Switching everybody from "REALM 00" to "REALM 01" by default

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BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! Until recently we have been urging all members of the Linux Air Combat community to use Realm "00" in order to find one another. However, as an experiment, about six months ago we modified LAC to double the packet transmission rate in all of the odd-numbered Realms. This made apparent motion of other online players much smoother. The improvement, of course, was not seen in Realm "00". After extensive beta testing, we have concluded that the doubled transmission rate has NOT saturated communication paths to or from the server and has not created any unforseen problems.

Accordingly, Realm "01" is now the preferred Realm. We have recently completed a powerful little library of "Server Missions" that populate "Peabody's Mission" with "Server Blokes" to help everybody enjoy a more robust, more realistic combat experience even if they are the only live, Sentient, human player online. We anticipate publication of additional new Server Missions with amazing Replay Blokes in Network Battle 02 and Network Battle 03 of Realm 01 too. We've also just updated the main web page, the main "Review" article, and the FAQ pages to reflect this new set of Realm recommendations.

Ergo: EVERYBODY SHOULD SWITCH TO REALM "01" for the best experience and the best chance to find other online players.

Here's a link to a new video with more details, flying examples, and related instructions:

https://rumble.com/vtckre-linux-air-combat-how-to-have-fun-flying-solo.html

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We've completed a comprehensive set of Replay Missions in Realm01, as described above, for "NETWORK BATTLE 02" and for "NETWORK BATTLE03" in addition to "PEABODY's MISSION". Whenever you find that you are the only online player, we recommend these. They are loaded with action and great opportunities to build your flying and gunnery skills. We call these "Replay Bloke Missions". The Three Replay Bloke Missions differ among themselves as follows:

NETWORK BATTLE 03: This is the easiest and simplest of the available Replay Bloke Missions. You will fly in a beautiful Pacific island terrain. In this mission you start out in the air, fully fueled up and loaded with ammunition and ordnance, so you are not forced to land immediately for those supplies. The RedTeam launches an unending series of random, uncoordinated, single-aircraft strikes on the Blue HQ airfield using heavy bombers, medium bombers, and fighter-bombers with rockets. If you join the RedTeam you can join or escort these strikes. If you join the BlueTeam you can defend your HQ airfield against them.

NETWORK BATTLE 02: "Medium" difficulty. In this mission you start out in the air, lined up directly in front of your HQ runway and aligned for landing. Your fuel supplies are very low, so you are forced to land and wait briefly, on the runway, while the ground crew pumps aviation gasoline into your fuel tanks. You will fly among valleys, cliffs, hills, and trenches in a desert terrain. The RedTeam launches an unending series of random, uncoordinated, single-aircraft strikes on the Blue HQ airfield using heavy bombers, medium bombers, and fighter-bombers with rockets. Some of these drop their bombs from high altitudes while others approach in secret, at low altitudes down in valleys and trenches to avoid RADAR detection. If you join the RedTeam you can join or escort these strikes. If you join the BlueTeam you can defend your HQ airfield against them. It can be difficult to locate low-flying aircraft because they do not show up on RADAR, but after selecting one of them as your "Target", you can get a radio message estimating their current position by pressing "v" for "vocalize".

PEABODY'S MISSION: This is the most advanced of our missions, because each side has TWO heavily defended airfields, BOTH of which must be destroyed to achieve victory, and (as in most other missions) when an airfield is damaged, ground crews gradually repair it. In this mission you start out in the air, lined up directly in front of your HQ runway and aligned for landing. Your fuel supplies are very low, so you are forced to land and wait briefly, on the runway, while the ground crew pumps aviation gasoline into your fuel tanks. You will fly among valleys, cliffs, hills, and trenches in a mountain terrain. The RedTeam launches an unending series of large, multi-plane, coordinated strikes against both of your two airfields. If you join the RedTeam you can join or escort these strikes. If you join the BlueTeam you can defend your HQ airfield against them. It can be difficult to locate low-flying aircraft because they do not show up on RADAR, but after selecting one of them as your "Target", you can get a radio message estimating their current position by pressing "v" for "vocalize". From time to time the replay bloke conflicts develop large, multi-plane battlefields, with blokes from both teams crowding the skies in wild, delirious furballs.