Contents

The following Help Topics are available:

About Makepath Flight Director

Makepath How To`s...

Makepath`s Interface

Makepath Commands

Animation/Preview Controls

Glossary

Technical Support

For Help on Help, Press F1


How To...

Creating A Flight Path

Repositioning Spline Nodes

Adjusting A Node Within The Altitude Window

Makepath Tips & Tricks


Makepath`s Control Buttons
Makepath`s Interface

Most of the left half of the screen is devoted to the topo map.  This area is used to add, remove, and reposition spline nodes .  The right half of the screen contains Makepath`s control panel.  This area is where the majority of Makepath`s features may be accessed.

Click anywhere for more information...


Glossary

Bank

Bezier Curve

KPH

Motion Models

Pitch

Script

Session

Spline

Spline Nodes

Toggle

Topo Map

Wire Frame


Technical Support
Technical Support for Makepath Flight Director

When contacting technical support, please have the following information on-hand and ready:

Makpath version number (found under About in your Project menu)

Type of system (i.e. 386, 486, etc.,)

DOS and Windows version you are running

Name of your Video Card manufacturer

Exact error message(s)

Utilities concurrently running (i.e. disk compression utilities, program manager shells, etc.,)

If you have technical questions that are not covered in your manual or in Makepath`s Help, please contact our technical support staff at any of the numbers below:

Virtual Reality Labs Direct Phone:  (805) 545-8515

VRLI FAX Line:  (805) 781-2259

Customers may also contact our technical support staff at the following E-Mail addresses:

VRLI Product Support BBS:  (805) 781-2257 {8-N-1}

America Online:  Send E-Mail to screen name VRLI, use keyword VRLI to reach our Company Support area.

Compuserve:  Send E-Mail to 75300,3706, type GO VRLI to reach our Company Support area.

Genie:  Send E-Mail to VRLI

Internet:  Address E-Mail to vrli@aol.com


Makepath

Pressing this button will generate the path you have created.  You will use this function to create new paths or to add changes to an existing path.  After a new path is generated, it is drawn on the Topo Map Screen with the path elevations displayed in the Altitude Window.


ViewPath

Once you have generated a path, MakePath can show the results as a wire frame animation.  Pressing the ViewPath button previews the entire flight path from beginning to end.  The animation preview will automatically loop when the last frame is reached.

To abort the animation preview, you may press the space bar, ESC or Enter on your keyboard.


ViewFrame

Use ViewFrame to view individual frames of the flight path. You will see the view from the

vehicle`s current location as a wire frame.

To return to editing mode, you may press the space bar, ESC or Enter on your keyboard.


Topo Map Screen

This screen displays the topo map  being used in your Makepath animation.


Menu Bar
Commands

Project

Load

Save

Models

Options

Node

Help


Fly

Choosing Fly will give your animation the look and feel of a flown vehicle (i.e. a glider).  Your animation will fly above the landscape without following its contours, and it will avoid collisions with ground features unless the Avoid Collisions setting is disabled.


Frames

By selecting the Frames mode, Makepath will attempt to generate a path with the number of frames in the numerical requestor immediately below the Frames button.  Due to the type of mathematics used by Makepath, it is difficult to generate the exact number of frames requested.  However, Makepath usually comes within five percent of the desired number.


Speed

By selecting the Speed mode, Makepath will generate as many frames as are needed to complete the animation path at the desired speed.  The speed is indicated by the numeric value below the Speed button.  This value is in kilometers per hour (assuming a playback speed of 30 frames per second).

NOTE:  The slower the vehicle is moving, the longer it will take to traverse a fixed distance and the greater the number of frames that will be generated.


Smooth

When an animation path is moving over rugged terrain, the camera may bounce up and down quite a bit.  This may result in jumpy animations.  By choosing the Smooth setting, Makepath smooths the animation out.  Higher values of Smooth result in smoother paths.


Drive

Selecting the Drive button will give your animation the look and feel of a driven vehicle (i.e. a dune buggy).  Your animation will always follows the contours of the landscape.


Loop

Depressing the Loop button will link the last spline node  back to the first spline node .  This allows you to generate an animation which can be played as a continuous loop.


Bank

The value immediately below the Bank button controls how much the animation leans during turns. Positive values result in banking toward the inside of landscape features, similar to motions of a plane or jet.  Negative values result in banking toward the outside of landscape features, similar to motions of an automobile.  Larger values intensify banking.


Pitch

Pitch can be used  to make the camera constantly always point up or down during an animation.  Positive values point the camera up toward the sky; negative values turn it down toward the ground.  Larger values intensify pitch.


