270 replies to this topic

[Propnut]

Thanks Loc ***, I should have been more specific on the size of the MFDs. I have to admit that it is surprising that these are 1:1 scale.

I did mount the LCD into the pit, a temp fit anyway. I just wanted to see how well I can use it as a Teamspeak viewer. Works perfectly. I will have one or two more monitors in the pit but they will not be slaved to the PC, I am thinking of using 10" and 7" tablets for maps, etc. This way I can pinch and move maps around while in game. Right now I am thinking of the maps from my flight sims but hopefully we will eventually have downloadable maps of the game arena, etc. They are handy even if they do not actively track the enemy mechs. I did try to slave them to the PC but the current tablet apps which allow you to use your tablet as a second/third/fourth etc monitor is not so great. Very laggy, especially via USB (iDisplay), not as bad via WiFi but we have already discussed the WiFi issues that I have. If I move the Mechpit into the garage that might change.

Another update:

I wanted to have a keyboard handy but did not want a keyboard in evidence so I needed to hide is somehow. If any of you have seen my Generic Simpit you might have noticed the keyboard tray that I used in that pit. Unfortunately a keyboard tray still looks like a keyboard tray. So I thought about velcroing a keyboard to the sidewall and pulling it off when it was needed. But putting it on my knees during play is not so great. So I came up with a unique idea. I created a triangular panel that rotates, giving me buttons and switches in one position but rotate it and I have the keyboard handy. I do not have any pictures right now, the unit does work and has a layer of black paint drying now. I will get some pictures of it tomorrow after I install it back into the pit.

That is all for now, I am feeling better so I should be able to grind out more updates soon.

[ODonovan]

Zabadoo, on 22 September 2012 - 07:13 AM, said:

Has anyone seen the 1990's battletech pod that was part of the battletech command centers used around the world. Once your in the cockpit it seals you inside for the duration of the game. Now that was fun. 1st place was Chicago. Others were around. Last one headed about was in 2006. Wonder if any around still.

There is a group out of Houston that goes to a LOT of conventions. Check the schedule on their website.

LINK To MechCorps

They were at DragonCon in Atlanta, recently. Got to play a few rounds one evening, but they had the game set on NoOb, with no heat tracking and no knockdowns. It would have been better on full difficulty.


-Irish

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Propnut, on 22 September 2012 - 03:54 PM, said:

I am thinking of using 10" and 7" tablets for maps, etc. This way I can pinch and move maps around while in game. Right now I am thinking of the maps from my flight sims but hopefully we will eventually have downloadable maps of the game arena, etc. They are handy even if they do not actively track the enemy mechs. I did try to slave them to the PC but the current tablet apps which allow you to use your tablet as a second/third/fourth etc monitor is not so great. Very laggy, especially via USB (iDisplay),

Gives me an idea of doing screen captures of the Battle maps and then later editing out the current games mechs. So i have nearly blank maps on my Dell Streak 7. Good idea.
As for the keyboard. toss out the tray. Mount the rails right to the side of the keyboard and when you pull it out the cover flips up or down. You know how a CDrom tray exits the drive and pushes down thedust cover on the case? Usually the CDrom is mounted behind some sort of cover. When the keyboard is pulled out, the tray flips up so you can grab the bottom the the keyboard. Between the rails and the keyboard is a piece of wood or some material that is keeping the narrow dust cover from falling down behind the F-keys and locking the keyboard in the extended position. AND with that, i think i'll use my own Idea in my own design. Feel free to adjust it to yours or toss it out.

That way your keyboard is hidden quite well.

Edited by ORIGINAL SteelWolf, 22 September 2012 - 10:18 PM.

