Scenerio editor

[Russell King]

I am currently writing a scenerio editor for the newest version of Orbiter. I am writing it to be easy
to use by using orbit presets and calculators and docking calculators. I am about 70% done. Any
volunteers for the alpha testing?

Russ

[bgreman]

You'll be loved for this on the "main" Orbiter Forum, as scenario editing seems to be one of the
major gripes of newbies.  A quick way to do it will be greatly appreciated.  I'd be happy to Alpha
Test for you, if necessary.  Just send me an e-mail.

[jgrillo2002]

ill try it also, sounds interesting. its jgrillo@twcny.rr.com

[harmsway]

Yes, I would like to put it through the mill.

Gene

[Russell King]

A minor setback has been encountered in the coding. I've run into an error with MFC (thanks,
Micro$oft) and have to re-do a major portion of it. Thank goodness for copy/paste. I'm looking at
getting it done in the next couple weeks.

The program uses a primitive wizard. Add a vessel then put it on a pad/runway, in orbit (using
presets or manually edited vectors) or docked to another vessel. Select one to be the player's
startup vessel, set the time and save.

Russ

[Altair]

Sounds cool i wanna try
Send me to luisfranciscor@cantv.net....
i always want something llike that...

[Chris]

Well if u still need people to try that proggy out,
i'll volunteer too
really looking forward to it, since programming scenarios isn't really my type :D

[harmsway]

Some years ago Henri Line made a scenario editer. I tried it out and didn't care for it much. But
since this thread started I gave it another try. Version 1.09 can be downloaded from avsim.

http://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=henri&CatID=Orbiter&Go=Search

At first I had a mental block on how to use it. The help files were not much help for me. Henri, I
believe is French, so there is the language barrier. It is translated into english but dosn't seem to
communicate well.

Anyway giving it a fair shot this time, it didn't take me to long to fiquire it out on my own. Now I
can honestly say I like it and since Orbiter is in need of a scenario editer it is a must have. Once
you understand the methodology it really is easy to use. In moments you can place numerous
ships at spaceports all over your system and set the time/date. You can easily choose/add/swap
any availible ships you have and give the ship(s) any name that you like.

Issues: This is not the easy to use drag and drop anything anywhere scenario creator that
everyone is waiting for.

Here is a list of what it doesn't do...

- Build a scenario from scratch, you must work off of an excisting scenario
- Place ships in orbit by simple selection, you must manually add the parameters
- Vessel to vessel docking, still thinks of stations as stations rather then vessels

So there is still a need for an improved version. Russell you should try this one out and see what is
good or lacking. Then build a scenario editer that fills in the gaps. Looking foward to what you
come up with.

Gene

[Peter3210]

Russell when you say that one can add a vessel with your scenario editor and then place it in orbit using
manually edited vectors, do you mean that one can specify a position and velocity vector for the vessel?
 That would be awesome because it would allow one to place a ship at any desired location within a
planetary coordinate system.  I've wanted to do that ever since I stopped using the old Microsoft Space
Simulator.

How are you coming along in the revised coding for the scenario editor?  I would like to be an alpha
tester when it's ready.  

Thanks
Peter



Post Edited (12-17-03 03:39)

[Russell King]

The scenerio editor is about 90% done. It currently consists of no less than 45 source files and 26
custom classes not counting classes in the MFC. OK, I'm bragging a bit, but it has been difficult to
get this program going. The only things I need to do is code for docking, code the writing of the
scenerio file and automatically finding the orbiter directory on first time run. I know that a while
ago, I promised two weeks and it would be done. However, the memory needed would not fit in
the memory model of a dialog based application, and so I had to redo the framework as a single
document interface. That required a lot of recoding to deal with the document interface.

I know, I know, techno-babble. Anyway, I wish I could put some screen shots here so you guys
could see how far it's come. So, I'll do a little describing:

Main Window:
A text edit box that lets you type in a description. A date and time picker to set the date of the
scenerio and a julian date calculator. A list box that has all the ships & stations that have been
added. Lastly, five buttons. Add ship in orbit, add docked ship, add landed ship, delete ship and
write scenerio. All three of the add ships bring up two dialog boxes. The first for each is a ship
selector. It allows you to pick a ship, set the fuel and give it a name. The orbit set dialog allows
you to specify a body to orbit and set the four vectors needed for orbit. There are presets
available to quickly put a ship into orbit. There is also a magnitude calculator to help with manual
vector editing. The landing pad set dialog box lists all the bases and pads/runways in the game
and allows you to pick one and set the initial heading of the ship. The docking dialog lists all the
stations you have put into orbit and their dock points and allows you to select one. The delete
ship button is self explanatory. The write scenerio button causes a dialog to come up that asks
you which ship you want as the player default and for a filename & location.

