SimShaker telemetry and high CFM variable speed fans for Flying Circus VR?

[nobuttons]

I've been a long time fan of SimShaker in DCS so I am thrilled to be setting it up in IL2. I got into IL2 in order to fly the great War birds from flying circus!

 

As I was enabling the telemetry I couldn't help but wonder if anyone has thought about or managed to rig up fans for their VR simpit driven by the airspeed telemetry? I did a VR immersion activity a few years ago that had high power fans to simulate motion of the platform we were "on" and it was very immersive even if the force was not accurate. Is this totally crazy idea?

[Venom]

I assume you should be able to operate fans with free software FlyPT Mover (thoughj its main purpose is driving motion platforms). I think some people actually use it for fans. There's certainly some input module for wind:

You may find further help on the Xsimulator forums, there's a thread dedicated to FlyPT Mover.
 

[Capt_Hook]

You don't need to rig anything up unless you're trying to do it on an extremely small budget... and flight simming is generally not very compatible with a small budget.  ?

 

I run the SRS Windsim blower kit.  I think it was $300, but it's their top of the line offering as it uses marine blowers.  I think they offer a $200 kit that uses standard fans.  Bought it primarily for iRacing, but they've added both DCS and IL2 to supported games.  There shouldn't be much variability in the blower speed, though, with an open pit - in a real one you're sitting behind a huge fan as soon as you turn on the engine.  It's fun to have the blowers fire up when you crank the engine, but even before they put in flight sim compatibility I'd just slave the SRS control app to the throttle axis, and that works just as well.  

 

It's really amazing in iRacing, as the fans curve intensity as you go around a bend.  Gives a fantastic sense of speed as the blowers ramp up when you floor it during a straightaway, then ramp down as you break.  

[vonrickenbecker]

@Capt_Hook, does the SRS fan system seem fully integrated with the game telemetry? (i.e., do the fans start up when you start engine in-game, respond to throttle, cut off when you use blip switch, etc.?). I didn't think the devs had added wind speed to the telemetry output yet.

[Capt_Hook]

TBH, I'm not sure.  Haven't tested that yet... just saw that IL2 is now a supported game in the SRS control interface.  I doubt they'd add wind speed itself - that would rarely make sense.  Prop speed / RPM would be the best analog, and in WWII planes whether or not the canopy was open.  There is a Canopy telemetry setting as well as RPM.

 

In IL2 I just use the Warthog throttle as the fan control variable, with fans firing up around 20% and hitting max at 80%.  

 

I'll try and test it this weekend and see what kind of telemetry I can get, and how it works with wind.  Looks like most of the telemetry variables for the game involve motion.  

Edited January 6, 2022 by Capt_Hook