Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: YUCCA on July 29, 2004, 01:26:49 PM

Title: trackir
Post by: YUCCA on July 29, 2004, 01:26:49 PM
Anyone in here use trackIR if so what was your general impression of it?
Title: trackir
Post by: Edbert on July 29, 2004, 02:14:15 PM
I've gort the TrackIR3 pro edition. If the game has "native" support it is awesome. If it does not have native support the TIR basically functions like a mouse, in the case of AH2 (current release) you get the mouse look thingy. It works without native support but you get no advance features like curves and such. With other games like IL2/FB/AEP it works much better. I heard WB2004 and WW2OL have native support already but I have never loaded them up or even seen it work.

Contrary to common perception the ammount of head movements required to check-6 is very small. I think the TIR adds greatly to the imersion factor. You may want to post this in the hardware forum, it does not really belong in the O-Club since it relates directly to the game and all :D
Title: trackir
Post by: mars01 on July 29, 2004, 02:30:51 PM
It works great to look around, you cant use it when you are within 1k too jumpy.  When you move your head everything blurs and makes me queasy.  I don't get motion sickness from anything except track Ir lol.
Title: trackir
Post by: Wotan on July 29, 2004, 03:05:12 PM
Track IR in AH is just mouse look on your head. There is no natvie support (ie enhanced mode).

Track IR is a must for any game I play. Track IR in FB/AEP is great, same in wwiiol, WBs, and TW.

It will add new life to AH if it evers gets implemented. The movements become so natural.

I wont play any air combat game that doesnt have it.
Title: trackir
Post by: Hajo on July 29, 2004, 03:09:43 PM
Have a brand new TrackIR2 in the package ....have yet to install it.


Waiting till I reload IL2FEB on puter...hadda reformat.
Title: trackir
Post by: Wotan on July 29, 2004, 04:12:41 PM
:) Hajo if you get FB/AEP up I have a teamspeak server up. Several us get together in FB/AEP several times a week to do some kick arse flying.

On Tuesday Hert (JG14 from WBs) Scot (JG14 WBs,  JG2 AH) JDW, and I were flying G14s on the Normandy map on the war clouds DF server.

Ran into 6 p38s and I p51 and killed them all. P38s were a squad out hunting and caught us low. Pulled umm into our luftbery and killed umm as the came down into the circle. Mostly they ended up on me.

Hert got 2 p38s
Scot got 2
JDW got a 38 and a p51
I got 1 p38 but spent my time dragging the others around so the guys could shoot umm off me. 10 min later we all landed.

It was great fun.

If you want to get together some time lemme know and I will send you the ts ip. It’s a lot of fun flying with friends.
Title: trackir
Post by: AKIron on July 29, 2004, 04:45:17 PM
I have a TrackIR2, have you tried one of those Edbert? Can you give us a comparison between the two?

Quote
Originally posted by Edbert MOL
I've gort the TrackIR3 pro edition. If the game has "native" support it is awesome. If it does not have native support the TIR basically functions like a mouse, in the case of AH2 (current release) you get the mouse look thingy. It works without native support but you get no advance features like curves and such. With other games like IL2/FB/AEP it works much better. I heard WB2004 and WW2OL have native support already but I have never loaded them up or even seen it work.

Contrary to common perception the ammount of head movements required to check-6 is very small. I think the TIR adds greatly to the imersion factor. You may want to post this in the hardware forum, it does not really belong in the O-Club since it relates directly to the game and all :D
Title: trackir
Post by: Hajo on July 29, 2004, 08:19:46 PM
Wotan thanks....would luv to join your group....will get it back up and running tomorrow WITH the trackIR2 installed and running
Title: trackir
Post by: wklink on July 29, 2004, 09:51:02 PM
Just did a review of the device.

Also did an earlier TIR2 review.

I commented on Aces High.  I have it on good authority that TIR support is coming to the game.

http://www.simhq.com/_technology/technology_025a.html
Title: trackir
Post by: Sancho on July 29, 2004, 11:14:21 PM
I've used both the trackir 2 and 3 models.  You want the 3 because it keeps track of your head position better at the edges and tracks more smoothly.  In FB, my system has smooth enough framerates that when I moved my head around I could see slight stuttering of the views.  This was because the trackir 2 was tracking my head position slower than the game's framerate.  The 3 on the other hand--much smoother.  It's not perfectly smooth like moving the view around with optical mouse would be, but the trackir 3 with its increased resolution and framerate comes close to that effect.

