OpusFSI_Overview  OpusFSI_User_Guide  OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Single_PC  OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Networked_PCs  OpusFSI_Live_Weather  OpusFSI_Live_Camera OpusFSI_ButtKicker

 

Contents

System Requirements. 4

Software Installation. 4

Setting up the Network. 4

General Operation. 5

Setting Up OpusFSI. 5

Starting the OpusFSI Software Automatically with FSX. 5

Live Weather. 6

General Dynamic Head Movements and Bump Aircraft Turbulence

Live Camera. 8  

Live Camera Control

Shortcut Controls. 11  

    POV and Hat Switches

    Game Controllers

Live View.. 9

Demonstration Mode. 11

TrackIR. 5  

CPFlight MCP737/EFIS737 PRO/EL Panel Driver. 11

ButtKicker. 5

GPS Output (including SkyDemon)  

Rebuild Station Data

Device Drivers. 11

Future Development Plans. 12

Contact Details. 12

FAQ and Troubleshooting. 12

 

OpusFSI - Flight Simulator Interface for FSX and Prepar3D

Thank you for downloading our OpusFSI Flight Simulator Interface.

The OpusFSI Flight Simulator Interface for the Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D (P3D) incorporates the Live View synchronized multi-screen networked display, Live Camera view control and docking software supporting multiple windowed views, Opus weather themes for FSX, and device drivers for the CPFlight MCP737/EFIS737 PRO/EL panels.

The OpusFSI interface is ideally suited for both standalone (single PC) and networked (multi-PC/Laptop) systems.

On standalone systems, OpusFSI incorporates two superb functions through its Live Weather Engine and Live Camera interfaces.

The Live Weather Engine makes use of our unique Dynamic Weather update to provide the most advanced weather updating software in the marketplace. The Live Weather Engine has set new standards for weather updating for the FSX and Prepar3D flight simulators. OpusFSI provides the most detailed, realistic and efficient weather updating service.

The Live Weather Engine allows you to create and name your own themes based on the current dynamic weather created from the live METAR reports.  In addition you can load historic weather for the previous 24 hour period or import your own custom METARs.

Live Camera provides excellent camera creation, control and docking facilities through its user friendly interface, totally eliminating the need to alter any of the simulator's controls. The Live Camera interface also includes support for Windowed Views and provides an ultra-realistic Dynamic Head Movement option (virtual cockpit camera shake) utilising actual 'real-life' capture 3D accelerometer data and Automatic Head Movements to assist the pilot whilst taxiing and banking in a turn.

On networked systems, irrespective of the size and complexity of your system, whether your system consists of a main 'flying' PC with a single networked laptop client, or a more elaborate multi-computer networked system; the Live View interface, with its ultra high-performance IPC communications, unique Client Side Smoothing software, and perfect synchronization of aircraft status, weather and cloud formations, will provide you with the highest possible networking performance. Whether you simply want an additional controllable display to provide further scenic or external view options, or wish to create a multi-screened panorama for your FSX or Prepar3D experience, Live View offers you the ideal hassle free user-friendly solution.

Your main 'flying' OpusFSI server is the machine through which you control the aircraft. The networked client OpusFSI systems are synchronised to the server through multiple ultra high-performance IPC links, the client systems are used primarily as view controllers. The networked systems allow you to create a multi-screened simulator system without placing the full workload and burden on your main system.

From this set up it therefore follows that all in-cockpit or instrument panel views used to control the aircraft must be displayed on the main server. All other views (scenic or external) can be offloaded onto the client systems. You can create wide panoramic vistas this way, or additional external aircraft views, without draining the resources on your main system or degrading its performance.

On networked systems you must install the sim and the OpusFSI software on each of your client computer systems (laptops or PCs), along with all the scenery and airport addon packages. If you wish to display external aircraft views on the client computers you will also need to install all relevant aircraft addons. The OpusFSI software does not need to be licensed on the client systems, the purchased license is only required for your main 'flying' server system. You may either copy or install the OpusFSI software on each of your client systems, the FSXCLIENT program that you will run on the client computers does not check for any licensing information. It simply connects to and receives all necessary data from your main server system.

