Hardware & Technical OpenTrack webcam head tracker now works!

[RickDangerous]

Some of us tried FaceTrackNoIR, and while it works ok it had an issue where it would always push joystick buttons, making menus go crazy. This has now been fixed, but in a fork called OpenTrack. You can download this build (made just for us) here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/544fbhsokdpy3n7/AAAKwl6BluqwT9Xn2slyp0dCa
(it's the opentrack-win32-portable-2.2a2.tar.xz build)

Here's how I got it to work with the iSight on my iMac (Bootcamped into Windows 7):
* Untar the file (I used 7-Zip)
* Run opentrack.exe
* Select HT 1.0 tracker, and select your camera in tracker settings
* Select the Accela Filter Mk4 filter
* Select VJoy game protocol
* Go into Mapping and update Yaw and Pitch curves so that the raw values get translated into in-game joystick movements: http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=464564#post464564
* Press Start.

Open up the Elite client and go into Control settings. Now you can change head tracking settings by moving your head up down and side-to-side.

That should be it! I got this to work while still using a XBox360 controller for the rest of the controls. Let me know if you too get this going, or if there are any remaining issues.

 

[Sir.Tj]

Moved to hardware.

 

[deMangler]

Thanks I have been waiting for this.
I am having difficulties. Following the instructions in the OP, I can get my face tracked and am getting raw translation and rotation data, but nothing in-game and the VJoy controller detected by windows is not responding at all.
Anybody got any ideas.
Normally when I post a post like this it starts working by itself and I have to edit with a herp derp. But meanwhile any help appreciated.


Edit The vjoy device in windows will pick up input from VJoy feeder.

 

[ASQ_dak]

Given that you can get the face tracking showing something in the opentrack software, and your vjoy device in windows does show some response that can only be a good sign! I personally had an issue that even following directions from the OP I had to first configure the settings of the Main tracker (HT 1.0) and select an actual camera name before it started even responding in opentrack when I hit start.

Things to consider when setting up headlook mode using opentrack in elite dangerous:

• Go to options --> controls and scroll down the the headlook mode options at the bottom of the control settings
• Set Headlook mode to DIRECT
• Set the Look Up & Down axis by looking up
• Set the Look Left & Right axis by looking left
• you may need to select to invert the axis (I had to invert look left/right)
• IMPORTANT: Go to the Mode Switches part of the control options and Bind something useful to "Toggle Head Look". When flying the headlook will not respond until you toggle it on! I beleive when accessing some options menus or hyperspacing this toggles off again so you need to turn it back on occasionally.
• Finally, in opentrack application is a button near the bottom left called "Keys". Open that an bind something convenient to "Center" so that you can reset where your head neutral point is.

I had a quick fly around and it worked and was pretty cool. It wasn't perfect thought. I think I need to tweak the opentrack curves a bit and also need to try it with better lighting on my face or with a better web cam and web cam position. In any case it was quite fun to try it out.

 

[CaptainKremmen]

Same. On Windows 8.1 here.

I've got this "opentrack-2.0rc1-217" app running and tracking my ugly face with no problems, and VJoy selected.

However, Elite "Control Settings" doesn't react at all to any head movements when trying to map up/down or left/right head tracking.

I can't see anything under Windows "Devices and Printers" or "Device Manager" relating to VJoy, so I'm not quite sure how I can expect Elite to see VJoy.

A bit stumped. Is this something that perhaps works on Windows 7, but not 8.1? Or am I just a donkey?

 

[deMangler]

Same. On Windows 8.1 here.

I've got this "opentrack-2.0rc1-217" app running and tracking my ugly face with no problems, and VJoy selected.

However, Elite "Control Settings" doesn't react at all to any head movements when trying to map up/down or left/right head tracking.

I can't see anything under Windows "Devices and Printers" or "Device Manager" relating to VJoy, so I'm not quite sure how I can expect Elite to see VJoy.

A bit stumped. Is this something that perhaps works on Windows 7, but not 8.1? Or am I just a donkey?

You may need to install the vJoy drivers from here:

http://vjoystick.sourceforge.net/site/index.php/download-a-install *This is incorrect. See next post.

I dunno if it works on Windows 8, it works on 7

That gives a VJoy device that is recognised by windows.

Unfortnately I still cannot seem to get the VJoy device to get input from the OpenTrack, eve though OpenTrack seems to be working fine and VJoy seems to be working fine... *headscratch*

 

[ASQ_dak]

Hmm, ok I'm beginning to see the problem.

