PMDG Virtual Cockpit Removal

[Guest ChrisC]

Is there a way to remove the virtual cockpit from the MD-11? I fly 2D panels only, and when in heavy traffic on VATSIM, the sim locks up in the MD-11. The virtual cockpit is just wasted space for me. Any help would be great.- Chris ClaridgeNote: I use the FS9 version.

[Ephemeral 11]

VC is part of the model. As far as I know it cannot be removed.

[Check_Airman 3]

I agree that it is a pain for those of us who don't use it, and I wish there was some way to remove it. The only "fix" I know of is to remove all the gauges from the VC. That saves a few frames. Just put slashes in front of all the lines in the VC section of the panel.cfg. For example://[VCockpit01]//size_mm=1024,1024//pixel_size=1024,1024//texture=$PMDG_MD11_1//background_color=0,0,0Of course, back up the original file first.

[Guest ChrisC]

I agree that it is a pain for those of us who don't use it, and I wish there was some way to remove it. The only "fix" I know of is to remove all the gauges from the VC. That saves a few frames. Just put slashes in front of all the lines in the VC section of the panel.cfg. For example://[VCockpit01]//size_mm=1024,1024//pixel_size=1024,1024//texture=$PMDG_MD11_1//background_color=0,0,0Of course, back up the original file first.

I might give the gauge thing a whirl, not too keen on possibly messing up an $80 add-on though. I'll just try to avoid heavy traffic if that doesn't work. Thanks for the help.

[Tabs 2,790]

Our coding does NOT load the VC gauges or geometry while you are in the 2D panel, there's no reason to try to remove it and it will not improve performance.

[Guest lgvpilot1]

I might give the gauge thing a whirl, not too keen on possibly messing up an $80 add-on though. I'll just try to avoid heavy traffic if that doesn't work. Thanks for the help.

Im fairly sure there was a post about this before and someone stated that the gauges are not drawn when in 2d Presuming that it the case then editing your config will have no effect unfortunatly,though editing it the way check airman suggests will do no harm at all .In fact i think it is the best way to tinker with an aircraft config , nothing deleted , changes are there to be seen Good luckMark

[Check_Airman 3]

Our coding does NOT load the VC gauges or geometry while you are in the 2D panel, there's no reason to try to remove it and it will not improve performance.

Maybe it's just mind over matter then :( However, it does help when cycling through views; as you move through the VC, the transition to the tower view is faster.

[strider 0]

Is there a way to remove the virtual cockpit from the MD-11? I fly 2D panels only, and when in heavy traffic on VATSIM, the sim locks up in the MD-11. The virtual cockpit is just wasted space for me. Any help would be great.- Chris ClaridgeNote: I use the FS9 version.

There is a way to remove the VC from ANY FS9 aircraft (don't know about FSX). It involves editing the MDL file with a hex editor. That being said...Ryan has stated that the VC gauges do not load when using 2D mode. That does not address the fact that all your side views, in 2D, come from the VC, and produce a noticeable delay in terrain/environment texture loading, when you pan to these side views, as these VC views must load first. This is why my biggest complaint of the MD-11 is...no 2D only model as in the 737's. Why was the option of a 2D only model dropped? It works great for the NG737's?? There are many of us who find VC to be very "pretty" and "cute"...but nowhere NEAR able to replicate true eye-hand coordination in a real commercial jetliner. All that panning and grabbing...Bah! I can get there faster in a 2D panel. Don't bother telling me and Chris about fancy strap on your head devices and such....he, like me, appears to be perfectly happy with 2D. Chris, as I said, there is a way to completely disable the VC in any FS9 aircraft. The problem with the MD-11 will be that you will have NO side views...if you hat over to the left or right or back...nothing but outside...no window frame or any other part of the aircraft you would expect to see. Sometimes, you can find "side views" to add to your panel config to replace the ugly VC derived ones which will be gone after disabling VC in the .MDL. That way you are not looking out into space after disabling the VC. I've also found that, in a very few aircraft, disabling the VC will then not show your taxi and/or landing lights from the cockpit. It all depends on how the aircraft lighting is modeled. You can always tell an aircraft which relies on the VC for 2D side views...get in it and look left...see that ugly, poorly defined window frame (even the MD-11 suffers from it)? THAT'S a VC used as a 2D side view. The PMDG 737's used a seperate, high quality set of BMP's for the side views when using 2D mode...MUCH better for us 2D'ers. A simple DXT3 BMP loads MUCH faster than a derived VC view, in my experience. This results in terrain and environment loading MUCH faster, when "looking around" in 2D, than a VC derived view in 2D. I will gladly discuss with you how to "turn off" VC in any FS9 aircraft...but not before we discuss all the various and assundry pitfalls that simple procedure may result in with your various aircraft. Of course...backing up the .MDL somewhere safe allows you to try stuff to your heart's content...and would be required! I have aircraft (Ironknuckles DC-9 to name one) that I have disabled the VC on and found replacement "views" for...but it becomes a very tedious project with much alteration of the panel.cfg and definitely not something you want to attempt without a good understanding of the "panel.cfg" file. So...to answer your original question. Yes, it can be done with any FS9 aircraft (default or addon). BUT...in doing so various other things may occur. Victor Buck

[Guest]

However, it does help when cycling through views; as you move through the VC, the transition to the tower view is faster.

That does not address the fact that all your side views, in 2D, come from the VC, and produce a noticeable delay in terrain/environment texture loading, when you pan to these side views, as these VC views must load first.

Possible solution: don't use the S and A keys to get to the view you want but rightclick and then choose your view immediately, without having to go through all available options. You could also edit the cfg files and put // before all views you don't want or need.

[strider 0]

Possible solution: don't use the S and A keys to get to the view you want but rightclick and then choose your view immediately, without having to go through all available options. You could also edit the cfg files and put // before all views you don't want or need.

Jeroen, we were discussing 2D mode? No matter how you "look left" or "look right", in 2D mode in the MD-11, you must deal with that view coming from the VC...and not a seperate bitmap. Removing a view with "//" simply means you will look out into space without a window frame or any other part of the aircraft. The same thing that results when disabling the VC with a hex editor. The advantage of doing it with a hex editor is that NO part of the VC is active and interfering with pertformance (FPS or texture load times). The possible disadvantages I already mentioned. Victor Buck