VisualPSX problem at take-off

[brian747]

Yesterday, I decided to do a full vlight with FSX and also VisualPSX. I was also experimenting with take-offs and landings on (relatively) short runways, so I planned a vlight from Liverpool to Southampton (EGGP - EGHI).

I then initialised the vlight ready for take-off on the runway at Liverpool. But when I looked at VisualPSX I found that the aircraft was at Liverpool as expected, but the runway was about 120 ft to my left (although straight ahead of me in PSX).

I took off, and when landing at Southampton VisualPSX and PSX were in total agreement. I could only think that there was a problem at Liverpool (that's apart from the fact that I was born there, of course). To check this theory I then planned and vlew a trip from Southampton to Liverpool.

To my surprise, the Liverpool runway was perfectly aligned in both VisualPSX and PSX on landing, but at Southampton the runway had once again been about 120 ft to my left (although straight ahead of me in PSX).

A new theory, therefore - is there something I need to do at startup to align VisualPSX with PSX, since the problem only seems to exist at the start of a session?    :?

Cheers,

Brian

[Ray_CYYZ]

VisualPSX is tied to the beacon lights in PSX for the offset, cycle them to reset things.

[martin]

is there something I need to do

Yes there is, Brian. It has to do with time acceleration.

Here is some general advice and intro to flightsimming (esp. FSX!).
But your specific problem is also addressed, starting at 0:55 !
Further:
1:24 ff: on sim "immersion"
2:13 ff: impact of encountering PSX (author?)
2:40 ff: offset issue revisited

Finally, step-by-step solution here.

Good Luck!
Martin

[Garry Richards]

Hi Brian,

If you don't start a situation on the runway you need to tell VisualPSX what runway you intend to use. The correct offset will then be in place when you taxi to the runway.

The procedure is explained in the manual but I don't have it with me and can't remember the page.

Cheers,

[brian747]

Hi, folks!

@Ray

Aha - thank you: I'll give that a try.    

@Martin

Of course! I should have known there was something missing: the "jump to the left" is precisely what I was looking for. I will study the instructional videos more closely as soon as I have the opportunity.    :mrgreen:

@Garry

Thanks for that, Garry, but both trips *were* started on the runway. I had thought I had checked through the manual, but perhaps I've not been looking at the latest version: I'll check when I get back to my simming machine.    

Cheers,

Brian

[Edit: typo]

[brian747]

@Ray

Thank you: problem solved.    

@Garry

(D'oh — the memory, it fails...). Once Ray had reminded me what to look for, I found it very quickly at the bottom of p.12:

"If you need to select a different runway, briefly turn the beacons on then off again to unlock then relock the FSX aircraft position."  

Thank you both — and thanks to Martin for his brilliant lateral thinking!      

Cheers,

Brian

[brian747]

Hi, folks!

This was the first time I had tried VisualPSX, and I would like to thank Garry, and congratulate him on an excellent job. It performs splendidly, and definitely enhances the PSX experience around the airports IMHO (call me old-fashioned, but as a simmer for over 30 years I do have this ingrained habit of taxying to and from the runways using the taxyways...    ).

For the record, I run both PSX and VisualPSX (and AdaptPSX) on the same three-year old machine, which has a humble i5 processor overclocked to 4GHz. After experimenting with VisualPSX for a while I found I got the best results on my rig using 48/3, which resulted in 48 fps with PSX and 31 fps on FSX *most* of the time — although obviously, those rates do dip a little when complicated things happen, as one would expect — so I was most impressed with the performance and smoothness, in spite of the fact that the dreaded FSX was now involved.

This performance was achieved whilst running FSX on one 1920x1200 screen, and PSX on its adjacent virtual 3840x1200 screen, with just one instance of PSX.

I took some pics on the way in to rwy 20 at Southampton: if you would like to see an example (warning — it's 5746 pixels wide) please download it from here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9jn3ro9qoh7ip9q/Finals%20for%20Soton.jpg?dl=0  (I'll keep the link active for a month or so, at least).

Many thanks to Garry!

Cheers,

Brian

[nicolas]

Hi Brian,

How did you manage to display both PSX and FSX on one screen? I tried this a while a go but found it useless as it would not fit properly. I am now thinking to buy a second monitor on which I display FSX while maintaining PSX on the other screen.

Did you compare FSX with XPlane?

I still havent figured out the perfect match of both worlds for me..

Nic

[brian747]

Hi Nic!

My virtual screen is 5760x1920 spread over three monitors, so I use the right-hand two for PSX and the left-hand one for fsx / charts / Instructor station / notes etc. No problem, therefore.  

I would add that having PSX on a very wide (3840x1200 px) screen makes for some very interesting and helpful layouts, and is a joy to vly.

I don't have X-Plane, I'm afraid, so have never seen it running on the platform. Besides, I do have a <*cough*> fair old investment in FSX airports that it's good to be able to recycle.    

Cheers,

Brian