FSDreamTeam forum
General Category => Unofficial F/A-18 Acceleration Pack board => Topic started by: Orion on December 10, 2012, 04:22:47 am
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See the new thread for more information. (http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,10539.0.html)
Pitching Deck Sample (0.1.2.0)
(http://i.imgur.com/IFSnU.png)
Ever wish you could land on a pitching and rolling aircraft carrier in Flight Simulator? Well, it's about time - now you can. Enjoy, and happy holidays!
- Create AI carriers
- Enable a pitching deck motion
- Enable a rolling deck motion
- Save settings locally
- Load locations from web presets
- Automatic updater
Requirements
- .NET Framework 4.0 Client Profile (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17113) or newer
- Flight Simulator X: Acceleration
Usage
Select a preset from the drop down menu, or enter data in the fields manually. The title field refers to the SimObject title, as seen in the sim.cfg file. Latitude and longitude should be expressed in decimal degrees. Heading is in degrees, and speed is in knots. Changing values in a textbox after creating AI will not take effect until the next time you create AI.
Hover over any control to see a tooltip describing program usage.
Known Issues
- Pausing the simulator may cause the pitching and banking motion to become irregular.
- Runway and FLOLS lights do not pitch with the carrier.
- Catapults may become disarmed.
Change Log
December 22, 2012 (0.1.0.0)
January 22, 2013 (0.1.1.0)
- Stores pitch/bank period/amplitude settings in the XML file.
January 3, 2014 (0.1.2.0)
- Refactored update class.
- Migrated web presets and updates to different server.
- BeatlesBlog SimConnect is now contained within the program executable. (No need to keep track of the DLL.)
Download is located at the new thread (http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,10539.0.html).
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Cool! 8)
And how much the ship would roll and pitch?
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Right now it'll pitch about ±0.7° and roll about ±0.3°. Not nearly as dramatic as other solutions, but it helps hides the fact that Javier didn't model the under waterline section of the hull. :P
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Lovely!
What about FLOLS? Would it pitch/roll as well?
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FLOLS, along with the other runway lights, stay stationary relative to the rest of the visual model.
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...which means pilots will have problems trying to stay on glideslope? ???
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It's effectively stabilized - the ball shows the glideslope relative to the normal position of the carrier - so pilots won't be chasing the deck up and down. Additionally, the ILS/TACAN needles still work on J.R.'s HUD, so people can find glideslope/lineup deviations that way as well.
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Very cool, could be an early xmas!
Is this ready for beta test or download?
If not, do you have a video showing the degree of motion? Curious to see what the pitch and roll looks like in FSX, the values seem low, but it is better than nothing.
Did you see VRS's pitching deck as part of TACPACK? Pretty crazy :o
GOONIE
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No. I'd like to make sure everything works properly before releasing it.
I don't have any video, and can't currently record one. It's enough to be noticable, but not overly done. 0.7 degrees is actually quite a bit considering the size of an aircraft carrier. I wasn't able to find any specific values of amplitude/period to match, so I just went with what I thought looked reasonable.
I've seen VRS's pitching deck and found videos of it to be quite silly. While I could make the deck pitch and bank as much as they have, I certainly wouldn't want to.
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Can I do "anything" to help, Orion!!!! ;)
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orion, this is great, thanks a lot; hope you will release it soon :)
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I wonder how much this would effect the vLSO? Awesome work Orion I'm looking forward to this mod.
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Orion,
Understand the carrier lights are modeled separately in FSX. Do you know how they get the lights to sync with the carrier when it moves, even at varying speeds which you can adjust? Curious if that same logic could be used to sync lights to the pitch and roll of the carrier model. Just thinking pitching deck at night would be the ultimate.
Definitely up for helping you beta test if you want, Xmas is still a few weeks off.
GOONIE
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I haven't tried, but vLSO should continue to work normally.
The carrier lights are located based on the model's attachpoints. Based on my testing, boat type SimObjects inherently do not support rotational velocities. I've managed to work around this by putting the carrier in slew, then setting the slew pitch velocity. However, attachpoints don't seem to rotate along with the rest of the boat - even though it works fine for aircraft.
You will be able to see lights as long as they're not obstructed by other parts of the model, though - so you're not entirely in the dark.
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That is insane! can't wait to try that out.
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IRL do the lights compensate for sea states?
