Animating a 3D Gauge

[BradyBrother100]

Hey! I was wondering if there is anyway to animate a 3D gauge such as the Attitude indicator in the PMDG 737 or in the Colimata F-18 in X-Plane. Unlike a gauge in a Cessna, the Attitude indictors in the PMDG 737 or the F-18 look very 3D. Is there anyway to simulate that in Air Manager?


Thanks!
Brady

[Ralph]

No 3D, sorry.

[BradyBrother100]

Ok, do you know if there is anyway to mimic 3D? I am trying to code a F-18 Attitude Gauge where the gauge would spin according to the pitch of the aircraft. That would mean the gauge would have to spin on the Z axis. Any suggestions?

[Keith Baxter]

Hi Brady,

Welcome to the forum.

Yes you can using cancas_draw(). You will need to go through Tony' videos. Then apply some math using Stereographic projection.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereographic_projection

It can be done. I have played around with revolving a map globe. But you are going to have to do it. Have fun. It is a great learning curve and I look forward to seeing your results.

Keith

[BradyBrother100]

I will try that! Thanks.

[Keith Baxter]

I will try that! Thanks.

Hi Brady.

I suggest that you draw your instrument using polygons and store those coordinates in a .json file. Once that is done then you should be able to manipulate the coordinates using some math in about 100 lines or so.

This should give you some inspiration. The code do do this is about 80 lines. The json file with all the country polygons, about 1500000 lines.

https://youtu.be/2QRQhuzT7m8

Keith

[BradyBrother100]

Thanks for the video! I will definitely try that although it will definitely take some time.

[Keith Baxter]

Thanks for the video! I will definitely try that although it will definitely take some time.

Hi Brady,

Pleasure. Once a few instruments hit the store and peeps start getting the coding concept. It will become a craze.

Keith

[Keith Baxter]

Hi Brady,

I had look at the instrument that you want to replicate. Very easy to do. I can see wet compasses popping up in the store soon.

I did a quick and dirty mod to the globe.



I will try and do a concept gauge to speed you up and post here. You will have to take what I provide and refine.

Give me a day or so as I am on another project ATM.

Also I just want to make it clear. This is a simulation. You cannot do this with .PNG files that I know of. Ralph indicated that in his post.

Keith

[Ralph]

We had a similar question a while ago, from a company. The part where it gets tricky is when the sphere is going to rotate in all directions, and things project on the sphere need to move in the correct direction and change size if they move away or come closer, and they need to rotate in the correct direction as well. If you put a lot of time into it, it might be possible, but it'll be a struggle.