[API Question] Off-axis view angles.

[Hlynkacg]

So I'm working on a tail-sitter but I want the cockpit camera to be oriented along the Y-axis (parralel to the horizon) instead of the Z-axis (axis of thrust).

I placed the following code in my setclasscaps but when I load my test scenario the camera is still oriented along the Z-Axis.

SetCameraOffset (_V( 0.00, 0.00, 1.00)); // (x,y,z)
SetCameraDefaultDirection (_V( 0.00,-1.00, 0.00)); // (x,y,z)
SetCameraRotationRange (RAD*45,RAD*45,RAD*90,RAD*30); // (Left, Right, Up, Down)

Is there something I'm missing?

---------- Post added at 05:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:10 AM ----------



Another Question

Is there a function to rotate a vessles frame of reference. AKA cause the Z+ axis to become the Y+ axis or vice versa?

Alternately is there a function that I can use to simply rotate my vessel by a given amount in the global frame? (and by rotating the mesh in the opposite direction achieve a similar effect)

[Donamy]

Can you switch between 2 meshes ?
One in the Z_axis and one in the Y-axis. I do this (rather clumsily) with my Jason Lunar Lander, as a SC3.

[Hlynkacg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donamy

 Can you switch between 2 meshes ?
One in the Z_axis and one in the Y-axis. I do this (rather clumsily) with my Jason Lunar Lander, as a SC3.

That would be the "rotated mesh" in my alternate plan but as you say, it's rather clumsy.

[N_Molson]

For my lander docking cam I did the following, it works very well :

case OAPI_KEY_B:

         // checking that the view is in cockpit mode
	if (!oapiCameraInternal() || CamMode == 2 || CamMode == 1) return 0;
        
        // location of the camera : 2.4 meters on the +Y axis
	SetCameraOffset (_V(0.0,2.4628,1));

        // Direction of the camera : +Y axis
	SetCameraDefaultDirection (_V(0,1,0));
        
        // Important, don't forget this
	oapiCameraSetCockpitDir(0,0);

         // I wanted a fixed view (camera)
	SetCameraRotationRange(0,0,0,0);

        // a variable to remember the active camera
	CamMode = 2;

return 1;

[Bibi Uncle]

Adding oapiCameraSetCockpitDir(0,0); after your SetCameraDefaultDirection (_V( 0.00,-1.00, 0.00)); should do the trick.

[Hlynkacg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bibi Uncle

 Adding oapiCameraSetCockpitDir(0,0); after your SetCameraDefaultDirection (_V( 0.00,-1.00, 0.00)); should do the trick.

That did it! thankyou kindly

Now for the 2nd part of the question, any ideas?

[N_Molson]

Quote:

Is there a function to rotate a vessles frame of reference. AKA cause the Z+ axis to become the Y+ axis or vice versa?

AFAIK, no.

Quote:

Alternately is there a function that I can use to simply rotate my vessel by a given amount in the global frame? (and by rotating the mesh in the opposite direction achieve a similar effect)

An animation like MESHGROUP_ROTATE can probably do it. You make it instant so that there is no transition between the two states. For the vessel you can always copy-paste the thrusters definitions & Co, modifying the direction & location vectors so that it fits the rotated mesh.

[Bibi Uncle]

To rotate the whole vessel, VESSEL::SetRotationMatrix is your friend.

An example:

m_pVessel is a pointer to the vessel, rotation is a VECTOR3 defining the rotations around each axis.

 
MATRIX3 mat, matX, matY, matZ, matF;
 
// Get the current rotation matrix
m_pVessel->GetRotationMatrix(mat);
 
// X axis rotation
double sina = sin(rotation.x*RAD);
double cosa = cos(rotation.x*RAD);
matX = _M(1,0,0, 0,cosa,sina, 0,-sina,cosa);
 
// Y axis rotation
sina = sin(rotation.y*RAD);
cosa = cos(rotation.y*RAD);
matY = _M(cosa,0,sina, 0,1,0, -sina,0,cosa);
 
// Z axis rotation
sina = sin(rotation.z*RAD);
cosa = cos(.rotation.z*RAD);
matZ = _M(cosa,sina,0, -sina,cosa,0, 0,0,1);
 
// Multiply everything and set the current rotation matrix
matF = mul(mat, mul(matX, mul(matY, matZ)));
m_pVessel->SetRotationMatrix(matF);

[Hlynkacg]

Thankyou ^ this looks like exactly what I was looking for.

Now please forgive the newbie questions but...

1: how do I set 'm_pVessel' to be the currently focused vessel?

2: what x,y,z values would I enter into 'rotation' to rotate the vessel +90 degrees (pi/2 RAD) around the X axis?

and

3: I want to set the rotation as a void function so I can call it at will. Would something like...

void Spider::Rotate(VECTOR3 rotation){}

...(where 'Spider' is the vessel class) be sufficient or do I need more?

