Helisim: New free simulator

[markb]

I would like to announce the offering of HeliSim: a new free simulator for RC electric helicopters.

I wrote this simulator, mainly to fill the needs of new RC heli pilots. I genuinely believe it to be substantially better than FMS for helicopters, especially 450 electrics. I hope it offers new fliers a simulator that will provide good training, and save them a bundle of money compared to the commercial sims(to be spent on batteries or parts, obviously).

If you already have a commercial sim, you have less motivation to get it. But you may still want to so everyone has a common simulator. It can then be used to exchange flight recordings! One thing it offers that I hope will be useful for learning new maneuvers, is a visual indication of stick positions during record/playback. So you can watch what the heli is doing, and simultaneously see the stick positions that caused it!

Anyway, its available for download now.

http://www.marksfiles.net/HeliSim/index.htm

This simulator is in basically final form, but if there is consensus among experts that something needs to be tweaked to achieve more realism… I am open to feedback, and will do my best to improve it.

I hope you enjoy it!

[babstar]

Hello, I just tried to run it but I get the helicopter just sits there with two red dots in the top left and right corners with the HeliSim process taking up 98% of the system usage. I have a P4 2.66 GHz / 1 Gb ram system & can run clearview without problems.

Is there any chance that it may be ported to linux in the future?

[markb]

The left red dot indicates Idle up is on. The right red dot indicates Throttle hold is on. It wont move till you get throttle hold turned off.

Its normal to use up the whole system. It refreshes the video as fast as possible, as soon as one paint is done, it starts on the next.

It may work on linux under Wine. It uses OpenGL, so it doesnt need a directlX api.

[babstar]

Thanks Mark, It all works now. It does run under wine, although the menu bar is corrupted (pull down menu's are still usable). I cannot comment on the realism factor, as I have no real world experience!

[Wii1]

Can someone please direct me to a place where I can buy a round futaba sim cable? I would prefer a cheap one but show me what you have.

[markb]

Can someone please direct me to a place where I can buy a round futaba sim cable? I would prefer a cheap one but show me what you have.

Google something like: USB simulator FMS cable
You'll find a bunch. Anything that allows the tx to appear as a windows game controller should work.

[bergaliv]

HI.
I just tried the sim, and it looks very good. However, i can't use it since I just can't find any settings for the elevator(radio). It's hard enough to fly a helicopter even with elevator control;-)

Any suggestions on what I'm missing?

[markb]

Joystick->Mapping on the main menu.
The second row of settings is "Pitch Cyclic".
I'm an old plane flier, and couldn't bear to put "Elevator" on there as the label... but it's what you want.

[bergaliv]

Thanks mate. I'll try it asap

Btw, have you considered GPL license on the software, so we all can pitch in whatever we can?
My biggest concern with FMS was that it was(is) closed source, and development stalled because of it.

[Pasquald]

Tried it on Vista and it's runs fine.

Not much heli experience so can't tell if the sim is right. But i do have a question about the Sim. Is there coming sound in the Sim so you can hear the motor and the motor RPM going up and down when throttle stick is moved?

[jvthert]

:thumbup: Wow! Great initiative.

I have some questions though:


Will the source ever become available? I would love to help you out to improve this further. And I sincerely hope your sim won't become a deserted project like FMS.
If not: wil you be able to port this to linux/ osX or is this app tightly coupled to DirectX?
What flight model have you used?Did I already say great job? No? :noteworthy Respect!

[drewjet]

Mark,

I downloaded it yesterday, I first played with it with my joystick and felt that it was worthy of trying to get my DX-6/7 to work with it. I downloaded the PPJOY software and after a lot of work I finally got it to work. I am sure the USB from Milehighwings.com would be better, but it is good enough for now. You saved me $70 that I was going to spend on a G2as that is all my current laptop can handle.

I learned to fly my T-Rex 600 without much sim time. I am finally comfortable with forward flight and a loop or two. The two times I tried inverted I crashed. So far your sim has already helped me. I need more sim time but am confident that I will get there.

So long story short, thanks for a great free product, that to me, is far superior to FMS

[markb]

:thumbup: Wow! Great initiative.

I have some questions though:

Will the source ever become available? I would love to help you out to improve this further. And I sincerely hope your sim won't become a deserted project like FMS.
If not: wil you be able to port this to linux/ osX or is this app tightly coupled to DirectX?
What flight model have you used?Did I already say great job? No? :noteworthy Respect!

