Uriah Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Hi everyone, I am considering getting into DCS and I have a few questions I am hoping someone can help answer. 1) Does DCS support rendering for stereoscopic displays such as the Oculus Rift, which includes head tracking, and if not is there an API for integrating such hardware? 2) Can I build my own custom maps for use in single player mode, for example using GIS elevation and orthoimagery data downloaded from the USGS? 3) Does DCS support HOTAS joysticks just as the Cougar which has force feedback, as well as the throttle controller that comes with it? ( http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_US/products/hotas-cougar ) Basically I was looking into developing my own combat flight sim based on the Unity Flight Simulation Engine ( http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/171604-UnityFS-Flight-Simulation-toolkit ) but DCS looks pretty amazing and has almost all of the features I would need to develop. UnityFS supports the Oculus Rift and I can build anything I want, but if DCS can fulfill my requirements above, than I am sold. Thanks a lot! -Uriah
Revelation Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 1) DCS does render in Stereoscopic. For head tracking DCS currently supports TrackIR and there are several open source/community tracking alternatives that work. As far as Oculus Rift, we are all excited about it. OR is not supported right now, though some members here have it working, but it is planned. We do know that the Devs behind DCS have OR units. How soon full support is incorporated is not yet known. 2) There's a wiki that goes over terrain creation using the current engine. I would advise you to hold off until Eagle Dynamics Enhanced Engine (EDGE) is released. The plan is to release support tools for the community to develop maps/terrains in the future. Do not expect this anytime soon, but it should come within a year of the release of Nevada and the debut of EDGE. Win 10 Pro 64Bit | 49" UWHD AOC 5120x1440p | AMD 5900x | 64Gb DDR4 | RX 6900XT
Uriah Posted January 23, 2014 Author Posted January 23, 2014 Thanks Revelation! I have a software dev friend who can implement the tracking for OR if there is any kind of API (Advanced Programming Interface) in DCS, do you know if there is anything like that? We could hack it if not, with an interface module and sits inbetween the OR and DCS to provide the same data as the TIR, so DCS wouldn't know the difference. I did a search for the Wiki page but couldn't find it, do you have the link? I am really interested if DCS supports force feedback to a HOTAS stick, any info on that? What are people using for controllers? -Uriah
Uriah Posted January 23, 2014 Author Posted January 23, 2014 BTW, if we create a software interface for the OR I will release the source code under a creative commons license for everyone to use!
Revelation Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 There is an API, though I don't personally know enough about it. If you look up the FreeTrack forums you might find guys that will be able to answer that better. You can also try contacting ED directly - they are a good group of guys. You can also check out the ED wiki, I haven't looked at it in a while and more info on that API may be found there as well. Win 10 Pro 64Bit | 49" UWHD AOC 5120x1440p | AMD 5900x | 64Gb DDR4 | RX 6900XT
Uriah Posted January 23, 2014 Author Posted January 23, 2014 Thank you, appreciate the info! Subscribe to this thread and I'll post my results when we get our OR and code the interface, there is nothing my friend can't do with programming, so if there is an API it will happen. Also I already have all the GIS elevation and orthoimagery data setup for the entire state of Washington, all I need to do is buy DCS World and I will create the custom map for WA including buildings in all major cities if I can find a way to get that data. Washington is a very interested state in terms of geography, if you've never been there, it is kind of like Colorado, in that the Cascade Mountain Range has very rugged terrain which will be awesome for a custom map and missions. So again, subscribe to this thread and you'll get everything I build!
Home Fries Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 (edited) Uriah, The Cougar itself doesn't include Force Feedback, but DCS does support FFB (quite well, as a matter of fact). FFB can be used for fixed wing and rotary wing trimming, making trimming an intuitive process. For the Cougar itself, DCS allows any DirectInput controller, and actually allows you to do your own modifiers so that pressing a button on one controller (like S3 on the Cougar) can affect the function of a button on another controller. You can also program the Cougar to allow what DCS cannot do natively. See the profile link in my signature for an example. Edited January 23, 2014 by Home Fries -Home Fries My DCS Files and Skins My DCS TARGET Profile for Cougar or Warthog and MFDs F-14B LANTIRN Guide
sobek Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Also I already have all the GIS elevation and orthoimagery data setup for the entire state of Washington, all I need to do is buy DCS World and I will create the custom map for WA including buildings in all major cities if I can find a way to get that data. The terrain tools for the upcoming new graphics engine aren't public yet. Best to hold off so your effort isn't wasted. Hopefully details about a terrain SDK will surface once the new engine is integrated. Good, fast, cheap. Choose any two. Come let's eat grandpa! Use punctuation, save lives!
