MU-2 progress towards update

[tkyler]

This will be a running thread to keep people informed of my update work on the MU-2.   I haven't done this before because frankly, the tools and methods to change the MU-2 was intense enough that I haven't been ready to address it for almost a year now.  Well with another year of experiences, trials and errors, enormous help from other individuals like Ben Russell, I'm about ready to begin the MU-2 update process on the road to version 2.0.  

Does this mean I'm going to skip a 1.2 update?  possibly.  If I think I can redo the whole cockpit quick enough..yes I'll skip right over 1.2 and go for a heavily revamped version 2.0.  "Redo the whole cockpit...did i hear that right?".  Yes you did.  Nils wonderful BK-117 helicopter..available at x-plane.org has demonstrated just how cool a fully 3D pit can be.  The MU-2 only used a few true 3D instruments like the HSI because over half of it was already completed in Version 8, 2D type of technology.

I always wanted to make fully 3D gauges with clearer numbers and better interaction.  The interior lighting model isn't accurate, the fuses aren't even there.  Well the tech to revamp all this stuff and bring it "up to par" is in place in x-plane and thanks to Mr. Russell, I have some tools I need to tackle the task.  So then, I'm going to rebuild the cockpit, add some more features, clean up the plug-in and then release an update..and here's where you can read about the work.  

First order of business is to prepare the 3D instrumentation to build the panel.  I began with a true mechanical attitude indicator to replace the "lazy" EFIS unit that's in there now.  I had wanted to do this originally, but time constraints and lack of resources kept me from it...no more.  Do keep in mind that I'm working on 3 projects for 2010 in addition to some contract work.  This revamp will start a bit slow, but will build steam rather quickly.  Since I'll be reusing so much artwork from the original MU-2, things should progress quite quickly.....so I'll post here simply for folks curiosity as well as my occasional need to just do something other than model stuff.

[MatthewS]

Looking good!

Can you tell us what the 3 projects and contract work is?  Maybe something for XP10? 

[tkyler]

Well...one of the 3 projects is my King Air B200.  I won't say what the other one's are....but I will say I'm helping improve the quality of a few default aircraft for V10.

[tkyler]

So it's been a year with minimal updates...so what makes anybody think that the MU-2 will actually get updated?  Well here's the difference.  A year ago, I was using "stock" blender scripts by marginal to export out my geometry.  In that time, Ben Russell has helped develop some customized versions for x-aviation that support manipulators.  If you look at the screenshot below..you'll see the time differences it now takes to export out and hand adjust manipulator parameters.  On the MU-2...it was common to export out the cockpit..begin hand editing..get about 20 minutes into it..and realize I had missed something during the export....so I'd have to go back, re-export...hope I didn't miss anything, which I usually did...and then start over again. 

The MU-2 uses over 100 manipulators I think...I haven't counted them in practice..but there's certainly well over 100 manipulator groups in the blender file...I think Nils with his BK117 is the next highest product at 11 or so.  The King air uses about 20 so far..so I'm just getting started, but I don't have to even touch the object file for manipulators.  I basically make some hand edits for the lighting groups..which will be in the scripts soon enough also..and the export is done.  So not only am I down from about 1 hour of adjustments to 3-4 minutes..the lighting rheostats actually control the correct lighting in the King Air...whereas in the MU-2 it currently does not.

So with this increase in speed, redoing the MU-2 cockpit will be much quicker.  The downside is I have to rebuild the MU-2 pit from scratch in order to set it up properly to be exported.  Once done though, changes will be much much quicker..as will alternative versions of the pit if need be.  With some of the workflow changes that have been worked on over the last year, the hope is that we can shorten development time drastically.

[hobofat]

I'm really excited that you are revisiting the MU-2 cockpit.  The plane is fantastic as it is, even more so that no one else has done an MU-2.  That you are going to improve on it even more...

[Maxime]

Do you have any idea when x-plane 10 will come out?