1. There are two pieces of sowftware out there called vjoy! The one used by facetracknoir and opentrack is developed by headsoft and is not on source forge so your link to vjoy drivers is the wrong set of vjoy drivers!

2. I installed facetracknoir a couple of months ago and I believe as part of that it installed headsoft's vjoy drivers only. I ended up with 2 vjoy sticks in windows USB gaming devices.

3. The opentrack download is just zipped and didn't require any installation so would not have installed the correct vjoy drivers for you.

4. You can get the correct vjoy drivers from the head soft website here, just scroll to the bottom for the download links:

http://headsoft.com.au/index.php?category=vjoy

You need to install at least the driver only version. You can also install the device mapping one for keybings but it does not function at the same time as open track.

Finally, ensure you have opentrack running and have pressed start before checking windows gaming device properties and testing its responsiveness.

 

[deMangler]

Hmm, ok I'm beginning to see the problem.

1. There are two pieces of sowftware out there called vjoy! The one used by facetracknoir and opentrack is developed by headsoft and is not on source forge so your link to vjoy drivers is the wrong set of vjoy drivers!

2. I installed facetracknoir a couple of months ago and I believe as part of that it installed headsoft's vjoy drivers only. I ended up with 2 vjoy sticks in windows USB gaming devices.

3. The opentrack download is just zipped and didn't require any installation so would not have installed the correct vjoy drivers for you.

4. You can get the correct vjoy drivers from the head soft website here, just scroll to the bottom for the download links:

http://headsoft.com.au/index.php?category=vjoy

You need to install at least the driver only version. You can also install the device mapping one for keybings but it does not function at the same time as open track.

Finally, ensure you have opentrack running and have pressed start before checking windows gaming device properties and testing its responsiveness.

Aha! Thanks for that!
I have removed the old drivers and installed the headsoft ones.
I still get no response from it though. I was wondering if the tx/ty/tz/pitch/roll/yaw numbers by the octopus at the top left of the OpenTrack window should be changing. They are not. The numbers of the raw data at the bottom do change as it tracks my head.
Maybe it is just a simple setting I have wrong.
I feel as if progress is being made....

 

[RickDangerous]

Aha! Thanks for that!
I have removed the old drivers and installed the headsoft ones.
I still get no response from it though. I was wondering if the tx/ty/tz/pitch/roll/yaw numbers by the octopus at the top left of the OpenTrack window should be changing. They are not. The numbers of the raw data at the bottom do change as it tracks my head.
Maybe it is just a simple setting I have wrong.
I feel as if progress is being made....

The numbers by the octopus are the translated numbers, which you get by changing the curves under Mappings Yaw/Pitch. Have you changed those curves? By default they are set to nothing...

 

[deMangler]

The numbers by the octopus are the translated numbers, which you get by changing the curves under Mappings Yaw/Pitch. Have you changed those curves? By default they are set to nothing...

No - The numbers just read 0, even though the raw numbers change. The problem must lie somewhere else...

In case it sheds light, here are my settings.

Spoiler

[opentrack-ui]
compensate-translation=true
compensate-translation-disable-z-axis=false
filter-dll=Accela Filter Mk4
key-alt-center=false
key-alt-toggle=false
key-ctrl-center=false
key-ctrl-toggle=false
key-index-center=0
key-index-toggle=0
key-shift-center=false
key-shift-toggle=false
pitch-alt-axis-sign=true
pitch-invert-axis=false
pitch-zero-pos=0
protocol-dll=VJoy
roll-alt-axis-sign=true
roll-invert-axis=false
roll-zero-pos=0
tracker-dll=HT 1.0
tracker2-dll=
x-alt-axis-sign=false
x-invert-axis=false
x-zero-pos=0
y-alt-axis-sign=false
y-invert-axis=false
y-zero-pos=0
yaw-alt-axis-sign=true
yaw-invert-axis=false
yaw-zero-pos=0
z-alt-axis-sign=false
z-invert-axis=false
z-zero-pos=0

[HT-Tracker]
camera-index=1
enable-rx=true
enable-ry=true
enable-rz=true
enable-tx=true
enable-ty=true
enable-tz=true
fov=56
fps=0
resolution=0

[Curves-rx]
point-count=0

[Curves-ry]
point-count=0

[Curves-rz]
point-count=0

[Curves-tx]
point-count=0

[Curves-ty]
point-count=0

[Curves-tz]
point-count=0

[Curves-tx_alt]
point-count=0

[Curves-ty_alt]
point-count=0

[Curves-tz_alt]
point-count=0

[Curves-rx_alt]
point-count=0

[Curves-ry_alt]
point-count=0

[Curves-rz_alt]
point-count=0

I will post here if I make any progress. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Antmax]

I just downloaded the latest opentrack 2.2a2 from the dropbox folder provided on the github source page.

