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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! Lock On: Modern Air Combat

by Robert "Groucho" Marks

Article Type: Interview
Article Date: July 26, 2002

Product Info

Product Name: Lock On: Modern Air Combat (LO: MAC)
Category: Jet Air Combat Simulation
Developer: Eagle Dynamics
Publisher: Ubi Soft
Release Date: Summer 2003
Sys. Spec: Click Here
Files & Links: Click Here

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Ubisoft’s Lock On: Modern Air Combat (LO:MAC) has been in the works in one form or another for about three years now, but information has been sketchy at best. Presumably stung by the relentless cycle of hype vs. reality, handlers of this promising new sim have been very tight-lipped. Aside from the periodic release of screencaps that push the saliva glands of all red-blooded pointy-nose sim freaks past the throttle detents and into full afterburner, few details have been forthcoming.

Until now…

Matt Wagner, flight sim impresario, has taken a bit of time out from the Ubisoft Skunk Works to give us a quick peek into the darkened hangar doors and answers questions as to what LO:MAC holds in store for the modern jet sim fan. Is it a whole new simulation, or is it Flanker 2.X in drag? Is it a serious, know-thine-avionics hard-core study sim, or a where-the-hell-do-the-quarters-go arcade shootfest?

Happily, the answer to both questions appears to be a resounding yes.

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Robert "Groucho" Marks (R.M.) The realistic flight model of the Flanker 2.X series, while greatly appealing to more hard-core flight sim players, was sometimes frustrating to novices. Will LO:MAC's flight model be scalable?

Matt Wagner (M.W.) Very much so. From the options screen, players can select easy landings, automatic trim, automatic spin recovery, extra-powerful engines, and invulnerability. We believe that these options will allow even the novice flier to yank and bank without worry.

R.M. Has the "world" of LO:MAC been expanded over the original Crimean of Flanker? How large an area is it compared to Flanker's map? What regions does it cover?

M.W. The area of the world that is greatly detailed in regards to 3-D terrain, texturing, and object population has been almost tripled from Flanker 2.5. This area consists of the Crimea and the eastern Caucuses.

R.M. Could you please make the Gr.4 Tornado a flyable aircraft? The F-4 Phantom II? Oh please, oh please, oh please...? :)

M.W. Lock On will ship with nine flyable aircraft, many more than any other traditional study simulation. We are striving for an authentic simulation for each aircraft and this takes a great deal of time. While we would like to include additional aircraft, we are not ready to sacrifice creating high fidelity modeling (avionics, flight dynamics, weapon systems, and object modeling) for our existing nine. We realize that many of the online sim community have been aggressively lobbying for us to make more flyable aircraft. We want to accommodate them but our budget in time, money, and personnel prevents us from adding more flyable aircraft for the initial release of Lock On. If Lock On is the critical and financial success that we feel is possible, we will most likely be providing additional flyable aircraft in the form of upgrades, add ons, and sequel products.

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R.M. Will American-built aircraft be able to utilize air-to-air refueling from KC-135s as the Russians can from the Candid? Since The Tornado and some variants of the F-4 use a boom and drogue refueling system, will they use the Candid as a tanker?

M.W. Yes, the flyable American and the Russian Su-33 will support aerial refueling with radio communications. As for the other aircraft, that is still being determined.

R.M. Will helicopters, conspicuously absent in Flanker, be a part of LO:MAC?

M.W. Yes, a full assortment of both Western and Eastern helos will be present in Lock On. These helos will fly, navigate, and take part in combat operations. They are an integral part of Lock On.

R.M. Integrated Combat Turns (ICT), the practice in which the pilot would stay in the cockpit with the engines running after a sortie while the aircraft was rearmed and refueled for a quick return to the front, was widely used in the Gulf War. Will a form of ICT or a similar type of "pit stop" be integrated in LO:MAC?

M.W. After the player has landed on a friendly runway, they will have the option to refuel and rearm their aircraft. While we would have liked to added more detail to this capability to make it more elaborate, we just don’t have the time to expand this feature beyond the very basic reload and refuel capability that was present in Flanker.

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R.M. The introduction of low-altitude/low-speed mud movers such as the A-10 and Su-25 is one of the most anticipated features of LO:MAC. Has the terrain modeling been upgraded to better suit ground pounding and close support missions? Is infantry modeled? Are MANPADS or small arms fire now a factor?

M.W. Yes, in fact, this has been a very important part of Lock On development. Be it ultra-high density textures, millions and millions of individual trees, countless building and other urban structures, power lines, an active road and rail network, or a very detailed 3D terrain model, they all make for a tremendous feeling of low altitude flight.

MANPADs systems will be available in Lock On, but not an army of individual soldiers.

R.M. What kind of weather modeling will LO:MAC use?

M.W. The weather components of Lock On have yet to be integrated, so I cannot provide specific details. However, rain, snow, wind, clouds, fog, and thunderstorms are all planned.

R.M. A major reality of modern warfare is the political need to reduce civilian casualties. Will civilian air or ground traffic be a part of LO:MAC?

