Easy navigation with cockpits

[jogad]

Hi,

This addon has been released.
Download the last version from its main topic:

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=17146

Thank you

[fsgregs]

Jogad:

This is a really useful and elegant addon. Thanks for developing it. While the models for the Millenium Falcon's cockpit are a bit simple, you are on a great track. I can envision more detailed models enabling us to switch our views whenever we wish.

Thanks again.

Frank

[Chuft-Captain]

Jogad,

I also started working on a multiple cockpit addon for Vincent's tools awhile ago, using smaller controls based on the style of his existing design.
A work in progress (but put on hold due to other priorities). It functions, but as you can see, a bit of work to do to tidy up the layout.

Just makes it easy to use multiple standard cockpits (no concept of side-views, which you seem to have).
Screenshot:

cockpit-UI.jpg

[jogad]

Hi,

Frank ane C-C, thank you for the feedback

While the models for the Millenium Falcon's cockpit are a bit simple, you are on a great track. I can envision more detailed models enabling us to switch our views whenever we wish.

I had no other cockpit to test my addon. This is why I hope someone will design other cockpits. Not only Star Wars, of course.

I also started working on a multiple cockpit addon for Vincent's tools awhile ago, using smaller controls based on the style of his existing design.

I had also worked on a multiple standard cockpits a while ago
this is here viewtopic.php?f=11&t=16033#p124033
As you can see it was a very simple program

Your idea of design is interesting but I find that the lua_edu_tool panel is pretty crowded as it and I would like to avoid overloading more.
This is why I often prefer the lua_plug-ins that show only that we need. They are also better if you want to make clean screenshots.

To have a quick and direct access to each cockpit (simple and multiple) I propose to use a menu in the lua_edu_tool style like this:

menu_cockpit1.jpg

The menu disappears as soon as you click on a cockpit to choose it.
The automatic translation from Eglish is one of the benefits of the lua_edu_tools.
This works as well with the lua_plugins but in this case the text is always in English.

I update my first post to include this new version.
Some minor bugs of the previous version are fixed and there are new features. Most of them are relative to the multi-panels though.

[fungun]

I had no other cockpit to test my addon. This is why I hope someone will design other cockpits. Not only Star Wars, of course.

Would you be interested in some of these?

http://www.shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9581&start=825

Tim

[jogad]

Hi fungun

Would you be interested in some of these?
http://www.shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9581&start=825

Thank you for pointing me to these models. Of course I am interested.

In fact I have not searched too much for a model of cockpit because it was mainly for illustrating the features of my plug-in.
But obviously without cockpits my plug-in is of no-use. It is a tool for those who want to develop and distribute cockpits so that the end user can easily enjoy it.

If you think a model is quite interesting and if you plan to use it as a panel cockpit, tell me. I'll be happy to give my support.

[Alexell]

And where ssc the file for The Mynock?

[jogad]

 
@Fungun

Would you be interested in some of these?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9581&start=825

I am still interested in theese cockpits.

I have not found anywhere in the motehloade the model which they belong. I have searched especially among your addons but there is a huge collection and I have probably missed them.

Are theese models available in Celestia? and where?

In the meantime I have found a little spaceship "beepilot" which have a cockpit and I plane to make a panel with it, if it is possible.

@+

[jogad]

 
@axelell

There is no ssc file.
The display is handle by the "cockpits" plugin.
Have you any difficulty to install it and make it work?

I plan to release an improved and more useful version if few days.
But I need a good cockpit to show all the possibilities...

[Fenerit]

Hi Jo?l: be caution with the cockpits!

silver-1.jpg

silver-2.jpg

Because the second album's cover (1969) these two guys where forced by a series of Pan-Am lawsuits to disband. They were pioneers of electronic music.

Wiki
Silver Apples

Silver Apples' site:
http://www.silverapples.com/silver_apples_2009_002.htm

[jogad]

Here is a little video (1mn) that shows why it is interesting to have several views for a cockpit.
http://youtu.be/gj8202Eeas0

[jogad]

Oh yes, I changed the name of this thread because this addon has grown with important features.

