Lock On Gold

[chris49]

well, seeing as theres no LOMAC forum, i thought i'd post here.

well, i just got lock on gold.
and i must say, my first impressions are not good.
i am really quite dissappointed with it to be honest.
it may be because it is new, and i am a lomac virgin, but i find the whole thing basically impossible.
the planes have really crappy handling, and the systems are mind numbingly complicated.
i tried the training missions. but they are absoloutley pointless.
they do not give any helpful information, and i often go out of the training missions more confused than when i went in.
i really don't know how the heck i'm supposed to enjoy a game that i really don't understand, and that i can't learn how to work.

[ATI_7500]

the planes have really crappy handling, and the systems are mind numbingly complicated.

You're kidding, right?

If you want complicated, get Falcon 4.

[chris49]

ok, i'm confused and annoyed now.
how the heck do you change weapons in the A-10, and F-15?
its in the config as D. but in the A-10, i press D, a new weapon comes up on the HUD, but i am always firing machine guns. i can't not fire machine guns, no matter what i press, and the training missions don't tell me anything.
also, on the F-15 training mission, it says press 2 for when you want to fire guns, and 6 for missiles. when i press 2 or 6, nothing happens. and i end up always firing guns.
its getting really annoying. i just can't find a way to do it. as i said, the training missions are hopeless and don't tell me anything.

[Mobius]

There's different buttons for the cannon and to release a weapon, you'll have to change those buttons around in the options menu.  Pressing one of the number keys brings up a specific radar mode, so you'll have to lock up a target to successfully use a missile.  Try checking out the manual, it has some pretty good information.

Also, try this site for some really nice tutorials...

http://flankertraining.com/ironhand/news.html

[DizZa]

ok, i'm confused and annoyed now.
how the heck do you change weapons in the A-10, and F-15?
its in the config as D. but in the A-10, i press D, a new weapon comes up on the HUD, but i am always firing machine guns. i can't not fire machine guns, no matter what i press, and the training missions don't tell me anything.
also, on the F-15 training mission, it says press 2 for when you want to fire guns, and 6 for missiles. when i press 2 or 6, nothing happens. and i end up always firing guns.
its getting really annoying. i just can't find a way to do it. as i said, the training missions are hopeless and don't tell me anything.

Let's start in the F-15... To fly the F-15 you will need a primary and secondary trigger... assign them in controls.

Then, do the first training mission with the F-15.... it tells you how to navigate and tells you the basics of the plane. The buttons 2-9 on the keyboard change the err.... mode of the aircraft to a combat mode (pressing 1 is navigation mode). You will usually need to atain a lock to fire in the first place.... To get a lock you will need to use things like radars, but sometimes you need to just aim at them.

Anyway, just to get you started, in the F-15, press 4 and just aim the nose at the enemy... press TAB to get a lock. You will know when you're inrange because two lights will turn orange just above the HUD. Fire by pressing the primary or secondary trigger (I forget which).

For more information look at the training missions. It is a fairly realistic simulator, and in real life you don't just press a button then fire to shoot down an enemy. You need to lock onto them by messing with radars and so on. Listen to the training and then try what they do. I have done all the training missions and I find them very easy. All you need to do is do what they do.

its in the config as D. but in the A-10, i press D, a new weapon comes up on the HUD, but i am always firing machine guns. i can't not fire machine guns, no matter what i press, and the training missions don't tell me anything.

Yes they do tell you anything. You cannot bomb a moving tank in navigation mode... you cannot launch a missile at a tank when in A to A mode. Go watch the training and renember... diferant modes (buttons 1-9) do diferant things.

[Tweek]

the planes have really crappy handling

Far better than the unrealistic handling of jet fighters in Flight Simulator. Just because it's not easy, doesn't make it crap.

As has been said, go through the training missions. They DO tell you how to work all the systems.

[Chris_F]

ok, i'm confused and annoyed now.
how the heck do you change weapons in the A-10, and F-15?

Boy, am I glad you're flying a simulated airplane and not the real thing.  Imagine if you will a green recruit just back from his first flight asking the instructor "how do you fire the missiles?  I could only fire the cannon."  Meanwhile he's subjected half the country to a rain of unaimed depleted uranium slugs.

Actual weapons release is just the last step of a fairly intricate and complicated process of finding a target, identifying it, maneuvering in to position, and finally, hitting the pickle.  Learn the entire process and you'll find your sim flying experience much more rewarding than simply taking to the countryside and peppering stuff with holes.

LOMAC isn't all that complicated, but it is simulating a group of very high tech, complicated airplanes.  So it's going to be complicated no matter how you cut it.  Perhaps something like IL2 with its low-tech WWII craft would be more your speed?

[DizZa]

If the thinks the planes in LOMAC have crap handling I doubt he'll have much luck with Il2. They planes stall way easier.

[Chris_F]

If the thinks the planes in LOMAC have crap handling I doubt he'll have much luck with Il2. They planes stall way easier.

Yeah, I don't get the "crap handling" comment.  I've never flown a flight simulator with better handling than LOMAC.  Those planes feel so real it makes you break in to a cold sweat when they go in to a spin.