Simple tool to check your six

[J2_NobiWan]

14 minutes ago, Drum said:

I really like NobiWan's V02exp version, does anyone know how to remove the side and forward input it automatically adds?  That part is lame when you're inside a cockpit with lots of canopy bracings.[

I believe that this is a side effect of a not perfectly centered neutral/reset point. It is not intentional and I don't see it on my Rift-S. The exp version is more or less a quick hack to see if the concept works. I should stop slacking and make it work better... But you know how life is! ?

[Drum]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply!  That's good to know, NobiWan, I'll recenter my cockpits and use a little more body English!  ?

[Spook109]

Hi, I have it installed and running. I've buttons and tried it with both manual / auto, Snap and Accum. In the graph I can see my yaw moving as expected in physical and translation. My problem is that there is no translation being applied. This is regardless of what values I add for rotation and translation. The view always remains zero translation.

 

Anyone have ideas what is preventing this? I'm running the app as admin. Reverb G1.

 

When I hit that first threshold at 60-deg, the view does flicker momentarily. Too fast to get any sense of what's going on with that.

Edited January 7, 2022 by El_Bano
Additional info

[[CPT]Crunch]

Try the additional settings on the open app, upper right corner.  Try forcing seated position and such, sometimes you it will only work with one unique combination of these settings, but remember you'll have to restart your game each time to apply and try.

 

Sometimes it won't work either if you allow windows to choose your HMD settings.

[Stolle]

Does this work with Steam VR beta? I tried to open Necksafer and steam vr crashed. I changed the option in Necksafer to run only after steam vr is running, but nothing happens when I push buttons to rotate left and right after pushing the centering button for vr in the game. Also will this work with fsr2.0?

[danomite]

This is an amazing little program.  Has anybody got it working with War Thunder?  It works for me in IL2 and in the standard Windows Mixed Reality environment, but doesn't work in War Thunder.

[Patricks]

Still no joy with people that have the Varjo Aero - this from the Varjo Discord, but from a couple months ago using a VR-3, may say something useful -

"Is anyone using VRNecksafer with IL-2? I have some major issues with DCS (view is shifted 140 degrees to the left and under the plane), in IL-2 the view is fine, but I always get one second of delay with almost black screen when switching views.

[ACG_PanzerVI]

Been using this app for quite awhile (still using v 1.6).  I tried a newer version once and couldn't get it to work, but the basic functionality of snapview in IL2 is all I needed and 1.6 scratches that itch.  Now trying to get to work in DCS and consensus seems to be v2.07 so going to try it.  Just noted your request to grab FC2 in lieu of donations.  Since this is the only thing that makes IL2 playable for me, I will make my long delayed purchase of the new WW1 stuff, despite getting owned in Flugpark every time I try to fly there!  Thanks much.  Any updates or thoughts on DCS welcome.  Running DCS on Steam VR (w/ WMR for Steam VR, but I don't have DCS or IL2 in Steam, both standalone, so no 'app controls' in Steam VR).  

[Drano]

I had the experimental version working fine until the last update. With it running now the view is jittery and won't rotate. If I kill the app the view straightens out. I've tried clearing the settings and trying different combos at startup. Also deleted and unzipped a new download figuring something maybe got corrupted. No go with the experimental.

 

Running the regular version now and is working fine. Love the app. Be great if it worked for more games like this. 

[ACG_PanzerVI]

So, it works in DCS, using manual rotation (v. 2.07)however every time I use it, it seems to automatically set my seat height to maximum up.  I can still fly it ok, but have to hunch down to see my gunsight.  If I hit the keypad 5, it resets, but apparently I cannot map the keypad 5 in DCS (probably need to use Joy2key or something).  Any idea what is causing this and how to remedy?  I tried taking out the translation, but it didn't seem to have any effect.  Any thoughts appreciated.

[J2_NobiWan]

44 minutes ago, ACG_PanzerV said:

 If I hit the keypad 5, it resets, but apparently I cannot map the keypad 5 in DCS (probably need to use Joy2key or something).  Any idea what is causing this and how to remedy? 

Recenter VR view (Keypad 5) can be found under UI layer in Dcs. It needs to be mapped to the same button as the VRNS reset button for the app to work.

9 hours ago, =LD=Icer said:

Still no joy with people that have the Varjo Aero - this from the Varjo Discord, but from a couple months ago using a VR-3, may say something useful -

"Is anyone using VRNecksafer with IL-2? I have some major issues with DCS (view is shifted 140 degrees to the left and under the plane), in IL-2 the view is fine, but I always get one second of delay with almost black screen when switching views.