Currently, there is no coding done to set up the shuttle with its SRB's and external fuel tank on a
launch pad. That will be in the next build (Beta?). However, because the program reads all the
config files before showing the main windows, this allows the player to create scenerios with add
on ships, solar systems, moons, planets and bases.

BTW, for those with weak math backgrounds, here is the formula for computing a Julian Date:
JD = (1461*(Y+4800+(M-14)/12))/4+(367*(M-2-12*((M-14)/12)))/12-(3*((Y+4900+(M-
14)/12)/100))/4+D-32075+((H+(m+S/60)/60)/24)

All variables should be in Gregorian format.
Y = Year (CE is positive, BCE is negative)
M = Month
D = Day of month
H = Hour
m = Minute
S = Second

Hopefully, the guy I got this from is accurate. If anyone can validate or invalidate the formula, it
would be greatly appreciated.

Russ King

[Russell King]

Yes, the program allows you to do that.

Russ

[Xpirex]

Yep I'll be a victim too.. count me in  

[johnc]

I'll help test it if you still need it.

[DocHoliday]

count me in too. janez.orbiter@vidmar.org

Question: or rather request. I would love to see a graphical reference display to show you a
schematic of the orbit as you set up the vectors / parameters, so you can easily create orbits by
comparing how they will look like, rather than trial and error. For example if you want two objects
to orbit a planet on the same altitude, 15deg plane angle difference and 45deg AgP difference, so
that you could see and adjust both orbits before you enter Orbiter. Could that be done??

Thanks, I love the idea, been waiting patiently for someone to have the skill to create a successor
to Henri Line's scenario editor.

[Krytom]

Bgreman, are you the same Bgreman as on the Noctis forum?

Krytom

P.S.Noctis rules. (but not as much as Orbiter)



Post Edited (03-08-04 19:37)

[Russell King]

I'm sure it could be done, but that is beyond my ability. If you can provide me with the math, I
could at least give more info on setting up orbits and maybe give some sort of 2-D graphical
representation.

Russ

[harmsway]

Holy pockest Russ, I thought we lost you to Santa Clause. Glad to know you are still with us and
we are not just talking to ourselves.

Anyway are you aware Martin is looking for someone to do this for the base Orbiter program. If
you are more then 90% done, let's not have this as another addon, get it on over to Martin.

Gene

[DocHoliday]

And if that is the case, Martin will probably load you with math required, or else I'll just have to roll
up me sleeves

Cheers

[Russell King]

Who is Martin? I am done with a version 0.1, going on a 0.1.1

I sent copies of the program to several people, but never heard any suggestions or anything....


Russ

[DocHoliday]

Martin is the author of Orbiter

Please send it to janez.orbiter@vidmar.org as well. I promise to give feedback.

[DocHoliday]

I tried out the builder and it's pretty promising. I actually have no suggestions for the moment,
only that it would be nice if the vessels in the drop down menu were sorted alphabetically. And I
noticed the program tries to save the scenario with an .mp3 extension. Is this on purpose?

Also it would be cool to be able to edit existing scenarios, but that is probably a totally different
concept.

I will do some more tests tonight and let you know. Any response from Martin?



Post Edited (03-19-04 12:30)

[Russell King]

Ooops....  The file is actually saved with an SCN extension despite what the dialog box says. I sent
you a new executable that corrects this. This executable also now sorts the ships alphebetically.
There MAY be a data transfer problem with it. If you select the Deltaglider, for example, it MAY
select the Atlantis or something else. Let me know if it does this.

No, I have not heard from Martin, yet.

Russ

[Krytom]

Russel King,

You asked for feedback, so you're gonna get it:

I tried writing a scenario with the DGIII docked with the ISS above Earth (as a test), but the
nosecone was closed when it loaded it, which made it malfunction.
One way to solve this problem would be to select which pre-made scenario you'd get the
spacecraft from. (e.g. 'Docked to ISS.scn').

Krytom

[Russell King]

This scenerio builder does just that. It builds from scratch and does not read any scenerio files.

However, problem fixed. Thank you for the feedback.

Russ

[Spacingbluefrog]

HI Russel,

Do it allow to put vessels on custom or add-on bases or only on "official" ones?

______________________________________________________________
In space, nobody can hear you code....