joey45 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 DCS world is free..... The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. "Me, the 13th Duke of Wybourne, here on the ED forums at 3 'o' clock in the morning, with my reputation. Are they mad.." https://ko-fi.com/joey45
Uriah Posted January 23, 2014 Author Posted January 23, 2014 Right on! Thank you all so much, this forum is thriving! Home Fries: Thanks for that link, great work! I am really looking for FFB in my controller, any suggestions on a good unit? It looks as if this is the only FFB joystick offered by Thrustmaster ( http://www.thrustmaster.com/products/force-feedback-joystick ). That's too bad, the Warthog or Cougar look like much better products. I would love to hear what you guys think about the trade-offs are. sobek: I will take your advice and wait for EDGE to be released. joey45: thanks I just noticed that, downloading now! Can DCS be played using the keyboard and mouse only? I mean technically I know it can, but usually the control is terrible at best in flight sims. Thanks again everyone! Subscribe to this thread to get my custom Washington map once EDGE is released!!! -Uriah
joey45 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 R Can DCS be played using the keyboard and mouse only? I mean technically I know it can, but usually the control is terrible at best in flight sims. -Uriah Ummmmmmmmmmmm.... The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. "Me, the 13th Duke of Wybourne, here on the ED forums at 3 'o' clock in the morning, with my reputation. Are they mad.." https://ko-fi.com/joey45
Pyroflash Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I can confirm this. As a previous owner of all sorts of Joystick products from FFB to force sensing, the Warthog is so far the best product that I have ever used outside of real life aircraft controls. The only pity is that there is not a suitably priced set of pedals at the same level of quality. As for the lack of FFB, well, it could be better, in terms of feeling the buffets, but all in all, the product adds so much that being forced to live without force feedback is a minor inconvenience at worst. Be warned, however, that is does REQUIRE a set of pedals to work properly. There is no practical way of controlling the rudder with this HOTAS. If you aim for the sky, you will never hit the ground.
Uriah Posted January 23, 2014 Author Posted January 23, 2014 (edited) Copy that. I want to try out a FFB stick to compare them for myself, but I'll take your word for it. About the Washington map... see for yourself. This isn't running in GoogleMaps. I downloaded the GIS data from the USGS National Map ( http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ ) and stitched it all together. I can output the rasters and 3D surface in just about any format imaginable, so it will be a be easy to produce a new map for DCS. Although the entire state of Washington at this resolution will be massive. The only way I can even load it in ArcGIS is by creating what's called a Geodatabase and adding the imagery to a Raster Catalog. I believe the orthoimagery (JPEG 2000 format) is over 25 GB in total, and the elevation data is about 10 GB. Depending on how the DCS World EDGE imagery and 3D terrain database works I may or may not have to reduce the resolution. Or I could produce multiple maps. Or I could just focus on Western Washington, including Seattle and the Cascade Mountain Range. Eastern WA is flat and boring any ways, so that might be the best option. See for yourself, this is full resolution for both elevation and imagery. Cheers! -Uriah Edited January 24, 2014 by Uriah EDIT: Moved Washington Map to new thread!
Uriah Posted January 23, 2014 Author Posted January 23, 2014 Actually, I am going to start a new thread specifically for the Washington State custom map build. Where would you recommend I do that? Under DCS World or in another area? I will post the link to that thread here once I create it. -Uriah
Uriah Posted January 24, 2014 Author Posted January 24, 2014 I have created a new thread for the Washington State custom map project: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1977009#post1977009 CaptainPecan: I have answered your question there.
Home Fries Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Right on! Thank you all so much, this forum is thriving! Home Fries: Thanks for that link, great work! I am really looking for FFB in my controller, any suggestions on a good unit? It looks as if this is the only FFB joystick offered by Thrustmaster ( http://www.thrustmaster.com/products/force-feedback-joystick ). That's too bad, the Warthog or Cougar look like much better products. I would love to hear what you guys think about the trade-offs are. I can't speak to the best FFB HOTAS, though if you can find a Logitech G940 that might be exactly what you're looking for. You get a programmable stick and throttle with separate rudder pedals along with FFB, and I believe the G940 is the only FFB HOTAS available. Some people love it and some people have had issues with it, so diligently research before deciding. I obviously have a Cougar with rudder pedals attached, but for the Huey and the P-51D I like to use a Microsoft Sidewinder FFB2 along with the Cougar throttle. You can no longer program the SWFFB2 using first party software in Windows XP and later, but you can use DCS World to do what most basic programming software can do anyway, and the FFB motor in the Sidewinder is considered by many to be one of the best. Finally, if you're not afraid to perform surgery, there's always PeterP's FFB Cougar. -Home Fries My DCS Files and Skins My DCS TARGET Profile for Cougar or Warthog and MFDs F-14B LANTIRN Guide
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