Hi,
When using P3D in my home cockpit, I am sitting either in the Captain or First officers seat which are correctly positioned for the aircraft type. In both cases the seating position is not correct in relation to the outside view. This results in all landings (the effect is worse for landing than taking off or taxiing) having to be 'crabbed' to line up with the runway.
My setup, although not the norm, is not unusual, it is often used by professional flight simulator companies (which I am not, my sim is in my garden shed). My setup consists of three projectors each projecting a separate 60 degree view which are then blended together to give a 180 FOV of the outside world.
So, my question is; can it be made possible to set up the three window views so that they are correctly set for the left or the right seat? I understand that these positions will differ from aircraft to aircraft, height above the ground, distance from the centre line etc., but if the user knows these measurements, together with the FOV required, could a means to input this data be provided so that all three (or five) windows could be set up correctly? Even if this was only possible for one or the other pilot at a time, with the user choosing which one to have set correctly for a particular flight, it would be a great step forward.
I'm certain this would enhance the training capability of P3D.
Thanks and regards
Dave
Correct Pilot Positioning Relative to Outside World
I don't understand why your view wouldn't be lined up. What you see out the 'window' would be based on the VC view... unless you're using all 2D views? IF you're using all 2D views (not a good idea)... then what you see out the 'window' would be mostly static in position. A VC view can be defined as a offset from the centerpoint of the given aircraft.
Ed Wilson
Senior Developer
Mindstar Aviation
Senior Developer
Mindstar Aviation
All views can be moved using standard keyboard commands - left, right, forward, backward, up, down - as well as the zoom function.
As long as you're in 3D not 2D cockpit mode (difficult to see how you could not be and not realise that is the root of the issue) then it should be possible to adjust the viewpoint to whatever you need and then lock it in as an applied Camera View to make it permanently available.
As long as you're in 3D not 2D cockpit mode (difficult to see how you could not be and not realise that is the root of the issue) then it should be possible to adjust the viewpoint to whatever you need and then lock it in as an applied Camera View to make it permanently available.
No door is closed to an open mind.
Cats open doors...
Cats open doors...
Simon,
I'm not really sure what you mean by "(difficult to see how you could not be and not realise that is the root of the issue)" If I knew this to be the problem I would not have posted or would have referenced the fact I'm in VC in my post. Clearly I don't have the benefit of your expertise! I will be the first to admit I have got things wrong or my lack of understanding or knowledge caused the problem, if that is the case.
I am not easily offended but I detect a condescending tone to your note which I don't much care for.
If I have misunderstood then please accept my apology, if not then I'd kindly ask you not to contribute unless you can do so without the edge to your tone.
Thanks and regards
Dave
I'm not really sure what you mean by "(difficult to see how you could not be and not realise that is the root of the issue)" If I knew this to be the problem I would not have posted or would have referenced the fact I'm in VC in my post. Clearly I don't have the benefit of your expertise! I will be the first to admit I have got things wrong or my lack of understanding or knowledge caused the problem, if that is the case.
I am not easily offended but I detect a condescending tone to your note which I don't much care for.
If I have misunderstood then please accept my apology, if not then I'd kindly ask you not to contribute unless you can do so without the edge to your tone.
Thanks and regards
Dave
Of course the tone is condescending - how can you 'not know' or recall if your views were set up in 2d or VC? Take some personal responsibility man!
It takes but scant seconds to check and then you would have been able to provide additional information to enable help and assistance to be provided. As it is you've skipped all the basic troubleshooting tools beyond informing us of your shed (utterly irrelevant); your years since setting up the sim (interesting, when P3D was only released in V2 format in November 2013, so there's an absence of information right there - previously had it set up for FSX?) and your inability to remember (it s entirely reasonable to have expected you to realise this information is going to be crucial to resolving your issue. You are no newbie...
However, regardless of your umbrage I have provided you with the ideal solution - Camera Views.
