tkyler Posted November 30, 2010 Author Report Posted November 30, 2010 Hey Kesomir, check page 3 of this thread, last post. There's a big screenshot of the new panel..take a look for yourself and see what you think ;-) Quote
tkyler Posted January 1, 2011 Author Report Posted January 1, 2011 Progress update...refer to the quicktime movie link at the bottom. Behind the scenes is the new plugin allowing more rapid development and control of manipulators. Here's what to look for in the movie, not much, but it makes customization fast (not as fast as gizmo :-P), most of this programming was just in the last few hours.1.) Smooth animation of the volt/ammeter needles. This makes for smooth animating needles vs. instantaneous "pop". Note the effect when the battery switch it turned on2.) For the moment, I've changed my mind on offering both drag and click options for switches. Two position switches are altered with a single mouse click and any 3+ position switch is done with a click/drag. Note the two generator switches are done with a click and the inverter switch with a drag. The cursor for clicks are a "pointy finger" and a "hand" cursor indicated a click-drag. I did this because in a real airplane, a flip of a switch is a very quick thing whereas dragging such a short distance in xplane is a pain. The net effect is that the mental effort and time you might spend in a real plane to actuate a switch is more accurately simulated in my opinion. 3.) Switchguards are actuated with a single click and self closing OR if you're quick enough, you can click to open the guard, click the switch and click the guard again to close it. Fuel transfer simulation with 5 tanks (as opposed to 3 before) is up next.http://dl.dropbox.com/u/955680/mu2_progress.mov Quote
Dozer Posted January 1, 2011 Report Posted January 1, 2011 In future I will choose to live somewhere closer to the phone exchange so I can download via ADSL quicker than it would take to just walk to your house, wherever it may be, and just look over your shoulder...Looks great Tom! Dragging the light-switches on the overhead was a minor niggle when I started using the MU-2 - it's nice to see this changed. Very logical way of dealiing with the switchguards too. I assume you've got some standard 'not-instant-pop' plugin code written now for needles of that kind!For a while now I've been planning to build an altimeter (coincidentally. I don't have a fetish for altimeters or anything) that simulates the way altimeters work in gliders. Without an engine to agitate the moving parts, when climbing or descending in a glider the needle gets to within about 100ft of your true height and then sticks, because the force from the height-sensing mechanism isn't enough to overcome the resistance in the bearings etc. So if you want an accurate reading (for instance coming off the top of an aerotow, when you're charged for height as the tow-plane sees it), you tap the instrument panel near the altimeter, and the jolt frees up the mechanism for long enough for the needle to move to indicate your real height. Should be a simple exercise in plugin-writing, and that's about the limit of its usefulness to me as I don't particularly want to fly gliders in X-Plane while I do want to learn the art of plugin-coding! Quote
tkyler Posted January 2, 2011 Author Report Posted January 2, 2011 I assume you've got some standard 'not-instant-pop' plugin code written now for needles of that kind!I have standard plugin code for just about every kind of interaction and animation. It took a while to learn and set up (1.5 years :-P) but makes things very quick and efficient. As I mentioned though, Ben's Gizmo is a even more efficient step of coding and merges very well with what I'm doing. I'll be layering some gizmo functions right on top of what I have on the MU2....so if you want some painless and quick tool to try your altimeter in, do consider gizmo. It may sound like a sales pitch, but it delivers. Last night, in about 15 lines of code, I make a camera view that keeps the eyes on the horizon and rotates the 'head' based on the rate of turn / angle of bank to give a "look ahead" sensation when turning VFR final. Probably take a few hundred lines in C. Quote
