I was wrong. Make that a week, not 4 or 5 hours. I just asked my file search utility to find all files called cameras.cfg on drive C. There were 226 files with that name! For instance the Pilatus PC had I think 5 files with than name for each of the float, ski, and wheel versions, LOL!

How fun it would be to change hundreds of files manually, and then have an Asobo sim update rewrite them all! 

A single slider in MSFS could do the same thing

 

59 minutes ago, Fielder said:

1)    change the numbers for chasedistance (you use a positive number or a negative number, any number you want, your choice).

2)  observe the effects

That was exactly how I used to change 'effectiveness' for controller sensitivity before Asobo patched the game to allow for a new adjustment to Sensitivities which they added called "extremity dead zone". I changed the numbers for 'effectiveness' in every flight_model.cfg file. Now I do not have to do that, I just move a slider in Sensitivities and observe the results. Then repeat until I'm happy.

We have no slider for chasedistance. So we change the number in camera.cfg for every single plane for which we don't like the initial chasedistance for that plane. And observe the results. Repeat until happy. I would guess 4 to 5 hours work for every plane in the hangar.

Warning: At every sim update Asobo will overwrite your modified files back to the original files. So you have to back them all up and then manually reinstall them after every sim update.

I used to back up all the flight_model.cfg files, I think there were 25 of them. And manually reinstall them after every sim update. Now I just move the Sensitivity extremity deadzone slider until happy. Quite a lot more fast and easy, to say the least.

 

Thank you, but I am afraid it's not  so simple.

The variable "chasedistance" is not used in any of the new MSFS2020 cameras.cfg files.

It is used just in:

"c:\Users\David\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Cameras.CFG"

"c:\Users\David\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages\Official\Steam\fs-base\cameras.cfg"

And these files seem to be used only for legacy aircraft from FSX.... The files are using terms like "spot" and "locked spot" which are valid for FSX.

9 hours ago, Fielder said:

1)    change the numbers for chasedistance (you use a positive number or a negative number, any number you want, your choice).

Using your evident expertise and experience in these matters, as there are numerous camera views listed in each camera.cfg file and not one of them contains a "chasedistance" entry, could you go into a little more detail on how to edit the camera.cfg file to increase the spot view distance between camera and aircraft please?

Edited April 29, 20224 yr by Reader

I'm just a hacker, trial by error, I need to read online how someone does something in the .cfg file, and then go punch in the numbers. We have seen posts here in the forum how to not have to exit FS to see the changes by using the Developers Mode menu. Asobo changed the menu since I last was doing my hacking, but surely there is a way in the slightly new menu.

The old way was Developers Mode, Tools, Aircraft Editor, File, Resync 

As soon as you clicked on Resync, then you saw the changes on the fly (instantly).

So you have MSFS running and see whatever you see in the camera, and then type the changes into a .cfg file, and click as above, and the changes in behavior or position can then be seen without shutting down MSFS.

What I was doing was changing effectiveness for rudder, aileron, elevator to cut off the extreme values so pulling the stick all the way in one direction only produced an effect as if you pulled it half way. I could see the changes 10 seconds after typing the new values into a parameter line in flight_model.cfg. Therefore I tamed every plane in the Standard edition. It took 20 files for those 20 planes and then 5 more files for my addons which I had purchased back then.

I also changed the station_load lines in the same files to make a plane less likely to veer right or left on landing. (I just scooted all the station loads forward 2 units to rebalance the plain's default center of gravity). I clicked on the menu as above, Slewed back 2 miles from the apron and 1200 feet high and tried another landing. Slewing is mapped to my Warthog stick and my pedals (because DX axis slewing is way more precise and controllable for me than keyboard DX button slewing). And those assignments go away as soon as you leave Slew mode. And then the stick works the aileron and elevator instead of slewing.

Anyway, try creating a chase camera in any cameras.cfg file (as shown in the SDK for MSFS). If that does not work for a external view, then try repositioning the initial spot using the X,Y, Z coordinates).

