A P-51D Cockpit that Looks and Feels... Right.

[Bowie]

In a real cockpit, there are no panoramic views.

And frame members, like the windscreen bow, are relatively substantial structural elements.

Look out around them, or look down at the instrument panel and that's all you can see.

This equates to ~ a 60º field of view, and a - 30º depression angle for the Instrument Panel view.

DCS - provides a panoramic view at the expense of "zoom angle", which makes everything outside the cockpit look smaller, resulting in spotting difficulty at even reasonably close ranges.

 

Solution: Scale the cockpit with zoom.

With Notepad++, open C:/user/"user name"/Saved Games/DCS.openbeta/Config/View/SnapViews.lua.

(make a copy first and rename it. e.g. "SnapViews - OEM.lua"

Find the "P-51D" section/[13]  (mine is row 5192)

Change (copy/paste):

    [13] = {--default view
        viewAngle        = 40.000000,--FOV Cockpit Zoom 40.000000, OEM 80.000000
        viewAngleVertical= 0.000000,--VFOV
        hAngle            = 0.000000,
        vAngle            = -30.000000,-- Cockpit View Angle -30.00000, OEM -9.500000
        x_trans            = 0.120000,-- Cockpit View In_Trans 0.000000, OEM 0.120000
        y_trans            = 0.0600000,-- Cockpit View Up_Trans 0.060000, OEM 0.059000
        z_trans            = 0.000000,-- Cockpit View Rt_Trans 0.000000, OEM 0.000000
        rollAngle        = 0.000000,
        cockpit_version    = 0,

 

For the Logitec Extreme 3D Pro, with 4 stick head buttons and a hat:

UL (JOY_BTN5) = "View Center"

UR (JOY_BTN6) = "camera view up slow"

LL (JOY_BTN3) = "view left"

LR (JOY_BTN4) = "view right"

Hat (JOY_BTN_POV1_x) = default pan function

 

This provides:

(UL) Instrument Panel view

(UR) Gunsight view

(LL) Fast Pan - left (over the shoulder from Gunsight view)

(LR) Fast Pan - right (over the shoulder from Gunsight view)

(Hat) Pan - from any view or location

 

By doubling the zoom to this ~ 60º field of view, the inside looks and feels right, and the outside looks right.

 

Full size/full screen views: (Lt click image, then Rt click for image host, then double Lt click for full screen view)

(UL) Instrument Panel view

 

(UR) Gunsight view

 

LL (JOY_BTN3) = "view left" (full pan)

 

(Hat) Pan - from any view or location

 

Should work w/ a head-Tracker as well.

Comments/Concerns/Suggestions welcome.

 

Bowie

Edited August 5 by Bowie

[Doughguy]

You can calculate the correct FOV according to your monitor and distance from monitor to your eye.
Theres some stuff on the web that does that for you if that helps.

[Bowie]

1 hour ago, Doughguy said:

You can calculate the correct FOV according to your monitor and distance from monitor to your eye.
Theres some stuff on the web that does that for you if that helps.

The above settings produce ~ 60° Field of view.

Checked by placing the edge of view on the center-line seam of the cowling, noted a scenic detail on the opposite edge of view, panned to align the initial edge with the scenic detail, and then analyzed how the center of the view lines up with both the parallel wing and perpendicular canopy rail, 90°/(1 + 0.5) = 60°.

 

Should work for any monitor and distance, as one sees what they see, and the brain adjusts accordingly.

 

Bowie

Edited August 5 by Bowie

[Bowie]

Any takers on this?

If a Simulator is what you're about...

 

Bowie

[Rebel28]

The P-51 Mustang canopy frame inside where it latches when it closes is exactly 27 ½ inches. If you are looking for a true FOV judge from that measurement.

[Bowie]

On 8/15/2024 at 3:24 PM, Rebel28 said:

The P-51 Mustang canopy frame inside where it latches when it closes is exactly 27 ½ inches. If you are looking for a true FOV judge from that measurement.

Trivia is like that.

 

The point is - This requires that one points their nose to see a different ~ 60° view window, head on a swivel.

No "game" panorama views.

And it feels 3D, like being inside, not just looking at a picture of something.

Useful detection range is 1.5-2.0 MN, depending on background and lighting.

 

And when you lose a bandit in a knife fight - it requires that you point your nose/maneuver your aircraft to reacquire,

Not just "look over there," but maintaining your 3D situational awareness so that you can extrapolate/maneuver/pan to get then back into view, then drag'em into the gunsight.

Jedi skill.

 

Bowie

 

Edited August 17 by Bowie

[Bowie]

Have recently run the Gamma down from 1.7 to 1.5.

Really likin'it.

The instrument panel is now flat black, instead of what was assumed as gray, and most of the mid-day glare and haze that would obscure and mask aircraft at distance is all but gone.

Even at dawn/dusk, there is more detail of A/C in low light, instead of them disappearing in the shadows.

The lighting appears as a ~ 15 minute shift toward darkness, but otherwise the same, with better detail.

All together a visual win.

 

Bowie

[Bowie]

EDIT:

Adjusted this down to 0.150000.

See following post.

