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Showroom DX - Compact Simulator

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by noorbeast, Sep 29, 2014.

  1. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Thanks for the kind words @Alexey, for me my sim is an ongoing experimental work in progress, which is still a long way from being finished. I am already planning to pull it apart again to do a bunch of work around sound, surge, safety and serviceability.
    • Like Like x 1
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  2. Blame73

    Blame73 Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Why don't you build a new one?
    I'd like to start a new project from scratch too, now that I have (a little) more knowledge, but I also like using it and should I pull it apart it would take too much time to finish the new one and have it up and running.
    But building a new one...
    I know costs would grow up, but once finished you could sell the old one (and in your case I have no doubt you can easily sell it soon and for a very good price)
    • Like Like x 1
  3. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I have not finished developing my current sim @Blame73 and will be adding to it for quite some time yet, as I have a series of planned stage development upgrades/additions I want to make to it.
  4. GIB SimRacing

    GIB SimRacing Active Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    The age old story... these things are never finished!:rolleyes: :D
  5. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I mean we all never finish anything :)
    • Agree Agree x 2
  6. kanuk

    kanuk If it ain't moving, it ain't simulating...

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    And god bless for that! For if we ever took the attitude of 'it's finished...' then we would all still be driving around in Ford model T's :D
    • Like Like x 2
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  7. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I made my decision to create an experimental platform at the start, so I guess there was never any hope that it would be 'finished' any time soon.

    What I am planning next will make it easy to live with the compact design around things like access to the JRKs, and I will lay the foundation to mess with traditional and not so traditional haptics. I also now have all of the components to complete the quasi surge table.

    Nor am I finished once the next planned updates are done. I still have plans for adding drift and possibly heave.
  8. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Surge table would be a great upgrade but not for my rig probably. Imo due to the static display which is not on the motion platform it is to be feared that the moving away from the display has a negative effect of the FOV. @noorbeast good luck with your next steps :)
  9. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    My quasi surge table is already built into my rig @Pit and it is designed to move the controls relative to the user, not the whole rig. That way I can sustain a surge cue. My quasi surge table design does not affect the FOV, not that it really matters as I use the Rift.
  10. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    My Kor-FX vest arrived this morning. I got it to do a version 1 quick and dirty evaluation for creating a harptic harness. Ultimately I will custom make a haptic harness for my sim rig, in anticipation of SimTools eventually adding transducer control.

    While the Kor-FX works OK, I have to say I was shocked at how shoddy the stitching is and its overall poor quality. The first time I put batteries in it one of the sewn in battery pockets came most of the way off. First time I went to remove the front flying skull patch, which is held on with velcro, it pretty much ripped the stitching away on the velcro strip sewn to the vest.

    I always planned to cut the Kor-FX open to rewire it and create an opening chest strap, so it is easy to get in and out of as part of the harness. Hence I can live with the shoddy manufacturing. But I would never recommend the Kor-FX to a gamer, the stitching and overall poor quality control is that bad. There was not even any sort of instructions included in or on the box. It is not that hard to get the basics working, but button presses with a built in feedback voice from the vest are used to configure the thing, so that really does need some sort of instructions.

    DSCN4010.jpg

    DSCN4012.jpg

    DSCN4019.jpg

    DSCN4024.jpg
    • Informative Informative x 1
  11. Blame73

    Blame73 Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    That KOR-FX upside-down on the top drives me crazy :D I would have already cut it or covered it!
    Yeah, I know, I'm crazy :sos
  12. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I only got it this morning, but its time will soon come when it gets hacked to bits, I just need to try it first along with some other sound gear I want to link together. So no you are not crazy @Blame73.
  13. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Interesting, look forward to your review.
  14. kanuk

    kanuk If it ain't moving, it ain't simulating...

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    Ooooo. Nice. Please keep us informed on how it goes sir......
    • Like Like x 1
  15. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My initial summary stands @SeatTime, the Kor-FX is poorly constructed with no information provided. The push button interface with robotic feedback voice is not really intuitive. If mine is an average example then it would not last long in general gaming use, hell it really did not stand up to just putting batteries in it for the first time without the stitching giving way.

    The interesting bit will be taking a Stanley knife to it and opening up the workings. I will use the guts of it to prototype a haptic harness, which I think is a pretty cool idea for extending the use of traducers. Even in my initial test today it gives a feeling of being more completely surrounded by vibrations, but I am sure I can improve that even more and make haptics a seamless part of the harness.
    • Like Like x 1
  16. kanuk

    kanuk If it ain't moving, it ain't simulating...

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    Yes. This would be far more practical than the idea i had... that which was to tie a whole bunch of buttkickers to my body with velcro... I think the haptic harness is far more subtle and functional! LOL :D
    Hey! Who can blame me for wanting more immersion? ;)
    • Like Like x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
  17. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I did see your notes about quality, but though there was more of a review to come on how it works and if it is worth it, as I was not at all familiar with the product.
  18. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Sorry @SeatTime, I should have put the Kor-FX product page for those who would have no idea of what it is or what it is for. Basically it is a wireless transducer vest: http://korfx.com/

    No I don't think Kor-FX is worth it as a haptic gaming product @SeatTime, but it is useful for what I have in mind to test an idea. I will post more on that when I start cutting the Kor-FX to bits.
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2015
  19. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, I initially thought it may have included servos built in to drive the harness :p. Silly me.
  20. Martin van Hagen

    Martin van Hagen not trying brings you nothing! SimAxe Beta Tester Gold Contributor

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    @noorbeast First your sim build looks great! :thumbs
    When you get around to " hide a lot of the wiring in the hollow frame" make sure that you centralize your wiring to prevent resonation and damage by using the soft part of a scrubbing sponges at regular intervals inside the tubular frame. Fold the wiring in the centre of the sponge and position this with a piece of wood or PVC piping. Nothing so nerve wrecking then cable rattle within the frame....
    • Creative Creative x 1