Why all the freeware and some payware have no virtual cockpit?

[pschlute 37]

No idea how to make one. I use 2d for all my flying. Just raise your seat height for landing if you can't see, but if you are correct weight/speed for landing you shouldnot have a problem.

[Guest JustanotherPilot]

Piratepete5,

 

It's not as simple as it seems. As a published author of several 2D panels for FS2004, I tried to go down the VC path when FSX was released. In short, it is almost impossible for 3rd party authors to modify existing aircraft VC panels. As already mentioned the VC panel is part of the original aircraft and part of the .mdl file which is very hard to reverse engineer and in most cases breaches the  EULA.

 

As far as including it in the aircraft by the original designer, it is tedious and painstaking work where a knowledge of code programming (for the gauges) image manipulation and rendering and then testing, of the whole project I would say that the simple VC panel takes up 60% of the overall project time.

 

As most freeware aircraft are offered by designers who do it in their spare time, the time just isn't available for them to do it. Payware is different, the product is sold for reward and I consider purchasing these products on the quality of the VC panels, sometimes this is just an after thought and detracts form the realism of the aircraft.

 

It gets down to a matter of choice by the purchaser or which freeware is suitable for you.

[WingZ 547]

Just jack up the pilot's seat, dude...

<Shift>-Enter

[ViperPilot 81]

Just jack up the pilot's seat, dude...

<Shift>-Enter

 

Or, just Cycle the Views (S) until you get to the MiniPanel... then you have an unobstructed View of the Runway!

 

piratepete5 - if you're looking for PMDG VC quality & functionality, then PMDG, with FSX, is your only option.

 

Sorry to put it that way, but there it is.

 

:mellow:

[WingZ 547]

Well... perhaps the OP should read all the above posts and then spend some quality time in the sim, we are starting to repeat ourselves here. 

[vololiberista 205]

With 2d panels you can do a lot by adjusting the settings in the panel.cfg. However, that also depends on the quality of the original 2d panel. Most 2d 737 panels for example concentrate on easily legible gauges thus leaving a tiny slit to look out from. Yes, the 737 cockpit does in reality have letter box windows from which to fly but in the sim it's quite unrealistic. A compromise has to be made when setting the size of the panel bmp so that instruments can still be read and that the view outside is "acceptable".

 

The freeby Super VC10 (now in its closing stages ie writing up the manuel) has large cockpit windows (also in reality) Thus the instruments are small but large enough to be easily legible. The view outside however, is extremely realisitic even more so with the 2d panel created specifically for a widescreen.

 

That said, to get that kind of view requires a lot of tweaking in the panel.cfg and the numbers are most definately aircraft specific. It's unfortunate that the avsim image posting rules now don't allow ad hoc images other than having to create links to other sites. Otherwise I would post an image here as an example.

 

Anyway, the key entries in the panel.cfg are ZOOM and DIR. Here are mine to give you an example of what you have to do.

[VIEWS]
VIEW_FORWARD_WINDOWS=0,RADIO_STACK_PANEL,GPS_PANEL,150,186,160,180,185,181,41

VIEW_FORWARD_ZOOM=0.850
VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=2.400, 0.000, 3.300

VIEW_FORWARD_RIGHT_ZOOM=0.820
VIEW_FORWARD_RIGHT_DIR=4.030, 0.000, 48.000

VIEW_RIGHT_ZOOM=0.820
VIEW_RIGHT_DIR=4.330, 0.000, 90.000

VIEW_REAR_LEFT_ZOOM=0.820
VIEW_REAR_LEFT_DIR=2.000, 0.000, 225.000

VIEW_LEFT_ZOOM=0.820
VIEW_LEFT_DIR=2.000, 0.000, 260.000

VIEW_FORWARD_LEFT_ZOOM=0.820
VIEW_FORWARD_LEFT_DIR=2.000, 0.000, 315.000

 

I have left out some others for clarity. You can see that ZOOM is set to about .82 because I have a 15:9 widescreen format.

DIR has three parameters vertical eyepoint, angled eyepoint and compass direction. Vertical eyepoint is fairly obvious it determines how much of the ground you can see from your seat.

 

The correct way to establish this is to choose a runway that is modelled "only" in afcad. ie not an overlay bmp as is sometimes supplied with add on airports.

 

Go to an outside view parallel with the cockpit and <shift> P until the eye position in the cockpit is directly above a rwy marking preferably the back end of an arrow. You need to know how high above the ground you are so that you can calculate the correct view angle thus how much of said arrow is visible fro mthe cockpit by looking directly ahead. Replicate that  by adjusting the first DIR parameter.

