Got to admit that I struggle a bit with VC. 2D is just so much easier to navigate in times of high workload. I'm sure there's some combination of zooming and moving views around that will work for me but I haven't found it yet. I have learned to use both but I tend to revert back to 2D when things get busy.

From the first moment I loaded a VC. I cannot believe people like a 2d panel. That feels onrealistic. I never fly a 2d panel in fsx. That was the main reason I dropped FS9.

There are plenty of planes with nice VCs in FS9 ^_^

Lude2Envy, with a 2D panel it is much easier to scan your instruments regularly like a real pilot. In a VC this is difficult. So I use the VC for VFR and 2D or combination of 2D/VC for IFR.

 

But if you get a TrackIFR this will be much easier!

 

Sacha

 

I started VC use with the PMDG 747.  At first it was only during cruise, or when making 90 degree turns while taxing.   I found it very difficult to read the gauges and to manage pointing the mouse correctly at switches.  But with a little fiddling around with the zoom and some practice, it became second nature.  And then, I added EZdok vibrations into the mix, but alas, I got used to that as well.   Now, I can't imagine flying in a static VC without EZdok, and even moreso, I can't fathom why anyone would use 2d cockpits.  Perhaps, 2d is useful to those with elaborate home cockpit hardware, which pretty much makes a 3d VC redundant.   I have to believe that the advent of the VC has put a dent in home cockpit sales.

I fly a lot of warbirds and GAs, hence a lot of visual flying, can't fly without a VC.  I need a '3D' view especially when landing a powerful taildragging fighter.

It does not make a smooth pan like EZdok if that's what you mean, but I don't really notice that. I think the one in production is aimed to be more in-depth than the one already on the market, but I can't say for sure until it's out. All I know is that after all the updating the current one is very well done and I enjoy flying it. They are adding in dimmable displays and terrain on the nav display soon on that one as well. The one in production is also going to take an unknown amount of time, so I think the current one out is definitely worth it.

 

Yes I meant the smooth EZdok pan but it's not a huge deal. I believe another product on the market comes with EZdok pans so I was just checking. Regarding the Airbus, I know the one in production probably won't be out until next year at best, but since the 777 will be out soon I think I may just wait for the Airbus in production. I do like the idea of the VC view buttons you mentioned though. Haven't seen that before. Maybe the T7 will have them? 

I wish I could answer, but I can't. I mean when I flew the LDS 763 full time I used half 3D half 2D (their pop ups are good). But after moving to the NGX I went fully 3D and just got used to it really. I do still use the 2D FMC in the 777 - since sometimes it can be quicker than adjusting view etc lol. 

Shift-3 is your friend!  At least until I discover EZdock

All this talk about smooth panning! I'd like to challenge you all to take a notice of how you perceive the world when you look around in life. Our view points are a lot more jerky than we like to think they are! You glance over your shoulder. Do you really perceive everything between your two view points? Or does the view shift just as fast as you can turn your head?

 

What really got me into using the VC was a tweak to the FS9.cfg and FSX.cfg configuration files to increase the pan-rate to something more close to the speed and jerkyness of real life... a tweak to make looking using my hat-switch much faster just like you can turn your head quickly.

 

 

Increasing the pan-rate much higher than that doesn't make much of a difference - setting it at 2000 basically reaches the limits of what the sim is programmed for - but it should make a HUGE difference if you are having trouble getting into using the VC.

 

[CONTROLS]
KBDAIL=64
KBDELEV=64
KBDRUD=64
PAN_RATE=2000

maybe you bought too much hardware to use the VC.... I like yourself am a real life pilot and have been simming since i was 7 years old, transitioning to the VC was the most difficult thing I ever did in the virtual world but today I dont even miss the 2d panels.

 

Maybe you should try a couple of flights without the track IR or any of that stuff, just the top hat button on the CH yoke and configure the other buttons to use the eyepoint view movement and see if you like it. It took me a while to get comfortable but I came around, sure you can too.

 

To be honest, I never really use the TrackIR or EZdok. This is the 2nd TrackIR I've had. Sold my TrackIR 4 since I never used it. Decided to give it another try earlier this year and bought the TrackIR 5. Still never use it. When I am in the VC or flying the J41 I use the hat switch and "A" views. 

 

 

Got to admit that I struggle a bit with VC. 2D is just so much easier to navigate in times of high workload. I'm sure there's some combination of zooming and moving views around that will work for me but I haven't found it yet. I have learned to use both but I tend to revert back to 2D when things get busy.

 

I totally agree about 2D being easier to navigate during periods of high workload. I'm sure there's some combination that'll work for me with or without TrackIR and EZdok. I just can't find it =/

 

Everything changed once I realized I could easily assign EZdok views to my joystick buttons.  I've got a Saitek X52 controller, and I program the three views I use the most to the clock buttons on the throttle, and program the three toggle buttons to generally correspond to views inside the cockpit.  (center toggle up = overhead panel, center toggle down = throttle, etc).