M.W. Civilian ground traffic is included (buses, cars, and trains use the transportation network). Civilian air traffic is yet to be determined. Again, this is an area that is part of a very large “wish list” of things we would like to include in the product. Unfortunately, items on such a list usually do not get into the product until later patches, upgrades, or add ons.


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R.M. With the weapons of differing nations now being modeled in flyable aircraft, will more weapons-delivery training missions be added?

M.W. Yes, we plan to have separate training courses for both the US and Russian warbirds. These will consist of UPT, lead-in training, then off to advanced training, and then a group of “Top Gun”-type missions. This training will be available in the F-15C, A-10A, Su-27, and Su-25.

R.M. One item that some have faulted Flanker for is the lack of any type of dynamic mission structure. Will LO:MAC come with any campaigns? How many? Can they be played from either side of a conflict?

M.W. We plan to include a dynamic campaign system, but many of the details have yet to be implemented. Until the system is solidified and functional, we’ll have to postpone such questions. Stay tuned please.

R.M. Will multiplayer feature both head-to-head and co-operative modes?

M.W. Yes, multiplay will feature both.

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R.M. Will comms be enhanced over that of Flanker? Please explain.

M.W. Yes. A full set of radio communications will be available to the player. These include both orders to friendly units and informational messages to you from your allies. Types of units you communicate with include all of your wingmen, AWACS, tower (approach and tower), and tanker. This leads to a very interactive environment with all sorts of radio chatter—something that was missing in the Flanker series.

R.M. Historically, Soviet/Russian airforce doctrine depended heavily on Ground Controlled Intercept (GCI) tactics. Will this feature be integrated into voice communicated vectoring? What about the use of AWACS and JSTARS for western aircraft?

M.W. Yes, both Russian and NATO forces can take advantage of AWACS controllers vectoring players to intercepts. This is done through a common bearing, range, altitude, aspect (BRAA) briefing.

JSTARS will not play a part in the Lock On game world. JSTARS is something we are looking into for a potential sequel product.

R.M. Flanker had a nice balance of avionics complexity—enough to keep your workload up while coming into a target while not intruding too much into the fun of flying. To what depth will the avionics be modeled in LO:MAC?

M.W. A key goal of the avionics for Lock On has been scalability. We want to have easy-to-use, arcade systems for the novice user and very authentic systems for the expert player. For the novice player, an all-seeing, 360-degree radar will be available that will see all enemy weapons around the player. Additionally, the player will be able lock onto and engage any enemy target with the press of a single key. It can essentially be X-Wing in a modern jet fighter, if that’s what the player wants. For players looking for an authentic experience, Lock On will provide unique, high fidelity avionics for the F-15C, A-10A, and the Russian jets. This includes very realistic radar systems, electro-optical sensors, radar warning receivers, and weapon management. In several ways, the avionics of Lock On can be more hard-core than anything available.

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R.M. The mission-building feature in Flanker 2.X was exceedingly powerful and easy to use. Will LO:MAC build on this excellent tool?

M.W. The Lock On mission builder will be very much like that of Flanker 2.5, but it has been given a substantial face-lift. Additionally, we’re added the ability for creating and saving custom loadouts, 3D relief planning maps, and the ability to save complexes of units.

R.M. The inclusion of moving, dynamic naval units in Flanker 2.5 was spectacular. Will LO:MAC build on this by including ground units that will engage other units? Will they have user-selectable waypoints?

M.W. Yes, like naval units, the ground units of Lock On will move through user-created waypoints, drive around obstacles, follow roads, and engage enemy targets with cannon and anti-tank missile fire. Additionally artillery and multiple rocket launchers will engage enemy forces.

R.M. What are your recommended system specifications to run LO:MAC?

M.W. Being as we are still in Alpha and large portions of the game are incomplete (like the graphics engine), it is impossible at this time to determine system specs. These will be determined in the coming months. However, we are building an extensive array of graphic detail levels in order to enable smooth gameplay under a broad array of systems. At the highest detail levels though, a high-end machine will be required.

R.M. What is the anticipated release date? Are there plans for a pre-release demo?

M.W. We plan to release Lock On in early 2003 with a demo around the same time. No promises, but we would like to have a demo out a month or two prior to the commercial release of the game.

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Conclusion
OK, people, put your tongues back in your mouth. Slobber stains on CWU-27/P Nomex flight suits are soooo uncool.

Very soon, no longer will we have to rely on revamped, barely-compatible versions of Falcon 4.0, patching and unpatching and troubleshooting until our brains explode. Land and naval units, close support missions, and high-altitude BVR engagements are close at hand once again. Above all, LO:MAC's scalability, with its promised ability to slide from high-fidelity modeling to jump-on-in fun, looks like a flight sim for everybody who loves the scent of partially-burned jet fuel. Like IL-2 Sturmovik for the spinnerheads, it looks like a new sheriff is coming to town, and he looks like business.

Come on, 2003!




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