Project Universal Car for Orbiter (UCO)

[Shadow Addict]

I made an audible gasp watching that

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Dan, nicely done. If you keep raising the bar like this, I'm not gonna be able to catch up!

(P.S. - Keep raising the bar like this)

 

[Ark]

I see you decided to include a virtual cockpit.

 

[dansteph]

Thanks much for comments

About bar I just try to approach the holly Maaster Ailantd, thanks to him to have shared his knowledge with some tutorials. I'm still far from him but it's the first time I try this technique and he remain in anyway a great artist (I'm only an ingeener)

Is it possible to brighten things up a bit? Or make the buttons glow? It's hard to see which button is which and safety comes first after all.
- Any chance for an early texture pack release? Or the mesh is still under development?
- Won't the docked DGIV mess up the TransX calculations? I heard that it doesn't like to take the extra mass into account.
- When in the video the VC was showing a LEO, was that a pre rendered thing, or will we be able to "walk" in it somehow?
- I see you like Asimov too. But wouldn't it make more sense if you place those under the lamp?

I checked my screen calibration it's ok, it's dark by design but the buttons are clearly viewable. Check maybe your calibration ? (do some other have the same problem?) Notice the video doesn't render maybe all the nuances. We'll see at beta time.

About early release no, in first time it will only be a demonstrator of UCGO abilities and released with it with only "simple" system, during next years I'll improve it as I've done with the DGIV. Why not some other VC as cabin, bar, crew managment, probe launch etc. ? the possibilities are much bigger than with the DGIV.

Yes I think docked DG will mess transx, do IMFD have the same problem also ?

About LEO you'll be able to do the same with CTL+ALT+UP and look around by the window, it's a feature of VC camera of Orbiter. I've just hard coded the panoramic for the video because my hand shake too much.

About Asimov, the book is closed yet, no need for light

Cheers

Dan

 

[Hmuda]

I checked my screen calibration it's ok, it's dark by design but the buttons are clearly viewable. Check maybe your calibration ? (do some other have the same problem?) Notice the video doesn't render maybe all the nuances. We'll see at beta time.

I can see the buttons just fine, it's just that they are grey buttons on grey surface with grey labels. I can live with it, just they seem a bit dark, not enough contrast. The design could work wonderfully if the buttons were lit (green for on, red for off, white for general buttons, etc). Just a thought.

About early release no, in first time it will only be a demonstrator of UCGO abilities and released with it with only "simple" system, during next years I'll improve it as I've done with the DGIV. Why not some other VC as cabin, bar, crew managment, probe launch etc. ? the possibilities are much bigger than with the DGIV.

Sounds great. So no point in texturing yet.

Yes I think docked DG will mess transx, do IMFD have the same problem also ?

No idea. I just heard things, never did any tests myself. This seem to be the first instace where I (and possibly many others) might encounter the problem.

About LEO you'll be able to do the same with CTL+ALT+UP and look around by the window, it's a feature of VC camera of Orbiter. I've just hard coded the panoramic for the video because my hand shake too much.

Taht was new to me, thanks.

 

[Quick_Nick]

Dan... so... much... EPICNESS!!!
I love to clickable VC buttons!!!

 

[sunshine135]

Dan,

I knew you were working on a cockpit. No way you would be satisfied leaving the Arrow without one. Beautiful work. Just awe inspiring!

I saw the video and rather like the dark flight deck. I don't believe it was at all too dark. I imagine if you were traveling in space, you would want a dark flight deck anyway.

As I am an avid IMFD user, I do not mind testing the IMFD with the Arrow either. I have never experienced problems with Deepstar and DGIVs connected that would lead me to believe any problems will be had here, but we can wait for beta to sort things out.

Awesome work!


One other thought Dan. The arrow externally shows a red glow from the flight deck windows. You may want to consider either changing that to a muted white color to match the flight deck or changing the bathing light of the flight deck to a redder color. Minor, but it may enhance the realism.

 

[Nemoricus]

Yes I think docked DG will mess transx, do IMFD have the same problem also ?

There's a new version of TransX here which doesn't have this problem, though it does a few new issues which agentgonzo is working on. As long as you don't try to use the Delta Glider IV to plan and make the burn, you should be fine.

