News New output possibilities for DCS

I too intend to add a fan setup to my simulator, especially now that I plan to buy the I-16 module next month which is open cockpit! I'm pretty excited for that one.

Way back when I first got my 6DOF sim moving I had a regular big box fan set up in front of the sim blowing wind in my face while I was flying an open cockpit biplane in P3D and I was surprised at how much it added. I tried it thinking it was a silly idea but it really was immersive.

@Zed Could you tell me how much you paid for the kit? PM me if it's inappropriate to post it here. Depending on price I might buy from him instead of getting everything separately. I want that to be a quick project so I can move on to the G-seat!

Hey Trip, I don't find the e-mail trail and it's been a couple of years so I wouldn't want to give you the wrong number. I also traded some NIXIE tubes as part of the deal. He does have a thread about them on isrtv (https://www.isrtv.com/forums/topic/23623-complete-wind-simulators-and-kitsets-for-sale/) though. There is a last post from 3/10/19 asking if he is still making them with no reply as of yet. Not sure if he is still making them or not but they are well done. But also, everything is out there to just duplicate the design if he's not still making them or if you'd just rather build it yourself. When I bought it I was just looking at motion and effects and hadn't been exposed to it before. Once I worked through and even modified the code, it was no problem. Here's the build log: https://www.isrtv.com/forums/topic/23039-my-diy-wind-simulator/

Thanks Zed. If he doesn't turn up (or if the kit is more than I'd be willing to pay) I'll make them myself. I just don't want it to take too big a chunk out of my hobby time, the G-seat build is where I want that to go when summer is over.

The diy wind simulator is pretty easy to build, from cheap materials

So the 180 wouldn't be needed if we were using yaw rotational velocity/acceleration instead of Yaw Euler angle right?

On that topic... well this probably isn't the place to discuss it but in the other thread... but based on the "gravity does not exist" conversation that I found very enlightening the "1" here highlights the one thing I'm sure I don't understand about the no-Euler-Angles method I want to see implemented.

We need that -1 for gravity to give us our lateral acceleration cue when flying at high bank angles in a straight line (airshow type aerobatics, aileron rolls, four point rolls, etc.) which would roll the cockpit to simulate "gravity". But then what do we do about the -1 causing the heave axis to constantly sit at a different position from center travel when flying straight and level without messing up the same 1G accleration that we want for the situation I described above?

I'm planning to add a fan (or fans) myself, especially for the I-16!

Trip

PS- About the extra outputs (gamedash and gamevibe): I hate to say it since my budget is super tight but this is actually a good solution. If people want more than nine outputs, it's available but if they are running a DIY license (I am currently) they need a paid version of SimTools to get the extra telemetry outputs which helps with development costs etc. I'm always very conflicted when I think about buying a paid version. I really want to give the money to support the project, but it would be a significant burden to my finances. One more thing to put on the credit cards won't hurt right? =D

Hey Trip. about adding that fan... (and that's not me )

Haha! That's basically what I did the very first time I got to ride my motion sim. I was flying an open cockpit biplane so I set a fan up in front of me. I did it halfway as a joke but I was surprised it really did add to the experience.

Hey guys,

I have started a thread about an Experimental DCS plugin I have created with the generous help of @value1. Among other changes, it activates the three "Extra" slots to allow users to export any data they like Feel free to export "windiness" or any other parameter into SimTools for use in motion cueing. Just modifiy the Export.lua file that the plugin creates in the <Username>/SavedGames/DCS/Scripts folder.

Have fun

Dirty

Hey guys, especially @Dirty @pmvcda @hexpod @BlazinH

I think I may have found something exciting for DCS helicopters. Looking through one of my old LUA's (I used to use BFF and SimShakerAviators) I found this, but only for helicopters:

--LoGetHelicopterFMData()
-- return table with fm data
--{
--G_factor = {x,y,z } in cockpit
--speed = {x,y,z} center of mass ,body axis
--acceleration= {x,y,z} center of mass ,body axis
--angular_speed= {x,y,z} rad/s
--angular_acceleration= {x,y,z} rad/s^2
--yaw radians
--pitch radians
--roll radians
--}

To me that looks like it could have incredible potential. Can one of you guys try to get this "in cockpit G-Factor x,y,z" into SimTools or FlyPT? I would LOVE to play with that. Especially since helicopters are my first and truest love. =) I am having a ball with fixed wing aerobatic stuff though. Man that Yak-52 is a blast to play with!

