Playable without TrackIR?

[GunnDawg]

So I play a multitude of flight sims and combat sims ranging from MS Flight Sim X to Falcon 4 and all of its flavors(open falcon, free falcon). I do not own a TrackIR and can play those other sims without a problem. Seeing as how this game only seems to utilize a 3d cockpit with no 2d cockpit, is this game playable without a TrackIR?

[Kuky]

well yes it is playable but personally I would recomend getting TrackIR as it imensely adds to visual SA and immersion.

[Kirai]

So I play a multitude of flight sims and combat sims ranging from MS Flight Sim X to Falcon 4 and all of its flavors(open falcon, free falcon). I do not own a TrackIR and can play those other sims without a problem. Seeing as how this game only seems to utilize a 3d cockpit with no 2d cockpit, is this game playable without a TrackIR?

 

It is but when you start using trackir there is no turning back. I cant understand why I didnt get this earlier. I can only say that you get a lot for the money if you play simulators.

[GunnDawg]

yes I understand that it greatly enhances the experience. However, due to lack of money and the job market the way it is, I wont be spending money on one for a very long time.

 

Just wanted to know if you can still properly fly the aircraft and use its systems without the use of a trackIR.

[driver7408]

Look into freetrack as well. Working with both, I personally think freetrack is better than trackir, if you have the patience to set it up right.

[EtherealN]

GunnDawg, it's no problem. Until I started playing DCS:BS I had never used TrackIR or a similar product, but instead used the mouse to look around in simulators like IL-2, LockOn, F-22, Enemy Engaged and so on. At first I played that way in DCS:BS too and didn't really have any problems.

 

Then I got myself a TrackIR since everyone was talking about it and it revolutionized situational awareness. I wouldn't play a simulator without one now if I can help it, but I never felt that I had a "problem" back then when I didn't use TrackIR. So as long as you're used to simming without a TrackIR you'll be fine. :)

[GunnDawg]

Thank you all for the input. Does freetrack require setting up your own LEDS or anything? I dont think I wanna go to those lengths.

[26-J39]

Thank you all for the input. Does freetrack require setting up your own LEDS or anything? I dont think I wanna go to those lengths.

 

Yes it does require you to make your own head clip ;)

[driver7408]

Thank you all for the input. Does freetrack require setting up your own LEDS or anything? I dont think I wanna go to those lengths.

 

Radio shack and home depot, under $20. Its really not that hard. Get the IR LED'S. They're only about $2 a piece. Run it with a 9 v battery. You'll need a resistor, i think its like 200 ohm. There is a tool on the freetrack website that calculates all of that. I used drip irigation tubing and zip ties to position the ir led's on the brim of a baseball cap, and it took me all of 2 hours and a soldering iron. Freetrack is a little complicated to set up, but it works awesome once its right, and lots of room to fine tune. If you are interested in this sim, its no more difficult than the learning curve involved there.

 

That, or pay $150 plus shipping and wait a few days for trackir.

 

One thing I CAN assure you, once you have a head tracker, you will curse every time you forget to turn it on before you boot up the game, because you simply will not ever fly a sim again without it.

[GunnDawg]

I think I've made it quite clear already that I will not be putting money towards a trackIR or have the time to learn to build one. So we can stop with trying to push a TrackIR onto me and telling me how great it is, I already know of its greatness and have played with one before.

 

Let me say it again, I know how great it is and awesome it is and all that stuff. I just simply cannot buy one at the moment so please stop with the advertisements ;)

 

I am more interested in gameplay without one, I've heard enough about how good it is with one.

[Waldo_II]

It is very possible to play without a headtracking system. When you move the mouse, the camera follows. The camera isn't always centered on the curser, making things very fluid. It can be difficult to take peeks at various instruments while flying because you have to take your hands off your joystick/throttle, but it certainly is possible, and many do.

 

 

If money is an issue, I strongly suggest Freetrack. It is pretty much exactly like TrackIR, but free and more customizable. You do have to come up with your own equipment, but that isn't hard at all. For the camera, get a cheap $20 webcam, unscrew everything, rip out the infra-red filter, screw it up, put some camera film over the lens, and you're done.

 

For the headset, take a look at what I built for less than $10. I chopped up some pens, soldered a few things together, and I have the same capabilities of the $150 TrackIR system. If you don't have a soldering iron, you can get one for $10, or get one from a friend. You aren't putting together a computer motherboard. You don't even have to solder, you can use some metal clamps, just so long as there is an electrical connection. If you want simple, just use one LED and you can look around the cockpit on two axis. Three LEDs, you get all six axis. I slapped together my 3x LED system in like twenty minutes.

Edited October 27, 2009 by Waldo_II

[EtherealN]

I believe he said he had seen enough adverts about TrackIR and similar equipment. ;)

 

Sorry Gunndawg, you know how everyone here is a bit fanatic about the hobby. :P

 

One the note of playing without TrackIR, you have several methods of controlling view in DCS:BS. The obvious one is the hatswitch on your joystick, which I personally don't like at all. It's very difficult to get precise control with it for the view and I prefer using it to control the Skhval tracking gate.

 

There is also three mouse view controls available. If you (like me) do not use a HOTAS you'll probably have a hand free anyway. I used my left hand when I played without my TrackIR, just like I had done in IL-2 and similar games. Takes a bit of training for dogfighting games since I am very very right-handed but in a game like DCS you're not really engaging in twitchy dogfights all that often anyhow. That makes this easier to "learn".