A) This version includes some improvements in terms of cockpits management:

- Some minor bugs fixed
- Five positions control tool to change the current view in cockpits with multiple views
- You can define a rear panel for direct access
- Each view can have a particular point of view
- Additional customizable key (W) to hide / show the cockpit
- Ability to customize each view of a cockpit (single or multiview) with an additional image

- The Mynock cockpit is updated to benefit the quick access to the front/rear views.

Two new cockpits are added:

- The Beepilot in which you have a quick acces to up to 5 views from another view. The upper front view is rather empty but you can personalize it by adding your own photo.

vues-beepilog.png

- A "manoeuvre cockpit" which is not exactly a cockpit but gives you increased possibilities in conjonction with
the manoeuvre panel. (See the video below)

You can get additional cockpits here:
http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/creat ... ts_new.zip apollo cockpits by MIR
http://www.celestiaproject.ru/files/oth ... lexell.zip atlantis shuttle and fictionnal spacecraft cockpits by Alexell

You can use all these cockpits together. Just install them in the extras/cockpits/panels directory of Celestia as explained in the cockpits/readme.pdf file.


B) But more importantly it includes substantial assistance for maneuvering in space.

With the keyboard keys and the mouse it is easy to reach the right position when it stands at a distance larger than the radius of the object.
But things become more complicated when it comes to small objects like models of irregular shape.
Sometimes we must get closer than the radius of the model.

Until now I used to use the "a" key but as it starts at about 100m/s I had to start from afar, slow down, and when I was close enough to my target I was still a little too high, or too far left, or too close, and I had to make many maneuvers to reach the exact location I wanted.
This method is even worse if you are in sync orbit mode. The movements are then very weird.

To overcome these issues it would be fine if we could have simple and reliable movements in the six directions (up,left,right,down, forward and backward) from the observer.

Another issue was that it is difficult to move in another direction than the view direction. This prevents look sideways when you are moving and you don't want to change direction.

All these problems are solved with this plugin.

The movement starts with a reasonable speed with respect to a reference object and then adjust the speed to move faster or slower according to the distance. You can of course easily accelerate or decelerate.

The plugin comes with an extra manoeuvre panel. It provides an easy way to move sideways or up and down as well as back and forth.

manoeuvre-control.png

When you are stopped the starting speed is displayed in orange and you can adjust it before you start. It becomes green as you start.

Here are two demo videos of the plugin.

* The first one is very short (30s) with a bad video quality (sorry).
It shows how the different cockpit are called with Lua Edu Tools
http://youtu.be/HJgs5h9sJdY


* The second is a 4 mn 30s High quality video.
It gives an example of the possibilities of the plugin.
It is made with Lua Plug-ins rather than Lua Edu Tools to benefit from a more open screen.
Please adjust for youtube at the HQ 720p quality and view the video in the enlarged window.

Snap4.jpg

http://youtu.be/UsWTq1_-SU0
All is not shown in this video. The readme.pdf covers most of the plugin's capabilities.

Unless you find bugs or weird things in this plugin, it is likely the last version before I release it.

It is localised for English and French. If you are interested in localization for other languages, just ask!
One interesting thing with localisation is the possibility to translate the file name of the cockpit ex:
cockpit_Apollo11_wide.png --> Apollo 11 (or whatever name you want)
If someone knows the true name of the Beepilot, please tell me!

@+

[fungun]

It is actually called a "Workerbee".

Tim

[Alexell]

Welcome. I want to report that if Lua Edu Tools v1.2 Beta9 is in the lua_edu_tools-b9 folder, cockpitsBox isn't displayed ((

And translation locale_cockpits_ru.lua into Russian.

[jogad]

Hi,

Fungun thank you for the "workerbee". This name is now translated in French and Russian!
(Si les fans fran?ais de Star Trek on une meilleure traduction que moi, ne vous g?nez pas! )

Welcome. I want to report that if Lua Edu Tools v1.2 Beta9 is in the lua_edu_tools-b9 folder, cockpitsBox isn't displayed ((

This is fixed now! Download the last version. It should work.
And the cockpits menu doesn't croach any more on the larger russian Edu Tools toobox.
I have also added your Russian translation. Thank you very much.

