One cannot truly say they have had the ultimate virtual combat experience until they have actually lived the Fulda Gap role play in SL. It has been my inspiration for some of the (fictional) short stories featured in my blog. It has also been a benchmark for other combat simulators in Second Life. Fulda Gap is synonymous to the OCS combat system, the most popular combat system to date with more and more combat enthusiasts jumping into the bandwagon. OCS is one of the many combat systems available in Second Life, though OCS seems to be the most preferred choice among serious players due to a lot of its amazing factors and features.
Entering Fulda Gap: After joining the Fulda Gap group, make sure you have at least one official OCS weapon and an official uniform. The MARPAT (featured in picture) is available at the Omega Concern shop. Nothing beats a good camouflage and gear in virtual combat survival.OCS is "probably" the only combat system with an online record that keeps track of your progress in rankings. It is simply saying: The more you "hit" (better than saying "kill" in my opinion lol) the more points you get. And the more points you get, the higher level you reach.
Think of Level 1 as being a new recruit-cum-trainee and whoever reaches the top rank would be seen as Fulda Gap's five-star general. There is no limit on how much points you keep, it is infinite as the game never ends.
Why bother with the points and rankings?
Simple, the higher your ranking is, the more accurate and deadly your aim will be. Which would make it possible for you to get a hit with just one shot: the Holy Grail in OCS combat. Much like in real life war, the longer one stays in the battlefield the more skillful and knowledgeable the troops becomes. Think war veteran... your style and technique would evolve with you as you get to know the weapons and the simulator (sim) better.
The online OCS Player Standings will also reflect your last "hit" as well as the weapon last used. This would give you more than enough hints that the OCS server does keep track of any OCS activity when the official OCS HUD is worn (well it is compulsory that you wear it to make OCS work hahaha). So cheats (yes kids they are everywhere) who use illegal and bootleg weapons and/or troops who are keen on "rezzing" out scripted prims from their inventory, beware the Gods of Olympus are watching! (laughter)
The New Fulda Gap 2009 from afar. Last year we were given an urban and rural combat setting. This year were going on woodland warfare were camouflage would play a crucial role in a troop's survival.Fulda Gap is simulated in a Class5-high-performance sim with its own dedicated server and albeit even its own exclusive system which helps keep the game spontaneous and lag-free. At the start of the year, April Heaney who is the brainchild and pioneer of the OCS combat system has rebuilt Fulda Gap with an all-new environment. This would give new players the same leverage as the established veterans in getting to know the new Fulda better.
Whatcha fancy mate? Urban combat or jungle warfare? The new Fulda Gap sim: you don't have to teleport to another sim to have a different setting, when you can have them both in one go! And the next big question is: Will you be the hunter or the hunted? Go figure that one out!With an established reference point for role play present in the game, supplemented with a player's own mini-biography or story (reasons for being in Fulda Gap) makes the game even more appealing and exciting: adding more depth and character to the avatar.
Normally a new player would start as a Partisan (neutral troop), and you can chose which side you would want to belong to: EUFOR (European Union Forces) or the N.E.B. (New Eastern Bloc) - after submitting your role play profile to April Heaney.
Starting as Partisans not so long ago, Lizzy Mornington, N71 Aeon and Ellynore Lisle now fight under the EUFOR banner.Who would be next to join the two main factions?The Official OCS Viewer
Leaping forward in keeping the promise for a real combat experience, April has helped develop the first ever OCS Viewer in Second Life. It is custom built to rid the game of its little gremlins: the common cheat features which are built-in the standard viewer. Mind you, this is a Linden Labs viewer so any fear of "undesirables" being installed in your PC would simply be ridiculous.
There is nothing more exciting than playing combat in a pitch-dark environment, radically changing the way we play virtual combat. It gives new meaning to the phrase "bloody adrenaline rush".The benefits of having to use the official OCS viewer means no more bloody "mini maps" and overriding of default environment settings. That means night combat would be done at night as the way it really should be. The Ctrl-Shift-Y (or N) features are disabled as well as the Advance Menu from activating the "Admin Status".
If that is not enough to tickle your combat fancy, name tags that usually give away your exact location (with that obvious placard floating above your head), even if standing too-close behind walls have also been disabled. Technically speaking, no one should know exactly where you are... or wont they? Excited already aren't you? hahaha
The OCS viewer was basically a year and a half in the making, but it was surely worth the wait! I imagine more updates for the viewer soon as the level of game play would be raised.
The Omega Concern: One Stop Armory
Discovering Fulda Gap was only by chance as Ellynore Lisle who was also a Wilder Skies pilot like me at that time (yep she was so good at it I would not last a minute in the sky! hahaha) had Eichenzell featured on her "profile picks" (did I just admit there that I snoop on someone else's profile? Oooops!). A simple innocent question about Eichenzell brought us both to Omega Concern. The first sight of Omega's glowing dome struck me with awe... much more upon seeing all the amazing weapons on display!
