Setting up Camera view on CFS2 Alpha Sim P-51B

[OBIO]

Working on a panel set for the old CFS2 freeware Alpha Sim P-51B, and thought it would be neat to set the plane up with a Photo Recon panel complete with camera view. I have the camera view set to activate off the GPS icon and have it set to look sideways to the right..but that is where I got stuck. I am trying to get a slight downward view and to get the camera view positioned so that the view is from behind the cockpit (the cameras on Recce Mustangs were mounted in the radio stack area behind the cockpit).

This is what I have so far:

[VIEWS]
view_forward_WINDOWS=%window_title_00% (This one is okay)
VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=2.6, 0.0, 0.0 (lines up gun site with bullets)
VIEW_DOWN_WINDOWS=GPS_PANEL (just names the down view)
VIEW_DOWN_ZOOM=1.000 (sets the amount of zoom for the view)

VIEW_DOWN_EYE=0.335, -1.500, 5.800 (Have No Clue About This Line)

VIEW_DOWN_DIR=15, 0, -90.000 (This one I figured out...1st number is up and down, second number is best left at zero as this number turns the view...I had it set at -90 and it came out that the camera was laying on its side, third number is left and right.

It's the View_Down_Eye line that I am pretty sure sets the position of where the view is coming from...but not sure what each number does.

Can someone help decifer this stuff? Thanks.

OBIO

[Moparmike]

OBIO,
Yup, the VIEW_xxx_EYE defines the origin point for that particular view.
Those three numbers for eyepoint def lines are X,Y,Z coordinates from the origin point of the model in feet.

For the VIEW_xxx_DIR lines, the three numbers are pitch,bank,heading in 0-360 degrees (but apparently negative degree entries also work if you've got the view direction correct already).

Depending on how complete the VC portion of the model is, it may or may not have the parts that should be visible in your view. If they're not there, just use a fixed view BMP for that view to show it.


BTW, in your thread in here back in Feb about the C-130 gunship panel I attached a copy of the FS2000 Panels SDK. Did you ever get a chance to save a copy of it? That's where I got all that VIEW_xxx info that I used on the old FDG1 CFS2 planes with custom views.
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=62372

[OBIO]

Thanks Mike...

I wasn't able to get the Panel SDK to save. If you have a copy of the file, I can shoot you my e-mail addy if you would be willing to send me a copy of it. Would be greatly appreciated and very useful as I delve deeper and deeper into the tweaking and modding aspect of CFS2 and further and further away from actually flying in CFS2....I'm addicted to paint fumes and rivet shavings, but afraid of heights.

OBIO

[Moparmike]

Yeah, I just noticed that I can't get it to open or save either. Send me an email to mape@csicable.net and I'll fire a copy off to ya.