Classic British Flight Sim

Hi Pop-Pickers,

The much anticipated TrackIR4 Pro arrived yesterday and I've had a day of fiddling so thought I'd share my experience with you.

Now.. you all know how anti VC I am and 24hrs isn't long enough for this opinion to have changed. Like many here, I've only ever used a VC while on approch and when the AoA gets high enough that the runway is no longer in view. Makes sense though I've disliked doing it!!
Some models however, the RealAir Spitfire for one as it has no 2D panel!!, and others of a similar ilk have their 2D panels drawn in such a fashion that you see little out even when straight and level and it is such models that bring TrackIR into it's own. Almost without exception, when I pan around using the POV, I end up going the wrong way and the entire experience is about as far away from 'As real as it gets' as is possible :k:

What do you get?? Well, a rather cheap and nasty looking plastic case contains a very small control unit (this sits on top of your monitor), an odd shaped bit of metal (this attaches to the peak of your baseball cap) and a CD containing the drivers. Installation is reasonably straight forward though its not quite like many USB devices. Once the CD is running, you accept the terms and the software will load to a default location.. this is not the end of it. After you have plugged the device in, Windows reports a new device found towit you either have to let windows search itself (recommended) or point it to the correct directory on the CD. This done, you are quite literally ready to go. One small point to note.. I also loaded Fraps on to my pc yesterday and this defaults to F9 for activation as does TrackIR and FSNavigator so be prepared for a bit of re-assignment of your fave keys!!

OK.. start the newly created aplet on your desktop (first making sure no one is around to see you wearing a baseball hat with a metal thingy attached to the front).. start the sim and dive into your favourite aircrafts VC. Move your head and like magic, your view moves around the VC following your head movements. These are slightly exagerated btw and they have to be otherwise you'd not be able to see behind you!! Immediately you'll notice that gauges that couldn't be seen before (the Spit is great for this having a dirty great gunsight in the way) now spring into view. OK, you may not be able to get a clear view straight away but by moving your head, you move the view around the obstruction!! Uncanny!! Joining a cct or keeping an eye on your position for downwind and base legs are now very easy to do. You simply look left or right and know immediately where you are. Moving backwards or forwards in your chair moves you backwards and forwards in the cockpit so if a window pillar is in the way, you just move forward or to either side and look around it!!

Now.. this all sounds very nice and I suppose it is but with the following words of caution. It will take some practise before you manage to get your head in the right place. I've found that I cannot get a full field of view in some VC's without moving my position back slightly or moving the cap at a different angle. When this happens, the view will freeze and reset. You can however, re-site yourself at any time and hit F12 to reset the central position.
I mentioned above about moving your position from side to side to see around obstructions like window pillars and this works great. You must remember to get your butt back to where it should be as its all too easy to not only land off the centreline but off the runway if you don't!!

Your new found toy will also show up glaringly poor VC's (even one's that looked reasonable on your brief visit with the POV hat) and holes in models that were not visible before!!

In summary.. am I convinced that TrackIR4 is the best thing since sliced bread??? In a word.. no. A good 2D panel, while being limited as far as lateral vision is concerned can still be and is a match for even the best VC's and having TrackIR will not force me to use VC's where a good 2D panel is in place. TrackIR really comes into its own in aircraft like WWII fighters, fast jets.. that sort of thing and those of you who have games like IL2, Battle of Britain, even Colin McRae will not be disappointed as profiles for these and many more are included in the package. Of the aircraft I've tried so far, Rick's 748, Meatbox, Chippie and Jet Provost plus the Shackleton Projects old but still able Shack MR3 stand out as models I'd fly fulltime with TrackIR (you'd love it BW!!! ). I'm sure the latest One-Eleven panel would look great too as would the Trident but I don't have them loaded on this system :roll:

There you go guy's. If anyone has any questions or indeed, if there are current TrackIR users who'd like to add more.. feel free to do so. There is a reasonably current report by Andrew Herd over on Allnodes and the major supplier here in the UK (maybe the only supplier) is RC Simulations of Bristol

ATB

DaveB :tab:

That's me knackered then..................haven't got a baseball cap.

No Sir.. it's got a B17 on the front with the wording 'Sally B' underneath

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Might give this a look in.


Ive got a DPM Forage cap?

DaveB wrote:No Sir.. it's got a B17 on the front with the wording 'Sally B' underneath

ATB

DaveB :tab:

USAF type aeroplane thingy that worse :huf:

And would that be a classic Brit Boeing 299?

Garry

DaveB wrote:I've found that I cannot get a full field of view in some VC's without moving my position back slightly or moving the cap at a different angle. When this happens, the view will freeze and reset. You can however, re-site yourself at any time and hit F12 to reset the central position.

Dave, I have the prior TrackIR3 and suffer no freeze while looking or moving around, except that is if I move out of the 'view' range of the sensor, something that has been increased on version 4. If its like version 3 you'll be able to call up a window showing the tracked reflectors on the hat. While watching that move about, make sure it always sees the three points in your entire movement range, if you lose one, that's when a freeze or jump can occur.

For getting the whole cockpit in view, simply select + or - to adjust the perspective or you can more permanently modify the eyepoint position in the configs.

One thing for sure is the situational awareness aspect, for circuits it's great for combat it's essential.

Allan

DaveB wrote:No Sir.. it's got a B17 on the front with the wording 'Sally B' underneath

ATB

DaveB :tab:

You sure it doesn't say "Silly B"???

Thanks for that Allan

and thanks for that Steve :roll:

Concur with the use of +/-. I like to try and get it as near as possible to the real thing and find coming back more than 1 position (2 at most) gives everything a 'Goldfish bowl' appearance that I don't particularly like. The majority of recent Alpha releases have a standard zoom of 50% and I can't handle this so you see where I'm coming from. Each to their own though

ATB

DaveB :tab:

I've had my Tir4 for a couple of months now, and really like it, though I do spend more time designing than I do flying!

Dave mentions "holes" in some models (I'm sure there are some in mine ) which is basicly modellers not putting in what cannot be seen from the cockpit. With TrackIr it's easy to open the canopy and put your virtual head outside. As more and more simmers get one, they are creating a demand for more "complete" VC models, up to and including the full aircraft as they like to step outside and have a look around. While this is fine for some, the extra poly count can make the VC unusable for people with lower spec machines.
As always it's a compromise and you can't please everyone (or should that be anyone)

Hey Dave

A couple of pointers

TrackIR 4 should not freeze - there must be a light conflict somewhere. If you are using it during the day, check the light sources directly behind you. I have to shut my curtains and put a towel over the glass paned door behind me if I want to use the unit during the day. Make sure the unit is not too close to the Vector Expansion clip as this can cause jumping as well.

Also if you hold down Ctrl or Shift as you press + or - it will zoom in/out in smaller stages. There is another control that adjusts the eye level.... Shift+Enter for up and Shift+Backspace for down (Ctrl+Enter and Ctrl+Backspace for back/forward)

So tonight you need to dim the lights, set the screen back a little, sit on a dining room chair or one that does not swivel or tilt back, fire up the TrackIR software, fire up the screencapture software, open FS9 choose any of the favourites here that have vc (may I suggest the 748?) and go enjoy your TrackIR. Try the Mach loop in any of the DSB hawks with some of the excellent repaints available here. I'm running away with the suggestions eh?

Al

PS: a dram or two on the side makes for a perfect evenings entertainment :dance: