New to LOMAC

[Depeche]

I have LOMAC on mail order and I know that I need to download Cliffs but what I need to know is what stick should I get.

I saw the Saitek - x52 (not Pro) at my local store for $100 USD (Is this overkill?)

Is that a good stick or should I consider buying another? The reviews to say its a good one but I need some real world advice from you guys.

I would like to stay around $100 USD.

Is there anything I missed?

Thanks

Once I get this all install I wanna build the freetrack rig ... EXO I might have some questions for you :)

[EXO]

Bang away anytime me ole' flower.

Gonna whip up a slightly different and more compact one this weekend.

Yummy..... a man's man weekend for me.

Not for GurlZ

:goat:

[Alex6714]

I saw the Saitek - x52 (not Pro) at my local store for $100 USD (Is this overkill?)

Is that a good stick or should I consider buying another? The reviews to say its a good one but I need some real world advice from you guys.



Its excellent, but it is up to you whether it is worth it.:)

[Depeche]

Bang away anytime me ole' flower.

Gonna whip up a slightly different and more compact one this weekend.

Yummy..... a man's man weekend for me.

Not for GurlZ

:goat:

EXO can you take lots 'o picts ... please :)

[SargeBanner]

I've got a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro stick:

Twist Rudder stick, with trigger, 8 way hat switch and for programable buttons.
Six configurable buttons on the (rather sturdy may i add) base.
Throttle control.

Great stick for £30-£40 (about 60-80 USD)

Sarge

[thedoombringer0]

i getting that one banner virtual high 5

[epoch]

The Logitech is great for the likes of BF2/PR.

For a more detailed sim like Lockon, the X52 or X52 Pro are perfect. Or indeed any other 'hotas' type stick/throttle such as the Cougar from Guillemot, or the CH Flightstick and throttle.

I'm not exactly sure what the difference is between the X52 and the X52 Pro - I just bought the Pro as it cost more, so I assumed it was better! I'm sure the X52 will do just fine.

The advantage of the 'hotas' style stick/throttle over the likes of the Logitech, is that many more buttons are at your immediate disposal, so you don't have to rely on the keyboard so much - and there are a LOT of keys to use in Lomac!

For $100 I'd get it.

[Depeche]

OK...Thanks for the input all.

I think I am going to get the x52 for $100. I like the idea of separate controls. That way I can have two things to hold on to as fall out of the sky in a fireball. :)

LOMAC should be here early next week. I got it boxed for $5.50.

[LordSquiffy]

I just ordered it too. I didn't realise the community was flight sim oriented too. Love sims....my Dad flew in the RAF (Buccaneers) but the closest I'll ever get is to fly a pc.

Look forward to getting to grips with it then meeting you all online.

[commando-101]

Nice one squiffy - everyone's been a bit busy lately but we normally get 6 or 7 at least playing a lock on session - madtommy & masaq are keen mission makers as well!

[epoch]

Yeah, I need a Lomac fix this week for sure - Thursday or Friday. I'll turn the bloody PR server OFF if I have to !! :p

[Masaq]

Masaq is a keen mission tryer. I try and make them, and then they kick me in the ass and don't run well. Tommy is our mission maker, with oddles of them to his name :D

Tomorrow I'm busy; around Friday if anyone wants a fly?

[MadTommy]

Maker with a lot to learn :)

I had a quick game on hyperlobby yesterday... played on the 169th Dedicated server.. based in Oz.. my ping was steady at 175.. no lag even on the ground from other planes.. very impressive..there map/server has the capacity for 73 online players!!
I even made a kill in a Su-33..must of been a real newbie i shot down :D

I learnt one important thing about map settings... the map should not have AutoRecovery i.e re-spawn enabled.. as the server and client both hold memory that is only cleared when the player quits and re-selects his plane, this only takes 20 seconds to re-join in this way. Constantly respawning messes with both the server and clients performance. Obviously this only works on a dedicated server, otherwise when the host quits the game restarts. This memory issue might explain our ever increasing ping/lag on those more complicated maps.

I'm well up for a fly... Today & Friday sound good.

[epoch]

Oh nice find MadTommy - you wanna change your existing maps to turn off that autorecovery ?

I'm up for some Lomac tonight or tomorrow. Preferably tomorrow, so Masaq can play too.

[LordSquiffy]

Bugger me! Its a bit harder than flying a Hurricane or a ME109 isn't it?

I'm in training missions at the moment so you won't see me for a while. Also, no blinking manual with Lock On Gold! How am I sposed to know which of a million buttons to press?

Also............in autopilot (my favourite mode) am I expected to control airspeed during auto landing? My MiG just tried to touch down at 263 knots....ouch!!

