Pilot body in VR - most underestimated feature in VR or useless?

[Steel Jaw]

Love the pilot for immersion.  Get him into the Viper please.

[streakeagle]

I have pilot body on by default and keep a switch mapped to toggle it if necessary. I much prefer to have the pilot body when available, but there are time when it is in they way of controls. The way to go on anything like this is to make it a checkbox option and have a toggle button. For some reason, the joystick mapping for toggling the pilot on the UH-1 was commented out. After every patch, I have to make it active again.

[A.F.]

Yes, hiding the pilot via menu is a good alternative.

 

By the way, I bought the f14 as the first module because it is such a cool plane.
I only noticed later that there was no pilot in it and was very disappointed.
 After some time, my view on the subject of pilot has changed.
This is what I meant in my first post

[pixie]

While flying VR, a pilot body is an essential part of the experience. I didn't realise until I bought the  Viper during the last sales.

I have flown a few minutes the F16 to get a feel of this new plane, but it was really weird without a a body to project myself into. 

The experience stopped right there.  I will neither return to 2D flat screen nor will I fly VR without a body.

Edited May 31, 2021 by pixie

[Crash *]

Am 29.5.2021 um 02:26 schrieb Rogue Trooper:

I think it is time ED standardized its general menu settings and made them simple law in DCS regardless of what 3rd parties think!

Pilot in pit as standard is just exactly that, if you do not want 3d pilots in your pit you untick it in the general menu!....... Is it me?

 

It is not only you. VR Pilot should be standard on. If you don´t like it; untick the checkbox once.

[sirrah]

I always have the pilot body on (VR only user here)

 

As some already said, I also think sitting in an empty cockpit is extremely immersion breaking and seeing the flight controls magically move looks absolutely ridiculous imho.

 

I've said it before and say it again, during my time in the RNLAF I've sat in the Viper cockpit countless times and irl (especially with the canopy closed) it feels slightly cramped. I've also sat in various other cockpits of visiting aircraft and they're all a "tight fit".

You really need to maneuver yourself in order to find and reach certain side panel switches. Commonly used switches you can find by haptic feel, but you do want to verify you've got the right one by looking at it.

 

In for instance our Hornet and Harrier this "cramped" feeling is very well simulated in my opinion. When sitting in the Viper without arms and legs, looking at those huge gaps towards the rudder pedals, the cockpit feels way to large.

 

I purchased many EA modules, but the ones without a pilot body tend to gather dust until this feature is added. (I had the Harrier 2 years before Razbam eventually added the pilot body, and only then I really started enjoying that module).

 

I really hope all the other modules get a pilot body soon as well.

[Rogue Trooper]

On 5/29/2021 at 2:58 PM, pixie said:

While flying VR, a pilot body is an essential part of the experience. I didn't realise until I bought the  Viper during the last sales.

I have flown a few minutes the F16 to get a feel of this new plane, but it was really weird without a a body to project myself into. 

The experience stopped right there.  I will neither return to 2D flat screen nor will I fly VR without a body.

 

The 16 would be awesome with the pilots knees sticking up almost obscuring the MFDs.

Such a reclined seating position should be enjoyed.

[Ourorborus]

Vr only here and I never use the body. In fact I find immersion breaking. This is due to the fact it blocks my access to controls. If it were my real body I could access those controls without thinking about it, but with the sim body I am painfully aware that it is not my knee/arm that is blocking my access.

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

[pixie]

bump !

 

[DerekSpeare]

Pilot body is necessary.  It would be good to have AND a way to make it ghosted with a keybind when wanting to interact with cockpit control elements when the body gets in the way of seeing them. 

[Jayhawk1971]

Late to the party, but IMO pilot body would be great, if arms/legs would move with controller input. Arms and hands need to be animated and correspond with player inputs (reaching for and clicking a switch or pulling a lever). Then it would be an amazing, immersive experience. As it is, the first thing I do when I'm in a Hornet is to disable the pilot body, because his arms get in the way, especially on the left console.

[dburne]

52 minutes ago, DerekSpeare said:

Pilot body is necessary.  It would be good to have AND a way to make it ghosted with a keybind when wanting to interact with cockpit control elements when the body gets in the way of seeing them. 

 

The planes that have the pilot body - one can toggle it on and off easily by assigning to a button.

[DerekSpeare]

15 hours ago, dburne said:

 

The planes that have the pilot body - one can toggle it on and off easily by assigning to a button.

Sure, but not all of them have the option to urn it on.  It's a simple feature to add.  Dunno why they've not bothered to do it. 

[pixie]

Bump !!!

This is Feb 2022, and still no pilots for the Mighty Tomcat, the Viper and the Hog... 

I'm not even close to leave the Hornet pit !!!

[zaelu]

On 11/28/2021 at 1:51 PM, DerekSpeare said:

Sure, but not all of them have the option to urn it on.  It's a simple feature to add.  Dunno why they've not bothered to do it. 

All planes that have pilot body can turn it on and off. There was a little problem with Razbam's modules that ignored the option in the misc menu (iirc) to have it On from start of flight but now (supposedly) all is fixed and if you want them on they will be on and then you can toggle them on and off. I maped instead of RCtrl+P the Num0 key whych is easy to find in VR.

