Visuals zoom, eyepoint, and viewpoint help

[fsaviator]

Hi all,

I've been busy working on the visuals for my 737. It's at the point where I've done all I can do with the Nthusim Demo. Just paid for the Plus version and I'm waiting on my activation.

Here's my issue that is driving me crazy. It wasn't a big deal when I had my GA cockpit as I had free use to my RW plane to make sure I got the views right.

With my 737 though, I can't just plop into the right/left seat and get the viewpoint and eyepoint right. I can play with zoom all day long but I have no clue if I'm close.

Does anyone have a good starting point for me to set or a link to a post that will help out? Unfortunately, the one place I was using for a reference has disappeared off the net (www.insitesolutions.au).

Here's the current setup:


FS9.1
3 x BenQ 772ST projectors
TH2GO at 3072x768
Five maximized windows showing Front, left and right front, and left and right views in non-windowed mode on five screens wrapping around the cockpit.

Surprisingly, I'm getting 25-30 FPS with everything maxed out over Seattle (with Megascenery NW) even with the non-windowed mode and five cockpit views (actually six if you count the base one).

Thanks, and once I get it close I promise to post pics.

Warren

[Boeing Skunk Works]

What I did was, using FS, go to the airport I used to fly out of and park the aircraft were you would normally tie down. You should be familiar enough with that view in your head to make the eyepoint and zoom adjustments for narrowbody Boeing.

You'll have to guess a bit at the height, but you're about 7'+ up as opposed to three.

[fsaviator]

I was afraid that was the answer I was going to get..

I'll start playing with it.  Thanks!

Warren

[Boeing Skunk Works]

But it's better than for those who don't or whom have never flown before. At least we have a starting reference. A lot of guys don't have any sort of reference.

I can just see a departing flight out of STL and someone boarding wanting to sit in the pilot's seat..."but I just need to see what it looks like out the windscreen so I can adjust my simulator visuals..."

AIR MARSHALL!!! COULD WE SEE YOU AT THE FRONT DOOR PLEASE!

[fsaviator]

I hear that.

It's funny, I just spent a week flying around on commercial air.  Each time I was in a CRJ or EMB , I had a seat in the first row, so I got plenty face time into the cockpit until the doors closed.  The two times I was on a 737-700, I didn't even get a chance to glance in.

I remember growing up and countless rides on the jump seat of 737-200s.  Something else generations of kids after 9-11 will not get to experience, and maybe pass on the bug.

[fsaviator]

Got it!  Found the document I was looking for.  I had downloaded it when I was in Iraq, and luckily it was still on my laptop...

It's Ian Cameron's "Simulator Visuals - Three Projector Setup" for his Level-D 767 Cockpit.  I believe it's available here in the downloads or tutorials, and it's also available through Niko Kaan's site.

Warren

[Boeing Skunk Works]

That Boeing sits up quite a bit higher than the narrow bodies. It's also wider in the office.

[fsaviator]

I'll taking that into account.  Thanks.

I'm kind of at a stand-still right now.  I'm waiting on some parts to finish up my glareshield.  Once I get that, I believe I'll have a more realistic viewpoint to set the graphics up.  I just wasn't happy with what I was getting.

Once I have the glarehield, I can get the front windows in.  Once they're in, I can get the side windows in and the overhead.

That got me thinking and researching for fiberglass and how to work with it so I can do the window molding and side panels...

AHHHHHH.  I've got more tangents right now than a geometry textbook.  Did I mention, I had a few extra minutes this weekend so I started on the yokes...

Four-day coming up...  splitting it 50/50 with the family.

Warren

[nicd]

My website that you refer to is down at the moment, I may resurrect it in the future but not sure yet. My setup uses 5 view windows but has come along a fair bit since the info I had on the website. In the meantime Ian Cameron's guide is great .. btw Ian and I live close-by and we've conferred a lot on these issues.

