VR interaction adjustments required!

[veggy432]

hello, I'm a new player in DCS, quite amazed by the high level of simulation and flight model accuracy, also happy to be able to fly it in VR; I'm very used to VR flight simulation, and the best sim so far I've tested is Xplane11 as the level of interaction is superlative as it simply works as in real planes; i've also tried the buggy MSFS vr interaction implemenation, and at this time I'm into DCS trying to fly this one properly;

I normally like to fly with my hands only (plus rudder pedals of course) and unfortunately in DCS this is not possible (to my knowledge), simply because I don't know how I can bind the touch controllers buttons to sim functions (the absolute minimu required for operation of the aircraft and basic weap handling), for  example I have no idea how to setup the controllers to fire a missile or a gun in the F-16 Viper module; I'm trialling 2 modules at this present time, the F-16  and the UH1 Huey heli, which flies beautifully in VR (with touch controllers+pedals as mentioned before), both modules from ED that I've been advised are supposed to be the absolute best in terms of VR interaction...

Is anyone able to use controllers to full potential? and bind the few buttons available to the sim functions? does anyone know how to set the touch controller inclination axes (instead of position) to be used as sidestick input? (like in Xplane 11 there is a setting for this purpose).

thanks in advance! happy flyin'

[winghunter]

see here

 

[Brainfreeze]

U mean fly using just the oculus controllers?   Don't think possible.

We pretty much all use HOTAS equipment for DCS (Warthog /Wingwing/Virpil etc) as modern military planes require a lot of buttons on the joystick. 

Don't think u can bind the axis to a vr controller.   Happy to be proven wrong though

 

[veggy432]

30 minutes ago, winghunter said:

see here

 

thanks for these infos, unfortunately the touch controllers do not appear as a separate joystick or gaming device as they are active only while inside VR

8 minutes ago, Brainfreeze said:

U mean fly using just the oculus controllers?   Don't think possible.

We pretty much all use HOTAS equipment for DCS (Warthog /Wingwing/Virpil etc) as modern military planes require a lot of buttons on the joystick. 

Don't think u can bind the axis to a vr controller.   Happy to be proven wrong though

 

precisely, plus ruddr pedals obviously.. yes you can fly nearly every X-plane aircraft using ONLY the touch controllers, and manipulate switches and knobs as you would do in real life, including thrust levers and yoke or stick (for example the airbus sidestick), now for DCS I tried this kind of interaction but while I can fly, it's quite impossible to use many functions on the "virtual" stick and throttles due to this limitation of not being possible to assign touch controller buttons to the sim functions... I really hope Eagle Dynamics would look further into this... ..as when you try VR with smooth gameplay then it's so hard to come back to flat screens (as many as you might have); hotas are very important for the tactile feedback but one must have a dedicated space for the sim rig, and not everybody can have this luxury!

[edmuss]

You can use leap motion to fly completely controller free, as in you grab the virtual stick with your virtual hand and it controls the plane; not sure how hotas button controls are handled though.  The implementation for some leap motion button/switch/rotary actuation still needs further work though as it can be hit and miss.  You also need to be tethered to the PC via usb.

I suspect because of pilot workload in the combat environment and the reliance on having the majority of controls available hotas in comparison to a plain flight yoke it's simply not going to be possible do what you want to in dcs.

edit: it isn't a requirement to have a dedicated flight rig, I can switch my pc from designing sewage treatment equipment in solidworks (my job), to playing an fps, to racing and to flying in a matter of seconds.  Warthog throttle is on a shelf to the side of my chair, warthog stick is attached to a bracket and I have a centre stick socket on my seat so I can get it ready for flying simply by putting it between my leg and putting the headset on, rudder pedals are bolted to the floor.  The steering wheel servo base is bolted to the desk and the wheel rim is hung up ready to be fixed, similarly the driving pedals are wall mounted just above the rudder pedals.  Pull out the keyboard/mouse/steam controller for working/other playing.

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by edmuss

[dburne]

1 hour ago, Brainfreeze said:

U mean fly using just the oculus controllers?   Don't think possible.

We pretty much all use HOTAS equipment for DCS (Warthog /Wingwing/Virpil etc) as modern military planes require a lot of buttons on the joystick. 

Don't think u can bind the axis to a vr controller.   Happy to be proven wrong though

 

Yes this - I have a good HOTAS setup and also use Vaicom Pro with Voice Attack and Point Control. Gives me quite an immersive experience.

Vaicom 

Point Control

Vaicom Pro allows me to do all ATC communications with my Mic, and Point Control allows me to manipulate all switches in cockpit with my forefingers. Beware there is a long wait list for folks ordering Point Control.

Edited March 15, 2022 by dburne

[winghunter]

I also started DCS with just the VR controllers. I managed to bind the flight axis to the mini sticks. But the overall experiene was just not great, these aircraft are too difficult to fly with mini joysticks. Even an xbox controller is pretty bad for this type of game. I'd recommend a T16000 thats a great budget entry and makes the experience multiple times better.

[DeltaMike]

Got $30?  I know some scary good pilots who started there.  

Want something you'll never outgrow?

VKB also has a warbird model -- for even less -- that'll go well with xplane.

They have a compete ecosystem of components. Button boxes, throttle quadrants. With a legit military style hotas on the way.  All modular so you can ease your way in. 

Make no mistake -- their pro equipment is among the best of the best. Their beginner stuff is pretty much the deal of the millennium.

Agree, T16000 is surprisingly good. That's how I got started.  

Regardless.  You need a stick. Start with one that has a throttle slider.  

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by DeltaMike

[Ala12Rv-Tundra]

I think for dcs you need a hotas, the interaction with buttons from the hotas themselves is much higher than civilian airframes where you hardly have trim and radio functions only. 

[veggy432]

19 hours ago, edmuss said:

edit: it isn't a requirement to have a dedicated flight rig, I can switch my pc from designing sewage treatment equipment in solidworks (my job), to playing an fps, to racing and to flying in a matter of seconds.  Warthog throttle is on a shelf to the side of my chair, warthog stick is attached to a bracket and I have a centre stick socket on my seat so I can get it ready for flying simply by putting it between my leg and putting the headset on, rudder pedals are bolted to the floor.  The steering wheel servo base is bolted to the desk and the wheel rim is hung up ready to be fixed, similarly the driving pedals are wall mounted just above the rudder pedals.  Pull out the keyboard/mouse/steam controller for working/other playing.

 

 

I'll give deeper look into leap motion probably, regarding the sim rig, I was talking about space not separate computer or setup; my computer is in the living room, blended with the furniture and connected to a projector and 5.1 home theater for movies and tv watching; when I want to fly I use a living room chair, pull out pedals and visor+touch controllers... that's it! I can fly easily in X-plane with this "setup", and even practice emergency procedures on airliners; obviously as may of you said there is a big difference in number of buttons required on the stick and thrust in fighter jets... that's why I was hoping for a more refined implementation of VR interaction, for example using a button as a modifier and multiply the controller combo possibilities (the touch controllers can even read the position of the fingers, that could be use as multiplier for the few buttons there are avlbl), but at this stage u can't even bind a sim function to the touch controllers...

[edmuss]

I think you might be too restricted to do it physically but vaicom should allow you to do voice controls for the missing hotas stuff.

[veggy432]

thanks all for the comments, I'll give a try to leap motion as I found a good deal on a used device guaranteed 100% working, if that doesn't go well then I'll think about building an HOTAS-Chair, 

any suggestion on hotases? I'd like to be using it not only with F-16 (the module im flyin right now) but with all the modules (including choppers) that I will try, and obviously with MSFS airliner (until they will fix VR interaction)

cheers