 

I use a Saitek yoke and pedals but I have a Logitech G15 gaming keyboard, and I wanted to try bind the macro switches on the left side of the keyboard for EZdok views. Unfortunately, the macro buttons just register as F1, F2, F3, etc..... in the EZdok configuration program so I think it would cause a conflict with the default key bindings, which I use.  

All this talk about smooth panning! I'd like to challenge you all to take a notice of how you perceive the world when you look around in life. Our view points are a lot more jerky than we like to think they are! You glance over your shoulder. Do you really perceive everything between your two view points? Or does the view shift just as fast as you can turn your head?

 

You're absolutely right. But it doesn't become noticeable until you use the simulator. Unfortunately, hand-eye coordination doesn't extend beyond the boundaries of the real world. Flying in an actual plane in turbulence, it's still easy to feel for a knob or switch (whether or not you're actually looking at it). Looking around, scanning multiple instruments, and trying to click switches/rotate knobs is a lot tougher in a 3D environment projected on a 2D surface......at least it is for me, especially with TrackIR. If it felt natural then I wouldn't have a problem. Just trying to find what works for me. 

You're absolutely right. But it doesn't become noticeable until you use the simulator. Unfortunately, hand-eye coordination doesn't extend beyond the boundaries of the real world. Flying in an actual plane in turbulence, it's still easy to feel for a knob or switch (whether or not you're actually looking at it). Looking around, scanning multiple instruments, and trying to click switches/rotate knobs is a lot tougher in a 3D environment projected on a 2D surface......at least it is for me, especially with TrackIR. If it felt natural then I wouldn't have a problem. Just trying to find what works for me. 

Yeah, I understand that. The main thrust of my comments was actually aimed at the other readers of the topic...

 

For me, though, realizing that I shouldn't realistically need smooth panning (for I once did want it), was key to my adoption of the VC. I used to use 2D panels as well, but I was a sucker for eyecandy. As a result, for a long time, I didn't really do a lot of sim flights - I just fiddled and tinkered and wasted time.

 

What finally did change my habits was an essay I read on problems sim pilots have when they transition to real-world flying. The major problem is that sim pilots tend to look forward only instead of scanning the sky and their instruments. 2D panels definitely encourage this! I switched to VCs so that I could scan the sky and my instruments in the sim more realistically.

 

That was very frustrating for me, though, because in life I can glance around - but in the sim, I couldn't. Pan rates were too slow! Panning was too smooth! After I tweaked my cfg as I listed in my other post, that problem was largely alleviated. I would, ideally, like it even faster, but 2000 seems to be maxed out... I've tried much higher numbers with no improvement.

Get Trackir5


Paning problem solved...

Yeah, I understand that. The main thrust of my comments was actually aimed at the other readers of the topic...

 

For me, though, realizing that I shouldn't realistically need smooth panning (for I once did want it), was key to my adoption of the VC. I used to use 2D panels as well, but I was a sucker for eyecandy. As a result, for a long time, I didn't really do a lot of sim flights - I just fiddled and tinkered and wasted time.

 

What finally did change my habits was an essay I read on problems sim pilots have when they transition to real-world flying. The major problem is that sim pilots tend to look forward only instead of scanning the sky and their instruments. 2D panels definitely encourage this! I switched to VCs so that I could scan the sky and my instruments in the sim more realistically.

 

That was very frustrating for me, though, because in life I can glance around - but in the sim, I couldn't. Pan rates were too slow! Panning was too smooth! After I tweaked my cfg as I listed in my other post, that problem was largely alleviated. I would, ideally, like it even faster, but 2000 seems to be maxed out... I've tried much higher numbers with no improvement.

 

That makes a lot of sense.....especially for VFR flying. Have you used TrackIR? It pans basically at the same speed you move your head. I still find it hard to click switches, rotate knobs, etc. because of the sensitivity. I've tried adjusting the settings and using other profiles available online with no luck. 

 

In regard to looking forward, have you ever used a Frasca simulator? The sensitivity of the controls along with the tiny little monitor (which is useless for IFR anyway) really made my instrument flying skills superb when I was in school. Just thinking about looking away for a second was enough to bust altitude and heading on that thing. 

I can't afford a TrackIR, so I haven't tried it. I have tried FreeTrackNoIR using my webcam... I quickly became motionsick, though. Like you, I found it too sensitive. It is very twitchy and makes it nearly impossible for me to find the clickspots!

However, with a pan rate set at 2000, while it is still a little slow for me, it's close enough to ideal that I feel no need to keep searching or tweaking that aspect of my sim.

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