[epoch]

Noooooooooooooooo!!!! You bought Lockon Gold !!!!!!!!! You'll ruin your PC !!!!!!!!!

Autopilot controls speed during landing, but disengages once you cross the threshold so you bring it down yourself. Don't forget to flare, and depoy airbrakes as well as wheelbrakes.

Join us online whether you're new or not - we can help you get to grips. Start off on the A10 - it's slow enough to let you compensate for your errors without flying you into the ground, and you can rack up lotsa kills with it.

[MadTommy]

Oh nice find MadTommy - you wanna change your existing maps to turn off that autorecovery ?

I believe its a server setting.. so when you run a server you need to check its turned off in settings.. oh and that bloody mini hud :p

Server settings override the map setting i believe.

[epoch]

Ok will check !

[LordSquiffy]

Noooooooooooooooo!!!! You bought Lockon Gold !!!!!!!!! You'll ruin your PC !!!!!!!!!


Whyzatden ???????

[MadTommy]

"Oh, and DO NOT install Flaming Cliffs from the LockOn Gold CDs. It will almost certainly IRREVERSIBLY break your CD/DVD drive due to the fucked up Starforce protection system. Just install Lockon, and pay the £7 to download Flaming Cliffs online."

This is from Epoch in another thread. http://www.tacteam.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1004&page=3

[LordSquiffy]

Ooooooohhhhh sod!

Already installed both. Seems ok so far. you've got me worried now.:o

[Strapt (uk)]

Hi,
Hope someone can help me. I've managed to get holc of a copy of Lock On Gold for £2.99 from gamestation. It was pre owned and doesnt have its own box. I assumes this was the version of the game that I needed when Epoch said I needed Blazing Cliffs.

When I install it, it doesnt work :mad:. There must be something about all old ubi products that means you have to go through half a million patches before they work.

Anyway, it wont let me add patch 1.12 be because it says setup is incomplete. I tried to start the game instead and it said I needed to reboot, so I did. Then I tried to patch start the game (blazing cliffs) without the patch and it said something about the .ini cannot be found.

I've just finished trying the repair option and i'm about to play again. Any ideas, please?

Thanks

[commando-101]

Lockon should work without any patches from a fresh installation - if setup is not completing prolly the disc?

Give it a good clean & try again!

Lockon can be fiddly to install but incomplete setup is not, i think, an issue any of us have had.

The patches & flaming cliffs basically update the game to play online with us who are all patched up - you can play without any patches but not desirable!

good luck

[Strapt (uk)]

Noooooooooooooooo!!!! You bought Lockon Gold !!!!!!!!! You'll ruin your PC !!!!!!!!!


I don't like the sound of that..... :confused:

I'm redownloading the patch, I think I had the wrong one last time. I hope this Russian website is safe, windows game me a warning.



I

[SargeBanner]

The Russian website is fine, I got plenty windows warnings aswell !

The data protection on the gold edition disk(s) is corrupt/malfunctioning, and does render the cd/program useless I'm afraid !

If its possible, uninstall all lock on programs & files, then reinstall the base game ONLY. Then purchase Flaming Cliffs from the Russian website as mentioned.

Hopefully epoch can provide more detail ?


Autopilot controls speed during landing


You mean you need a computer to help you land !?!?!
Many times i've come in, guaged my own speed, and landed safely :p

Sarge

[Strapt (uk)]

It works now, thanks. The problem must've been the wrong patch.

I remember the first time I tried this game years ago, I was expeccting some action and what I got was MS flight sim with missiles. Gutted. I don't think I made it to the end of the first training mission and I didnt play it again. :p


I just tried the first 2 training missiles and I got to the end of them this time... but I was still like, yeah but how do I shoot the missiles! I guess I want to run before I can walk.

Do I need to download everything from Epoch's mod list? I'm going to come back either tomorrow or at the weekend otherwise I'm just gonna get addicted like I do to Project Reality.

Thanks for your help so far.

PS
is there a step by step tutorial for putting your own pictures and skins in the game? I remember being able to download new skins for MS flight sim, but this game seems way more complicated.

[commando-101]

hey strapt - good to see u sorted it!

re mods - install only what u want/need - the game will only display mods u have installed - e.g. epoch has a nice pink A10 sometimes but u won't see it unless u have that skin installed.

Once u have done the training missions it's fairly straightforward - as with PR it's about the teamwork!

[Strapt (uk)]

Omg....

What was all that doing maths to calculate your heading?? :eek: This really makes the flying in PR look like mickey mouse stuff. I'm going to have to do something about mapping my joystick buttons, because pressing enter is a no no.

