Full Motion Simulator

[Hypo]

Hi All

 

I am fairly new to DCS after moving away from IL-2 and the now defunct Cliffs of Dover.

 

A friend and I have built a full motion simulator that works with IL-2 and X-Plane. I would like to get the simulator to work with DCS World. However there is a lack of up to date documentation for Lua. I have asked for a new Lua Reference from ED; http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=103074.

 

Once I have got the simulator working with DCS World I will be happy to post more information about it. There are some amazing cockpit builds going on here. I am sure there are a few people who would like to build a motion simulator to mount there cockpits onto :)

 

If anyone can provide information about which Lua scripts I should be using that would be most helpful. I am an experienced programmer and will be happy to learn Lua and re-learn C. (C was the first programming I learnt to program with 20 years ago). Its understanding which Lua scripts I should be looking at, and learning from, that is my sticking point at the moment.

 

Any positive feedback will be much appreciated.

 

TIA

 

Gary

Edited March 24, 2013 by Hypo

[Gremlin77]

I have give you the link for HELIOS at my thread. after installing HELIOS, start it and add the DCS interface. Got to to interface page, and click "setup DCS with helios". After that, check out the export.lua file. Here I learned how to interface the DCS with my Visual Studio programs, 'cause HELIOS also sets up an UDP network connection with DCS. All you further need is the devices.lua and the clickabledata.lua files to find out the informations you need. As mentioned, check the forum for howto.

[Hypo]

Hi Gremlin77

 

Thanks for the information on the Lua scripts. I will check them out. I am still debating if to write my software in C and embed the C functions into Lua or use UDP.

 

UDP is a good choice because a 2nd PC can be used to run the control software and the 1st PC can run DCS.

 

Which forum How-To do you mean?

Edited March 24, 2013 by Hypo

[Mr_Burns]

Look, you know the score, pics or it never happened. Lets see the pit man.

[Gremlin77]

This forum right here I mean. In-Output and Homecockpit. In these two you'll find the answers to all your wishes.........

 

YES, WE WANT PICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hypo]

I don't want to say to much at the moment because I want to make sure I can write the software to get the motion platform to work with DCS. Once I get some software running I will happily post some pictures.

 

At the moment we are building a 2nd simulator which improves on the original design. The actual cockpit is based on the Akers & Barnes concept. The motion platform uses pneumatic rams for movement. This is much cheaper, quieter and less hassle than hydraulics. My friend is building the Akers & Barnes cockpit at the moment. Once he has built that he will start working on the motion platform. When the Akers & Barnes is built I will post some pictures.

 

I've learnt from experience, from the IL-2 forums, not to write about something that wont possibly happen. Please be patient and my friend and I will produce something you cockpit builders will like:)

Edited March 24, 2013 by Hypo

[Gremlin77]

This seat looks a bit small for my butt..........

 

Looking forward to see the "real thing"

[Hypo]

Okay, I crumble easily under pressure:smilewink: My friend has just sent me some pictures of the cockpit he is working on.

 

As mentioned the cockpit is based on the Akers & Barnes concept. The instrument panel is curved because we are building a P-51 simulator. However the instrument panel will be inter-changeable so I can have it setup as a fast jet sim too.

 

Happy now?:smilewink:

[Gremlin77]

Yeah, that looks like a toy for gownups!!!

[Hypo]

Hugso, my friend building the simulator, is a wonderful engineer. He is the brains behind the engineering for the pneumatic ram design that moves the simulator. My software gets the required telemetry from whatever simulator and moves servos controlled using Phidgets Servo Controllers.

 

Hugso and I will be pleased to release the software and hardware designs, for free, once we have got what we call gSeat working with DCS. The original gSeat has been working with IL-2 for several years.

 

Now I hope you understand we are sincere about the motion simulator. This is why I am trying to fast track understanding how Lua is used by DCS.

[Mr_Burns]

Full motion you say?

 

[Hypo]

Hi Mr_Burns

 

The simulator can do pitch, roll, yaw and heave. Obviously not as much as big commercial simulator, but enough to give one the sense of motion and subtle enough to feel the bumps in the runway or when the wheels touch down.

[Mr_Burns]

Its suprising how little distance of movement you need to actually be emersed, I worked on a project selling military training aids to complement our aircraft, aside from the BFO sims on full hydraulics (which we didnt do) the next most realistic just had seat movement which had to be done inside the martin baker seat dimensions, you are only talking an inch or so in each direction.

[Hypo]

I agree. We found that to much movement didn't feel right and reduced pitch, roll and heave. I don't know the exact range for each movement. The only one we kept at near full range of the ram was yaw. This feels right when applying the rudder pedals.

 

Which company did you work for?

 

My dad worked on Martin Baker ejector seats, probably twenty years ago, as part of a development programme. My dad was a prototype engineer and contracted to MB for a couple of years.

[Mr_Burns]

An evil one nicknamed, Big Arrogant and Expensive Systems!

 

Martin Baker put a official notice in their reception when one of their seats saves a pilot.

 

We had a FOD campaign at Warton and one of the videos was a Tonka which ditched in the North Sea, apparently (IIRC) a dust cap off a high pressure hose lodged the rudder, the video showed the Tonko barrel rolling and the pilot had to take into consideration the delay of the ejection seat and the roll of the aircraft to make sure it fired him upwards at the same time trying to aim the aircraft out to sea and probably under 1000ft! Great drills!