Can't wait for the Mu-2 update!!!

[tkyler]

I have no idea when x-plane 10 will come out.

I think this "revamp process" for the Moo will be a bit more involved than previously thought...isnt' that always the way?  Well I am going after the 'troublesome' parts first, like this attitude indicator and the altimeter.  You can see the difference "pure 3D" makes.  I hope it doesn't bring computers to their knees :-).  The wipers are animated and working now also. 

[Maxime]

This is so cool, when do you plan to have this done?

[Airbus]

Tom thats a pretty fancy instrument you have there!

I hope it doesn't bring computers to their knees

Nah build for the future :-P.

[StevenM]

A good plane is becoming better. Keep the updates incoming, it's very interesting to see how a virtual plane inside X-Plane is build up.

[tkyler]

Ok..so this video is NOT of the MU-2..but it has implications for the MU-2 and all my future work.  One reason I didn't do the ADF on the Mu-2 was because it is actuated via a 3-knob stack.  That's just plain hard to work in 3D....but NO MORE!

This video (@7MB quicktime) shows an animation of actuating the radio knobs with manipulators and some plug-in code to manage the mess.  The important thing here is that the knob is "detented" like the real knob...as you grab and move the mouse, the frequencies will "snap" very easily in conjunction with the animation and you can select your frequency rather quickly. 

Another important distinction here is that the knobs themselves are the manipulators...well...sort of, but anyhow, the point is that if you can get the mouse cursor on a knob..then you're actuating that knob.  No more hunting for obscure hot spots..or clicking on the wrong knob.  If you have enough hand/eye coordination to put the mouse cursor on the knob you want, you're set.  This will make a 3-stack ADF knob for the MU-2 a breeze.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/948823/TKylerCode.mov

[Morten XPFW]

Awesome  ;D

M

[StevenM]

I have a TrackIr and using manipulators with it is always a bit of a chore since you have to keep your head eaxactly in one position when turning the knobs. It would be nice if rotating manipulators have a sticky focused state (eg. when selected with SHIFT-LMOUSE). Whether you scroll with the wheel or move up/down/left right it still will update regardless of your head movements. Another SHIFT-LMOUSE unleashes the focus.

Not unlike holding your hand on the control knob while turning your head.

[tkyler]

seems the latest version of x-plane DOES lock the camera view while you have "mouse down" on a manipulator...does it not work with track IR?  Also..once you're in the middle of a manpiulation..you can move the camera wherever you want and still change the manipulator until mouse up

[StevenM]

oh? I didn't know that. I'll give it a try as soon as possible.

[Wynthorpe]

This is looking awesome! I cant wait for this upgrade, glad i have the i7 rig, looks like i will need it

[tkyler]

Ok..another little update.  I've gotten over a hump..something i've been avoiding for the better part of a year now. Recall that the Moo started life in the middle of the V8 run.  Manipulators weren't quite available then, nor were the lighting technologies, nor even half the datarefs I created for the Moo, which are now standard.

implementing the newst of x-plane tech needed a rebuild of the cockpit infrastructure.  First order of business was taking the exising cockpit object and stripping it of all animations and manipulators.  Because the gauge set was a combination of both the panel texture animations and 3D animations, obtaining lighting consistency was next to impossible...hence the MU-2 has horrible night lighting.  As an example...see the cockpit image below.  The pilot airspeed indicator uses the new lighting system..the copilot airspeed indicator still has the old style..that seems to glow all the time...no good!.  It was necessary to get all the elements that are to be affected by lighting into the cockpit object.  This necessitates the integration of all the various objects and textures into the cockpit object.  Such integration required lots of UV remapping and texturing combining, which is ridiculously tedious and unpleasant to me; however, I've gotten over that hump.  The image below shows the resultant cockpit texture taken from five different source textures.  This will make handling of cockpit lighting 10x easier and more predicatable ala Nils BK117 helicopter.  In addition, I can now apply the manipulator methods I have and rewrite the plugin from scratch.  Rewriting from scratch is not as bad as it sounds because a lot of the datarefs are now default in x-plane and any logic algorithms can be copied from the old code to the new code.