Accel
Accel (acceleration)

Depressing the Accel button will add realistic acceleration to your animation.  As your animation dives, it will speed up; when your animation climbs, it will slow down.  The value immediately below the Accel button controls how great the affect is (only positive values are valid).


Height

Each spline node will use the number entered for Height as the default value at which they will hover above ground.  Height is set in meters above the ground immediately below the node. For instance, if the ground is at 1000 meters and the Height value is 100, the spline node will be placed at 1100 meters.  The animation will fly through the node`s individual height.


MinHgt
MinHgt (minimum height)

The number entered for MinHgt will set the minimum clearance from the ground that each spline node must have.  If any point fails this clearance (and Avoid Collisions is enabled), Makepath will automatically move the node up to assure that the path satisfies the MinHgt.

NOTE:  MinHgt values of less than 5 or 10 may lead to the vehicle falling below the surface in very

                rough areas.


Slider

The Slider allows you to scroll through the Altitude Window by dragging the scroll button from left to right (or vice-versa) or by using the left and right arrows on your keyboard.


Project

New Path

About

Exit


Load

Load DEM

Load Session


Save

Save Script

Save Session


Models

The Models menu gives you a simple way of setting the motion controls for specific vehicle types.  By selecting one of these models, Makepath will automatically adjust all the controls for you.

The controls of each model can be fine-tuned or altered manually for personal preferences.  Selecting one of the default models does not affect the position of your spline nodes.

Click on any of Makepath`s default motion models for more information...


Options

View Options

Show Crosshairs

Use BSpline

Avoid Collisions

Add Barrel Roll

Make Spin Path


Node

Edit Node

Add Node

Delete Node

Set Target

Unset Target


Help

Allows you to access Makepath`s Help file.


View Options

View Options allow you to customize the settings for animation Preview Controls.


Show Crosshairs

When Show Crosshairs is toggled on, your current position along your animation path is marked with a large crosshair.  Your current location will still be marked by the heading pointer if Show Crosshairs in not enabled.  You may move the crosshair and heading pointer by using the arrow keys on your keyboard.


Use BSpline

By selecting the Use BSpline toggle, you may use the BSpline curve rather than the default  Bezier curve.   BSpline curves are the smoothest, but they are more difficult to control since the curve does not necessarily pass directly through the spline nodes.


Avoid Collisions

When the Avoid Collisions toggle is enabled, animations using air vehicles will avoid collisions with landscape contours.  Disabled, your motion models will be allowed to collide with anything that may lie in your path.

NOTE:  Ground vehicles will not be affected by this setting since they always follow the contours of the ground.


Add Barrel Roll

Add Barrel Roll feature adds a barrel roll to your animation path.  Starting at your current frame (marked by either the crosshair or heading pointer), Makepath will prompt you for the number of frames over which to spread the entire roll.  You may select clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation.

NOTE:  The barrel roll remains in effect until you generate a new path (by pressing the Makepath button).  If a new path is generated, the barrel roll is eliminated from your animation.


Make Spin Path

Make Spin Path generates a circular path with a target set at the center of the landscape. The animation will follow a large circle around the landscape, but the camera always faces the center of the circle (a lazy susan-type effect). You may set the diameter of the circular path as a percentage of the size of the landscape.


Edit Node

Edit Node may be used for more precise positioning of the spline nodes or their targets.  By selecting this menu option, Makepath will ask you to select the node you would like to edit, and prompt you with the following dialog box:

NOTE:  You must press the Makepath button for modifications to be reflected in the animation path.


Add Node

Add Node is used to add additional spline nodes to your initial path.  Adding nodes may help to increase control of an animation path or to extend the path.  Position the mouse at the point you wish to add the new node and press the left mouse button.

Add Node may be aborted by clicking the right mouse button.


Delete Node

Delete Node is used  to delete spline nodes from an existing path.  After selecting Delete Node, click the left mouse button on the node you wish to delete.

Delete Node may be aborted by clicking the right mouse button.


Set Target

Set Target allows you to set a point of interest which you would like your animation focus on.  Each spline node may have its own separate target.  After selecting Set Target, click on the node you wish set a target for.  Use your mouse to position the target and click.  The camera will pan toward the target as it approaches the node, panning back toward the front as it passes the node.

Set Target may be aborted by clicking the right mouse button.


Unset Target

Selecting Unset Target will remove a spline node target.  Select Unset Target, and click the on the node you wish to disassociate from a target.

Unset Target may be aborted by clicking the right mouse button.


Altitude Window

See Also...

