230 replies to this topic

[Foust]

ORIGINAL SteelWolf, on 01 August 2012 - 05:37 PM, said:

Yes a shameless plug indeed Have you tried asking founders since all of them are supposed to be in beta now?

I won't ask someone to break their NDA. Now if Russ Bullock wanted to break HIS NDA and hook me up, I'd allow that to happen.

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

I have a dead mouse. USB. My current mouse is PS2. Do you know if there is a way to tell the scrips to accept commands from a specific device even if they are both USB? The really old keyboards are hard circuit boards rather then the rubber membrane. I'm tempted to go that route.
Start out with something like this first before i put a shell/cover on it http://www.instructa...Sim-Racing-Pod/

[Foust]

Yes you should be able to specify which device you are wanting to pull the input from. AHK certainly has that ability.

If I wasn't bringing the Suncom joystick back from the dead I would have probably went with a basic usb keyboard hack. Fact is that if someone says "Here have this thrustmaster warthog for your pit" I'd just use the Teensy++ as a keyboard encoder.

Also if anyone wants to give me a thrustmaster warthog for this project I will gratefully accept it.

I have a akers-barnes pit already built, But getting into the thing is a delicate act of balance and will. The awesome thing about the AB pit is that it was designed to break down and fit in the trunk of a car. The bad thing about it is that it was designed to break down to fit in the trunk of a car. Right now my considerations are use the AB since it is already built. Modify the AB to make it easier to get into. Scrap the AB and build new.

I'm leaning toward the AB modifications. It wont be much like the original when its all said and done, but perhaps I can reuse some of the material.

I also need to decide if I am going to run my 3 21" screens or if I'm going to go out and get a 32" LCD as the main display. Id have to fabricate a triple screen mount to use the 21's but that cost would be alot less than buying a triple mount or buying a 32" screen.

Decisions, decisions

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

http://www.amazon.co...tor+arm+support
Triple LCD Monitor Stand up to 21" Monitors by MonMount

• $135.99 $49.75
  
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Edited by ORIGINAL SteelWolf, 03 August 2012 - 04:09 PM.

[Kilo Golf]

This is pretty amazeballs, keep the videos coming. I'm dying to start work on a simpit. I'm pretty sure I know how I'm going to be spending my R&R when I get home.

Regarding your "Reactor Online" toggle, can I suggest changing out the normal toggle switch for a locking toggle? They do the same thing, but you need to pull out on them in order to change their position. I've included an example I found online here: http://www.learjet45...5/EmerLight.JPG

*Edit to add locking toggle info.

Edited by Kilo Golf, 03 August 2012 - 06:02 PM.

[Hardcover]

Foust, on 30 July 2012 - 08:35 PM, said:

Second, I am not really satisfied with this panel. I feel like it is either missing something or needs redesigned into the half height panel. Does not seem to be enough going on to justify the full height.

Actually, I had an idea for that just now. Replace the toggle switches with double-pole single-throw ones (I'd also dress them with military-style covers, but that's just me) and use the second pole for indicator LEDs on the weapon panel. It'd use some space, and it would also dress things up just a bit, since weapons are (traditionally) the last things to go online.

[Acid Phreak]

nice work

but i missing the "all systems nominal"

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Acid Phreak, on 03 August 2012 - 08:10 PM, said:

nice work

but i missing the "all systems nominal"

Listen again. http://mwomercs.com/...post__p__695454

[Foust]

Thanks for the comments and the kind words, helps keep me going.

Kilo Golf, on 03 August 2012 - 05:30 PM, said:

Regarding your "Reactor Online" toggle, can I suggest changing out the normal toggle switch for a locking toggle?

I have thought about switches like that, and about adding covers. Its always something I can go back and add in later. Right now I'm trying to keep the budget office happy and get this into a workable state. I have spent several hours over the last few days in sketchup laying out ideas for the pod itself, as well as out in the garage with the AB pit taking measurements and talking to myself about potential designs.

Rudders, do I go with a sliding style like most commercially available units, or should I just use a basic pivot pedal and switches?

I am also deciding if I should scratch build the rudder and throttle or if I should pick up some older TM items and hall retro fit them.

Im hoping to be able to get into the garage and do some cutting in the next few days and I will try to get some progress pics up when I do.

[Foust]

Alright so I didn't get to spend as much time in the garage as I would have liked, but I did get some work done converting the AB pit.

This is what the AB looks like stock.


This shows why getting into the thing is a feat all in itself. Stand on the seat one foot on the floor, perform a one legged squat...


I decided that I would hinge one of the strakes out to make the entry into the enclosed pod easier. I cut the right side at the slide joint so that the strake supports would still lock into the side. I cut some 2x4 to brace up the base and left side strake.


