Author Topic: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms  (Read 575 times)

Offline Vinkman

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TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« on: April 08, 2011, 12:16:19 PM »
I wish the in game head movements gnerated by a TRackIR could be saved in the film file like the hatswitch views are. Also that the camera set up for movie shots could be mapped to it as well. Both of these would really make it much easier to make quality moivies from AH films.

Any plans for that in a future upgrade?

 :salute

Vinkman

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Offline ImADot

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2011, 12:24:00 PM »
This would be awesome.  But unfortunately, TIR doesn't generate any recordable inputs like a keypress or hatswitch.  Even though we can't see the head movements of the player who recorded the film, I would love to have the ability to use the TIR during playback of an ahf film.
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Offline AWwrgwy

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2011, 12:29:28 PM »
Think about what you are asking for. You want AH Films to record data from a second, separate program running on your computer.

In order to do what you want, I think, you need to run a third, separate program.

FRAPS.

Run that and film in AH at the same time and then edit all the views together when you make a move.

You may need a super computer to run everything at the same time though.


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Offline FLS

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2011, 12:32:24 PM »
Vinkman I'm not commenting on your wish but just as a suggestion, have you tried using padlock in films?

Offline Vinkman

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2011, 01:09:39 PM »
Vinkman I'm not commenting on your wish but just as a suggestion, have you tried using padlock in films?

I haven't. I assume it lets me lock onto a boggies and it switches views to keep him in frame?  :salute
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Offline Vinkman

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2011, 01:23:14 PM »
This would be awesome.  But unfortunately, TIR doesn't generate any recordable inputs like a keypress or hatswitch.  Even though we can't see the head movements of the player who recorded the film, I would love to have the ability to use the TIR during playback of an ahf film.

Are you sure it doesn't?  AH has to get input from TrackIR to update the on screen view, which it does by updating the head position vectors used for the view calculation. This makes TRackIR inputs the same as the hat switch inputs, just with more position resolution. Isn't the output information for head position/view just the 6 DOF for your head, sampled x-number of times per second? If so, the Filmviewer has to be modified to get the head positions from the the Base program, instead of reading the hat switches seperately. OR if that would slow the game down, have the film viewer read the Track IR inputs instead of the HOTAS inputs.

Is it more complicated than that? I' don't write COAD.  :D :salute

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Offline Vinkman

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2011, 01:28:54 PM »
Think about what you are asking for. You want AH Films to record data from a second, separate program running on your computer.

In order to do what you want, I think, you need to run a third, separate program.

FRAPS.

Run that and film in AH at the same time and then edit all the views together when you make a move.

You may need a super computer to run everything at the same time though.


wrongway

That is what I'm wondering Wrongway. Does the viewer read the HOTAS itself, or does it get the head position information proted out from teh base program? It seems like the plane position vectors, bullet vector, etc are being exported by the game fo rthe Viewer to record. Can't the head position vectors be exported too? Then the recorded views wouldn't care what the input was to the view system.

Does that make sense?  :salute
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Offline Wiley

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #7 on: April 08, 2011, 02:10:27 PM »
I would think it should be able to record the head views.  It's getting input from the TIR, same as the keyboard and mouse input.  Although, doesn't 'use recorded views' only go by the button views, not if you use the mouse?  I haven't messed with it.  If that's the case, the mouse input probably is a ton of information, and the TIR is just a different interface for mouselike views, only with even more information including the 6DOF.  That might be the limiting factor, awful lot more info to keep track of there.

The thing I'd question on that, is would it be useful and/or make good film?  I don't know about you, but when I'm flying, my head's constantly swiveling and snapping around to check six, scan the sky, glance at the guy I'm trying to kill, peek at my instruments, and soforth.

I'm pretty sure a TIR recording of one of my sorties would probably make the viewer puke on his shoes.

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Offline ImADot

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2011, 02:18:05 PM »
The way I heard it, TIR is interpreted the same as mouseview input.  And I don't believe mouseview is recorded due to the huge data stream that would have to be captured.  Keypress (and the hat switch mapping is nothing more than a keypress) only needs to record that data event.

