Who uses Pilot Assist?

[Hemicrania]

Just trying to find out who of you guys uses this.(so I can add you and things..) And I don't mean the "not so nice people" who lure us poor chaps in with pitot assist, and then turn it of quickly.


My guess is that not many do this over here, cous I never see you guys online. Maybe I just need to learn flying without. It wasnt that hard with 3/fusion and pulse. Maybe im just lazy, but im kinda like flying with PA.:beer

[TheFrostE]

well we never try to lure people into our games...but my guess is the reason you dont see many of us online is because most will host with PA off so people that use it wont join. me personally though, i host with PA allowed because i dont really care whos using it or not.

[Amorbis]

Pilot assist is like bike training wheels. Some people will need them to be able to start to to give them the confidence to start riding (or in WipEout HD's case flying) better. I've got nothing against people who use PA online, you use it at your own risk to sacrifice speed so you can stay on the track. As long as I don't get stuck behind someone with PA, which can happen in areas such as Anulpha Pass' bridge, then I'm fine. The only thing wrong with it is when it goes a bit crazy when three or four ships or all in a tight section, as I mentioned with the bridge.

So no I don't use and I certainly don't use it as 'bait' for less skilled players. But I would recommend trying to fly without it, you can go so much faster with practice!

[mdhay]

As far as I am concerned, Pilot assist is a travesty. If I had to use it, I would just turn the game off, given that I can't play games properly if an AI is playing them for me.

[Hemicrania]

well we never try to lure people into our games...but my guess is the reason you dont see many of us online is because most will host with PA off so people that use it wont join. me personally though, i host with PA allowed because i dont really care whos using it or not.

well I saw a few confessions in these forums of people turning it off after they gotten enough players hehe.:) Might just be for laughs offcourse, cous some of us PA lovers really stink the big one without it.:)

[Seraphim1982]

I had a little go with it on once to get the trophy but it quickly drove me insane. I race so close to the walls to get the right line and to have it suddenly veer away is infuriating. I don't understand how anyone can find it useful after the first few hours of play.

Have to admit I do like to go into PA rooms as I can be confident I'll be finishing first in most cases.

[Hemicrania]

ok, currently I only have dr_LuckshoT in my psn list of wipeoutzone members. He plays with PA, cous he just flew past me hehe. Anyone else? :beer

UPDATE : Ive send FrostE an invite, but hes too busy kicking my ass haha. Nice flying m8

[RedScar]

1 round to get the trophy and thats all I've used it. At the higher speeds it becomes worse for you then actually helpful on certain tracks. I'm cool with it though, it doesn't really do much more then help someone who is having trouble with the controls.

[Spece2goin]

PA is just good to send you bouncing from 1 side of the track to another.
i used it once to get the trophy, and hated the AI taking control of my ship.

and i don't like races with PA, they just smash you when you turn...

[DividedXZero]

i used it for 2 trophies...1st one we all know, the 2nd one was for gemini (just held thrust on both controllers) since i had not other physical person to play WOHD with, i've always been the loner in the WO franchise compared to my (gamer) friends and my brother.

[IDReaper]

I have never used it and don't plan to until it is the last trophy needed for me to transend. I don't mind PA On rooms, but it is funny to watch PA pilots veer really wide on some turns xD

[Hemicrania]

thats too bad. Well, never say never. Someday ill get the hang of it.:)

Anyone else a N00b? (just jokin):)

[stinkleroy]

Hmm not sure what to say really except, if wipeout is just for fun then feel free to use PA, after all it was designed for the 'not so competitive' players.

But if you are hoping to be any good at this game it's advisable to turn PA off. For a 2 very important reasons. It will never let you take the tightest lines around the track and, it reduces your top speed by around 5/10 % of those with PA off.

The reason most of us love this game is because it's so rewarding when you master a track (well my version of mastering anyway :p) and to see your times improve consitently. It's a hard game, but when you get it right it feels awesome.

But hey use PA if you want, that's what it's there for. Just don't expect to see many zoners flying with PA on hehe ;)

[TheFrostE]

well said...for sure we dont hate on PA users, we just dont use it ourselves...your on the zone and we are family here, do as you please as long as you have fun and race with us!

[crawdad62]

I can't believe you can't find rooms with PA on. I can't find rooms with it off. The use of PA is kind of a thorn in my side. I really never played Wipeout before HD and had it on by default from the screen at the opening that asks if you're a new pilot. I didn't even know it was on. After reading here and noticing my fishtailing down AP I realized I had it on.

