Customised views

1st Official Post

    I don't know how to assign a camera to a certain key, also F12 is in use for screenshots.
    But at least you can modify the cameras.

    I tried this with the Cessna 172:

    Open the c172.tmd with a text editor and search for
    // cameras start

    Then I added this block:

    <[string8][object][camera]
    <[string8][Name][TopDown]>
    <[string8][Body][Fuselage]>
    <[tmvector3d][R0][ 0.0 0.0 30.0 ]>
    <[tmvector3d][Direction][ -0.1 0.0 -0.99 ]>
    <[bool][InCockpit][false]>
    <[string8][Tags][Fuselage]>
    <[string8][Description][Above aircraft]>
    >

    The camera is mounted 30 meters above the aircraft and the view direction is vertically down.

    In aerofly you can toggle between cameras with key 4.
    Unfortunately I have a strong flickering of the scenery, so it's not the final solution.
    KHR

    Hi, flickering is gone with the hint of Jet-Pack, I corrected the values above.

    • Official Post

    R0 is the location of the camera,
    Direction is the viewing-direction.
    x-axis is towards the nose,
    y-axis towards the left,
    z-axis upwards.

    To get a camera that looks straight down, you would need to set the R0 to a high z coordinate (e.g. 0.0 0.0 50.0) and then point the camera downwards (opposite direction of the z-axis: 0.0 0.0 -1.0). I don't know if that will get you into trouble with euler-angles, so I'd use 0.01 0.0 -0.99 for the direction.

    Rodeo: you can use the

    Code
    code-placeholder

    element to embed tmd code with proper indentation. (And of course edit with a proper editor like Notepad++ or something like that to get the indentation to show up in the first place :D )

    Jet-Pack (IPACS),
    Thanks for the camera help. I would like to use the mouse for either zooming or moving round in a circle about the aircraft - can I do either of those in VR? Even if not, I still would like to know how to do that in Non VR. Also, for some reason, it is the "2" key that cycles the views in my setup. Also, what about the views available in the other "1"through "5" keys - what file sets that up?

    Much Thanks

    Dave

    Jet-Pack (IPACS),
    I'd like to create a camera view for the F-15 (any jet) that simulates being a wingman. I would really like to be in another F-15 cockpit of course, but just being in the wingman position is a first step and I am using the following for that:
    <[string8][object][camera]
    <[string8][Name][CameraLeftWing]>
    <[string8][Body][LeftWing]>
    <[tmvector3d][R0][ -15.0 8.0 0.1 ]>
    <[tmvector3d][Direction][ -0.1 -0.99 0.0 ]>
    <[bool][InCockpit][false]>
    <[string8][Tags][left wing]>
    >

    Thanks - P.S. Try flying real low over the Colorado river inside the Grand Canyon with that camera setting!!!!

    Dave

    • Official Post
    Quote from whitav8

    Also, what about the views available in the other "1"through "5" keys - what file sets that up?


    That is the default key assignment for the camera group airplane (2 for next camera, 1 for previous), camera group fixed without airplane (3 for prev. 4 for next camera in that category), camera group for fixed world positions (5 for previous, 6 for next). I still find that very counter-intuitive, thats why I personally changed it to 1 or shift+1, 2 and shift +2 and so on...
    Those settings are saved in the gc-map.mcf file as far as I know, but I don't think that was the actual question.

    The cameras that are in those three camera categories are defined by the tags used in the camera definition in the tmd file of each aircraft.

    GLHF,
    Jan

    Jet-Pack (IPACS),
    Thanks for all your help!! Do you have any ideas concerning being in a copy of the current aircraft so you could be a wingman (even though you are really just flying the lead position aircraft). As I said above, I can define a camera to be in the proper position but I have no aircraft cockpit around me - this is for VR purposes.

    Thanks again
    dave

    • Official Post

    Hi Dave,

    the best wing camera I ever got to work used low values for the camera_head force and dampening.
    Put it out towards the left using R0 and then used the Kf (spring constant force), Df (dampening force), Kt (torsion spring constant) and Dt (torsion dampening) values to fine tune the movement. I can't find the backup of that file anymore, sorry.

    This is one of my experimental wing view cameras for the A320:
    It holds the horizon quite well when the aircraft banks, it has slight acceleration and deceleration effects and a bit of softness up and down and left and right. So it makes quite a cool hand-held passenger cam.

    below "CameraRightWingView" insert


    and further down, below all the other rigidbodies and joints add:

    Cheers,
    Jan

    Thanks for the above code - I tried it and liked it - didn't know you could do that. I might try that a little for the wingman camera so that the connection to the lead aircraft isn't perfect - there needs to be a little "jostling" - interaircraft movement.
    Still wondering if I could instance and offset the aircraft so there would be two showing - possible??

    Thanks

    Dave

    not sure what part of the tm.log you are asking Jan. it shows all settings and definitions along many lines.

    i think i placed the codes where you advised them to be, whithout deleting any of the beginners and enders ><,
    but for an other try, can you direct me more precisely with the second code part?

    (how much further down, where about in the length of the whole file, maybe copy some lines above and below for that
    i see better how it integrates into current?