Dozer Posted January 2, 2011 Report Posted January 2, 2011 I assume you've got some standard 'not-instant-pop' plugin code written now for needles of that kind!I have standard plugin code for just about every kind of interaction and animation. It took a while to learn and set up (1.5 years :-P) but makes things very quick and efficient. As I mentioned though, Ben's Gizmo is a even more efficient step of coding and merges very well with what I'm doing. I'll be layering some gizmo functions right on top of what I have on the MU2....so if you want some painless and quick tool to try your altimeter in, do consider gizmo. It may sound like a sales pitch, but it delivers. Last night, in about 15 lines of code, I make a camera view that keeps the eyes on the horizon and rotates the 'head' based on the rate of turn / angle of bank to give a "look ahead" sensation when turning VFR final. Probably take a few hundred lines in C.Ah, but I want to learn to write plugins myself When I can do myself what the tool can do for me, I can then use the tool, because I'll understand the tool. If I were to shortcut now I'd end up in a confused mess down the line! Quote
Ben Russell Posted January 2, 2011 Report Posted January 2, 2011 One does not learn C++ to write a web browser to check your GMail.If you'd rather dig trenches by hand with a hoe than cruise down the highway in a Mercedes, I'll see you at the bar.Can't say I'll save a drink for you though. Quote
Dozer Posted January 2, 2011 Report Posted January 2, 2011 One does not learn C++ to write a web browser to check your GMail.If you'd rather dig trenches by hand with a hoe than cruise down the highway in a Mercedes, I'll see you at the bar.Can't say I'll save a drink for you though.Of course not, one learns C++ because C++ is such fun to use Well given that my present experience of X-Plane development consist of building one 2d gauge from generic instruments, and installing Blender and what I'm now worried might have been the wrong XP2B script, and learning that a 3-view about 500px across from a manufacturer's brochure isn't really enough to build a Planemaker model from, I'm a fair distance away from having much need of any of it just yet! Quote
Ben Russell Posted January 2, 2011 Report Posted January 2, 2011 Starting as a general policy from here forward.If you make something interesting with Gizmo Home and share it with the rest of us I will happily give you a free license. Quote
tkyler Posted January 2, 2011 Author Report Posted January 2, 2011 Beat it -Indi, this is my thread ;DSeriously....I'm done for a while, have to get back on laminar stuff, but I did get the altimeter working to my satisfaction...MUCH smoother, more readable and realistic. Glad to be past those pesky rolling numbers....never thought 10 lines could take so long to write. Video link at the bottom. 8.7 MB quicktime float baro_altitude = XPLMGetDataf(xp_DR_baroAltitude); ((int)baro_altitude % 100 < 80 )? g_ind_alt_hundreds = ((int)baro_altitude % 1000)/100: g_ind_alt_hundreds = (float)(((int)baro_altitude % 1000)/100) + (float)((int)baro_altitude % 20)/20; (g_ind_alt_hundreds <= 9)? g_ind_alt_thousands = ((int)baro_altitude % 10000)/1000: g_ind_alt_thousands = (float)(((int)baro_altitude % 10000)/1000) + (float)((int)baro_altitude % 20)/20; (g_ind_alt_thousands <= 9 )? g_ind_alt_tenthousands = ((int)baro_altitude % 100000)/10000: g_ind_alt_tenthousands = (float)(((int)baro_altitude % 100000)/10000) + (float)((int)baro_altitude % 20)/20;http://dl.dropbox.com/u/955680/altimeter.mov Quote
tkyler Posted January 3, 2011 Author Report Posted January 3, 2011 Another good day today, unfortunately, I'm going to have to set it aside for a while now...I just allowed myself the weekend to work on it. A good 70% of the cockpit is animated with the new plugin, did the quadrant controls today...what remains is the overhead, a few copilot side stuff and some systems stuff. Definitely getting closer. The biggest change that most will be aware of is clearer instrumentation and better lighting. Most of the functionality will be the same but the fuel transfer system will be accurate and the Garmin transponder will be new, along with wipers (no rain effect yet) and the working overhead lighting controls. Quote
Dozer Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 Both good news and bad news then! Eagerly anticipating v1.5 (and also XP10). Thanks Tom! Quote
farr1225 Posted January 14, 2011 Report Posted January 14, 2011 Im new to the Mu-2 and to X-plane after having used MSFS for years, finally figuring out what I've been missing for years over the past few months. Anyway wanted to let you know this is excellent piece of work and like many others are looking forward to v1.5, and as of today just wondering if you have any more tidbits since it sounds like the release of the update is getting closer and no updates have been poster for a while now. Quote
