Lesson How to add Telemetry output into a game. (Simple Example)

I have been asked a few times on how to add telemetry output into a game.
So today I thought I would show one way of achieving such a goal.

Remember that SimTools is designed so it can capture telemetry output from a game no matter how it is outputting telemetry data. In other words, SimTools conforms to the games output method, rather than the game having to do anything special for SimTools.

I believe the easiest way to output telemetry is thru UDP, so that is the way I’m going to show here. Other ways of outputting telemetry is with the use of Memory Mapped files and even a custom API’s.

Ok let’s get started!
First, let’s make the game a settings file to hold the Telemetry settings for the game.
I’m suggesting a ‘Telemetry.cfg’ file that holds the motion configuration for the game.

You may already have a configuration file for the game that you want to put these settings in, this is just an example. (This also gives SimTools a file to patch for motion, and allows the telemetry outputting to be on or off as needed.)

The Telemetry.cfg file holds these 4 settings:
- Enable_Telemitry = False
- IpAddress = 127.0.0.1
- Port = 4123
- MS_OutputRate = 10

I wrote the following example code in VB.net, as its dead simple to read and see what I’m doing.
Basically thou, I’m creating a looping background thread that builds and sends the needed output with UDP.
Once you have ‘something like’ this code in the game, all you have to do is:
Call ‘Start_Telemetry_Output()’ when the game starts up.
And ‘Stop_Telemety_Output()’ when the game shuts down.

Ok, now some code:
Private Telemetry_Sender As New UdpClient
Private Telemetry_Loop_ms As Integer
Private Telemetry_Running As Boolean = False
Private Telemetry_Thread As Threading.Thread

'Starts up the Telemetry Sender.
Private Sub Start_Telemetry_Output()

'only startup if not already started.
If Telemetry_Running = False Then

'read from Telemtry cfg file.
Dim Telemitry_Enabled AsString = "Get Enabled_Telemetry value from the Telemetry.cfg file"
Dim IpAddress AsString = "Get IpAddress value from the Telemetry.cfg file"
Dim Port AsString = "Get Port value from the Telemetry.cfg file"
Dim MS_OutputRate AsString = "Get MS_OutputRate value from the Telemetry.cfg file"

If CBool(Telemitry_Enabled) = True Then

Try
'startup a new client.
Telemetry_Sender = New UdpClient
Telemetry_Sender.Connect(IpAddress, CInt(Port))

'set loop speed & start sending data.
Telemetry_Loop_ms = CInt(MS_OutputRate)
Telemetry_Running = True
Telemetry_Thread = New Threading.Thread(AddressOf Telemetry_Loop)
Telemetry_Thread.IsBackground = True
Telemetry_Thread.Start()
Catch ex As Exception

'Could not create the UDP sender, no need to do anything.​

End Try​

End If​

End If​

End Sub

'Send Telemetry
Public Sub SendTelemetry()

Try

'Collect the data.
Dim Roll As String = ""
Dim Pitch As String = ""
Dim Yaw As String = ""
Dim RollSpeed As String = ""
Dim PitchSpeed As String = ""
Dim YawSpeed As String = ""
Dim Vertical As String = ""
Dim Lateral As String = ""
Dim Longitudinal As String = ""
'add anything else you want to add, its easy now!
'Dim Rpm As String = ""
'Dim Speed As String = ""

'check the status to see if the game is being played (In Game, In Menus, Paused).
Dim Game_Is_Playing As Boolean = 'Get if the game is being played)

'game is actually being played check.
If Game_Is_Playing = True Then

'If game is actually being played (not in menus or paused).
Roll = "Get value from your game" 'in degrees - (-180 to 180)
Pitch = "Get value from your game" 'in degrees - (-180 to 180)
Yaw = "Get value from your game" 'in degrees - (-180 to 180)
RollSpeed = "Get value from your game" 'in (rad/sec)
PitchSpeed = "Get value from your game" 'in (rad/sec)
YawSpeed = "Get value from your game" 'in (rad/sec)
Vertical = "Get value from your game" 'in g's acceleration
Lateral = "Get value from your game" 'in g's acceleration
Longitudinal = "Get value from your game" 'in g's acceleration​

Else

'If the game is paused or in the menus. (not actually being played)
Roll = "0" 'in degrees - (-180 to 180)
Pitch = "0" 'in degrees - (-180 to 180)
Yaw = "0" 'in degrees - (-180 to 180)
RollSpeed = "0" 'in (rad/sec)
PitchSpeed = "0" 'in (rad/sec)
YawSpeed = "0" 'in (rad/sec)
Vertical = "0" 'in g's acceleration
Lateral = "0" 'in g's acceleration
Longitudinal = "0" 'in g's acceleration​

End If

'Build the output string. (The 'S~' and the '~E' is so the user can see if they have a complete string of inputs)
Dim WhatToSend As String = "S~Roll:" & Roll & "Pitch:" & Pitch & ":Yaw:" & Yaw & "RollSpeed:" & RollSpeed & "PitchSpeed:" & PitchSpeed & ":YawSpeed:" & YawSpeed & "Vertical:" & Vertical & ":Lateral:" & Lateral & ":Longitudinal:" & Longitudinal & "~E"

'Send the string
Dim bytCommand As Byte() = NewByte() {}
bytCommand = Encoding.UFT8.GetBytes(WhatToSend)
Telemetry_Sender.Send(bytCommand, bytCommand.Length)​

Catch ex As Exception

'something went wrong, turn off telemetry output.
Stop_Telemity_Output()​

End Try​

End Sub

'Stop Telemetry Output
Public Sub Stop_Telemetry_Output()

'only shutdown if already started.
If Telemetry_Running = True Then

'turn output off.
Telemetry_Running = False
'let it finish what its doing.
Threading.Thread.Sleep(100)
'Close Client.
Telemetry_Sender.Close()​

End If​

End Sub

'Send Telemetry Loop
Private Sub Telemetry_Loop()

'Send Telemetry.
SendTelemetry()
'pause till next packet is needed.
Threading.Thread.Sleep(Telemetry_Loop_ms)
'loop again if needed.
If Telemetry_Running = True Then

Telemetry_Thread = New Threading.Thread(AddressOf Telemetry_Loop)
Telemetry_Thread.IsBackground = True
Telemetry_Thread.Start()​

End If​

End Sub

That’s all there is to it!
I hope this example is helpful.
Let me know if I can be of any help!
Take Care,
yobuddy

Source code of the example above:

I have added this to the FAQs here: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/devs-how-to-add-telemetry-output-into-a-game.287/

Please be aware of the forum rules, an English translation is required, Google Translate is fine, and comments should be substantive: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/forum-rules.9527/

And here is an example of a company getting a bit more advanced simtools support.
(GameDash and GameVibe support)
And sending data as structures.
https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...plugin-for-furidashi-drift-cyber-sport.11772/
Take care,
yobuddy

Anything that can catch and make use of UDP packets really.
Take care,
yobuddy

This thread concerns adding telemetry to a game.

If you want to create a plugin to have telemetry from an existing game see the FAQs here: https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...lugin-for-simtools-2-0-api-documentation.131/

It just depends on what the game has to offer.

(unless i don't understand your question)
Take care,
yobuddy

The SimTools devs are pretty busy finalizing v3 for release, but once that is done perhaps @yobuddy could help you out.

There is no one way to do it. However your game sends the data, it's the job of the SimTools plugin to wrap around your game and deliver the telemetry to SimTools. So however you send the telemetry data will only change how the plugin for it receives the data and makes sense of it.
Hope this helps buddy!