_____________________________

Adjusting A Node in the Altitude Window

The Altitude Window shows the altitude of the spline nodes along the animation path  in red, and a wire frame of the landscape in brown.  This window allows you to examine the altitudes of your animation path and to manually adjust the height of the spline nodes.  Moving left to right within the window scrolls you forward along path (and vice-versa).  You can use the slider below the window to move forward or backward along the path.  You may also adjust the vertical scale of the Altitude Window with the three Scale buttons at its left edge.


Bank Window

The Bank Window shows how much your vehicle is leaning along your animation path.  You can see the actual banking as the green reference line leans to the left or right.


Scale Button (Higher)
Scale Button (+)

Selecting this button will increase the vertical scale of the Altitude Window.  You will want to change the vertical scale of the window if the animation path reach above/below the window, or to move a spline node to a very high/low altitude.


Scale Button (Level)
Scale Button (=)

Selecting this button will restore the vertical scale to its original default value.


Scale Button (Lower)
Scale Button (-)

Selecting this button will decrease the vertical scale of the Altitude Window.  You will want to change the vertical scale of the window if the animation path reach above/below the window, or to move a spline node to a very high/low altitude.


Animation Controls
Animation/Preview Controls

All Makepath animation previews will be displayed as a wire frame.  While previewing an animation, you may execute the following commands with your keyboard:

Keyboard Commands	Function
End  or  1	moves the window minus 1 frame
PgDn  or 3	moves the window plus 1 frame
Left Arrow  or  4	moves the window minus 10 frames
Right Arrow  or  6	moves the windows plus 10 frames
Home  or  7	moves to the first frame
PgUp or  9	moves to the last frame
Ins  or  0	freeze at the current frame
Up Arrow  or  8	play animation forward
Down Arrow  or  2	play animation backward
ESC, Enter  or   Space Bar	return to edit mode


Bank

Using an airplane for reference, bank is the rotational angle of the plane along its longitudinal axis.  Bank is any rotation that causes one wing to dip and the other to raise.


Motion Models

MakePath uses specific models to simulate the motion of certain real-world vehicles such as jets and motorcycles over the landscape terrain.


Pitch

Using an airplane for reference, pitch is the rotational angle of the plane around its wing axis.  Any rotation around this axis causes the airplane to move the nose either up or down, with a positive rotation causing the nose to go up.


Spline

A spline is a mathematically calculated curve through a three-dimensional set of points or nodes.  The flight path (shown on the Topo Map Screen in red), is a spline after it has been calculated by the program.


Spline Nodes

Spline nodes are the points along the flight path which allow you to edit or move the path.  Makepath represents each spline node with a small, square boxes.


Glider

The Glider settings enable positive banking during turns, acceleration/deceleration, and pitch during dives and climbs. The Smooth value is set very high to generate very smooth flight paths.  Since gliding is a type of flight, the path will follow the spline nodes except when collision with the ground is imminent.

Bank	Pitch	Accel	Height	Smooth
5	0	7	140	60


Jet

The Jet model is similar to the Glider but much more aggressive.  Bank and Accel settings are higher for dramatic turns and dives.

Bank	Pitch	Accel	Height	Smooth
10	0	15	100	20


Cruise Missile

The Cruise Missile has very aggressive flight characteristics, but maintains a constant speed.  It is a rougher ride due to its smaller Smooth setting.  It also flies closer to the ground.

Bank	Pitch	Accel	Height	Smooth
20	0	7	70	15


Helicopter

The Helicopter has very little Bank and Pitch. Its flights are fairly smooth and speed varies during dives and climbs. Real helicopters have very complex motions that can be difficult to duplicate.

Bank	Pitch	Accel	Height	Smooth
5	0	15	140	40


Dune Buggy

The Dune Buggy will hit every bump and dip. The Dune Buggy has no banking or pitch, simulating the driver`s perception more than the vehicle.  If you want to emulate the perspective of the vehicle rather than the driver, turn on the banking and pitch settings.  Set banking to a small negative value (-5).

Bank	Pitch	Accel	Height	Smooth
0	0	10	64	15


Motorcycle

The Motorcycle setting is similar to the Dune Buggy, but has a rougher ride. The Motorcycle follows the ground, bouncing over bumps and dips. It also banks to the inside during turns.

Bank	Pitch	Accel	Height	Smooth
15	0	10	64	10


Creating Paths

____________________________

See Also...

Adding A Node...

Deleting A Node...

Editing A Node...

Repositioning Spline Nodes

Animation Preview Controls...

Makepath Motion Models

Creating flight paths for use with Vistapro is quite simple...

1.	Go to the Load menu.  Select Load DEM.

2.	You will be prompted with a list of DEM files available for selection.  Choose a DEM.

3.	Before plotting out your flight path, you may want to select a vehicle type using the Models menu.  To choose a vehicle type, go to the Models menu.  Select the motion model desired.

