270 replies to this topic

[Propnut]

Thanks TC.

Any chance you can create a build thread with pictures of your pod? It is rather hard to see details in the video.

[Propnut]

Update:

I downloaded and installed Windows 8 onto the Mechpit rig, installed...a game or two...on it and connected the Thrustmaster HOTAS setup mentioned earlier in this thread. The Teensy++2.0 controller is working perfectly, very stable over the course of a hour of gaming. Foust gets the kudos for this setup, it was his idea and a very good one at that! Thanks again.

I need to sand and finish coat the inside of the pit and the electronic hardware will be installed. More pictures later.

[Propnut]

Yes, preview version. You can download and install it. It will, of course, expire when Windows 8 is released to the public. I will just buy a license for it at that time (depending on the price).

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Price will be $40 retail. At least that's what i read at another tech site.

[Propnut]

That is good news OSW, so far I am really liking Win8. The only issues I ran into was installing the drivers for TrackIR, but did find a work-around pretty quick.TrackIR hasn't released an updated driver in 4 years so no surprise there. Every game that I have tossed at it has played very well including the really old ones like Mechwarrior 4 Mercs (MekTek version).

[Romulus Stahl]

Propnut, on 28 August 2012 - 02:50 AM, said:

That is good news OSW, so far I am really liking Win8. The only issues I ran into was installing the drivers for TrackIR, but did find a work-around pretty quick.TrackIR hasn't released an updated driver in 4 years so no surprise there. Every game that I have tossed at it has played very well including the really old ones like Mechwarrior 4 Mercs (MekTek version).

So with the Teensy setup and the HOTAS MW4 sees it as one joystick and allows you full use? if so that is pretty cool, as this was an issue in the past with multiple peripherals.

[Adran]

It's a shame I will probably never be able anything like this. These all look so cool.

[Propnut]

Romulus: Yes, the Teensy is a single unit taking signals from all three peripherals so MW4 sees it as one unit. I got around this last time I played MW4 by using SVMapper.exe to create keystrokes from buttons. (I had separate HOTAS and Rudder back then)

Adran, never say never. You might get a chance someday.

[Propnut]

Added cushions (leather..ish) to the seat, installed the HOTAS controllers and the Teensy++ 2.0 board into the Mechpit. Also installed the 24" monitor into the pit. Devised a simple way to keep the seat in place in the pit (keep it from rolling). I have the hardware to install the cable lift system for the entry door. I need to do up some AC wiring and a control panel for that (power strip and conduit to route power to the environmental controls....aka fans)

I was tired last night, pictures will be posted this evening.

[ArrowAce101]

oh man this should be at an arcade!

[Romulus Stahl]

Propnut, on 28 August 2012 - 06:31 AM, said:

Romulus: Yes, the Teensy is a single unit taking signals from all three peripherals so MW4 sees it as one unit. I got around this last time I played MW4 by using SVMapper.exe to create keystrokes from buttons. (I had separate HOTAS and Rudder back then)

Very cool, I may take some time and give the rudder key mapping a shot tonight and check out the single player (MW4)
Also need to try somethings with TrackIR (POV/Mouselook) with some of the add on apps.

[Propnut]

Sorry, no photo update today as I said I would. The case arrived for the Mechpit and I was busy putting it together and installing the bits and bobs.

I did a trade with a buddy for his motherboard and CPU, he is buying the old case and watercooling system and traded me for his ASRock micro motherboard and Core i5 2500 (no K). They are about dead even as far as performance goes and he would have the option to use hyper-threading if he so chose. The i7-950 is slightly faster in benchmarks (3DMark). But he also gets the 380.00 motherboard, which has more bangs and shininess than I have ever seen (MSI Big Bang, quad GPU, etc etc etc). So it is a good trade for him and it gives me a micro motherboard so I can fit a smaller, but still cool, case in the mechpit. I will get pictures up tomorrow hopefully. I want to mount the case in the mechpit which means I have to make the slide assembly and of course the doors before I can do so. Wish me luck.

[Moodysea]

Propnut, on 22 August 2012 - 06:40 AM, said:

Unfortunately school starts next week and I will not have as much time to devote to this obsession. I teach college history.

I teach too.

There must be away to get Mechwarrior into a lecture.

*I know* because I snuck it in on my Postmodernism / Gaming lecture on Futuristic Virtual Histories.

This stuff is important!!!!!

[Propnut]

I didnt bother sneaking, I just outright told my students about it. We were discussing our summer projects, etc. They seemed to think that their new instructor is nuts, lol.

[Mister Blastman]

Nice! I remember following the other doods thread at Frugal's years ago.

Might I suggest you make your display collimated with a Fresnel lens. If you ever played in the Tesla pods, they did exactly that. It will add dramatically to your sense of depth when looking out the "window" (monitor). The only catch is finding a fresnel that's 28 inches diagonal... I've got one that is 24 but bigger hmm...

