Ditto KeyCat. See my specs below. FC runs just fine on my rig. I'll probably add some more RAM for FC 2.0, and get a new computer in 2010. But at the moment, LOMAC:FC is my preferred flight sim. I've learned and played all the F4 versions, the Janes, etc. But FC has just the right balance (for now) of realism, eye candy and playability.

I've had FC installed on a similar machine. Video card was a HD 4870 1GB though, and a different motherboard. Had the same performance.

Also, they made it possible to play online with FC and BS. It should have been there from the start. It was originally going to be an addon... then they ripped out some flyable aircraft, threw the name DCS in front of it, and charged $60 for it calling it a completely new sim.

Lame.

The only reason they did that was so they can charge you $60 for BS, and then make you rebuy most of the new content again in FC 2.0. As in, the terrain improvements in BS ect.

The two are separate products for good reasons, whether you like them or not. There was never any plan to 'separate the two to charge people more' as you claim.

The 'ripping out some aircraft' deal wasn't exactly a simple matter to take care of either, nor is putting them back in. It's all work, which isn't going to be done for free.

DCS itself is a huge work - DCS is not FC, no matter how much you'd like it to be 'just throwing DCS in front of it'.

the proof of the pudding is in the tweaking

LOFC with 2 GB of add ons:




not paused , I used to get 100 FPS on an Nvidia 4600 on a blue background like this one bellow:


this is a good average 80+, half of that for a dense mission is typical:


Intel DX58SO, Intel Core i7 920 Quad Core 2.66GHz, 4 GB 1333 RAM (CORSAIR XMS3 2x2GB PC3-10600 1333MHz), 2x500GB RAID 0, WinXP Pro, Nvidia GeForce GTX285 1 GB

It actually was going to be an addon originally. Half way through they renamed it to DCS: BS, and asked more than a full price for it.

Was it work? Obviously. But what you fail to comprehend is that they renamed it just to ask more money for it.

And they are separate products? Then why are they making them online compatible now? When they should have been originally.


This is very much like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. Throw a new name on it with 70% of the content, jack the price up, and sell it.

But that is fine by me. Buy games, especially ones that can't run on any hardware that can be acquired by man, for insanely high prices.

Thomas DW, obviously you can get 100 frame rates with while looking at the sky. I am talking about being in a cockpit looking at the terrain.

Sure, I might be able to achieve a playable frame rate if I turn down the AA/resolution. But then I won't be able to see crap. This is a game where you need to be able to spot stuff.

With my 19 inch monitor, aircraft are already damn near impossible to see at really close ranges. Forgive me for not being able to afford a $800 50 inch screen.

I was there when it happened, actually, beta testing it. What you fail to comprehend is that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, nor what the underlying reasons are. DCS by all rights is a full, complete piece of work, whether you want it to be or not.



Indeed, they are - and there are plenty of reasons, some of which were mentioned officially (Such as the desire to continue the product line for at least a little while, and give the community some much for asked updates, not to mention a downright huge functionality increase).

There are other reasons as well, not the least of which are legal and the desire to self-publish.

What you think 'should have been' and reality are two different things.

They are being made compatible online, again, due to consumer demand - and IT IS extra work, what on earth do you think we've been beta testing so far?



$15 too much for you? Sounds like its jacked up? I think not.



Yeah, I get 60 doing that, running medium to high settings out of the pit on a GTX 260-216 and E8500.



I have AA at 8x. No real need for more, and the res is 1920x1080. What are you trying to spot?



And what's 'real close ranges', and which aircraft are we talking about? There are some known LOD issues which IIRC are not curable with AA, though they never stopped me from getting and keeping a visual with a 19" screen inside 10nm. Sure, sometimes a plane will dissapear in the haze or blend into the ground. That's fine, it happens, and it isn't unrealistic either. Perhaps your expectations are unrealistic.

If it's that frustrating for you then I suppose by all means, abandon it - but your unfounded, out-of-line accusations and downright ranting are not helpful.
If you have a problem, people can try and help you solve it. You aren't helping anyone help you.

From what I understand, the update will transfer the original LOMAC (FC) content for use in the new improved DCS engine (which is not the same as the engine used by LOMAC). Correct me if I'm wrong...

good question ... ...

from a mission I made





that is a nice average - 40-60 ground, 60-80+ air

Personally I think USD 15.00 for the FC 2.0 update is a very fair price for what we will get -> long waited bugfixes, updated editor with triggers etc., integrated MP lobby and on-line compability with DCS:BS to name a few.

Sure they may be re-using some models/textures/etc again but USD 15.00 is the same as ordering 1-2 beers in the bar and that sh_t not even tastes good (j/k - personal preference, prefer single malt or a good tequila myself).

Also I don't understand where you got the DCS:BS pricetag "USD 60.00" from? I payed USD 40.00 buying directly from their site?

That being said I still dislike the choosen DRM in DCS/FC 2.0 with it's limited installs but after reading up on ED's policies where they state that "if more activations are needed more are provided with proof of purchase" I'm willing to take their words for it and I'm sure ED isn't here to screw it's customers really....



Just my 0.20 SEK!

/KC

I'm no ED cheerleader, and was annoyed that none of the bug fixes released in FC were available for free for the original Lock-On, as I had no interest in flying the Su-25T. I also think some of the content in FC 2.0 falls under the category of bug fixes (revised/more accurate missile and aircraft performance, for example), which I think should be free.

However, given the additional content - new multiplayer code, revised graphics engine, revised/new sound engine, new UI, new mission builder, new missions - I think US$15 is pretty reasonable.