Since I have the demo, there's no helicopters, so I don't get values.

Replace the code of acceleration in the script by this one and try when you can:

Code:

    -- local acceleration = LoGetAccelerationUnits()
    local helidata  = LoGetHelicopterFMData()
    local acceleration = helidata.G_factor 

It works, and it's too soon to say but so far it feels great! Thanks!

Those G's should be what we feel in the cockpit (that's how I interpreted it).

Yeah! That's how I'm reading it too Great! Unfortunately only for helos

btw. I have tested my module that converts the accelerations from CG-values to cockpit-values. Works, but I don't have it in .lua, only in my software.

I understood it the same way, that's why I was so excited! It would seem strange for there not to be an equivalent value in DCS for fixed wing so I thought maybe we could find it if we dig deep enough.

Someone pointed out a while back that if we could access what DCS World devs are using to animate pilots head movement due to G-forces that it would be great for driving motion sims. I was thinking about that when I saw this helicopter value.

I'm just about to get back to sim testing and experiments after a busy weekend with family. I've got a lot to do and I work slow but I'll report on whatever I find that might be helpful.

OK, now to make it a little harder...

I still haven't been able to find what I need, so will go ahead and ask.

I was just looking for any references on how to do math in either the .lua files or in the math windows in Game Dash. Is there a manual somewhere? I looked in the SimTools manual and didn't find anything but my fu is weak if there is a Dash manual...

What I am trying to do is an extension on doing math on airspeed with the canopy variable but I also want to combine RPM as well to make it a little more startling to use. I want to have two cases - canopy open and closed, but also add in RPM to airspeed.

canopy open: wind = (scaled airspeed + scaled engine speed)

canopy closed: wind = (scaled airspeed + scaled engine speed) * vent scaling factor

This means combining two plugin variables and doing a case or switch based on canopy state.

The effect would be something like sitting in a Texan or Tiger Moth with no wind. Start the motor and get RPM dependent wind because the canopy is open. Taxi or take off and get the air speed added in. Close the canopy, if there is one, and have the wind go way down but still be proportional to airspeed.

Do you think it's possible? I'm thinking Game Dash won't allow combining variables so that means lua to make this work - I think.

But I have only played with lua files doing things others have posted but I've never seen examples of math and case or switch statements. Anyone know if you can do this kind of thing to combine variables to get a final output value and switch between or multiply by 1 or 0 based on canopy state?

That can definitely be done directly in LUA! For anyone with a little experience in LUA it should be a matter of a few minutes to calculate a "windiness value" . In the Experimental DCS plugin you can use any of the three extra slots to export the data

Cheers,...

G'day Zed,

I've included my current experimental export.lua for reference where there is a tiny bit of math to calculate an exagerated sway ("lurching") on the ground. I use the export.log file created for .csv import into Excel to graph the parameters.

It would be easier to do all the math in .lua than have to recompile the plugin for each experiment.
https://www.lua.org/manual/5.3/manual.html#3.4.1

I am sure there is a LoGetAircraftDrawArgumentValue(X) to cover the animation of the canopy open and closed. I believe the values 0 to 1 which would be fully opened to closed. (As per the landing gear suspension levels in the .lua) This can be verified in the DCS modelviewer where you can experiment with DrawArguement values I believe.

Engine RPM might be not be a straight out LoGetRPM type function but part of a "LoGetEngine" function?

You would then really on need to allocate one output to control your fan speed from your calculated final value in lua. (To Game Dash?).

Hope this hasn't muddied the waters...

