LOMAC thread

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Madrus
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Post by Madrus »

What is the onboard video? GPU speed & memory?

I do not think 256 megs of memory is enough.

Video driver?

i think you are screwed with that video card anyway. too old. you can get radeon 9600's and ti 4200's for under 100 bucks. do not get the geforce4 mx series. they are basically geforce 3's and are too outdated for LOMAC, IMHO.
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Nemisis
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Post by Nemisis »

Hi, i hate to give out bad news but, i have read in the Lomac forums that nforce2 chipset mobos have a problem with multiplayer Lomac!

It is a known issue by the Lomac Developers and they are working on a fix as we speak, This comes from Stormin, who is one of the heads of the development team on Lomac, the main issues involved are major warping, Lag and stuttering of the game to unplayable levels during internet or Lan multiplay.

You may ask what a Mobo chipset has to do with multiplay and i myself dont know either, but this does come from an official source saying that nforce2 chipset mobos will have the afforementioned problems during multi play, some people will get away with it with no obvious problems but it seemingly affects most Mobo's of this chipset when connecting to different chipset Mobo's, but an nforce2 connecting to another nforce2 does not have a problem or at least not as bad.

Just thought id let you all know about this incase some of us have warping/lag/stuttering problems during OL flight with Lomac and any of you have nforce2 Mobo's.
Lose Sight! Lose The Fight!8)
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Red Dog
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Post by Red Dog »

Well, I'm bummed to hear that because I have one of said motherboards. Here's hoping it gets fixed before I open my LOMAC at Christmas. :(
Boy is this a machine...
Hammer
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Post by Hammer »

I hooked up with Raptor and BK and had no problems... I have an nForce2 chipset...

I bet it is those chipsets with integrated video and using that??? Or using the on-board sound??? Integrated video basically always sucks and one should never get it except for servers and non-graphics intensive workstations (i.e. e-mail and office type stuff). I also dislike onboard sound for the most part - you can get better with an addon card. My on board sound is disabled...
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Madrus
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Post by Madrus »

Here is a good explanation of A-10 targeting in LOMAC:

http://www.simhq.com/_air/air_098a.html

And a real world description of Hog basics by Andy Bush:

http://www.simhq.com/_air/air_092a.html
"A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away." --Barry Goldwater
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Madrus
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Key Card

Post by Madrus »

for those of you with first run US versions of LOMAC which are missing the key card, this may be of interest:

"If you have a Lock On version without the key card, you can send Ubisoft a webmail via our FAQ at http://support.ubi.com requesting the cards, or they can call us at (919) 460-9778. Additionally the cards are available for download in PDF format from our FAQ in the Lock On FAQ.

I'm afraid that our manufacturer failed to include key card in the first batch. This if course will be addressed for future batches. In the meantime, I apologize for this inconvenience.

-Matt

Matt "Wags" Wagner
Producer / Ubisoft
IL-2 Forgotten Battles
Lock On: Modern Air Combat"

You need your name and address of course, but also your ubi.com login id and maybe the email addy you registered with.
"A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away." --Barry Goldwater
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Hudson
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How does one find targets with the A10?

Post by Hudson »

If I turn off the labels (Shift-F10) I cannot even begin to see targets...
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Post by Madrus »

i have the same problem. but we'll get better at it. real pilots don't use labels - i think.
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Hudson
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Out of curiosity

Post by Hudson »

There is a diamond that appears over the targets in the A-10 quickfly mission. When I go through the training missions for the A-10 with rockets and guns I cannot get this thing to appear. Is this another cheat, or something real; does the A-10 have any form of radar or is it radarless (the thing that looks like a little round radar screen is the threat warning indicator no? i think i remember that from my old days...)

other thing is I'm abysmal even with Mavericks. I probably hit about 50% of the time.