The SDK is here:

https://docs.flightsimulator.com/html/Content_Configuration/Cameras/Cameras_CFG/Camera_Definition_Properties.htm

 

Having no experience and expertise, I just did this sort of thing because hacking it this way worked when I wanted to change extremity null zones (a.k.a. effectiveness) and default centers of gravity. It worked and I could see the effects of the changes immediately. For instance the Cessna Bird Dog addon plane became easy to land instead of a bear when I slid all station_loads forward 2 units in flight_model.cfg file for the BlackBox Simulation L-19 Cessna.

 

 

 

Oh, and you have to use the Dev Mode menu to swap planes and then swap back to your plane again to see the changes. So you click the menu as above, swap to any other plane, and then swap back to your plane.

And unfortunately I just remembered that doing a plane swap and then back that will mess up the cameras. It would not mess up controller sensitivity values nor center of gravity to swap out and back, I know that for sure. But I think the cameras would not work as they should. This is a bug in Dev Mode because it shouldn't happen.

What a palava! Asobo needs to learn how to set up simple key presses or sliders. It should be a piece of cake for them, but apparently not. Hacking one's way through multiple config files is not ideal is it. I'm not sure re-syncing the aircraft is going to work, though it does for flight model and engine changes. It depends which camera.cfg in which multiple sets of folders is the correct one.

32 minutes ago, robert young said:

What a palava! Asobo needs to learn how to set up simple key presses or sliders. It should be a piece of cake for them, but apparently not. 

While I really *love* MSFS, lacking all sorts of documentation was one of the cardinal errors from the outset. I was in the beta and I never imagined they would dare to release such a relatively intricate piece of software without any doumentation. This starts with control configurations, goes via aircraft panels (what's functional/inop) and menu settings and extends to configuration files, and more.

And no, clips by click-hungry YouTubers are no substitute for documentation by the original makers.

Why can't they just release a statement on the Official Forum about that new Distance Setting? 

Kind regards, Michael

I completely empathize with you guys and agree that this is an issue that has to be addressed.  It should be a very simple thing as we all know, but Asobo seems to be either steadfast against fixing it, or the "other" reason. 🙂

In the mean time, being the old geezer I am (certainly more years behind me than ahead 😞 ), I've take matters into my own hands and become one with....say it with me...the drone camera.(I can hear the rattle of pitchforks....hear me out guys). 🙂 

Guys....in the amount of time we've spent on this subject, its become a non-issue for me once I learned and properly mapped the drone controls to my HOTAS....I do not even have to grab an xbox controller to pan around at any viewing distance I want....my hands never leave the flight controls!

Being a painter and screenshot junkie...I need a good camera system to inspect and showcase my paints.  Each of these shot's unique positions were set effortlessly in the sim, as easy as using a feature Asobo won't give us. 🙂

I can fly with these camera settings too...a simple press of the "C" key (mapped to my HOTAS naturally), switches the camera controls in drone mode to the flight controls.  It cannot be simpler once you map and learn your system!

You simply can't be a good painter/screenshot'er without a good camera system...the drone camera gives us that, the "external camera" even with a changeable view distance, will still always spin the camera around the center of the plane...not one of these pics was taken with the camera locked to the center or the plane.

Guys, instead of being reactive to what Asobo is NOT giving you...be proactive and learn the awesome tool they DID give you, and leave the antiquated view system behind, you'll be glad you did and just smile (and not participate) in the many threads about bashing the camera system we don't have (and possibly never have), I guarantee it. 🙂

I don't post this to mock or belittle you guys, I want to see you enjoying this sim as much as I am, when I took the time to learn what the drone camera can do.  I loved Chaseplane in P3d, invaluable too for sure, but the drone is every bit as good as it was for manipulating the camera.  Sure, it does not have some of the other non-view features, but let's say I don't miss it in MSFS, that should tell you something. 😉 

 

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for your valuable input.

I would dare to summarize that none of us knows how to use this improved feature (change camera distance for external view).

I agree that a statement in the Official Forum would be one of the possible ways how to inform users.

I am now asking myself how this new feature was beta tested, when none of us has the faintest idea how to set it up...

Still, I love the Sim and the work by Asobo. As has been said here before: Step by step we are getting somewhere...

