[WMCoolmon]

Meh, too bad.

I'll be poking around with that code sometime soon...does anyone have a 3D cockpit model? (In POF format, so I can't fudge something up in the conversion process. )

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by WMCoolmon
Meh, too bad.

I'll be poking around with that code sometime soon...does anyone have a 3D cockpit model? (In POF format, so I can't fudge something up in the conversion process. )

Depends what you need.  I have some fairly hi-poly (relative terms) cockpits done for models which I can adapt.  Unless you wanted to try loading the actual entire ship pof itself (i.e. being able to see exterior details and all.... it's be messy in terms of design and polycount, but a sensible modeller would be able to work with that and scrap the unecessary details such as undersides...)

[WMCoolmon]

Just a cockpit, specifically, the part you'd want to see with the front view. I don't think an entire cockpit would work with the code used for the targeting computer.

Anything further than that will have to wait, unless I want a break from my current SCP project .

[quadrophoeniX]

Well, Nukes HUD would reduce screen clutter as he puts it, BUT you would to move your focus away from the axis, which to my believe leads to worse oversight in dogfights: to follow your primaries you'd still look straight ahead then back to the target then watch the hit (or  miss) then look for the next target off center, to controll your course agein straight ahead and so on I would call such REM...

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by WMCoolmon
Just a cockpit, specifically, the part you'd want to see with the front view. I don't think an entire cockpit would work with the code used for the targeting computer.

Anything further than that will have to wait, unless I want a break from my current SCP project .

Any idea of the size required?

I'll jiffy up a very crude concept model tonight.  Most of the cockpits I've made (or rather, those one the models) are designed to have a big clear glass view, natch.

[Nuke]

Originally posted by quadrophoeniX
Well, Nukes HUD would reduce screen clutter as he puts it, BUT you would to move your focus away from the axis, which to my believe leads to worse oversight in dogfights: to follow your primaries you'd still look straight ahead then back to the target then watch the hit (or  miss) then look for the next target off center, to controll your course agein straight ahead and so on I would call such REM...

mind you this is the same kinda lead incicator you find on fighterplanes today. any combat flight manual will tell you that its not a good idea to lock your eyes on a single point on the hud.  this lead indicator would of course be optional via the hud_gauges.tbl so that it doesnt screw with cannon.

a cool feature of the virtual cockpit would be to map the hud out onto actual geometry, so that you could model a working hud into the virtual cockpit. generally speaking cockpits without working gauges or moving parts tend to be very boring. also you could use the hud_gauges.tbl to map out non-hud gauges for the ships control panel. you would need some sort of alpha blending to make it work. the problem is makeing things like lead indicators and aspect lock lign up the where they are supposed to be. the best bet would be to make the view angle square with the hud model and from a set distance, so that gauge positions could be properly calculated.

[WMCoolmon]

To-scale, ie 'life'-size in Freespace scale.

Nuke, one feature at a time (Mapping gauges onto a texture, which AFAIK simply can't be done without lower-level graphics work.)

[Nuke]

i just get excited when stuff i want gets implemented

really vcs arent that high on my wish list cause id have to make them for all 12 of my new fighters.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by WMCoolmon
To-scale, ie 'life'-size in Freespace scale.

Nuke, one feature at a time (Mapping gauges onto a texture, which AFAIK simply can't be done without lower-level graphics work.)

This is a bit of rush chop-socky job off of a bomber, so it isn't pretty - it's literally cut out of the model.  It is at least properly scaled, tho.  There's no pof data added.


(suggested rough view.  Could use this if you wanted to test 2d cockpits, i guess)

pof + maps; http://www.3dactionplanet.com/hlp/hosted/casofwar/temp/cpTest.zip

[Taristin]

Excapt that ~50% of the view is obstructed.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Raa
Excapt that ~50% of the view is obstructed.

Originally posted by aldo_14


This is a bit of rush chop-socky job off of a bomber, so it isn't pretty - it's literally cut out of the model.

Just be glad I deleted the HUD; this was built for eye level of the pilot model, not player use.

