RTF LEVEL 14

You should probably use the mouse, I don't know if it's even possible to do this level with the keyboard.  A joystick might work, too.  Start with the manual camera, keep moving with the mouse in circular motion until the ball gets off the ground and gains some speed, then quickly switch to chase camera (middle mouse button) and move the mouse slightly forward.  If you can manage that, afterwards it is pretty straight-forward.

I did it using the keyboard with 1.5.3. I can't do it with the mouse though.......

Retour de Force 14 was pretty hard for me also.

Here's what I tried doing (I like using the mouse):

1) Keep yourself on Manual view and move the mouse in a circular motion (don't stare at the mouse as you do this, look at the ball).

2) When you get high enough, switch to Chase view and immediately and make the ball stick to the edge of the cone and go maximum speed.

3) As the ball is speeding around the cone, check if you are moving clockwise or counter-clockwise. If it's clockwise, don't keep the mouse too far to the left. If it's counter-clockwise, don't keep your mouse too far to the right.

Then it's really simple.

Good luck.

Neveromar

Es re facil ese nivel solo tenes que girar la pelota rapido mientras mueves la camara, despues de que la pelota suba solo un poquito la impulsas hacia adelante y listo...
It's easy re only got that level to turn the ball quickly while moving the camera, after the ball up just a little bit forward and the push off ready ...

What are your guyses thoughts on how the new chase-camera behaviour in 1.6 changes the gameplay for this particular level?
The above mentioned technique described by parasti and neveromar only works if you set the "camera_1_speed" value very high (~900+).

The method above is probably a lot harder to do now (just after the switch to chase cam, the manual cam should still be identical to 1.5.4), but it's still doable with only the chase cam and simultaneous camera rotation. As an aside, another factor that plays into this is mouse sensitivity. I've never been able to get off the ground in this level with the default sensitivity.

I don't know if this is a matter of perception, but I can't get anywhere with an "opposite" camera rotation. To do it, I have to circle the mouse while rotating the camera about the ball, and I would call both rotations counter-clockwise (or clockwise, depending), therefore not opposite..?

By putting it "fast, circular movement in one direction while keeping the view on permanent rotation the opposite direction" I was actually talking about clockwise and anti-clockwise movement... what else?

It's true that you can call both rotations counter-clockwise (or clockwise, depending on whatever...) but - at least according to my perception - it should never be the same direction of ball and rotation at the same time; I mean sure you can spin the ball - let's say - in clockwise direction and also rotate clockwise(ly) by presssing D or right mouse button - but that doesn't get me anyhwere...

I just checked out all replays of RDF 14 on the Nevertable for clarification and in my opinion
haexxlor, uau and Craven spin the ball in anti-clockwise direction while the rotation (it can best be perceived by looking at the cone and yellow coins) seem to move/be moved in clockwise direction.  Only Elviz got the ball spinning in clockwise direction and rotation anti-clockwise.

I guess that this specific level is different from others (not only that it is extremely annoying); I think that usually rotating the view/camera doesn't have any great, direct impact on the movement of the ball; usually you start rotating in one or the other direction (i.e. clock- or anti-clockwise)  to overlook obstacles or simply to get in a good position after turning around or so; but in this case, it's different  because the ball is trapped in a cone which actually can be spinned around itself just by rotating the view/camera and it actually does have contact with the ball and therefore also really can affect its movement (so you can definitely produce friction here).

But perhaps I'm just a victim of some visual illusion - who knows ;-)

...just a visual operation and no physics are being involved, would also mean that camera rotation actually doesn't have any impact on ball movement and is just for changing views and better visibility or maybe for having better accessibility as well at some points, am I right? (And If so, it shouldn't make any difference whether I press S or D or just don't use camera rotation keys at all while trying to tilt the floor in such a way it can generate a circular spin of the ball in this level)

Btw. perhaps friction was the wrong word, maybe "momentum" describes better what I get out of rotation in this level.

...and I was referring to the act of rotating the camera while being NOT absolutely still - so maybe we were talking at cross-purposes here

you have absolutely right