From: lishka@uwslh.slh.wisc.edu (a.k.a. Chri)
Subject: Re: Questions about BattleTech
Date: Wed, 1 May 91 15:08:48 GMT
Organization: Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene




bmo1@ra.MsState.Edu (CrayDeath) writes:

>Each simulator unit is a cockpit of a thirty-foot-tall walking tank called
>a battlemech ('mech for short).  The cockpit contains two screens (one for
>front view and a secondary screen usually used for radar), a throttle and two
>foot pedals to control movement (DO NOT attempt to steer with the joystick),
>a joystick with three buttons used to aim and fire weapons, and a lot of 
>buttons and rocker switches to control various options (which trigger fires 
>which button, infrared on/off, etc.).  The displays are controlled by Amiga 
>graphics chips.  

I have read in a couple places that the Amiga graphics are only being
used for the map displays, with the main "front" view being generated
by a custom graphics board using Motorola chips.  I am not sure if the
Amiga is controlling other aspects, such as figuring damage and
movement.  Also, I am not certain whether the Amigas are "stock" 8MHz
models or have some sort of accelerator.

Also, it is interesting to note that (according to a friend/graphics
software developer who was there last week) the graphics are *NOT* 3d
"vector" graphics generated on the fly.  He (and fourteen other
graphics developers who were there as well) thought that the graphics
were composed of a series of "BOBs" (blittable objects, aka bitmap
graphics) that were constructed into a view of a mech.  In other
words, portions (e.g. legs, arms, torso, etc.) of mech models are
digitized at various distances and angles, and then the computer
constructs the mech on-the-fly by piecing together the proper BOBs
with the proper foreground priority.

BTW, although the BattleTech simulators are intended mainly for
enjoyment, it seems to me that this is a form of VR that is very
popular.  Other game simulators (car driving in Atari's Race Drivin',
jet piloting in countless arcade and PC aircraft simulators, etc.)
also provide a form of VR, with various levels of complexity.  It
seems to me that at this (early) date in VR technology, the successful
VR-like implementations are game systems.  This group has tended to
focus on the heavy-weight VR systems of the future, but it might be
enlightening to look at some of the current popular forms of VR to see
what is likely to succeed in the "consumer market" and what is likely
to fall by the wayside for lack of profit. 

                                        .oO Chris Oo.
-- 
Christopher Lishka 608-262-4485     It is not safe out here.  It is wonderous,
Wisconsin State Lab. of Hygiene     with treasures to satiate desires both
   lishka@uwslh.slh.wisc.edu        subtle and gross.  But it is not for the
   uunet!uwvax!uwslh!lishka         timid. -- Q