Since getting my trackir, I've stopped using my right hand on the numeric keypad for views.  That's how I controlled my view system all the way back to WB 1 on my old Mac (flying with a mouse as my joystick in the left hand. :) ).  I'm eager to try AH2, but I will wait until TrackIR support is added.  I cannot go back to flight simming without it.

mars01:  That's funny how the human body works.  I noticed some slight queasiness too when I first got my trackir 2, but after a few days of use I was fine.  Remember to re-center the trackir a lot when you first start using it, and disable it every so often so you can give yourself a breather.    Also, you can adjust the response curves so it moves less near the center zones.  That will make your gunsite a lot easier to use.
Title: Trackir 3 pro here
Post by: Biggles on July 30, 2004, 01:28:00 AM
I've just recently acquired the latest Trackir and am looking forward to when AHII adds native support for it. For now I'm dinking around with the Trackmapper utility, which lets you remap any keyboard keys or key combinations to head movements. I've got gear, flaps, brakes, and range and squad voice setup and can activate those with small head movements. I've got gear and flaps at extreme locations in order to prevent "accidents". ;)
Title: trackir
Post by: Blank on July 30, 2004, 02:39:59 AM
got TrackIR3 Pro and love it!

takes a little to get used to.

Movement of head is minimal,

the thing I noticed when I show friends is that they keep their bodies and shoulders rigid and try to only move their head.

 i found it better to lean with no head rotation for front 180degrees of view and a tiny head turn to look over shoulder in the game.

Also used it in Call of duty and other FPS's with lean, useing 'Trackmapper' (a 3rd party util that maps a keystroke to a particular area of screen )set up a profile with the lean keys mapped to the edge of the screen with a big dead area in middle, very cool and saves on the finger gymnastics!  :D
Title: trackir
Post by: Delirium on July 30, 2004, 06:41:43 AM
I have and used the TrackIR2, its a nice toy but I would never use it long term because of nausea, lack of smoothness of viewing, and a neck ache after some time.

IMHO, the money would be better spent on a good throttle/stick and map the views on them instead. I'd also say let them work the bugs out and maybe look into it in another 5 years, maybe then we'll have affordable VR headset monitors instead.
Title: trackir
Post by: mars01 on July 30, 2004, 09:08:26 AM
Quote
mars01: That's funny how the human body works. I noticed some slight queasiness too when I first got my trackir 2, but after a few days of use I was fine. Remember to re-center the trackir a lot when you first start using it, and disable it every so often so you can give yourself a breather. Also, you can adjust the response curves so it moves less near the center zones. That will make your gunsite a lot easier to use.
Thanks Sancho.  I used it for a several months.  Only used it when i was in route as there was not enough control to use it when I was engaged.  I frequently centered etc.  

The problem I had was when I moved my head AH blurs all the details.  This also happens when the hat on your stick is used as well.  I noticed when I stopped using TIR I was still getting a little nausea but I was able to get through it, thank God.

I'm hoping this will get better when there is native support, it was cool but not worth the side affects.
Title: trackir
Post by: Wotan on July 30, 2004, 12:38:55 PM
Track IR 3 pro has a refresh rate of 120 fps

Track IR 3 has a refresh rate of 80 fps

Track IR 2 has a refresh rate of 100 fps

The difference in 2 and 3 are that 3 has 67% more resolution and improved optical performance that allows it to work in direct sunlight. With track IR 2 I just pulled the shades down. I didn’t have to sit in the dark it just I have a window that is directly behind my monitor. It’s sunny in Florida :p. I just pulled the shade and the curtain and it was fine.

I have both track IR 2 and 3 pro and there is no difference in frame rate while panning that I can tell. Both are smooth. I, like Blauk, don’t turn my head but lean side to side.

I certainly never got nauseous playing any game that has native support (enhanced mode). Neck ache? Even turning your had its like 2 to 5 degrees depending on how far you sit from the device. Just sit comfortably and center it. No need to sit like stiff zombie with a neck brace on.

My frame rates in Il2 are high (60 or so excellent settings) but they aren’t above 100 / 120 fps. So if your game FPS is faster then track IR's refresh rate then wow you got a kick arse system.

