DCS Free Camera Operation

[Bob1943]

Is there a way to position a free camera on the deck of a carrier so that it locks onto to the pilot flying final and landing? I want to remain in the cockpit view so that I can fly the plane during this sequence, while still having the external camera filming my approach and landing.

 

Would it be possible to have 2 cameras going at the same time, i.e., one view from the cockpit and the 2nd external view from the carrier deck?

[Leadnap]

Is there a way to position a free camera on the deck of a carrier so that it locks onto to the pilot flying final and landing? I want to remain in the cockpit view so that I can fly the plane during this sequence, while still having the external camera filming my approach and landing.

 

Would it be possible to have 2 cameras going at the same time, i.e., one view from the cockpit and the 2nd external view from the carrier deck?

 

My recommendation is fly the mission and land as you want to - then save the flight recording, and record the landing from the deck out of the flight recording.

[Bob1943]

and record the landing from the deck out of the flight recording.

 

Have not made any movies yet in DCS, so I am still on the low end of the learning curve. So, how does one do what you are suggesting above?

 

Are you saying that there are different camera angles being simultaneously recorded during a flight? And we can pick and choose which camera recording we want to look at after the mission is complete?

[F4ttyRider]

You do your flight, save the replay track file, make a back-up copy of that file - those do corrupt, then play the replay in DCS, choose your camera angle and record it, If you want an another angle - start the replay again and choose a different camera/angle. You can't rewind the replay file...

[Bob1943]

OK, I flew a test flight, saved and then replayed the track file. How do you choose your camera angle?

 

I hit F2 during the reply and got the normal external view - is this what you are referring to?

 

When I hit F11 to get a free camera view, it took me to a completely different geographical location than where I was flying.

 

So, are you referring to the "F" keys for camera angles during the track playback?

[F4ttyRider]

Yes, "F1 to F11"-keys for cameras. Free camera --> F10 for map view, move to the wanted position, zoom to desired height then CTRL+F11 and your free camera hops to that point. If your map zoom is way too low or high, you have to "drive" the camera to the right place with numpad keys and mouse with scroll wheel. If the replay is paused, mouse wheel doesn't affect, BUT if it is scrolled up or down and you unpause the replay, the camera starts to move with the chosen speed.

[Bob1943]

Great, I will play around with the "F" keys some more and see if I can get everything sorted out.

Thanks for all the comments & help.

[DoctorStrop]

Don't know if this helps...

[Bob1943]

Yes, that is a useful video.

[DoctorStrop]

Yes, that is a useful video.

Cool, I look forward to seeing your video. Please when you publish it, can you link it in the comments of the video I linked above so I can see your work when it's done?

[Bob1943]

Sure, but it may be awhile before I get to the point of making a worthwhile video. Still fabricating some new add-ons to my home-built cockpit to accommodate a new Warthog stick & throttle and 2 Thrustmaster MFDs.

[BlackFoxNZ]

you can use F9 to select the carrier them position the camera then either use trackIR to keep looking at the aircraft, (f9 is the camera for boats and will cycle through them if you keep press it)

[Bob1943]

Thanks. I will be experimenting with all the F key camera options.

[Eight Ball]

I'm just pasting what I wrote in another thread, it might be useful here:

 

Another option if you like the old view. Park your plane on the patio and use F2 cam. Position yourself on or around the 4 wire and look aft. Easy to do with VR or TIR. I thank that’s the only option at the moment. Anybody know of another way?

 

This works well on a calm sea but not so well with a pitching deck.

In this case, you can use the F4 camera and Rctrl+Rshit+Numpad keys to move the camera around.

It's slow and the view wont be saved if you switch to another camera but it allows for precise camera placement and, assuming your aircrat is parked on the deck, the camera will be synced with the pitching deck.

note: in order to move the F4 camera with the numpad keys, you need to be spawned in an aircraft, it wont work if you are a spectator.