Code:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- DCS Export Functions for use with XSimulator SimTools motion control software
-- For SXF-100 Motion System and g-Seat-II Motion System.
-- Based on original Export.lua from value1.
-- Version 0.07
-- Author: BrassEm
-- 04/01/2020
-- Take telemetry from DCS and converts it to suitable data for Simtools.
-- Many thanks to [FSF]Ian, Frusheen(RiftFlyer), Asticher(vJaBoG32), Dirty, Andrey Filin from ED, FlyPT,
-- yobuddy and value1 from XSimulator.
-- It is assumed at this time that the g seat command is coming raw directly from the "accelerometers" in the aircraft.
-- SFX-100 forces are Roll, Pitch, Heave and Surge.
-- g-Seat-II forces in flight are Heave, Surge, Sway and Roll.
-- ground lurching is added in to augment ground handling.
-- Added output delay on start up to allow aircraft to settle for 4 seconds and avoid violent lurching.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- Aircraft Names and Observations.
-- --------------------------------
-- C-101EB
-- F-15C
-- F-5E-3
-- F-86F
-- FA-18C_hornet
-- Hawk
-- L-39C
-- L-39ZA
-- M-2000C
-- MiG-15bis
-- MiG-21Bis
-- MiG-29A
-- MiG-29S
-- Su-25
-- Su-25T
-- Su-27
-- Su-33
-- J-11A
-- AV8BNA
-- A-10A
-- A-10C
-- AJS37
-- Bf-109K-4
-- FW-190D9
-- P-51D
-- TF-51D
-- SpitfireLFMkIX
-- SpitfireLFMkIXCW


-- Globals declared here
PI = math.pi            -- 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751
HPI = PI/2                -- Radians in 90°
PI2 = PI*2                -- Radians in 360°
r2d = 180/PI            -- Radians to Degrees
told = 0.0            -- Last Time function called

Myfunction =

{
Start=function(self)

    -- Output file to check values.
    default_output_file = io.open("./Export.log", "w")
    
    package.path = package.path..";.\\LuaSocket\\?.lua"
    package.cpath = package.cpath..";.\\LuaSocket\\?.dll"
    socket = require("socket")

    my_init = socket.protect(function()
        -- export telemetry to SimTools
        -- Setup comms for export telemetry to SimTools. Set host1 to your second PC IP.
        -- host1 = host1 or "19.190.26.5" -- Set to 127.0.0.1 for single PC or xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx for two PC's (Set to your 2nd PC IP)
        host1 = "19.190.26.5"     -- Mine in this case. Change it to yours.
        port1 = "41230"           
        c = socket.udp ( )
        c:settimeout ( 0 )
        c:setpeername ( host1, port1 )

    end)
    my_init()
end,


AfterNextFrame=function(self)

    local t = LoGetModelTime()
    local timedif = 0.0
    
    timedif = t-told  -- Get frame duration

    -- Aircraft name
    local myInfo = LoGetSelfData()
    local CurrentAircraft = myInfo.Name
    -- Add additional telemetry values for testing purposes
    local altRad = LoGetAltitudeAboveGroundLevel()
    local TAS = LoGetTrueAirSpeed()  -- (args - 0, results - 1 (m/s))

    -- g Forces
    local accel = LoGetAccelerationUnits()      -- (args - 0, results - 1 (g)) The g-Force.
    
    -- From Frusheen
    local vel_v = LoGetVectorVelocity() -- (1 m/s), vel_v.x, vel_v.y, vel_v.z 
    local vel_r = LoGetAngularVelocity() -- (radians per second), vel_r.x, vel_r.y, vel_r.z    = HUD Velocity Vector
    
    -- From FlyPT
    local GearMid = LoGetAircraftDrawArgumentValue(1)   -- Front/Rear landing gear (0 to 1)
    local GearTurn = LoGetAircraftDrawArgumentValue(2)  -- Turning landing gear (0 to 1)
    local GearLeft = LoGetAircraftDrawArgumentValue(4)  -- Left landing gear (0 to 1)
    local GearRight = LoGetAircraftDrawArgumentValue(6) -- Right landing gear (0 to 1)   
    
