Originally Posted by Helos36

That is the program I learned to make models for Clearview...60% or more of the models that comes with Clearview, I have drawn from scratch using pictures.

http://www.inivis.com/

you can check out the website for AC3D

Ken

Ken, Thanks for the URL. I checked it out and found it easy to perform. Don

Well done so far. My passion is thermal gliders so nice to have one to try. Tried for an hour so constructive comment... 1) I couldn't shut of power fully but I noticed the prop folded back so obviously it does occur. My electric thermaller has speed controller which I have set on brake which folds prop instantly. I'm looking to design my wedgy prototype for a simulator so will keep my eye on what you're doing.
I just discovered the thermals and in for me, the glider performs as it should for it's class in a thermal. I would like to be able to adjust ballast according to thermals. I'm also thinking bigger thermal cells would be good but I'm sure this will come as and when you enlarge the landscape. I agree with the brilliant sky effect and complete with chemtrail!
Oh yes, the prop folds back when speed reduced but still would like a brake.
Great!

nfp

I downloaded and installed the sim but it will not launch.

If I look at the Task Manager in WinXP Pro SP3, I see a DW20.EXE start up and gather some memory at 50% CPU on a Core Duo system. Then it deallocates memory, drops CPU and disappears. Nothing appears on my screen.

Does the sim expect certain outbound ports to be available?

-- ggunners

Originally Posted by ggunners

I downloaded and installed the sim but it will not launch.

If I look at the Task Manager in WinXP Pro SP3, I see a DW20.EXE start up and gather some memory at 50% CPU on a Core Duo system. Then it deallocates memory, drops CPU and disappears. Nothing appears on my screen.

Does the sim expect certain outbound ports to be available?

-- ggunners

Hi ggunners, thank you for trying. DW20.exe apparently is the error reporting tool from MS Office. Could you check whether the folder

C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\DirectX for Managed Code\1.0.2911.0

exists?
If not you should install this version of DirectX . The idea was that the installer checks for this, but it appears this doesn't always work. Also .NET 2.0 should be installed, but that usually isn't the problem. The sim also downloads the introtext and a couple of billboard images at startup but this uses the default http port 80 and shouldn't be a problem.

Hope this helps,
Davy

The DirectX was the key, machine had 1.0.2909.0 on it. The update to DirectX fixed the problem and all loaded. Will comment later regarding the sim. FYI. I model airplanes for ClearView and FMS plus a couple for CRRCsim too. How critical would you like the comments?

-- ggunners

Originally Posted by ggunners

How critical would you like the comments?

-- ggunners

Warts and all

Originally Posted by ggunners

FYI. I model airplanes for ClearView and FMS plus a couple for CRRCsim too. How critical would you like the comments?

-- ggunners

I've been following this forum for some time and am well aware of your contributions . So I value your opinion and am particularly curious what I could do to make it an interesting sim for modding and user-contributed add-ons.
Cheers,
Davy

Windows 7 32 bits:
Failed creating direct3d device.

System.FormatException: input string was not in a correct format at System.NUmber.StringToNumber(String str, NumberStyles options, NumberBUffer &number, NumberFormatInfo info, Boolean parseDecimal)
[...]

at cv.b(String A_0)
at w.b(Object A_0, f A_1)
At ao.h()


___________

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instanced object
at bs.b()
at cv.d()
....

RCSim has stopped working

Sailplane is brilliant. I increased windspeed and velocity to max and set on spot view mode. I then flew around the slope and wind turbines on low speed to find that I could keep the craft virtually motionless. This gave quite a realistic feel.
I'm also impressed the way different prop revolutions appear.

OK, I understand this is early in the development.

The main thing I notice about the models is what appears to be a non-existent or lack of a real "drag wall" for each of the models.

The flat plat P-51 should increase drag quickly at a higher angle of attack and at faster speeds as flat plate airfoils are inefficient when cutting through the air unless it is running a Kfm4 or another Kfm wing. They also increase drag more than lift at higher angles-of-attack.

The Cessna seems too efficient in the air also as it continues to build speed when I would expect the drag to be too much to continue accelerating.

The drag seems about right for the sailplane but then the inverted loop seems too easy with the polyhedral wing and in general too easy to roll with such a large wingspan. But IAN a sailplane flyer.

The drag on the Extra seems about right in flight but the model seems to accelerate too slowly to get up to speed at the take-off roll. But IAN a 3D flyer.

So from a parameter standpoint the airfoil drag does not seem right and the total drag of the type of airplane seems a bit low for the more draggy airframes.

