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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 21, 2012 19:44:14 GMT -8
Larry (lar) and I have been working on creating a pilotable model of the Kaleetan for Microsoft Flight Simulator X / Lockheed Martin Prepar3d (same software, basically; Lockheed bought the rights to Microsoft's FSX and ESP code once Microsoft shuttered Flight Simulator in 2009) over the last few weeks and today I reached a milestone. He has created a wonderful visual model to work with from the outside and asked me to create the virtual cockpit. While not totally accurate - I still need photos of the current layout and configuration of the actual pilothouse to make things work and look right - I think this is a pretty good representation of what things would look like. I've taken to a bit of creative licensing. This is based off the two photos here showing the configuration of her first major pilothouse modification, in the first or second page of this thread. Today, after a week and a half of working on it and fighting software issues, I finally managed to port the Google/Trimble SketchUp files to a *.dae file, which was further ported over to Microsoft Flight Simulator's *.mdl format (which is the "visual" model Flight Sim uses to display objects). Still needs a bit of work! These were taken while the Kaleetan was docked at the Anacortes Terminal in FSX.  M.V. Kaleetan "virtual pilothouse" in Flight Simulator X by Loowit Imaging - Steve Rosenow, Photographer, on Flickr  M.V. Kaleetan "virtual pilothouse" in Flight Simulator X by Loowit Imaging - Steve Rosenow, Photographer, on Flickr  M.V. Kaleetan "virtual pilothouse" in Flight Simulator X by Loowit Imaging - Steve Rosenow, Photographer, on Flickr The gauges are placeholders until we source and edit some open-source 3rd party gauges for our model. The clusters of two on the far left and right are, presumably, engine tachometers.  M.V. Kaleetan "virtual pilothouse" in Flight Simulator X by Loowit Imaging - Steve Rosenow, Photographer, on Flickr |
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Post by Kahloke on Nov 21, 2012 20:47:17 GMT -8
Wow! Very nicely done, Steve and Lar. It looks very good, and I'm glad to see you chose Anacortes as the place to put Kaleetan in the simulator, as that has been her home for most of her career. It's only been the last few years that we've seen Kaleetan shift more permanently to Bremerton.
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 21, 2012 21:02:52 GMT -8
It's pilotable, which means it can go on any route in the system. That is, after I go in and write the scenery files and scenery objects for the rest of the fleet!
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 25, 2012 14:30:09 GMT -8
More screenshots of the Kaleetan virtual pilothouse for Microsoft Flight Simulator X/Lockheed Prepar3d! I've managed to add glass to the windows (with clear transparency), plus do a boatload of texture reworking.  M.V. Kaleetan, Virtual Pilothouse for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Progress as of 11/25/2012 by Loowit Imaging - Steve Rosenow, Photographer, on Flickr In the next screenshot, it shows a little creative license. Having no photographic documentation of the radar consoles in the Kaleetan, I had to use the existing photos of the Kaleetan pilothouse during her MLU refit in '99 in the Kaleetan thread here, plus use actual photos of the M.V. Salish radar console setup that I took during the Salish dedication/open house ceremony. I've also added the chart table, with an actual Puget Sound navigation chart.  M.V. Kaleetan, Virtual Pilothouse for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Progress as of 11/25/2012 by Loowit Imaging - Steve Rosenow, Photographer, on Flickr This is also a bit of creative license, based on the setup of the M.V. Salish pilothouse (although the desk is on the other side)  M.V. Kaleetan, Virtual Pilothouse for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Progress as of 11/25/2012 by Loowit Imaging - Steve Rosenow, Photographer, on Flickr And looking straight ahead.  M.V. Kaleetan, Virtual Pilothouse for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Progress as of 11/25/2012 by Loowit Imaging - Steve Rosenow, Photographer, on Flickr |
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 25, 2012 21:17:43 GMT -8
What's the wheel on the centerline for?
