VC Screenshots Request

Hi All,

I'd like to ask for some screenshots of your views while flying in the VC. Any and all types of aircraft would be most welcome.

Also comments about how you pan around in the VC (joystick/trackIR/mouse/etc.) would be interesting.

I ask because, even though I've been "flying" in FSX for a number of years, I've never sat in the pilot seat of an actual aircraft...

A couple of weekends ago I had the chance to sit in the pilot seat of a Cessna 172, a Maule, and a C47 (that actually flown in WWII and dropped paratroopers).

The first thing I realized was that the cockpit depictions in FSX makes these planes appear absolutely ROOMY!

I found that the reality is everything is much smaller and cramped... as those of you who are/were real-life pilots know all too well.

In an effort to try to set up my VC views to better reflect reality (or not), I'm humbly asking for your help by posting your VC view screenies - forward, left, right, and rear. I'd like to see what you see and why you chose that particular mag factor, how close or far you sit from the instruments, if you change views, why and when.

I'm also curious about fighter aircraft (F14, F15, T45) and how you set up the view with the HUD.

I know, if I really want "reality" I should shut up and build myself a home cockpit, but I don't see that happening in the near future ;)

Thank you all in advance for your help with this,

E-Buzz :pilot:

In the screenshots I have my carcass planted in my Iris F-15E (FS9 version).

Below is a video I shot to show off a new VC view I was trying with the PMDG737. I moved the eyepoint way forward (I used a program called OpusFSI but you can do it manually as well) so that it was in FRONT of the HUD. You can still see the data from the HUD display but the HUD lens/frame doesn't get in the way.

I find that by moving the eyepoint forward and then zooming out (the video is at .5 zoom) you can get a cool sense of depth and speed. Plus, moving it way forward creates that cramped feeling. Of course, this view takes all the instruments away, so it works best with a second monitor you can keep your instruments on or else you'll need to pan down.

Here's the video: https://youtu.be/bOjh-nky6_g

-Noah

I found that the reality is everything is much smaller and cramped... as those of you who are/were real-life pilots know all too well.

Check Mark's 3 part series....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjbCFNSofpk

Just play around with the eyepoint keys AND the Zoom in/out keys to get things looking how you want.

VIRTUAL COCKPIT EYEPOINT MOVEMENT

(Hold keys down to slide your eyeballs)

SHIFT Enter= Up

SHIFT Backspace=Down

SHIFT CTRL Enter= RIGHT

SHIFT CTRL Backspace= LEFT

CTRL Backspace= Forward

CTRL Enter= Back

Hold CTRL and hit SPACE= Reset

For example- various Cessna eyepoints and zooms-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint1_zpsmqamutj3.jpg~original

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint2_zpsffzoxuzl.jpg~original

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint3_zpszw3jg2bu.jpg~original

I found that the reality is everything is much smaller and cramped... as those of you who are/were real-life pilots know all too well.

Watching real life videos on Youtube, they do seem small and cramped by comparison. My 757's in FSX look like the inside of a car, lol. (Which makes me wonder how pilots can sit cramped like that on long distance flights)

Hi All,

Thank you all so much for your posts!

mrzippy - Are those shots from the computer in your sig? Looks pretty good to me!

noahweber - Nice vid! Is that "stock" P3D scenery?

henrystreet - Thanks for the link - very helpful!

ScatterbrainKid - Thanks for the eyepoint movement tips - I guess POV will always be a compromise and dynamic.

kingnorris - Yes, the cockpit depiction in my FSX makes the Cessna look like what I see when in the driver's seat of a huge SUV! That's why it was such a shock to me when I first climbed into a real Cessna. And the C47 was also so very cramped!

Thanks again all for your help! :cool:

E-Buzz :pilot:

Hi All,

Thank you all so much for your posts!

 

mrzippy - Are those shots from the computer in your sig? Looks pretty good to me!

 

E-Buzz :pilot:

Yep! Amazin' ain't it, what a 10-12 year old computer that runs on rubber bands, a few paperclips and crazy glue can do! ;)

Hi, slightly different approach here.

I'm running an all-VC 3 x 24" screen setup with TrackIR and EZDok. In this configuration any eyepoint problems with the addon are a thing of the past, as one has to set up each camera position in the aircraft individually anyway.

I'm using a rather high zoom factor with this (1.00 - 1.15), so by leaning towards the screen, all dials and instruments become the same size as they have in RW pretty quickly. But I have to use TrackIR, because without it, the setup would be unflyable. I need to look down on approach to see the instruments. After a short while it became second nature that I have to move my head to see things. But in RW I'm wearing rather smallish glasses and am used to doing this anyway.

The downside to this is, that you can only really enjoy the best - top - notch VC planes out there. At a high zoom setting like this, any imperfections, blurries or sub-par modelling really scream at you.

