked games are region locked?

[Number45]

Oh, and it seems as though you can't join a ranked game once it's started - which is why the 'Game full' message appears. Would be nice if it said something along the lines of 'Game in progress', but apparently useful error messages aren't a priority.

[Keith]

Is that true? I'm positive that I've joined games before that haven't just started, but thinking back they may all have been within the first minute or two of the match. Maybe you can just only join up until a certain point.

Would be a lot more useful if the only games to appear on the list where ones inbetween matches...

[Number45]

Yeah, I've just been looking for some information about the medals, badges and whatnot and I've stumbled across a few forum threads that have suggested there are restrictions on when you can join ranked games. Like you I'm pretty sure I've joined games that have started, but it's entirely possible they've been pretty early on.

Nothing official on it though.

[doodledude]

I've not had too much trouble connecting to the ranked servers. It takes a couple of goes usually but not too much hassle generally.

I've played both SCEA and SCEE ranked servers. The SCEA seem to have more variety in their server games. The SCEE only seem to have TDM and dogfight (which I hate), whereas the SCEA servers have regular death match as well.

They definately need to invest in more servers though. I remember that photo with the hundreds of PS3's in the server racks, what are they doing? certainly not hosting ranked server games it seems.

[Keith]

There's a point actually - maybe just coincidence but I've never had the "game is full" message when joining a "Dogfight" game. Although I've only ever joined those by mistake, since they're pants.

Someone did tell me that you can host your own ranked server if you have it dedicated, but is that true? I can only host up to 12 people on mine, but if I can set it to ranked I don't mind doing so once in a while so that a few of you can actually have some ranked matches.

[Number45]

It seems as though you'll also get the server is full error if you don't match the rank requirements on a game. :/

I don't mind Dogfight at the moment, but mainly because I'm still getting to grips with the Warhawk controls... well, getting out of missile locks without a chaff handy anyway.

[Keith]

Have you managed a fool-proof way yet? All I've been doing is pulling up (down) on both sticks when the missiles get close. But it doesn't really help.

[Number45]

The most effective way, by some distance, is using the scenery to do it for you. They don't track around corners, so if you can force them to take a short cut into the scenery then you should be OK - obviously you need to keep it quite tight.

Other than that, I've heard that the powerslides are a good way, but I've not been able to perfect it. I guess there must be some way of telling how close the missile is to you, but I've not worked out what it is yet.

[Keith]

Ah, yeah, tried the scenery one but I mustn't be very good because nothing seems to help! Not sure if you know but you can boost by double-tapping R2 - only pointing it out because I only figured that out a couple of days ago.

[Number45]

Yeah. I did actually Read The ****ing Manual!

Oddly, I vaguely remember some dot indicators (Maybe three?) under the missile lock warning last night now that I think about it - I wonder if that's the missile proximity?

[Keith]

I think that shows how many are locked onto you. And reading manuals is for chumps.

[Number45]

Yeah, apparently that's what it's for, so it's going to be largely luck based using the powerslide technique. I just dive for cover when I have a lock with no chaff (Or it's on cooldown), using the turbo when possible.

I know people like using the right stick, which looks cool and everything, but almost always ends with the "[No45] suicide" outcome.

And taking time out to read manuals definitely is for chumps. Reading them whilst on the toilet is a pro tactic. Honest.