multiple monitor support

eddieb

eddieb

Vice Admiral
I got the following question over email

ear Eddie,

I understand that one of the reasons you developed Flight Commander was
to
provide an open source easily editable program for use to the Space
Flight
Community to create easy (and powerful) mods off of. I applaud your
effort
most graciously, you've done a fantastic job.

However, I have a few additional questions for you. I would like to
know
what programming language you've used to write the source code in - and
if
it will ever be made available (maybe it already is, I'm not sure). I
know
you've used LUA for the scripting, but I'm a bit curious about editing
some
of the other "hardcoded" functions of the game.

Specifically, what I would like to add into the game is multi-monitor
support. One reason I would like to do this is because I have four
monitors
scattered across my desk right now, and it would be nice to be able to
look
at the left monitor and see whats on the left side of my craft. But I
have
another, more intricate reason for requesting this.

At the request of a number of my flight simulator buddies (we game
everything from XVT to Falcon 4.0 and now even Wing Commander Prophecy)
I've
started construction on a fullsized mock up of a Generic spacefighter
simulator pod. We made it generic to purposly include almost an ship
from
any conventional space flight simulator. We've been looking at
purchasing
and installing some additional screens in the simulator (it only has
one
right now) and we're also considering creating our own flight simulator
from
scratch that would enable us to seperate out the HUD and project on a
piece
of glass inside the cockpit (We already have one mounted, but it's just
for
show.

Since your project (and vega strike) seem to be the only mod-friendly
projects in existance, I was hoping to possibly solicit your help in
such a
venture. I've already looked around the Vega Strike community and have
been
throughly unimpressed with thier project. Yours is much more
professional.
Please note, all I'm asking for in terms of help right now is to
evaluate
the project and let me know what the best course to take would be.

We're currently working on putting together a photo album that shows
the
process we went through to get the simulator built, I'll let you know
when
we get everything loaded online so you can take a look.

Once again, thank you for your time.
Click to expand...
 
I understand that one of the reasons you developed Flight Commander was to provide an open source easily editable program for use to the Space
Flight Community to create easy (and powerful) mods off of. I applaud your
effort most graciously, you've done a fantastic job.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that's very kind of you. Flight Commander is not Open Source. Read the flight commander license. However, I did send over a copy of the source to you, you'll note the licence is included in the zip file.

I would like to know what programming language you've used to write the source code in - and
if it will ever be made available (maybe it already is, I'm not sure).
Click to expand...
Yes, it's in C++ and uses OpenGl. Its pretty nasty to try to build due to all the libraries used, and I don't know of anyone except me who can successfully build it from scratch.

Specifically, what I would like to add into the game is multi-monitor
support.
Click to expand...
So I interface to the windowing system with GLUT. GLUT unfortunately doesn't support multiple monitors. You'd have to

  1. Rip out the glut code, replace it with wgl code
  2. Modify the engine to render separately to each monitor

Please note, all I'm asking for in terms of help right now is to
evaluate the project and let me know what the best course to take would be.
Click to expand...

Sounds interesting. If you're a highly skilled programmer it might be a fun project. I can't really help, since I don't have the right hardware setup, and I'm really more interested in working on the gameplay now. If you know opengl and C++, have fun.
 
I'd be interested in seeing pictures of Flight Commander running on the guy's sim pod if you talk to him again.
 
hurleybird said:
Speaking of multi-monitor, does FC support widescreen resolutions with proper aspect correction?
Click to expand...

Yeah, now that I got an LCD, I started caring about resolutions as well. This should be in the latest version, so you can change to any resolution your monitor supports.
Give it a run, let me know how it goes.
 
Cool, I will, and if there is support I'll submit FC to the Widescreen Gaming Forums :)

Also, wouldn't Multi-monitor support be possible if the program saw your setup as one very widescreen monitor?
 
hurleybird said:




Cool, widescreen works great, at least for the gameplay segments.

*EDIT*

Made a post at the widescreen gaming forums. Expect to see FC in the Master List soon :)
Click to expand...

*2nd Edit*

Hmmm, looks like FC is already in the master list... from a test done during 2004!

*3rd Edit*

Dope... pressed quote button.
 
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