Cockpit Simulator Ideas? Most realistic looking Scenery?

[SkyUnlimited]

I started most of my design work in CFS2 and after being away from flight simulator I've decided to return to it for some more fun. To catch up, I've been teaching 5th and 6th grade special education for the past 2 years. This year I have been using flight simulator 2002 and now cfs2 on my computers at school for a reward. It has been a great success. The kids are growing faster than their peers and reading twice as many library books as their peers. We do lan games as well which really brings me back to the roots of my FS enjoyment,online dogfighting.

I've been thinking of a way to build a 360 degree cockpit simulator for the kids to use. All of these years I never even owned a set of rudder pedals, so I know I have been missing out on a lot. I'll explain more about what I have in mind below, but first I'd like to catch up on cfs2 stuff.

Things I would like for my cockpit simulator.

1. The best effects out there. I grabbed a bunch of stuff from ABS squads webpage, and I have Nannis effects. Are these the best around?

2. I need the most realistic scenery to use with quick combat. Only a small area but one that will really pull the pilot into the sim. I think I have a great set of clouds already, but any suggestions would be great as well.

3. I know some of our planes have been ported into cfs2, but if there is someone with the skills and knowledge to do a true gmax to cfs2 conversion I’d be glad to work with them to get more freeware SkyUnlimited planes in the sim.


Cockpit Simulator Suggestions? I’ve been thinking of a way to do a 360 degree simulator on the cheap. What I have come up with in theory seems to work. Only 1 computer with up to 2 monitors will be used. 1 monitor will have the main forward high resolution view, and the other will be an extended desktop. I create new views and undock them to the extended desktop. Then use cfo weather to save the flight and copy the window information to the default flt cfs2 uses so that they always load with the simulator by default. I place cheap color cctv cameras over each desired area of the extended desktop, such as the Left view, or Right view, or gauge area.

I then use mini projectors like the cheap eyeclops projector to project the images from the cctv cameras to my custom built simulator canopy.

The window information could be saved and modified to load by default in most MS Flight Sims. Just would need to do some minor gauge placement work to make it compatiable with each airplane.

Then load it up with lots of nice saitek stuff to give it landing gear levers, throttle levers, a P-38 style yoke .etc

Any ideas or input would be great.

[Rami]

Sky Unlimited,

First, for effects, Nanni and Nibbio are probably the best around. We tend to shy away from AB Squad's stuff, but I do not want to get us started on THAT notion again.

Speaking of which, "The Ghost Files" is another good place.

http://web.tiscalinet.it/Nanni/CFS/index.htm
http://web.tiscalinet.it/jobim/cfs2/mods.html
http://theghostfiles.org/CFS2p1.htm

If you're looking for only a small area, you can try MaskRider's 2008 Solomon Islands package...this would probably be ideal because the default field is Henderson anyway, that way you keep it simple.

Location: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...atid=45&id=494

And third, I found that the two best aircraft that you have that convert NICELY into CFS2 are your older Messerschmitt Bf-109f, and the MiG-3. They are multi-lod and very frame-rate friendly.

Though your other aircraft are nice, unless they are multi-lod, their use in CFS2 are limited.

[SkyUnlimited]

I don't know much about ABS stuff they just appeared for just about everything I searched for.

As for our other aircraft making lods for them won't be a problem. I just don't have the time or the experience with cfs2 to export them from gmax. I saw another user exporting models from IL2, I actually got a little excited at the prospect of this, not sure how to do it, but it might add some novelty to the sim again. My mustangs could probably find a home in cfs2, I actually started designing them for cfs2, but by the time I finished them cfs3 was in use.

I will have to get started playing with different effects. One thing I want is a really good bullet hit effect for aircraft, would be neat if one could see tracer fragments splintering off after a hit on a plane .etc or a little more action around the bullet strike areas.



I grabbed a sweet clouds pack that was for FS2002. Seems to almost transform the sim all by itself.

Thanks for the input,

[Rami]

Sky Unlimited,

The key is having the GMAX source files. I know that members such as Oldwheat, Shessi, and Simonu have been able to make multi-lod models of the Avro Manchester, P-40 Warhawk, and the Messerschmitt Me-262. You may want to contact them regarding their expertise.

[misson]

I will have to get started playing with different effects. One thing I want is a really good bullet hit effect for aircraft, would be neat if one could see tracer fragments splintering off after a hit on a plane .etc or a little more action around the bullet strike areas.



I grabbed a sweet clouds pack that was for FS2002. Seems to almost transform the sim all by itself.

Thanks for the input,[/QUOTE]

[SkyUnlimited]

Sky Unlimited,
And third, I found that the two best aircraft that you have that convert NICELY into CFS2 are your older Messerschmitt Bf-109f, and the MiG-3. They are multi-lod and very frame-rate friendly.

Though your other aircraft are nice, unless they are multi-lod, their use in CFS2 are limited.

The shadding is great on those old planes? Almost looks like they have shadows.