12 replies to this topic

[Hitman1]

Hey, new around here so if this topic has been answered, I couldn't seem to find the info.
I see many build simpirs and cockpits for MWO. I am considering the same thing but what I was wondering is, can you access any feedback from the game for controls, indicators..anything?

example, a signal from a Heat warning?
I was considering building somepanels for my simpit that can indicate various in game situation, warnings..etc. Might be cool if these were assigned to variables that could be accesses through USB..etc.

I know it is not that hard to build custom controllers but is it possible to build custom indicator panels?

I hope I explained it correctly.

[Loc Nar]

I think I understand what you are asking, but unfortunately we do not have direct access the the in game UI. We build our simpits, but in the end use the pit on the screen for any *meaningful information. User Turbo Corvair (the guy with the wonderful, scale Atlas pit) managed to export his HUD information to a separate screen using a payware program called Magnifier, with less than stellar results by his own admission, but it's sorta possible. You can add whatever peripherals you want to use to control the mech/play the game, but there is no way to fully replicate a functioning cockpit and undock the virtual one on the screen. For that reason, my own pit hybridizes with the screenpit, which I feel it's the shortest path to immersion given what we have to work with. My open pit was initially made with projection in mind, but it may wind up with a 30" 2560x1600 screen and an enclosure after all... my main focus so far has gone into making the controls *feel believable and work well in-game, which was far more of a challenge than I thought it would be but I love my HOTAS...

No matter what you build, or don't build, post progress/pics, or ideas here. We need more pit building activity in these parts!

[Hitman1]

Perhaps it could be suiggested to the devleopers?
I never said to undock the in game cockpit.

I just figured it could be something cool for people that are into building simpits.
For instance there are a few devices meant for racing games that allow the user to have real gauges for the racing rigs.
Something like that would be amazing for MWO. Granted only a small percentage of people build simpits and even smaller would access such features but it would be very cool to know you could.

Do you have any links to that magifier app?

I appreciate your feedback.

[Loc Nar]

Actually undocking the screenpit is likely the only thing that they *would ever concede to do, but yes, exporting UI elements has been suggested, asked, begged, etc, and you have a chance to do so yourself every 2 weeks with the ask the devs thing if you want. That said, there will almost certainly never ever be any kind of exported UDP or any kind of data stream with information the UI gives us for the simple reason of hacks/cheats/expoits.

This is a competitive shooter game, and there are already sadly plenty aimbots and such cheathacks readily available for this title, even with the limited tools at their disposal. In reality, allowing the access to the UI like what would be needed for serious cockpit building would kick the doors wide open for some serious exploitation that would ultimately lead to the demise of the game.

You didn't mention it specifically, but I assumed you would be interested in undocking the screenpit -otherwise whats the point of making a full functioning cockpit with all the elements? (a simulator peeve of mine... sitting in a cockpit looking at a cockpit on the screen -grrr)

Here's a link to Turbos fantastic Atlas pit, and a link to some bits on The Magnifier

Also, check out all the other simpit threads here. Repete consolidated them into a single thread, so be sure to add yours when you get it going and feel free to drop in on any of our own pit threads at any time.

[Hitman1]

Not sure how a signal from the onscreen indicators could be used for such a thing but I am not a developer.
COuld be cool for heat warnings, getting hit, lock on indicators...etc. I don't know the list is endless. All good ideas could be exploited I guess.

Yeah, I understand what you mean about undocking the cockpit, but if I had to take the signals without the undock I would.

I am interested in making a cockpit/simpit for sure. I already have one the started out for another project but I am more interested in this application.
I figured such things had been mentioned before because it would be at least in a list of things a sim pit builder would want. Might be nice if the dev put a selector in the options, so you could diable the in game cockpit.

I just seen and used a few products meant for the sim racing world that allowed people to use their own RPM and Speedo gauges and they are sync'd to the game. I figured might be neat to develop something like that for the mech warrior world. I wish they offered multi monitor support as that would be a big plus to the simpit guys especially with 3D added. I have a whole bunch of old gear so I have a few unique ideas in mind. I will post my pit when ready.
I appreciate the feedback and information.

Edited by Hitman1, 10 January 2013 - 04:44 PM.

