Date: Tue Mar 13 05:29:32 2001     Number: 14752 of 14758

From: pvarn  (Paul R. Varn)
Subj: Re: too low viewpoint
Status: Public, Read

Before you set the height be sure you are setting it to a realistic view point
and not something that just "looks" nice to you.  Compared to airliners, the
Cessna internal view IS VERY CLOSE to the ground.

This is how I check the view point to the 3D model:
Using a tool like AirEd, I purposely set the LATERAL pilots view offset to be
SEVERAL FEET OUTSIDE the plane.  I then start the model and use the
shift-numpad6 (or 4) to look sideways.  When you have the view set for the real
height of the model, you'll be looking right into the pilot's cockpit position
through the window.  If you set it too high, you'll be looking over the plane
canopy top.  BTW... I use this same technique to set all the major parts of the
plane to the 3D model (wheels, flaps, engines, tail, etc) for models where the
designer was very careful to scale properly.  By so doing, you save yourself
years of guesswork trying to figure out where to place this stuff.  At worst,
you might be a few inches off which isn't that bad of a starting place.  In
essence, you are using the pilot's view to place yourself at all the aircraft
locations.  You simply note the position that puts you near or at that part and
edit the air file accordingly.  Tedious, but more accurate than any other
technique I know of if you don't have the 3D design drawing.  Amazimgly, I have
discovered most models I've worked on the 3D designer rarely positions the
wheels in the air file where they are in the 3D model.  Of course if you ARE
the 3D designer and have the drawing references to work with, it does the rest
of us a favor if you take the time to position the air file parts where you put
them.
-Pv-

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