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Forums -> Multiple monitors -> span mode in FS2004
james pearce   2004-12-09 07:13
I have three monitors in span mode for FS2004. I am using a Parhelia 256mb card and got it up and running quite well. I want to fly virtual cockpit with a single wide angle view with a range of 45 degree left and right forward views.
This is achievable if you zoom out to the maximum, making the instrument panel a sensible size but this has the effect of also zooming out from the scenery and distorting the internal shape of the cockpit in the 45 degree directions. I realise that I could run three seperate windows but this has a huge hit on FPS and does not really give a contigeous surrounding effect. As a real life pilot, the peripheral view is vital particularly when gauging when to start turns from downwind and base legs. Using the top hat on the joystick is not acceptable. I hope someone has some ideas. Thanks, Jim.
Barton   2004-12-09 11:18
James,

A while back I made this webpage to help with this issue. You may already know how to do this and if not, I hope you find it helpful.

Click Here

Barton
james pearce   2004-12-11 03:47
Thanks Barton. First I should say my aircraft is the Flight1 C172R .
I found a couple of problems with the method of opening and undocking a window to give a 45 degree view. It hits the framerate and it does not appear to be possible to lower the eyepoint in the quarter views which causes the view to be obscured by the undersides of the wings and cabin roof and also produces a different horizon level. The windows can be moved vertically to get the horizons to align but the result is not very tidy and certainly does not flow across the three screens.
The ideal answer would be, in span mode, to edit the virtual cockpit forward view so that the panel is cofined to the middle screen. This is possible by zooming out in VC until the panel reduces in size to fit the middle screen. The trouble is that the quarter views are distorted by the resultant "fish eye" effect of a wide angle view. What is required is something like a 120 degree field of view, without distortion, to resemble a human perspective of the world outside the cockpit.
I just downloaded a panel editor so I'm going to have a play to see if I can reduce the displayed size of the panel when in span mode. Atpresent the panel is spread across the three screens. Cheers, Jim
Forums -> Multiple monitors -> span mode in FS2004

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