[Bibi Uncle]

If you write this code inside your vessel class, just remove every "m_pVessel->" (Ctrl-H in Visual Studio, type "m_pVessel->" without the quotes in the first field, nothing in the second field, and click OK). I have this because this code is copied from another class.

Your vector would look like _V(90, 0, 0). My function uses degrees.

This would be sufficient. For speed concerns, you could take a reference to the vector, but the difference will be unnoticeable. In the case you want it, just write:
void Spider::Rotate(const VECTOR3& rotation)

[Hlynkacg]

Ok I got it up and running

Related question, is there a way to rotate a mesh as a whole instead of having to define each group?

---------- Post added at 10:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:10 PM ----------

I really appreciate the help so far but there's still more to do.

As I rotated the vessel I want to apply a eqivilent counter rotation to my thrusters, docking ports, etc. so that the vessel maintains the same physical orientation.

this is what I've got so far but I could use some help on the math and someone with more experiance than I to make sure that it'll do what I want.

VECTOR3 Spider::RotateVector(const VECTOR3& input, const VECTOR3& rotation)
	{
		VECTOR3 output = {input.x, input.y, input.z}; // Set initial values for output
		
		// Apply X axis rotation 
		double sina = sin(rotation.x*RAD);
		double cosa = cos(rotation.x*RAD);
		output.y = output.y*cosa - output.z*sina;
		output.z = output.y*sina + output.z*cosa;

		// Apply Y axis rotation
		sina = sin(rotation.y*RAD);
		cosa = cos(rotation.y*RAD);
		output.z = output.z*cosa - output.x*sina;
		output.x = output.z*sina + output.x*cosa;

		// Apply Z axis rotation
		sina = sin(rotation.z*RAD);
		cosa = cos(rotation.z*RAD);
		output.x = output.x*cosa - output.y*sina;
		output.y = output.x*sina + output.y*cosa;

		return output; // Return rotated vector
	}

The idea is that in the 'RotateVesselFrame' script I can enter something along the lines of...

	// Reposition thrusters 
	GetThrusterRef (th_descent, input);
	SetThrusterRef (th_descent, LEM::RotateVector(input, rotation) );

Right now the project compiles but nothing happens when I try to apply the rotation.

[asmi]

Here is a function that builds rotation matrix along arbitrary axis:

void BuildRotationMatrix(MATRIX3& result, const VECTOR3& rotationAxis, double angle)
{
	auto c = cos(angle);
	auto s = sin(angle);
	auto t = 1.0 - c;
	auto x = rotationAxis.x, y = rotationAxis.y, z = rotationAxis.z;
	result = _M(t * x * x + c,	t * x * y - s * z,	t * x * z + s * y,
		t * x * y + s * z,	t * y * y + c,		t * y * z - s * x,
		t * x * z - s * y,	t * y * z + s * x,	t * z * z + c);
}

Usage is like that:

auto srcVector = _V(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
auto res = mul(rotMat, srcVector);

One important note - the rotation axis has to be a unit vector!

[Hlynkacg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by asmi

 Here is a function that builds rotation matrix along arbitrary axis...

Ok, more newbie questions, what is auto? and how do I go about applying the matrix to a VECTOR3?

Never mind I figured it out, I use the "VECTOR3 mul" function.

[asmi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hlynkacg

 Ok, more newbie questions, what is auto? and how do I go about applying the matrix to a VECTOR3?

Never mind I figured it out, I use the "VECTOR3 mul" function.

auto is a keyword from C++11 Saves some typing by deducing the type of a variable from the type of expression to the right of equal sign. Works in MS VS 2010 and higher.
Here is "old-fashion" version:

void BuildRotationMatrix(MATRIX3& result, const VECTOR3& rotationAxis, double angle)
{
	double c = cos(angle);
	double s = sin(angle);
	double t = 1.0 - c;
	double x = rotationAxis.x, y = rotationAxis.y, z = rotationAxis.z;
	result = _M(t * x * x + c,	t * x * y - s * z,	t * x * z + s * y,
		t * x * y + s * z,	t * y * y + c,		t * y * z - s * x,
		t * x * z - s * y,	t * y * z + s * x,	t * z * z + c);
}

And second piece:

VECTOR3 srcVector = _V(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
VECTOR3 res = mul(rotMat, srcVector);

This keyword is very useful when used with STL containers. Compare this:

std::vector<std::wstring> list;
for(auto it = list.begin(); it != list.end(); it++)
{
}

with "old-fashioned" version:

std::vector<std::wstring> list;
for(std::vector<std::wstring>::iterator it = list.begin(); it != list.end(); it++)
{
}

I think difference is pretty obvious