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SUBS17,
Yes indeed http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=2308.45 (http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=2308.45)
Orion,
Just curious... Here's my gues how the ship would look like if nose pitched up to -0,7. Yes, Javier's model has no underwater parts, so we can see that its flat bottom shows up from the water :)
(http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3069/cvnpitch.png)
Do the ship's roll/pitch axes coincide with the center of its model? If yes, I suppose that this pitch will effectively heave the FLOLS (and its focal point) to a certain extent. Additionally, touchdown points (i.e. wires) will move up and down too... The vLSO, on the other hand, supposes that the focal point of the FLOLS is steady somewhere at 54'..55' ASL. Have you tried to land on the deck with your program and vLSO running simultaneously?
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I'm not actually sure about the rotational axis - I'd expect it to be around the center of the model, though. The FLOLS assembly will heave, but the lights will stay in roughly the same three dimensional position relative to the non-moving rotational axis of the carrier. I don't have a good way of verifying the wire and catapult locations, though. I haven't flown with both the vLSO and the pitching carrier yet, in fear of being waved off. :P
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I'll keep my fingers crossed for you ;D
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See initial post (http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=7723.0).
I'll be out for the holidays, so have fun and try not to break it. :P
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.NET Framework 4.5 does not support Windows XP
Bummer... :-[
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Made a new version (http://goo.gl/Ftjc4) targeting .NET 4 Client Profile. Should be compatible with XP, but I haven't tested it. Also added the link to the first post. Make sure you download the main package so you have the readme and BeatlesBlog SimConnect library.
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video clip showing Orion's pitching deck.
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For me that is a good video find, thanks. Just for information if anyone wants to try the SRVL Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing on a CVF (is there an FSX CVF - UK new carrier - available?) or a CVN angle deck (similar deck run length for the SRVL) the UK F-3 5Bs plan to approach on a six degree glideslope at 60 knots airspeed to have a wheelspeed touch down at around 35 knots (so 25 knots of WOD) [touchdown point is approx. 150 feet forward from the stern - although computer landing aid technology can vary this point considering conditions at the time so that a safe landing/stopping is possible].
The F-35B has done many rolling vertical landings on the runways at NAS Patuxent River. However the SRVL is only likely to be tested on an actual CVF around 2018, when CVF will be first in service being tested with the F-35Bs for the RN/RAF. The SRVL may not be used at all it was revealed in June last year - however computer modelling and likely testing will happed due to a contract for this purpose. It is unlikely to be used on a CVN because the USMC (which had hoped to have an all F-35B force before changing to have some F-35Cs which will operate from CVNs (rather than any USMC F-35Bs). Time will tell I suppose.
Here is a deck plan for the ski jump CVF which will be used with the UK F-35Bs (shown here) while the angle deck version is not going to be used but shown in JPG online:
http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/320960_484091574965928_192756236_n.jpg
Now attached is a ZIPPED .WMV clip 'CVF_F-35BnightSRVL.zip' (2.5Mb) from an old animated video about the CVF showing an SRVL with approximate touchdown point near the aft portion of the aft island on CVF. Screenshots attached are from this video clip.
http://www.baesystems.com/cs/groups/public/documents/digitalmedia/mdaw/mdq1/~edisp/baes_027258~2~h264rendition.mp4 (20Mb)
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Same clip as ZIP file .WMV attached is here on Youtube:
CVF F-35B Night SRVL Animation
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If you can somehow get the cats to work this program will be near the top, if not the very top, of my "best FSX addon ever" list.
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The catapults are out of my control. However, I've found that you can connect to the catapults and launch if you're quick, but often they become disarmed.
I suspect this is because the attachpoint for the catapult, like the runway lights and IFLOLS, doesn't pitch and roll with the rest of the visual model.
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Spaz CVF for FSX WIP
http://z13.invisionfree.com/Flying_Stations/index.php?showtopic=310&st=0
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is there a way to make the deck stop pitching when you're wheels down on deck, then start up again on take-off? that's how vrs got around that issue with their tacpack
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Thanks 'Letourn' - I'll check it out.
Another potential candidate perhaps: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?71714-Queen-Elizabeth-Class-Carrier
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Hey Orion, is there a way to modify how much the deck pitches and rolls? For most ops I would enjoy a more subtle deck movement pattern. Perhaps in a future beta release there could be controls implemented that allowed used specified pitch and roll values.
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is there a way to make the deck stop pitching when you're wheels down on deck, then start up again on take-off? that's how vrs got around that issue with their tacpack
Seems rather silly to stop the pitching deck motion once you've landed. Sort of defeats the purpose, if you ask me.
