Customizing

 

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There are various ways of customizing EL3D.  None of these methods should be undertaken unless you are a pretty confident ‘hacker’ with a good background in using text editors, bitmap programs, etc., and you are not afraid of unexpected consequences.

 

Keyboard and Joystick Assignments

 

There are two files containing the joystick and keyboard assignments: JoyAssign.ini and KeyboardOnly.ini.  Joystick axis, buttons and keyboard assignments for the joystick operation are in the JoyAssign.ini file.  If just flying with the keyboard then the keyboard assignments are in KeyboardOnly.ini.  There can be slightly different keyboard assignments depending on which method of control you use. 

Joystick axis and buttons assignments are probably more easily changed in the joystick setup program.  Keyboard assignments must be changed with a text editor.  Notepad will work fine.

 

Flight Parameters

 

Each mission has a parameter file with the .sit extension.  It is located in the specific mission directory.  To determine available missions, EL3D looks for directories under the Missions directory.  Each directory it finds is called a mission and listed in the Missions combo box.  Each .sit file it finds is listed on the Scenario combo box with the name of the .sit file.  Of course you can have multiple scenarios for a single mission.  Typically there would just be one or two: a short P66 flight and a longer P64 flight.  Using a text editor you can create your own scenarios or modify the existing ones.  Most of the parameters are self explanatory. 

 

Instruments

 

For those of you who like to fly with the 2D panel, there is a file called Instruments.ini.  Here you will find the positions of available instruments.  All locations are based on a ‘standard’ 1600x1200 pixel screen.  You must enable an instrument with a “-1” (On) or “0” (Off).

Playing around with textures (bitmaps)

There are tons of textures and bitmaps that can be altered or changed.  Look inside the Textures folder for a few.  There are more in the Models folder.  These textures are used to ‘paint’ the models.  Most are .jpg files but some are .png (with alpha channel) or .dds (multi-bit alpha files).

 

Developer Features

 

Inside the file Eagle.ini is located a developer section.  The entries ‘turn-on” with a “-1” as the value.  There are four options:

 

Write Virtual Cockpit Locations

 

By turning on this option the default locations inside the virtual cockpit for the current mission/scenario is written when pressing CTRL+V.  You can use this to set up cockpit locations for the three different views available in Virtual View.

 

Move the landscape

 

·       “I” selects the land.  There are 3 lands: 0,1,2.  0 is the fine detailed landing area, 1 is a medium area and 2 is the large area.

·       “J” selects the function.  You can alter: scale X-Z, scale Y, Move X-Z.  Move Y.

·       “+” or “-“ changes the increment of “J”. 

·       Up, down, left and right arrows move or scale the selected function appropriately.

·       “O” writes the data to the .sit file.

Be CAREFUL.  This is not an ‘easy’ interface.  It was not intended to be used much and is only for initial development of a mission.  It is admittedly clunky and hard to handle.

To change the scenery locations, sizes for a complete mission this must be done separately for each level of scenery complexity

 

Move Surveyor

 

This can move the Surveyor probe in Apollo 12.

·       “J” selects the function: Rotate X, Y or Z, Move X, Y or Z. 

·       “+” or “-“ changes the increment of “J”. 

·       Up and Down arrow keys do the movement.

·       “O” writes the data. 

Again this done for each level of scenery complexity.

 

Make nodes for the intro ‘fly-in’ screen

 

The camera follows these nodes and zooms into the LM from the distance.

·       CTRL+C will initiate or reset to the first node.

·       CTRL+N will make a node. 

The best way to do this is to switch to Spot View before actually beginning flight.  Now travel way out (“E” key”) and use POV or keys to get to your start point.  Now hit CTRL+N.  Move closer to the LM and follow the path you want to make with “E, Q” keys and POV.  Keep hitting CTRL+N as you go.  Each node is a second apart.  Usually about 15 nodes is fine.

·       CTRL+W writes the nodes to disk.  The file name will be the name of the scenario plus “.nde”.