Appendix 9 - Getting Started in AW

by Brooke

Air Warrior is an on-line multiplayer combat flight simulator from Kesmai. To many, it is a lot more than a game. For WWII aviation enthusiasts like me, it is a dream come true. Even on its most superficial level -- taking off, heading for the action, mixing it up in dogfights against other live opponents -- it is a blast. However, there can be a lot more to it. There is a sense of community in Air Warrior, and it's fun to build a reputation based on your flying skill or style. There are also war nights and historical scenarios where the action involves definite missions and objectives. For me, playing in historical scenarios gives a similar feeling to reading about real WWII aerial combat and missions. Multiplayer action is a whole new level of fun beyond stand-alone play; and for me, historical scenarios are a whole new level of fun beyond normal multiplayer action.

To play, you need the front-end software for Air Warrior. The front-end software runs on your computer, doing the flight simulation and connecting via modem to a host computer. The host manages and distributes the data coming from the on-line players. There are hosts available from America Online, Delphi, CompuServe, and Earthlink; and to play in the multiplayer arenas (except as discussed below for the Mac beta version), you need an account on one of these on-line services. The costs to play depend on the service -- see the "Prices for On-line Services" appendix for more information.

There are two types of front-end software available: free versions and a boxed version with lots of extra features. The boxed version, Air Warrior II, is for Windows 95 and is available in stores for $40-$50. It has multiplayer functionality plus, among other features, a much larger variety of aircraft to fly, an off-line mission builder, and the ability to play head-to-head. The head-to-head feature allows you to play against one (and only one) other opponent without connecting to one of the above-mentioned on-line servies -- you can instead connect to the other person modem to modem, over the Internet, or over a LAN. The off-line mission builder provides for off-line gaming and practice. As of the writing of this manual, America Online is not set up to use Air Warrior II. Delphi, Earthlink, and CompuServe are (or will be shortly).

The free versions (Air Warrior for Windows, Air Warrior for Windows 95, and Air Warrior for the Macintosh) have basic functionality for multiplayer on-line play but no head-to-head or off-line mission-building features. The Mac version is available from Kesmai's Web page at "http://www.kesmai.com/" and is free to play while it is in beta testing. As for Air Warrior for Windows and Air Warrior for Windows 95, for information on how to obtain them and how to get on-line, go to Kesmai's Web page at "http://www.kesmai.com/" or contact one of the on-line services mentioned in the "Prices for On-line Services" appendix.

Setting up the software is usually pretty easy. If you bought Air Warrior II, you just install it and follow the instructions. For the free versions, you need to get the basic program (which will be in a self-extracting archive); and you'll probably want to get the optional artwork for the various planes. Artwork comes in three resolutions: 640x480, 800x600, and 1024x768. In my opinion, the 640x480 artwork looks almost as good as the others, so if you have a slower machine and want the lower-resolution artwork, you won't be missing out much. If the frame rate is low (i.e., the motion of the world isn't smooth as you fly), try turning off some of the features such as horizon shading, plane shapes, ground detail, etc.; and if things are really bad, fly in one of the lower-detail modes when fighting (pressing 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 on the keyboard selects the view detail). Before you fly for the first time, make sure that you set up your joystick in whatever control panel you have for your operating system AND that you set up the joystick again in Air Warrior by going into the "settings" area. You must calibrate it in both places that first time.

Aerial combat is a complicated business to learn. Therefore, in the early 1990's, in an effort to help new players get up to speed quickly, a group of Air-Warrior veterans formed the Air-Warrior Training Academy (AWTA). There are two parts to AWTA: formal classes and informal training.

Informal training is open to whoever shows up, and it consists of on-line instruction on any topic that the students want to learn. Possibly in addition to other times, it runs in both the full-realism and relaxed-realism training arenas on Wednesday nights from 9-11 PM Eastern time on all of the on-line services. If you have questions regarding the sessions on America Online, send e-mail to Chick at "jre@bellsouth.net". If you have questions regarding the sessions on Delphi, CompuServe, Earthlink, and possibly CRIS, send e-mail to BMac at "johnmcnamee@worldnet.att.net". Instructors who participate in these Wednesday-night sessions include (among others) Chick, BMac, Sty, Snowman, Holmes, Shaky Stick, Bug, StuB, SharkBait, Black Panther, and Slug.

As of the writing of this manual, formal classes are not yet up and running again since the expansion of Air Warrior to other on-line services and the resulting reorganization of AWTA. We hope that they will be up and running soon, though. This part of AWTA involves enrolling in a class that meets once per week, for a few hours per week, for seven weeks. Classes contain about 3-5 students. The students are instructed on-line in all aspects of Air Warrior, with most emphasis placed, of course, on aerial-combat techniques; and there are off-line exercises and reading assignments. The goal is to help students increase their combat skills as much as possible within that seven weeks and to produce pilots who are skilled in all aspects of the game. This manual is the main text for the classes.

There is also a Usenet newsgroup devoted to Air Warrior: "alt.games.air-warrior". If you have questions about the game, AWTA, historical scenarios, war nights, etc., that is a good place to post questions.

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