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When switched to 'on', as is the default, the camera positions itself directly behind the craft and acts as your in flight guide. Your movements are restricted so you can't deviate too far from your flight path, and if you wish to bring down an enemy craft, you have to position yourself behind them and follow the proper lock-on procedures.

On the plus side, having your ERS on saves you a hell of a lot of brain-ache. The ERS system will regulate your speed, preventing slowdown or stalling, will warn you of any imminent crashes, and will read the trajectory of any oncoming missiles and provide you with a safe flight path to follow.

What's more, you've got access to all your intel, and can communicate with your wingmen and supports (again, via the d-pad or through voice command). Through your ERS, you can gather intelligence from your reconnaissance units, talk tactics with your squadron and orchestrate close combat strategies with team mates. It sounds like a pretty cushy deal, and in many situations it is. However, when the enemies draw in close, you'll find the ERS' way of doing things far too restrictive. It's time for the ERS' rulebook to go out the window.

Tech war
HAWX isn't just about technology - ultimately, it's the pilot that makes the difference. Turn the ERS system off, and the camera will zoom out, allowing you to get a better view of the battlefield. You're now in free-range mode, and dogfighting - the most intense stage of combat - can begin. With assistance set to off, movement is unrestricted and you can drift (or slide) through the air, allowing you to pull off incredible manoeuvres.

One quick turn and you can find yourself directly behind the craft that was ready to pull the trigger on your life. In this mode, the only restriction to the lock-on capabilities is the skill of the pilot. On the downside, you don't get all that intel guff, but who needs all that, anyway? Er, you do actually - at least if you don't want to peel yourself off a mountain edge at some point in the next five minutes. Without any way of knowing when you're going to crash, stall or spin-out (aside from your instincts), it should be known that turning your ERS system off isn't a decision to be made lightly.
On the other hand, running the ERS is a real drain on your craft's resources. Although you can replenish it by 'cooling down', energy is in limited supply, so playing with the assistance switched on will hurt your firepower as much as your manoeuvrability. It's all about risk and reward - how long do you dare go without the ERS as your crutch?

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Originally posted by XxCH0NGxX:
Ok, after reading all that, this game is a definate no go for me. ERS sounds like training wheels for the game. Then they talk about 3rd person flying, and the camera zooms out to give you a greater view of the battlefield? The hell with that. I want to see the battle from inside the cockpit just like the pilot would. I don't to fly a plane from 20yards behind the aircraft as if I'm flying another plane, and controlling the one in front of me which is a drone. Nah, hell nah. Here goes Ubisoft fraking up another Tom Clancy title.

The more I hear about this game, the more it appears to be some stupid futuristic noob type flying game where you need your training wings to make it easier to fly and target enemies. F... that S...

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Originally posted by Tomcatter61:
After reading the full article, I don't get any warm-and-fuzzies about how this game is going to turn out. It sounds completely stupid, as a matter of fact. It sounds like they're taking Ace Combat and ****ing it up - how is that even possible?

I hope this is just a confused, early look at the game and things change before it's finally on the shelf. Otherwise, it will be very absent from my inventory.

I like how in the article the author mentions the other flight "sims" for console: Ace Combat and Blazing Angels. Neither of those come to mind when I think flight "sim."

ERS sounds like a pushy autopilot. I'd have that **** turned off as much as possible. I don't need a frickin' computer telling me how to fly my jet.

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Originally posted by netflame5:
yea, no kidding, I should be able to communicate, lock up, and fly while knowing everything about my airplane BY MYSELF! not while listening to a dumb computer limiting my view and flight ability... I fly planes in real life just fine without any dumb ass computer telling me anything except for where I am on the map... It makes me wonder if the Devs are even listening to our posts about how much we actually WANT realism...

and yea, I think ERS is the equivalent of turning on the master battery and having some dumb ass flight mechanic wire the autopilot to to battery switch. In other words, either you get restriction+senses or you get absolutely nothing. I think that ERS is a horrible Idea and should be stripped out of the game right now while it is still weak. Besides, I think a pilot can fly better than a plane can... I mean, come on unless pilots have only been trained for 2 days, I think any pilot can find his way around the battlefield by himself they have of course been doing it for almost a century now... just 9 more years to go DEVS PLEASE READ THE FORUMS. Any mods out there, please get in touch with the devs... tell them what we have apparently been able to place everywhere but where they can see it.

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Originally posted by netflame5:
"Enhanced Reality System" my ass, should have called it DRS for Decreased Reality System.