An Integrated, Modular Simulation System for Education ... - Cal Poly

Graphics Cards - Voodoo IIGraphics require the greatestamount of processing power in a visualsimulation. The PhEagle currently hasprovisions for up to 3 views, each view isprocessed by a single computerproviding enough speed for real timehigh resolution texture mapped graphics(Figure 9). Each computer only requiresFigure 9 Graphics Front Viewthe position, orientation, and direction that the view is displaying. Each computer gets theinformation once an integration step. The graphics are handled by providing threecomputers with the same terrain database and software. By sending the position andorientation to the three computers the rest of the graphics are processed separately. Thegraphics computers’ only special pieces of hardware are network cards and Quantum 3Dgraphics cards based on 3Dfx Voodoo graphics chips. The card provides hardwaretexture mapping, z buffering, and Gouraud shading. The card has a pixel fill rate of 90million pixels per second at 800 x 600 resolution, which translates to 5 to 10 thousandpolygons being shaded at 30 Hz. The three default views available in PhEagle I are outthe cockpit window, looking out the front and slightly to the sides. The view direction isset on the computer that is doing the graphics for the view through the software. Thedirection that the view is looking is simple to change allowing great flexibility inplacement of the side view monitors. Placing the side monitor directly to the side allowsfor close formation flying while placing the monitors close together allows a widerpanoramic view out the front. The Center Monitor has the additional task of displaying17