Am I the only person NOT playing with a TrackIr or OR?

[CMDR Saari]

anyone know when the finished version of the rift is coming out?

No. But I know if I break down and buy a DK2, that's the day they'll announce the release of the CV

 

[Hadron-Higgs-Boson]

Ive recently bought an EDTracker http://edtracker.org.uk/ and I can tell you it blows TrackIR (et al) out of the water plus its about a third of the cost. In combat it's so much more fun, I can't say for sure it gives any kind of advantage but I would think it does. OR is now something I will want to try out but for now this little gadget is the dogs!

 

[Jmanis]

I don't use either. I'm probably going to get a HOTAS thing soonish, because I just can't get a decent arrangement of all the flight controls on the keyboard (unless someone can tell me how to bind multiple different keys to the same function, it doesn't seem possible?).

That said, I don't feel at any particular disadvantage. I'll jump on somewhat of the bandwagon and say I think the OR would be a bit "shut-out" for my liking, my headphones are already pretty 'immersive',,, a noise has often caught my attention during a lull in sound, only for me to turn around and see a half-dozen items on the floor, thrown at me by my fiance trying to get my attention That said, I can get behind the idea of how cool an OR would be in terms of immersion,,, and I do find the 1-2-3-4 for different views of ship panels a bit of a pain.

 

[Mack]

I don't have any form of input device except my mouse and keyboard, and well, I'm playing it as a game not a simulator that half (random statistic made up on the spot) the forum would have us believe!

 

[Susimetsa]

You are not alone. I also rely on a simple joystick and the only tool I use to look around with is my mouse.

I do yearn for a chance to try out the Oculus Rift, though, when the consumer model finally comes out.

 

[soma]

I built an EDTracker recently. Made me motion sick at first. Had to give it a few tries and play around with the sensitivity until I got into it. Now I like it a lot, moving your head to turn the camera becomes second nature surprisingly quickly.

Does it give a relevant advantage? I dont think so. But it is a convenient way of looking around the cockpit. And for me it does add to the immersion and the feeling of really being _there_

 

[xondk]

Personally I'm leaning towards edtracker, though trackir or similar have position as well, so yeah a little conflicted, both options have advantages.

 

[sahib]

I never bothered with TrackIR, as I managed to get FaceTrackNoIR to work perfectly with my PS3 camera and a home made clip for the fraction of TrackIR price. That said, I rarely use it because it really gives little advantage considering cockpit visibility in most of the ships (it shines in Asp though). I'm contemplating OR, but purely for immersion purposes - not really feel the need to have head tracking at all in this game, when comparing to DCS for example.

 

[Zephyriel]

For those who don't have any head tracking solution and don't have much money to spare, I'd seriously recommend looking into FacetracknoIR and ED Tracker. I've used a TrackIR4 since I started playing in july, and wouldn't play without it, it's useful, effective and fun to use. Oculus Rift is awesome, but if you're on a budget it's better to save for the consumer version (and don't forget to save for a kew PC too, or at least a new gpu).

 

[Vander Mey jr.]

If OR CV lands around 300 bucks most people will be able to afford it.

Still, well off the price / enjoyment chart for me. For the record, I'm playing with a T.16000 joystick, because I think even the budget HOTAS setups are way overpriced / overrated.

I have watched VR evolve since the 90s when they said its just around the corner for gaming. I even tested a VR prototype at a exibition at that time and was blown away. Graphics was like in the 80s almost with stuff flying around your head. Basically standing on a blue "platform" and see things flying around at various heights.

I played Nemac IV wearing i-Glasses at the Motorola booth of CeBIT 1996. (Yes, an Amiga ego-shooter, running on an A4000 T with Cybergraphics card. It was the only software they could adapt to the i-Glasses in time for the exhibition.)

And I still don't think I'd be enjoying the game so much more that I'd shell out 300 bucks.

 

[Zylark]

neither am I... I tried with FaceTrackNoIR (http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/home/default.htm), and it sort of worked, but it just made me dizzy as I'm still staring at my screen with my head in angles just to look out one of my windows.

I'm saving for the Occulus Rift too, it comes with tracking built in (https://www.oculus.com/dk2/).

Ah, 1973, best vintage of them all

I'm also at a bit of a dilemma.

