First screenshots and FAQ. FC2 will be online compatible with DCS: Black Shark!

http://www.simhq.com/_air13/air_434a.html

So excited! Awesome news!

Will Flaming Cliffs 2.0 and DCS: Black Shark be online compatible?
A: Yes! You will now be able to fly head-to-head and cooperatively with players flying the Ka-50.

Woah. That's huge news, and for a price tag of only 15 bucks.

I wonder if it will include full Track IR support (6DOF). They mention something about that in the FAQ, but it's not Track IR specific from what I gather.

Awesome news!

Seems like last time I installed FC in Vista, I never got passed the starforce activation, despite several attempts at various updates etc. Maybe it will be better on Win 7. They're building something very interesting between BS, this and what I read here about the A-10 upcoming expansion.

Thanks for the heads up Guod.

I wonder if it will be Triple head compatable ? The max FOV in Lock ON FC wasn't far enough back for me to happily play the game.

Outstanding!

Count me in. 15 bucks and BlackShark/Cliffs multiplayer is such a deal.

Will we need the original Flaming Cliffs CDs or will just the original, base Lock-On CD be okay?

Glad I hung on to that thing.

pfunk

Some questions are not answered!!! I have the first Flaming Cliffs, but it is not installed. I didn't want the Starforce invasive protection. So my question is twofold:

If FC 2.0 does not have invasive Starforce, but to install 2.0 you have to already have the first FC installed WITH the invasive Starforce, how do you get to non-invasive Starforce from invasive Starforce?

This is awesome! So, where's the fast forward button to skip-jump to 2010...

Awesome news! I have got to try this new fangled "Online" thing!!

Yep. Great news. Thanks for the heads-up SimHQ!!.

Always knew those Flanker boys wouldn't quit. God Bless 'Em...

And at $14.99... very cool.

Amazing news! I still don't like the idea of having to contact a server in order to install the game. However, it could be worse (ie. RoF) and I might be tempted into becoming a tenant (even if I won't be made a serf).

I suppose the KABs still won't work though?

What is the upgrade path?

I have the original lock on, can I get this new product for $15?

Do I have to buy the old FC or Black Shark?

Is the A-10C gonna be in this or will it be a separate stand alone game?

Will we ever see western carrier ops?

FANTASTIC. I still love this sim. Always come back to it.

Pretty darn incredible for 15 greenbacks!

Yup, I believe I still have LOMAC and FC's addon in my collection--glad I hung onto it!

Awesome!

Hmm, sounds great and all but will there be limited activations like in Black Shark? I hope not

from the announcement:
" Lock On: Flaming Cliffs 2.0 upgrade for owners of Lock On: Flaming Cliffs 1.12 will be available for sale as a download from the Eagle Dynamics Lock On web site for $14.99 USD. "

That means you need LO and LOFC for LO 2.0. If you have DCS:BCS then you can also fly the Black Shark in LO 2.0.

I think it's safe to assume DCS:A10 will be compatible with LO 2.0

As for western carrier ops, that would be a smart move after DCS A:10

Separate stand alone, though fully multiplayer compatibel with BS and FC2.0 then.

Regarding Starforce in FC 1.12 -

As I recall, the Starforce driver(?) is not installed until you run FC.

It may be the case that FC2.0 can be installed without running 1.12.

ED (or UBI?) offer a StarForce removal tool (long time since I used it) that you can run after each FC 1.12 session. SF is simply reinstalled next time you fly FC.

Can others confirm / deny this?

FC2.0 is great news BTW.

But if an FC 1.12 installation is required, that would probably be just for a install check since it was mentioned in the interview that the user will be able to maintain (optionally) both versions installed and running, 1.12 and 2.0... either way, this is great news!!

I was assuming FC2.0 would be installed over and replace 1.12 and in the process remove the old starforce stuff. I think you are correct - 2.0 will install on it's own and maybe copy files from 1.12.

Cheers!

Full disk version confirmed.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=784082&postcount=198

ROCK ON!

pfunk

Why?!?!?! Why no Steam version?!?!?!?

That would be the best package if not for online activation. Oh my.... why does this particular developer have such an axe to grind with his customers.

Cool, this is the version I will buy. I do not want starforce on my PC.

Lock On FC with Starforce on Windows 7rc for months now, no problem.

so I wonder why so many people are against starforce... what exactly went wrong ?

The CD installation of stand-alone Lock ON 2.0 will probably use StarForce as well; it will just be a different form.

I haven't played lockon for a loong time, but this will get me back into it!

Good interview, and good questions presented Doug!

I thought I read somewhere that LO2.0 would only use the disk checker and not install any software?

LO2.0 will use online activation (which does not install the same StarForce drivers that have such a bad reputation) but no disk check.

Honestly it seems like the Black Shark version of StarForce is problem-free, not wrecking any systems, the caveat for me still remains that I don't want to depend on external permission for installing my games now and in the future.

I'd like to know if LO2.0 will also have limited activations.

I want to add my voice to those who are concerned and requesting:

1. TripleHead2go compatibility (where zooming out doesn't slow the sim down so as to be unplayable).

2. Alternative method of copy protection for those of us who don't have an online connection on our sim machines.

3. I hope when the article says "runs under Direct X9C", it refers to a fix for when full shadows are turned on (currently there are errors in shading even after trying multiple versions of nvidia's drivers on 8800 and other cards).

Thank you.

Good too know. Too bad I have absolutely no interest in that platform. I am however VERY interested in an updated version of Lock On. I just want the least invasive option possible.

New FAQs

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2907975.html

Well I've already posted this a few times here in SimHQ, but nevertheless I'll post it again:
What went wrong with me regarding Starforce was that some time ago I decided to try the demo of a (nice looking) strategy game called Pacific Storm and this DEMO was protected with Starforce (very wierd using a protection system on a demo, if you ask me). After I installed the Pacific Storm demo plus Starforce and after I ran the game for the first time, my PC frontal USB ports stopped working (no hardware was recognized when connected/plugged to those USB ports)!! Yes this is true and yes it was 100% related with starforce since as soon as I uninstalled Starforce (using the Starforce removal tool) my USB ports started to work again (connected Hardware was once again recognized) but even so and after this "episode" sometimes connected Hardware wasn't detected when plugged for the first time (sometimes I had to unplug and plug again the hardware in order to have it detected).
This latest problem was only solved when I changed my PC Motherboard!

So, that is more than enough to keep me away from Starforce for the "rest of my life" and any game that is Starforce protected is simply a NO-BUY for me! Doesn't matter if it's the "best game of the world" -> Starforce protected game = No Buy game!