VR Update - March 2016

[BigBANGtheory]

I am still struggling to see how the "laser pointer" analogy would work in practice with an interactive cockpit. Are you suggesting you point your head at the cockpit control guiding a pointer then map a HOTAS switch to change its setting?

 

Until Oculus integrates hand tracking I think you're going to need external hand tracking like the Manus Machina Data Gloves for either VR system. That would work inside the cockpit too seeing the pilots hands on the stick and throttle most of the time but then tacking to the other controls as guided by the player.

[NeilWillis]

I am still struggling to see how the "laser pointer" analogy would work in practice with an interactive cockpit. Are you suggesting you point your head at the cockpit control guiding a pointer then map a HOTAS switch to change its setting?

 

Until Oculus integrates hand tracking I think you're going to need external hand tracking like the Manus Machina Data Gloves for either VR system. That would work inside the cockpit too seeing the pilots hands on the stick and throttle most of the time but then tacking to the other controls as guided by the player.

 

What exactly is the problem with using a mouse to manipulate the laser pointer? You don't need to see it to use it, and it has several buttons and a wheel to manipulate the controls within the virtual cockpit.

 

Add to that the use of voice activated commands, and you can easily control the most complex simulation - it is just a matter of configuration. The laser pointer method will solve the 3 dimensional issue nicely as far as I can see.

[Elo001]

Any performance improvements for VR planned?

[Enduro14]

I hope the performance issues are solved for release. As it is now the engine doesn't function well in VR or 3dvision for that matter. Good to hear from the Devs at least to silence some of the speculations in these forums.

[hansangb]

I am still struggling to see how the "laser pointer" analogy would work in practice with an interactive cockpit. Are you suggesting you point your head at the cockpit control guiding a pointer then map a HOTAS switch to change its setting?

 

Until Oculus integrates hand tracking I think you're going to need external hand tracking like the Manus Machina Data Gloves for either VR system. That would work inside the cockpit too seeing the pilots hands on the stick and throttle most of the time but then tacking to the other controls as guided by the player.

 

 

That's how it works today. When you move the mouse, you get a yellow cross/cursor. When you move your head, the cursor moves as well. So you can just look at the control you want to "touch" and off you go.

[hansangb]

Digital,

That's what I'm talking about. You can move the mouse, or you can move the mouse cursor just by looking at a switch. Either or works. The "look, then click" is quite intuitive, actually.

[hansangb]

Holy cow that's probably the solution, hadn't thought of that.

All you need is to program a momentary toggle switch like the pair on the TM Warthog HOTAS to mouse click, look at the switch you want and operate the toggle switch.

 

That's everything right there, feedback and tracking without wearing gloves.

 

If you could create a universal switch, universal rotary encoder, and universal push/button, you could activate whatever cockpit function you wanted. Not possible today, though, because each physical toggle gets mapped to a unique function.

 

Hmmm, interesting.

[D4n]

Wags, are you the only one who tested the Rift so far? Cause I'm very curious how DCS performs using Rift on i7-2600k and GTX 960 4GB (my current specs), bow many fps does one get with these specs? And should I upgrade to single GTX 970 (I think will be too weak for Rift 60 fps max. settings) or better dual 960 (SLI) ? I assume DCS supports SLI and Intel Hyperthreading (my i7-2600k) very well since it is Dx11?

[Frusheen]

Wags, are you the only one who tested the Rift so far? Cause I'm very curious how DCS performs using Rift on i7-2600k and GTX 960 4GB (my current specs), bow many fps does one get with these specs? And should I upgrade to single GTX 970 (I think will be too weak for Rift 60 fps max. settings) or better dual 960 (SLI) ? I assume DCS supports SLI and Intel Hyperthreading (my i7-2600k) very well since it is Dx11?

 

You don't want traditional sli for VR. It increases latency. We'd need VR sli to be coded (part of GameworksVR) before even considering dual cards. You should research this a bit before you spend money on a second graphics card.

[TomOnSteam]

Wags, are you the only one who tested the Rift so far? Cause I'm very curious how DCS performs using Rift on i7-2600k and GTX 960 4GB (my current specs), bow many fps does one get with these specs? And should I upgrade to single GTX 970 (I think will be too weak for Rift 60 fps max. settings) or better dual 960 (SLI) ? I assume DCS supports SLI and Intel Hyperthreading (my i7-2600k) very well since it is Dx11?