I turned it off and took a couple of days to get used to it enough that I wasn't stuck on the wall the whole time. Problem is I heard so much crap about using it. Then the update came and a lot of these people that complained about it are hosting races with it on. A couple of days ago there was someone on from this site that hosted a bunch of races with it on. I would've joined but there was a race with it off (albeit Flash instead of Rapier) so I joined it instead. The hypocrisy of PA is amazing to me. I really don't care whether it's on or off. I'll choose PA off if there's a choice but I'll run races with it on so if I see you online I'll race with you.

I can say I hate people that change the setup of a race at the very last second. Regardless of what they change. It's dirty pool if you ask me. It really doesn't affect me since I use Feisar exclusively but there are people that use specific ships for specific tracks and it sucks to be sucked into something you're not prepared for. But if you see me online you get what there is on the screen. I will change tracks right after a race but rarely change any other factors and I always give you time to adjust to it.

But anyway host some races yourself. I'll join them. Don't be ashamed of using PA since a lot of people pose that they don't but I ain't seeing it. When I'm on I have a hard time finding races without it. That being said you should really try it with it off and learn to fly without it. Once you do you'll wonder why you ever had it on.

[blackwiggle]

They way I understand that assist ON/OFF works is.
If the HOST has left the pilot assist active in the online selection,it doesn't mean that everybody is using it,it just allows it to be used by those that have it ON in their preferences.although I must admit that the craft handling does feel slightly different if it is active,but not the same as if you had assist ON.
The problem with hosting Phantom without pilot assist ON is that a lot of people are deterred by it being OFF.
I try and prefer hosting a Phantom race with it OFF, and few, if any want to race.
That's unless I stay up until the wee hours of the morning[for me in AUS] when all the EU based racers come online.
It's not so much of a problem at Rapier or Flash speeds,but if given the choice I'd rather race at Phantom speed.
It's a catch 22 situation.

I've lost count of the amount of times people have quit a race or mid tournament when they realise that they just can't race with assist off, and they are finishing 10-20sec behind or getting lapped.
It's disheartening when the "You are the last player" message comes up mid race consistently,and sort of defeats the point of racing online for me.

I try to find a way around this problem by joining a Phantom race that has assist ON,find who the best and most consistent pilots are ,and then ask if they want to race with assist off.
Unfortunately a LOT refuse,but you occasionally get some that will.

They are the ones that usually end up as Wipeoutzone members. ;)

[crawdad62]

Yeah I've never had PA be turned on automatically just because I'm in a room with PA on. I still bang the walls:eek You're also correct that at least when I'm on (you're there too around my time) that there's just not much choice. I think you'll agree that most of the time the majority of the races are PA ON. I really don't care except running in Phantom. I'll race Phantom with PA off but won't join a room with it on. I'm not good enough of a pilot to overcome the craziness of pilots flying at Phantom speed swerving all over the place. In the lower classes I'm fine with it.

I've tried getting races started with it off and it's hard to get players. I end up turning it on just to get someone to join. That's kind of my problem with it. Before there was an option and from reading all the posts about how lame it was to use PA (not just here but elsewhere as well) you'd think no one was using it but that doesn't seem to be the case one the writing became visible on the wall so to speak.

Usually by the time the Euro players come on I'm so soaked with gin that I can't fly straight with or without PA on anyway.

[blackwiggle]

I'm usually well into my second bottle of red wine when the EU guys come online.
And I can't use pilot assist at all,it totally throws me out,it's like the walls are surrounded with rubber bands or your racing in a pinball machine.

I totally agree about the flying all over the place of the pilots who have assist on in a Phantom race,it's like dodgem cars,your lucky if you can keep your line without getting slammed into,not to mention how distracting it is watching them fishtail about like they are towing a out of control caravan.:lol

[mic-dk]

I'm always a bit reluctant to join PA ON races unless I know the host, but even in Euro land it is often the only choice. If I take over hosting a room I turn PA off - and of course gives everyone plenty of time to leave. Granted, when starting a new room with PA off, it can take quite a while to fill even half the spots.

I hate those plonkers that changes settings and starts the race immediately. It doesn't affect my racing much, but it's just a lack of class.

[TarotCardKiller]

If you're new to Wipeout, I think pilot assist helps out drastically. It may not help you get the best line BUT it will teach you to control your ship with the utmost precision.

In order to get a fast (not decent but FAST) time or 1st place, you have to keep your ship within the boundaries PA gives you "especially" on tight turns in Chenghou / Sebenco Climb and others. When you get fast times with PA on, you'll be a monster when you turn it off.

When I first bought WOHD and played phantom, I used PA for about a month until Lux told me it keeps you from getting the best line. I believe it is a pre-requisite.