Do you guys play this properly using all the dial, or do you just use TS and tell each other which way to go. The guy in the tutorial is talking as if I should be an expert already. He mentioned trim without even explaining what trim was.... FS2000 came in handy there.

Does blazing cliffs assume you've played from LOMAC version 1.0 or something? The guy also said something like "as you know from the briefing" and "as you know, we need to turn right here" during the how to navigate with the dial tuorial. What briefing and what map? My instrcution book consists of 11 pages of keyboard controls and theres no manual on my desktop like in PR. did I miss something?

[SargeBanner]

I usually wait for someone to shout "OH S**T HES SHOOTING AT ME" Find their tag & help them out :p

The tutorials will assume you've played 1.0 to death, there are some videos epoch posted a link to somewhere, i think these explain in a bit more detail.

I have tried to use navigation codes & dials & whatnot, didnt work for me :p

Sarge.

P.S Having FS2002 * FSX was VERY helpful





-kinda :p

[commando-101]

Strapt, the navigation waypoints are normally pre-programmed into your nav system - hitting tilde key cycles them.

It's much easier to do in game with some help over TS - getting proficient enough to hit anything is another matter!

It is a complicated game but satisfying when you crack it!

All of us have done those tutorials even making notes along the way!

V important to download a key cards for quick reference - have a read through the lock on threads for ther training aids.

tbh,once u know a few basics it's fairly easy to take off & head towards the bad guys!

[Masaq]

I'll confirm what Commando just said - watch the videos through once, then watch them again and make notes.

Then load them a third time, and play it through for yourself.


I usually hate any kind of tutorial in a game, but in LOMAC they make life *so* much easier. I have four sides of A4 notes (messy handwriting) that I refer to, and that's just for the US jets mostly :p

[Strapt (uk)]

Ok thanks, I'll have a look now.

Tried the in game boming tutorial last night, but I blew up one of the containers. I prefer the tv screen Mavericks, though. Trying to fly with one hand and line up the pointer using those 4 keys is tricky.

Just out of interest, what resolution is best? The tutorial guy was saying there was stuff there and i couldn't see anything. That was at 1024*768

I've put it up as high as it'll go now and there's a bit more detail. I still get a lot of pop up, but it a bit better. Had to use the "labels", otherwise its impossible for me to tell where the ground targets are.

[Masaq]

You'll quickly get used to lining up mavericks with those ;,./ keys lol. At first it felt so unnatural and I hated it; within a few hours of flying time I was happily blasting away left right and centre.

Definitely keep practicing with the A-10 for now; the F-15 is much less forgiving to fly, and your targets move a hell of a lot faster lol. As for the Ruskie jets, they're bloody weird. Cyrilic alphabet everywhere!

I'm on a 19" monitor and use the maximum resolution the game natively supports (I suspect you could force it to use higher with a mod or similar). What you may want to tweak are the graphical settings for Level of Detail etc. Upping those might help you see vehicles etc a little more clearly.

The game does have a lot of pop-up, unfortunately - there's a mod or two (I've got them hosted on my webspace - there's a link (look for "Mod Archive" thread) in this section of the forum) that go some way to helping. You'll need ModManager 6 to install them, which is also in the lock-on folder I've got.

They're not vital to play and have fun by any means, but they do make spotting units that little bit easier... and definitely keep using those tags lol. None of us regularly fly without them!

[nickbond592]

even tho i got shot down twice and only successfully managed to hit two vehicles with the cannon, the Formation flying with epoch and the formation takeoff were worth it all :D


I've got to do that again soon :)

[epoch]

Glad you enjoyed it ! Always looks cool doing a formation takeoff.

Have you checked out the Lockon section in our gallery? There's some good pics in there.

We normally do Lockon on Sunday nights - feel free to drop in. Might get laggy if there's a few on, but should be playable still.

[Alex6714]

I need to join you for some more lock on, I always seem to miss.:(

[OkitaMakoto]

Hey all, just bought LOMAC and
Flaming Cliffs myself and figured this was better than creating a new thread. Havent had much time to play as my monitor recently went out on me. new ones in the mail and I hope to maybe fly with you guys this Sunday if at all possible.

I took flight lessons for several years, soloed in a Piper Warrior at the local airfield, did several cross-country flights, but never got to getting my license. I took the written and passed it but never took the actual in-flight test. :'(

Loved flying since day one and can't wait to get in the air with you guys :)


I also mistakenly added a plane and cant get the textures to load so I *might* be asking if anyone has links to some default planes.... I have the online bought version of Flaming Cliffs and it only has 5[?] install? So I dont wanna just do a fresh reinstall if possible... Anyway, that comes later, Hello!