4.	You are now ready to plot out your flight path.  Using your mouse, position your mouse pointer over the area of the topo map where you would like the animation to begin.  Single-click your left mouse button to place the first spline node.

5.	Use your mouse to position and place each spline node of your animation.

6.	Click on the right mouse button to indicate that you have finished adding nodes.

7.	When you have finished placing the nodes, click on the Makepath button (found towards the middle of Makepath`s control panel).  Makepath will generate your new flight path.

8.	You may now preview your flight path as a wire-frame animation by pressing the ViewPath button (found directly under the Makepath button).

9.	For more polished results, you may want to adjust the spline nodes or vehicle characteristics.

NOTE:  You must always press the Makepath button for new changes to your path to be incorporated into the animation.

10.	Once you are satisfied with your flight path, go to the Save menu.  Select Save Script.  Makepath will prompt you with a standard Save dialog box.  Name your flight path and click OK.

NOTE:  You may want to make a habit of saving your flight paths as sessions BEFORE saving as a script.  Saving your paths as sessions will allow you to edit your paths at a later time.  Saving your path as a script only will not allow you to edit your flight path.

11.	You are now ready to render your flight path as a Vistapro animation.  Start your Vistapro program.

12.	Go to the Load Menu.  Select Load DEM.  Choose the DEM you created your flight path with.

NOTE:  If you cannot find the DEM or script file that your created in Makepath, you may not be in the correct directory.  By changing the directories (i.e. C:\Makepath\DEM\), you should be able to locate the correct DEM and/or script files.

13.	After loading your DEM, go to the Script menu.  Select Run Van.  Vistapro will prompt you for a script name.  Choose the script that you created in Makepath.

14.	Vistapro will now prompt you for a Base Picture Name.  The Base Picture Name will be the actual name of your animation.  Type in a name for your animation and click OK.  If you do not choose a Base Picture Name, Vistapro will name it PIC by default.

15.	Vistapro will now begin rendering each frame of your animation.  Depending on the number of frames, detail and resolution, rendering the animation may take a while.

NOTE:  Vistapro animations can get very large in a short period of time.  Make sure you have PLENTY of hard drive space for each animation.

16.	Once Vistapro has finished rendering your animation, you will want to get out of Vistapro to view it.  From the Vistapro program group, open the Viewer utility.

17.	Go to the File menu and select Open Video.  You will be presented with a list of animation files available for viewing.  Select the animation that you just created.  The Viewer will now display your finished animation.

18.	You may stop the animation by clicking on Stop! (found on the Viewer menu bar) or by single-clicking your right mouse button.


Repositioning Spline Nodes

See Also...

_____________________________

Adjusting A Node in the Altitude Window

After you have generated an animation path, you may want to move some of the spline nodes to fine tune the path.  To reposition a spline node:

1.	Using your mouse, place your mouse pointer over the node you wish to reposition.  Single-click the left mouse button.

2.	After you release the button you will see that the line that originally connected with the node is now attached to your mouse pointer.  Use your mouse to reposition the node.

3.	Single-click the left mouse button to lock the node into place.

4.	To abort this process, single-click your right mouse button.

NOTE:  You must always press the Makepath button for new changes to your path to be incorporated into the animation.

Repositioning spline nodes may be performed on either the Topo Map Screen or within the Altitude Window.  Movement in all dimensions (north, south, east, west, up, down) are made on the Topo Map Screen.  The Altitude Window only allows for changes to be made to altitude values.


New Path

Selecting New Path allows you to start a completely new flight path. This option erases any existing spline nodes and flight path, and allows you to start over. The current landscape will be retained, as well as a trace of your old path for reference.


About Makepath Flight Director

About displays information such as version number, author, publisher, etc., of Makepath Flight Director.


Exit

Exit will close Makepath Flight Director.


Load DEM

Use this menu item to load a landscape (DEM) from disk.  You be prompted with a standard Open/Load dialog box.  A topo map of the loaded DEM will be displayed in Makepath`s Topo Map Screen.

NOTE:  Any nodes or path placed previous to loading a DEM will be removed when using this option.


Load Session

Load Session loads a previously saved Makepath session file.  Upon selecting Load Session, Makepath will prompt you for the landscape used with the particular session you are loading.


Save Script

Save Script will save a list of camera positions, orientations and flight path for future use with Vistapro.  Your saved script can be loaded and rendered with Vistapro to create a three-dimensional animation.


Save Session

Save Session saves all the settings (camera positions, node placement, number of frames, etc.,) for future editing.  The name and location of the current landscape is also saved, so that the appropriate landscape may also be loaded.


