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Originally posted by Bullwinkle
Excellent suggestions, Arkane!
What kind of a controller do you use? I like to keep combat buttons to a minimum, so I usually skip strafing during combat. Everybody has to find their own style.
Hey Bullwinkle! Thanks! 
Nothing special, just the same ole' mouse n' keyboard like most Freelancers. However, my keyboard layout and mouse button assignments are a little different than stock, I utilize a 5-button MS mouse though, as it helps with my weapons loadout. I treat my controls on Freelancer alot like I do my controls for first person shooters, mouse handles pointing/shooting/weapons, the keyboard handles moving, manuveuring, items, etc, etc., the only exception is that the keyboard also controls my weapons grouping.(more on that later...)
Basically, my setup is like this, I'm usually in "engine kill" mode when in combat,(my D key) therefore my left hand on the keyboard handles all afterburner/axis thrustering aka "strafeing"(left, right, up and down, just like the Q,W,E, S keys for most FPS shooters controls) and reverse/full stop thrusting. (A key) Since in engine kill mode, the afterburner(TAB key) is my main directional thruster, however I can still do crazy directional thrustering(with Q, W, E, S keys) all at once while still floating in space in another direction due to engine kill. Now from time to time, almost all the ships in the game will drop out of engine kill at some point and I have to re-engage it mind you. But once you learn how to "vector thrust" while in engine kill mode with a very fast, quick turning nimble ship(like the Shroud equipped with the weight reducer for example) you will quickly become a VERY hard target to hit and easily outmanuveur almost all NPCs and even some human pilots, save skilled human pilots. 
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Originally posted by Bullwinkle There are approximately 16 zillion FAQs, Walkthroughs, and Tips pages -- each a little bit different from the other. If we really want to make a high quality and comprehensive guide, we're probably going to have to write it ourselves.
On the other hand, many of these tips are in the Freelancer manual. Nobody reads that, so how are we going to get them to read our Beginner's Guide?
Now that you mention it, I am a little bit surprised that there is no sticky thread with tips for newbies. That would be a great place to answer a lot of the common questions that I see.
Indeed, there are alot of resources out on the net Bullwinkle, but none of them really focuses on the expanded controls of Crossfire 1.8 and how to utilized advanced piloting techniques available with those expanded controls either.
Perhaps I'll break down and try to write something with input from anybody willing to contribute as a good piloting "primer" for n00bs to Crossfire in the future when I've got some free time to do so.
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Originally posted by Bullwinkle Barrel Roll?! That's what airplane pilots have to do because they could not slide (until recent vectored thrust and rudderless-fly-by-wire aircraft), isn't it? If airplane pilots could slide, would they ever use a Barrel Roll?
In any case, moves like that are only likely to fool a human pilot -- and only the first couple of times. The NPCs have inhuman reaction times (because, well, they're not human).
Not necessarily Bullwinkle, barrel rolls make a craft a very difficult target to hit, because in some cases, the center of the craft is constantly moving along with the exterior parts utilizing the most movement, this is all of course if you're in a aft position of the target which is usually the case when I see this in-game with NPC targets. Every time I've had a lock on a NPC while they were in a barrel roll from a distance, I've always scored less direct hits, every time, so the technique has merit, albiet only in the use of trying to flee your enemy IMHO. Since currently the barrel roll can only be used while out of mouse flight mode, i.e. typically in cruise mode, it only makes sense it would be used when you're trying to get the hell out of Dodge anyway!
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Originally posted by Bullwinkle Also, Freelancer does not have the instrumentation required to do really nice barrel rolls. A horizon indicator would make it easy.
But you could practice and get close enough, I think. You would have to time your roll at specific speeds in specific ships, but I think that you could do it. It would probably be easier with engines than while sliding.
An ideal practice setup would be two computers and two ships, so that you could watch yourself from an external perspective. Or practice with a flight instructor.
But maybe an easier approach is to just fly in a circle when you need a couple of seconds to recharge. That makes you hard to hit, and is easier to perform than a real Barrel Roll.
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Yes, Freelancer would greatly benefit from some additional controls/improved controls/horizion indicator to make barrel rolls more useful. Yes, again, for now the barrel roll's only real use is when you're trying to evade and flee while charging your cruise engines to escape! If I wanted to evade fire more effectively but stay in the fight, I'd stick to my previous engine kill and thrust vectoring as mentioned above. With the right ship and use of engine kill/thrust vectoring, I can outmaneveur most targets before they can even put a target reticle on me.
As the wise Mr. Myagi once said, "The best way to block punch is to no be there."
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