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Side view

 

I mean actual side mounted monitors that show the view from the sides while you are flying. You know you turn your head to the left and can see your buddy flying next to you. What track IR does on your center screen. I am wanting to make a pit like BadCRCs but i would like a full enclosed pit for absolute realism. This may not even be possible do the the amount of memory required but I am all for putting in a separate graphics card or whatever I have to do to make this work.

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sure you can do it and memory is not the issue, the issue will be too much performance loss due to very high FoV where not only you get s**t load of fixels to run, but also all objects in that FoV and that will kill framerate. Actually on the other hand you could get away with it bu only if you use low scenery option (no cities & forests)

No longer active in DCS...

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You can do this, but there is a large performance hit.

 

In my layout posted above I used one external view port with about a 140-160 degree field of view. It is not side views though. If you go above a single view with 160 FOV the rendering engine goes belly up and renders about 0.25 frames per second.

 

To get side views you need to configure side views you need to configure three view ports. This causes more of a performance hit than a 140 FOV, but doesn't choke. The performance hit is due to the engine now essentially rendering three cameras instead of one.

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Hi fredd3039- it's possible - and I can second what Gadroc said.

 

Instead of writing a answer "how-to " only for you I copy'n'pasteed a answer that I already have given.

 

Please extract the given info for you.

 

I think everything you need to know is written down in the following links.

 

 

If you need more assistance - please post a less general question and give me the data of your used setup - so I can have a look at it and tell you exactly what you can do for best look and/or performance.

 

Because : It is also possible to have a single view-port - spanned across two screens , but your "center-view" is only in your main-screen. But to assist you on this very unusual kind of setting I need at least your desktop-properties + all relevant info.

 

;)

 

 

And welcome aboard! :)

 

 

 

Its up to you (and your setup)!

 

You can add as many view-ports as you like (Or your GPU can scope)

In a row or some of them for a stacked image.

 

Have a look here to see what I mean and especially the "MonitorSetup".lua:

>>> projecting the "up" view

 

 

JG14 is right.

 

You can create how much view-ports as you want in DCS.

 

I made a example with 5 view-ports for demonstration:

 

The used "MonitorSetup - LUA":

_  = function(p) return p; end;
name = _('5 Screen');
Description = 'Configuration with 5 identical monitors each with its own camera'
Viewports = 
{
    Left = 
    {
         x = 0;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = -1;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    },

    Center = 
    {
         x = screen.width / 5;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = 0;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    },

    Right = 
    {
         x = screen.width * 2 / 5;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = 1;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    },

    Back = 
    {
         x = screen.width * 3 / 5;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = 2.4;
         viewDy = 0;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    },
    
    Up = 
    {
         x = screen.width * 4 / 5;
         y = 0;
         width = screen.width / 5;
         height = screen.height;
         viewDx = 0;
         viewDy = 1;
         aspect = screen.aspect / 5;
    }
}


UIMainView = Viewports.Center

A additional explanation how this lua calculates the screen positions schown on the "Right" viewport:

 

Right =

{

x = screen.width * 2 / 5;

this line gives following command:

take sceenwidth found in options.lua and divide this value with 5 and multiply with 2.

- so the X starting point for this viewport is = 1536

because:

3840

/

5

*

2

-----

= 1536

 

 

And this is how it will look if used with a resolution of 3840x768:

attachment.php?attachmentid=61223&stc=1&d=1326544666

 

With a eyefinity 5 setup and 5 projectors (and a lot of V-ram and even more tweaking...) you should be able to create a similar projection like seen here:

 

 

 

 

More on this mater:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1343099#post1343099

 

 

 

 

 

Further:

And while we are on it and talking about multi-monitors:

Triple-head/Multi-Monitor GUI and NVG Fix

 

Fix: adding a custom resolution to in-game options.

 

SoftTH NEWS

 

 

And I really recommend in looking into this thread - so you know what kind of problems you will face, and what workarounds are available:

A Plea for View-Export export/Multi-head users. - ED Forums

(I also highly recommend to subscribe to it - as I will post updates if another workaround is a available or what the Devs have made to fix it)

 

 

and another one :

 

Still WIP - but this should give you a helping hand for your first steps writing your own MonitorSetup.lua:

Dummies Guide for the “MonitorSetup.lua“ - ED Forums


Edited by PeterP

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I'm still hoping that this will a possible answer/solution as long the Devs will not come up with something diffrent:

ED! THIS ONE IS EASY: A Supported MFCD/Image Export API!!

 

Its a very similar approach what Kegetys has done with AIESTY in LockOn

>>> "AIESTV", Maverick+Shkval display overlay/external window/network stream

 

let's hope Zarthrag will sort the bugs out. his approach seems to be legit at least for the not so refresh sensitive view-ports.


Edited by PeterP

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That's because this kind of render is made for a static view.

 

It is physical impossible to ad something like Track-ir on-top on your "natural view"

 

- just like in this example:

 

- now try to imagine to use a TrackIR in this pit ...?!

seems kind of useless - don't you think so too?! ;):)

 

 

viewport-cube.png


Edited by PeterP

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True, If I had 270 degrees and up top covered then it would be excellent, no track IR required :)

 

Something like iracing has the three renders but still lets you use track ir properly, for those without 270 degrees and a 4th screen for the top view it's still a really nice feature to have and can obviously be done.

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True, If I had 270 degrees and up top covered then it would be excellent, no track IR required :)

 

Something like iracing has the three renders but still lets you use track ir properly, for those without 270 degrees and a 4th screen for the top view it's still a really nice feature to have and can obviously be done.

 

Exactly !

 

The reason why it works in Iracing (and every car-racing) so good is because your view is "always" in level to your relative heading - so the horizon will not get bended in zig-zag.

