pressing buttons in VR

[Sprool]

Having recently upgraded to a Quest 3 and reaping the benefits of new dlss advances I'm really hooked on flying DCS in VR. However, one thing I really struggle with is accurately pressing some of the buttons I cant map to a HOTAS button press, such as the keys around the MFD's.

What I really like in track-ir is use of the snap views - I can create a custom snap view to zoom in on the left & right mfd and while that key is held the image is stabilised while I press the button using the mouse. If I could get a similar feature when flying in VR I'd find it so much easier to hit the correct buttons while I'm in the air and my head is moving a bit - finding it hard to keep my head (and vr view) absolutely stable to hit some of the buttons.

Is there anything in the settings that could help this, that I'm maybe not aware of?

[speed-of-heat]

I don't believe you can create a custom snap view in VR.

How are you currently pressing buttons in VR.

I use a combination of tools, mapping the mouse buttons to HOTAS, a Trackball mouse for GUI work, Additional HOTAS controls and of course Voice Attack/VIACOM.

[Cab]

12 hours ago, Sprool said:

Having recently upgraded to a Quest 3 and reaping the benefits of new dlss advances I'm really hooked on flying DCS in VR. However, one thing I really struggle with is accurately pressing some of the buttons I cant map to a HOTAS button press, such as the keys around the MFD's.

What I really like in track-ir is use of the snap views - I can create a custom snap view to zoom in on the left & right mfd and while that key is held the image is stabilised while I press the button using the mouse. If I could get a similar feature when flying in VR I'd find it so much easier to hit the correct buttons while I'm in the air and my head is moving a bit - finding it hard to keep my head (and vr view) absolutely stable to hit some of the buttons.

Is there anything in the settings that could help this, that I'm maybe not aware of?

Welcome to VR.

I wholly recommend Point CTRL.

https://pointctrl.com/

I’ve used it since 2021 and can’t recommend it enough. The order lead time is very long though.
 

[Hempstead]

I just use the VR controller, but working on building panels for VR. I sold my unused PointCtrl simply because the Oculus VR controller works so well, after getting used to it in DCS. I usually only strap on my left controller leaving the right controller on a fixed location. I have since upgraded to Quest pro, and controllers with silicone sleeves with hand sewn straps (10 mins to make, each).

The trouble with virtual fingers is that with buttons, they work great, but not so good with toggles, and atrocious with dials. Try fly a DME Arc with an F-16, having to constantly adjust a dial on the HSI by tiny precise amount. Sorry, no HSI on the HUD for F-16 Blk 52. You go steam gauge. And, F-16 is fast, you don’t have much time in the DME Arc to fiddle with your dials.

 

 

 

[Sprool]

Thanks but not sure this is the solution I'm looking for - there's still a lot of movement of the cursor over the buttons, its not an issue for me on the ground during startup. Im looking for a way of fixing the image in VR when I focus in on a bank of switches or an MFD, in the same way that a custom snap view freezes the image of a specified view in 2d & track-IR.

While you can set up custom snap views in VR as well theres still a lot of movement due to small changes in head position, and the snap views dont seem to save the view angle the same. 

[Hempstead]

4 hours ago, Sprool said:

Thanks but not sure this is the solution I'm looking for - there's still a lot of movement of the cursor over the buttons, its not an issue for me on the ground during startup. Im looking for a way of fixing the image in VR when I focus in on a bank of switches or an MFD, in the same way that a custom snap view freezes the image of a specified view in 2d & track-IR.

While you can set up custom snap views in VR as well theres still a lot of movement due to small changes in head position, and the snap views dont seem to save the view angle the same. 

Not everybody will like this solution! Give it a try with the Quest controller and see how you like it. It will cost you nothing to try. Then, decide.

If you do try it... I'd suggest that you turn on the activate only when the side button is pressed (or something like that) in the DCS VR setting page... otherwise, you might accidentally activate something with the controller hanging right under your left hand, like the darn F-16 landing gear lever when going after burner.  

 

And BTW, in VR, all you have to do is to lean into the switches to get a better view for switching stuff. I do agree that with VR controllers (so is with PointCtrl), during the heat of a dog fight, it's still a bit difficult to have precision control. That's why I am building panels for VR (no back light is needed). All I need is the IRL buttons/switches/dials at the same locations as in VR, and send the right signals to DCS. Hence, I am writing my own USB firmware for RPi Pico 2W.

[Qcumber]

On 1/29/2025 at 10:25 PM, Sprool said:

Having recently upgraded to a Quest 3 and reaping the benefits of new dlss advances I'm really hooked on flying DCS in VR. However, one thing I really struggle with is accurately pressing some of the buttons I cant map to a HOTAS button press, such as the keys around the MFD's.

What I really like in track-ir is use of the snap views - I can create a custom snap view to zoom in on the left & right mfd and while that key is held the image is stabilised while I press the button using the mouse. If I could get a similar feature when flying in VR I'd find it so much easier to hit the correct buttons while I'm in the air and my head is moving a bit - finding it hard to keep my head (and vr view) absolutely stable to hit some of the buttons.

Is there anything in the settings that could help this, that I'm maybe not aware of?

I use headpoint for the cursor so I can point at buttons with head movement and then use a "finger mouse" strapped to my joystick to click and scroll. Alternatively you can map clicks/scroll to a "hat".

I also use JoyToKey to map HOTAS buttons to centre the cursor and offset left/right etc. It allows me to easily reach and click switches anywhere in the cockpit. 

https://amzn.eu/d/bclX5gP

 

[Sprool]

On 1/31/2025 at 6:14 PM, Qcumber said:

I use headpoint for the cursor so I can point at buttons with head movement and then use a "finger mouse" strapped to my joystick to click and scroll. Alternatively you can map clicks/scroll to a "hat".

I also use JoyToKey to map HOTAS buttons to centre the cursor and offset left/right etc. It allows me to easily reach and click switches anywhere in the cockpit. 

https://amzn.eu/d/bclX5gP

 

Thats a clever idea, I should be able to emulate any keypresses with my VKB Hotas joystick - the software is very flexible and powerful (and complex) but there's not many buttons or hats not already assigned to most modules.

 

[fredclan]

dedicate a 5 way on your hotas as a mouse button...map it in dcs as left right click and scroll left right. use voice attack to map button press to center mouse cursor in your field of view.  wake up the yellow cursor with a left or right scroll tap on your dedicated hotas 5 way., press the center button to place yellow cursor dead center in your field of view via the voice attack feature, look at the switch and push the button....i keep a trackball to move the cursor when it is a white dot....never touch a mouse.

 

[Qcumber]

7 hours ago, Sprool said:

Thats a clever idea, I should be able to emulate any keypresses with my VKB Hotas joystick - the software is very flexible and powerful (and complex) but there's not many buttons or hats not already assigned to most modules.

 

You can use JoyToKey to set one HOTAS buttons as "shift" then map a while second set of keybinds. 

Also, a "finger mouse" means you don't need to use any buttons. There is a velcro strap which you can bind to the joystick. 

 

Edited February 2 by Qcumber
Adding files

[Sprool]

I have a vkb hotas stick combined with a saitek x52 throttle. I have a shift or modifier key on the throttle controller, and another shift key on the hotas, the vkb software allows different commands for short-press or long-press on any key, so when Im flying 2D flat screen I have one of the hats access the seat position commands - fwd, back, up, down, on long-press, then it returns to normal usage as a TDC.

This sounds worth a try - thanks