camera-controller

README

Camera Controller Demo

This demo provides comprehensive camera monitoring and control for Microsoft Flight Simulator through a modern web interface.

Features

Real-time Camera Monitoring

• Camera State: Monitor current camera mode (Cockpit, External, Drone, etc.)
• Camera Substate: Track camera behavior (Locked, Unlocked, Quickview, Smart, Instrument)
• View Type & Index: See current view configuration within each camera mode
• Gameplay Camera: Monitor pitch and yaw angles in real-time

Interactive Camera Control

• Quick Camera Switching: One-click buttons to switch between major camera modes
• Cockpit Camera Controls: Adjust height, zoom, speed, and momentum with live sliders
• Drone Camera Controls: Control FOV, focus, rotation speed, and travel speed
• Smart Camera Integration: Monitor smart camera state and target information

Advanced Camera Parameters

• Cockpit Camera:

  • Height adjustment (0-100%)
  • Zoom/FOV control (0-100%)
  • Movement speed (0-100%)
  • Momentum settings (0-100%)
  • Zoom speed control (0-100%)
  • Upper position toggle
  • Instrument autoselect monitoring

• External/Chase Camera:

  • Headlook mode monitoring
  • Momentum and speed controls
  • Zoom and zoom speed adjustment

• Drone Camera:

  • Field of View control (0-100%)
  • Focus adjustment (0-100%)
  • Rotation speed (0-100%)
  • Travel speed (0-100%)
  • Follow mode monitoring
  • Lock state monitoring
  • Focus mode tracking (Auto/Manual/Deactivated)

Usage

1. Start Microsoft Flight Simulator and load into a flight
2. Run the demo:

   go run main.go
   

   Or for verbose output:

   go run main.go -v
   

3. Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost:8080
4. Control cameras using the web interface:
   • Click camera state buttons to switch views
   • Use sliders to adjust camera parameters in real-time
   • Monitor all camera states and settings

Camera States Supported

Based on Microsoft Flight Simulator's camera system:

• Cockpit (2): Interior aircraft view
• External/Chase (3): External following camera
• Drone (4): Free-flying drone camera
• Fixed on Plane (5): Fixed external view
• Environment (6): Environment-based camera
• Six DoF (7): Six degrees of freedom camera
• Gameplay (8): Standard gameplay camera
• Showcase (9): Showcase/cinematic cameras
• Drone Aircraft (10): Aircraft-focused drone view

Technical Implementation

SimVars Monitored

• CAMERA STATE - Current camera mode
• CAMERA SUBSTATE - Camera behavior state
• CAMERA VIEW TYPE AND INDEX - View configuration
• CAMERA GAMEPLAY PITCH YAW - Gameplay camera orientation
• COCKPIT CAMERA * - All cockpit camera parameters
• CHASE CAMERA * - All external camera parameters
• DRONE CAMERA * - All drone camera parameters
• SMART CAMERA * - Smart camera system state

Real-time Updates

• Updates camera data every frame for smooth monitoring
• Web interface refreshes at 10 FPS for responsive control
• Bidirectional communication (monitor changes from sim or web interface)

Modern Web Interface

• Tailwind CSS for modern, responsive design
• Glass morphism effects and smooth animations
• Real-time sliders with immediate feedback
• Color-coded sections for different camera types
• Status indicators for connection and camera states

Architecture

The demo follows the established SimConnect pattern:

1. Data Definition: Sets up SimConnect data structure for camera variables
2. Real-time Monitoring: Continuously requests camera data from the simulator
3. Web Server: Serves the control interface and API endpoints
4. Bidirectional Control: Allows both monitoring simulator changes and sending control commands

Browser Compatibility

The web interface works with all modern browsers:

• Chrome/Chromium
• Firefox
• Safari
• Edge

Notes

• Camera parameter changes are applied immediately
• Some camera settings may only take effect in specific camera modes
• The interface shows current values even when parameters are changed from within the simulator
• Smart camera features require compatible aircraft and scenarios

This demo showcases the full capability of SimConnect's camera system, providing both comprehensive monitoring and precise control through an intuitive web interface.