Here a few random examples out of my screenshots folder. Some of them were cropped (=taken in windowed mode) to show what I see on the center screen right in front of me. The streched ones are the full images off the three screens. Unfortunately the resizing pretty much destroys the real impression.

mrzippy - Ha ha! I had to finally replace one of my old rigs after the hamster running on the wheel died... :p

nuitkati - Thanks for your post, pics and explanation. I used to run a similar 3 x 27" screen set up with Eyefinity, TrackIR, EZDok (Can't fly without TrackIR and EzDok!) and a mag factor of 1 - the immersion was something else! I now run a 39" screen for the VC and utilize 2 of the 27" screens for instruments/gauges. Still a nice (big) VC view. Eventually I will be going back to 3 screens via Eyefinity, but with 3 x 39" screens since the 4K TVs are out and non-4K TVs are starting to drop in price.

Gonna need a bigger hacked-up desk and motion-sickness pills ;)

Hey, is that a shot of the MilViz Phantom? Sorry, I'm going to hijack my own thread here - I'm dying to know: How is it, and is it worth picking up at it's current development stage? I also have their T-38 (noticed that VC shot as well) and it is one of my favorite planes to fly. How does the Phantom stack up to the T-38 in terms of quality?

Thanks again all for your contributions!

E-Buzz :pilot:

Thanks! Going to add that to the hanger!

E-Buzz

A few Military planes

Dino Cattaneo's planes:

F-14D default, FWD through the HUD

Look down at the panel

to the left

straight down (great detail!)

Left Panel

Right panel

Ejection Seat controls (Manual Release, ARM/SAFE lever, etc)

Canopy Latches (right)

Over one's Right shoulder, the wingtip etc

T-45 (By Dino also)

The default fwd HUD view

More in the reply

Pat☺

Dino Cattaneo's planes:

Still the T-45

Down slightly to the main panel

Left Panel

Right Panel

Straight down

The FSDT FA-18C

down slightly to the main panel

Left Panel

Right Panel

Over the Right Shoulder

Over the Left Shoulder

The FSDT Hornet's HUD view in next post...

Pat☺

More on the FSDT FA-18C

Default FWD through the HUD (Just a kinda neat background :D )

slightly up and left

Another neat moonlit picture of the Carrier in the moonlight on the water

I hope those were what you were looking for. All freeware birds, some of hte best around, IMO.

I normally zoom in once from the default, to 0.8 zoom. I use the hat on the joystick to look around as needed, and CTRL+SpaceBar to recenter the view. I can post the planes' various Eyepoints from the [View] sections of their aircraft.cfg files if you want, but they are easy enough to see for yourself...

Hope all this rambling helps out a little bit...

Pat☺

Hi PhantomTweak,

Thanks for the shots and info - very helpful!

I do have a question for you - in aircraft with HUDs, the T-45 being the one I have the most trouble with, how much of the characters in the HUD should you be able to see? I have trouble setting up the eyepoint position in the cockpit when also using the zoom.

The characters in the HUD will sometimes not fit and end up beyond the glass and are not visible.

It seems that in the T-45, the HUD character size is independent of the eyepoint movement (and I use TrackIR). I'm not at my FSX computer right now and screenshots would explain what I mean better (you know, the thousand words thing) - I hope to post some later.

Stay tuned... And thanks again!

E-Buzz :pilot:

Captain Sim 727-200 for FSX - screen shots follow.

An exceptionally accurate photo real VC, and quite accurate performance (with a little tweaking of fuel flow). A steam gauge era plane, there is not much automated in it, but a little study of the fuel system and it will be a joy to fly. However, the autopilot is archaic and not for the impatient pilot. BUT – a good way to improve your knowledge and involvement in actually controlling the airplane in a quasi-manual manner.

With its high wing loading, you better not get slow or chop power during a flare or you will drive the main gear through the wings – like the real one – a great piece of work IMHO.

Pictures here are:

1. climbing out of KBNA in January, enroute to KMKE. Passing FL220 for FL340 at 300 KIAS.

2. Flight Engineer’s panel – set up with equal fuel in all three tanks, feeding tank to engine. Burning 9200 pph total at FL340 and 0.80 IMN / 461 KTAS. 148K Gross Wt.

3. In close at KMKE; like several airports in FSX and real life, the VASI and ILS GS are not totally aligned; here, the ILS is above the VASI lights.

4. External view -the flare

5. Rollout with spoilers and reverse. This old girl has no auto brakes, and spoilers are not pre-armed.

mikeandpatty - Thanks much for the shots of the CS 727-200 - nice looking VC indeed. Steam gauges are pretty cool!

PhantomTweak - never mind about the T45 HUD questions, as I think I've finally figured out what affects what. It seems the HUD character magnification and eyepoint positioning are independent in that bird and changing one doesn't really change the other. Oh, and beautiful shots by the way! :D

Again - ALL - Thank you for your posts and screenies! You were all very, very helpful! :cool:

Have fun,

E-Buzz :pilot: