Question to Alpha backers with Track IR and triple monitors

Deus · Mar 29, 2014

As the title says, to those of you using Track IR with triple monitors, could you please inform us if it helps significantly. For example, if we're in a dogfight, will the Track IR give a significant advantage over someone without? or are three screens enough to get the peripheral vision required to have an edge?

I'm asking because I am looking at this as my next upgrade, and don't want to throw away $$$ for no (good) reason. I already have triple 27's

Mazhurg · Mar 29, 2014

Yes.

Longer answer is the trackIR trumps manual ways of looking around easily, as you can look and 'fixate' anywhere in your field of view - which is greater than the triple screen area. - Once you have and get used to one, you will never play sims (driving / flying / ect) from first person view without them again.

On the other hand, for a few more squids, the one system that will beat both the trackIR and triple screens will be the OR, but that is still a little while away.

Omegahunter · Mar 29, 2014

Not using trackIR but have a surround setup and currently testing "H'ED' Look" lol

( Might be a good name for it guys? )
The custom kit tracking device being working on by some of the Alpha guys atm that uses a gyro chip, and it makes a real difference to the game feels.

While you don't get that "I'm inside the game feel of the OR it doesn't take long before you get used to just looking and it frees up at least one key and a hat switch.

Might not give you a significant advantage over someone without it ( that 12 year old kid is always going to be a pain in the A for us 40+ ) but it will improve your situational awareness which is always good.

Deus · Mar 29, 2014

Mazhurg said:
Yes.

Longer answer is the trackIR trumps manual ways of looking around easily, as you can look and 'fixate' anywhere in your field of view - which is greater than the triple screen area. - Once you have and get used to one, you will never play sims (driving / flying / ect) from first person view without them again.

Thanks Mazhurg, you have confirmed my thoughts

Omegahunter said:
Not using trackIR but have a surround setup and currently testing "H'ED' Look" lol ( Might be a good name for it guys? )
The custom kit tracking device being working on by some of the Alpha guys atm that uses a gyro chip, and it makes a real difference to the game feels.

While you don't get that "I'm inside the game feel of the OR it doesn't take long before you get used to just looking and it frees up at least one key and a hat switch.

Might not give you a significant advantage over someone without it ( that 12 year old kid is always going to be a pain in the A for us 40+ ) but it will improve your situational awareness which is always good.

Ha! I hear you. When I was 12, I had the Amiga 500 and you couldn't get me off the F'ing thing.

I guess, more than being an advantage, is the sense of immersion The Track IR seems to bring. True?
Just looking at a few reviews of other games with it, It seems a lot more immersive than surround screens alone. I was looking at an FSX demo where the wearer could sit up, and look 'over' the nose of the plane, which is what impressed me about the setup the most - distance from the screen as well as direction.

Dalkeith · Mar 29, 2014

Deus said:
I was looking at an FSX demo where the wearer could sit up, and look 'over' the nose of the plane, which is what impressed me about the setup the most - distance from the screen as well as direction.

Which is all the stuff the Occulus will have when it comes on market. With HD screens it is going to blow people away.

Especially considering it already blows people away.

Deus · Mar 29, 2014

Don't get me wrong, if Oculus was retail, and you could see your hands while wearing the thing, we probably wouldn't be talking about track IR.

JKF · Mar 29, 2014

Deus said:
Don't get me wrong, if Oculus was retail, and you could see your hands while wearing the thing, we probably wouldn't be talking about track IR.

Should think eventually there'll be something, camera perhaps, that will monitor your arm/hands so an in game presence can be created for them.

Asp Explorer · Mar 29, 2014

Deus said:
I already have triple 27's

Nice!

What card and res are you running?

My 23's are pretty much at the limit of what I can fit in my space, and the spread fits quite nicely with the TrackIR. I still haven't found the right settings for up and down though, needs a lot more work to be comfortable.

Rog · Mar 29, 2014

Omegahunter said:
Not using trackIR but have a surround setup and currently testing "H'ED' Look" lol ( Might be a good name for it guys? )
The custom kit tracking device being working on by some of the Alpha guys atm that uses a gyro chip, and it makes a real difference to the game feels.

While you don't get that "I'm inside the game feel of the OR it doesn't take long before you get used to just looking and it frees up at least one key and a hat switch.

Might not give you a significant advantage over someone without it ( that 12 year old kid is always going to be a pain in the A for us 40+ ) but it will improve your situational awareness which is always good.

The gyro tracker sounds interesting, shame it's locked away in the alpha forums. What's it based on, one of the small arduino boards?

Mazhurg · Mar 29, 2014

Asp Explorer said:
Nice!

What card and res are you running?

My 23's are pretty much at the limit of what I can fit in my space, and the spread fits quite nicely with the TrackIR. I still haven't found the right settings for up and down though, needs a lot more work to be comfortable.