I'm good with the gun when I can locate the targets anyway.
Hudson
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A10 Flying

Post by Hudson »

http://www.simhq.com/_air/air_092a.html

Good article about flying the A-10 in LOMAC. The diamond in the quick mission is the Pave Penny TISL. You need to set it up before a mission so that there is supposedly a friendly ground unit in the area providing you laser designation.
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Grifter
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Post by Grifter »

While playing yesterday in the A-10, I had trouble spotting targets too. But once I figured out how to do it, I hit with my mavericks and rockeyes evey time. Of course, I've been flying sims for god only knows how long. I think the hardest part is spotting the target. Real pilots sometimes use binoculars in the cockpit. Some have advanced radar systems, but we all know the a-10 doesn't have that. A lot of pilots rely on lasing from the ground support units. In the game, we should see if there is a zoom view, kindof like binoculars. Since there probably isn't one, the next best thing is lasing support or low and fast sweeps. Get low and fast and buzz the alledged target. Once you've done that and have found something of interest, pick out a land mark and set up for your attack. Only other thing I can think of is getting really good at making out what each dot is from 10k or above. That takes practice and is impossible in some sims. I know I can't do it falcon no matter how I try. You may also take note of plumes of dust or smoke. Some sims show trucks and tanks moving by what they kick up and you can see that from the air. If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know.


Mavs are tough but much easier if you stabilize the cursor on the ground first. Point your nose towards the target and lock on the ground in the general vicinity of it. Then, while the cursor is still locked, slew the cursor to the target. Yes, you can move the cursor after you've hit the tab key to lock onto something. It's more of a stabilizer than a lock I guess. You don't have to have the cursor dead on to make a kills either, but the closer you are to the center of the target, the more confident you can be when you launch the weapon.

Rockeyes are simple CCIP; that is, dive bomb weapons. Deliever the weapon by picking out a target and approaching from 5k or a little higher. Begn your descent in a 15 to 20 degree bank, but remember the closer you are to the target the steeper you're approach will have to be. The steeper you are, the more dangerous the approach because you will lose track of alt. and speed while focusing on target. Of course you're approach is all relative to surrounding air defenses as well. In any case, yoiu should put the round pipper symbol, a circle within a circle on your hud, directly on your target and when the circle gets "fat" or thicker on the outer edges, you're most likely in range. drop the bombs and get out of dodge. Don't descend below 3k if you can help, you risk getting caught in the explosion.
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Madrus
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Post by Madrus »

LOMAC does have a zoom function: KP/ and KP* are zoom out slow and zoom in slow, respectively. If you add the SHF modifier, you will get a fast zoom or jump zoom, IIRC, but I only use the slow zooms programmed on my Cougar.

Add this to your HUD only view (ALT F1), and life is good in LOMAC.

TAB serves two functions, IIRC, it ground stabilizes AND locks the target. Another TAB unlocks and snowplows the target designator. And Grifter is correct, you can slew the target designator while "locked." IIRC this is modeled different from other sims where you can slew only in ground stabilized mode and not while locked. I guess LOMAC decided to combine functions here.

Like Grifter, I am finding that once you lock the target, the AGM-65 almost always hits and destroys. Watch out where there are trees or other objects in the way which can interfere with the hit. Easiest if you make your pass from behind and along the path of a convoy as you can hit more than one on a pass and there are no obstructions, whereas a pass perpendicular to the convoy's path is tougher. Unless you are far enough away and there are no trees along the road, you may not get multiple shots off unless you have flying fingers.

Also, try setting up level and far enough away so that you can engage your autopilot or at least use altitude stabilization (h), then go heads down on your display and really work those cursors and zoom your display. Of course this only works if you are relatively sure you are not in the vicinity of air defenses or enemy fighters. If you have terrain masking such as when you are in a valley, making your pass following a road - you are in fat city!

BTW, i have spent several hours in the Frogfoot and i almost like it as well as the Hog. The gun is wimpy plus nav and a-g is tougher without a HUD, but that sucker can sure carry a load and can take a beating. Load it up to the max with rockets and away you go.
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Hudson
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Buzzing targets

Post by Hudson »

I tried this approach with one of the missions. Very bad idea. If one of the targets is a Shilka you buzz them like that you're dead. Period. Also what concerns me is dicerning enemy units from ground units. Guess you could use the mav camera and zoom to help, but thats tough too... man guess no one said warplanes are easy to fly...
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Post by Madrus »

Hehehe. Well, flying straight and level while buzzing a Shilka must be your approach - not mine. And I could have told you that was a bad idea.


