Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: SkyWolf on June 28, 2005, 07:16:08 AM
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Greetings,
I'm trying to get used to using the Vector Package Trackir 3 and I could use some advice from the people using it.
The motion sickness thing doesn't seem to be bothering me at all, but I do have quite a bit of trouble getting "discombobulated".... I mean center is off a lot (I find myself hittiong F12 all the time), gunsite off a lot, Landings sloppy, etc.
I'm using the default Aces High II package in the new software version I DL'd off of Naturalpoint's website and it seems to work well as a starting point.
Any hints on customization or things that helped you?
I also seem to have problems reaching for any keyboard commands that I don't have mapped to the stick (Cyborg Evo).....mostly gear and Zoom (does anyone use zoom or am I a Possy...well.. I mean I know I am a Possy... but am I a Possy for using Zoom?). The stick is pretty well mapped now.... but does anyone give up the views on the 8 way hat and use them for keyboard commands or do you keep the hat for views? Has anyone ever asked so many dumb questions? I suck pretty bad anyway so this is quite a challenge, yet I find it very cool and my SA outside the plane is way UP even though my SA inside the plane is suffering. Gotta learn to keep the head movements small. Thanks.
:p
Woof
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Start by selecting the progressive settings for x and y axis. then increase the dead band a touch. By increasing the dead band when you look away and back to the screen it will center easer. You may want to increase or decrease the responcivness of the tracir to your comfort though.
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Skywolf,
Do a search on these boards and grab someones profile for starters.
Give up the 8 way hat switch and program it for keyboard commands.
Finally know that you will suck for 2-4 months until it becomes natural.
Balsy
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First an formost here are a few tricks for setup:
Put the LED emiter 2-3 FEET away from your head. Because of the size of the 'tiad' of reflectors its tracking, if your too close, one of them will get lost pretty quick.
Make sure you wear your hat at the same angle on your head as the vector is above your head. When your centered the angle the hat/brim makes should point at the vector unit.
MY VECTOR PROFILE (http://www.combathanger.com/ALF-vector.xml)
In general the vector reacts better to looking up than down, this is because although the clip is curved in the horozontal, its not in the verticle (little balls would be so much better...butI digress). I usually set my center a while Im a little crowched in my seat looking just a little down. This gives me an easy up view, and makes over the nose shots (and six views) better.
You'll also notice that in my profile I have huge good size deadzones for more stability in the gunsight...and some of my axis are ver abrupt....its rare I need to lean left or right 'just a little' so they tend to be pretty much all or nothing...giving a nice size deadzone for stability without having to lean too far to take a peak to the side.
Make sure you have a CENTER and a ON/OFF button mapped to your HOTAS, for those occasional times it gets lost and when you dont need the tracking on.
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As a final note, I have modified my vector so the lack of vertical curvature is fixed, so mine get lost much less in the verticle axis. Take some large gauge aquarium tubing, cut it to make a half-pipe, and glue these to the vector clip nodes, being sure to keep some of the horizontal curvature (I find superglue to 'prepare' the tubing and then contact cement for the actual glueing works well). I use some automotive reflection tape to cover these surfaces. It needs to be the high grade stuff....only silver....with the particles very very small not big flecks). You'll need to cut slits in the pieces of this tape you cut about halfway down (5-7 of them) so the tape can follow the double curvature).
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Thanks for the info...
I'll look at the profile. I saved it as a .doc file? I guess I'm not really sure what to do with it. I just figured out how to change some of the settings on the default profile I'm using. Still not good enough to mess with it much.
Woof
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Ok... seem to have that figured out. Are there any tips for smoothing out the "jump" from Deadband to movement? I tried setting a curve starting like 1-3-5.. but it still seems kind of abrupt. Does everyone else see this?
Woof
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Skywolf,
Believe it or not you need to wait for your head to be calibrated...it takes awhile.
It amazed me how much body english I used with hat views etc.. it takes awhile to unlearn that, and to utiliize your brain housing group as an input device.
Give it time.
Balsy
PS i have recently updated my profile to make it react even quicker, now that I have learned to keep my grape still.
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Originally posted by Balsy
Skywolf,
Believe it or not you need to wait for your head to be calibrated...it takes awhile.
:rofl
Don't ask me why...but theres just something entirely too amusing about Skywolf needing to have his head callibrated. But I do think Balsy is correct...it takes time, and you almost have to force yourself to use it. If you dont, youll never get as comfortable as you need to be.
Quick....someone steal Skywolfs hat switch while he's at work!
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BTW if anyone needs help modding their vector clip let me know
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Originally posted by ALF
:rofl
Don't ask me why...but theres just something entirely too amusing about Skywolf needing to have his head callibrated. But I do think Balsy is correct...it takes time, and you almost have to force yourself to use it. If you dont, youll never get as comfortable as you need to be.
Quick....someone steal Skywolfs hat switch while he's at work!
Ha! You guys aren't kidding. I was contorting my head all over the place while using the hat switch for views... duckin', leaning... it is tough to unlearn that. I didn't even know I was doing it. :D
Woof
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One more dumb Question and then I'll stop. Do any of you Trackir Vector users enable the Roll vector? Mine is... and it seems like it hurts more than it helps.... just wondering if I should uncheck it.
Thanks,
Woof
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dont use the roll vector.
Balsy
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ded band increase is by far the #1 improvement.
next is smooth out the movement untill it takes you moving your head 45degrees off center to look back and about 15-25 degrees to look up or down. You're body will adapt to this alot faster and you neck will thank you because moving your head more will greatly decrease the neck strain from your noggin having to be motionless almost to look straight and at the same time you will have to work some neck muscles to fly/look about and this will keep them from stiffening up during long playing times. Your looking around will feel sooo much more natural.
Leave the roll on.
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what benefit do you get from keeping the roll axis on?
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Originally posted by Balsy
what benefit do you get from keeping the roll axis on?
I'm curious too. It really seems to create another problem to conquer. Maybe minimize it's curve and deadband the Heck out of it?
Woof
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Well the way I look at it , is , if I turn my head 45 degrees, I dont see a "tilted" view, so I turned it off.
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Originally posted by Balsy
Well the way I look at it , is , if I turn my head 45 degrees, I dont see a "tilted" view, so I turned it off.
I agree with that. I'm going to try it turned off tonight. I can't find a benefit to the tilted view.
Woof