Hey Orion, is there a way to modify how much the deck pitches and rolls? For most ops I would enjoy a more subtle deck movement pattern. Perhaps in a future beta release there could be controls implemented that allowed used specified pitch and roll values.
Initially I was considering storing the amplitude/period settings in the XML file, but ultimately I decided against it. This is partly because I've found that certain values can completely break the pitching deck motion. However, since you seem interested, I'll include functionality to change the aforementioned settings in the next update.
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Cool. I look forward to it! When you release it, assuming I have time, I'll mess around with it and see if I can find suitable combinations of values that provide a subtle, yet realistic looking pitching/rolling deck. If I come up with something I'll definitely post my results here on the thread.
Pyro
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Sure thing! Hopefully I'll be able to find some time this week. Don't think it should be too complicated to add... :P
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Okay, I've published an update which makes the program store the pitch/bank amplitude/period in the XML file. You can only edit the XML file while the program is closed.
When you update, be sure to delete your existing PitchingDeck.xml file, otherwise the program will fail to launch the next time you try opening it. If you wish, you can copy your custom location preset(s) into the new XML file.
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Quick question. What exactly are the period and amplitude measured in? It looks like period is measured in seconds, but I can't really figure out the amplitude values.
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Period units are 1/6 of a second and amplitude is something that seems rather non-linear. Sorry I can't help more with that.
If you have the FSX SDK, you can verify the current pitch/bank amplitude of the carrier by selecting the carrier in the Traffic Toolbox Traffic Map tool.
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That actually helped a lot. As soon as you said non-linear it made a lot more sense :D
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Happy new year! Here's the 0.1.2.0 changelog:
- Refactored update class.
- Migrated web presets and updates to different server.
- BeatlesBlog SimConnect is now contained within the program executable. (No need to keep track of the DLL.)
Download (http://goo.gl/dvZtd)
Also, if you have an older copy, you should be notified and given an option to download the update on next launch.
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Nice work Orion! I'll give it a go later when I'm home.
Pyro
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Just did my first trap on the pitching deck :o
Love it! See my track starts coming down AR and then goes even down below the deck IW - that's because the deck was pitching down when I was AR, and I remember I started spotting the deck at that point... ;D
I also noticed, FLOLS and ILS were both stabilized, so was vLSO - that's good.
Oh, how much the deck pitches and rolls, by the way?
BZ, Orion! 8)
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Orion,
How is your pitching deck tool different than the VRS's pitching deck functionality? I guess the biggest difference is it is free ;D Tacpack let's you create carriers and has three settings for pitching deck intensity. Does yours include roll? I flew last night and noticed VRS got the deck lights and IFLOLS to move with the pitching deck, made for some great night pitching deck flying!!! Had some wave offs IC.
Goonie
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Nice work Orion! I'll give it a go later when I'm home.
Pyro
Glad to help! :) Did you ever try additional values for the amplitude and period?
Just did my first trap on the pitching deck :o
Love it! See my track starts coming down AR and then goes even down below the deck IW - that's because the deck was pitching down when I was AR, and I remember I started spotting the deck at that point... ;D
I also noticed, FLOLS and ILS were both stabilized, so was vLSO - that's good.
Oh, how much the deck pitches and rolls, by the way?
BZ, Orion! 8)
Great! Glad you like it, and nice approach. :D The deck should pitch approximately ±0.7° and roll approximately ±0.3°. You can customize the amplitude (units are non-linear) and period (units are 1/6 of a second) by adjusting the values in the XML file (while the program is shut down).
Orion,
How is your pitching deck tool different than the VRS's pitching deck functionality? I guess the biggest difference is it is free ;D Tacpack let's you create carriers and has three settings for pitching deck intensity. Does yours include roll? I flew last night and noticed VRS got the deck lights and IFLOLS to move with the pitching deck, made for some great night pitching deck flying!!! Had some wave offs IC.
Goonie
The pitching deck is, as far as I know, implemented similarly to VRS' solution. However, the major difference, as you pointed out, is that it is available free of charge. :) As indicated in the program UI, the readme, and in this thread, my program does allow for bank/roll. Which carrier are you using with TacPack?
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I did try changing the values but I didn't even come close to achieving what I had hoped. Movements were too absurd looking and I don't have the patience to sit and tweak values a tiny bit at a time. ::)
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I realize this is a rather old thread, but:
None of the links to download Pitching Deck are active any longer. Is there a place that it can be D/L'd from these days? I would love tog et ahold of this program...
Pat☺