Hovering above a landed chopper

[Simon-]

Right, as I understand it at the moment it is within in rules to hover a chopper above a landed chopper to prevent it taking off, which I am fine with a skill full pilot can take off from that situation.

However, I fly entirely in first person except for when spotting for gang mates as in doing so I can maintain a higher speed land quicker and all that fun stuff and have an eye tracking system for head movements. Obviously in first person I have a limited vision of what is directly above me, and if a chopper approached from the rear I would have no awareness that this was directly above me. Now obviously I wouldn’t intentionally fly into a chopper above me but in this situation it could easily happen.

In this situation who is at fault?

Secondly I had my blackfish out yesterday and had it landed on the far side of the airfield, powered down due to the 100% throttle issue. Now while landed a police humming bird approached and positioned its self between the one of the rotors with auto hover on. Again the first person issue occurs however, is this not crossing the line into Ruleplay? As at this point I am unable to do anything... 

 

[LONG BEARD]

Surely you can switch to 3rd person, check clearance then switch back into 1st person to take off.

In both cases, it's up to the pilot to make sure there's no obstruction before taking off. 

 

[Smith]

It's like when reversing in a car, you need to check nothing is behind you, even if you are in first person.

 

[Washington]

I agree that this issue needs to be addressed. I don't know why this tactic has only come up recently. In the 3/4 years I've played I've not seen it until the last few months. 

 

[Simen]

I agree that this issue needs to be addressed. I don't know why this tactic has only come up recently. In the 3/4 years I've played I've not seen it until the last few months. 

Tactic has been used the past year atleast

 

[killersky]

Right, as I understand it at the moment it is within in rules to hover a chopper above a landed chopper to prevent it taking off, which I am fine with a skill full pilot can take off from that situation.

However, I fly entirely in first person except for when spotting for gang mates as in doing so I can maintain a higher speed land quicker and all that fun stuff and have an eye tracking system for head movements. Obviously in first person I have a limited vision of what is directly above me, and if a chopper approached from the rear I would have no awareness that this was directly above me. Now obviously I wouldn’t intentionally fly into a chopper above me but in this situation it could easily happen.

In this situation who is at fault?

Secondly I had my blackfish out yesterday and had it landed on the far side of the airfield, powered down due to the 100% throttle issue. Now while landed a police humming bird approached and positioned its self between the one of the rotors with auto hover on. Again the first person issue occurs however, is this not crossing the line into Ruleplay? As at this point I am unable to do anything... 

tracer if you see him, with black fish just change to horizontal take off.

at any case am pretty sure vdm to the person that goes into the other one.

which means if he goes down on you then he vdm'd, if you go up in him then you vdm'd

 

[Simon-]

Surely you can switch to 3rd person, check clearance then switch back into 1st person to take off.

In both cases, it's up to the pilot to make sure there's no obstruction before taking off. 

So if we go back to my second case, I have no indication that the police want to talk to me, no atc message etc, they have approached from behind. And I go to leave, then I am in the wrong?

 

[Singh]

Blocking a vehicle by standing directly in front/behind them is an attempt of ruleplaying the VDM rule.  The term "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" comes to mind here.

The above is a quote from what @Mattch wrote about a person using their own body to prevent someone from escaping.  I believe a number of other staff feel the same way about this.  However there are numerous situations where this is then ignored although the principle is exactly the same.

Personally I hate long lists of rules, and would say this comes down to common sense, which itself is debatable, however this is one of those situations which actually needs a clear rule, since there is no consistency in the way it's being policed right now (no offence intended).

In practise, you are seen to be in the wrong if you block the vehicle, yet you are also in the wrong for moving because if you do, there is a very high chance that you will VDM in the process.  Either of the decisions are at your own peril.  Maybe @TomTheDoge can weigh in on this one 

 

[NotMattch]

Currently hovering above another heli to block them from taking off isn't really against rules and is considered a valid tactic (has been for ages). If you take off and hit him then you'll fall foul of the VDM Rule. 

However on a personal note I stand by the statement I made previously that it's really shit and just a way to ruleplay. 

 

[John Fletcher]

No rule states you can't if you do however hit their rotors you can be done for VDM, if they go into yours, it's VDM on their part.