Cockpit views look downward

[bobcatsup]

Some downloaded planes have the 2-D cockpit view pointed way down instead of at the horizon. Panning the eyepoint up (CTRL+SHIFT+Q) temporarily helps, but goes back the way it was if I change views (i.e. look out the side window briefly). Unlike FS2004, moving the eyepoint up (SHIFT+ENTER) has little effect in FSX. In fact, it's a weird effect as the viewpoint can approach the horizon, but never get there.

Is there a fix for this? It's unrealistic and makes some visual approaches clumsy.

[3518m]

Use the -/= keys to control cockpit zoom. On the number row at the top of your keyboard, they follow after the zero. I recently bought a new high end monitor and am settling on a zoom of fifty to sixty percent. Anyway, hope this helps you. Robert... KFAT

[bobcatsup]

Thanks, Robert. I think that zooming helps somewhat. I'm still befuddled why on some planes the axis indicator is invisible behind the cockpit. It is, in fact, seemingly under the nose of the plane, looking down.

[pvarn]

The axis indicator is indicative of your view tilt. When in 2D, the only control you have of the forward view is tilt (cntl-q and cntrl-shft-q) and zoom. However, relying on zzoom will give you a distorted view of the world, and increase distortions needed for judging landing. If you are still using the default FSX key mapping, cntrl-space will recenter your 2D view to straight ahead.

 

While on the ground and stopped, this should force your view and the axis indicator to level with the end of the runway. If it does not, this may indicate the aircraft is not sitting level.

 

In the air, the axis indicator behaves quite differently and displays angle of attack which can make looking around a little frustrating. It's better to use the 3D pit, external views and camera views for panning around.

 

While on the ground in the aircraft where you are having trouble, recenter the view using the keys indicated above and having verified the axis indicators are now on the horizon, save the flight (; key)

 

Now, exit the sim and using the Free Flight menu, load the flight you just saved.

If your view is exactly how you saved it, then your problems are on the way to getting solved.

 

I suggest making a cold and dark save at an airport and parking space you like to use in the offending plane and use that save every time you want to fly the plane. Even if you save on the runway, you can simply use the airports menu to relocate your aircraft anywhere with your view problem removed.

 

-Pv-

[il88pp]

Hi bobcatsup,

 

You can create a new view, and assign it to a key. You could even assign it to the key you have set for the VC view at the moment. But I would not go that far. I would suggest keeping that key assignment for the VC as you use that in all other aircraft.

Create a new view and set a new key for it.

 

This new view will only apply to this one aircraft.

 

Here, as an example, is one of the views from my default 747_400. It is the Copilot's view. I made one edit to it (assigned a key).

Whatever follows the // sign will be disregarded by fsx when a file is executed. That way you can comment the edits you made so later on you know what you did. And it won't mess up the execution of the file by fsx.

I added the info after // for your information. I did not change those other lines themselves, that's all default.

 

This is from the aircraft.cfg of the b747_400

[CameraDefinition.001]
Title = "Right Seat"                                     //make name up
Guid = {8ff6c134-098d-409f-baec-caba3f683f98}            //must be unique
Origin = Virtual Cockpit                                //vc visible
MomentumEffect = YES
SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel
SnapPbhReturn = False
PanPbhAdjust = Swivel
PanPbhReturn = False
Track = None
ShowAxis = YES
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = .6
SmoothZoomTime = 2.0
ZoomPanScalar = 1.0
ShowWeather = Yes
XyzAdjust = TRUE          //required to make initialXyz and initialPbh work
ShowLensFlare=FALSE
Category = Cockpit
PitchPanRate=20
HeadingPanRate=60
HotKeySelect=6           //assigns view to "view camera 6" keyboard assignment key  //--New line added in.
InitialXyz=0.94, 0.0, 0.0      //longitudinal, lateral, vertical --offset from "Eyepoint" in the aircraft.cfg
InitialPbh=2, 0, 0                //Pan vertical, Bank, Heading  --offset from "Eyepoint" --positive is down,

 

 

Ok, as you see I added the line

HotKeySelect=6 

so I was able to select a key in fsx set to the copilot's view. (helps when taxiing!)

 

First of all.

Why your VC viewpoint is incorrect I do not know. This is not defined the same way. (I know only one way to tilt that up. that is by editing the cameras.cfg file, but the issue is that this file affects all aircraft in fsx. If you would adjust that, all your good aircraft's viewpoints would suddenly be adjusted up!)

 

But what you could do is create your own view and add it to the aircraft.cfg file just like this.

For example if the last view is: [CameraDefinition.003]

create a new [CameraDefinition.004] With this block of code below it and start adjusting to make it to your liking. (or borrow such a block of and from the aircraft itself, or from another aircraft you have.)

 

Give the view a new name. For example

Title = "VC VIEW GOOD"

 

It must have a unique GUID, (I don't know how to make sure it's unique, or what will happen if it isn't. I expect if it isn't unique the view will just not be available in the sim...)

Then start off with

InitialXyz=0,0,0 (First get the view to look straight ahead. You could also adjust the "eyepoint" in the aircraft.cfg)

And in your case you want to rotate the viewpoint up, so I would try out values of

InitialPbh=-10,0,0

or

InitialPbh=-15,0,0

and slowly increase the number. (make it more negative, negative number means rotate view up.)

