ClearView Manual ?

[mrfirkin]

Hi all,

Is there no manual/docs supplied with ClearView?

I Can't find any documentation at all either on their website or in the latest download.

Thanks,

Paul.

[Malc C]

What is it that you want to know.. seems their website has most FAQ / help items covered ?

[mrfirkin]

Not a great deal in particular.

Perhaps just a quick general overview of things in a written format like 99.9% of most decent software comes with.

Example; I was just poking around, looking for zoom, camera angle options and could not get my way around.

I thought; 'Easy, just look up the docs, or online help.... " Zippo! :eek:

Cheers,

Paul.


PS,

If yo call the following FAQ - 'Covered' then it must be a pretty basic program, with no need for any documentation?
FAQ

1. I see a black screen or the program fails to run. What do I do?

ClearView needs OpenGL 1.3 The most common reason for the program to fail in 99% of the cases is that your video card does not support the needed version of OpenGL. All you need to do is to download and install the latest video driver. Read help for more details.

2. What kind of hardware I need to run ClearView?

You will need at least 1GHz CPU and 32 MB 3D video card that provides support for OpenGL 1.3

3. Can I use my game pad controller?

Yes. This is the most practical way to learn RC helicopters if you are just starting. Do not get discouraged by others that tell you that you need RC Transmitter and Tx to PC USB cable to learn "properly" to fly rc. If you learn with your game pad, you will be able to transfer your skills to real RC transmitter easy.

4. Why I need RC radio transmitter and Tx to USB cable to fly with ClearView?

ClearView supports any Windows game pad compatible device, so you don't need this cable. If you have the cable, or if you want to invest into teaching yourself flying, it will be best if you get one. The control of the helicopter is more realistic and you will progress faster.

5. How realistic is ClearView?

It is very realistic. If you see video of experienced 3d flier and a see video of the same person flying a model in ClearView, you will be surprised how identical and life-like is the flight simulation provided by ClearView advanced physics engine.

6. I can do many 3d elements with ClearView, can I do them with my real helicopter or plane?

ClearView provides very real flight simulation. Your helicopter or plane, if properly set can and will do most of the 3d elements that you fly in ClearView. By using the simulator, you learn the hand to eye coordination and that is really valuable. 3d RC flight require perfectly set model and pilot that complements his simulator experience by burning many gallons of fuel. Make sure that you don't over estimate your skills before going for real. The fact that the crashes are real and costly can make your brain freese and that does not help a lot. The best way to benefit from a simulator is to mix real flying with simulator time.

7. My PIC Serial cable does not work

For PIC Serial Cable, go to Control Panel, System, Hardware, Device Manager,Port(COM&LPT) and set cable com port bit rate to 9600.

[skirtz]

Hi Paul,

In addition to the FAQ, you can go to the help page, to the controllers page, the models page and the sceneries page. There is quite a bit information about model format, plane setup, how to make sceneries etc. If you have specific question you can e-mail support.

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

[Malc C]

Stefan,

Maybe Paul has a point and you should provide a pdf manual ?

[skirtz]

Stefan,

Maybe Paul has a point and you should provide a pdf manual ?

May be...or, may be not... What is there to describe - load a model and start flying?

When you get a $30 game, where is the manual ? No manual. Most is left as self explanatory. I do my best to have all important information posted, after that - read the forums, google, or ask support.

Stefan
http://rcflighsim.com

[Creosote]

Would people still want a manual if caused a price increase? Not me. :)

Creosote.

[Malc C]

When you get a $30 game, where is the manual ? No manual.
Stefan
http://rcflighsim.com

Sorry, can't agree with you there. I purchased a game (Rising Tide) for £16 (less than your $30) and it came with a 36 page printed manual explaining what key did what and how the game worked. Another ( Silent Hunter III) costing £22 (probaly a tad more than your $30) but it had a 60 page colour manual, A3 map and other printed material covering how each function of the game worked.

Whilst it's probably true that you can't compare the two directly as you may not have the finacial backup of these games companies, I'm sure its not that hard to produce a simple PDF showing the menus, what they do and how to change things on the sim.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not questioning the level of support you offer (far from it, you're actively posting assistance and refining your application, which is great). But I'm sure that if the application came with a PDF manual covering the full installation use and recommendations on how to change things from default, the number of requests for support you get would drop and free up more of your time. - just my opinion

[Malc C]

Would people still want a manual if caused a price increase? Not me. :)

Creosote.

The time taken to produce a one off PDF manual to be added to the download package is probably a lot less than the time Stefan probably spends on answering support e-mails and post in the forum, so I doubt that it would need an increase on the $30 cost of the sim.

