What is o-lock and low-fly?

[zwz87]

I notice in key binding that press c for crouch/o-lock/low-fly. I can tell some mechs could crouch, but what are o-lock and low-fly? Any vehicles as examples?

[MagneticJerk]

Orientation lock (o-lock) is for agravs specifically, and stops them from turning towards the mouse cursor like they normally do. Never really found a good use for it.

I don't think low-fly is actually in the game, but is an unimplemented idea. Not sure what exactly it would have been though.

[MrUnimport]

O-lock is theoretically useful for the Joust and the grav-tanks, which might theoretically want to fly one way at max speed and shoot another way. Never quite managed that one though.

[CHOO CHOO]

Low fly would probably do what holding the space bar does, only without pinning you in place - it would keep you down near the ground, giving you a lower profile in exchange for not being able to fly over obstacles. Might also let you dodge some shots?

[Boss Tweed]

Technically Lowfly is still implemented in the game, there just aren't any vehicles that utilize it. Choo Choo is correct in that it would adjust your flying height in an agrav, but the intent was to also modify the accelerations and top speeds. It never went in because it was bound to the same key as o-lock and it was just too much overhead at the time to balance another element that could dramatically change agrav handling.

Also technically you could have it *increase* flying height to allow for even better maneuverability and clearance. Which was a fun idea, but it caused a lot of weird edge-cases that would've been really difficult to solve so we just binned it entirely. But yeah, it's all there still so you guys who like to poke around, feel free to experiment with it.

[ImHelping]

Late post, but O-Lock I have found is most notable for the few A-gravs without fixed mounts for their non turret weapons.

If you are driving the Swordfish, O-lock is a liability. But if you are driving the Buckler which has a cone of wiggle room for it's guns, it lets me strafe and shoot a wider area without turning my broadsides towards a group of enemies.

Then you have the Roper. Which has a fast 360 independent swivel for it's dual heavy mounts, but steers like a drunen brick that thinks a U turn should look more like a C. So O-lock has saved me from having it pull a wide swerve into a gas station in the process of aiming behind me.

[Kiwi Clown]

@Boss Tweed

Wait so if I'm reading that right, it's possible to use the debug console to enable lowfly for agravs? Or is it "implemented" in that the proc exists in the code, but it's not referenced anywhere?

[H1tSc4n]

Low fly would've been better in my opinion. O-Lock is pretty useless, very few Agravs have any use for it, and even then it's very situational.

[Puppet #7]

O-lock is situational, but there's a handful of levels where enemies commonly clump up and if you have a turreted Agrav the ability to zoom by at top speed while firing perpendicular to, or even behind your heading can make a difference.

I feel it shines more on "Randomize" with high difficulty pilots where you’re potentially trying to make an oddball, or less-than-ideal weapon kit work against high numbers in a paper thin agrav.


I mean, there's rarely ever the issue of having "too many options" so even if it only comes into play 1 outta 100 encounters- the one you happen remember it's avail you'll likely be happy it was.

[Boss Tweed]

Originally posted by Kiwi Clown:

@Boss Tweed

Wait so if I'm reading that right, it's possible to use the debug console to enable lowfly for agravs? Or is it "implemented" in that the proc exists in the code, but it's not referenced anywhere?

Yes. Agravs all have an additional file that determines their hovering characteristics, and a toggle to determine whether they're O-Lock or Low-Fly. If the latter, there's a secondary set of hover statistics you can specify along with modifiers to movement and acceleration. Technically you can actually make it 'High-Fly' instead.