I could fit up to 3 32", or 1 60" on this gaming gear of mine, but can't justify the 3 screens to the pretend boss considering that I currently have 3 23" ones (especially with the OR planned), and I like the idea of multiple screens, especially when one needs to monitor stuff outside the 'game'.

On the other hand, windows 8.1 apps are an horrible waste of space on such a setup when in eyefinity

(the only app that even come close to being useful is their news one, and even then).

tooterfish · Mar 29, 2014

Rog said:
The gyro tracker sounds interesting, shame it's locked away in the alpha forums. What's it based on, one of the small arduino boards?

I'd love to hear more about this too.

I've been thinking about buying a cheap webcam and some IR LEDs and ghettoing up a head tracker. The more alternatives to TrackIR the better IMO.

Jack Booted Thug · Mar 29, 2014

Rog said:
The gyro tracker sounds interesting, shame it's locked away in the alpha forums. What's it based on, one of the small arduino boards?

Yes it is.

This...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/291050427801?lpid=82
http://www.banggood.com/5V-16M-Pro-Mini-Microcontroller-Board-Improved-AtMega328P-328-p-91446.html

And this...
http://playground.arduino.cc/Main/MPU-6050

They are still tweaking it but it looks like a very good option. From what I have read it probably works just as well as a TrackIR except it is a little more clunky in the construction.

It is something to watch for sure.

Jack Booted Thug · Mar 29, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oqLwCtMCKc

tooterfish · Mar 29, 2014

Thanks for that. A little challenging for those of us not hardware oriented, but doesn't look overly technical.

I bet it's a lot easier on your CPU than the visual/IR trackers too.

Deus · Mar 29, 2014

Asp Explorer said:
Nice!

What card and res are you running?

My 23's are pretty much at the limit of what I can fit in my space, and the spread fits quite nicely with the TrackIR. I still haven't found the right settings for up and down though, needs a lot more work to be comfortable.

I'm running 2 GTX770 3gb cards at 7778 x 1440 bezel corrected, I'm on alpha now, and can tell you it looks fantastic and almost jitter free, though in the E: D setup it could use more adjustability to eliminate the 'stretch' effect on the secondary screens, ala I Racing

Driver · Mar 30, 2014

I have three older Dell FP2001 displays in a 3x1 Eyefinity array. With bezel correction, the resolution is 5095x1200. I am also using TrackIR.

Yes, I think that the wide screen with the TrackIR helps. The immersion is pretty good. I use the TrackIR to access the left and right menus as well as to help with following targets.

Halada · Mar 30, 2014

I play with three 30" in landscape (7680x1600) and I do not use my TrackIR5 even though I have it. I haven't felt the need to use it yet, since the side monitors add so much FOV.

I will try it with tonight.

Rog · Mar 30, 2014

Jack Booted Thug said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oqLwCtMCKc

Watched the Youtube vid and read the blogposts about the tracker, and I'm really impressed!

As it happens, I ordered a couple of arduino pro micros a few days ago to experiment with, so it looks like I'll have to get some of those accelerometer boards too, and nail one of these trackers together! :smilie:

Couple of questions: is the tracker 3dof or 6dof, and is there any reason why the board couldn't be stuffed into one side of a suitably roomy gaming headset?

Leonick · Mar 30, 2014

Jack Booted Thug said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oqLwCtMCKc

That's pretty cool. Someone should make some proper commercial hardware out of that.

Am I right in saying that it doesn't seem to pick up leaning in different directions and changing the camera for that? I know TrackIR and FaceTrackNoIR can do that. Maybe it does it but just wasn't shown in the video?

Omegahunter · Mar 30, 2014

Rog said:
Couple of questions: is the tracker 3dof or 6dof, and is there any reason why the board couldn't be stuffed into one side of a suitably roomy gaming headset?

The chip used is a 6dof one but the current code is only using 3dof atm. The current kit is being made from pre built boards that are being interface together so the current size will be to big to fit in all but the biggest headsets but once the the idea is fully working I can't see why it can't be made as a single custom board with all the parts in just the one or two chips and preloaded software.
Then it would be small enough to be clipped to your headset ( Remember you're seeing a full breadboard build right now).

Leonick said:
Am I right in saying that it doesn't seem to pick up leaning in different directions and changing the camera for that? I know TrackIR and FaceTrackNoIR can do that. Maybe it does it but just wasn't shown in the video?

Right now its limited to what the Elite Dangerous Alpha code give us for head look ( unlike trackIR and Oculus Rift with full internal access ) which is currently just yaw and pitch. The "H'ED Look" code already does roll but there is no way to interface it to the game.
Its a direction tracker not position tracker and you will always be viewing your monitor screen so it not being looked at if you're ducking or leaning and the game doesn't expose these controls to us for use anyway.