And the first view of my seat. It is a V-Rocker that I picked up at a yard sale for $5. Actually pretty comfortable, the bonus is that it has a bass shaker in the seat and two speakers in the head rest. Plan to use those for some surround sound action. I still need to order the 9v 1A adapter to power the thing though.


And with the strake installed.


And in the future open position.


And as happy coincidence, that seat sits directly on those support 2x4s. I couldn't have lined them up better had I been trying.

The back of the side pieces interfere with the seat back a bit so I trimmed them to work a bit better with the seat.


I stopped here mainly because sleeping children and power tools don't mix so well, and I needed to consult my sketchup drawings to see how I had framed the back and hinge supports.

I had planned on making a basic box around the back to ease construction a bit, but while I was out there I started to wonder if I couldn't make some ribs and skin the shell. Assuming I could work it out, it would keep weight down as well as make it less of a box. Guess Ill need to spend some more time in sketchup, and less time playing Diablo 3...

[Handicap]

This looks amazing. Can't wait for more updates.

[Kilo Golf]

Just a thought on custom controls/buttons. It seems like a lot of programming and fiddling with config files to create your own controls, and a nightmare to get everything working with any games. What about tearing apart a usb keyboard and soldering wires to the circuit board (a la, "turn my xbox controller into a joystick"), and terminating them on some lugs or other wiring block? You could use some RJ-45 jacks and Cat-5 cable to run wires to all the switches. It might make everything a bit more modular and easier to troubleshoot if you run across any issues, you wouldn't have to tear apart the whole rig.

Oh, if you run a search for "Government Liquidators" or "DRMO," There may be a military base nearby, and there is usually a large surplus of airplane parts like seats, cushions, dome lights, yokes... You can get 'em on the cheap and it'd add a little flair to your rig.

I'm loving what you're doing with it so far!

[Foust]

Kilo Golf, on 08 August 2012 - 06:06 PM, said:

What about tearing apart a usb keyboard and soldering wires to the circuit board (a la, "turn my xbox controller into a joystick"), and terminating them on some lugs or other wiring block? You could use some RJ-45 jacks and Cat-5 cable to run wires to all the switches. It might make everything a bit more modular and easier to troubleshoot if you run across any issues, you wouldn't have to tear apart the whole rig.

I would have went with a basic keyboard hack had I a nice HOTAS setup to begin with. Since I wanted to rebuild the old suncom stick I had back in the Mechwarrior 2 days I needed something that would let me add axis as well as buttons. Plus I get the added bonus of seeing "Mechwarrior Simulator" show up as a device when I plug it in. That still makes me smile.

I do plan on making everything modular. You and I are in the same neuro helmet, initial designs had me hooking everything up with cat 5. I realized though that once I got up to 24 conductors on just the joystick that I should probably look into larger connections, hence the DB25. That and I can sometimes find M/F DB25 or DB9 cables at the local thrift shops.

Nice tip on the DRMO, Ill do some browsing.

I understand that there will be some representation of MWO at gencon this year. I will take my "medium sized black book of mech pod design and terrible sketches" (MSBBOMPDATS for short) and hope above hope to gather more information to further advance this project.

Would it help my cause or hurt it to show up in my Spartan armor?

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Kilo Golf, on 08 August 2012 - 06:06 PM, said:

large surplus of airplane parts like seats, cushions, dome lights, yokes... You can get 'em on the cheap and it'd add a little flair to your rig.

I'm loving what you're doing with it so far!

[southern accent] Yokes? This aint a flight sim son.
[normal midwest accent] maybe a spot for a yoke to slot into incase the mech simpit gets doubled for a flight sim later on down the road?
Not mine.

Foust, on 07 August 2012 - 04:50 AM, said:

Thanks for the comments and the kind words, helps keep me going.

Right now I'm trying to keep the budget office happy and get this into a workable state.

Working on my own Simpit i'll hazard a guess and say his budget office goes buy the title of WIFE. Mine cant wait till I get mine complete so i'll stop talking about it.

[SakuranoSenshi]

Impressive work. I have no tools or space here or I might attempt something similar, though my wife would probably be unamused. I shall be watching with interest.

[Grumm Esverian]

*wipes drool off keyboard*

Very impressive. Were I more technically inclined, I might try something like this.

Using foot pedals for the throttle might be a nice touch, since you're making a simulator.

[SakuranoSenshi]

Foot pedals don't control throttle, they make the mech turn. Throttles control throttle.

[SippySips]

Why not have the chair roll out backwards?

[Propnut]

Sorry if this question has been answered before, but why not use a commercial joystick controller board to connect the Suncomm HOTAS to? I use the Leo Bodnar boards but there are several others that have analog joystick inputs and 30+ button inputs, etc.

Great build, I look forward to seeing it's progress

Shortcircuit: Great Idea

[Navahl]

That is freaking bad *** man, Keep the videos coming. Cant wait to see the finished product