How am i now supposed to look around and click cockpit buttons with mouse only?

[Youda]

Hello. I haven't played DCS for awhile and when i came back and installed the updates, i noticed a breaking change in view controls.

I have neither head-tracking nor VR headset (yet) so i use mouse for free look.

 

In previous versions i was able to use the mouse for both the free look and clicking the cockpit by toggling between those with a "Force cursor to show" (default: Alt+C). It was not ideal, but it worked.

However with the newest version the Alt+C shortcut added a third mode, which is moving around the cockpit (strafe left/right/up/down), so now i have to press Alt+C (which is also binded to my mouse middle button) two times to switch from free look to cockpit control, and two times to get back to free look. This adds so much overhead for me that it's impossible to do in a fight anymore.

 

How do you guys do it when you don't have a head-tracking and you need to look around and click cockpit at the same time?

 

Why don't we simply get a view mode, where the mouse is used for free look and the cursor always stays in the middle, so that you chose which button to click by looking around instead of by moving the cursor across the screen? Same way as how it was done for example in Doom 3 or Quake 4 when you aproached some control panel.

[razo+r]

You should try mapping view to some buttons on the joysticck, if possible. 

[PhantomCat]

Snap views works for me.

[alphagamer4]

I feel your pain. A flight sim like DCS really does benefit from using TrackIR or VR.

 

I was coping using the viewhat on my joystick. Once I got TrackIr though, I never looked back.

 

The only thing keeping me from using VR is the relatively poor resolution and its value proposition.

 

Once things have improved on the tech and pricing front for VR, I'll migrate to that platform.

[Northstar98]

I'm currently using just the mouse, I have no head tracking, and my specs are down below (yes, you read that right 15.6" display). If it's any consolation too, I don't have a throttle, nor rudder pedals; I have to use the keyboard for both and my set-up makes it kinda impossible to do stick + throttle or throttle + rudder.

 

For me, it's a bit of a pain but I've gotten used to just hitting LAlt+C over and over again, oh and so we're clear, this will be the 2nd year of me using my current setup.

 

I do have a very decent stick, though is desktop mounted, without an extension.

 

 

Formation flying is completely off the table for me (and therefore AAR is too), I can fly the Huey (though kinda badly), same with the Hip (though landing it is near impossible), I can land on aircraft carriers, but it's messy, I've landed a 3-wire once.

 

Warbirds are okay-ish once in the air, landing is basically a no-go, as are coordinating turns or aerial combat (without fighting side-slip).

 

I can somewhat manage the other stuff, main issue being the throttle (keyboard resolution is really difficult, nor can you feel where it is, nor can you make quick movements).

 

 

 

 

 

[terminator345]

You can double click the middle mouse button for the cursor. Alternatively, what I did was assign a button on my stick for cursor on/off. It was the button closest to where I put the mouse so everytime I needed to switch, it was only a simple press about a hand's width away from the mouse. Had no issues with that setup.

 

But I'd at least assign a new, single press command preferably with a button closest to the mouse. The default 2 button command is too much of a hassle for something you need to do quickly and frequently.

 

Ideally I'd like to be able to assign right click for the cursor but the control menu doesn't let you do that.

 

BTW the cursor assignment is under the control menu as something like "Force cursor to show" or "Clickable cockpit on/off" or something like that, depending on the plane. Just change it to whatever you like.

Edited January 26, 2021 by terminator345

[Gary]

With a simple edit you can use the mouse to view around the cockpit AND click the mouse on buttons switches at the same time thus avoiding the Alt+C need totally.

 

The file is

 

clickable_common.lua - just change the last entry from "false" to "true"

 

Not sure if it is IC compatible though and not found a way of adding this to my saved games entry but it works fine.

clickable_common.lua

[Rudel_chw]

24 minutes ago, Gary said:

With a simple edit you can use the mouse to view around the cockpit AND click the mouse on buttons switches at the same time thus avoiding the Alt+C need totally.

 

The file is

 

clickable_common.lua - just change the last entry from "false" to "true"

 

Not sure if it is IC compatible though and not found a way of adding this to my saved games entry but it works fine.

clickable_common.lua 419 B · 1 download

really useful, even tough I have a headtracking device, I will copy your tip over to my "tips book" just in case 

[Youda]

On 1/28/2021 at 10:07 AM, Gary said:

With a simple edit you can use the mouse to view around the cockpit AND click the mouse on buttons switches at the same time thus avoiding the Alt+C need totally.

clickable_common.lua 419 B · 6 downloads

That sounds awesome, but where do i put it?

[Youda]

Never mind, i figured out it's an existing file in DCS World\Scripts\Aircrafts\_Common\Cockpit

However that didn't quite produce the effect i wanted, now i can freelook and have a cursor for clicking, but the cursor moves too, which is kinda impractical.

But thanks anyway.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Youda

[Rudel_chw]

11 minutes ago, Youda said:

... didn't quite produce the effect i wanted, now the i can freelook and have a cursor for clicking, but the cursor moves too, which is kinda impractical.

 

I'm sad that the tip didnt work.

 

I started playing DCS on 2013 and quckly realized that it really needs a headtracking device in order to shine ... however TrackIR was too costly for my budget, so on 2014 I purchased a Delan Clip kit for about one third of the cost .. in fact it costs less than just a single DCS Module .. really good quality as it still works. https://delanengineering.com/products/head-tracking-delanclip-gamer/

 

The Delan uses a simpler software than TRackIR, but it does get the job done, as you can see on this video, where I do not use Zoom ... only move my head inside the virtual cockpit:

 

 

I do have now an Oculus Rift that I purchased  second hand on 2018, but as I do a lot of mission editing I still use the headtracker a lot. 

Best regards