It's a dirty job...

[Panzerlang]

...but we're going to do it. Bombing that is (my brother is a nut for sim-racing car set-upping, so he reckons he'll enjoy learning how the bombsight stuff works). Just been re-getting to grips with piloting the He111. I watched the v6 tutorials, then flew the v16 and got it a bit sideways with the cockpit differences (about 20 minutes to understand it doesn't have its oil rads on axis-levers as regards control mapping). Mixture appears to be automatic, water still on cocks (mapped to an axis for me). It really is an experience in VR.

Regarding which, I had a look through the various stations and a couple of them whooshed me out to an external view. Given I'm thinking of getting him a VR headset, is it going to work ok in bomb-aimer and gunner stations? I'd like him to enjoy the same awesome VR experience but it looks like non-pilot positions might be an issue in VR?

[-332FG-Gordon200]

Shouldn't be a problem. Looking at the bomb sight in VR is like being in the front row of an IMAX theater.

[danielprates]

 

I've beem itching to buy a VR set.... but what scares me is how to manage all the functions that, insofar, are still dependent on the keyboard. There is only so many things you can bind to a joystick axis or button. Currently I have all trims, weapon and camera controls on the joystick (also all axes obviously, rudder included). But so many important things are still on the keyboard! All shutters, rpm, mixture, boost, supercharger stage, all lights, flaps, gears, cockpit or window controls, map functions, tailwheel.... all the new "binding" gizmos we got with the p47.... the old gizmos like the one that binds flaps to the stabilizer in the ju52.... the list goes on and on.

 

How you guys do it? You take the goggles off for a second every now and then? Perhaps a braille-like skill to touch the keyboard without looking at it?

Edited March 29, 2019 by danielprates

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

12 minutes ago, danielprates said:

 

I've beem itching to buy a VR set.... but what scares me is how to manage all the functions that, insofar, are still dependent on the keyboard. There is only so many things you can bind to a joystick axis or button. Currently I have all trims, weapon and camera controls on the joystick (also all axes obviously, rudder included). But so many important things are still on the keyboard! All shutters, rpm, mixture, boost, supercharger stage, all lights, flaps, gears, cockpit or window controls, map functions, tailwheel.... all the new "binding" gizmos we got with the p47.... the old gizmos like the one that binds flaps to the stabilizer in the ju52.... the list goes on and on.

 

How you guys do it? You take the goggles off for a second every now and then? Perhaps a braille-like skill to touch the keyboard without looking at it?

HOTAS and voice attack software.

 

[Guest deleted@134347]

I got a Rii Mini Wireless Keyboard strapped to my left hand while in VR. You can see it through a gap between the VR headset and the face... plus a bunch of buttons on the HOTAS, but I keep forgetting them anyway..

 

[Panzerlang]

31 minutes ago, danielprates said:

 

I've beem itching to buy a VR set.... but what scares me is how to manage all the functions that, insofar, are still dependent on the keyboard. There is only so many things you can bind to a joystick axis or button. Currently I have all trims, weapon and camera controls on the joystick (also all axes obviously, rudder included). But so many important things are still on the keyboard! All shutters, rpm, mixture, boost, supercharger stage, all lights, flaps, gears, cockpit or window controls, map functions, tailwheel.... all the new "binding" gizmos we got with the p47.... the old gizmos like the one that binds flaps to the stabilizer in the ju52.... the list goes on and on.

 

How you guys do it? You take the goggles off for a second every now and then? Perhaps a braille-like skill to touch the keyboard without looking at it?

I can see a tiny gap both sides of my nose, which is barely useable. I've developed a good feel for distance, direction and braille-groping the keyboard (ESC key). Everything else is on my two throttle quadrants and joystick. But if all else fails I pull the goggles up quickly.

[w00dy]

I would also recommend voice attack for VR users, a great bit of software.

 

I have also bought a throttle quadrant and rudder pedals since getting VR, which are really usefull and I also use voice attack.

[danielprates]

Interesting! I will check all of those!

[Izel]

9 minutes ago, danielprates said:

 

I've beem itching to buy a VR set.... but what scares me is how to manage all the functions that, insofar, are still dependent on the keyboard. There is only so many things you can bind to a joystick axis or button. Currently I have all trims, weapon and camera controls on the joystick (also all axes obviously, rudder included). But so many important things are still on the keyboard! All shutters, rpm, mixture, boost, supercharger stage, all lights, flaps, gears, cockpit or window controls, map functions, tailwheel.... all the new "binding" gizmos we got with the p47.... the old gizmos like the one that binds flaps to the stabilizer in the ju52.... the list goes on and on.