--You will look in a car racing always to your steerpoint to be "on track" - you don't do it in a flight-sim - so you don't notice this so much. But the render is almost the same.

 

These are things that you only experience in DCS while taxiing and while your take-off run.

 

The overall render method is not the problem - its our limited FOV (when looking on monitor('s) ) to simulate the real-world, that is causing the trouble. - simply because it's physical not possible to simulate a normal FOV on a small window that covers only a small portion of your natural FOV.

 

 

So there is simply no reason to be sorry about to try something that is impossible - it's always a compromise for us desktop jockeys.

 

 

(FOV = Field Of View)


Edited by PeterP

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Exactly !

 

The reason why it works in Iracing (and every car-racing) so good is because your view is "always" in level to your relative heading - so the horizon will not get bended in zig-zag.

--You will look min a car racing always to your steerpoint to be "on track" - you don't do it in a flight-sim - so you don't notice this so much. But the render is almost the same.

 

These are things that you only experience in DCS while taxiing and while your take-off run.

 

I am not sure I can agree with you here. You are making it sound as if it cannot be done and the only reason it works in something like iracing is because of your heading.

 

iRacing takes a number of factors for it's screen setup. The width, height, angle of side monitors and eye distance to the screens.

 

All this information must be entered and when done correctly the results are excellent. I think this is enough information to render three screens properly with a trackir enabled configuration and from what I have seen I believe it is more than just a coincidence that it only works because of where the nose is pointing.

 

A lot of tracks and various up's and downs and down corkscrews that should show up these issues as dcs does if there is no technical way to avoid it.

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I'm really not really aware if it's suitable to hold this kind of conservation in this thread....;)

 

But :

 

You are right - iRacing let's you adjust much more settings for each view-ports as we can do in DCS. - so it's much more natural and you can set it up exactly to your monitor-setup.

 

When we change in DCS our "zoom" (=FOV) all view-ports get out of alignment. - things you would never try in a car-racing game...

 

DCS options in the View-port setting isn't capable to set a specific FOV for each view port / it's only DX /DY - and when you change the FOV - it's all view ports or nothing..!;)

 

So I hope you get my point .

To get the same results like in iRacing - we have to use only one FOV that reflects only our real FOV that our monitors covers in the Real-world in DCS .

 

Again: I agree that iRaching has much more options for customisations - but it is also only a compromise. - and is only working for your monitor-setup at a specific FOV to look natural.

 

BTW: You can readjust the missing FOV for different view-ports setting of DCS by using SoftTH... but this is a unwritten thread up to now...

 

Good night!:)


Edited by PeterP
typos ,gramer , even more thoughts...

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Yes, I understand that its possible with iracing because of the extra options to cater for it.

 

I was just pointing, trying to be on topic, that TIR will screw things up in DCS with three screen rendering. For some people this might be a surprise if they are used to it working better in other games.

 

But - in iracing you can change the FOV to one that might not be realistic but it will still maintain the correct angles on the screens given the other screen information you entered on setup.

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I was just pointing, trying to be on topic, that TIR will screw things up in DCS with three screen rendering. For some people this might be a surprise if they are used to it working better in other games.

:thumbup:

Things that I "try" to explain the last three years on this forum.:P

 

I also agree that we both agree :D

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In practice three views works nicely in BlackShark as you don't need to pan up and down as much (assuming you have a Helios or physical cockpit). You don't really need to use TrackIR in this setup. Although I abandoned it for the better performance of one view.

 

A-10C is a different story. The wide view with TrackIR works better all the way as you always need your head on a swivel and need to look straight up and your six.

 

Also for folks trying it a three view setup works best with around 90 degree angle between center and side screens. Single view with TrackIR works better with a max of a 45 degree angle.

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Also what if you don't use trackIR, look to the left and spot a target and zoom in to see better? :) doesn't really work does it?

It will always zoom to the center screen.

4790K@4,6Ghz | EVGA Z97 Classified | 32GB @ 2400Mhz | Titan X hydro copper| SSD 850 PRO

____________________________________

Moments in DCS:

--> https://www.youtube.com/user/weltensegLA

-->

 

WELD's cockpit: --> http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=92274

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No problem at all - its The same as with only one monitor - you only see more to one side. Its just a shifted center-view.

 

 

Edit: complete reworked post :

 

Try it yourself - just edit the "monitorsetup".lua to have a look how it works.

 

BTW: this code below is maybe exactly what the OP is looking for using two same screens side by side.

 

But it only works if you shift the "center" to the left , as the X value of a view-port can't be negative. - The top/left corner of a view-port hast to be always inside the in-game-screen.

 

"Center" and GUI on Right with two identical screens:

 

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('2 Screen with one view-port/Center on R');

Description = 'Configuration with 2 identical monitors both share same view-port and the center is shifted to the Right'

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = screen.width * 1.5 ;

height = screen.height;

viewDx = -0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = screen.aspect * 1.5;

}

}

 

Gui =

{

x = screen.width * 0.5;

y = 0;

width = screen.width * 0.5;

height = screen.height;

}

 

UIMainView = Gui

 

 

 

This is how it will look at 1280+1280x1024:

Screen_120621_173110.jpg

 

To get the "center" shifted to the left with only one view-port -you need to use SoftTH.

But this is a whole different story.

Well,

...there is also the possibility to do it in DCS via the viewDX function , but this also needs a rework of the default cockpit view via rolling your virtual Head position a little. And this doesn't work well with changing the FOV.


Edited by PeterP

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  • 2 weeks later...

Without knowing the code....beyond knowing it is CPU limited...seems like it would be an awesome use of extra threads (ie cores, for most of us in 2012) to handle the graphics for additional viewports.

 

Not really counting on 9 women to make a baby in 1 month since all the data they'd be drawing based on pretty much already exists.

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