Head tracking - worth it?
- Thread starter Noddie
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I used FreeTrackNoIR or something.
Using my phone, strapped to my head, as a tracker. Lol
It was funny, but ultimately uncomfortable.
Turning your head, but keeping your eyes on the screen becomes very uncomfortable, for me.
It is fun for a while, but the discomfort soon sets in.
But basically, you turn your head left, and your CMDR does too.
Using my phone, strapped to my head, as a tracker. Lol
It was funny, but ultimately uncomfortable.
Turning your head, but keeping your eyes on the screen becomes very uncomfortable, for me.
It is fun for a while, but the discomfort soon sets in.
But basically, you turn your head left, and your CMDR does too.
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I use TrackIR 5 and it's excellent. You get used to it quickly, it feels very natural. It really helps with everything, being able to easily look around. It's great for combat and planetary exploration. Makes the whole game feel more real.
I use the included hat clip thingy on a visor, it's very comfortable to wear.
The software is easy to set up. I did wind up messing with the curves a bit, to give a bit more dead space in the middle. That felt right to me. It's easy to customize.
As for the panels, I have them set up so looking at them does NOT make them pop up. I just pop them up when needed via a keystroke.
Overall I give it a 10 out of 10.
I use the included hat clip thingy on a visor, it's very comfortable to wear.
The software is easy to set up. I did wind up messing with the curves a bit, to give a bit more dead space in the middle. That felt right to me. It's easy to customize.
As for the panels, I have them set up so looking at them does NOT make them pop up. I just pop them up when needed via a keystroke.
Overall I give it a 10 out of 10.
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Had my TrackIR 4 for many years and IMO it's a must have for a more immersive gaming experience. I've got mine set up wirelessly with a Logitech 7.1 headset. You attach a 9volt Duracell USB battery to the headset for freedom.
As someone who recently got Track Ir, I can say it is definitely worth it. It adds to your situational awareness and to the immersion.
The way it works is very intuitive. It shouldn't take to much to get used to.
I have the cockpit set up where looking at where the panels would be does nothing, but pushing a key displays them without locking your view to them. This works best for me.
The way it works is very intuitive. It shouldn't take to much to get used to.
I have the cockpit set up where looking at where the panels would be does nothing, but pushing a key displays them without locking your view to them. This works best for me.
I have edtracker attached to a baseball cap - set up with open track - find it very weird to play without it now in other games - only thing better is an occulus and even then with edtracker I can drink tea and eat biccies easier 
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http://www.edtracker.org.uk/
.http://www.edtracker.org.uk/
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I started playing ED without it. Once I got my TrackIR5, I cannot play without it. Found it also works with dozens of other games as well, including Flight Simulator X and Train Simulator 2014 (and up). Software is downloaded (not on CD) but only takes one or two minutes to receive, and updates are posted when available (and you can update or not, depending on your needs).
It's important to be able to look around while not having to do it with your thumb on a button, since your thumb might need to be on a button for a different reason (i.e., a weapon trigger).
Once you try it, you'll wonder why you ever played without it.
It's important to be able to look around while not having to do it with your thumb on a button, since your thumb might need to be on a button for a different reason (i.e., a weapon trigger).
Once you try it, you'll wonder why you ever played without it.
I have a Tobii EyeX. It doesn't do head tracking, it does eye tracking.
Pros: You don't have to wear anything strapped to your head.
Cons: It can be very sensitive. A casual glance at your shield status causes the entire field of view to center on that HUD element.
The upgraded model, the Tobii 4C, supposedly has head tracking as well as eye tracking and could potentially alleviate some of the negatives ... I don't think that the Head Tracking works in Elite Dangerous yet though.
I've also used EDTracker and it worked very well ... I just didn't like having the cable strapped to my head.
Pros: You don't have to wear anything strapped to your head.
Cons: It can be very sensitive. A casual glance at your shield status causes the entire field of view to center on that HUD element.