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SolDuc
Voyager 
West Coast Cyclist
SolDuc and SOBC - Photo by Scott
Posts: 2,055
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Post by SolDuc on Nov 25, 2012 21:26:25 GMT -8
More Kaleetan pics from my Port Townsend weekend. Working at Edmonds/Kingston, seen from Kingston-bound Spokane:  MV Kaleetan by BrasegaliWA, on Flickr  MV Kaleetan by BrasegaliWA, on Flickr With the minimal wake the Supers leave, the bow wave is one of the only things that indicate the direction of the boat. Seen from far, it can be hard to tell which way the boat is going.  MV Kaleetan by BrasegaliWA, on Flickr Docked at Edmonds:  MV Kaleetan by BrasegaliWA, on Flickr Nice background for the computer!  |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 25, 2012 22:19:06 GMT -8
What's the wheel on the centerline for? That would be the PMC (Prime Mover Controls) Type 5061-1000 HWH hand wheel control throttle. Doing some research on maritime controls, I learned that the Kaleetan uses it, and in my research, which led me to this page here: (http://pmc-controls.com/products/5061-1000.html) I learned that the Kaleetan and Yakima both use them. I've simulated it to the best of my ability but I still need actual pilothouse photos (and permission from WSF to get them) to reproduce the actual layout. I've also learned that they use the PMC Type 5800 MCH-E remote control telegraph head, which I've somewhat modeled faithfully to the right of it. |
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 26, 2012 13:41:23 GMT -8
Well, the control head is right, but we don't have one in the pilothouse.  |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 26, 2012 18:18:25 GMT -8
Well, the control head is right, but we don't have one in the pilothouse. Would that be an engine room control? |
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 26, 2012 21:08:20 GMT -8
Well, the control head is right, but we don't have one in the pilothouse. Would that be an engine room control? Yes, it would. |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 26, 2012 23:21:41 GMT -8
Barnacle,
What would be the odds of WSF permitting me to actually photograph the real deal, or obtaining current photos of the real-world counterpart?
I'd like to get as dead accurate as possible with this. Who would I speak to?
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 27, 2012 4:53:43 GMT -8
Barnacle, What would be the odds of WSF permitting me to actually photograph the real deal, or obtaining current photos of the real-world counterpart? I'd like to get as dead accurate as possible with this. Who would I speak to? I've no idea who you would speak to about it--that is considered a restricted access area, so I don't know if anyone would be willing to supply you with photos. I also know that tours are pretty scarce these days, too, as a result of all the security regulations. |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 27, 2012 6:58:49 GMT -8
I've gone through and I've done a complete facelift of the 3d virtual pilothouse, based on the two photos that do exist (and are on the first page of this thread), although I'll really need high-resolution photos of the real deal to really complete the thing. These don't illustrate it, but I've gone and removed the one PMC control, and I've also redone the rudder control. I think I may drive up to Kingston this week and approach the crew to see if I can talk to the captain of the vessel for myself and explain the project Larry and I are working on. As a simulation 3rd party developer, accuracy would be great deal of the simulation and that goes not only for appearances, but functionality. Larry and I are already working on getting the gauges and marine radios working (we've already got a functional Furuno radar working based off of default FS code, Larry's done a lot of the work in that regards). Infact, one of the marine radio gauges we're working on, will have the ability to call actual Seattle marine radio traffic. You just won't be able to converse through it. farm9.staticflickr.com/8339/8221891834_147f8f2ba6_o.jpgfarm9.staticflickr.com/8065/8220814133_455326dd5b_o.jpgAs for my end, I'd like to get this thing as dead accurate as possible. Flight Simulator's tagline for nearly two decades (and was actually the subtitle for their 1998 release), was "As Real as it gets!" and this is how I approach things. Images are too large, converted to links. Maximum image size is 1024X768 |
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Post by chokai on Nov 27, 2012 15:19:50 GMT -8
Have you emailed WSF's PR office? Specifically Marta Coursey?
If you wanted to do one accurately in the interim while you wait to get your paws on your favorite boat you could do Rhody or the KdTs. There are plenty of pictures of both bridges from the open houses.