[AG-wolf]

Unless I happen to have the pilot assist trophy, i don't recall ever using it. The whole concept in general is a joke. If you play wipeout, your only assist is your own ability to not die. There should be no middle-ground between a perfect lap and that splatter on the wall in Talon's Reach.

[lunar]

I did think that asking "who uses pilot assist?" is a bit like asking "who uses incontinence pads?" i.e. not the kind of thing to admit to in polite AG company. But TCK I think your perspective on it is very interesting in that it helped turn you into one of the fastest pilots around. I don`t think PA is a bad thing at all, the way SL have handled it. SL got it absolutely right in not letting it be exploited for records, and hosts can now switch if off online, which I think is quite necessary for Phantom games. :)

Occasionally you do get stuck behind a PA ship online - I once caught a Goteki and got rammed off Sol2 by him five times in one race :bomb But generally it`s not a problem and fast pilots you can never catch at all are a lot more worrying.

[Hemicrania]

Anywayz, this topic is very usefull for now. Now I can remember the ID's that fly by and use this topic to find you guys online. :beer

[yeldar2097]

i bet zico uses pilot assist on phantom, he can only handle venom!
yes i'm a cheeky monkey :P ask kanar :D

[Motorsagmannen]

well... out of my personal experience i started out with pilot ass-ist. it was until after a couple of weeks when i first came in contact with vinnymonster and IH8YOU that i finally let it go for good. at first it was demotivating because my handling instantly dropped by a huge degree. only thing instantly improving was my ability to race on zone. but considering the man drawbacks with PA, #1 beeing the cap on throttle input ( 90 or 95%), and #2 you can NEVER take the best racingline beacause you cant skim the apex of any turn close enough. after realizing this first hand and regaining control of the craft. using PA ever again was totally out of the question.
i only used it one time in the last 4 months, and that was in a offline phantom elite race two weeks ago. i didnt use it to get a good race, i was simply curious about how much my perception of PA had changed after i acctually managed to maintain control on my own. and my impression of the PA race was this::turd:-. every time i tried to cut a corner to get the fastest line i was pinballed to the other side of the track, on the straight i had noticably less speed. on the positive side, even though i pinballed on every atempt to do a quicker corner than allowed, i rarely hit the wall :P but overall i really dont regret taking the PA out to my back yard and putting it out of its missery :g

EDIT: and for your info hemicrania, i dont care about other people using PA. i usually host PA off (although somtimes PA on to). as you can see i know about the "security" in having PA enabled, but in the end your simply better of without it

[username]

I have only ever used PA once, honestly. I did not like the experience myself. If i want to have a computer do something for me, ill use autopilot; should i happen to get it.
I think its OK for first timers, and beginners to use PA, as it gives them confidence, by stopping them hitting the walls, however i think after a couple of days, people should try with PA disabled from there on.
I get frustrated in online games, with PA enabled - im in between a contender and the track wall, then all of a sudden im barged into the side of the track, grinding to a near halt; whilst watching the PA contender zig zag ahead.
I only ever play in online games when PA is disabled, however im fed up of people luring me by disabling it, then suddenly turning it on just before starting the race - and as we all know, once that 3 second timer starts, you have no chance of getting out...

[mchief22]

Used to but after playing WO Pulse ive got used to racing without it, so i guess im not a noob anymore!! :lol

[Hemicrania]

watch out people, hemi and his girl have dissabled PA and going for gold in the singelplayer and its workin pretty damn good! I think were gonna play Fury without PA, so watch out online for a flying projectile called Hemicrania. :lol

[Aeroracer]

i'm a total noob but i dont use pilot assist. I want to be an elite at wipeout, that will never happen with pilot assist, so i turned it off for good after my first week.
Bye Bye pilot assist, nice knowing you http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy245/jasmin-jade1/bye.jpg:dizzy:dizzy

[tileon]

As a veteran wipeout fan, I am actually hindered by this feature. It's like it's getting in the way of everything!! I crunch on wall from left to right all the way like an idiot.

As far as I'm concerned, it's counterproductive or broken. Plus the thing about a game is, well, playing it? Like yourself?

While hosting a game I don't change settings other than tracks. There used to be idiots who lurred you into 20 lap races on venom though... :turd

[YouAreFubar]

:lol I like the pic Jasmin! Hemi, its good to see your giving up PA and its going well (I make it sound like some kind of narcotic... lol). The only way your going to get really good is to give it up because like we all know its a hindrance in other areas (mainly speed on Phantom and stopping you getting really good racing lines).