Cost in materials only come into play if the manual would be a printed hard copy version and the sim supplied on CD, which I'm sure, if accompanied with a USB interface as a bundle would make the price in the same league as the shortly to be released Phoenix simulator (or more expensive and more time consuming). - Stefans choice to make the software available as a download only keeps his cost down and makes Clearview a popular choice

[Creosote]

Have you ever written a proper manual? You should try! Write the Clearview manual and donate it! :)

Creosote.

[skirtz]

Very good idea!

Actually most of the docs on the web site are donated - see the excellent manual on how to convert FMS models that Mark Glennon donated for posting on the web site:
http://www.rcflightsim.com/fms2cv/front_page.html
or Gregory Matthews for creating and Kenneth Green for formatting and editing plane flight parameters:
http://www.rcflightsim.com/ClearViewPlaneModelParameterDefinitions.html
or Ken Northup and small group of dedicated model creators that produced more of 100 models here:
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=291233&ck=
- This is really monumental work that is something I can't really achieve alone.

I try to channel my efforts in pure development to create affordable simulator for people getting into the RC and as a platform for anyone who wants to express his creativity in making models, sceneries or helping experiment in that area.

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

[helo36]

I bought Reflex over 2 years ago..guess what... no manual..and the help is in German on the CD....and that cost me $240.00

Ken

[mrfirkin]

Sorry I spoke :rolleyes:

[Malc C]

Sorry I spoke :rolleyes:

You and me both bro ! :D


Have you ever written a proper manual?

Creosote.


I was a Projects Manager for several years so I've written enough manuals and documentation in my time, so the answer to your question is yes !


I bought Reflex over 2 years ago..guess what... no manual..and the help is in German on the CD....and that cost me $240.00

Ken

Good point Ken, and I'm sure that for every example of a low cost application that came with a manual, we could also find one of a high costing application without !

[Creosote]

I was a Projects Manager for several years so I've written enough manuals and documentation in my time, so the answer to your question is yes !

More than me then. I've been involved in manual creation (editing for technical correctness) a few times, but couldn't write one myself without going insane! You should to a fine job then. :)

I really didn't mean to criticize the suggestion. It's just that for $30, just how much do you expect? I'd rather the obviously limited resources available for development went into improving the simulator itself.

BTW, I am super impressed at the performance achieved out of a Java app!

Creosote.

[mrfirkin]

Hmmm,

Maybe just a quick 'Cheat Sheet' then. ;)

Just describing the main control options. Especially viewing/zoom options.

Paul.

[skirtz]

Ok, I will make one soon. There are a number new keyboard keys as well that I need to document.

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

[othmanskn]

Ok, I will make one soon. There are a number new keyboard keys as well that I need to document.

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

Personally I don't need much more documents other than those that are available at your site, and you don't need to convert them to pdf format if it troubles you so much.

I'd rather that you spend your time improving the software than writing documentations that are already self explanatory on the menu screens.

Even if they aren't, we can always try and see. Some things are difficult to explain in words.

However, since you are at it, why don't you document your ground handling strategy? Just a few lines will do, just like you document the free flying mode, used to develop the collision objects.

[skirtz]

The ground handling in ClearView was rewritten from the ground up and now ClearView can have the terrain that follows the photo scenery terrain features. Also, different ground areas can affect the way the model taxi - like tall grass, pebble or smooth asphalt - as example see the ground handling in Vacca Valley RC field. I need to make a complex field that has hills and valleys and then document all this. Usually, I do not document features that are new and I am still experimenting. Once the features are more or less complete and the interface they use is firmed up, I document them, but this lags in time from when they appear in the program.

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

[othmanskn]

The ground handling in ClearView was rewritten from the ground up and now ClearView can have the terrain that follows the photo scenery terrain features. Also, different ground areas can affect the way the model taxi - like tall grass, pebble or smooth asphalt - as example see the ground handling in Vacca Valley RC field. I need to make a complex field that has hills and valleys and then document all this. Usually, I do not document features that are new and I am still experimenting. Once the features are more or less complete and the interface they use is firmed up, I document them, but this lags in time from when they appear in the program.

Stefan
http://rcflightsim.com

I notice that when I used GroundType6, the shadows undulate invisibly much more than GroundType1.

I suspect the skirting of helis on the ground is due to the ground effect making the heli not level on the ground, but it is not obvious because there are no indications of tilting of the helis that are easily visible.

I shall try a few textures on the various groundtypes and see how planes and shadows behave on them.