[Staplebeater]

I had brought it up on one of the NGNG. Specifically i asked garth about exporting to second monitor or other simpit type monitors aspects of the HUD. He said technically feesible but till a long ways off (want to fix other stuff first)

[Ekezial]

Here is My take on what you would need to do to get this idea working..
[Game Data]
We will need some in game data either from these sources.
1)Ingame Memory(Lot's of Guess work)
2)Ethernet Packet(Lot's of Guess work)
3)If the developer would allow it, release a SDK Or DLL for us to retrieve the Data.(Best! but i doubt they will do it.)

With the Data avaliable we can write the program to translate the data into hardware signals.

[Data to Hardware]
I Program Industrial PLC's so i would use a PLC to do the automation, Not exacly the best choice as you could use cheaper IC Kits to do it also. But this is how i would do it since i have all the necessary Automation stuff already done. The Hardware is expensive estimated between $500 to 2k, Depends on the number of items you want to control But it will last even After MWO is Dead
1)An Ethernet PLC - BC9000 (www.beckhoff.com), Ethernet because it's easier for communications between PC and hardware.
2)Digital IO's (Turning On/Off Stuff)
3)Analog IO's (Volt/RPM Meters and Stuff)

[CyBerkut]

A low cost way would be to allow Gadroc's Helios software to obtain the relevant info and then display it via Helios.

For information on Helios:
http://www.gadrocsworkshop.com/helios

Over on Youtube, numerous pits can be seen utilizing Helios:
http://www.youtube.c...c.1.JWbjGUrlhus

It is utilized by a number of pilots making sim pits for such sims as DCS: Blackshark, DCS A-10C, and Falcon 4 derivatives.

It just so happens that Gadroc plays MWO (or at least he did). I'm guessing that if PGI made the necessary data available, some pretty cool virtual pit panels could be made.

As for the data... it seems that it could be done in such a way as to not provide unfair advantages. They appear to be keeping a lot of stuff under the control of the server side of the equation. As long as the data made available is limited to what the pilot and his mech have already, no unfair advantage should be realized by that.

[Ekezial]

The Hardware used by Gadroc's Helios software would be the best for you guys! ->Phidgets 1031 Advanced LED controller
It's Afforadable($125) it has the ability to control 64 LED's and connects to the PC Via USB. All it takes is someone to write the interface program to the Game's Mech Status Data.

I think they could write a public accessable .Net DLL with read only functions which will allows us to retrieve the current Mech's Status from the game's client, you dont need any server side data.
You would have to first list down what are the required data you would want to use on your indicators and after that you could Petition/Beg for the DLL......

Example:
1)Mech Speed - > value in KPH
2)Mech Armor Status ->array of 8 percentage values(Head,CT,LT,RT,LA,RA,LL,RL)
3)Compass Heading->value in Deg
4)Mech Heat Status-> heat percentage value
5)Mech Target Lock Status - True or false
6)Jumpjet status - Percentage value
Etc)add more requirements here.................

[CyBerkut]

Ekezial, on 14 January 2013 - 07:19 PM, said:

Example:

2)Mech Armor Status ->array of 8 percentage values(Head,CT,LT,RT,LA,RA,LL,RL)

Actually, with the torso's having front and back, you'd need 11 percentage values for the armor, and you would need at least another 11 for the underlying chassis/component areas.

Phidgets is one way to go. If you just want displays, you can get by nicely with LCD displays. If you want to be able to provide inputs as well (flip switches, push buttons, etc.) you can use a touch screen display. You could fit a LOT of stuff on to an Acer T230H (or T231H), for instance.

Edited by CyBerkut, 15 January 2013 - 05:12 PM.

[MrMarc]

In iRacing, we were able to do this sort of thing only because the sim output telemetry data. Once MWO can do this, then the rest is relatively simple.

[evilC]

AutoHotkey can be used to scan the screen of the game and detect the colour of specific pixels.

So for example, you can start at the bottom of the heat meter, and work your way up, checking for the yellow colour of a filled bar.

However, you would either need to work out the maths for different screen resolutions, or hard-code your script for one specific resolution.

[CyBerkut]

evilC, on 12 February 2013 - 08:17 AM, said:

AutoHotkey can be used to scan the screen of the game and detect the colour of specific pixels.

So for example, you can start at the bottom of the heat meter, and work your way up, checking for the yellow colour of a filled bar.

However, you would either need to work out the maths for different screen resolutions, or hard-code your script for one specific resolution.

That sounds like it would preclude using Freelook mode, or the to-be-eventually-supported TrackIR.

An interesting capability, but it sounds painful...