I don't know how IMFD handles docked vessels. I'll check out AMSO and see what happens.

EDIT: *disregard*

EDIT2: IMFD does handle docked vessels just in terms of burn time. However, alignment could be a problem. The thrust of the engine has to go through the center of mass for IMFD to work correctly.

 

[reekchaa]

So THIS is where all the best stuff is to see and read about

Really Excellent Work, Dan!

 

[Interceptor]

I like the red windows Dan, it reminds of the ships in 2001 a space oddesey,but I agree with sundog a redish flight deck to go along with windows would be really cool.Even a red light you coud turn on and off in the cockpit, during the ships operations would be the bomb.Thanks:speakcool:

 

[dansteph]

About red light I agree it would be more consistent but it look terrible yet so my heart balance About light switch I would have to render again all the textures, will be in another release maybe remember it's only a demonstrator ... yet

About transX & imfd I switch the thrust center on docking/undocking the Arrow don't pitch anymore when thrusting with a docked vessel. Good sign. Real effect on long trip with both MFD must be tested with the beta to see if this need more hacking.

Best

Dan

 

[halcyon]

Holy cow.
The first thing I thought of when I saw the VC was AilantD's AresaWorld addon. Those flight decks were the coolest in the videos.
I so wish he had finished those, but now we have something better!

Outstanding work Dan.
And btw, thanks for FSXPax too, great addon there.
My passengers love to drink. They start ordering bloody marys 5 minutes into the flight!

 

[autopilotman]

Dan great work cant wait to use it

btw what did you do to make the stars look like that? it looks awsome

 

[Hmuda]

Dan great work cant wait to use it

btw what did you do to make the stars look like that? it looks awsome

Under "Parameters" in the launcher, you can adjust the number of stars visible, their brightness and contrast. For my tastes, 25k stars is enough, with 1.5 brightness and 5 contrast. Looks pretty without being intrusive.

 

[autopilotman]

Under "Parameters" in the launcher, you can adjust the number of stars visible, their brightness and contrast. For my tastes, 25k stars is enough, with 1.5 brightness and 5 contrast. Looks pretty without being intrusive.

That's not what I mean. watch Dans preview videos and notice the varying sizes and brightness of the stars

 

[Hmuda]

That's not what I mean. watch Dans preview videos and notice the varying sizes and brightness of the stars

The different brightness is covered in what I wrote.

As for different sizes, I'm not an expert, but it might be because of the illusion caused by video compression, resizing, etc.

Just check this comparison between 1024 and 640 resolutions. The same "smudging" might happen when compressing a video that gives off the illusion of different sizes of stars (brighter being bigger).

As I said, I'm no expert, but as far as I can tell by the video, that's pretty much the same that I have on my star-configuration option from the launcher. Maybe he has a bit more stars with a slightly higher brightness, but more or less the same.

 

[dansteph]

Holy cow.
The first thing I thought of when I saw the VC was AilantD's AresaWorld addon.

Thanks but Ailantd is THE lord this is my first try of render to texture but I'm not even near the quality of his work.

Notice as programmer fond of optimisation I'll never be able to be as much generous with textures than him, every pixel more cost me one eyes

I thought 5 years ago that we would be able to relax a bit the optimisation and be more generous in the future, but ala, with vista and incoming OS on wich Orbiter run poorly it's still not possible.

So the VC have the same number of textures than DGIV and 8000 polygon only. The arrow himslef have only 12'000 poly and 3 textures.

Dan

 

[trokkes]

So the VC have the same number of textures than DGIV and 8000 polygon only. The arrow himslef have only 12'000 poly and 3 textures.

Dan

Because of that, i Love your addons. They run smoothly in every machine I've tried them. And yes, optimization is good although the machines are better and better with the time.

Waiting yet :speakcool:

Trokkes

 

[Oceanic]

so i hear it's tuesday in a coupe of hours

 

[Piper]

Utterly epic. Dansteph, you have outdone yourself. I can't wait for the "Universal Car for Orbiter" part. Hopefully with that I'll finally be able to finish my Titan Orbiter/Rover mission that I've been working one.