TORC

Hi everyone! Sorry I've let this run fallow for a bit. I agree with Samdan's comments on the F-18 now we've got the full new pilot model, it's a new standard and I hope it's what we'll see going forward. But I also agree with Fisherman, and I've tried flying some other sims recently and would extend this to even if I don't have a pilot model for my body, if I can see other crew in the plane (for a multi-seat plane), it is more immersive than flying a heavy bomber (for example) completely on my own. I need to go through and update the document, and unless anyone can suggest something better I plan to use the following rating scheme: [RED]: No in-cockpit crew shown (Single seat aircraft without pilot models like the I-16, and multicrew planes with no modelled crew like the Mosquito will end up here) [BLUE]: No first-person virtual pilot, but other crew members have in-cockpit models (F-14 was like this until we got the first person pilot model) [GREEN]: Old-style first-person virtual pilot, with animated arms but fixed upper torso (the warbirds with first-person pilots are like this, and the F-14 would be in this category now) [GOLD]: New-style first-person virtual pilot with upper-body movement modelled so you feel like your movement is connected to the virtual pilot model (like the F-18 with the new pilot model and the F-15E) The only inconsistency I can see in the proposed rating scheme is that single-seaters never have the chance to go into the blue category, but I'd argue that is a feature: despite not having a first-person pilot model the F-14 was still pretty immersive because you could look forward and see your pilot looking around (or vice versa with your RIO). Thanks everyone for your input!

Those are some good suggestions! I will think about how best to add these notes. From how I see it, on the quality of the pilot models, we could categorise them by tiers: 1) Animated, hi-poly first person pilot model (the F-15E for example, I’d need to check the harrier for animated hands) 2) High quality visual model, no animation on the hands for switches and perhaps some pieces of kit missing (like oxygen hoses). Examples might be the Heatblur F-14 and the new Hornet pilot model? 3) Lower visual quality model, like the WWII fighters and the FC3 Soviet planes 4) No pilot model (obviously) Do we think this would add useful information to the sheet? Or would a text description of the pilot model quality for each module be better? Or a combination of colours for the tiers and text descriptions as well?

Bump, because even though it doesn’t just affect VR, it badly affects VR!

There's hope for the Viper - they've allegedly been working on it alongside the Hornet pilot model. But I'm losing hope of the A-10C II getting a virtual pilot. Maybe in the v3 paid module?!

Happy New Year! I've updated the document for OpenBeta 2.9.2.49940, and all the available modules aside from the Mi-8 (which I don't own, but reportedly has the virtual pilot) are up to date as of this post. The Hornet pilot model is still missing kneeboard functionality (a shame with the beautiful and large new kneeboard on the model!) but they have fixed the problem with the pilot helmet, which is good. The biggest updates since the last major update is that both the Apache and Hind now have first-person pilot models for both the pilot and gunner seats. Helicopter pilots can be happy every helicopter except the Black Shark has a first-person pilot model! All in all, the support for VR seems to be coming along well. I'm slightly disappointed that there aren't any warbirds that got a pilot model since November 2022, and I have mixed feelings about the jets - none of the existing jets got first-person pilots in 2023 (the F-14 pilot came in late '22), but on the bright side the F-15E launched with excellent pilot and WSO models, and I think RAZBAM have updated the Harrier pilot model since last I looked at it. And of course the Hornet got a new pilot model, but that took away the kneeboard functionality! Hopefully things can keep pushing forward, and we all have a great 2024 in the sim!

Just going to add my voice here to say I miss the kneeboard being on the 3d pilot model for VR use... particularly since the kneeboard on the new 3d pilot model is so big and would be a great readability improvement over what we had with the old 3d pilot model!

So update 2.9.0.47168 brings the WIP version of the Hornet pilot. I do note this is WIP and yet to be finalised! But a couple of observations that hurt it for VR users: The kneeboard is gone from the pilot model. And the kneeboard on the new pilot model is nice and large like in the P-51, so this is a double disappointment! You can see the helmet if you move your head too far to the left or right, which I now know I often do when dogfighting and checking six. I guess I'll need to make a note about these issues in the Hornet Bugs/Troubleshooting forum. I might try to get a video together to show the problems (show don't tell etc.) Of course, the model is preliminary and will change, but I wanted to make these notes so you know what you're getting as of now!