I've had both Fraps and AHFilm recording at the same time.  I haven't seen any performance hit other than normal (for me) Fraps recording; AHFilm recording doesn't seem to make any difference.  I wanted to create a movie with both first-person (Fraps) footage and external shots (AHFilm) of the same fight.  I have yet to actually do any editing.
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Offline Wraith_TMS

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #9 on: April 08, 2011, 06:55:05 PM »
I wish the in game head movements gnerated by a TRackIR could be saved in the film file like the hatswitch views are. Also that the camera set up for movie shots could be mapped to it as well. Both of these would really make it much easier to make quality moivies from AH films.

Any plans for that in a future upgrade?

 :salute

Vinkman

I don't know if Vinkman's wish is feasible, but I certainly think it's desirable, and for that reason I support it.  However, it may not be technically possible or too resource-intensive to implement, since I've seen this wish several times in the past and HTC hasn't addressed it.

It's been suggested that one can record a film concurrently with Fraps while also running the AH recorder.  That may work for some, but even if running two capture processes at once doesn't impact system performance, it's not a full solution because most players run films with icons turned on while playing, and then turn them OFF while making movies (e.g., Niros' stuff),  Fraps is usually run offline with the icons turned off to achieve that cinematic look.  So capturing in real-time in Fraps will allow you to capture the TIR views but NOT allow a person to do great movies because the icons will show up.  Pick your poison, I suppose.  On the assumption that it's just not possible (a supposition), a couple of alternative solutions come to mind that might get around this, (]no hijack intended, Vinkman... your idea is highly desirable).

One alternative is to enable the hat views in the Film viewer.  One can use the numpad right now, but that's clunky and doesn't provide a pan mode.  Using the hat switches in the viewer, especially in pan mode, would allow someone to control the views during a training review or a Fraps capture.

Another solution, more useful in movie making than just for playback, would be to add a middle waypoint (midpoint) to the shot set-up fields in the Camera Shots pane, allowing a Start, Mid and an End point to the “dolly” track of a camera shot.  (This would permit more finely tuned tracking/dolly shots with true curve-like arcs that are easier to visualize, set up, control; and with more predictable results (less mistakes))

  • If possible, a graphical “curves” representation of that camera track would be ideal, with mouse grab points on the graphical curve track that allow its waypoints to be moved and the new position coordinates updated into the set up pane in real time

  • Or, add the capability to define this camera curve three-dimensionally in the film view window itself, using the above-described mouse controls.You might click on the screen and lay them down and the camera would follow that curve in the shot

Ideally Vinkman's wish could be implemented and maybe one day the ones I've mentioned, as each has uses.  However, before anyone decides to fry  :O me, I'm a realist and do understand that HTC's resources are limited and will be spent on higher-yield improvements.  But it's fun to wish. :joystick:

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Offline ImADot

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #10 on: April 08, 2011, 07:06:24 PM »
So capturing in real-time in Fraps will allow you to capture the TIR views but NOT allow a person to do great movies because the icons will show up.  Pick your poison, I suppose. 

Or, turn off icons while filming.   :D

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Offline Wraith_TMS

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #11 on: April 08, 2011, 07:19:22 PM »
Or, turn off icons while filming.   :D

[slight_hijack]
We have no enemy icons in the AvA.
You get used to it...trust me.
[/slight_hijack]

 :rofl  I was waiting for someone to suggest that one.  Yep that too is a workaround.. 

In my case, my eyesight is so bad, I aim at the icon, because I often can't see the actual target...  :airplane:
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Offline FLS

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2011, 08:03:36 PM »
I haven't. I assume it lets me lock onto a boggies and it switches views to keep him in frame?  :salute

In options/preferences/view options make sure that snap view padlock is not checked and you will get smooth tracking similar to TIR.

Offline Vinkman

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Re: TrackIR recorded views for AHfilms
« Reply #13 on: April 09, 2011, 07:23:00 AM »
In options/preferences/view options make sure that snap view padlock is not checked and you will get smooth tracking similar to TIR.

I will give it a shot. Good tip. Thanks.  :salute
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