Live View allows you to easily create multi-screen networked displays for your FSX system. Live Camera provides a user-friendly interface for creating and controlling any number of virtual cockpit, 2D cockpit and external aircraft views on both standalone and networked systems. All camera views are created and controlled centrally from the server. Both features are described in more detail below.

The software includes device drivers for the CPFlight MCP737/EFIS737 PRO/EL panels and the driver interfaces for the PMDG 737NGX aircraft simulation.

OpusFSI is fully compatible with Windows (XP/Vista/7/8) operating systems, both 32 and 64-bit versions. OpusFSI does not require the Windows Server operating system to create or maintain the local area network links, and different operating systems may be utilized throughout the local area network.

Figure 1 - Live View Multi-Screen Networked Displays  

Photo courtesy of the Human-Centered Design Institute, Florida Institute of Technology

 

System Requirements

Microsoft Flight Simulator X (with SP2 or Acceleration Pack), or FSX Steam Edition, or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D simulator.

Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista (32 or 64-bit version) operating systems.

Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.

FSUIPC4 (see below).

90 MB hard disk space.

You need .NET version 2, SimConnect and FSUIPC4 to be installed on your server system (and optional client systems) for OpusFSI to work.

Microsoft.NET

You can check what versions of .NET you have installed by checking your c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework or Framework64 folders. You should see a v2.0.xxxxx folder in addition to the v4.0.xxxxx folder.

SimConnect

In the case of SimConnect, first make sure you have installed FSX or P3D along with its SP2 or installed the FSX Acceleration version, SimConnect is usually installed automatically with it. If you have mislaid or corrupted your SimConnect then you can try re-installing it using the SimConnect.msi file within your c:\OpusFSI folder.

FSUIPC4

FSUIPC4 is required on the FSISERVER system. FSUIPC4 is required on Live View clients that are used to display camera views.

You can download a free copy from http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html

 

Software Installation

Please refer to our OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Single_PC document located in the OpusFSI install folder, also available from our download page.

 

Setting up the Network

Please refer to our OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Networked_PCs documents located in the OpusFSI install folder, also available from our download page.

 

General Operation

Standalone systems

If you have a standalone system then simply run the FSISERVER program on your FSX/Prepar3D computer system, the program should be run after FSX/Prepar3D, you may configure your system to run the server program automatically each time you start FSX/Prepar3D (see Recommended Start Up Procedures in the OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Networked_PCs.pdf document).

Networked systems

The OpusFSI network is created by running the FSISERVER program on the main (host) Flight Simulator PC, and running the FSXCLIENT program on each client PC. Each of your computers must be able to 'see' each other over the local area network (refer to our OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Networked_PCs document). The OpusFSI software will make efficient use of any speed of network, but the faster the better.

You must install FSX/Prepar3D and the OpusFSI software on each of your client computer systems (laptops or PCs), along with all the scenery and airport addon packages. If you wish to display external aircraft views on the client computers you will also need to install all relevant aircraft addons. The OpusFSI software does not need to be licensed on the client systems, the purchased license is only required for your main 'flying' server system. You may either copy or install the OpusFSI software on each of your client systems, the FSXCLIENT program that you will run on the client computers does not check for any licensing information. It simply connects to and receives all necessary data from your main server system.

The recommended start up procedure for the FSISERVER and FSXCLIENT programs are detailed in our OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Networked_PCs document. You can monitor the connection status on the main form displays of the FSISERVER program and each of the FSXCLIENT programs. In each case, the Application Links will turn green when a connection is made. Note, the server will allocate two or three links for each 'Live View' client, one link for each of the possible 'Live View' Position & Attitude, Weather and Traffic connections.

To ensure optimum performance, the settings within FSX/Prepar3D on each client FSX system should be configured in accordance with the instructions in the FSX Computer System Settings section of our OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Single_PC document. Please adjust your settings before using Live View.

 

Setting Up OpusFSI

Please refer to our OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Single_PC document located in the OpusFSI installation folder, also available from our download page.

