270 replies to this topic

[Moodysea]

Here's the big question:

When is the massive MECHWARRIOR party at Propnut's house?

LOL!

Propnut, on 30 August 2012 - 07:16 AM, said:

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

Oh Okay! ;-P

Best thread ever. It makes me smile. It shows me, in all seriousness, what a nice place the Internet can be.

Edited by Moodysea, 30 August 2012 - 07:56 AM.

[Urban UK]

Mister Blastman, on 30 August 2012 - 03:08 AM, said:

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

I have been thinking about using a fresnel lens as well, paired with my 37" tv, I cant really find a source of one big enough though

only leads ive found are some that are used for solar projects, but I think they'l have scratches on, otherwise maybe could go to a scrap yard or something and rip one out of a discarded rear projection tv

[Mister Blastman]

Propnut, on 30 August 2012 - 07:16 AM, said:

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/

Holy heck! I'd loooooooooooooove to fly Falcon BMS with that thing. Insanity.

I've used Track IR with a fresnel collimated display, btw. I did it for years--up until I got a widescreen monitor that was too big for the lens. It actually works very, very well. You still have to look forward at the monitor though. I can't imagine how much money it cost those guys to build that. I have no where near the skills to build that. Amazing!

Urban UK, on 30 August 2012 - 08:04 AM, said:

I have been thinking about using a fresnel lens as well, paired with my 37" tv, I cant really find a source of one big enough though

only leads ive found are some that are used for solar projects, but I think they'l have scratches on, otherwise maybe could go to a scrap yard or something and rip one out of a discarded rear projection tv

I bought my original high resolution ones from www.3dlens.com but they don't have nearly the selection anymore that they had years ago. Our best bet for a large one is getting someone to custom make them which would be expensive.

[Propnut]

Picture update:

Installed the PowerCore ™ today, the PC is up and running, now I just need to clean it up and start making panels.

Ignore the glue streaks and poor paint work inside the pit, every black surface that you see will be covered up by black plexiglass (instrument panels, light panels, gauges, etc) eventually. I just put the black paint in there so it did look so...wooden

The trackball (MAME type) arrived today and is installed in one of the 45 degree panels , it is very handy. I plan on getting a wireless small form factor keyboard which will be clipped to the sidewall by magnets when not in use. Right now I am using a really poorly made cheapo keyboard from the grocery store. It is destined for the round file as soon as I no longer need it. Typing on that thing is a chore.

I will get pictures of the Teeny++ when I tidy it up a bit. I only had one 6 port wall plate to use so need to pick up...many...more. I am thinking of mounting the next teeny on the ceiling (behind a panel) to save on wire, this way the buttons would not need to travel so far to reach the controller.

I picked up a cheap USB throat mic and ear bud for comms and have yet to install the speaker system that I mentioned before. TrackIR is in but I need to make a housing for it and of course the controllers are working great.

The whole thing needs to be cleaned out...anyway...here you go:

The seat in its cushioned goodness...this thing is like sitting in a recliner...I could easily fall asleep. Comfy.



Inside, sorry for the reflection off the monitor, I should have used a better angle. Not the temporary interior lighting, lol. Again, all gaps between the front and back of the pit will be covered with instrument panels.




The MAME style trackball (Ebay 25.00) with buttons. It glows green...cool!



The Power Core ™ lol. I purchased a Suncom UV blue acrylic case. As you can see I am not great at cable management.







The Power Core ™ is mounted on a swing-out door (hinged on the bottom with piano hinge) which swings down into the pit and back to horizontal for maintenance (chain catch).







Thanks for looking!

[Moodysea]

Are you not supposed to be writing lectures LOL!

This is too brilliant for words.

When the NDA is lifted may I use this thread and pics in one of my lectures on gaming?

Also have you not thought of having two extra screens so you you can look out the side windows (I think the game does this... not entirely sure.)

Also are you allowed it in the lounge when it's finished? I should certainly hope that this is the case!

[Foust]

*slow clap*

Bravo.

[Propnut]

Adding the surround sound system today. Well...sorta surround....a set of Creative Inspire T3000 2.1 speakers.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16836116147

I have had these for about 8 years now, they have worked wonderfully since the day they were unpacked. I am by no means an audiophile (tin ear) but the bass is bassy and the tweets are tweety and the mid...well..they are admittedly middling.

What makes them excellent for my pit? I can wire one of these directly to the bass speaker:



I picked this thing up a couple of years ago for my old simpit but the family overwhelmingly voted against its use (after the first night). Thereafter I had to wear headphones in the simpit!!! (The HOrror).

Well, my Mechpit is out in my 1500sq ft shop (MINE ALL MINE, MUAHHAAAHHAHAHA!!!)....aherm...and so this means the the family will have no complaints where sound is concerned.

My wife is away with family so last night I hooked it up to the speakers here in the office and played several rounds.....holy crud stink! It is amazing to FEEL your mech walking...and weapon fire.......boy HOWDY!

Ok, running off to the mechpit to install my toys. I will also pick up two of the small variety transducers to connect to the HOTAS panels so I can feel it up through the controllers as well.

The hockey puck size transducers are only about 14.00 each.