Opentrack head tracking worked straight away with one exception.

The opentrack center and stop/start keyboard shortcuts you assign, they only work when opentrack is in focus.

So If I have ED running in a small window on the right of my screen and opentrack on the left. Make sure opentrack window is in focus then stop start and center view work in the ED screen. If I set ED as the focus then I can no longer start/stop or center opentrack. The OT key commands do not work.

 

[sthalik]

To clarify, it's alpha 2 and not alpha 1 that works without vjoy.

In case of bugs and other stuff that isn't solved easily, open a github issue as it's hard to monitor the forum when messages about the software are all over the place!

 

[Antmax]

My window focus problems seem to have fixed itself. I should have waited a bit longer before posting. I started up the game again some time later in the day and opentrack has worked perfectly ever since.

Perhaps it was some conflict between some input device and the game during the install. Saitek X52, steelseries mouse, wacom tablet, opentrack, vjoy driver etc are all installed some with background tasks.

Everything is good now and opentrack runs as well in ED as it ever did in War Thunder which I have been using for several months.

Thanks Sthalik

 

[RickDangerous]

No - The numbers just read 0, even though the raw numbers change. The problem must lie somewhere else...

It looks like you have not clicked on Mappings and set a translation curve between raw and translated values, hence the translated values will always be zero. Did you really set a curve under Mappings!?

 

[deMangler]

It looks like you have not clicked on Mappings and set a translation curve between raw and translated values, hence the translated values will always be zero. Did you really set a curve under Mappings!?

Aha! That is my herp derp moment. I had two folders with the software in. One with mappings set and the other without. I was running the one without so it wasn't working.
It is working fine now.
Thanks!

 

[CaptainKremmen]

Hi folks.

Sorry, I must be incredibly dumb. What "Game protocol" does OpenTrack 2.2a2 need to work with ED Beta 1.0?

I must have tried them all. Nothing I do gets ED spotting head up/down when I'm trying to sense/choose "LOOK UP AND DOWN AXIS" in "Controls".

I've got the OpenTrack "Mappings" done, with useful Yaw and Pitch graphs. My face-waving makes the little lines go up and down, so that's all good. But... how do I get ED to see it?

Pointers welcome!

 

[Avigrace]

This is the best implementation of head tracking i have had so far, FTNoir always used to mess up if I looked up and left as the leds seemed to cross paths and confuse the software, this works perfectly now.

Works really well in Elite and makes the game far more immersive!

 

[deMangler]

Hi folks.

Sorry, I must be incredibly dumb. What "Game protocol" does OpenTrack 2.2a2 need to work with ED Beta 1.0?

I must have tried them all. Nothing I do gets ED spotting head up/down when I'm trying to sense/choose "LOOK UP AND DOWN AXIS" in "Controls".

I've got the OpenTrack "Mappings" done, with useful Yaw and Pitch graphs. My face-waving makes the little lines go up and down, so that's all good. But... how do I get ED to see it?

Pointers welcome!

VJoy.
You probably need to install the drivers from here. I just installed the driver only one at the bottom of the page, VJoy Virtual Joystick Driver v1.2 (Driver Only).
Then E:⁠D detects it when you waggle your head.

I only use pitch and yaw. My roughly put together mappings which work ok for now are here:

Spoiler

Roll

Pitch

 

[reload]

Just started to get this working using the point tracker - have had to lower the curves to almost nothing, and cranked the deadzones up in-game. Still not quite perfect, but working pretty well

 

[reload]

Getting frustrated with this - it's so nearly working perfectly, but not quite.

For me, it's working almost like a hat switch set to Accumulate. I look up, the screen looks up. I return to facing forward - the screen stops moving further up but stays in the neutral position, leaving me facing up. To return to the normal forward view I have to look down again, and look up at exactly the right moment to stop the screen movement.

I'm guessing/hoping I've just got something in the configuration wrong and this isn't the normal behaviour! Anyone?