This topic is solved, please read Reply #7 and #8 for details.

What a funny experience this thing is.

But I'm currently wondering how to get the collimation in the VC to work since my gauge is a static one.
When I move my head or viewpoint (using TrackIR here), it loses its alignment which shouldn't happen.

The manual shows these pictures to explain the collimation.

while my VC looks like this


and therefore gets misaligned when changing the viewpoint.

My first though was that I may be looking at the default gauge, but the gun panel activates all targeting views and the panel.cfg also shows that

gauge03=CSWeapon!hud3d, 526, 515, 550, 550 

under [Vcockpit01] is active. So the CS 3D HUD gauge is operational as you can see here.


So, where's my error here?

I don't question your experience of course, but I think what actually happens at real planes is the thing described in the CS manuals (see the excerpt pictures) while the thing happening in the sim (see my pictures) is the faulty one, currently. The alignment is missing.

In the real plane, the lines of the HUD stay aligned while you lose them (the lines, not the alignment) out of the pilot's sight when your head gets too far out of the center position. That's the thing the manual's pictures show, a collimated HUD.

See those "disappearing" HUD lines? That's because it stays aligned to the outside world = correct behavior when moving your head out of the center zone.

I own three other planes with collimated HUDs and they all show this behavior very well. The CS F-18 (the armed version of the Acceleration thing) should be the forth one but it currently isn't.


Tho older and easier (from the programming aspect) non collimated HUD technique can be seen on that Acceleration F-18 (without the CS weapons pack) or on some freeware birds. You always have your HUD and all its lines in sight, regardless of the head position, but therefore those lines aren't aligned to the outside world.

See that the whole HUD is visible although the viewpoint is way out of center? That's the wrong behavior because your HUD isn't aligned to the outside world anymore.

So maybe another owner of this addon can check if his HUD lines stay aligned or start to move when your head is moving.

Great video, showing exactly what I mean, collimation. 

Now I have to wonder, why I don't see that happening on my current installation.
I've downloaded the installer again and tried repair and even uninstall/install.
The HUD stays the same (static, not collimated) and I'm wondering if some other guys can reproduce this thing.

All panel.cfg entries seem to be there, I've also checked the SDK manual to look for all gauge and xml files mentioned. They are there, at the right spots of that FSX installation.

I'm just using TrackIR, no 3D goggles.

Talking about the armed CS variant of the Acceleration F-18. I'm clicking this thumbnail

and get the F-18 with all panels concerning the weapons (CS Weapon Control, 2D HUD and the "glass" background).

The VC HUD is changed too, I can see the weapon modes coming up there, but it doesn't behave like a collimated one as you can see on the screenshots.

But, Alex, in your video, how do you move "your" head there? I assume by using the default FSX key commands.
The effect will be the same as doing it with TrackIR.

But I'll do another shot where I just use those FSX commands or the joystick pan switch, ok? Maybe this is the key aspect here. I'll report back soon.

Alex, (sadly), you are right. I'm actually using EZCA together with TrackIR and if I move my viewpoint with one of those tools (EZCA would be keyboard/joystick based while TrackIR tracks your head), the HUD doesn't stay aligned/follow.
If I use the default FSX keyboard commands, it stays aligned.
Since those other birds I've mentioned (which offer a collimated HUD too) actually work with EZCA and TrackIR, I'll place my wish on the list to make this stuff work with the CS gauge.

Of course, this is a fun product and it's not very expensive, so I'm ok here, but if it should advance in development, this TrackIR and EZCA compatible collimation would be very appreciated. I think that those two addons are very common around flight sim people, especially the military flying ones.

Thanks for your help here, I was really wondering what I could have done wrong when installing.
So this is solved and maybe it should be pointed out that the very good collimation feature currently doesn't support TrackIR and/or EZCA head movement.

I'll therefore change the thread title.

No problem, silverfox441. I'm always thankful for any comment, any conclusion and any input.

Enjoy your flights and keep on helping.