Topo Map

Topographical Map.  A two-dimensional respresentation of a particular landscape or landscape feature.  The darkest colors represent the lowest elevations while the lightest colors represent the highest elevations.


Makepath Tips & Tricks

•	If you will be playing Vistapro animations directly off your hard disk, you will probably only get from 2 to 15 frames per second.  Keep the slower playback speed in mind when generating scripts.

•	The Speed value can be thought of as 100 times the distance from one frame to the next.  For instance, a value of 3000 will generate successive camera positions that are about 30 meters (3000/100=30) apart.

•	Speed settings of several hundreds to thousands of KPH usually give the most interesting animations. 2,000 KPH may be rather fast for a motorcycle but it certainly is a thrilling ride!

•	The smaller the frames value, the faster the animation.  Conversely, the larger the frames value, the slower the animation will appear.

•	An interesting effect is to turn off the Pitch button and set the Pitch value to -90. The camera will always point directly down toward the ground, as if you were in a glass bottom boat.

•	The Add Barrel Roll option is best used over straight, flat stretches of flight path.


Wire Frame

A two-dimensional representation using lines to create a display of a three-dimensional object.


Area Size

You may preview your animations in five area sizes:  Tiny, Small, Medium, Large and Huge.

In order to preview animations at high speeds, MakePath only renders a small part of the landscape.  To keep rendering speed constant possible, Makepath renders in less detail as the area gets larger.

Setting	Area	Polygon Size
Tiny	16 X 16	1
Small	32 X 32	2
Medium	64 X 64	4
Large	128 X 128	8
Huge	256 X 256	16

NOTE:  The lower the polygon size, the higher the resulting detail.


Lens Setting

You may preview your animations in three lens settings:  Zoom, Medium and Wide.

Setting	Focal Length
Wide	16
Medium	24
Zoom	32

NOTE:  The lower the Focal Length value, the wider your view.


Frame Speed

You may preview your animations in three frame speeds:  Fast, Medium and Slow.

Speed	FPS
Fast	18 fps
Medium	9 fps
Slow	6 fps

NOTE:  Slow systems may not be able to render fast enough to obtain the fastest speed of 18 fps.  If this is the case, you may see no difference in the Fast and Medium speeds.


OK

By clicking on OK, Makepath will confirm and execute commands you have chosen.


Toggle

A feature that may be enabled and disabled alternately by "switching" the menu item on or off.  If an item is toggled on, Makepath will mark the item with a check mark.


Bezier Curve

Makepath`s default curve type.  This type of curve always passes through the spline nodes, making it fairly easy to control the flight path.


Makepath Vehicles

An alternate term for Makepath`s motion models such as helicopter, motorcycle, glider, etc.,


Abort

Abort will allow you exit this dialog box without making/saving any changes.


Next

Next allows you to step to the next spline node .  Selecting either the Next or Previous button implies acceptance of any changes you have made to the current node.


Previous

Previous allows you to step back to the previous spline node .  Selecting either the Next or Previous button implies acceptance of any changes you have made to the current node.


Enable Target

Enable Target allows you to directly set the X, Y and Z coordinates for a spline node`s target.  Each node may have its own separate target.  Enable Target is similar to the Set Target feature, however it allows for more precision.


Edit Nodes
Manual Node Editor

The Manual Node Editor allows you to directly set the X, Y and Z coordinates for a selected spline node.


Adjusting A Node in the Altitude Window
Adjusting A Node Within The Altitude Window...

To adjust the altitude of a spline node in the altitude window:

1.	Using your mouse, place your mouse pointer over the node you wish to reposition.  Single-click the left mouse button.

2.	After you release the mouse button you will see that the node is now attached to your mouse pointer.  Use your mouse to reposition the node (up or down movements).

3.	Single-click the left mouse button to lock the node into place.

4.	To abort this process, single-click your right mouse button.

NOTE:  You must always press the Makepath button for new changes to your path to be incorporated into the animation.

Above the Altitude Window, two numerical indicators show the altitude of the flight path:  (Z) relative to sea level;  (H) relative to the ground below the node.


FPS

The standard abbreviation for Frames Per Second.


DEM

Abbreviation for Digital Elevation Model.  A more technical term for "landscape".


Session

A Makepath session stores the name of DEM you were working with and flight path information such as node placement, motion model, number of frames, etc., for future editing.


Script

A Makepath script is a series of camera positions that Vistapro uses to render animations.


KPH

Kilometers Per Hour


About Makepath
Version 3.12

Copyright (c) 1992-1994

Written by

John Hinkley

Published by

Virtual Reality Laboratories, Inc.