freetrack and DCS games

[statrekmike]

So I am using freetrack with both DCS A-10C and Black Shark, I have very few problems with A-10 but I have nothing but problems with Blackshark.

 

The view keeps snapping to a close up of the HUD whenever I turn or look down, this makes playing the game pretty tough and I am at wits end here.

 

 

I know freetrack is not supported without what can be best described as mods, but I really don't understand how to get this thing properly setup for best results, it must be the way I have the freetrack software setup so I wonder if there are any other freetrack users that can shed some light on this and perhaps offer some tips on how to configure the software for best results.

 

I am using a three point clip and all three lights show up okay, A-10 is very jittery (despite the "JPS" rating in the software being zero) and that makes it difficult to hit switches, the view angles are also kinda messed up, they just don't feel right.

 

 

Blackshark works okay till the view starts snapping forward (almost like you are leaning forward and looking over the nose, you can see the Hud projector) for no reason, I cannot understand why this is the only game that does this.

 

any tips on how to make freetrack work as advertised?

[Boberro]

I have built 3 FreeTracks model, till I found the best one. It is important to make it solid, not fastest as possible.

 

 

1. Have you read and used general size template for FreeTrack?
   
2. What model do you use - LEDs or flash stripes?
   
3. What are dimensions of your model in mm.
   
4. What camera and how far you sit from the camera.
   

FreeTrack settings are important too but it depens of the model.

 

 

I had the same symptom as you do in Black Shark. When I moved head up, it zoomed to the mirrors. I had to correct model and dimensions.

[Devrim]

It's very very important that you must care "Model Position" values in Model section.

 

Free Track works excellent for me. Especially with the "settings" in Profile section and "smoothing" settings, it works perfect.

 

And I had that problem, when I look right or left, the head movement wasn't natural. And my head (in game camera) had extra moves that unwanted. Finally I noticed that the "model position" values was wrong for my model. When I corrected them, my head movements became natural. (I'm talking about 'distances'.)

 

I made 4-LED model. But when looking at left/right, the cam sees the center and side LEDs like one LED. So, I made 3-LED Clip model. But my (eye)glasses caused flare and reflections. Finally I made 3-LED Cap model. :) I'm happy now.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Devrim

[Boberro]

I used to joy with LED version but I had problems supplying power. Batteries drained quickly and view angle was not good. Now I use this. By not using solid construction I have free movement (can move stripes if needed in case) and without any cables, batteries ect :)

 

[statrekmike]

So I am going to go ahead and redo the model (I never secured the wires to the frame so it will be a easy job, the only problem is that I am not very clear on the "rules" to how to size and shape the model, I see many folks with very different shapes and sizes and I just don't know what the best one would be.

 

I am using a 3 point clip with a Xbox live vision camera, I sit about 3 feet away from the monitor (that can change easily if needed) but I would be open to building a cap model if it works better in general.

 

So I am gonna pretend that I am starting over, what dimensions (length of the individual arms) and shape (angle of the arms) should I go for?

 

Thanks so much for the replies, you folks are great!

[spikenet]

I'd try a 3 point cap model if you find the clip troublesome.

 

I actually have the reverse of your problem, black shark works great but a10 doesnt track so well.

 

Alot of my problems are due to my camera being to close and high above my head. I use a ps3 eye camera.

[statrekmike]

Okay, I rebuilt the clip to default size and it seemed to have done the trick for the most part!

 

I still gotta do some mild sensitivity tweaking but the movements feel much more comfortable.

 

I would never have fixed it if I did not get all of the help from everyone, thanks so much!

 

Happy flying!

 

Mike

[Devrim]

Statrekmike; Please feel free to examine the link below. There are some photos of my models. You'll see distance values in photos, especially in second and third model photos.

 

http://www.davulanahtari.com/blackshark/pointmodel/

[KLR Rico]

I winged the dimensions on my first 3-point cap, and had some problems at the extremes of pitch and yaw that sound like what you're describing.

 

I rebuilt my model with the default dimensions in freetrack, and now it's working perfectly.

[statrekmike]

Is the cap considered easier to deal with than the clip, I am having nothing but issues with LED overlap (where the top and middle LED combine on camera and cancel each other out) with the (default size) clip I just rebuilt.

 

I am getting VERY annoyed with the clip because I just don't have a reliable way to mount the thing to a headset and keep it from shifting position, does the cap perform better?

 

I only ask because I would have to go out and buy a hat, and am not much of a hat person to begin with.

[Boberro]

I would do flash stripes mounted on paper binder clips. You can move them to the desired FT model template or for your needs easiest way as possible - just by moving paper clip. Also angles of view then doesn't matter. You get very, very wide of angle without LEDs filing, wires, energy supply...

 

[KLR Rico]

Is the cap considered easier to deal with than the clip, I am having nothing but issues with LED overlap (where the top and middle LED combine on camera and cancel each other out) with the (default size) clip I just rebuilt.

 

I am getting VERY annoyed with the clip because I just don't have a reliable way to mount the thing to a headset and keep it from shifting position, does the cap perform better?

 

I only ask because I would have to go out and buy a hat, and am not much of a hat person to begin with.

 

I think I heard the trick to using the clip is to have the camera off to the side. Have you done that?

 

With a hat built to the default dimensions, I can just about move my head around to where I can't see the screen anymore and the LED's will hardly ever intersect.

 

My hat was free, there's always some place that's giving away a hat, and I don't really *hate* wearing it, but I guess that's a matter of personal preference. My last free track setup used reflectors similar to Boberro's, and that worked very well. No added weight or batteries.

 

I hope one day someone gets a kinnect/notrackir thing going, and this will all be irrelevant. :D

[statrekmike]

So you think the hat might be easier in terms of everyday use?

 

I find that I have to fiddle with the clip to make it work okay, I recently turned the sensitivity up a bit on the pitch axis and that seemed to prevent some of the overlap but I still want something that is a bit easier to deal with, something I don't have to "baby" so much.

 

I am gonna get my hands on a basic ball cap and try out the cap method, it seems less prone to position problems and the LED's are always spaced out pretty well.

 

KLR Rico, perhaps you could post your LED cap unit's dimensions so I Can build one that I am sure will work out?

 

Thanks for the answers so far!

[Devrim]

Mike; I made my model according to the values what FreeTrack wants.

 

When finished, I realized that the distance between front LEDs and top LED wasn't 100 mm. It was 90 mm. So, I changed 100 to 90 mm. Working perfectly.

I think little changes have not any effect on model's performance.

 

Edited January 8, 2012 by Devrim

[statrekmike]

good to know, I will begin making a cap setup as soon as I have a hat.

 

thanks for all the info!