I took a look at your .par file and see you have lift and drag at different angles, I presume angles of attack??? Maybe more points are needed. Also, maybe you want to group lift and drag at the same angles to reduce redundancy in the .par and tie more closely to known airfoil POLARs.

Perhaps a parameter for total model drag would help too.

Also, most modelers use a parameter called thrust to weight to determine overall performance. It makes a big difference how the RC model performs compared to a full size airplane and between one motor and another.

While many RC planes do not fly with a scale appearance, they do fly the way they fly. Take for example an RC foam P-51 with a 1.4 to 1 thrust to weight ratio, it practically leaps off the ground with very little roll-out and climbs at a very steep angle. Not really scale flying, but it is true to the RC model.

I hope that makes sense and is received in the spirit given.

-- ggunners

Originally Posted by GeneralFailure

I've been following this forum for some time and am well aware of your contributions . So I value your opinion and am particularly curious what I could do to make it an interesting sim for modding and user-contributed add-ons. Cheers, Davy

Ahhh... Nobody has asked me what would be ideal for creating and adjusting rc airplane parameters before. Perhaps we should take this offline, but, since you asked....

<rcsimwishes mode="on">

How about hiding all the detailed stuff away in the .par file for those that want to tinker with the details but provide an easy-to-use model parameter adjuster. Then give people the basic sliders to adjust the model flight.

Rolls Faster ..............+............... Slower
Loops Bigger ...............+............... Smaller
RudderYaw More ..............+................ Less
SnapRolls HardSnaps .........+................ NoSnaps
3D Effects Very3D ..............+................ No3D
Power More .................+................ Less
Weight More .................+................ Less
Lift More .................+................ Less
Drag More .................+................ Less
Dihedral More .................+................ Less
Thrust/Weight More ..................+................ Less

Then with these 11 adjustments or more if we need any, an average person could change the sliders and publish their 11 parameters they used to make the model their own. Maybe even on a -10.0 to +10.0 scale. Then, the parameters would be known for typical model types at different scales. Make it cut and paste so they could share the parameters in forums.

In the .par file, I would love to choose an airfoil from a database of airfoils that we can add custom airfoils to. Choose from a database a motor, prop and battery or an engine and prop that could be added to. Grab the most basic information from the RC models published specs like span, length, flying weight, maybe CG and perhaps distance of rudder/elevator from CG. and then tinker with the rest through the sliders. Or since there are so few additional, add them to the list above.

Then if an individual changes everything and doesn't like it, allow changing back to the original .par file published with the model.

I know this would be pretty complex behind the scenes, but I think making .par changes easy would allow an explosion of new models for the sim.

<rcsimwishes mode="off">

Ahhh well, all good wishes anyway.

-- ggunners

Jimbo,
That error seems to indicate the sim configuration file is corrupt. Try deleting it (c:\program files\RC Desk Pilot\frameworkconfig.xml) and restarting the sim. You will have to change your settings again (if it ever worked in the first place). Can you provide some information on when this error occurs?

PeterPerfect, thanks for the compliment!

ggunners,
Thank you for your detailed review of the airplanes. This is certainly very useful info and I will use it when working on the airplanes. I hope you also had a bit of fun flying them .
I like your idea with the sliders. I'm not quite ready yet to support user-built models, but I hope to make the sim as customizable as possible (as long as it's compatible with the business model). I definitely need to build a custom model editor for the animations and collision detection. Compared to that a simple parameter editor is a walk in the park
Of course you're always welcome to send the critical comments you didn't want to say in public as a PM

Cheers,
Davy

Originally Posted by GeneralFailure

Jimbo,
That error seems to indicate the sim configuration file is corrupt. Try deleting it (c:\program files\RC Desk Pilot\frameworkconfig.xml) and restarting the sim. You will have to change your settings again (if it ever worked in the first place). Can you provide some information on when this error occurs?

first ever run
happens during "loading aircraft"
happened after deleting the xml as well

Description:
Stopped working

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: CLR20r3
Problem Signature 01: rcdeskpilot.exe
Problem Signature 02: 0.1.1.33237
Problem Signature 03: 4addf369
Problem Signature 04: RCSim
Problem Signature 05: 0.1.1.33237
Problem Signature 06: 4addf369
Problem Signature 07: 1db
Problem Signature 08: 7
Problem Signature 09: System.NullReferenceException
OS Version: 6.1.7100.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1036

I'm downloading right now and am going to test on Windows 7 x64. I'll report back soon!

EDIT: Works perfectly! It automatically calibrated my controller inputs, the graphics are great, and the flying physics are pretty good! I really like what you've done here. Great work.