Mars,

Ah doesn’t have native support so you just have a "mouse on your head". There's huge difference in enhanced mode. Move the mouse fast in Ah2 and there is blurring. If you have FB/AEP give a go there. That’s why losta folks are bugging HTC about native support, there's a world of difference.
Title: trackir
Post by: Hajo on July 30, 2004, 02:41:49 PM
Wotan.....word is out that forthcoming patches and additions to AH2 are going to include TrackIR support.
Title: trackir
Post by: Edbert on July 30, 2004, 02:51:04 PM
Quote
Originally posted by AKIron
I have a TrackIR2, have you tried one of those Edbert? Can you give us a comparison between the two?

Nope, the one I have is the only one I've used. It works great if the game has native support for it. But like someone else said, in AH (current release) it is a bit too jerky and sensitive, particularly in dead center when you need carefull aim.
Title: trackir
Post by: Edbert on July 30, 2004, 02:56:03 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Hajo
Wotan.....word is out that forthcoming patches and additions to AH2 are going to include TrackIR support.

HTC said they're "working on it".

The rumor is, it will be out in version 2.1.
Title: trackir
Post by: Wotan on July 30, 2004, 03:04:12 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Hajo
Wotan.....word is out that forthcoming patches and additions to AH2 are going to include TrackIR support.


Yeah I read that in yesterday's news.

Also, I think thats is what Tom was hinting at.. :p

Quote
I commented on Aces High. I have it on good authority that TIR support is coming to the game.


Several folks have had contact with the Track IR guys so I have no doudt ii will come. It would be a mistake not to have it in AH2.
Title: trackir
Post by: hitech on July 30, 2004, 03:12:15 PM
It is completed for the next patch.

There are 3 modes of operation.
Pan mode. Continual pan like mouse look.
Snap Mode. Instead of pan it smothly goes to the closest view.
Transition mode, It move your head instead of Rotating it.


Also if you are in Pan or snap mode and press a view key, the tracker switches to move mode untill all view keys are released.

I.E. you can press look back, then just move your head to see around in the back view.


Both pan and snap mode use the closest saved head postion.
Title: trackir
Post by: AKIron on July 30, 2004, 03:18:08 PM
Quote
Originally posted by hitech
It is completed for the next patch.

There are 3 modes of operation.
Pan mode. Continual pan like mouse look.
Snap Mode. Instead of pan it smothly goes to the closest view.
Transition mode, It move your head instead of Rotating it.


Also if you are in Pan or snap mode and press a view key, the tracker switches to move mode untill all view keys are released.

I.E. you can press look back, then just move your head to see around in the back view.


Both pan and snap mode use the closest saved head postion.


Excellent news hitech, thank you.
Title: trackir
Post by: vorticon on July 30, 2004, 03:22:26 PM
hmm...thats good news...now i just need to get it, and those cool 3d shutter glasses
Title: trackir
Post by: Wotan on July 30, 2004, 03:31:41 PM
Any chance on an discount offer for Ah players purchasing trackir?

I already have it but I imagine that folks will give it a good "talking up" and may even help sell a few units.

:p
Title: trackir
Post by: Edbert on July 30, 2004, 03:32:56 PM
Quote
Originally posted by hitech
It is completed for the next patch.


WOOOT!!!

Thank you Dale and Wayne!
Title: trackir
Post by: Furious on July 30, 2004, 04:20:10 PM
I may be dense and this has been covered, but will we be able to move our pilot's head up/down (pageup/dn) and left/right/forward/back (arrow keys) or just the standard rotate?  If so, how does TrackIR handle these movements?
Title: trackir
Post by: 214thCavalier on July 30, 2004, 04:32:39 PM
Furious i think Transition mode covers that.
Title: trackir
Post by: Wotan on July 30, 2004, 04:53:13 PM
Patch is out give it a go. Still need an update driver from track Ir but should be soon.
Title: trackir
Post by: wklink on July 30, 2004, 09:04:08 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Wotan
Any chance on an discount offer for Ah players purchasing trackir?

I already have it but I imagine that folks will give it a good "talking up" and may even help sell a few units.

:p


I think that if there appears to be a large enough of a potential following for the TIR3 then you may be able to get a discount.

Right now there is a 15 dollar discount via SimHq.  Check the front page.  If a different ad is on the front page when you fire up the web page just reload the page and the ad will come up.

Here is a direct link.

http://www.naturalpoint.com/banners/simhqjuly2004.html
Title: trackir
Post by: Wotan on July 30, 2004, 09:09:34 PM
Good to know but I already own both track IR 2 and 3 pro. :p

But I am sure other folks will appreciate it.