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Post by Barnacle on Nov 27, 2012 16:16:17 GMT -8
Looks good, but I'm telling ya, that PMC throttle wheel isn't anywhere in the pilothouse. |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 27, 2012 16:19:17 GMT -8
Looks good, but I'm telling ya, that PMC throttle wheel isn't anywhere in the pilothouse. LOL funny you mention that.  |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Nov 29, 2012 11:20:27 GMT -8
Annnndddd, here's the latest. Took a day off due to a severe heartburn/GERD flareup.   Up next: Adding the buttons and switches, making sure they are labeled, then doing a final edit to the textures (making sure they're high quality, photorealistic and accurate) then an export to gMax to add the gauges. |
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lar
Deckhand
Posts: 74
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Post by lar on Nov 29, 2012 17:05:22 GMT -8
It's pilotable, which means it can go on any route in the system. That is, after I go in and write the scenery files and scenery objects for the rest of the fleet! And I already have a mix of four different automated ("AI") WSF ferry models that follow all but one or two WSF routes that are quite close to the real thing. They dock at custom slips, to an accuracy of a few feet, and look fairly realistic as viewed from this pilotable model. Except when they back out of the slip and turn around. :-) |
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lar
Deckhand
Posts: 74
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Post by lar on Nov 29, 2012 17:16:59 GMT -8
Looks good, but I'm telling ya, that PMC throttle wheel isn't anywhere in the pilothouse. Barnacle, I think we owe you a consulting fee! :-) And I suppose hard to get information is worth big bucks. Larry |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Dec 1, 2012 8:30:51 GMT -8
Made some additional texture changes! These were "creative license" details that I utilized based on pilothouse photos of the M.V. Klickitat that I found online, taken sometime in 2008   Although, I have to admit, and I hate doing so, I'm going to have to change them yet again. In doing some research on marine console setups and trying to find pilothouse photos of the ferries that may exist online through vast image search terms, I stumbled upon a video on Flickr that was shot by a tourist in March of this year. The video was taken inside the Kaleetan's pilothouse, either at night or in twilight. It shows a dark blue or black carpet tiled floor. The console seems to be mostly correct, though. The limitations of the video is that it doesn't show much, if at all, of the console itself or the rest of the pilothouse. Seeing the tourist video gives me hope that I may be able to gain access to the pilothouse to gain further photographic documentation, for the final switch and gauge placement. Another thing that gives me hope, are the additional tourist photos on Flickr showing the pilothouses of the M.V. Chelan and M.V. Spokane. (being as recent as 2003 and 2009) I've sent a long permission request to Marta Coursey @ WSDOT to no avail. The e-mail was sent out three days ago. That same day, I sent off an e-mail to a website owner who has taken photos of the pilothouse of the M.V. Klickitat (mentioned above), which appeared to have the same controls the Kaleetan does - in order to attain the high-resolution originals for research purposes. No response on that e-mail request, either. So, I'm off to Kingston in a day or so and will approach the captain for myself. This will not only help this project, but will also help to serve me for when I finally start building my R/C Kaleetan model in the near future. |
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,957
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Post by FNS on Dec 2, 2012 10:03:03 GMT -8
This is 1973, once again ...  Making a rare appearance on the Kingston run, we see the KALEETAN at the Edmonds dock. Instead of having the ILLAHEE as a workmate, the SPOKANE is working with her today. It was the then new SPOKANE which sent the KALEETAN to the Kingston run in 1973 from the Winslow run during one of the greatest vessel shuffles in WSF's history. The shuffle included the new ferries SPOKANE and WALLA WALLA, KALEETAN, TILLIKUM, VASHON, and OLYMPIC, and saw the retirement of the Wooden-Electrics CHETZEMOKA, KLAHANIE, and KEHLOKEN. The KALEETAN spent only one summer on the Kingston run and went up to the San Juans afterwards. After the Hood Canal Bridge went down in a windstorm on February 13, 1979, the KALEETAN began the Edmonds to Port Townsend run just days after the little old Quincy Street dock received immediate upgrades to handle larger ferries. |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Dec 2, 2012 10:22:44 GMT -8
That's a sweet night shot!
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SolDuc
Voyager
West Coast Cyclist
SolDuc and SOBC - Photo by Scott
Posts: 2,055
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Post by SolDuc on Dec 3, 2012 17:13:13 GMT -8
While going over pictures on my hard drive, I found this:  MV Kaleetan by BrasegaliWA, on Flickr The space needle looks weird in white! Got too used to the golden |
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Post by Steve Rosenow on Dec 3, 2012 19:04:27 GMT -8
I honestly wish it'd have stayed Galaxy Gold. IMO it looked way better than plain old white. Excellent photo of the Kaleetan, by the way! Same for the signature! |
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SolDuc
Voyager
West Coast Cyclist
SolDuc and SOBC - Photo by Scott
Posts: 2,055
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Post by SolDuc on Dec 3, 2012 20:27:20 GMT -8
I honestly wish it'd have stayed Galaxy Gold. IMO it looked way better than plain old white. Excellent photo of the Kaleetan, by the way! Same for the signature! Yes, I think it gives it more character not to just have one color but to have more, with a good contrast. But imo the Space Needle is at its best now because I don't really like all of the observation decks in Galaxy Gold like it was in 1962. Thanks for the compliment! (And thanks for A/C for tagging the picture in flickr!) |
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