 

A key command switches between the following mouseview modes:

1) Moving view, no cursor.

2) Cursor, view fixed.

3) Cursor + moving view.

[hamelkarl]

Didn't know anything about FreeTrack. I was looking to buy a Track Ir, but right now I don't have the money for this. I'll search around a tutorial to build this thing. If anyone have a long complete tutorial about it, I would really like to see it. Thanks Waldo for the link.

 

For now I play with hatswitch to look around and use the mouse when I need to use things inside the cockpit.

Edited October 27, 2009 by hamelkarl

[driver7408]

I think I've made it quite clear already that I will not be putting money towards a trackIR or have the time to learn to build one. So we can stop with trying to push a TrackIR onto me and telling me how great it is, I already know of its greatness and have played with one before.

 

Let me say it again, I know how great it is and awesome it is and all that stuff. I just simply cannot buy one at the moment so please stop with the advertisements ;)

 

I am more interested in gameplay without one, I've heard enough about how good it is with one.

 

 

My bad, I believe you asked a question about freetrack involving setting up your own LED's. The SIMPLE answer is yes. Have fun playing with a mouse.

[GunnDawg]

Alright so it seems as though I should be good to go :)

 

Gonna give it a shot now and see how I do.

[hamelkarl]

I have a little question... My webcam only have 15 fps, would that be enough? Or will I lag a lot's when I will move my head?

 

kk, didn't took long to see if it was working, download the software and tried with a random led on the side of my headset and it work well. I'll just need to buy some stuffs and build that thing. I guess it will not be an hard work, since I almost have everything here. Only miss some cables and that's about it. I also suggest GunnDawg to try it. I suspected to be hard or going to be expensive and it is far to be the case.

 

Thanks for all guys!

Edited October 27, 2009 by hamelkarl

[astrospud]

Gundawg, If you have HOTAS, then it should possess a hat switch. My old Logitech Freedom 2.4 has one and this should do as a mouselook function. I currently use a hatswitch on my X52pro as mouselook, albeit rather "robotic" in nature. To recentre, sacrifice one of your other buttons to centre view for a quick snap to front.

 

Hamelkarl, I think you need a Webcam with at least 30fps. I could be wrong, as I haven't set mine up yet. Will have to give this a go (freetrack) on the weekend!

[GunnDawg]

Gundawg, If you have HOTAS, then it should possess a hat switch. My old Logitech Freedom 2.4 has one and this should do as a mouselook function. I currently use a hatswitch on my X52pro as mouselook, albeit rather "robotic" in nature. To recentre, sacrifice one of your other buttons to centre view for a quick snap to front.

 

Hamelkarl, I think you need a Webcam with at least 30fps. I could be wrong, as I haven't set mine up yet. Will have to give this a go (freetrack) on the weekend!

 

Yeah I've got an X52 throttle/stick set up so I've got the HOTAS.

[hamelkarl]

I can now put it 30 fps, it was something in the software that was keeping me at 15 fps. It was working at 15 also but just less fluid. 30 seem good enough. Didn't even have to remove the filter in my webcam. There's not much light in my room and my webcam don't pick light well. So The process was quite easy for the camera part. I'll plan to go get the wires and maybe some better leds this thursday. Can't wait!

 

Switching from the HOTAS and mouse to this will be so much better.

[Boberro]

it is playable :)

 

Personally I don't use my FreeTrack (it is free not like TiR) but operate only mouse and via ALT-C shortcuts, where ED made it well and eas to use.

[PoleCat]

The good old hat switch still works a treat if you must. TIR is excellent and highly recommended but not a requirement in the least.

 

Out

[H-street]

My suggestion without a trackIR is just learn the keyboard short cuts/setup an X52 profile for Blackshark..

 

also I don't know if DCS has a padlock feature, if so just use that.. TrackIR is great for SA but the padlocking in games really helps to get one of the big benefits of TrackIR.

 

since you have the X52 that means you have the mouse ministick, you won't even need to setup the HAT for freelook, just use the mouse ministick. Just don't expect to be clicking on any switches in the cockpit with it. But learn your keyboard shortcuts as usual.

 

if you setup your X52 profile correctly , playing without a trackIR would be almost the same as with.

[hamelkarl]

I just know what you mean... I just built one, it works....... but not as much as I would have wanted. I had no problems when using one led, but when I tried with the others....

 

It was another story, It was really hard to have a good center with 6 Degrees of Freedom. Seem also like sometime I was losing my center point. :(

 

I'll probably just use it with one led instead of the 3. I will have at least the most useful degrees. I'll use that until I got the cash to buy a real track IR I guess.

[sobek]

I just know what you mean... I just built one, it works....... but not as much as I would have wanted. I had no problems when using one led, but when I tried with the others....

 

It was another story, It was really hard to have a good center with 6 Degrees of Freedom. Seem also like sometime I was losing my center point. :(

 

I'll probably just use it with one led instead of the 3. I will have at least the most useful degrees. I'll use that until I got the cash to buy a real track IR I guess.

 

Don't give up so quickly, you may have to do some fine tuning, but once you've set it up properly, it works like a charm.

[manne]

I play without TrackIR and it is possible.