If you do find one, post where as I'd like to buy one myself. At any rate, it will add immensely to the experience and will be far worth the effort.

http://www.godrules....d%20Display.htm

[GnawTsatyr]

Propnut, on 30 August 2012 - 02:48 AM, said:

I didnt bother sneaking, I just outright told my students about it. We were discussing our summer projects, etc. They seemed to think that their new instructor is nuts, lol.

If I had a professor in college that told me they were doing what you were doing, you would outright be my favorite professor of all time. Funny thing is, my most memorable professor was from my world history class. Coincidence? Perhaps... But that was almost a decade ago and that dude just seemed bat-sh*t crazy. Fun to learn from, but had the wildest stories from his world travels. Anyhow, I look forward to seeing the completion of your rig. You are doing great things.

[Moodysea]

Propnut, on 30 August 2012 - 02:48 AM, said:

I didnt bother sneaking, I just outright told my students about it. We were discussing our summer projects, etc. They seemed to think that their new instructor is nuts, lol.

Did you set them an essay question on it though?

Here is mine:

Dystopian futures, as represented in computer games and cinema, both reflect and refract contemporary reality. Discuss in relation to real world media trauma.

Edited by Moodysea, 30 August 2012 - 07:51 AM.

[SlasH58]

Propnut, on 14 August 2012 - 06:25 AM, said:

Additionally, like Foust, I found a used set of outdated Thrustmaster controllers (F-16 TQS, F22 Pro Joystick and their Rudder Control System) on Craigslist. These will be rewired using the Teensy controller. I usually build my own controllers from scratch but these would look so cool in a mechpit.

Hey man, I have the Thrustmaster F-16 stick & TQS system and was wondering if there was a way to adapt it to work. Is there any chance that you could post-up how you're able to make it work? While I don't have the wiring skills, I do have friends that can do it.

[Vapor Trail]

Didn't see it mentioned (might have been me just missing it), but have to ask. Dolby 5.1 or 7.1? (well, that plus the "buttkicker" apparently).
And Ambient vs Headphones?

My thought would be to mount the speakers "external" to the cockpit interior, but enclosed by the exterior. With the interface being a disguised grille or mesh on the interior.

Not a big sound guy, but having experienced the difference between standard tv speakers and surround sound headphones for immersion, I'd have to say leaving it out would be a crime.



And if you want true immersion, you need several forced air, probably ceramic element, space heaters with controls hooked to your PC and a thermostat. When your mech hits high heat levels, the heaters kick in. Jump the temp in the box to about 80-85 in a few seconds. Just high enough to be slightly uncomfortable.

Edited by Vapor Trail, 30 August 2012 - 05:53 AM.

[Propnut]

Wow, lots of comments, I will take them one at a time:

ArrowAce: Thanks

Romulus: I am using TrackIR headtracking (mouse emulation) for the torso and pitch movement. Not sure what you mean by rudder keymapping though. The rudder is used for torso movement by many people and rudder pedals are an analog input, which is very nice as it is an incremental movement rather than all on or all off.

Blasterman: For me that would add nothing to the immersion, headtracking changes your viewpoint without the need to look out the the window ports. This would be very difficult to impliment with an enclosed cockpit as you would really have to crane your head out the window to see certain angles. But if you are really into collimated displays check out the DIY efforts of Gene Buckle here: http://www.diy-cockpits.org/coll/

Moodysea: Ouch, I am not sure I could even answer that question. My class is intro to American History so right now we are working on Pre-Columbian and early European invasion eras.

SlasH58: It is pretty easy to do. Set up the Teensy per the links that Foust posted in his mechpit build (first Teensy post here is linked to his I believe). You will need to strip the electronics out of the throttle and stick (the throttle has a board inside the base, the stick has one in the base and another in the handle, and solder new wires from all buttons (they use a common ground) out of the stick and throttle to the teensy. I know this is a really brief description but if you have buddies with wiring skills it will be a no brainer. If they are not sure of how to do the rewire drop me another message here and I will try to lay it out.

Vapor Trail: Excellent question. I had not yet posted as I was just going to use my desktop speaker system for now and get more involved later. I am using a 5.1 surround desktop speaker set from Logitech (forget which one). The speakers will be mounted behind the walls until I pick up some standard wall mount speakers and black covers for them. The base unit will be at the bottom of the center pedestal panel. I thought a while about whether I wanted a speaker system or just use headphones like I do in the house. With speakers and full sound (and vibration I think it would be more immersive, besides, the pit is out in my shop, across the driveway from the house so there should be no complaints about noise.

As far as simulating heat...no thanks, I want to take immersion only so far, lol. I have no plans on rigging this thing to give me either heat stroke nor concussions