 

How you guys do it? You take the goggles off for a second every now and then? Perhaps a braille-like skill to touch the keyboard without looking at it?

One technique you can use is to take advantage of modifier keys such as ctrl or shift. They are easy to locate blindly and you can easily extend the amount of controls available in your joystick, by mapping multiple commands to the same button. If you have a HOTAS configuration you can use joy2key to map the ctrl and shift keys to a pair of buttons in your throttle, making it even easier to use this technique. 

To send messages, it helps if you are able to touch type as you tend to develop a sense of the keyboard position and the ridges on the J and F keys help with orientation. The tricky part is to make sure your plane is properly trimmed and flying level, allowing you to release the stick without losing too much flight control. On many WW1 planes this is not possible as you need to constantly apply pressure down to keep the plane level. In this case what I do is significantly retard my throttle before releasing the stick, reducing the tendency of the plane to nose-up and possibly stall. 

Finally, at least in the Rift, there is a tiny gap between the headset and your nose where you can peek at your keyboard by tilting your head upwards but looking downwards. This allows you to still keep unfrequently used commands to your keyboard or type messages if you are not a touch-typist. 

 

Hope you jump on the VR bandwagon. To me is a dream come true!

Cheers! 

[Cpt_Cool]

44 minutes ago, danielprates said:

Perhaps a braille-like skill to touch the keyboard without looking at it

 

Honestly this is how i do it and its not hard at all.

 

The bumps on the f, j, and num 5 are all i need. (Setting up the keybinds with the bumps in mind took longer than getting good at using it). And I have an msffb2, so that leaves a lot to the keyboard. 

 

Not saing voice attack and other gizmos arent worth it, but i never had the need to try.

[[PFR]Sarpalaxan]

Not sure if i understood the OP right but you can't go into the Bombsight as a Gunner, even if he is in the position of the bombardier. Just a heads up. 

 

@-99th-moosya That is a truly awsome Idea.

[Poochnboo]

You don't really need to be keymapping EVERYTHING in the cockpit. When flying in VR worry about the important ones. Not windows. To solve the lack of buttons, double up on the workload. For instance, I have shutters open and close, oil radiators open and close, water radiators open and close all on the same two buttons. Makes it easier. Manifold pressure and supercharger are both controlled by the throttle. 

[Panzerlang]

24 minutes ago, [GG]Sarpalaxan said:

Not sure if i understood the OP right but you can't go into the Bombsight as a Gunner, even if he is in the position of the bombardier. Just a heads up. 

 

@-99th-moosya That is a truly awsome Idea.

I figured the bombsight panel must have its own key-press after cycling through all the positions.

[[PFR]Sarpalaxan]

It is, but only the Pilot can open it. So if you want to take your Brother with you as a Bombardier that sadly won't work.

[Panzerlang]

1 hour ago, [GG]Sarpalaxan said:

It is, but only the Pilot can open it. So if you want to take your Brother with you as a Bombardier that sadly won't work.

Oh. WTH! And there I was, about to ask if the pilot has to put the plane into auto level flight so the bomb-aimer can take over.

I guess there's a serious code issue involved with that then.

[novicebutdeadly]

3 hours ago, Uffz-Prien said:

...but we're going to do it. Bombing that is (my brother is a nut for sim-racing car set-upping, so he reckons he'll enjoy learning how the bombsight stuff works). Just been re-getting to grips with piloting the He111. I watched the v6 tutorials, then flew the v16 and got it a bit sideways with the cockpit differences (about 20 minutes to understand it doesn't have its oil rads on axis-levers as regards control mapping). Mixture appears to be automatic, water still on cocks (mapped to an axis for me). It really is an experience in VR.

Regarding which, I had a look through the various stations and a couple of them whooshed me out to an external view. Given I'm thinking of getting him a VR headset, is it going to work ok in bomb-aimer and gunner stations? I'd like him to enjoy the same awesome VR experience but it looks like non-pilot positions might be an issue in VR?

You don't need to learn to use the bomb sight if you fly a Ju88 at 100 feet A6 Intruder style ?

Edited March 29, 2019 by novicebutdeadly

[Panzerlang]

Yeah, I know but the idea was my brother would have something more interesting to do than just man the guns. Should I assume the same will be the case for the observer position in the WW1 2-seaters...no taking pics or dropping bombs?

 

Aaand I've just discovered I still have my CH Throttle quadrant and another Saitek one too. I thought I'd sold them nigh on ten years ago.

I've now gone from "Do I have enough levers and switches for the Ju88" to "Do I have enough Ju88 for all my levers and switches." ?

Edited March 29, 2019 by Uffz-Prien