Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) - Experimental plug-in v0.10

So, I understand that you DO get motion, just not very much. Correct?

Have you made any changes to the Export.lua file? I mean here:

Assuming you made no changes, then you will get exported accelerations in Gs and angular rates in °/s.

Typical max/min values for the kind of aircraft you fly in this video could be:
Roll: ±180 [°/s]
Pitch: ±90 [°/s]
Heave: ±8 [G]
Yaw: ±90 [°/s]
Sway: ±1 [G]
Surge: ±1 [G]

I see in the video you posted that you have very high Min/Max values. Could you do me the favor and try to set these min/max values I posted above and tell me if It makes a difference.

Dirty updated Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) - Experimental plug-in with a new update entry:

Version 0.07 available - Export via callbacks. Prevents conflicts with existing DCS add-ons

Read the rest of this update entry...

I would love to drive a fan. i have been using gamedash to do that..
anyway to bring IAS to send data to gamedash? i have no idea where to begin...

Thank you and value1 for this gem. It's the best plug i have used. Never my sim has been too accurate! I can make 360° in yaw, and its fast as love. Ty again for your works.

But
Just a little question, (maybe no-sens) but, it is possible to have this plugin (wich provide angular rate, very usefull for yaw in my case) and keep in the same time the positions of a classic plug? In order to reach (with angular rate) a position (in pitch or roll for exemple) and stay in the final position if i dont touch my controllers. When i fly to the ground at 90° i would like my sim be in the same state. But obviously, not angular accel, no move, and the sim stay parrallele not prependicular. Maybe a config? to choose pitch roll without accel and yaw with accel for exemple? or i understand absolutely nothing? XD tx

That's possible, of course. Actually if that is what you want, then I would recommend using the original plugin and only modify the Export.lua file it creates to export yaw rate instead of heading. Let me know if you need help doing that.

Just be aware that if you do it this way, I think you will get back all the unwanted artifacts that I was trying to avoid with my experimental plugin:
- Platform roll will increase with bank angle up to 90° and then decrease as you approach 180°.
- Platform tilt will increase with pitch angle up to 90° and then decrease as you go through a loop.

It is possible, but are you sure that is what you want?

Hey

Sorry if I can't be of much help with that. I have absolutely not clue about SimTools or how it drives motors. I was just assuming that if you can move an axis according to an exported value then it should be possible as well to make a motor spin at an RPM according to an exported value.

I can try to add GameDash support to the plugin, but since I don't know exactly what GameDash even is, I am struggling to understand where to start...

I guess I will have to look into GameDash....

Niiice, i want angular rate in roll and yaw, and angle for the others. With smooth filter, the "artefact" in pitch it's not really a problem. I think your solution is the best anyway, but i want to test a mix. I didn't know how to make it. I see that and i come to you if i can't do anything, thank you for your help !

Dirty updated Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) - Experimental plug-in with a new update entry:

Version 0.08 available - Downloaded Zip file now finally compatible with SimTools' Plugin Updater

Read the rest of this update entry...

Hello. How can i fully uninstall your plugin? I have deleted it from simtools, deleted export.lua from game directory, but after installing DCS plugin 2.0 - output data in turning center still like i am using your plugin....
I can't use normal roll and pitch ((((

Hey @MrDemon

From v0.07 on I am no longer using the Export.lua in ".../SavedGames/DCS/Scripts".

You will have to go to ".../SavedGames/DCS/Scripts/Hooks" and delete the file called "SimTools_DCS_Exp_Hook_v008". After that you will have to restart DCS completely, not just a mission reload for the changes to take effect.

Cheers,... Dirty

Oh,.... and I am working on version 0.09 with GameVibe and Dashboard support .

If there are users of GV and DB out there: As far as I can see, it appears GV and DB are geared towards racing sims, but I might still use the slots and fill them with more aircraft specific data.

Is there a certain "standard practice" way in which order you like the data? And which parameters would you be interested in?

Dirty

Thanks. It helps )))

@Dirty, thanks so much for your effort spent in the DCS plugin.

I am using Game Dash just for controlling a fan. In NoLimits2, the fan is triggered by the "Speed" value feeded into Game Dash, and in P3D I am using the propeller's RPM value. Having these parameters available for DCS would be fantastic.


About Game Vibe: Also here my preferred input parameter is RPM, followed by Chassis, Flaps, and Landing Gear. But having RPM available would already be a huge step.

Hey

nice to see more users of GV and GD here

On GD:
I can extract pretty much all data out of DCS, although some of it is type- specific. That means, that you will have to write something like this...

Code:

Type = GetAircraftType()

if (Type == A10C)
     ...Do something
if (Type == P51)
     ...Do something else
if (Type == F16)
     ...Do something else
if (Type == F18)
     ...Do something else

That would increase the code in the .lua file about twentyfold though. What I guess I will do, is activate the 20 GD slots, initially send only zeros, and then let users write code for whatever variabel they are interested in.

On GV:
If I send a variable like "rpm, 4500" it all works fine, because GV "knows" rpm. But if I get creative and model ground roll vibration depending on groundspeed and gear strut etc. and send it to GV as "Groundroll_Vibration, 210" (for example), it gives me an error: Groundroll_VibrationID.cfg file not found.
Apparently it is looking for that .cfg file. Do I have to create my own .cfg file or am I limited to using only the ones that GV knows?

Maybe you have an idea,....

What would you expect for a twin engine aircraft? There are two RPMs. Can I send the two engines RPM independently? like "rpm1, 3900" and "rpm2, 3930" ?

.
That sounds good to me.

I have no idea. I guess this is a question for @yobuddy who developed all this.

For me personally, the default RPM would be absolutely sufficient.

I think this goes into the same direction as supporting other non-default values. I have no idea.

But maybe you could just start with a default parameter (like RPM) for the TF-51D, which is one of the two default planes in DCS? If this works in GV and GD, other parameters could follow.

Thank you for clarifying. Then I will stick to the effects that are presently supported and not waste time trying to create my own.

I got a bunch of more questions Forgive me if they are stupid, but since I don't have a vibrator attached to my rig, I can't test this myself.

It's kinda self explanatory what happens when I send "rpm, 3500" for example, but what happens with "Chassis"? Does it expect four numbers? Like "chassis, 123, 456, 789, 123"? And what would those numbers even mean? What units do those values have? Is 100 "a lot" or 100.000?

Same for "flaps". Do I send the current flap setting, or do I send the amount of vibration I want to show the user while the flaps are in transit?

Same with "speed". Do I send Indicated airspeed? True airspeed? Machnumber? Or do I send the amount of vibration I want the user to feel. If so, what would constitute "a lot"? Do I specify the amplitude or frequency of the vibration?

Sorry for so many questions, but I have absolutely no idea

Cheers,.... Dirty

@Dirty - Assigning them meaningful names is helpful to users trying to make use of them but not really necessary for Game Dash I think. You could just have Var1, Var2, Var3, etc, I believe, and whoever tinkers with the lua file can assign as they see fit. That way you don’t even need to do anything with them aside from probably giving them a value like 0 in the lua so something is passed to the dll. Users can bring them to life in the lua code if they want. All that you need to do is enable them.

@yobuddy - is that a good interpretation? I might be spouting nonsense. ;-)

Thanks so much, @Dirty!

Those are exactly the two hearts beating in my chest! I would like to make it somewhat self explanatory with descriptive names to the numbers, but at the same time I don't want to tell anyone what values they should use in those slots. I am actually curious what creative ideas others would come up with