 

Remember to also put in, the line:

XyzAdjust = TRUE

Or adjusting is not possible.

 

And make it possible to select a key for it by adding:

HotKeySelect=6 ( or any of the numbers 5,6,7,8,9,0 Also, make sure other views in the aircraft.cfg file don't have the same hotkey number assigned!

 

Add at the very top of the file some info, so when you look at the file again in a years time you easily see what you did.

For example:

//I added viewpoint ''VC VIEW GOOD", created from scratch.
//viewpoint has hotkey assigned, and pitch rotated up.

 

 

I'm only just discovering these things myself. So there is still some trial and error left in it for you.

Enjoy!

il88pp.:cool:

[fxsttcb]

Some downloaded planes have the 2-D cockpit view pointed way down instead of at the horizon. Panning the eyepoint up (CTRL+SHIFT+Q) temporarily helps, but goes back the way it was if I change views (i.e. look out the side window briefly). Unlike FS2004, moving the eyepoint up (SHIFT+ENTER) has little effect in FSX. In fact, it's a weird effect as the viewpoint can approach the horizon, but never get there.

Is there a fix for this? It's unrealistic and makes some visual approaches clumsy.

Panel.cfg

[VIEWS]

VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=1.000, 0.000, 0.000

The blue digit is the viewpoint's pitch. Positive is down...Don

[il88pp]

Don? I came across that advice yesterday, a post written by n4gix, on another site.

I tried it, but it changed the default view the flight started with only.

What I got when pressing >contrspace

Did I make an error in applying that solution? (possible, I was trying out different things at once)

The other thread had someone asking about fs9 so I wasn't sure if your fix applied to that?

Or am I not supposed to use >contrspace What function should I assign a key to for this then?

Your solution would be so much simpler if I could get it to work!

Thanks in advance,

il88pp.

[il88pp]

Actually, I just tried it on the still 110% default beech_58 and same thing. So it wasn't because I was trying multiple edits at once yesterday. Using Gold+Acc btw.

[napamule2]

Remember: it's Press (and HOLD) 'Ctrl', then press 'Spacebar', for re-set.

[il88pp]

beech58 panel.cfg contains now, at the bottom:

 

[VIEWS] //added by me - tip fxttcb

VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=10, 0, 0 //added by me - tip fxttcb

 

That should rotate view down.

It doesn't for me. At least not with >contrspace

I thought it may be caused by an edit to the cameras'cfg file.

I restored an older, cameras.cfg to test. One that had no edits done to it.

 

Same result:

Works at start of the flight. View is rotated down:

 

But press and hold >contrspace

gives:

 

Same thing happened with the a321 yesterday. (all aircraft were default)

Increasing the number made no difference to the >controllspace

Making the number negative rotated the startup view into the overhead panel, but still no difference with >controllenter

:(

[il88pp]

Thought I had found a required edit to the cameras.cfg file. But I was wrong. That did not help at all.

[il88pp]

Did you guys maybe, apart from this edit to the panel.cfg file, edit the cameras.cfg and forgot to mention that?

 

I have

ContrSpace

assigned to the: "eyepoint reset" -action.

Maybe that's where I go wrong?

[il88pp]

AHA, I found this, saying not only should you adjust the VIEW_FORWARD_DIR, but indeed adjust the cameras.cfg Initial_Pbh= value to the same value to get this working.

Not what I want I think.

 

I found a thread over on avsim, where three people agreed that having only VIEW_FORWARD_DIR did not snap-return the view to the pitch they wanted. (they did not mention Pbh)

 

First and third hit on google: VIEW_FORWARD_DIR fsx

http://www.calclassic.com/propliner_tutorial_fsx.htm

and

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/57005-fsx-which-command-to-get-view-forward-dir-back/

 

I would like to adjust the pitch in a few planes only. I think I will stick to the method I described, and sleep on this a bit.

[il88pp]

Sorry bobcatsup,

I just noticed I got way of track. I thought you had asked for help with the 3D cockpit.

 

I notice you need the axis of the 2D cockpit fixed.

 

For that, fxsttcb's fix works fine.

 

Enjoy,

il88pp.

[bobcatsup]

Thanks and good timing, fxsttcb. I was going to start tweaking the "eyepoint" in the aircraft.cfg. It makes a lot more sense it would be the panel.cfg. I'll give it a whirl. Looks like it will take trial and error (I know, back up the original). It looks like at least some of the problem panels have no VIEW_FORWARD_DIR line. I'll add it and let you know.

Appreciate your time as well, il88pp!

[fxsttcb]

Make sure it is a separate entry. Most of us place it after the [Window Titles] section...Don

[bobcatsup]

THANKS DON!!!

I don't even know how many planes I've dumped because of being frustrated with this problem. Now the entire sim fleet is mine!

Also surprised more people haven't raised this issue. The remedy is pretty obscure.

I owe you a beer...or a Pepsi. Your choice.

[mikeandpatty]

The fix for the problem in 2D is to assign keys to the always VIEW (always pan up) / VIEW (always pan down) in the menu/options/settings/controls/buttons & keys selections.

 

I use Q and A since they are readily under each other and easy to find. You will have to hold a key down because the rate of speed of the view changing will be a little slow, but works, and will stay there.