[epoch]

Sure, feel free to join us over the weekend. However, please bear in mind that our Lockon 'server' is running from a spare broadband connection I have here, and so you might experience latency issues (particularly other planes warping all over the place!).

I'm trying to find a proper dedicated server, but it's difficult because Lomac has no dedicated server binaries - you have to host with the 'full' game so any server has to have a proper gfx card :(

[Masaq]

Hey Okita, glad you found your way here :D

I'm not going to be flying on Sunday most likely - taking a weekend away to see the family for my mum's birthday, but if the others are flying someone will help you out. Lock on only comes with a few planes that are flyable - F-15 and A-10 for the US, SU-25, 25T, -27, and -33. Mig -29A and S, maybe another MiG but can't remember lol.

Dogpatch was flying from East Coast US and found it flyable, if I remember right?

[epoch]

That was Depeche!

[OkitaMakoto]

Masaq;12025'] Lock on only comes with a few planes that are flyable - F-15 and A-10 for the US, SU-25, 25T, -27, and -33. Mig -29A and S, maybe another MiG but can't remember lol.



Lol, yeah, I know, but I already added in a plane that replaces an original and to make things worse, the added plane's textures dont work. Its just a white plane flying around... the XF33[forward swept wing, Su47 type aircraft] or something...

Was wanting to clear out my changes[get that whole planes data folder from someone, but that might be huge] without having to reinstall the game, as with the online version, I only get so many reinstalls[is that so?]


That might be asking too much though and I will probably just fully uninstall/reinstall and do it over with the Addon Manager, anyway, hopefully I can get online this Sunday, but I think I might want another week to run through basic flight/startup on my own... I still manage to only get one engine up and running on the f15! Haha.... is its startup different from the plane they show you how to take off in?? lol....

[epoch]

There's a utility at lockon.co.uk/lockon.ru which backs up the portion of the registry containing your key. So, if you reinstall, you just re-apply the registry file, so no need to activate again.

[EXO]

Can confirm this works as I've just reinstalled Windoze XP Pro

[Heskey]

Okay, so before I can start to fly I need to configure my joystick & keyboard controls.

Unlike PR, there's a lot of controls to set, and having rarely played flight sims before, I don't exactly know what I need, and where is best to put it.

Could someone offer assistance for a regular keyboard and a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro stick?

[Masaq]

Hesky; these are my controls (Saitek Evo, but your Logitech has similar buttons).

[Button Location] Button - Use (Default Key)
----------------------------------
[Trigger] Trigger: Fire Guns (Space)
[Top of stick] Button 2 - Release Weapon/Fire Missiles etc (Enter)
[Top of stick] Button 3 - Fire Countermeasures, both chaff and flares (Q)
[Top of stick] Button 4 - Mark Target (TAB)
[Top of stick] Button 5 - Select Weapon (D)
[Top of stick] Button 6 - Push to Talk Teamspeak (N/A) - Bound to mouse button 4, set to PTT in TS
[Top of stick] Point of View HAT - Look around (Default)

[Left Side of Base] Button 7 - Slew Designator Up (;)
[Left Side of Base] Button 8 - Slew Designator Down (.)
[Left Side of Base] SHIFT BUTTON - Shifts all other buttons to new commands

[Right Side of Base] Button 9 - Autopilot On/Off (A)


Shifted Commands:
Button 1 - None.
Button 2 - Reset View to Cockpit and Centre (a Macro) (F1 then NUMPAD 5)
Button 3 - View Zoom Out (NUMPAD DIVIDE)
Button 4 - Disable Padlock View (Numlock)
Button 5 - View Zoom In (NUMPAD MULTIPLY)
Button 6 - Enable Padlock view to target/marker (NUMPAD DECIMAL/DEL)
Button 7 - Slew Designator Right (/)
Button 8 - Slew Designator Left (,)
Button 9 - None.


I'm thinking of replacing the designator movement buttons though with the buttons for emergency level-flight, and individual left/right engine on/off. Would make recovering when an engine catches fire that much easier!


Hope that gives you some idea of what commands I've found most useful.

My joystick's layout, as viewed from the user side, is like this:

........................[B5] [PoV HAT] [B6]
........................[B3]......[B2]....[B4]
...............................|...........|
...............................|...........|
...............................|...........|
...............................|...........|
...............................|...........|
[B8] [B7] [LEFT SHIFT] [Throttle] [RIGHT SHIFT] [B9] [B10]





ALL the keyboard commands I've left exactly where they should be, and used the keyboard bindings via a profile editor. Simply because, I have the default keyboard keybindings sheet in the manual and printed off, and that makes finding the right key MUCH easier than having to exit the game and go check the game's control panel to find whatever settings I've manually placed. I also have my joystick keybindings printed out.