Live Camera Control and PMDG 777

[Mark_A 31]

Hi,

 

There is a well known issue of shifting point of view in the virtual cockpit when turning, this is more apparent in the PMDG 777 due to its length.

 

The following is stated on the OpusFSX product page:

 

The Set Camera feature within Live Camera Control sets temporary adjustments to views. This is useful to overcome the FSX bug which shifts the camera view slightly at different locations in the world.

 

Does this feature resolve the problem of shifting POV when turning corners, or is this just a one off adjustment?

 

 

Thanks

[Opus Software 84]

The Set Camera LCC function temporarily stores the current LCC offsets in all six axes and associates them with the current camera view. These offsets will always be applied when that camera view is displayed until either you press the Reset Camera LCC function with the camera on display or you restart the Opus server program. The Set Camera function was really introduced to provide a quick and simple method to offset the camera and counteract the infamous 'axis shift' problem within the sim.

 

In the latest OpusFSI betas the LCC functions have been enhanced with new Adjust and Create functions, these functions make permanent changes. The Adjust option can be used to adjust the current camera's eye point position and automatically save the modified camera view's configuration. The Create option can be used with the current LCC adjusted eye point and the current camera view to automatically create a new cloned camera view with an adjusted eye point position. The new cloned camera is selected for view on the display and appended to the camera list which is then automatically saved to disk. The text for the Adjust and Create button options on the LCC dialog has been coloured dark red to indicate their permanent nature.

The Shortcuts LCC dialog has been modified to include button and key options for the new LCC Adjust and Create functions.

 

Stephen :smile:

[Mark_A 31]

So is that a yes or no or maybe? :smile:

[Opus Software 84]

I only know about the 'axis shift' problem which the above provides a quick and easy remedy.

 

Not really sure about any banking related problems so its not possible to be any more specific.

 

Stephen :-)

[Mark_A 31]

Its quite simple.

 

Load up the PMDG 777, not specific to this aricraft but a good example.

 

Position the aircraft at Hong Kong airport (VHHH), not specific to this airport but a good example.

 

Start taxing and turn a corner - you'll see the VC Point-of-View shift to the left or right and front or back depending on direction of turn. Once the turn is completed the Point-of-View will remain in the new position, requiring manual adjustment back to the correct position.

 

I downloaded OpusFSI, run it in demo and tried out Live Camera and experienced the same problem as described above.

 

Thanks

[Opus Software 84]

Just to clarify did you use the LCC to manually correct the eye point yourself and then use the Set Camera LCC function to temporarily store the corrected LCC offsets? Live Camera Control (LCC) is selected via the main server form's Control button.

 

If the eye point subsequently recovers itself, which can happen after takeoff, then you can use the LCC Reset Camera function to clear the temporary offsets you have set.

 

Cheryl

[Mark_A 31]

All I did was follow the instructions to setup a VC camera and I did use the Set Camera function.

[Opus Software 84]

The above anomaly has obviously nothing to do with Live Camera.

 

Neither the axis of the aircraft nor the current eye point can be read or determined in any way, so there is nothing the software can do to correct such an anomaly. All I can suggest is you just flick the button to recenter the VC view back and see if that jolts or resets the anomaly. Re-selecting the VC view will force LC to reset the 6DOF eye point coordinates.

 

You can obviously use the Opus LCC functions described above to quickly and easily correct for such an anomaly. I would recommend you use a dedicated 6 axis GamePad controller for these LCC functions, I use a Sony DualShock 3 controller. The correction would then only take a second. But do try the view reselect to see if that forces a correction in the sim.

 

Stephen

 

P.S.

 

Keep in mind view control is quite primitive. The software cannot read or determine where the eye point is so it has no idea what is happening to the aircraft axis. This is the same reason why you should only use LCC to make view adjustments or the standard hat switch which only effects the PBY and so is fully compatible with DHM.

 

Stephen

[Opus Software 84]

 

One final comment ...

 

Of course the LCC Set Camera and other related functions have no effect at all unless they are associated with a Live Camera view that is currently selected onto the display. They only work with selected Live Camera views and have no effect when just in VC mode. The recorded offsets to the eye point can only be associated with the LC view and cannot be associated with just the VC view mode.

[Bryn 72]

...so there is nothing the software can do to correct such an anomaly...

 

This bug keeps me from using aircraft in VC.  (I go so far as creating my own 2D cockpits for aircraft like the PMDG 777).

 

But I think the bug could be corrected by a good programmer, because the anomaly is predictable.  The camera is in a slightly different position around a circle depending on the heading.  The size of the circle depends on the distance from the equator and the distance of the viewpoint from the center of the aircraft.

 

Trial and error should allow a good programmer to work out what the parameters are, and then just write an offset to the camera view depending on the heading, distance from the equator, and the distance of the viewpoint from the center of the aircraft.

 

I'd do it, but I'd have to write all the setup code for the camera and get that working first.  But you (Opus) already have that...

 

Bryn.

[Opus Software 84]

Can you tell me how its is predictable ...

 

How much does the aircraft axis shift and does it always shift by the same amount?

 

You must quantify it and show how it is related to heading, the distance from equator, and the distance from the central axis (which is what is what could actually be shifting).

 

Is it the same no matter what aircraft type is selected, does it affect different aircraft the same, or does it only affect the PMDG 777 ? (I do not see it on my system).

 

So far nobody has been able to answer these questions (not even PMDG). If you can tell me what is needed using your system (it is not a problem on my system) then I will see about incorporating some option that will overcome or correct for it.

 

Stephen