[Nico]

Can also use my cockpit, just remove the useless bits ( pilot, sides, etc ). I believe the map s higher res than Aldo's one ( and it's the actual FS cockpit too )

[Gregster2k]

That's a freaking good idea actually...then once (IF) the SCP ever has real dynamic lighting the HUD area can be lit by the actual lighting if any shine near the windows...man, imagine flying past an Orion and having its running lights illuminate your cockpit like the lamp lights on the interstate...or having the binary stars of a system shine double shadows of two colors on your cockpit's side panels...

mmmmmmmmmm.......

I say why not? BRING ON THE EYECANDY! and if some dont want it, then bring on the commandline toggler switches!

*waits with great anticipation for the possibility of a universal HTL cockpit model made with the FS2 cockpit*

-----------

To differentiate between different ships that have the same cockpit by the way, why not add a new feature:
allow people to see the exterior of their ship from inside the cockpit if they want to? Certain vessels have their parts extend juuuust enough that one should in theory be able to see their own ship's wings or nose from the safety of their own cockpit. Would aid in judging distance from a vessel before your bomber smacks into it trying to do a torp run.

As of yet, I know of VERY few space games I've played where you can peek out the front and actually see your ship's real exterior (the actual model others see) from its cockpit.

on the downside of course, this means that pilots of the GTF Ulysses will have their view slightly obstructed on both sides by the two wings on the side. But an addition like I've proposed would GREATLY add to the funfactor and "you're there" feeling...

GOAL: To be flying a SF Manticore (Terrans) and see the two spiky Shivan columns that extend on both sides from its cockpit VISIBLE on both sides, unleashing their red lasers of death on those I attack.

If this concept is implemented it will pave the way for potential future endeavors like capital ship piloting where you are on the bridge of an orion and can actually see the rest of your ship from its bridge windows...

Think about it

[WMCoolmon]

For the record, I did work on the 3D HUD model today for a bit. With my virtually nonexistent 3D object manipulation skills, I put together this:

Code: [Select]

//Do 3D cockpit model
vector camera_eye = {0.0f,0.0f,0.0f};
vector orient_vec = {0.0f,0.0f,0.0f};
vector obj_pos = {0.0f,0.0f,0.0f};
vector up_vector = {0.0f,0.0f,0.0f};
matrix camera_orient = IDENTITY_MATRIX;
float factor = 2;
float Hud_target_object_factor = 2.2f;

//I know this is wrong.
int cp_model = -1;
cp_model = model_load("cockpitTest.pof", 0, NULL, 0);

vm_vec_normalize(&orient_vec);
vm_vector_2_matrix(&camera_orient,&orient_vec,&up_vector,NULL);
vm_vec_copy_scale(&obj_pos,&orient_vec,factor);

// hud_render_target_setup(&camera_eye, &camera_orient, 0.5f * Hud_target_object_factor);
model_clear_instance(cp_model);
model_render( cp_model, &camera_orient, &obj_pos, MR_NO_LIGHTING | MR_LOCK_DETAIL | MR_AUTOCENTER);
// hud_render_target_close();
//End 3d model

...which did absolutely nothing, except maybe cause a noticeable drop in FPS.

[Bobboau]

what coordinate space are you in?

try rendering at View_position with View_matrix

get rid of model_clear_instance, it dosen't do what you think it does

[Drew]

Originally posted by Raa
Excapt that ~50% of the view is obstructed.

thats why people invented bubble cockpits

[Lynx]

'nother idea: Would it be possible to add a "mirror" to the HUD, a window, let's say of the size of the VDU that shows you what's going on behind you without forcing you to turn around to the rear view?

[WMCoolmon]

You'd have to ask Bobboau, that's FAR beyond HUD code and well into the 3D engine specifics.

I suspect the answer is no though, because FS2 was designed with the idea of one camera being in one place at any one time.

[Lynx]

Is it possible to have a custom shield counter for the player ship?(for example, I target a ship of the same type as the player ship, but you see a different shield counter for the player ship instead of the standard  one displayed for that type of ship)