Galaxy map in VR

[PeachingTony]

Hi

It's ironic - I bought a Rift to enhance my experience with ED yet it has ended up killing the game for me. I don't want to play it on the monitor any more, and I really can't be dealing with switching between VR and the monitor when wanting to navigate quickly in the galaxy map.

So I bought the Rift in August and have not played ED since.

I think I've read what there is to read around navigating the map in VR - using the grid seems to be the best approach. But it's so fiddly compared with the monitor, I want to be able to click on a system to select it and use eye tracking to do that rather than steer a cursor with the keyboard.

Did I miss something? Has this been improved or is there a better way?

 

[zarrazee]

I feel your pain. I have 3 years on 2D Elite using M&K and had mastered it. I've 1 month in VR with 2 sticks and still have to think about what combination of controls does what. I'm a noob once again.

For the last month, I've been clinging to M&K on the galaxy map and this morning I mapped the gal map controls to the sticks. You know, it's not too bad. Sure I'm not as quick as M&K, but after 3 years of playing Elite, I'm no longer rushing around trying to see everything at once.

It's trickier than M&K, but just set-up what feels natural and persevere CMDR. I can always post my bindings if you're interested. Let me know.

 

[ZeroAi]

Hi

It's ironic - I bought a Rift to enhance my experience with ED yet it has ended up killing the game for me. I don't want to play it on the monitor any more, and I really can't be dealing with switching between VR and the monitor when wanting to navigate quickly in the galaxy map.

So I bought the Rift in August and have not played ED since.

I think I've read what there is to read around navigating the map in VR - using the grid seems to be the best approach. But it's so fiddly compared with the monitor, I want to be able to click on a system to select it and use eye tracking to do that rather than steer a cursor with the keyboard.

Did I miss something? Has this been improved or is there a better way?

Since I started on the XBOX I got use to using the XBO controller to nav the maps.

Then I got my rift last year and it came with an XBO controller (no touch included at that time) and so I continued to use it in game.

And now with the PS4 controls nearly identical, I don't see myself ever moving to HOTAS over the XBO controller unless I could find an easy way to make it work with the maps.

So in short, I suggest using an XBO or 360 (or PS4?) controller when in VR (the touch controllers may be as easy to use but I haven't tried them in Elite for navigating the galmap)

 

[Alec Turner]

I feel your pain and yes ... being able to simply look at a star with eye tracking or similar would be amazing. Alas nothing new in this area so it's simply a question of getting used to moving around the map with your favourite HOTAS or XBOX controller.

You've probably seen this but here's something I wrote on the subject a while back for someone who was struggling with the mouse ...

Firstly, you almost certainly need to abandon trying to use the mouse to operate the galaxy map in VR so sort out the bindings so you can control it with your HOTAS (you'll need movement in all three X, Y and Z axes, zoom and rotation all configured to bindings that you find natural to operate).

Next, as [...] has said, make sure the grid is turned on. Also, when you open the galaxy map the first thing you'll need to do is pitch it down a bit so that you have more of an isometric (i.e. angled) view of the map rather than a flat (i.e. straight across) view (I wish FD would fix this so that the galaxy map starts out angled when you open it).

Once you've done that, you need to master the use of pan and zoom. Zoom out so your lateral (X and Y plane) movements are traversing the galaxy at a decent speed and you can easily pan to the rough vicinity of the system you're trying to focus in on. Then what you need to do is, as you start to zoom back in on the target system, try to get a feel for whether that system is above or below the plane of the grid. Don't zoom in too far until you've moved the grid plane down or up in the Y axis so the system is more or less on it. The more you zoom in, the more accurately you'll need to align that Y axis. Once it comes into view the thing you need to focus on is the blue dot which represents your target system on the grid and not the star itself (which will probably still be some way above or below the plane). If the star disappears as you zoom in further then zoom back out, adjust the Y plane height, and zoom back in again. It can also be useful to spin the map around occasionally to make sure your target is roughly centered in the X/Y plane. Another way to do this is to temporarily tilt the map so you're looking directly down on the grid and make sure your target is in the center. Practice makes perfect. If you have a friend marker way off in the distance (e.g. if you're in the bubble and you have a green friend marker out in Colonia) then practice manipulating the map to focus in on their current system.

o7

 

[dree]

Is it two weeks again for a new galaxy map thread? Time flies.
I don't feel your pains
I learned to navigate the maps with my Hotas, works great.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

I use my hotas and have got so used to it that when i do use my monitor, I still use my hotas and I am pretty much as quick with it as I was with my mouse.

