DIY Motion Simulator

Post here information about your own engineering projects, including but not limited to building your own car or designing a virtual car through CAD.
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NathanOlder
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Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 10:05
Location: Kent

DIY Motion Simulator

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Hey Guys,
Just thought I'd post this here, I have been building my own motion simulator and thought I'd show you guys.

Here's a quick video with some photo's of the build and some video at the end of me using the Sim, it took a while to build but was well worth it. Makes playing racing games a lot more realistic and enjoyable.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD1PF-lWPik[/youtube]
GoLandoGo
Lewis v2.0
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New found love for GT racing with Assetto Corsa Competizione on PS5 & PC

Greg Locock
Greg Locock
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Joined: 30 Jun 2012, 00:48

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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I haven't the faintest idea about what you really did, but getting as far as you have is a great effort. If I were being horribly cynical, perhaps the screen should be on the inertial rig, or perhaps it shouldn't.

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NathanOlder
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Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 10:05
Location: Kent

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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Yeah I agree, I just wasn't sure how well a new 42" tv would cope being thrown around on the end of the sim. I might be looking at going for 3 smaller 21" monitors.
GoLandoGo
Lewis v2.0
King George has arrived.

New found love for GT racing with Assetto Corsa Competizione on PS5 & PC

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bdr529
59
Joined: 08 Apr 2011, 19:49
Location: Canada

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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Great job, looks like it would be a lot of fun. I haven't played video games in years, but I would think it would be strange to have the monitor tilting left when going around a right hand turn and vice versa, not to mention the extra room you need

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machin
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Joined: 25 Nov 2008, 14:45

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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Looks cool! Good work! =D>
COMPETITION CAR ENGINEERING -Home of VIRTUAL STOPWATCH

alexx_88
alexx_88
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Joined: 28 Aug 2011, 10:46
Location: Bucharest, Romania

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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Brilliant job, congrats! :)

On the practical side of things, do you have an overview of cost/amount of work involved?

MadMatt
MadMatt
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Joined: 08 Jan 2011, 16:04

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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Excellent, very good job! Could you tell us more about the setup? Where/how do you pick the signal to trigger the motor to move the seat?

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NathanOlder
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Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 10:05
Location: Kent

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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@MadMatt Ok, The system runs's on 2 comuters. 1 to play the game and 1 to control the seat. The I have some excellent software that is placed on both machines. The gaming machine uses this software to extract the data direct from the game and sends it to the other computer which then converts this into actions that can be controlled by an Arduino Uno microcontroller. This in turn is connected to a Monster Moto Shield motor controller that turns the 2 motors. On each shaft from the motors is a connected potentiometer that ruturns a signal to the Arduino that lets the computer know where the motor is positioned. This is all powered from an old PC Power supply unit.

Here is how it is wired up
Image

On the software you can control which way the seat tips, how fast and how far.

@Alexx_88 The hardest part was getting the software working correctly, other than that it was just a bit welding and a lot of grinding. The cost could vary a lot. I already had 2 computers, the TV, the steering wheel. I bought the seat (£85) metal box section (£50) Motors & Gearboxes (£110) Electronics (£85) Other bits (£50).
So it cost me about £400 ish. If I total up everything I am using in this set up, which includes 2 computers, TV, surround Sound, Bass Shakers, Logitech G27, it would be something like £2000.

Money all well spent for many happy gaming hours. Today I managed 27 laps in the 7up Jordan 191 around Spa before the engine expired. Was a good work out, arms ache a bit now though :lol:
GoLandoGo
Lewis v2.0
King George has arrived.

New found love for GT racing with Assetto Corsa Competizione on PS5 & PC

TurboLag
TurboLag
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Joined: 02 Apr 2014, 10:13

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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I just need to ask, what kind of motors/gears did you use? This looks like something I would do too :)

MadMatt
MadMatt
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Joined: 08 Jan 2011, 16:04

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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Wow, thank you for the detailed answer. I am impressed by you work, kudos to you, now that's something properly done. Before you completed the project, did you expect to go to the end of it and that it would work or did you just go for it and "hoped" for the best?

Facts Only
Facts Only
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Joined: 03 Jul 2014, 10:25

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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NathanOlder wrote:Yeah I agree, I just wasn't sure how well a new 42" tv would cope being thrown around on the end of the sim. I might be looking at going for 3 smaller 21" monitors.
This is a cool project. I'm not interested in simulators (although I am a gamer) but the build is great.

Just some thoughts:

Having the TV stationary could help simulate a natural tendency to lean your head into a corner under high G-loads and the pitch and roll of the car relative to the track surface.

Does the steering have force feedback?

Also get yourself a cheap helmet and race suit for an easy addition of realism.

A proper harness done up tightly should give a good sense of how tight it is in a real race car.

Lastly why not rig up a speed controlled fan with vents around the screen in front of you to simulate the buffeting you get in an open cockpit car.
"A pretentious quote taken out of context to make me look deep" - Some old racing driver

f1showcars
f1showcars
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Joined: 17 Dec 2014, 02:07

Re: DIY Motion Simulator

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nice sim? made any improvements since?