tkyler Posted January 14, 2011 Author Report Posted January 14, 2011 Well it sits a week or two between me getting to work on it. But I have worked on it a bit the other day. I moved through the radio panel and got most all the buttons and knobs animating. So a bit closer still. Video of radio stack animation below.Now one consequence of the custom programming is that you should be able to actually use the TX1 / TX2 / PA switch with vatsim to put in a frequency in com1 and com2 and change from com1 to com2 with the TX switch......so this is helpful when transitioning from tower / approach / center and will make the MU2 with vatsim that much more realistic.http://dl.dropbox.com/u/955680/radio.mov Quote
mezopeter Posted January 14, 2011 Report Posted January 14, 2011 Hello,I use Trackir and it can be difficult when I move behind to the seat or going out from the plane...Is there any option to keep my movements in the cockpit in 3d view?ADF is great news and com 1, 2.For me MU-2 is the most amazing thing in X-PLANE! Quote
tkyler Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Posted January 15, 2011 TThank you, I'm glad you enjoy it, I hope the future updates will make it even more enjoyable.here's probably a 2-phase solution.1.) I can add in a "physics mesh" that will keep the camera in the cockpit area I believe and2.) Adjust the sensitivities in Track_IRPoint 1 should go a long way towards helping moreso than point 2 and it's a feature xplane has supported a while but I have not taken advantage of. I will work this in as soon as is practical after V1.5...perhaps as part of the V1.5 update. never having tried it, I have no idea how tough it will be but suspect it should be easy. Quote
farr1225 Posted January 15, 2011 Report Posted January 15, 2011 Awesome to hear Tkyler cant wait for the update, making a awesome piece of equipment even better. I just feel sorry for my poor Saitek yoke. Quote
Dozer Posted January 15, 2011 Report Posted January 15, 2011 Awesome! I used to love flying on VATSIM but in X-Plane i've made only one flight, a one-hour hop between two uncontrolled airports, just to see how XSquawkbox works and connects. The MU-2 is the most VATSIMmable a/c in my inventory (at least until Guy Montagu-Pollock finishes his Comet) so this is very welcome!I'd like to watch the video but my internet connection is being very, very slow and I've got to go to work.Farr1225 - I think you can set your own camera-position limits using Sandy Barbour's PilotView plugin, but I don't have time to explain how. Quote
MaidenFan Posted January 15, 2011 Report Posted January 15, 2011 Take a look at the aileron trim. Is it supposed to move that far? You might want to look at that for the update. I'm on an Intel Mac with 9.61RC2. Quote
tkyler Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Posted January 15, 2011 WHOA! Will definitely fix that in the next update! Thanks for pointing that out. Quote
MaidenFan Posted January 16, 2011 Report Posted January 16, 2011 WHOA! Will definitely fix that in the next update! Thanks for pointing that out.Cool, thanks. I've been flying that thing a lot lately. It's a blast to fly. I can't wait for the update. Quote
Dozer Posted January 16, 2011 Report Posted January 16, 2011 My internet connection is half-dead - the picture above didn't load last time I looked at this thread. Was watching radios.mov thinking 'and where is the aileron trim here exactly?' Very much enjoying the updates Tom! Quote
tkyler Posted January 23, 2011 Author Report Posted January 23, 2011 A bit of good news to report I guess. I finally got the plugin project moved to my home machine. Why is that a good thing? Well imagine working on xplane stuff all day and ready to go home. Who wants to stay late and work at the office when you have dinner and family at home? Not me.I don't mind working on the plugin at home, it can be a bit relaxing...so it's nice to get it set up. With that in mind, I made some progress on the quadrant. I'm putting in code to cater to the hardware and keyboard users and that's being a bit challenging with the custom datarefs. But the props are up and working, throttles, condition levers, etc....dare I say I'm cresting the difficult stuff and hopefully moving downhill. I suspect I'll work on this a few times a week in the evenings and get this thing out. Quote
Dozer Posted January 23, 2011 Report Posted January 23, 2011 Interesting to know you don't work from home Tom! Do you do X-Plane stuff full-time then? I assume most flight simulator 3rd-party devs work part-time alongside a full-time job! Quote
MaidenFan Posted January 23, 2011 Report Posted January 23, 2011 That's good news! I can't wait to see the new update. Quote
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