[Urban UK]

Got a link to the small transducers? Need some myself

[Propnut]

Here you go sir:

http://www.amazon.co...rds=bass+shaker

Sorry, I do not know any UK or EU sources.

[Urban UK]

Thanks mate, yeh your right cant find any in uk, might have to order a few and brave customs though, they seem quite nifty

[Propnut]

Update:

Have not been doing much, mostly playing...a certain mech game....in the Mechpit.

The Mechpit is..well...a pit. I need to get some cleaning done in there, which I do after ever few steps are done. Once the entire pit is assembled (panels, etc) I will give everything a good sanding and repainting to get a slightly glossy finish.

What little that did get done:

Added the bass shaker to the bottom of the seat, so I needed some way to connect the wires and still allow the chair to roll out of the pit. I came up with a simple solution, but it does need to be refined. The chair portion is good, the inset copper plates look very nice but the springs that touch the plates look a bit...low quality, lol. This was a prototype, I am already designing a set of contacts that use PVC tubing. They will look pretty good once they are painted up. Might put labels on them that say "Coolant Lines" or some such





Speaking of cooling, here is one of the rear fan units. This one blows air from the outside in. The housing outside was cut using the CNC (I thought it would look better...but my design really doesn't "stand out". I might redo them). The outside housing holds a paper furnace filter to keep dust from being pulled into the pit. The inside still needs some type of fan cover, I can whip one out on the CNC later though. Both fan control units will be on the center upper switch panel.







I added some switch panel frames, one on the left in front of the throttle, not sure what it will be used for as yet but there are soooo many choices, lol. The upper panel has the TrackIR in the center, the Environmental controls will be up there as well as the PowerCore ™ controls and readouts.

Notice the 24"x36" headliner panel? 1/4" black acrylic sheet. I am sheeting everything in this stuff (Craigslist find a year or so ago). The Switch panels will be white 1/4" acrylic painted gloss black.









And of course I took Choowey's advice and painted the front to look like cockpit windows.

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

What is this CNC you keep mentioning?

[Propnut]

Sorry, CNC: Computer Numeric Control. I have a 9x5 computer controlled router table. I create a drawing, process the drawing to G-code and send the file to the router table to be cut out of whatever material I set it up for.

Build thread for the CNC table:

http://www.cnczone.c...cess_story.html

Edited by Propnut, 02 September 2012 - 04:37 PM.

[Moodysea]

Which Mech do you Pilot in game?

[Propnut]

Not sure what I will pilot on a regular basis until the game is released. In MW4 I usually piloted a heavy (Maruader)

[Propnut]

Added some lighting inside the cockpit today, a white light strip for clear vision between bouts and a red light strip to see controls during combat (rope lighting).

Added a switch panel to the upper center panel to control the A/C accessories (2 fan units, 2 light units so four toggle switches).

Painted up three 24x24" sheets of white acrylic (gloss black spray paint) so I can make some outer switch panels. I will use the black 1/4" for the switches and another layer of the white painted black for labels. This way I can change the panels for other use at a later date.

Purchased a black toggle type light switch (palm switch or called something like that), metal box, etc for main power on/off. Need to get that wired to the power strip that I am using inside.

Routed and mounted the steel cable to lift and close the door. I can pull it up right now, just need to pick up a wiper motor (automotive) and a pulley and mount/wire it in.

[Romulus Stahl]

@ Propnut,
Things are moving along nicely. I'll have to look closer at your CNC build. Not sure I have the space for a 9x5, with my Sliding Table Holzer and Cheisa EB (I used to run a Cabine Shop on the side as well) sticking with my Engineering job for now.

On a side note if you are ever in the market for a good USB hub with more than 7 ports, I ran into a 28 port Mannhatten (Mondohub) - I needed more port for for some USB displays and controllers, I ran into some hubs that were backfeeding power to the PC, the Mondo is nicely isolate.

For sliding contacts you may want to look into a blade and groove system as they use on gantry cranes.

Edited by Romulus Stahl, 06 September 2012 - 05:11 AM.

[repete]

Hi all

A ) Propnut...'Props' for your work. Lookin good.

B ) The elegant simplicity of Turbo Corvair's simpit got my juices flowing recently. After years of cockpits made like kids forts (Chairs, tables, blankets), and the excitement of MWO, I said "Stuff it. I'm gonna do a 'proper' one".

So mine isn't anywhere near as flash as Prop or Turbo's. Mine will basically be a box. But it will give me the closed in cockpit feel, with controls in all the right places. Initial buget is about NZ$250 - US$200i'ish, including a car seat on coasters much like Turbo's.

Basic plan for mine: http://imgur.com/jF1LY

Edited by repete, 07 September 2012 - 08:35 PM.

[Propnut]

Thanks Romulus and Repete.

Repete, nothing wrong with simple, if it helps with the immersion it is all good.

Did a little work on the Mechpit, added a small keyboard that connects to the left wall by velcro. Added a control panel up front top for the PC controls (Fusion Engine ignition, reset, activity [hard drive light]), added blank panels on all upper control (switch) panels, added blank switch panels in front of the throttle. Did a little bit of cable management..a little bit.

Unfortunatly my camera is still broken but the replacement is on its way (Sony A300 DSLR to replace my Sony A100).

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

I know you have a cell phone with a camera. Possibly a tablet maybe. Use that >