I can therefore happily leave the miffed you to solve the problem, once you can be bothered to check how you have things set up on your own, home-built, simulator.
In the shed.
Tone understood?
It takes but scant seconds to check and then you would have been able to provide additional information to enable help and assistance to be provided. As it is you've skipped all the basic troubleshooting tools beyond informing us of your shed (utterly irrelevant); your years since setting up the sim (interesting, when P3D was only released in V2 format in November 2013, so there's an absence of information right there - previously had it set up for FSX?) and your inability to remember (it s entirely reasonable to have expected you to realise this information is going to be crucial to resolving your issue. You are no newbie...
However, regardless of your umbrage I have provided you with the ideal solution - Camera Views.
I can therefore happily leave the miffed you to solve the problem, once you can be bothered to check how you have things set up on your own, home-built, simulator.
In the shed.
Tone understood?
No door is closed to an open mind.
Cats open doors...
Cats open doors...
Hi,
I have checked my setup (which was ported over from FSX some years ago), and indeed the views are set up in 2D.
I used the 'windowmaker' tool to produce information for VC views and pasted the information into a fltx I had saved and named VC view test. I could not get the views to work as desired. The views were not 60 degrees forward, 60 degrees left and 60 degrees right. The two right views were more like 90 degrees to 140 degrees right and the left view was about correct. Also the zoom levels were all over the place.
I am wondering if I need the fourth hidden window view? I don't use the fourth window to save frame rates, I use a transparent window. I'll investigate this further.
Also, I have removed the VC cockpit, again so long ago I need to remind myself how I did this and see if reinstating it makes a difference. The VC Cockpit option in the View Menu is greyed out!
I'm not expecting anyone to spend a lot of time helping, I just thought I'd report back as promised.
Dave
I have checked my setup (which was ported over from FSX some years ago), and indeed the views are set up in 2D.
I used the 'windowmaker' tool to produce information for VC views and pasted the information into a fltx I had saved and named VC view test. I could not get the views to work as desired. The views were not 60 degrees forward, 60 degrees left and 60 degrees right. The two right views were more like 90 degrees to 140 degrees right and the left view was about correct. Also the zoom levels were all over the place.
I am wondering if I need the fourth hidden window view? I don't use the fourth window to save frame rates, I use a transparent window. I'll investigate this further.
Also, I have removed the VC cockpit, again so long ago I need to remind myself how I did this and see if reinstating it makes a difference. The VC Cockpit option in the View Menu is greyed out!
I'm not expecting anyone to spend a lot of time helping, I just thought I'd report back as promised.
Dave
Actually it's my understanding that using VC or Cockpit is just a preference. Snave in his response indicates that he seems to prefer VC since you can offset the eyepoint. Well, in the aircraft config file, you can offset the eyepoint within the aircraft unique segments of the file, then also have further offset capabilities from the eyepoint within the camera definition segments of the file. In reality though, I believe P3D makes all views that are not the forward cockpit view a VC view regardless of the setting in the config file.
Also remember that the eyepoint offset in that file is in reference to the datum for that aircraft. So for a CRJ700 (as an example) the pilots eyepoint is about 30 feet forward, 4 feet up and a few feet to the left. You could create multiple copies of the aircraft config file and switch back and forth so that the eyepoint is set for the CAPT or F/O as required for training. I suppose one could write a batch file that copies the correct file to the aircraft folder to semi-automate this process.
Posted by Jim Williams on behalf of ahill.
Also remember that the eyepoint offset in that file is in reference to the datum for that aircraft. So for a CRJ700 (as an example) the pilots eyepoint is about 30 feet forward, 4 feet up and a few feet to the left. You could create multiple copies of the aircraft config file and switch back and forth so that the eyepoint is set for the CAPT or F/O as required for training. I suppose one could write a batch file that copies the correct file to the aircraft folder to semi-automate this process.
Posted by Jim Williams on behalf of ahill.