The rendering and the presentation of each weapon was non like no other. It was love at first sight for me with these babies and they have just converted me from originally being a pacifist to a die-hard combatant! yeehaw!
You will never end up more confused than I was the first time I tried choosing for my first weapon. With so many on offer, it would be hard to decide which one to get!... you would simply want them all!Elly was so cool enough to patiently explain to me everything what is to know about FG. I have to admit, it was information overload as she tried to immerse me with all the technical details on "the hows, the whos and the what" in Fulda Gap within just 10 minutes (laughter)! Not to mention that I spent most of the time asking the same questions over and over again (pssst.. and I think this was the first time I irked her off... lol).
My First True Weapon
Forget all your freebie weapons, they do not compare **** to these babies! The details and resemblance to the real McCoy is uncanny. Among the many choices on offer, I took the Sig-556 Assault Rifle. Apart from a built-in grenade launcher, the features and gizmos that come along with it commands its asking price. And in spite of it being the most expensive rifle in the Omega arsenal, it still remains the most popular weapon of choice among the OCS zealots.
For more details about this weapon: http://sl.theomegaconcern.com/manuals/34-ocs/83-sig-556-assault-rifle-with-gl-5010-manualApart from the Sig, I would recommend for beginners to also get the M67 Fragmentation Grenade and the M16A2/ M21 Mine Pack. These would be sufficient enough to help you "last longer" in combat but does not guarantee that you would be invincible. Weapons only becomes effective when the user uses common sense and a lot of guts when playing in the field. Just make sure you throw your grenades far away from where you are, and avoid stepping on your own mines! hahaha
Hitting Hard While Charging Less
I have also discovered that the XM-109 Sniper Rifle can be a powerful weapon in spite of it costing less than the Sig. Its function is straightforward: aim... shoot... and kill. It can hit a mark even at great distance making it one of the most feared weapons in the OCS armory. Combatants with higher levels in ranking make this rifle their preferred weapon of choice.
For more details about this weapon: http://sl.theomegaconcern.com/manuals/34-ocs/84-xm-109-25mm-sniper-rifle-manualThe Big Mommas
They are the first thing that will catch your eye upon entering the Omega Concern. The only three vehicles that can be used in Fulda Gap:
The Dozor Utility Vehicle, the M1A1 Abrams Battle Tank, and the AH-64D Apache Longbow
Please bear in mind that other types of vehicles and crafts (apart from the ones mentioned above) are not allowed to be used in Fulda. Believe me, you would not want the Game Managers (GMs) breathing behind your neck! hahaha You will surely get more than just a slap on the wrist... really!
All vehicles blow up when hit beyond its damage limits. So drive or fly them with care! These vehicles are HUD or Menu driven.The Apache Longbow is by far the most sophisticated aircraft in Second Life... BAR NONE! Nothing comes close to this eagle as being the most interactive attack craft, consistent with role play. Missiles fire away from hardpoints (weapon stations) and actually show them getting depleted, unlike missiles mounted on other crafts that remain static.
Flying this bird can be quite a challenge especially with the OCS HUD on. A crash will cost you your life so flying with care is advised.
Getting this chopper (or helo if you are an airman) is worth the investment. I am very certain that April's creation had sent ripples across the crafting of virtual helicopters in Second Life. Expect a lot of changes on the way SL helicopters are made, and at least owning the first one ever created should give you enough prestige to last until the next best thing arrives.
Thanks (and kisses) a million to my Lizzy-babes for giving me one as a present and of course to April for finally bringing this one out of the hanger... making me the first ever to own one! Good things happen to those who patiently wait. wehey!
Oh my goodness mate... don't just look at it, get one!To Join or Not To Join? Is that a question?
There isn't a good enough reason not to visit Fulda Gap. The membership is now free, the Official HUD cost just 1L$ and neither do you have to pay for the Official OCS Viewer. Initially, you don't have to own weapons to enter the sim. But do be advised that if another troop gets a visual, you just might end up getting shot! hehehe
Don't fancy being a soldier but want to still be part of the role play? Apply to become part of the Civilian Faction, but please be neutral and non-partisan unless you wish to become an outlaw! Now that's another story!
For more details about the Omega Concern and Fulda Gap: http://sl.theomegaconcern.com/fuldagap
Things to comply to before entering the barrier: 1) wear your group tag 2) wear your OCS HUD 3) use the official OCS viewer 4) be nice and play fair 5) don't bloody cheat, well not that you can with new safeguards installed.. but if you do, see you in your third life hahaha
The Omega Concern main shop, where all combat dreams come true... less the Blue Fairy of course! http://slurl.com/secondlife/The%20Omega%20Concern/195/37/24
