EXTERNAL VIEW QUESTION

[Guest N215PB]

I'm thinking hard of upgrading to FSX but I didn't care for the external view modes. I'd much rather have the FS9 option of circling all around the the outside instaed of the 90 degree outside views in FSX demo program. Is there any option for this?Thanks

[n4gix 4,947]

You apparently never explored ALL of the view options in the demo...Yes, in fact there are TWO "circling all around the outside" views......one with "gradual transitions" and the other is "fixed", just like in FS9.

[lliaudais 2]

The FSX Camera (views) system is like FS9 on steroids! You can customize views to do almost anything. You are are no longer limited to just having the either/or type of outside view (selected in FS9 View Options), you can have them ALL available all the time. Use the search feature on "view" or "Camera" or do the advanced search on this author's name to read a lot about the FSX camera system. Most questions on the topic have answers and needn't hold you back from moving up to X.Loyd

[Guest TheSidewinder]

All true, however, FYI... BEWARE the glaring change (bug) that SP1 introduces in the views. Differences:With FSX out of the box (NO SP1), select cockpit view with NO, or MINIMAL gauges (press W repeatedly to get there), then use the top-hat switch to look left, right, and back. The screen view is full-screen and unobstructed by aircraft structure.BUT ONCE YOU APPLY SP1:Do the same, only NOW the aircraft structure obscures your view. This is no better than the result you get with full-panel view (Shift-1, or "W" until you get there). In other words, SP1 *BROKE* something that had been consistent for MANY versions of FS. If, like me, you're primarily a "VFR driver" this totally sucks. And they don't plan to fix it. (And FYI, I *have* to use SP1 because it fixed a couple items in FSX that wouldn't work "out of the box". Rock and a hard place...)

[Guest Desert Flyer]

I've been trying to figure out if there is a way to get a particular view...I'd like to use the view of the outside of the airplane (F11 view) but I'd also like to have the same guages that come up when pressing the W key repeatedly at the same time.So basically have the outside view of the plane with the guages at the bottom of the screen.Is this at all possible? Everything that I've tried has proven unsuccessful to get this to work.

[McCrash 3]

>I've been trying to figure out if there is a way to get a>particular view...>>I'd like to use the view of the outside of the airplane (F11>view) but I'd also like to have the same guages that come up>when pressing the W key repeatedly at the same time.>>So basically have the outside view of the plane with the>guages at the bottom of the screen.>>Is this at all possible? Everything that I've tried has>proven unsuccessful to get this to work.That is fairly easy to do. On way is to modify the 'panel.cfg' file and add another window.Are you refering to FSX or FS9?What aircraft are you refering to?Another way is to add or change a camera definition in the camera.cfg file.And another way is to change the 'aircraft.cfg' file.

[ccaughie 0]

>All true, however, FYI... BEWARE the glaring change (bug)>that SP1 introduces in the views. I've yet to understand what all the fuss is about with this W key thing (but then I never used it when it was available).The way I see it, MS Flight Simulator simulates flying planes. The only real planes I've flown have been gliders, and I'm pretty certain they didn't have a button anywhere that made the structure of the plane invisible so that I could see through it to the ground. (Good thing too, it would have been a little disconcerting if I'd pressed it by accident).I know everyone uses FS differently, but I'd have thought that flying with a first person perspective view but without being able to see the interior of the plane would dampen the immersion factor somewhat. Surely it would make flying more difficult as well, as you wouldn't have a frame of reference to help you figure out which way you're pointing.I do get the point about a previously working feature not working any more though, this is always annoying if it happens to be a feature you're used to using. I'm just curious to know what the perceived benefit of this particular feature actually is?Colin

[Art_P 6]

When you're flying in a real plane, you can move your body around to get a better view out the window (somewhat). Removing the aircraft structure with the "W" key made up for the lack of visibility in Flight Simulator when you really need to see where something is.I too noticed that this feature was available in the demo version of FSX and that it was not in the full program. I didn't realize that SP1 was what caused it. It's a shame.

[lliaudais 2]

Desert..Add "ShowPanel = Yes" to the camera definition of the view you want to use - then use the "W" key ... this is same added to Cessna "Tail" View.Loydhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/182113.jpg

[McCrash 3]

Here is 2D cockpit mini panel.

[ccaughie 0]

I guess that makes sense. The best solution to that problem is TrackIR... but I guess the W key is somewhat cheaper. :)As I recall in a glider you didn't have that much mobility at all as you were strapped in pretty tight, but then visibility wasn't much of a problem as the canopy was only inches away.Colin

[Guest Desert Flyer]

>Desert..>>Add "ShowPanel = Yes" to the camera definition of the view you>want to use - then use the "W" key ... this is same added to>Cessna "Tail" View.>>LoydThanks for the response in my FSX there is a planes folder named C172, I assume this is the cesna.In that folder is a file named aircraft.cfg, in that file is the following:CameraDefinition.2Title = "Tail"Guid = {D8D67955-2E9B-4e75-9D8B-8EFFBBFAC64A}Description = Looking forward from the tip of the vertical stabilizerOrigin = CenterSnapPbhAdjust = SwivelSnapPbhReturn = FALSEPanPbhAdjust = SwivelPanPbhReturn = FALSETrack = NoneShowAxis = FALSEAllowZoom = TRUEInitialZoom = 0.75ShowWeather = YesInitialXyz = 0, 1.9, -5.75InitialPbh = 11, 0, 0XyzAdjust = TRUECategory=AircraftMomentumEffect=TRUEClipMode=MinimumShowPanel=YesNotice I put the ShowPanel=Yes at the end. Now how do I activate this view?I normally use the F11 view for outside of the aircraft, so I tried that and pressed the W key but couldn't get the panel to show up.Im sure I must have done something wrong but don't know what.Thanks if you can help.

[Palebushman 0]

"The only real planes I've flown have been gliders, and I'm pretty certain they didn't have a button anywhere that made the structure of the plane invisible so that I could see through it to the ground. (Good thing too, it would have been a little disconcerting if I'd pressed it by accident)."Dambusters springs to mind, being up there in that Perspex nose cone ready to press the red button for all mayhem to be let loose. Yup, pretty invigorating stuff I'd imagine, and the nearest thing to it must be this feature in the FS's that the flyer's here enjoy.Tried one or two approaches using that view myself and immersion, it surely was!!

[beatle 0]

Right click on the 3D window, there should be a menu item called "Aircraft", hover over it till the flyout menu opens and one of the items on that menu should be "Tail", select that and you will be in the Tail view that you just modified.

[Guest Stratocruiser]

>BUT ONCE YOU APPLY SP1:>Do the same, only NOW the aircraft structure obscures your>view. This is no better than the result you get with>full-panel view (Shift-1, or "W" until you get there). In>other words, SP1 *BROKE* something that had been consistent>for MANY versions of FS. If, like me, you're primarily a "VFR>driver" this totally sucks. And they don't plan to fix it. This SP1 introduced bug has been a real problem for me.There is one rather crummy workaround, though. Since the obscuring aircraft structure is in fact the virtual cockpit, you can use an imported FS9 aircraft that has no virtual cockpit. The view is then not blocked.Of course, using an FS9 aircraft in FSX can introduce other problems.Carey