[John411]

Really great thread. The ideas are legion. Take it to the absurd. In an environment in the middle of the pacific where shipping is atrocious and recycling is paramount. I am going to propose a garage stored, cannibalized and chopped JEEP as a pit. The location I speak of has tons of them beyond restoration due to bent frames, front ends, and axles. I propose everything fore of the firewall be removed and everything behind the transmission be removed. Centrally mounted seat (Corbeau?) behind a 46"+ sizes "windscreen". Will MWO support TrackIR? What can TrackIR do for MWO? How would it look as a rear view mirror? Seriously, if we already have RL weapons that can move based on the movement of the pilots headgear, TrackIR can find a home somewhere in the BT 'verse.
Happily ready to use my TM Warthog and Saitek Combat pedals if they produce the best results. Many mods for the 'Hog exist as well to make it a floor mounted or "stick shift" controller (cheaply at that). Can a clutch and brake bar be used to make a z-axis?
The guages will be replaced with... guages. As a DCS world player, it would be mulit-purpose so the MFDs might have a touch sensitive monitor behind each one anyway. I have a six pack of salvaged, short-throw pneumatic actuators that, with proper geometric attachments and commands from the computer (force feedback mabye?), could simulate the feel of an AC/20 hit to the core. As a jeeper, pneumatics are a breeze...sorry.
A metal pit will provide a more realistic feel along with a semi representative acoustic sound. A CNC cut dash and side panels at a 35-45 degree angle, then tilted back would be neat if some of the switches in the screen shots do something upon completion, but only as a simulation option. I am sure it could be done with enough time. I wish I had that time.

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

TrackIR has been addressed in other threads.

[Deatonis]

Simply..amazing.

[Propnut]

O'Donovan, interesting stuff but lets stay on topic. As a matter of fact, I would really like to see a new topic made on the commercial simulator pods. There is a store near here that has 6 of them, open to the public.

John, sounds like you have great resources at your disposal, I would like to see more of your build if you get it started.

Deatonis, thank you sir.

[Propnut]

Update:

The keyboard mechanism is installed. The rotation works perfectly with stops to keep it from moving too far forward or backward.

Keep in mind, the pit is half torn apart and I am redoing several things so it looks like...well it looks like a pit to be honest

Two open bays for buttons and switches

[Reprieve]

Hello Propnut. I just wanted to drop in and say this is truly amazing.
It has to be one of the most ambitious, inventive, impressive, and
dedicated shows of workmanship I have seen. I applaud you sir!

[ODonovan]

Hey Propnut, I saw a few posts up the thread where you were talking about using tablets as small secondary monitor screens. Why not just use small USB monitors?

LINK or LINK

This one is a 7" screen with one usb cord which both powers the display and transfers the video feed to it. It's totally plug and play with Win7 (doesn't need a direct connection with your video card) and sets up just like any other secondary monitor. I may very well get one for my system so I can keep the TeamSpeak display up in it and keep track of who is saying what during missions.


-Irish

Edited by ODonovan, 26 September 2012 - 10:11 PM.

[Propnut]

Reprieve, thank you. I appreciate the kudos.

O'Donovan, A couple of reasons that I decided against USB monitors:

1. Price. I can get a 7" tablet from Menards (for those who are not familiar with Menards they are a big box hardware chain that has branched out to include general merchandise) for 84.00. The cheapest USB monitor runs from 100.00 to 125.00.

2. Control. With the Tablets I can have control over that screen while in game without the need to tab out. I can connect my headset to the tablet to use it for teamspeak if I wanted (I do not but it is an idea) I can control maps with the tablet by touch, etc.

3. Convenience, I already own a couple of tablets

But thanks for the information, it might help others who wish to expand their screen space.

Edit: Thought of another reason, ok so there are more than a "couple" reasons

4. If I really wished to I can get an app which allows me to use the tablet as a extra desktop space and still have touch control over it. idevice works well (I have that one) but there are several more available from 5.00-10.00 on the "Play Store".

Edited by Propnut, 27 September 2012 - 06:37 AM.

[ODonovan]

Wow, how lovely!!! I used my time and effort to post information and photos about a sitdown arcade driving machine I'd found for sale in my home town which could be converted into the interior of a mechpit VERY easily. Add some walls around it, stick control systems and a monitor in it, and VOILA, you have a mechpit. Someone who might otherwise never otherwise be able to afford or build one could use it and have a great setup with a minimum of work and expense. You'd think that information would be well received in a thread about building mechpits, right?

Instead, my post gets deleted by a moderator without ANY explanation and I get a rather rudely worded message from Propnut asking me to remove my "for sale post." I NEVER had anything for sale, which Propnut would have realized if he had actually READ what I had posted. Now I'm sorry I even bothered. I should know better than try to do something nice for others in a public forum. Enjoy the thread, gang. I'm outta here!