    -- Output to SimTools
    local yaw = vel_r.y            -- Pitch > #2 in Sim Tools     - Tuning Center Output. beta plugin. Sway on ground. WAS PITCH
    local roll = vel_r.x        -- Roll > #1 in Sim Tools     - Tuning Center Output. gamma plugin. Roll on ground.
    local pitch = vel_r.z        -- Yaw > #4 in Sim Tools     - Tuning Center Output. alpha plugin. Pitch on ground. WAS YAW
    local surge = accel.x        -- Surge > #6 in Sim Tools     - Tuning Center Output. Surge plugin .
    local heave = accel.y        -- Heave > #3 in Sim Tools     - Tuning Center Output. Heave plugin.
    local sway = accel.z        -- Sway > #5 in Sim Tools     - Tuning Center Output. Sway plugin.
    local gsHeave = heave        -- Extra 1 > #7 in Sim Tools - Tuning Center Output. g-seat Heave. Was Aircraft slip. Not used.
    local gsSway = sway            -- Extra 2 > #8 in Sim Tools - Tuning Center Output. g-seat Sway. Was Aircraft lurching while on ground in roll.
    local gsSurge = surge        -- Extra 3 > #9 in Sim Tools - Tuning Center Output. g-seat Surge.  Was Aircraft lurching while on ground in pitch.
    -- Test velocity only
    local bump_surge = vel_v.x    -- Test variable. Surge bump.
    local bump_heave = vel_v.y    -- Test variable. Vertical bump.
    local bump_sway = vel_v.z    -- Test variable. Side bump.
    local lurch_scalar = 1.00    -- Ground bumpiness Scalar
                                
    
    -- Convert Rates from radians into degrees.
    pitch = pitch*r2d
    roll = roll*r2d
    yaw = yaw*r2d
    
    pitch_lurch = pitch
    -- roll_lurch = roll
    sway_lurch = yaw
    
    -- Normalise Heave
    heave = heave-1   
    
    -- SimTools FORCES
    -- Roll
    -- Pitch
    -- Heave
    -- Yaw
    -- Sway
    -- Surge
    -- Extra1 - gsHeave - pitch_lurch
    -- Extra2 - gsSway - roll_lurch
    -- Extra3 - gsSurge - sway_lurch

    -- Add Aircraft lurching while on the ground.
    -- PROP aircraft have violent high g lurching.
    if CurrentAircraft == "SpitfireLFMkIX" then
        lurch_scalar = 0.2
    elseif CurrentAircraft == "SpitfireLFMkIXCW" then
            lurch_scalar = 0.2
    elseif CurrentAircraft == "P-51D" then
            lurch_scalar = 0.2
    elseif CurrentAircraft == "TF-51D" then
            lurch_scalar = 0.2
    elseif CurrentAircraft == "Bf-109K-4" then
            lurch_scalar = 0.1
    elseif CurrentAircraft == "FW-190D9" then
            lurch_scalar = 0.2
    elseif CurrentAircraft == "Yak-52" then
            lurch_scalar = 0.2
    else
            lurch_scalar = 6 -- changed from 1 to 2
            roll_scalar = 0.5 --Sway to roll.
            heave_scalar = 1.25 -- Heave on ground. 2.0
    end
    -- Add modified Lurch Code Here...
    -- ################################
    -- Blank code. Uncomment for no amplified lurch
    if (GearMid+GearLeft+GearRight) > 0 then
        -- Do On Ground lurch calculations
            pitch_lurch = pitch_lurch*lurch_scalar
            if TAS <= 15 then
                pitch = pitch_lurch
            else
                pitch_lurch = 0
            end
            -- roll_lurch = roll_lurch*lurch_scalar
            sway_lurch = yaw*roll_scalar
            roll =  sway_lurch
            heave = heave*heave_scalar
        else
        -- Null out Ground Lurch if in Air
        pitch_lurch = 0
        -- roll_lurch = 0
        sway_lurch = 0
    end