- TrackIR would be great for the looking around part, and other pluses include being able to keep cats off keyboard, drink coffee or other nice beverages without knocking over cup or bottle, keep track of spreadsheet and notes on my laptop that sits aside me when playing and so on and so forth.
- Oculus Rift for the total immersion factor. I am sure I'll be sick for the first few hours from vertigo. I mean, I get seasick just looking at a boat, and if flying there better be no turbulence. Still though... Just need to build some kind of contraption to cover my keyboard so that said cats don't trample all over it without me pre-emptively grabbing the furry feline and relocate him or her to either floor or lap depending on level of cuddle-demands - they can get very determined and don't take no for an answer

 

[pocketmoon]

I'd say you absolutely need some form of head tracking to get the very best out the game. Without one ? Imagine driving your car with a neck brace

Being one of the EDTracker.org.uk guy's I'd say go for something cheap, or DIY, while saving up for the proper consumer version of the Occulus Rift

 

[Armante]

It seems like every video I see of people playing ED has them looking around in the cockpit with a TrackIR (or similar).
Since I am poor and "Married with Children", I wonder if I'm missing out on much, or whether I am handicapped in some way while playing for not having one...?
Is it worth the cost?

I've got some savings which I am holding onto for the Consumer release of OR (I ally debated whether to get the DK, then the DK2, but decided it would be best to wait for the actual thing instead).
Is there any point getting a TrackIR if I'm going to eventually get a Rift?

I'm shy of funds, just like you - wife and a baby precludes silly spending on DK2. Also wanting to save for a Consumer Rift.

What I did do, however, was pick up a PS3 eyetoy camera dirt cheap (approx US$12, or 10 pounds) and use FaceTrackNoIR with it. It's not perfect, but works quite well for looking around just like the TrackIR does at a fraction of the cost.

There's a big thread about it somewhere on the forum - try searching facetracknoir

 

[Cross]

I tried FaceTrackNoIR which tracked remarkably well, but was too sluggish likely due to the low framerate of the camera I was using, so it was kind of unbearable. I'll have to try again with a better camera next time. As it is now, it's throttle-button-plus-hat-switch for me...

 

[ZeeWolf]

You do not need a device to look around the cockpit.

Just bind the head look directions in the control settings (if you have a POV switch on your joystick map them to that)

Now set the head look mode to 'accumulate' this stops the pilots head from recentering.

Now switch to head look mode and look around. With a bit of practice it becomes perfectly natural to move the pilots head around.

I've been doing this in ED since the first Alpha. People have commented on my YT videos that I must be using head tracking, but all I'm doing is moving the POV stick around.

Someone even posted one of my videos on an article talking about how great head tracking is. I've never even owned a head tracking device (other than the DK1)

 

[Zeeman]

I've only had my track IR running for a week or so, and it does help with little things - tracking targets in combat, docking from odd angles, no one thing makes it way better than a locked view, but the combination of all the little things does...

I think it's well worth it. Try Freetrack NOIR with a Sony PS3 Eye camera - I got one for $5 - but found a track IR for sale 2nd hand for $50 before I set it up (if anyone in Sydney wants to give it a go, I'm happy to donate it...).

I was going to try and make an ED tracker, but getting hold of all the bits here in AUS was quite pricey, and the 2nd hand TrackIR 5 was significantly cheaper overall...

Z...

 

[WiseDuck]

TrackIR changed the game completely for me, really helps in dogfights. Opening the menus in the cockpit with just a look is great

It only takes finest movements to look all around the cockpit and it can be completely customized to fit your needs using the software they provide. If for any reason I don't want to use TrackIr during the game I just remove it from my headset and after 5 seconds it returns to the fixed center position.

I went for the trackIr 4 and with the pro clip.

Now, whenever I watch ED let's plays on youtube and they do not have head look I find my head moving trying to look around, it's feel completely normal now.

And of course you can use it on loads of other titles as well

 

[scorpyon]

I'm shy of funds, just like you - wife and a baby precludes silly spending on DK2. Also wanting to save for a Consumer Rift.

What I did do, however, was pick up a PS3 eyetoy camera dirt cheap (approx US$12, or 10 pounds) and use FaceTrackNoIR with it. It's not perfect, but works quite well for looking around just like the TrackIR does at a fraction of the cost.

There's a big thread about it somewhere on the forum - try searching facetracknoir

Ahh, that might be a cool idea. I have a PS3 eye lying around somewhere, so seems like it would be a free-ish option to try out in the meantime.
Cheers!

 

[777Driver]

I don't have either of those things, and as far as streamers with their OR, TURN OFF YOUR CAMERAS you look like idiots.

Haha, yeah like any DK2 user cares what you think...

@OP - I couldn't fly without TrackIR, have used it for 6 years, only bought a DK2 because my TIR broke and I couldn't find a new one in Dubai with same day delivery. Anyway, DK2 was hands down the best thing I ever purchased for my PC, it was actually cheaper than my 42' LED

From what I hear the cheaper tracking hardware works well too.

 

[Hexcaliber]

I have been using trackir since the release of trackir 2, I couldn't imagine flight or racing sim's without one now. I did try free look and facetrack but neither has anything like the resolution of trackir. As I already play @4k I have been waiting for the release of the consumer oculus unit before making a decision, I had been using nvidias 3d vision before getting my current monitor and it certainly helped immersion in games where it worked, if a little odd at times.