In a short period of time the "parts pile" grew to a 39" tv/monitor, 2 Thrustmaster Cougar MFD panels, a Saitek X45 stick/throttle combo, 40 feet of PVC, a few dozen fittings, and a bunch of gizmos and cool looking stuff from discount stores. Donated office chair parts, odds and ends furniture and a bunch of cardboard shipping boxes destined to become mockups for the systems and controls.
I bought an Arduino UNO and a Mega board, a ton of switches and LEDS, a 7" USB touchscreen, ATI card supporting 5 monitors... And things got serious. Not only does the interior need to LOOK like the command section of a 142,000 ton Independent Merchant Craft, but it has to ACT like one. Every switch, dial, gauge and light needs to DO SOMETHING. That flashing red light over there means something is broken, smoking or planning on failing. As complete an immersive experience as possible.
I am re-learning the programming languages I used to know by heart. Of course things have changed in 25 years. There's a LOT more that can be done, if you're clever enough. I had to beg, borrow and misappropriate a good portion of the power and hand tools I lots over the course of two divorces and countless moves. And, so far, it's been all on me.
As a professional tattooist, I do have the ability to barter for skills I do not possess, or simply can't do as well as I would like. but getting people on board for the most insanely GEEK project is a bit daunting. One friend casually replied that this project is about the best birth control method he's ever heard of. Fair enough. My new "girl" is costing me an arm and a leg, but I can always just switch her off when she acts up.
My son thinks it's great, and he's my primary test pilot. If he can figure it out, he's in heaven. Lucky for me there's enough projects to work on I can let him fly for hours while still making progress. His enthusiasm and questions make me rethink aspects of the project. My seat(s) and control schemes are being designed so that he is as comfortable in them as I would be. My teenage daughter, on the other hand, rolls here eyes at the piles of parts and the smell of solder flux. Don't let her kid you - she's flown in it as well. She keeps the project grounded and makes sure I eat and sleep occasionally.
The project is built around a metal frame holding the monitor and center "pod" MFDS and touchscreen monitor, a semi-comfy char and two "control pods" of PVC framing and MDF, a vast improvement from the cardboard boxes and spare furniture I was stacking things on. All the controls work, and each addition adds to the "realism" of flight. I stop my projects long enough to log an hour or two in-game, never losing sight of the need to keep it playable and FUN! The modular design concept means I can prototype equipment on another system and plug it in when it's working, so it's always available for a quick mining run or bandit-clearing mission.
Logs, pics and notes are on their way. Hope you enjoy following the journey!
-Rick
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