I actually remaped a lot of keyboard keys for VR as by default are useless. All Numpad numbers for example. Are linked to moving around the camera to set up a better default View. Arrows for kneeboard down for showing the kneeboard, up for marking position and left/right for pages. Also Z key is useless having a HOTAS and pedals so is replacing the LAlt+' for rearm menu. X is briefing. Enter is replacing RCtrl+Enter for input viewer and Insert, Home, PG UP/Dwn, End and Del keys are now used to move between seats and toggle mirrors or doors etc.

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by zaelu

[YMadDog]

Anyone has a list of modules with / without VR pilots? I really love them as others said due to immersion.

Following modules have a VR pilot:

P-51, F-5, F-18, M-2000

Following modules do not have a VR pilot:

A-10 (both versions)

[Svsmokey]

Huey (i think) , L-39 also have pilots . I hope the MB-339  will as well !

[some1]

With pilot body: L39, C101, Fw190D, Bf109, P47, P51, Spitfire, Mig15, F86, F5, AJS37, AV8B, M2000, FA18, Su25, Su27, Su33, Gazelle, UH1, Mi8

 

Without pilot body: I16, Fw190A, Mosquito, Mig19, Mig21, A10, F14, F16, JF17, F15, Mig29, Mi24, Ka50

[pixie]

The VR pilot body, or lack thereof, is a very subjective issue and an interesting one.

It all depends on how your particular brain work and how VR tricks your brain to make you actually feel in the pit. I belong to the group which definitely needs a VR body to project oneself into. But I perfectly understand someone who couldn't care less. There is no need to argue with the "other group". That's how your brain is rigged. End of story.

Somehow, there is one useful aspect I have discovered using F18 virtual body under VR : It helps you immensely to set the correct IPD, and therefore the sense of scale in the cockpit.

I simply tweak the IPD setting and look down at my legs. If I feel childish or like a giant, the IPD value is obviously wrong. I change the IPD value until I sense my body has the "right" proportions and feeling.

Once IPD is set, you can hide the pilot body for good if you're not confortable with it. BTW, the IPD setting is not really an Inter Pupillary Distance, but rather a scale slider for close proximity objects. It really defines how you feel in your VR pit.

Edited February 11, 2022 by pixie

[dburne]

I have pilot body on/off assigned to a button - and rarely toggle it on.

[Rogue Trooper]

6 hours ago, dburne said:

I have pilot body on/off assigned to a button - and rarely toggle it on.

I have the pilot body toggle button assigned to a button next to the mirrors toggle.

I rarely toggle the pilot body off.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Rogue Trooper

[Lange_666]

The problem with the pilot body is that in quite a lot of cockpits parts of the body (mostly arms) prevent you from seeing certain buttons/switches/rotary's...
And since you're not able to lift the arms i fly without.
I do have a toggle programmed to set up my view related to the pilots body.

[westr]

To me the first thing that struck me with VR was that I no longer had the feeling I was sitting in front of a monitor I was actually strapped inside a cockpit, and if you get your IPD distances correct it can give you an incredible sense of immersion, and makes you feel more like you've bought a quality product, almost like you own the airplane. But I have to say that with VR, looking down and seeing seatbelts laying on a seat not strapped around your body, it just looks unfinished, like the aircraft is parked in the hangar. The F14 for example, I look in the mirrors I see this amazing rendered pilot that mimics my movements, amazing, I look over my shoulder and see the amazing work done on the beautifully rendered RIO, Then I look down and see and empty space with seatbelts laying on the seat, so its like the whole process of trying to fool the brain into believing this is real is let down at the last hurdle. Personally it makes a massive difference in VR, and I find the Hornet the most immersive module. Its definitely a VR thing, when I played with Track IR it didn't bother me but the 3d aspect of virtual reality means its an important factor in polishing the module and creating the immersion. And I also think its extremely important with helicopters or side by side layout cockpits. 

[Rogue Trooper]

On 2/13/2022 at 7:43 AM, Lange_666 said:

The problem with the pilot body is that in quite a lot of cockpits parts of the body (mostly arms) prevent you from seeing certain buttons/switches/rotary's...
And since you're not able to lift the arms i fly without.
I do have a toggle programmed to set up my view related to the pilots body.

I honestly seem to have no problem leaning over my virtual limbs to see the buttons and actuate them.

However, through familiarity, I know what needs me to perform a quick toggle of the body off in order to reach those impossible buttons.... adjust... and then toggle body on. As Westr above mentioned, the pilot body just finishes the product.

Also I love looking down and not seeing a gut sticking out, it has been a few years since I have enjoyed seeing that! 

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by Rogue Trooper

[Taterbootz]

Its not about it being a problem, but its immersion breaking.  I'd rather not have to toggle the pilot on and off to see something I could just move my arm or leg slightly to be able to see/reach, so I keep it off. 

I personally would rather be able to fly unconstrained than just to look at an unbelievable pilot "body" taking up space and obscuring the view.  I dont mind having to look around, but the fact that I cant move the limb a bit to help so I dont have to try and crane my neck /body as far is just as bad as not having one there.