 

[Mxpower76]

Is it two weeks again for a new galaxy map thread? Time flies.
I don't feel your pains
I learned to navigate the maps with my Hotas, works great.

I'm surprised we don't have a sticky about this yet. Everybody has a problem with the map in VR.

Like everyone else I use a Hotas with the menu navigation, select, tilt, zoom mapped and it works 100%.

 

[Kimosabe_X]

But the real pain is... typing in system names... simply ridiculous that there's still no virtual keyboard ingame or something like that ! It can't be that much of rocket science to get one implemented...

 

[ziddan]

It cant have been two weeks yet, heres another commander not feeling your pain.

Just look up a vid on configuring it and you will be fine.

Basics are use stick for rotation, pov hat for translation, a z axis modifier or bind to a separate axis for that and two buttons or an axis to zoom.
If you are on keyboard you could do wasd for translate, arrows for rotation, two buttons for up/down or use a z modifier and then two buttons for zoom.
Maybe mouse can be used for zoom, rotation and a modifier button but i dont recall how i did it before rebinding to hotas completely.


Last session i played i went from the bubble to colonia using the neutron highway website (faster than built in routing but 260ish visits to the galmap) and only took my hmd off to have a lunch break in the middle of the 7 hour stretch + a couple of bathroom breaks.

Edit: no, there isnt a need for a virtual keyboard because if you just try typing with the HMD on you get good at it quickly, i was an ok typist before vr, now i can touch type with the exception of some shift signs that i rarely use in VR.

 

[Alec Turner]

I use my hotas and have got so used to it that when i do use my monitor, I still use my hotas and I am pretty much as quick with it as I was with my mouse.

Even when trying to select a particular system deep in the core? (e.g. a system with a friend marker on it or maybe something like trying to manually select Sagittarius A*).

Try it and let me know (I'm genuinely interested to learn if I'm still missing a trick with this).

I must say that although I pretty fluent at navigating the galaxy my with a HOTAS I can still pick something like Sag A* using the mouse WAY faster (in seconds?) than I can with the HOTAS (maybe a minute or so?).

Is it two weeks again for a new galaxy map thread? Time flies.

LOL - yes it would seem so.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

Even when trying to select a particular system deep in the core? (e.g. a system with a friend marker on it or maybe something like trying to manually select Sagittarius A*).

Try it and let me know (I'm genuinely interested to learn if I'm still missing a trick with this).

I must say that although I pretty fluent at navigating the galaxy my with a HOTAS I can still pick something like Sag A* using the mouse WAY faster (in seconds?) than I can with the HOTAS (maybe a minute or so?).

It's been a long time since I was near the core, but I can try when I am online next. See how it works. I put my Hotas galaxy map controls on the forums so anyone can use them if you want to have a look.

 

[Kimosabe_X]

*snip*
Edit: no, there isnt a need for a virtual keyboard because if you just try typing with the HMD on you get good at it quickly, i was an ok typist before vr, now i can touch type with the exception of some shift signs that i rarely use in VR.

Sorry, but there is a need for a VR Keyboard, it's just ridiculous that there's no such thing... Not everyone may be as good as you in "real" blind-typing, just saying... At least I'm not and I guess I'm not alone. And honestly I don't want to become that good because there shouldn't be the need to do so in the first place. It's just the point you have to type in names sometimes and so it has to be possible especially in VR mode.

 

[Alec Turner]

It's been a long time since I was near the core, but I can try when I am online next. See how it works. I put my Hotas galaxy map controls on the forums so anyone can use them if you want to have a look.

