User:Alvealv/sandbox

What is a motion rig?

Not many sim-racers have tested a motion rig. You could say that few people have a baseline to compare from.

I will try to explain in words but they are best experienced in real life.

There are different kind of technical solutions. They are called names like 2DOF up to 6DOF. (DOF: Degrees of freedom) That reference for that naming is a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_coordinate_system#Three_dimensions)

For vehicles movement in the different axels are often called: -for Z Heave and yaw -for X Surge and roll -for Y Pitch and sway

There is also different variations of rigs from seat movers up to full cockpit motion ones. They all have one thing in common: Simulate the feeling of driving or flying the real deal.

Depending of technical solution and the implementation of the software controlling the rig and the simulator the level of immersion varies.

Common for all solution is mass. The less mass the easier to change direction no matter the axis involved. The more mass the more powerful actuators/motors is needed. Also the rig itself needs to be sturdier the more mass It must have capacity for.

Simply put : Less is more

There is no standard today for the parameters a simulator or game is putting out when it comes to movement of a rig. In fact it varies a lot from simulator to simulator and between games. The “quality” of this parameters varies also. By quality I mean: the ability to be translated to immersive movements in the real world. The quality can even be different within the same simulator. E.g some racing tracks have are very detailed road surface every virtual road imperfection can be translated to real movement in the rig. Some track don’t even have the correct data for the curbs. If you have bass-shakers on your rig today you have probably already experienced these differences. A motion system with heave capability gives the best immersion in this area.

In short: The better the simulator/game have implemented these parameters for moments the better the immersion.

How the software controlling the rig process these parameters also plays a big role in the immersion. The software needs to be able to enhance and/or improve the data given by the simulator/game. It have to be able to help the user to get as much immersions as possible. Meaning it should be customizable in the right places and with no noticeable lag. A logical and simple to use interface don’t’ hurt either.