Is it just me, or is WC1 really freakin' hard?!?!?!

ExcalPilot1

1st Lieutenant
It might just because I started with WC3 and went on to 4, but I just got the GOG versions of 1 and 2 and I'm getting murdered at every turn, usually from asteroids or my newest nemesis the Kilrathi minefield. I'm playing on a laptop with a wireless mouse using the mouse controls, the same as my configs for WC3 and 4, but the difficulty is insane. And it's not like 3 and 4 were set on easy either. Do I just suck at the older games or am I doing something wrong? Reguardless I love the games, but I'm just a little frustrated is all.
 
Try a joystick if you have one or can get one on the cheap; mouse and keyboard control in WC1/WC2 sucks the big tamale (and that's a twenty-four year-old opinion). Only other advice I can give you is to aim ahead of your target, something you'll have to judge manually until you get to the ships equipped with ITTS in WC2.
 
It's you. WC1 is probably harder than WC3 (on the default setting of Ace), but it's definitely easier than WC4. I'm guessing you might be running the game using too many DosBox cycles (5-6000 is about normal), but yes, as capi3101 says, the other big thing is that 1/2 really benefit from having a joystick. You can get a moderately decent stick like a Saitek Cyborg for non bank-breaking amounts.
 
Also, if you are just flying at full speed through the asteroids or mines, then you won't have enough time to react. It's best to go at 150-200 kps.
 
Also, if you are just flying at full speed through the asteroids or mines, then you won't have enough time to react. It's best to go at 150-200 kps.
Claw Marks suggests 250 kps, which I found a comfortable speed to dodge objects. I'll go as high as 300 but that's as far as I dare and I'm rather conditioned after all these years.

Yes, WC1 is harder. No decoys, no ITTS, and your wingman aren't quite as bright. Mouse combat isn't for everyone but some swear by it. I prefer my stick but I'm bias since I've been using dedicated flight controls since MS Flight Simulator on OS/2. It's just more familiar and fun to me that way. On the other hand, capships are a joke, Aces die easy (to me), and the weapons playing field is strongly in Confed's favor. Most enemies you face will bear only lasers and mass drivers against you, till you face Jalthi but they are cannon fodder from behind. You will regularly be flying armed with mass drivers and/or neutron guns. The Cats don't get a truly deadly fighter (singly) till SM2 with H'hriss.

When in doubt, hit the simulator. Flying a Hornet teaches you humility and forces you to learn not to rely on shields to save you. When you start flying the heavier fighters it will feel like a breath of fresh air. Firing lasers only, helps teach marksmanship. Low energy and low damage gives you plenty of chances to practice. Bigger guns mostly just subtract range for the greater firepower. I find superior aim can make the most difficult missions far less a chore to complete successfully.

Straighten up and fly right pilot. You can do it. Training and adaptability make the difference.
 
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I'm one of the few who still prefer a keyboard for WC1 and WC2, "I guess I'm just hard-wired that way". I've used keyboard for flight since I first played the original on the Amiga way back along, give it a try, I find it better than Mouse control.

I've often said I'd probably use keyboard for WC3 onwards were it not for the fact that the control system for the later games really is designed for Joystick play.
 
DOSBox
I run WC1 at 3,000 or 3,300 cycles. Even 4,000 - which I think is the default for the GoG installation - is too fast for me.

Control

No questions, the mouse controls in the early Wing Commanders are badly implemented. Like -danr-, I've always played with keyboard, and I find WC1 (including the difficult SM1 and SM2 missions) playable. WC2 is more of a problem, with its faster ships and more evasive AI.

Asteroids
Asteroid fields in WC1 are malicious. Those rocks aren't floating in space, they're thrown towards you at speeds proportional to your own. As Whistler says, fly at 250 kps, 300 maximum. Go a little bit faster, and you'll find the oncoming asteroids are much faster. Afterburn, and you'll find one impacts you in about three frames.

Later in the game, you'll face asteroids with Kilrathi in them. You generally can get away with higher speeds and sharper turns in these, but don't get careless. The rocks are often more of a threat than your enemies' guns.

Minefields
Mines gradually drift towards you, but don't usually get in your face the way asteroids do. I usually just set top speed and afterburn in a straight line. You'll occasionally take damage, but usually not through shields.
 
The Vega Campaign never really gave me much trouble, but the Secret Missions packs can be absolute hell at times.

My best advice is don't try to be a hero your first time through. There's no shame in completing your mission objectives and hitting your afterburners or attempting to maneuvering around dangerous enemies that aren't your priority target.

Once you get better at the game them you can go back and get those medals pinned to your chest.

Also I never really got the hang of playing the older games with a mouse.
 
It would be a lot less hard if the framerate would just stay consistent. If there's a magic trick to getting it to run in a reasonable fashion in dosbox I haven't found it, and neither has GOG, apparently.
 
IF you're willing to try it, experiment with normal core instead of dynamic or auto and set your cycles to a fixed rate. You might get a more consistent frame rate than if doxbox is constantly trying to interpret how much juice to give the game. This shouldn't be too much of a problem if you have a relatively new pc or cpu but back in the day dosbox was a resource hog in normal core mode.
 
That helped a lot. Still slows down a bit in intense fights, but it doesn't play like the game is seasick any more.
 
Turning up the cycles with ctrl+F12 when a lot of crap is on the screen making things chug can help alleviate some of that. You can turn it back down with ctrl+F11.

GOG has it at 4000 cycles but it plays better for me at 5000.
 
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Thanks for the advice, I'm doing a hell of a lot better now! =D
Glad to hear you're doing better! WC1 comes from a day when games were more brutal but very rewarding. If you or anyone else here is new or returning to WC's glory and need some pointers (preferably without spoilers) chime in here and we'll see how we can help.

Long live the Confederation!
 
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