In-game navigation (VR)

[WIS-Redcoat]

The in-game map is presented well in VR, but it could really use a couple of features to greatly improve immersion and function.

 

The ability to set a time stamped "mark" as well as a plot line with degrees would greatly enhance experience.

[56RAF_Roblex]

Navigation is hard but I am getting used to it and learning the terrain but I would like one aid,  the ability to set a marker on the map once I find where I am.  Maybe also mark my waypoints before I start.    I find that sometimes when I get lost and find my position again then next time I open my map it then takes me several seconds to find that position on the map again.       It is not unrealistic, if I was flying I would have a pencil to add notes to my map and I would have probably pre-marked my target and waypoints before I took off.

[TG-55Panthercules]

Hopefully the devs will get around to improving the in-game map's usefulness.  Until then, you might want to check out what OVRDrop can do about injecting IL-2MissionPlanner (or some other external map tool) into VR with BoS - see this thread:

 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/31005-ovrdrop-feasible-map/

 

It's pretty cool.

[WIS-Redcoat]

Wow, that is exactly what we need.  Looks a little complicated but thank you for sharing.

[TG-55Panthercules]

Wow, that is exactly what we need.  Looks a little complicated but thank you for sharing.

 

Yeah - it is a little complicated and fiddly to set up (and it costs $15). However, once you get it set up initially it's pretty easy to incorporate into your BoS startup routine and has been working like a charm for me in my last several missions.  It's kinda like PWCG, in that you need to get out of BoS between missions if you want to adjust your map for a new flight plan, but like with PWCG it's worth it (IMHO anyway).  If I'm reading the info about OVRDrop correctly, there may be some way to interact with the IL-2MissionPlanner map while still inside BoS, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet (I did sorta stumble into that once, when I was having the "loss of focus" issue I mentioned in that thread, but I'm not sure how that happened and I haven't been able to recreate it yet).

[PanzerPajamas]

After reading this and the other thread, I decided to give OVRdrop a try. It took a little while to set up, but I can confirm that you can interact with the Il2missionplanner while flying.

 

I had some trouble initially as I'm using an ultra-wide screen and couldn't easy find the cursor in relation to my browser, which I needed to resize to something readable in VR (1000 x 700 worked well for me). My solution was to simply move the browser that had il2missionplanner on it to the lower left corner of the screen so it was easy to navigate the mouse to that location. Once the mouse was over the browser, I could click on it and create/modify a flight plan. Note that you have no control over the game (aircraft) while you are interacting with the browser. To regain control of the aircraft, I moved the mouse up away from the browser and clicked, which selected the game and gave me full control again.

 

I assigned a hotkey (space) to bring up the browser and was able to view it clearly while having total control of the aircraft. It's only when you are interacting with the browser that you don't have control of the game. You can also have the option of keeping the browser static, which I did, or have it move with your head.

 

So far I'm very impressed with app as it does exactly what I need.

[OrLoK]

Im finding that the more time i spend in VR and the more i force myself to not use tags the less i get lost.

 

It still happens a lot but im findingvit easier to work out where i am....mostly.

 

Still need tags for aircraft though.

[TG-55Panthercules]

My solution was to simply move the browser that had il2missionplanner on it to the lower left corner of the screen so it was easy to navigate the mouse to that location. Once the mouse was over the browser, I could click on it and create/modify a flight plan. 

 

Great tip - I was having the same trouble figuring out how to activate the map screen while in game, but having it down in the corner like you suggested did the trick.  Thanks for clearing that up!

 

It's unfortunate that OVRDrop has a performance/FPS "cost", but I don't think it's as bad as having the HUD on (which as I understand it is necessary to get the in-game minimap to show up), and it's been totally worth it from my perspective - I actually managed to find my way back to my base after getting rather disoriented during a long dogfight this afternoon by using the map via OVRDrop.  Really makes the VR experience so much better.

Edited September 19, 2017 by TG-55Panthercules