 

I think we bought the seat off the University of Cambridge who have some sort of Commercial off shoot, they manufactured the replica Hawk Martin Baker seat to the original specifications (as much as possible - obviously without the smarts) but with some form of force feedback system built into it.

[Hypo]

I know who you mean:smilewink:

 

I worked for Cossor, now Raytheon, for ten years up to 1993. I lived in the MoD bubble for a long time.

 

Sorry for my ignorance; FOD campaign? I come from the warbird world. Some of the jet sim terms are new to me:megalol:

 

I had a friend who was an ejection seat fitter for the RAF. He liked telling the gruesome story of an ejector seat going off while the aircraft was still in a hardened hangar. You can imagine the results:( Lucky for him he wasn't the fitter for that aircraft.

[Mr_Burns]

Foreign Object Debris - there was a big campaign to keep things tucked in and not having loose change etc. as a result of the Tonker accident.

 

Actually the number of times my kids running into the room and bugging me has caused me to crash I coul call them FOD.

[Hypo]

Sounds like you are effected by GDS - Grumpy Dad Syndrome:megalol: Every dad has had it at one time or another:smilewink:

[RogueSqdn]

Hypo, I was a SP at Lakenheath and I heard that story. Happened there, don't know when.

 

When I was there we did have an F-15E jump the arresting cable in the hush house on full AB and go THROUGH THE HANGAR DOOR, with the maintenance airman sitting in the cockpit.

[Mr_Burns]

When I was there we did have an F-15E jump the arresting cable in the hush house on full AB and go THROUGH THE HANGAR DOOR, with the maintenance airman sitting in the cockpit.

 

Sitting or shitting......:helpsmilie:

[RogueSqdn]

Well I do believe he wasn't seriously injured. :)

 

As for the ejection in the PAS, I believe it was an F-111 (or an F-4). The PAS where it happened has a red spot on the ceiling. They call the departed "The Ghost of Red Section."

 

Also, most PAS's have some kind of squadron art painted in the area.... the art in this one?

 

A Ghostbusters logo.

 

http://www.stripes.com/news/things-that-go-bump-on-the-base-1.56516

 

I know the MSgt Williams quoted in this article. ;) I almost bought his 98 Mustang.

Edited March 26, 2013 by RogueSqdn

[Miles Vorkosigan]

Hi Hypo,

 

Did you ever manage to get the telemetry data from DCS via Lua scripts?

 

I too would like to find the information for the guys at XSimulator.net so they can create a plugin for Simtools.

 

So far I have a 2DoF (pitch and roll) motion platform that I built as a test of concept for a later 3DoF (pitch, roll and heave) that I also plan on building.

 

We have plugins for IL-2, FSX and X-Planes but I would like to get them started on DCS as well.

 

I know Gremlin mentioned using Helios as an interface between DCS and your own motion software but it would be nice to create a direct plugin. SimTools can create an interface via UDP as well so with the correct LUA information we can, hopefully, have my 2DoF rig tossing me around in no time ;)

[Hypo]

I didn't get any worthwhile feedback from EA, sorry to say.

 

All I needed was a list of the available telemetry. When EA did get back to me, after waiting serveral months, they said they don't really support SimPit builders.

 

Now there has been an announcement about DCS WWII on Kickstarter I may restart my efforts to get something written. As long as the funding is found and DCS WWII goes into development then I will reassess what I want to do. I have pledged enough to be on the Alpha release lists. Hopefully this will allow me to feedback my ideas and requirements.

 

Hope you SimPit builders get involved;

[Miles Vorkosigan]

Hi Hypo,

 

Check out xsimulator.net, they have developed a free motion simulator software called SimTools. It is in beta stage but should be released in a few weeks. You can get into the beta just by asking. I am using it with my own 2DoF rig.

 

After I posted this I found the LUA scripts needed to get the telemetry, we have a plugin guru at XSimulator.net that has agreed to make a plugin for Simtools for DCS, he might have it in as little as a few days, probably a bit longer as they are trying to finish the polishing on SimTools to release it.

 

Simtools is probably the easiest motion software to use that I have come across. I followed X-Sim for a long time but to be honest it was a bit difficult for me to understand.

 

Anyway, PM me if you want more details or check out Xsimulator.net.

 

As I mentioned; I am also planning a 3DoF (perhaps 4 dof with yaw) so I too really want to get the DCS plug-in working. I will keep you up to date if I can.

[Hypo]

I am probably going to get out of simulator building. If DCS WWII does come along I will probably get myself a new HOTAS and rudder pedals and be satisfied with flying with them.

 

The problem I've got is I wrote the software for my friends gSeat simulator, originally for IL-2. The plan was to write new software for CoD, but when that turned out to be a flop we turned our attention to DCS. Of course CoD is now much better that ATAG have taken over. I feel duty bound to write the control software for my friend, but my heart isn't into learning C#. If I was going to write new control software I would write it in C and Lua. If DCS WWII gets the funding then I will look at writing the new control software.

 

I will pass on XSimulator.net to my friend. His gSeat deserves to be working with DCS or CoD. I've got other software projects that I should be working on. The simulator control software has become a distraction.