Make pilot model transparent around the game cursor

[Rapierarch]

Posting on behalf of reddit user https://www.reddit.com/user/NotKalashnikov/ since he needs to wait 24 hours to post it as a new DCS forum user.

Original post here: 

 

Feature concept: transparent pilot model around cursor. I don't use pilot body because it prevents me from seeing switches I want to press. It could be also applied to stick and throttle if it's in the way of buttons.

[sandboxcode]

Yes this would be a great feature to have

[upyr1]

This is why I fly with the pilot model off

[SharpeXB]

This seems like it would be immersion weird to see your body varnish. So what’s the point? A pilot body simply doesn’t work well with a clickable cockpit. I could see animating the pilot to move away from your cursor as a better solution but that still might be odd. 

[Starfire13]

4 hours ago, SharpeXB said:

This seems like it would be immersion weird to see your body varnish. So what’s the point? A pilot body simply doesn’t work well with a clickable cockpit. I could see animating the pilot to move away from your cursor as a better solution but that still might be odd. 

I don't consider it any more immersion breaking than seeing a cursor flying about the cockpit. You don't get that in real life either. Could just make it toggleable. Those who don't want it can just not turn it on.

[Gotchi]

Yes, please! Pilot body looks nice but limits the access to the important parts of a plane, which often leads to just hiding the pilot body. This is the solution!

[sirrah]

5 hours ago, SharpeXB said:

This seems like it would be immersion weird to see your body varnish. So what’s the point? A pilot body simply doesn’t work well with a clickable cockpit. I could see animating the pilot to move away from your cursor as a better solution but that still might be odd. 

And not having legs and arms and see your stick, throttle and rudder pedals magically move around isn't "immersion wierd"?

To me, as a VR user, an empty cockpit is more unrealistic than (very occasionally during startup) having to hide the pilot body for a second.

Other than flippin' the probe switch in this example, what are you guys doing on the side panels during a mission anyways? (Apart from staring up)

 

 

I think what the OP brought up would be quite a good (temporary) solution and maybe not to difficult to implement. If you don't like it, just keep hiding the pilot body entirely. Everybody wins  

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by sirrah

[Knock-Knock]

I mapped my mouse button 4 (back) to Show/Hide Pilot Body. Quite pleased with how well that works for me.

Edited January 7, 2023 by Knock-Knock

[Lace]

Exactly why I never have the pilot turned on.  Even In VR I feel it intrudes on the cockpit and feels unrealistic.  IRL, I don't notice my body in the cockpit, and I don't get in my own way, because my limbs are actually moving to interact with controls.  The DCS pilot model not only blocks the controls, but seemingly can interact with the cockpit telepathically, which in itself is an immersion breaker.  It's a nice option to have for those who like to see tiny legs poking out in front of them, but it's not for me in its state.

I guess the perfect solution is a model which is controlled by capto glove or similar, and mirrors your own real life limb and hand movements, but not everyone wants to go down that route.

[draconus]

On 1/7/2023 at 3:54 AM, SharpeXB said:

I could see animating the pilot to move away from your cursor as a better solution...

My vote goes for the raised hand - it could also be used as a momentary cockpit sun blind.

[Gruman]

Or simply hide the whole left / right arm whenever you get close to those sidepanels with the mouse cursor.

[Rapierarch]

On 1/9/2023 at 9:46 AM, draconus said:

My vote goes for the raised hand - it could also be used as a momentary cockpit sun blind.

Hell yes. That's the most elegant and light on resources solution. Oh please. This will even enrich the immersion. 

[Rapierarch]

On 1/7/2023 at 3:54 AM, SharpeXB said:

This seems like it would be immersion weird to see your body varnish. So what’s the point? A pilot body simply doesn’t work well with a clickable cockpit. I could see animating the pilot to move away from your cursor as a better solution but that still might be odd. 

Thanks for this brilliant idea. My own vote goes for this instead of original post. This will be even less for the resources and better for immersion. 