A tip for getting your eye position correct long-ways (i.e. forward and back from the pilots seats) and vertically (i.e. up/down from the ground).  Turn on your AI traffic, then spot an AI aircraft which is parked at the gate that's the same make/type as your sim. Turn off crash detection. Taxi or slew up right next to it's fuselage in spot view so that the 2 aircraft noses are lined up, and/or so that the back pillar of the side windows is lined up. Now go back to you normal cockpit view in the sim and see how far it is out.. i.e. are the AI window pillars too far back/forward, or high low from your sim. Now adjust the eyepoint values in your FS .cfg file until the windows in the AI aircraft look to be exactly level with your sims windows (in cockpit view). Presto!

[fsaviator]

Thanks for the tip Nicd,

I'll be trying that out.  Ian's guide is great.  It pointed me in the right direction.

Warren

[ETomlin]

Im not finding the guide from Ian either here or at Nico's site. Can someone provide a direct link please?

thanks!

[fsaviator]

I'm at work right now...

PM me and I'll send it to you when I get home.

I'll try to contact Ian and see if he has any issue with me posting it for him.  I'm always reluctant to upload someone else's work, especially when I can't remember where I found it.

Warren

[ETomlin]

I'll try to contact Ian and see if he has any issue with me posting it for him.  I'm always reluctant to upload someone else's work, especially when I can't remember where I found it.

Warren

PM  sent and yes, please only do this if the author is okay with it.
Thanks!

[fsaviator]

Check your inbox

[ETomlin]

Excellent, thanks a million!

[Kennair]

My website that you refer to is down at the moment, I may resurrect it in the future but not sure yet. My setup uses 5 view windows but has come along a fair bit since the info I had on the website. In the meantime Ian Cameron's guide is great .. btw Ian and I live close-by and we've conferred a lot on these issues.

A tip for getting your eye position correct long-ways (i.e. forward and back from the pilots seats) and vertically (i.e. up/down from the ground).  Turn on your AI traffic, then spot an AI aircraft which is parked at the gate that's the same make/type as your sim. Turn off crash detection. Taxi or slew up right next to it's fuselage in spot view so that the 2 aircraft noses are lined up, and/or so that the back pillar of the side windows is lined up. Now go back to you normal cockpit view in the sim and see how far it is out.. i.e. are the AI window pillars too far back/forward, or high low from your sim. Now adjust the eyepoint values in your FS .cfg file until the windows in the AI aircraft look to be exactly level with your sims windows (in cockpit view). Presto!

Thanks Nic, that tip has got to rank up there with one of the best for the year.  I have struggled with this whole eyepoint issue from the outset but just live with and get use to the setup as it is. 

As for your website, I realise you are probably very busy with your commercial operations but I always found the information on your site incredibly valuable and it'd be a  shame if others couldn't also gain from your hard work.  If you could find some way of resurrecting it or incorporating it into another site I know this whole community would appreciate and benefit from it.

Good to hear from you also.

Cheers,

Ken.

[MLeavy737]

Hey guys, would a picture from eyeball perspective in the airplane help at all? I can take a few next time i fly.

Mike Leavy

[Boeing Skunk Works]

With a setting at, or a lens of 50mm, yes it would. 50mm is closest to the human eye from a perspective standpoint. You'll have to take them from where your eyepoint is. In other words, the film plane should be where your eye point is in an operational position.  You'll have to lean back some because the film plane will be in front of your eye.

A 50mm lens is not wide enough to cover the front windscreen from the pilot's position and you'll have to take multiple shots across the windscreen for a point of reference in the cockpit.

Common airports, ORD, LAS, STL, LAX, LGA, JAX, ATL, would be most helpful, but anything you shoot would be a plus!!!

Thanks for helping out.

[fsaviator]

Mike,  that would be great.

Warren

[MLeavy737]

Mike,  that would be great.

Warren

Just to update you.. Didnt forget, just havn't done any flying in a little while. Had some recurrent ground school classes to take and so far reserve has been nice and slow. just the way i like it!

Ill post as soon as i get one though!

Mike Leavy