The upgraded model, the Tobii 4C, supposedly has head tracking as well as eye tracking and could potentially alleviate some of the negatives ... I don't think that the Head Tracking works in Elite Dangerous yet though.
I've also used EDTracker and it worked very well ... I just didn't like having the cable strapped to my head.
I use head-tracking too and love it. You get used to it really quickly, to the point where you'll play another game and it feels weird when you turn your head slightly to look around and the ingame POV doesn't change. I use Delanclip for the IR side of things (I actually have two, one mounted on my headset and the other one on a headband for when I'm using speakers) and Facetracknoir for the tracking side of things. Easy to set up, relatively cheap and works great. Now if only Fdev would implement simultaneous multi projection so I could use 3 monitors without the horrible fisheye effect.
Worth it? that is a resounding YES! it ads a huge amount to the game, used it for a long long time before I got vr.
Wow, I just realised I'm the negative one in this thread!
Dang.
Admittedly, my FreeTrack doodah, probably wasn't calibrated right. And I felt rather daft with my phone on my head. Probably not particularly healthy either. Lol
Dang.
Admittedly, my FreeTrack doodah, probably wasn't calibrated right. And I felt rather daft with my phone on my head. Probably not particularly healthy either. Lol
Absolutely worth it. http://www.edtracker.co.uk/ for the win.
Spatial awareness is greatly enhanced (enjoy the scenery/cockpit and so on). Target lock and tracking is MUCH easier, as all you have to do is look at it (with your head movement of course). Gateway drug to VR, but at a 10th of the price and with better screen resolution. Win-win. I broke my piggy bank and opted for Vive, but would recommend head tracking for others until Vive 2.0. Resolution is just not strong enough yet. Immersion is awesome though.
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I hate flying without it - it's just so much easier to do so many little things with headtracking, like line up planetary approaches, getting in front of the mailslot, tracking ships in a RES/CZ.
There's a setting in Options > Controls where you can set "looking at panel does nothing" so that the panels don't open when you look at them, and instead only respond to a command.
You need to tweak the response curve. I find that 20° head movement > 90° camera movement means that I don't strain my eye muscles. I have a couple of degrees of deadzone on X and Y in the centre so that I have a "straight ahead" zone as well.
Opentrack. The download comes with an Android APK that can be installed. It uses WiFi or Bluetooth to send orientation data from the phone's sensors to Opentrack. It has a little more latency than EDTracker, but is wireless and, importantly, free.
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100% worth it.
It changes the game quite a lot in the good sense.
It changes the game quite a lot in the good sense.
Ah, thanks!
I may give this a go one day.
I was faffing with my settings for ages, because I wanted to be able to look around my ship. Turns out it's not possible. Lol
I probably broke something.
I also need a better way to keep my phone on my head. Lol
I use TrackIR_5. I don't use it all the time, becouse I don't like wearing a cap. Also my wife laughed hard when she first saw me with that antenna on the cap thing. Now I can't deny my nerdivity any longer, she said [big grin]
I still snicker when I imagine myself opening the door to the delivery man, forgetting to take the thing off...
But it definitly is good for the game. It's just great to be able to look around very naturally. It gives a littel edge in combat-zones or dogfights, becouse it's really easyer to track your targets with this device.
It's really easy to install, easy to use. Very nice. It just looks... well like an antenna on a cap.
I still snicker when I imagine myself opening the door to the delivery man, forgetting to take the thing off...
But it definitly is good for the game. It's just great to be able to look around very naturally. It gives a littel edge in combat-zones or dogfights, becouse it's really easyer to track your targets with this device.
It's really easy to install, easy to use. Very nice. It just looks... well like an antenna on a cap.
My wife also laughed once, and my dog looked at it quizzically. But both of them are used to my nerdness. I wouldn't wear it to the store, though
I'm happy to share my config file with you if you like. It only takes about 20 seconds to set up anyway.
You need one of these:
If that's not to your liking, you can get less pink ones.
I play with wireless headphones, so I strap the phont to the crossband with elastic bands.
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