In addition, I free up several misc object slots.  Combine that with 2048 textures here and there (only 1024 were allowed when I begun), then we have the foundation to start over-hauling the MU2 and bring it into modern day tech...hopefully one with a solid enough foundation to last for years to come.  I admit...I pushed the MU-2 a bit ahead of x-plane tech and risked it when I did, but hopefully, only a year and a half will be lost.  This new system will allow me to make changes very quickly and adapt new features.  The cockpit picture in at the bottom , uses the new cockpit texture...you'll note a new attitude indicator has been put in place.  The next version (2.0...totally skipping 1.2) will have the wipers working, the GTX330 transponder will be almost completely functional (if not completely)...the gauges will become all 3D.  I will exaggerate a few things here and there to make them a bit easier to read onscreen, more complete lighting will be implemented AND the ADF will work.   I'm debating whether or not to simulate the fuses / electrical system.  I have a system in place, but haven't tested it yet.  I suspect a smaller scale project would be a better candidate...in addition, I'm hoping to discuss with Austin some electrical system modifications to xplane for the future.  

So up next is to get all the instruments built in 3D (mostly adding needles / indicators), then implement the animations and manipulations.  The plug-in development is simultaneous with the manipulations.  Once the cockpit is "running", then I'll put out an update and then focus on the rest of the 3D, upping the quality and textures.

[Nik]

fantastic!

[garrettm30]

I'm debating whether or not to simulate the fuses / electrical system.

Since you are debating this with yourself, I would like to add that I would be interested in such a thing if it were to be implemented. The more like the real thing in terms of systems, the more I'm interested. That's my input anyway, though I will be pleased with whatever you give us, as I am with what you have already produced. Your MU-2 is my first pay-ware plane, and I don't regret it.

I love how you share with us the progress of the updated model. We are all very eager to fly your latest updates, but certainly we don't want to rush you. A little anticipation and drooling over the latest screenshots won't hurt us any.

[Simmo W]

Great and informative update Tom. And to think I thought the beauty of the moo was class leading already! A well lit cockpit will be greatly appreciated!

[hobofat]

Wonderful to hear that you are going right to Moo 2.0!  I'm curious if you have any plans for the GPS.  I know a custom GPS is probably well beyond the scope of this project, but is there any way to increase the clarity of the default display?  I find it to be very fuzzy, an issue not isolated to the MU-2 of course, any plane utilizing the default GPS.

[tkyler]

I won't do anything to the GPS at the moment.  You're right, it's quite a involved task to improve something like that...practically a project in and of itself.  Best I can say is we'd all like something better.  If the time is ever right, I'll probably look into it one day. I will say I am ALWAYS looking at and learning techniques that could prove useful in simulating things better. 

[Heino]

Hello.

Will it be possible to integrate the Reality xp gns 430, like in v. 1.1?

Best regards

Heino

[JBalsa]

Heino,

This is only an update. All of the functionality of the plane will remain the same. Tom is simply adding some more visual effects.

The GNS430 will still be compatible. 

-Jason

[tkyler]

This is only an update. All of the functionality of the plane will remain the same. Tom is simply adding some more visual effects.

The GNS430 will still be compatible. 

Actually Jason, the next update will be quite massive functionally speaking.  The upcoming Falco (hopefully released in 12-20 hours from now) is a demonstrator of the tech that will go into the next MU-2 update.  As far as Reality XP Garmin goes, the version I have for the MU-2 now is not interactive in 3D except to bring up the 2D popup.  The next version will be fully functional in 3D and 2D and will include the 430 and the 530 variants.

The Falco will come with the default 430 initially, but later in the week, I'll provide a reality XP version.