Actually it helps if you're not near the core (e.g. just somewhere in the bubble). So occasionally I'll see one of my friends login and when I go to the galaxy map I'll see a number of green markers and wonder which one is them. I'll then sometimes spend what feels like minutes trying to home in on a marked system deep in the core and am reminded that using the galaxy MAP with the HOTAS really IS still quite tricky compared to what it's like in 2D with the mouse (and so yes, I do still feel the pain of the OP and everyone who struggles with this).

Perhaps we should have a little competition (video evidence required)?

Who can open the galaxy map and, starting with SOL selected, then select Sagittarius A* the fastest ... using ONLY your HOTAS and/or gamepad movement and zoom controls (no reverting to the mouse and no typing in the system name).

 

[WindWpn]

Yea, I am now used to how it works in VR and have no problems with it. Once I figured out its little idiosyncrasies, it works great! Though indeed, overall it is "easier" from a 2D monitor; however, being "in" the Galaxy map is a nice tradeoff where u are literally like Picard and Data within the star map holodeck from Generations.

 

[CylonSurfer]

Sorry, but there is a need for a VR Keyboard, it's just ridiculous that there's no such thing...

Hopefully Oculus Dash will provide a solution to this issue if you're a Rift user.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

Actually it helps if you're not near the core (e.g. just somewhere in the bubble). So occasionally I'll see one of my friends login and when I go to the galaxy map I'll see a number of green markers and wonder which one is them. I'll then sometimes spend what feels like minutes trying to home in on a marked system deep in the core and am reminded that using the galaxy MAP with the HOTAS really IS still quite tricky compared to what it's like in 2D with the mouse (and so yes, I do still feel the pain of the OP and everyone who struggles with this).

Perhaps we should have a little competition (video evidence required)?

Who can open the galaxy map and, starting with SOL selected, then select Sagittarius A* the fastest ... using ONLY your HOTAS and/or gamepad movement and zoom controls (no reverting to the mouse and no typing in the system name).

I'll check. I don't have video software set up, but I will see what I can do (after hours of practice). I expect the mouse to be faster, but as I said, I am just so used to it now that I don't use it.

 

[ziddan]

there is a need for a VR Keyboard

We live in a world where keyboards are an everyday thing, its not like it takes a long time to get used to it if you play in VR with any regularity and it will likely always be useful.

Id rather have Fdev making content or mechanical upgrades than developing and implementing a VR keyboard that a quite small subset of the total player base will ever use.

Its not like i wasnt looking at my hands some of the time before VR, just like anyone, i find i need to do it a lot less nowdays.

Install big screen if you want outside-of-game practice, just do some ordinary surfing and forum posting and you will get there.

 

[matemaster]

Galaxy map in VR is super annoying. I even set up my joyistick to navigate in galactic map but It didnt helped much.
I dont know how to click on star easily like when I am runing out of fuel so I need to jump to main sequence star I open galaxy map, there is star I want to jump CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, move up, down, forward, left right, CLICK, CLICK RAGE, RAGE @%!!*&#!@...
How do I do this properly ?

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

Galaxy map in VR is super annoying. I even set up my joyistick to navigate in galactic map but It didnt helped much.
I dont know how to click on star easily like when I am runing out of fuel so I need to jump to main sequence star I open galaxy map, there is star I want to jump CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, move up, down, forward, left right, CLICK, CLICK RAGE, RAGE @%!!*&#!@...
How do I do this properly ?

I am assuming you have the grid enabled?

 

[CylonSurfer]

Galaxy map in VR is super annoying. I even set up my joyistick to navigate in galactic map but It didnt helped much.
I dont know how to click on star easily like when I am runing out of fuel so I need to jump to main sequence star I open galaxy map, there is star I want to jump CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, move up, down, forward, left right, CLICK, CLICK RAGE, RAGE @%!!*&#!@...
How do I do this properly ?

I agree with the above comment - sounds like you don't have the grid enabled. The option can be found in the last tab of the actual Galmap.