-Irish

[Urban UK]

I guess there was a bit of a misunderstanding

[Propnut]

The rather rudely worded request:

Hi Donovan,

Your for sale post in my mechpit build thread is not appropriate. You might want to start a unique thread on selling your arcade machine.

Would you please remove the post?

Thank you

David

[Propnut]

Ok, back on Topic:

Er...sorta.

I have not had any progress on the Mechpit at all. The reason being is that I have spend the last week or so making sure that I will have high speed internet.

Interesting process:

I do not have high speed internet available in this area, the cable company refuses to bring their cable down this road as most residents are Amish (so why bother right?).

So, what I did was to have cable installed in my name at a barn two miles away and then connected that to a 5ghz antenna which in turn connects to another antenna on my house. This gives me 30mbs download and 4mbs upload. The antennas are capable of 150mbs throughput. I have had this setup for two years without a problem.

New Problem:

The farmer who owns the buildings has lost them to foreclosure and I must remove my equipment.

Solution:

The farmer who owns the fields next door has allowed me to install two posts to mount a steel box and my antenna to. Big problem...there is no power to that location. So, I have installed solar cells to power the equiptment.
So far everything is working well.

See what I will go through to play MWO?

Ok, real update:

I really like the transducer system mounted to the seat, makes the entire pit shake in time with the mech movement and weapon explosions.

But I have the transducer wired in line with the bass speaker, this means to get a large amount of shake I must also have a really large amount of bass sound in the pit. Really too much bass to hear the other levels.

So, I am going to break the transducer out of the line by adding a mini amplifier between the bass speaker and the transducer.

I ordered this today:

[Chbribs]

Hey Propnut, would you care to go into some detail about your control system you have going? I'm really interested in how you managed to set it up. If it's too much of a hassle, then that's all right, I'm just really curious about the insides of the control system.

Anyway, nice simpit, I wish I had the kind of money/space to make something like this, it'd be pretty awesome.

quickedit: What's the wattage of that amp?

Edited by Chbribs, 04 October 2012 - 03:43 PM.

[Propnut]

Hi Chbribs,

I can point you to another mechpit build where the author is doing the same mods to Thrustmaster FLCS and TQS. I really should have documented my mod but like many things I was just in too big a hurry.

Foust has actually done a much better job on his upgrade/mod than I did. I simply used the existing potentiometers but his information is much more in depth than what I could relate at this time.

I hope this helps

http://mwomercs.com/...lator-work-log/

[Urban UK]

Propnut if you haven't already, you should consider getting low pass filters for your transducers

Using just the subwoofer out of my amp I found my transducers acting a bit like speakers, I fitted low pass filters to the transducers so only the low subsonic hz got passed to them, and I found the transducers to be way better, I couldn't hear where the bass was coming from, I could just feel it

Think I filtered the bass so only below 80hz was passed to the transducers but not 100% sure, would have to open up my seat pedestal

Edited by Urban UK, 05 October 2012 - 03:49 AM.

[Propnut]

Hi Urban,

I will look into getting one. I have not really used the system enough to tell if I need one or not but I am sure you are correct. With an enclosure this small any little bit of control will help.

[ODonovan]

Propnut, on 04 October 2012 - 02:22 AM, said:

The rather rudely worded request:

Quote

Hi Donovan,

(Read this as: I can't be bothered to read your forum handle and get it correct.)

Quote

Your for sale post in my mechpit build thread is not appropriate. You might want to start a unique thread on selling your arcade machine.

(Read this as: I didn't even read your post, so I'm ASSUMING the machine is yours and that you're selling it. Also, the "my mechpit thread" phrase is rather amusing. I wasn't aware anyone had ownership on these forums except for Piranha Games.)

Yeah... If you don't even bother to actually read what someone posts, get all the details incorrect, tell them their post is inappropriate, then go whine to a moderator to have it removed...that's rude alright.)

If anyone actually DOES want the information I posted about a sitdown arcade machine for sale here in Tampa, which looks like it would be an incredibly easy conversion to a mechpit interior, just send me a message. I did want to come back on here long enough to make that offer, since there may be folks here wanting to build their own cockpit simulators who don't have 1) large budgets, or 2) talent as builders.



L8ers!

-Irish

Edited by ODonovan, 05 October 2012 - 01:20 PM.