 

If you aren't in too much of a hurry, then wait till May-July as Nvidia is supposed to release new video cards. So for the price of a GTX 970, in a few months you will be able to buy a card that is twice as fast for the same money :)

[BigBANGtheory]

What exactly is the problem with using a mouse to manipulate the laser pointer? You don't need to see it to use it, and it has several buttons and a wheel to manipulate the controls within the virtual cockpit.

 

Add to that the use of voice activated commands, and you can easily control the most complex simulation - it is just a matter of configuration. The laser pointer method will solve the 3 dimensional issue nicely as far as I can see.

 

Well say you are right handed and have a central mounted stick you're going to have to take your right hand off the stick and rummage around for a mouse blindly before interacting with the cockpit control and then returning your hand back to the stick each and every time. Voice command could work nicely for radio messages I can see that be a solution.

 

Mouse sounds immersion breaking to me I don't think using a mouse in VR is going to work well but in all fairness I haven't tried it so I could be wrong.

 

Some external controller strapped to the side of your throttle might do it... a twist-able, directional, press-able knob of some kind? but if the data gloves are reasonably priced that is a possibility too. Perhaps something along the lines used for in car entertainment systems?

Edited March 15, 2016 by BigBANGtheory

[RoyMi6]

For anyone looking to getting the most out of their DK2 at the moment I made a thread in 2014 that covers a lot of the topics people are bringing up here.

 

Covers topics like how to use your head as a mouse pointer, improving visible of planes at a distance and legibility of tooltips in the cockpit.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=129920

[S3NTRY11]

Well say you are right handed and have a central mounted stick you're going to have to take your right hand off the stick

 

Just like in real life!

[BigBANGtheory]

Just like in real life!

 

Yes but you're neglecting the obvious point that in real life you can see your hand and when you can't (or choose not to) you have touch sense. Reaching for a mouse breaks that too much imho.

[Frusheen]

If fumbling for a mouse is too difficult then get a trackball. I have one mounted on my collective. Until there is a glove solution that offers haptic feedback I'm happy with that. Leap motion or manus gloves etc don't appeal to me. I see little point going down the hand tracking road without haptics.

 

With proper 3D ray tracing (laser pointer) I think things will be much better than they are now with the misaligned cursor. Hopefully GloveoneVR or another haptic solution will release in the near future.

[S3NTRY11]

Yes but you're neglecting the obvious point that in real life you can see your hand and when you can't (or choose not to) you have touch sense. Reaching for a mouse breaks that too much imho.

One of those things that may just bother people to differing degrees.

In my experience, it's really not a problem.

[SkateZilla]

Im still planning on building my own unit..

 

Got a shroud/molding, just gotta find some decent 1440p screens, mount those then some LEDs for tracking :)

[FeistyLemur]

Just like in real life!

 

In real life you would take your left hand off the less important throttle most likely I would think.

 

I've thought of getting a second ambidextrous mouse and having one on either side. Downsides to this idea are finding a good place to put it, and being utterly useless and uncomfortable at using a mouse with my left hand.

[S3NTRY11]

In real life you would take your left hand off the less important throttle most likely I would think.

To use things like the CDU in the A10? Or for that matter, anything on the right-hand side of the cockpit? Unlikely.

[Razi]

In real life you would take your left hand off the less important throttle most likely I would think.

 

See the following @ 3:20:

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Razi

[D4n]

So is it possible to move the mouse and click things in cockpit using the mouse with VR while keeping the centre of screen on the HUD ?

 

And Jar, by march pre-ordered, do u mean u r amongst that tiny group that receives it end march or did you place the order IN march? :)

[AndersAnd]

OSVR 1.4 with the included Leap Motion controller would be perfect! With the improved hand tracking, you could just reach for a switch and pinch two fingers to toggle. With a know you would pinch and rotate your hand.

 

http://www.razerzone.com/eu-en/store/osvr-hdk

[AndersAnd]

"This announcement came in conjunction with a slew of new content reveals, including support for inCellVR, Windlands, DCS World, War Thunder..."

 

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/osvr-hdk-v1-4-available-now,news-52599.html

[Frusheen]

OSVR 1.4 with the included Leap Motion controller would be perfect! With the improved hand tracking, you could just reach for a switch and pinch two fingers to toggle. With a know you would pinch and rotate your hand.

 

http://www.razerzone.com/eu-en/store/osvr-hdk

 

Anyone with experience of leap and the latest software? Most reviews I've seen of the leap system are not very good. Anyone tried it in flyinside?

[AndersAnd]

With the Orion update, hand tracking has really improved:

 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rnlCGw-0R8g?autoplay=1