If you read my post, you will note that I said "try setting up level and far enough away so that you can engage your autopilot or at least use altitude stabilization (h),..."

The key is to start far enough away. Your mavericks easily have more horizontal range than a Shilka. But if you don't shoot from far enough away, they will of course get you when you "buzz them."

I have used this technique several times and have taken out the lead Shilka and the trailing Shilka plus one of the T-80's on the first run. Sometimes I overfly the convoy if I am sure that I took out the Shilka's, other times I have had to crank in to a hard right or left before I get to the convoy while popping flares and chaff. I do not use it all the time, or even most of the time - it depends on what else is in the area. Most of the time I am hand flying an approach and targeting while changing my direction, attitude, and altitude.

As for identifying targets, the main way I identify them is to read the brief. Intel will give you and approximate location on these units before the mission. Map view will give you the updated location in the mission. If these don't work, the only way I know of is to fly low yourself and ID them as friend or foe. I also do not have civilian traffic checked in my video options - so all I would see is military.

Do you have civilian traffic? If so, is it hard to tell whether it is civilian or military? Hopefully the color or guns give them away. :lol:
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Grifter
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Post by Grifter »

Yeah, Flying level 10 mi or a bit more out from target is the best idea. With zoom and the aid of your map mode, you should be able identify the bad guys and blow them to kingdom come ooh rah! Course, worse comes to worse, go in low and fast, jinking all the way, "never fly straight in a hot zone," and identify. Then go out about 5 to 10 mi and 8k or above and set up for attack run. Always always read your intel before the mission starts.

Madrus: does that Keypad / * for zooming MFD or my entire view?
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Hudson
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A-10

Post by Hudson »

/ and * are your view.

The AGM-65D has a set 3X zoom. The AGM-65K has a 3X and 6X (page 75 of the electronic manual); as of yet I'm still lost how to change the zoom. I have never ever seen the tracking gates when using mavericks either. I hit the tab key and it the maverick seems to jump to what I guess it believes might be a target. I will then slew the camera or change my flight path if i have enough distance to get the center on the target and hit tab and tab again. Usually that gets the target dead center of the TVD and I fire. Never get the targeting gates though. Maybe thats why I'm missing so much? But I hit all but one target last night using this method...

I think they mention how to change zoom levels with the 65k in the a-10 maverick training mission. I may try going through that again and write it down if they do say so.

I just grabbed this off the lo-mac general forum from someone else asking:
You can zoom the maverick camera by pressing + and un-zoom by pressing - (on the main keyboard - not sure about the keypad).

I was trying the plus/minus on the keypad and it didnt do squat.

I also wish we had flare or smoke pods/rockets; maybe we do; i need to go through the armament again. I would be a lot less strain for me at the time being to drop smoke near the column and use that as a reference. Then I can move out and use mavericks to ID and slam the AAA/SAMS. Then I can strafe/bomb/maverick/rocket/poke with pointy sticks/drop rocks on whatevers left.

I did some reading and I guess using the AGM as a FLIR pod is a valid tactic and using smoke as a reference in real life is also used. I just want to get to a point where I can find the targets without the labels. Pave Penny makes it easy too but I hate relying on it...
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Grifter
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Post by Grifter »

Yeah, using realistic tactics is probably best. I think you just gotta take labels off and practice. I stopped using them last night and found that with the AGM I could locate targets and that seems to work best. I'll definitely use AGM 65 Ks since you get that extra zoom option.
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Grifter
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Post by Grifter »

...if you read the falcon 4 manual, you can skip 99 percent of the online manual for lomac. Just skim through and it's like instant recall of everything I read in f4 manual. LOL.
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Grifter
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Post by Grifter »

Wait a minute.... is it me or does the electronic manual indicate which keys go with what? I have a key card but I'm pretty sure that it does'nt cover all the key commands? so what gives? Where do I find the rest of the key commands?
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Madrus
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Post by Madrus »

Look in your LO MAC/doc folder.
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