Hi,

I've been reading some of the older posts that dates back 2 through 5 years that deal with the distored view issue in the 2D panel when the Wide View Aspect is set to TRUE in the FSX configuration. I like the TRUE setting but I do not like the distorted view in the 2D Panel. To see the differece while in the 2D cockpit, look out the window and just press the W key. Pressing the W key will remove the 2D panel but concentrate on the view ahead of you. Now, the view is correct with no distortion. This setting puts everything so far away that it looks as though you had set your zoom factor to around 30 or so. In the 3D virtual cockpit, there is no problem. The strange thing is that when you look out using the side views, such as looking out at a 45 or 90 degree angle, the view is correct with no distortion. The distortion is only appearent when looking out the front window in the 2D cockpit. When the Wide View Aspect=False, the 2D cockpit has no distortion but now it appears that everything is moving too slow. It looks like no matter which way you go, there's an issue. FSX has been out for about 6 years now. Is there a fix for these issues?

 

Ken.

Hmm, I have no issue with keeping it off. I think either my eyes work differently or people say to use this without seeing what it does. I've read in many threads to turn this on when using a wide monitor; however, this has nothing to do with ratio of the screen but rather turns on a wide angled lens. I can't stand it but I guess some may like it. To me, it is like you describe.

 

The reason things seem slower with it off is, when using a wide angled lens, straight out distances are exaggerated in that what is ten feet away will appear as twenty. Thus, objects moving closer to you will appear faster as they must seemingly cover more ground in the same time. The more accurate view of distance is the non wide view that you find slow.

 

The catch, and why some may like this, is that our eyes can see peripherally in real life which helps us measure the sense of speed and its this effect that can't be replicated on a computer screen -- unless, of course, you use a funky lens like a wide-angle lens to show you some of the peripheral vision. Which leads me to the upper paragraph.

 

I don't know if this has anything to do with your 2D panel issue but rather to say I'd personally get used to the WideViewAspect=False since it's the least distorted and most accurate.

Distorted 2D has nothing to do with that setting - it's the size/aspect ratio of the 2D bitmaps. The WideViewAspect setting affects only the 3D rendering. This is why on the MD-11 and NGX for instance we have specific widescreen and 4:3 bitmaps - it eliminates that issue.

As I read it, the issue is the outside view in 2D, not the panel itself. Note that in 2D, when the panel is shown (opaque) the outside view is "squeezed" vertically so it fills only about the top 1/2 of the monitor (set by SIZEY= in panel.cfg). When you use the W key to get to the mini-panel or no panel (or set transparency on the panel) the outside view switches to full-screen, which should be the same as in other cockpit views. I have to admit never playing around with the the wideviewaspect to see how it interacts.

 

scott s.

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As I read it, the issue is the outside view in 2D, not the panel itself. Note that in 2D, when the panel is shown (opaque) the outside view is "squeezed" vertically so it fills only about the top 1/2 of the monitor (set by SIZEY= in panel.cfg). When you use the W key to get to the mini-panel or no panel (or set transparency on the panel) the outside view switches to full-screen, which should be the same as in other cockpit views. I have to admit never playing around with the the wideviewaspect to see how it interacts.

 

scott s.

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Hi Scott,

You are correct. That's exactly what I'm referring to. So, let me say it again in case I didn't make that clear. The distortion I'm referring to is the OUTSIDE view, NOT the 2D Panel. The 2D panel looks just fine, other than the bitmap that Ryan was referring to and he is correct. I was thinking the problem is with the panel.cfg set by size=, but I get this same effect with all of the aircrafts, even in the Cessna. I only wish an update would be released to correct the outside distortion view when the Wide View Aspect=True.

 

Ken.

Hello. Sorry if this was covered but since you are definitely talking of outside 3D view distortion did you understand my post to see if that answered what you were asking? Since you are asking for a fix of distortion of a wide-angled lens when you're telling FSX to use a wide-angle lens rendering, I am just thinking you may have missed that since I can ramble a bit :)

 

If it's something else though, never mind :)

Hi Timmer,

Well, I know the difference between a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens and how they effect the camera shot but I'm not sure where you're coming from, unless you're relating to that as an example. The outside distortion I'm referring to is in the 2D cockpit view, not in the 3D virtual cockpit. I'm like you, I usally keep mine on Wide View Aspect=False. When using a wide screen monitor, this is supposed to be set to Wide Screen Aspect=True. If you have the PMDG 737NGX, it tells you in the manual to set that to True or you'll be looking down at the runway. That's when I first noticed the bad distortion. Of course, you can leave it at False but you'll have to modify the panel.cfg. So, to use the Wide Screen Aspect=True without the distortion, there needs to be a fix that will correct this.

 

Ken.

Wideviewaspect really doesn't change much except the FOV (field of view) angle per zoom level of the FSX camera. In other words, 1.0 zoom in FSX with WVA=true is basically exactly the same as 0.60 zoom with WVA=false. (that's not the exact ratio but you get the idea)

 

What you are seeing is the natural distortion inherent in any representation of a 3D image on a 2D screen with a high FOV. There is no way to change this aside from using multiple monitors with individual FSX cameras set on each, so that you still get a wide viewing angle without distortion.

 

You can still zoom the 2D view in and out so that you get the WVA=false look, and you might be able to modify the aircraft.cfg to change the 2D view's default zoom level as you prefer.

 

edit: As noted above, the distortion is exacerbated in the 2D cockpit view because the 3D viewport is squeezed into an even smaller portal than your monitor. You'd see the exact same distortion effects in virtual cockpit view if you zoomed out to the maximum level i.e. 0.30 zoom.

 

edit2: One more thing. The reason the distortion disappears when snapping to the quarter/side views (via numpad) is that those snap views default to a high zoom level, hence no distortion.