[Alexell]

Hi Jogad.
2 more problems were found:
1. m/s not translated into Russian.

speed1.jpg

Tried to add in locale_cockpits_ru.lua a line

Code: Select all

["m/s"] = "м/с";

but then translation in general ceased to work.

2. Chose Earth, goto to it, and noticed that speed gives out very interesting values

speed2.gif

Speed 0 (distance km/s)
Why so it is deduced?
And in general why to do a line speed if in Celestia so speed is deduced?

[Alexell]

In a set of cockpits of "beepilot" I didn't like the top part:

beepilot1.jpg

Therefore I worked over the beepilot-7.png file and here a little that turned out:

beepilot2.jpg

In my opinion so it is much better
Here the beepilot-7.png changed by me: http://www.celestiaproject.ru/files/oth ... ilot-7.png
Place it in Celestia\extras\cockpits\panels\beepilot and confirm replacement.

[jogad]

Hi,

2 more problems were found:
1. m/s not translated into Russian.

Fixed Check the last version (V25d).

2. Chose Earth, goto to it, and noticed that speed gives out very interesting values

Speed = distance + km

Not exactly in fact it is :
Speed = distance(km/s) / 10 (from the center of the body)
explanation below:

Why so it is deduced?
And in general why to do a line speed if in Celestia so speed is deduced?

This is explained in the readme.pdf help of the program (page 3 and 4)
Maybe you should also translate this file but it is a lot of work. (Moreover it is probably not good English)

When the speed color is orange you are stopped.
The speed between the parentheses indicates the speed at which you start (when you press "w" or "q" or if you press one of the arrows of the manoeuvre tool).

Maybe only the speed in parentheses are necessary? What do you think about it?

I worked over the beepilot-7.png file

Yes it is better.
Of course you are free to improve what you want.
If you have a better version of a cockpit, You can just put a link to it in the release thread of this topic
( viewtopic.php?f=23&t=17146 )
In this case give the link for the entire cockpit, not just one file of it.

[Alexell]

When I move, speed is specified by green color. And when I do not move, in brackets the distance + is deduced by km/s. In any way I will not understand why so should be. The distance absolutely couldn't be deduced, it so from above is displayed.

Sometimes there is a size "c", don't know that it means (for example when I chose a star, see a screenshot)

spee.jpg

And by the way ly/s isn't translated.

Well and as to beepilot cockpit, I think in the future I will change its color scale and I will lay out on a forum.

[jogad]

Hi,
I have udated the plugin (V25e)

"c" stands for the speed of light. In any language with a latin aphabet it is a constant and not translated.
By the way it is not either translated in Russian in plain Celestia.
I have updated the Russian locale_cockpits_ru.lua with this item but you have to edit it to have the translation. (and give me your translation)

"ly/s" is translated as it is in Celestia. (св. л./с)

Another little change:
When you are stopped there is no more "0" before the parentheses.
And the color is more red to indicate that you are not moving.

When I move, speed is specified by green color. And when I do not move, in brackets the distance + is deduced by km/s. In any way I will not understand why so should be. The distance absolutely couldn't be deduced, it so from above is displayed.

I am not sure to understand your problem.

The speed is not deduced especially by km/s.
It is relative to the reference object (follow or sync orbit)
It is the starting speed when you begin to move. At this speed you travel for 10 seconds before you reach your target.
When you are in Free Flight, the speed is not updated.

Try this:

- select, center (c), and follow (f) your target. (look at the speed in parentheses)
- click an empty region of space so that nothing is selected.
- type the "f" key. You are now in Free Flight and the indicated speed will not change.
- Click the forward arrow of the manoeuvre panel. You are now moving to your target and 10 seconds later you hit the target.

This way you start always with an appropriate speed.
Because the speed is displayed before you start, you can always increase or decrease it if you think it is better.

Is you have a reference object the speed automatically increase if you go farther or decrease if you go closer. But you can always adjust the speed with the "<" and ">" buttons of the manoeuvre panel.