[Gun Jam]

When Vr with full body tracking becomes a thing then the pilot body can be made to move with you that would be cool.

[Taz1004]

On 1/9/2023 at 3:46 AM, draconus said:

My vote goes for the raised hand - it could also be used as a momentary cockpit sun blind.

Most of these suggestions are difficult to implement.  Relatively speaking.  I'd be happy with just the legs and torso option.

[SharpeXB]

2 hours ago, Rapierarch said:

Thanks for this brilliant idea. My own vote goes for this instead of original post. This will be even less for the resources and better for immersion. 

That would actually be a very easy solution. A big click zone over the panels and when your mouse moves to either side the arm just animates and moves away. 

[cfrag]

On 1/9/2023 at 9:56 AM, Gruman said:

Or simply hide the whole left / right arm whenever you get close to those sidepanels with the mouse cursor.

This appears to be the better method for me, as when I'm in an unfamiliar cockpit, I don't know where to look exactly, and with VR this would be a godsent.

Optimally, as @SharpeXB suggested would be an animation of the entire body to move in a way that the body does not obstruct the view to any panel. This may add the 'contortionist' skill to the pilot's requirement (and will make for some really funny poses - I once programmed a full-body model rig that postures the entire body based only on three input vectors for hands and head (from a VR set) via inverse kinematics of the bones. Some of the resulting poses really don't look comfortable) - but I can live with that  

The only downside I see is that IK calculations can take a lot of performance for very little added value (except visually truly stunning in-cockpit effects)

Edited January 11, 2023 by cfrag

[edmuss]

8 minutes ago, cfrag said:

I once programmed a full-body model rig that postures the entire body based only on three input vectors for hands and head (from a VR set) via inverse kinematics of the bones

I've been saying that we need this for a while now in VR, leap motion hands driving an IK rig; the VRIK mod for skyrimVR being the source of my suggestion.  Likely not going to happen though

[SickSidewinder9]

Some transparency on the pilot body would be nice.  Otherwise, most people seem to be flying with it off, which means devs are wasting their time on pilot modeling.

[draconus]

14 minutes ago, SickSidewinder9 said:

...which means devs are wasting their time on pilot modeling.

I never turn it off.

[fagulha]

2 minutes ago, draconus said:

I never turn it off.

+1.

Flying the Viper in VR with an empty cockpit it´s not right, with the Hornet i use it all the time but i understand that can be a challenge for 2D users.

[Kalashnikov]

Hi, @BIGNEWY
Is this solution being considered or anything else being planned to solve the issue of pilot model obstructing view of switches?

[BIGNEWY]

14 minutes ago, Kalashnikov said:

Hi, @BIGNEWY
Is this solution being considered or anything else being planned to solve the issue of pilot model obstructing view of switches?

Hi, 

no plans to change the current implementation 

RShift + P can be used to hide the pilot body if needed, and can be assigned to a switch if also. 

[Gruman]

Well, thats unfortunate. Would have been a nice QOL upgrade. So the Pilot body will continue to stay off for me.

Maybe another solution which would be easier to implement: Any chance for a cleverly hidden/transparent buttons to press with your mouse on the left and right panel to have the pilot body toggled? Similiar to how you hide the joystick in the F-18. Since you already have your mouse over those panels, it would be quicker and you won't waste a HOTAS Button.

Edited January 17, 2023 by Gruman

[edmuss]

7 hours ago, Gruman said:

Since you already have your mouse over those panels, it would be quicker and you won't waste a HOTAS Button.

Generally I think it's more efficient to bind to the hotas, using modifiers gives you infinite variations now that you can combine them. Additionally modifiers bound in the UI layer for example can be dual bound to other module specific functions.

For example I use warthog pinky paddle + mic switch + trim hat left and right in the UI layer to enable/disable the respective leap motion hands, I still bind the mic switch to coms menu in each module and use the pinky paddle as a separate module specific modifier.

Combine the above with joystick gremlin and you have an incredibly powerful tool and undiyne buttons to use

Edited January 17, 2023 by edmuss