 

Bowie

 

Was getting the feeling that, even though the pilot's "eyeball" is in the correct location, the view was still a tad panoramic, like being in the back seat with the gauges out of reach.

 

Solution: Move the "eyeball" forward, from the OEM 0.120000 to 0.160000.

This equates to only ~ 1.5 inches, but makes a considerable difference.

With Notepad++, open C:/user/"user name"/Saved Games/DCS.openbeta/Config/View/SnapViews.lua.

(make a copy first and rename it. e.g. "SnapViews - OEM.lua"

Find the "P-51D" section/[13]  (mine is row 5192)

Change (copy/paste):

    [13] = {--default view
        viewAngle        = 40.000000,--FOV Cockpit Zoom 40.000000, OEM 80.000000
        viewAngleVertical= 0.000000,--VFOV
        hAngle            = 0.000000,
        vAngle            = -30.000000,-- Cockpit View Angle -30.00000, OEM -9.500000
        x_trans            = 0.160000,-- Cockpit View In_Trans 0.160000, OEM 0.120000
        y_trans            = 0.0600000,-- Cockpit View Up_Trans 0.060000, OEM 0.059000
        z_trans            = 0.000000,-- Cockpit View Rt_Trans 0.000000, OEM 0.000000
        rollAngle        = 0.000000,
        cockpit_version    = 0,

 

This gives a nice "in the cockpit" feel, gauges at arm's reach, and the canopy bow looks substantial.

Gunsight Mil Ring does not change.

Gunsight, Panel, and Oblique views of the new setting:

 

 

Really liking this.

 

Bowie

Edited October 17 by Bowie

[Bowie]

The cockpit at 0.160000 felt a little too tight, and was a little difficult visually to get in and out of in a rolling scissors.

 

Solution: Move the "eyeball" back a little, from 0.160000 to 0.150000.

Not much, but made a noticeable difference.

With Notepad++, open C:/user/"user name"/Saved Games/DCS.openbeta/Config/View/SnapViews.lua.

(make a copy first and rename it. e.g. "SnapViews - OEM.lua"

Find the "P-51D" section/[13]  (mine is row 5192)

Change (copy/paste):

    [13] = {--default view
        viewAngle        = 40.000000,--FOV Cockpit Zoom 40.000000, OEM 80.000000
        viewAngleVertical= 0.000000,--VFOV
        hAngle            = 0.000000,
        vAngle            = -30.000000,-- Cockpit View Angle -30.00000, OEM -9.500000
        x_trans            = 0.150000,-- Cockpit View In_Trans 0.150000, OEM 0.120000
        y_trans            = 0.0600000,-- Cockpit View Up_Trans 0.060000, OEM 0.059000
        z_trans            = 0.000000,-- Cockpit View Rt_Trans 0.000000, OEM 0.000000
        rollAngle        = 0.000000,
        cockpit_version    = 0,

 

The instrument panel still fills the view, and it feels like inside looking down, but not as harsh and dramatic.

Smoother transition between Gunsight/Panel/Outside.

Gunsight, Panel, and Oblique views of the new setting:

 

 

Bowie

[jackd]

Well now i wonder why i ever bought a 4k monitor for this game and scaling it down Seems a total waste of money then ...

[Bowie]

12 hours ago, jackd said:

Well now i wonder why i ever bought a 4k monitor for this game and scaling it down Seems a total waste of money then ...

 

This gives an "in the cockpit" feel, and improved spotting and tracking.

4K 3840x2160.

The detail is outstanding.

 

Bowie

[Bowie]

The External View for this setup:

OPTIONS\SYSTEM\External field of view = 55°

Almost an exact match.

 

Bowie

[Art-J]

All fine and dandy, but the FoV scaling required for "true" size of cockpit seen on the monitor DOES depend strictly on monitor size and distance from user's eyes (and that's the data various online FoV calculators use). Resolution becomes a factor only when target spotting comes into play. Thus, your custom tweaks, although clearly lots of work went into perfecting them, are pretty much irrelevant for anyone who doesn't have exactly the same monitor size plus desk & seat setup as you. 

We know you're using 4K display, but what size is it and how far is it? Might be useful as a reference data for others.

[Doughguy]

There is a page that would take your monitor size and distance from eyes into account to calculate the correct fov.

I had the link somewhere....

[Bowie]

2 hours ago, Art-J said:

All fine and dandy, but the FoV scaling required for "true" size of cockpit seen on the monitor DOES depend strictly on monitor size and distance from user's eyes (and that's the data various online FoV calculators use). Resolution becomes a factor only when target spotting comes into play. Thus, your custom tweaks, although clearly lots of work went into perfecting them, are pretty much irrelevant for anyone who doesn't have exactly the same monitor size plus desk & seat setup as you. 

We know you're using 4K display, but what size is it and how far is it? Might be useful as a reference data for others.

Missing the point.

Scale, not size.

Perspective View... not actual Size.

What the Pilot in the cockpit would see, not what you should see recreating a cockpit at home.

No "arcade" panorama.

 

This is head out the Left side, taxiing, looking back at the panel.

 

Bowie

 

Edited October 28 by Bowie