    TAS=(TAS/1) -- for graphing purposes

    if t >= 4.0 then
    -- Output Telemetry to Export.log file for testing purposes.
    default_output_file:write(string.format("AIRCRAFT: %s t: %.3f td: %.3f ALTRAD: %.2f TAS: %.1f PITCH: %.2f ROLL: %.2f YAW: %.2f SURGE: %.3f HEAVE: %.3f SWAY: %.3f gsHeave: %.2f gsSway: %.3f gsSurge: %.3f PITCH_LURCH: %.3f SWAY_LURCH: %.3f GEARMID: %.3f GEARLEFT: %.3f GEARRIGHT: %.3f BUMP_SURGE: %.3f BUMP_HEAVE: %.3f BUMP_SWAY: %.3f \n", CurrentAircraft, t, timedif, altRad/10, TAS, pitch, roll, yaw, surge, heave, sway, gsHeave, gsSway, gsSurge, pitch_lurch, sway_lurch, GearMid, GearLeft, GearRight, bump_surge, bump_heave, bump_sway))   
    

    my_send = socket.protect(function()
        if c then
            socket.try(c:send(string.format("%.4f; %.4f; %.4f; %.4f; %.4f; %.4f; %.4f; %.4f; %.4f;\n", pitch, roll, yaw, surge, heave, sway, gsHeave, sway_lurch, pitch_lurch)))
        end
    end)
    end
    told = t
    my_send()

end,


Stop=function(self)
    my_close = socket.protect(function()
        if c then
            c:close()
        end
    end)
    my_close()
end
}


-- =============
-- Overload
-- =============

-- Works once just before mission start.
do
    local PrevLuaExportStart=LuaExportStart
    LuaExportStart=function()
        Myfunction:Start()
        if PrevLuaExportStart then
            PrevLuaExportStart()
        end
    end
end

-- Works just after every simulation frame.
do
    local PrevLuaExportAfterNextFrame=LuaExportAfterNextFrame
    LuaExportAfterNextFrame=function()
        Myfunction:AfterNextFrame()
        if PrevLuaExportAfterNextFrame then
            PrevLuaExportAfterNextFrame()
        end
    end
end

-- Works once just after mission stop.
do
    local PrevLuaExportStop=LuaExportStop
    LuaExportStop=function()
        Myfunction:Stop()
        if PrevLuaExportStop then
            PrevLuaExportStop()
        end
    end
    -- Close the output file
    if default_output_file then
        default_output_file:close()
        default_output_file = nil
    end
end

Thanks guys! I'll look into the lua manual, @BrassEm, and thank you for that code! It should have everything I need - if/then/else and the math examples. Perfect!

And thanks @Dirty! I think if I do this right, having the wind start up with a motor and then go way down when/if a canopy opens or closes, and goes away when you shut off an engine ought to be trick. I'll report back. I want to do this in all flight sims I run that support it.

Ok this looks like what you guys are talking about could be what I have to learn to do in order to find the trigger I can use for "on-ground" for the Huey.

Keep in mind this stuff is all way over my head so if you guys can post any more links or anything to help me learn how to figure out the available LUA export values please do so!

To date I've only used "known" values I could find via google or forum searches so this LUA manual and the model viewer concept is totally new to me. I'll let you know how it goes after I get to poke at it a bit.

Thanks

@ Trip, I think you are looking for the skid animation on the huey. I had a quick look and found it. To load the model .edm in modelviewer you need the ab-212.edm. Sliding the 104 variable animates the skids.

For your .lua you would need to add something like (Skidload variable name just a suggestion);

local Skidload = LoGetAircraftDrawArgumentValue(104) -- Skid loading animation from no load (0) to max load (1) (0 to 1)

if Skidload > 0 then
Touching ground code....
else
Flying code...
end

I won't get to fly the huey to test it for a while yet. I am confident it will work for you.