For the OP's comments on not having VR - yes, the problem is still there and it's almost as bad. You can check six, but you are almost always seeing the helmet or parts of it in your peripheral vision (such as it is in VR) when twisting around to see back. I kinda like not having the head on the first-person pilot model at all better ... This would be less of a problem with the Apache, in my experience in VR, because you're not checking six anywhere near as much as you are in the Hornet.

The rear pilot didn't read the notes properly - no! The radar works properly when the radar priority selector is pressed in the rear seat

The controls for the radar azimuth and elevation don't seem to work in the backseat. Tested using: Winwing Orion2 X and Y axes - the mini stick on the front of the throttle Keys bound to the relevant commands in the Radar Control Stick menu For both axes and keys the pipper on the radar display moves in the front seat, and the new position is reflected in the back seat. But the back seater can't move the pipper using either method. I did not find separate binds for the backseater. The radar control stick in the back seat cockpit did move correctly when moving the relevant axis, just no movement of the pipper on the radar display. Edit: I have now also tested this in single player, and find the same issue.

Plan is to update the document again now 2.9 has dropped, even though it doesn't seem like there are a lot of changes. This will happen over the next couple of weeks. I still don't have the MB-339 and honestly I don't have the cash to splash out on something like that right now. If anyone has the 339 and can comment on the existence (or not) of a pilot body in the VR cockpit, it'd be much appreciated!

Hello! First of all, the F1BE is excellent, and really like Aerges' model for the F1 release. We tested out the BE over the weekend of release, and noted the following issues. We had the backseater (instructor) as the pilot "in control" and the backseater enabled the Combined Controls Mode using the keybind (which we had to set, there was no default). The Student (frontseater) could not use the wheelbrakes when combined controls mode was enabled. We had to turn off combined controls mode and switch control to the Student so he could taxy the aircraft to the runway. When I am flying as the Instructor (backseater), I can hear the afterburner, and the student (frontseater) reports that his FON light is lit and in external view he can see the burner. My FON and INJ lights in the back are not lit, and my throttle is showing below the gate (not lifted). Did not check the external view or fuel consumption (sorry!), but it's not showing afterburner in the external view in the replay. My Afterburner Detent Position setting (in the Special -> Mirage F1 menu) is 92, but the Student was using the default - and my throttle position shown in the cockpit probably is around where the default afterburner detent position is when scaled by my adjusted setting. Not sure if this is the cause of the issue, but might need to be checked out. We had problems with the instructor raising the landing gear when the frontseater had control priority - the flaps seem to work normally but the gear didn't seem to travel. We both had Simple Gear Lever selected, so this is probably related to that bug, but it is included here to confirm it is still the case with Combined Controls Mode as well. (the lever did seem to start in the down position for me as the Instructor, but the gear didn't travel unless the student selected it - and the low gear limiting speed of the F1 didn't help us in this regard!) This model is excellent. I like the way Aerges is giving us all the different Mirage F1s in the same module, and the trainer is icing on the cake!

Windows Mixed Reality using Lenovo 1st gen headset, OpenXR and PD 1.1. I notice that the projection of the TV image seems very close - I expect to have to focus my eyes out like the HUD (out to the terrain), but when using both eyes to look at the HUD repeater I have to ... well it feels like I almost have to cross my eyes to bring the image of the HUD repeater together. This, combined with the movement as if the image is focussed out to infinity (or thereabouts) seems weird. This might be related to how DCS renders mirrors and screens, so might be beyond Aerges' ability to fix, but this is what I found.

In my opinion, the G940 not only has problems with the drivers but also the hardware isn't up to what we expect these days. If you are looking at building your own, have you seen the VPForce Rhino? The Rhino itself might be overkill for your application, but it could be a good starting point (the board and drivers at the very least).

Just a quick update to add the Razbam F-15E Strike Eagle. I'm not aware of any other changes since my last update in February. Both the pilot and WSO in the F-15E have virtual bodies, and you can toggle on or off the virtual body in the seat you are sitting in (though you'll still see the occupant of the other seat). In some of the training missions the backseater is not visible - they aren't in the aircraft (this is an option in the mission editor). I don't think the movement of the other pilot/WSO is quite as good as Heatblur's F-14 when viewed from the other seat (which is a very high bar - they're still quite good and I'm grateful we have multicrew at all), but the animations when viewed from your own seat are truly excellent and set a new standard for first person virtual pilot modelling in my opinion. I'm surprised an early access module was released with the virtual pilot at all, much less being one of the best implementations I've seen so far. Good job Razbam!