Its not going to be open source for maybe a year. But I can assure you that it will not become an abandoned project. When I get tired of maintaining it, I will in all likelihood release the source code to public domain. Even broader license than GPL. Its OpenGL, so it will port well. It already runs on linux/wine and mac/parallels. The flight model is my own development. I'm a control systems engineer in real life...

I'm working on sound. Its a ways off though. Not as easy as one might guess.

Thanks for all the compliments. Its been well received on the Trex 450 forum too...

[Bolders]

Great app, it has come in very handy. I'm only a newbie to RC heli's and I'm scared out of my mind everytime I start the thing up, your sim seems to be giving me the confidence I need.

Thanks!!
:thumbup:

[poor_red_neck]

Need some assistance with my crappy transmitter...

It's the radio that came with my falcon 3-d

I'm using the microphone cable.. not USB

I have Smart PropoPlus running and it works with FMS but there is no joystick detected with your program.

Thanks for the help,
Jonathan

[okcrawler]

Excellent simulator! Great work, it flies very realistic. The default model is very close to my 450SE, and the tuning options are easy to use and understand. I would like to add a few comments, because I'm guessing (hoping) you are looking for feedback.

Canopy color option would be nice. Blue and white is hard to see in the sky (also blue-white).

I did notice the hotkeys are still live when a dialog box is open. If you do a 'save as' and try to type a name with an 'r' in it, the record toolbar pops up...

The video is a little steppy on my system (P4 2.8G with a cheap video acc card), but perfectly usable.

Again you did an awesome job on this. I'm still working on all the adjustment to tweak to see how close I can get it to the real thing. :thumbup:

[tha3rdman]

Poor_red_neck,

You need to get the other version of Propo, and PPjoy. Follow the setup guide on Propo's site and then fiddle with the mapping in the sim's menu. It's how I'm using it with the stock CX2 trans.

-Paul

[bpd964]

I'm using a Dx7 with the FMS usb cable but can't seem to get the controls to work at all. it's works with FMS and phoenix but I wanted to try this program but can't figure it out. Does anyone have the Dx7 or PC settings to use with this sim..?

[Pasquald]

Made a canopy design. Just copy in the helisim/canopies directory.

[jovian]

I just got your sim working. It looks great. I'm a total newb so I was wondering if anyone can tell me how this compares to Phoenix. Also it seems that I can drop the heli much harder while landing in this sim compared to FMS. For all the flyers out there is Helisim more accurate in this reguard?

Mark,
Having made a few video games I would recommend the SDL lib or OpenAL for sound.

[jwilliam]

Great Program Thanks!

I had to flip the metal tab to get rid of the ratchet on the throttle so that I could hover.
Works much better.

I have noticed that the rotor doesn't seem to move until the heli comes off the ground.

Wish list:
Auto reset or maybe when throttle goes to zero after crash.
Or something like min. max. min on throttle. JR 400 doesn't have any usable switches.

Black background behind display controls, or some way to make them easier to see.

I have set the reset to be the throttle and it works, but is kind of strange.
I am using JR 400 buddy box to fly with and a Hitec USB adaptor.
Also works with my DX6.
I like the USB over SmartPropoPlus, but both work almost the same.

Thanks again!
Jerry

[jwilliam]

I'm using a Dx7 with the FMS usb cable but can't seem to get the controls to work at all. it's works with FMS and phoenix but I wanted to try this program but can't figure it out. Does anyone have the Dx7 or PC settings to use with this sim..?

You could try this, make sure USB is connected first:
"control panel" -> "Game Controllers" ->
"Click Advanced button" -> "Select Preferred device" ->
"OK" -> "OK"

This has fixed some issues I have seen.

[kenkos68]

** Deleted **

[bgagnon]

Hi Mark,

For Helis.... FMS does not cut it anymore. I have bought a USB controler on Ebay for 5$. It took me (remember I am a newbe) about 5 min to work all the config out. and now use my old JR XF622 to control my helisim and can fly at lunch time everyday (I live in Quebec... it was -42 with wind factor today :bawl)

Like the other, I have some comments.:

1. GREAT... I mean GREAT software. Unbelivable that this holds in less than 2 megs.
2. The physics is as good as commercial I have seen and even better than some...
3. I can practice nose-in tail-in all that great stuff a newbe needs.
4. Being able to add/change: sceneries, Model would be welcome.
5. Sound.... (I know your are working on it Mark ;))

:noteworthy long live Mark :noteworthy

Keep up the good work.

[5th-pinn'd]

Great sim and its free which is a bonus,thanks Mark.