Simviation Forums

First off... I wasn't really sure as to where this post belongs... I'm really sorry if it's in the total wrong spot.  :-[  

Well, my mom just got a brand-spanking new computer and I have all of Christmas break to spoil myself with it.  So, much to my astonishment... the game Lock On: Modern Air Combat by Ubisoft works absolutly AMAZING on her machine!  All I can say is.... wow!  :o

Anyway, in my opinion, FS9 is about 5 years behind in graphics compared to this game in every single aspect!  Clouds in this game are amazing... they actually have volume to them and it is not like flying through 2 dimensional pictures at all... you can actually see "fluff" in them. lol  And if watched carefully  you can see they actually move and grow in real time, just like a real cloud... you can see it sort of "billow"  

Ummm... water... oh my goodness... the water ROCKS!  You can see reflections of clouds/sunshine, airplanes, and mountains on the water!  AND it actually has waves and moves!  When firing into the water or crashing, you can see actual 3 dimensional ripples!!!

They even have engine exhaust blurr!  Umm... very nice sparks if you have a tailstrike/wheelup landing... explosions/fires are increadibly realistic. (Not really something FS9 really needs though)    

3D cockpit even on my older machine is absolutly flawless with 30fps.   On my moms machine, you can actually see reflections of the sun on the canopy due to imperfections/scratches on the surface.  Looks VERY real!  

The flight models are also "flawless" in there... each aircraft reacts and flys differently for a unique experience in each.  

Um, yeah, that's about it as far as I can compare to flightsim.  


Don't get me wrong though... FS still has AMAZING graphics... but hopefully the next one could take a few steps closer to LOMAC.  

Here are the pics:

What can I say... the flares are as realistic as they come!  It's so fun to see how they move! Completely different every time!


Here you can see the reflections of the clouds and land on the water.


A-10 durring sunset.  You can see how the clouds get bright around the edges due to sunshine.  Sunsets in the game are spectacular!


This is what the lightning looks like from above!  In the F-15 Eagle.


F-15 departing in some rather unpleasant weather.  Lightning bolts actually can be seen going from cloud to ground.  Reflections of the lightning can be seen on water also.


The beautiful F-15 on top of a solid layer of clouds during sunset.  Beautiful.


F-15 flying over water.  Reflection and shadow of aircraft are visable on water, along with reflection of sunbeams through clouds.


German MiG-29 Demonstration team colors over the water... you can see the heat blurr in the pic which was ONLY resized.


Here you can see the wonderful water, and the reflections on the canopy that change with sun brightness and location.



Anyway, lemme know what ya think.  (btw, these shots were after both patches have been applied.  Bombs are WAY more realistic!)

Bro I really have to hand it to you. These pics are simply amazing !!

FS9 is about 5 years behind in graphics compared to this game in every single aspect!

SOooo true. FS9 graphics are no match for LOMAC.

Amazing pics bro. Whats the spec for your new comp ?

                           Thanks for sharing, Ace

The graphics may be stunning,but the campaign is five years behind Falcon 4,which was released in 1998.

And that for a russian flightsim that looked like it was from the 90's when the first version was released

maybe the graphics are better in Lomac, but they still don't know how to make a good looking afterburner effect! the ones i use in FS9 are ten times more realistic!  ;)

Awsome shots Boss!

Very Very Nice!

Nice to see some non-FS9 shots!

I'm not into combat sims and the effects bring my computer to it's knees...

Still and all...nice shots!

I have yet to use LOMAC, but i do have Falcon 4 on this comp, the graphics in that are ahead of fs9, and as ..... whatshisname..... said it was released in 98. But i think that its predicessor is the best in just fun... Falcon 3. It wasnt hard to understand, and just plane fun, put the enemy in the circle, wait for it to say shoot! Nothing beats that, sry, ill stop rambling

You give lock on way too much credit! Granted the night scenery is cool. I beleive FS9 boasts just as incredible graphics with addon scenery. Hell even the default Dawn lighting effect is stunning to watch!

Set your flight simultor 2004 under these conditions.
Time of day (Dawn)
Weather (Heavy Fog)

Take off from your airport and check out what it look likes as you break throught the clouds and climb above it. If you ask me that is the most stunning looking graphics I have ever seen. It looks way to realistic that taking screenshots don't even deliver the true beauty of what you see as you fly.

Now hands down LOCKON has better sound effects and special effects such as Flares, Missile Launches (with smoke trails), Engine burn out with a black ploom of smoke that follows your aircraft! Now that is something that microsoft should incorporate into a MODERN DAY COMBAT FLIGHT SIMULATOR.

Lockons aircraft physics are not realistic at all. They donot give you a real feel of flying a jet. Landing is too easy (Even when you are not properly lined up to make the landing).

Just my opinion  ;)

great pics my brother has lomac and yes it is very nice lots of interesting effect..but then his comp is a lot more powerfull than mine i would have trouble running it like it's supposed to be run...
give me fs9 anyday much more realistic to me

It would be nice to combine the great features of the better sims into one  fantastic simulator  :D

IL2 has some outstanding features as well, but it's primarily a combat sim so consessions have to be made with the scenery; saying that however, they managed to model Leningrad in all it's glory on one map, amazing to fly there, but you'll need a fast PC!

I have yet to see any screenshots that compare with what I've seen produced using FS9.

Sorry, Boss, although nice pics, and it may look good while flying Lockon, but they simply aren't in the same league with the graphics in FS9 in my humble opinion.

Now hands down LOCKON has better sound effects and special effects such as Flares, Missile Launches (with smoke trails), Engine burn out with a black ploom of smoke that follows your aircraft!

Falcon 4 had that - anno 1998.
The F-4s there are clearly visible from a distance of ten miles and more. And why? Because they produce more smoke than a medium sized factory.

Lockons aircraft physics are not realistic at all. They donot give you a real feel of flying a jet. Landing is too easy (Even when you are not properly lined up to make the landing).

Try Falcon 4 with SuperPak 4. Great FDs...

Great shots.  Though personally, with a few addons here and there with FS9, to me I kinda like FS9 graphics a lot more, a bit more appealing to the eye.  LOMAC's graphics are good, very sharp indeed, but part of it doesnt look as real or eye friendly.  Thats just me though, I remember this one time I was flying the F-15C over some mountains in LOMAC, I ended up with a bad headache til the next day.  

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed the screenshots nonetheless. lol

I agree the landing in the sim is cheesy at best... but as for any jet I've (I only have freeware... that may make a difference) downloaded for FS9 it's too cheesy with the dynamics.  I've gone through and done the same maneuvers that I have on video tapes, same airport/conditions, speeds... and the FS9 version isn't close... but when I've done the same thing with LOMAC and compared to the actual video... it's right on.  Personally, I've found the pitch-rates of the jets on LOMAC to also be extremely realistic... instantanious turn-rates... especially for the MiG-29 which is comparable to the Hornet, will blow your socks off!   She gives a good bleed-off in speed and AoA.  

I honestly don't even play the missions or the campeign... never have for a flight sim and probably never will... I just have too much fun puting on airshows, and making my own missions to blow stuff up.  As for graphics... I still say LOMAC is better, but that's just waht I think... it obviously doesn't have as many options for the weather... but what it does have looks great.  

(BTW, I didn't see any difference in graphics from the initial 1.0 install to the current version.)

Anyway, untill I fly Hornets, I'll never be able to tell you guys how "realistic" a flight sim is. lol  I can only compre to video.  And as I'm sure you all have figured by now... I'm not really into the whole general-aviation flightsim thing anyway... since I go and fly real planes, SIMS just frustrate me.  :P

Thanks again, and fun discussion!