 

If you know how much ground should be visible then measure the distance using afcad and adjust you sim view to match the image.

 

The angled eyepoint will almost always be 0.00 as it creates tilt.

 

The last parameter is the horizontal angle out of the cockpit. Similar to a compass rose with N being directly ahead. Here you can see in my example

VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=2.400, 0.000, 3.300

That is because in the sim the centreline of the rwy is fixed to run down the centre of the panel. In reality however you the captain are seated to the left of centre and because of your height above the runway in reality you see the centreline more to the left. To illustrate try this quick experiment. Put one index finger from one hand directly above the other index finger. Look directly down from above and the lower finger is obscured. Move your head to the left and the lower finger comes into view. So in my case the 3.300  is equal to the perceived displacement. So 3.300  is 3.3 degrees to the left thus putting the centreline more in front of the captain as he would see it in real life.

[edetroit 933]

This was not put together in minutes. B)

 

[Pete5 0]

 

 

Or, just Cycle the Views (S) until you get to the MiniPanel... then you have an unobstructed View of the Runway!
 
piratepete5 - if you're looking for PMDG VC quality & functionality, then PMDG, with FSX, is your only option.
 
Sorry to put it that way, but there it is.

 

I have some freeware that there's only 2 clickable things I don't care if the only thing clickable is the ap and lights

This was not put together in minutes. B)

 

how does that have anything to do with this?

[edetroit 933]

 

 

how does that have anything to do with this?

 

Nothing……jus' thought I'd slip it in. :mellow:

[pschlute 37]

Pete5 or pirate pete, whichever you are.

 

Flightsim is a great comunity with plenty of people willing to help with issues, and the clever amongst us (myself not inclded), willing to make available for free, projects they have spent many many hours working on.

 

If your purpose on these forums is to moan  about freeware quality, because you either dont understand the complexity involved or are too mean to buy payware, then you will not get a welcome response from the regulars on here.

 

I suggest you park your attitude, or look elsewhere for a hobby. You have not been on here very long and I suggest that when you do find a plane you like you may find a problem with it. One that has an easy solution. But no-one will be willing to help because you behave like a spoilt brat. So the choice is yours.

[gwillmot 31]

Hey now ..... whichever Pete you are ..... welcome to the forums.

 

While your comments may not be "valid" or made without the proper background or knowledge ..... they certainly should be allowed to be made here.

 

I have been tagged as being quite sarcastic in the past, but in no way have I made such rude remarks concerning your "comments" and/or "attitude" as many others have made here.  I believe you, as well as others, have every right to comment (positively or negatively) about freeware.  Being "freeware" doesn't mean a free pass as to getting out of any critical marks made against it.  If the remarks are "invalid", then others should simply state so and pass on the "attitude / ignorant / brat" comments.  THOSE are personal attacks and are Neither instructive nor uplifting.  I'd rather see twelve "silly" and "vaporous" comments to one of these attacks from divas and prima donnas with toxic tongues (or fingers).

 

So, I guess you know by now that virtual cockpits are a tad difficult to design and are embedded in the aircraft design.  You took a few lumps to learn that, but hopefully it won't happen to you again.  Hope to see your remarks/questions again soon.

[Pete5 0]

Or, just Cycle the Views (S) until you get to the MiniPanel... then you have an unobstructed View of the Runway!

 

piratepete5 - if you're looking for PMDG VC quality & functionality, then PMDG, with FSX, is your only option.

 

Sorry to put it that way, but there it is.

 

:mellow:

I have fsx but My pc can't handle it which ###### me off I only have 1.8 ghz I also can't buy any addons too

[ViperPilot 81]

I have fsx but My pc can't handle it which ###### me off I only have 1.8 ghz I also can't buy any addons too

Unfortunately, there are times when existing Hardware forces one to compromise, trying to find the best balance of performance vs. features (eye candy).

 

I know you have your heart set on an Airbus with a somewhat functional VC, but I just don't know of a particular bird that will fit that need; especially a freeware Airbus.

[Pete5 0]

Unfortunately, there are times when existing Hardware forces one to compromise, trying to find the best balance of performance vs. features (eye candy).

 

I know you have your heart set on an Airbus with a somewhat functional VC, but I just don't know of a particular bird that will fit that need; especially a freeware Airbus.

I have alot of ram for my type of system 8 gb can I limit fsx to use like 1.5? would that help with fps fluctulating on fsx so I can use it?

[gwillmot 31]

I have alot of ram for my type of system 8 gb can I limit fsx to use like 1.5? would that help with fps fluctulating on fsx so I can use it?

 

You're straying off-course, Pete.