 

Starting the OpusFSI Software Automatically with FSX

Please refer to our OpusFSI_Getting_Started_Single_PC document located in the OpusFSI installation folder, also available from our download page.

 

Live Weather

For a detailed description of Live Weather please refer to the OpusFSI_Live_Weather guide which can be found in the OpusFSI installation folder and on our website.

 

Live Camera Control

Live Camera Control (LCC) is selected via the main server form's Control button  and can be used to adjust the eye point for any VC, 2D, or Custom view types. The LCC is for making temporary (Set) or permanent (Adjust) adjustments to the eye point, creating a new camera (Create) or simply having a wonder around the cockpit or aircraft.

LCC does not require Live Camera to be enabled. If you are using Prepar3D then enable the Prepar3D PDK Interface to provide a more efficient Live Camera, Live Camera Control, and DHM eye point control. Refer to the OPUSPDK_SETUP text file to set up the Prepar3D OpusPDK interface. If you encounter problems (errors in the Spy window) then you can disable the PDK.

The Set option temporarily saves the current eye point offsets and assigns them to the currently selected camera view so that you don't have to keep moving the eye point back after changing camera views. This is handy for changing seat position or general adjustments to overcome any changes to the usual reference axis for the aircraft within the sim.  However it is a temporary set of offsets, only valid whilst the program is running or until you clear them using the Reset All function. If you want a permanent alteration to the camera view then use the Adjust option.

If you suffer from the FSX anomaly (bug) that shifts the aircraft axis for certain aircraft (e.g. the new PMDG 777) at certain locations then try using the LCC to correct this before flight. First correct the anomaly by shifting the VC view using the LCC, then use the LCC Set Camera function which saves the view offset and associates it with the camera view. If the anomaly subsequently corrects itself in flight then you can use the LCC Reset All Camera function to set the view back to its original position.

The Reset All option is used to reset all temporary offsets for the currently selected camera view.

The Adjust option can be used to adjust the current camera's eye point position and automatically save the modified camera view's configuration.

The Create option can be used with the current LCC adjusted eye point and the current camera view to automatically create a new cloned camera view with an adjusted eye point position. The new cloned camera is selected for view on the display and appended to the camera list which is then automatically saved to disk.

The text for the Adjust and Create button options on the LCC dialog has been coloured dark red to indicate their permanent nature.

The eye point can be adjusted either using a game controller (refer to the Shortcuts section for setup), the arrow keys in the small LCC dialog, or any assigned joystick button (including the POV or Hat Switches) or key sequences specified via the Shortcuts dialog (see Shortcuts section below).  

When using Shortcut Controls in flight the movement will be either Continuous or Stepped according to what setting was last selected in the  Live Camera Control dialog.

If Continuous movement is selected then to stop movement,

·         use one of the red Stop buttons (or other direction arrows) in the LCC dialog or

·         use the assigned Stop shortcut control key/button or

·         you don't necessarily need a Stop button/key assignment - just move back in the opposite direction.

Multiple arrow/key/button presses speed up or slow down the movement. Arrow keys in the LCC dialog will be greyed out and inoperative when you have a joystick or controller assigned for LCC use since you can't use both.

Do not use FSX controls (key commands or panning) to adjust the eye point whilst using LCC since OpusFSI will not be aware of these changes and the view will reset back to its original position.

There is an FSX limitation for pitch control. Unlike bank and yaw motions, the pitch angle can only be adjusted between +90 and -90 degrees up and down. The bank and yaw movements wrap around.

The Set Camera option temporarily saves the current eye point offsets and assigns them to the currently selected camera view so that you don't have to keep moving the eye point back after changing camera views. This is handy for changing seat position or general adjustments to overcome any changes to the usual reference axis for the aircraft within FSX.  However it is a temporary set of offsets, only valid whilst the program is running or until you clear them using the Reset functions. If you want a permanent alteration to the camera view then use the Cameras dialog, edit and Save the camera view that way.

Currently Live Camera Control is only available in the server program.

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