5 hours ago, Steve Dra said:

I completely empathize with you guys and agree that this is an issue that has to be addressed.  It should be a very simple thing as we all know, but Asobo seems to be either steadfast against fixing it, or the "other" reason. 🙂

In the mean time, being the old geezer I am (certainly more years behind me than ahead 😞 ), I've take matters into my own hands and become one with....say it with me...the drone camera.(I can hear the rattle of pitchforks....hear me out guys). 🙂 

Guys....in the amount of time we've spent on this subject, its become a non-issue for me once I learned and properly mapped the drone controls to my HOTAS....I do not even have to grab an xbox controller to pan around at any viewing distance I want....my hands never leave the flight controls!

Being a painter and screenshot junkie...I need a good camera system to inspect and showcase my paints.  Each of these shot's unique positions were set effortlessly in the sim, as easy as using a feature Asobo won't give us. 🙂

I can fly with these camera settings too...a simple press of the "C" key (mapped to my HOTAS naturally), switches the camera controls in drone mode to the flight controls.  It cannot be simpler once you map and learn your system!

You simply can't be a good painter/screenshot'er without a good camera system...the drone camera gives us that, the "external camera" even with a changeable view distance, will still always spin the camera around the center of the plane...not one of these pics was taken with the camera locked to the center or the plane.

Guys, instead of being reactive to what Asobo is NOT giving you...be proactive and learn the awesome tool they DID give you, and leave the antiquated view system behind, you'll be glad you did and just smile (and not participate) in the many threads about bashing the camera system we don't have (and possibly never have), I guarantee it. 🙂

I don't post this to mock or belittle you guys, I want to see you enjoying this sim as much as I am, when I took the time to learn what the drone camera can do.  I loved Chaseplane in P3d, invaluable too for sure, but the drone is every bit as good as it was for manipulating the camera.  Sure, it does not have some of the other non-view features, but let's say I don't miss it in MSFS, that should tell you something. 😉 

 

Dear Steve,

Thank also to you for your comment and the absolutely fabulous screenshots. They are simply breathtaking!

I see what you mean with your recommendation to use the drone camera. I am definitely determined to give it a deeper try one day. But as you said, it needs some preparation and setting up. Many of us fly just a couple of hours per week when jobs and family life allow...:-). Also novice users shall be able to fly and look around effortlessly. Further, it shall still be possible to fly and enjoy an  occasional peak on the plane from the outside without the need to have HOTAS. I myself do have the Thm. T.16000M FCS Hotas, but very often for a quick hop between the Caribbean islands I grab just the joystick with integrated throttle, not both parts (I am not leaving the throttle on the desk - afraid to collect dust and debris in the mechanism + it takes up space).

But once again, the screenshots and the 737 paintwork are gorgeous! Thank you!!

Kind regards, David

I have to agree with Steve and use my HOTAS (Warthog) and fingers never leave the controllers. Meanwhile yoke pilots don't have a HOTAS full of quick access.The Drone movements are on my stick, and the 4 Drone speed controls and drone position reset are on my throttle. Reset jumps the drone right back behind the plane with a button push. The reset command has some sort of weird name in options, but it works great.

As usual without proper documentation by Asobo it's hard to know what's available. I understand the sim is so complex that no four people working together knows the whole sim enough to write a manual, but even a rough outdated one would be nice. 

The names for the commands aren't to a pattern. e.g. there's six eyepoint movements (up down left right forward back) but it takes awhile for the newbie to find them all in the list.

 

Perhaps we can ask the question to Beta testers:

Haven't you received any information on how to set the camera distance in external view in SU9 in order to be able to test this new officially announced feature?

Thank you very much in advance.

however......what I would like to know.....can I have my zoom fixed for the drone. For the cockpitcamera you can do in the general menu. As I am a ultra wideview screen user I would like to use zoom level 72 to prevent to much fish eye effect. So when I start the drone camere zoom level on 73..

Strange, i have the game also on Xbox and it was always possible to use the Mouse wheel to zoom in and out in the outside view.

The drone camera function doesn't have anything to do with the SU9 external camera zoom implementation and isn't a solution to what folks are particularly asking for here.

There is a particular command that needs to be added to the camera.cfg file of each aircraft that SU9 has enabled the sim to recognize for such changes.

We are trying to figure out exactly what the command line needs to be, let's stay on topic until we get our solution please.

 

Edited April 30, 20224 yr by blueshark747