 

My best bet is that VRNS will probably work with IL2 on the aero, but DCS might give problems. I'm curious too...

19 hours ago, Stolle said:

Does this work with Steam VR beta? I tried to open Necksafer and steam vr crashed. I changed the option in Necksafer to run only after steam vr is running, but nothing happens when I push buttons to rotate left and right after pushing the centering button for vr in the game. Also will this work with fsr2.0?

Steam VR beta and fsr2.0 should work fine together with VRNS

Edited January 8, 2022 by J2_NobiWan

[Avetorro-VR]

I’ve been flying in VR for a year or so now and also found this to be a slight problem. What I did was attach all my controllers to a swivel chair (except rudder pedals) and then I just swing the chair round a little and I don’t have to turn my head/body as much. You can quickly get back on your pedals if need be and I’ve never found it a problem. Coming from that other combat sim that shall remain anonymous,  I have found the ‘VR lock’ a bit of an issue as it feels very unnatural and quite restrictive as you should be able to get your head a little closer to the glass to see below you, and to have the cockpit moving about my head as I turn to look around kind of ruins the vr immersion a bit. But being able to stick your face through the headrest and see who’s behind you is quite unacceptable

[Patricks]

Got a response from Ville at Varjo support, he tried it out this weekend.

"I did manage to run a short test with the latest standard version of VRNeckSafer. And yeah, seems like it does not work correctly with Aero but stutters/part of the view turns to black when trying to switch the view. I'll notify this forwards, but no guarantees if something will be done or not. We'll see. :)"

[Asgar]

On 1/8/2022 at 11:16 PM, J2_NobiWan said:

Steam VR beta and fsr2.0 should work fine together with VRNS

since I'm a pleb when it comes to VR, is FSR natively included with SteamVR beta or do you still need the openvr_api.dll from github? since neck saver has it's on openvr_api.dll. you can't have both

Edited January 11, 2022 by Asgar

[[CPT]Crunch]

The FRS openvr-ape.dll works just dandy with my version of NS, never had an issue.  Also use both in DCS without a problem.

[Blitzen]

I think an older version of this terrific mod may be causing a screen freeze during gameplay.Is it difficult to exchange a newer version it? In other words simply swap it out for the newest model?

Thanks again.This is one of my top 5 favorite improvements in the sim!?

[J2_NobiWan]

3 hours ago, Blitzen said:

I think an older version of this terrific mod may be causing a screen freeze during gameplay.Is it difficult to exchange a newer version it? In other words simply swap it out for the newest model?

Thanks again.This is one of my top 5 favorite improvements in the sim!?

Not difficult at all. Just create a new directory for the newer version, unzip it there, start it and map your buttons. Keep your old version in its old directory as a backup if you want to.

[56RAF_Roblex]

I cannot get this app to work when I am using the Saitek joystick software to enable 'shift'/'pinkie'  to be used.   It looks like whatever app gets used first then locks the other one out.   

 

Let me explain that in more detail.   Now I use VR, I don't have enough buttons on my HOTAS to use all the common controls without seeing my keyboard so I set up the Saitek software to let me pull the pinkie trigger on my X52 and re-use some of the buttons for less frequently needed but essential functions.   Now what happens is that if I use the NeckSaver to look behind before I use any 'shifted' commands then the Necksaver works fine but none of my 'shifted' commands work.   If I use a shifted command before trying to look behind with NeckSaver then Necksaver does not do anything.

Does anyone have this working?

[firdimigdi]

I use JoyToKey for converting buttons to modifier keys for combinations and there is no problem with it and VRNS.

[56RAF_Roblex]

On 1/19/2022 at 5:05 PM, 335th_grFirdimigdi said:

I use JoyToKey for converting buttons to modifier keys for combinations and there is no problem with it and VRNS.

 

How does JoyToKey allow me to re-use Joystick buttons?    Does it allow me to assign one of my joystick buttons to perform a 'shift' function so, for example,  pressing POV-90 will look Right but pressing POV-90 while holding a specific joystick button will bring up the map?

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by 56RAF_Roblex

[firdimigdi]

13 minutes ago, 56RAF_Roblex said:

 

How does JoyToKey allow me to re-use Joystick buttons?    Does it allow me to assign one of my joystick buttons to perform a 'shift' function so, for example,  pressing POV-90 will look Right but pressing POV-90 while holding a specific joystick button will bring up the map?

 

It allows you to set one of your buttons to emulate a shift or ctrl or alt press on your keyboard. Then you hold said key on your keyboard and press the button you want in the sim so the sim makes a binding like for example "Left Shift + Joystick 1 Button 2". Then by pressing the button you have set to emulate the "Left Shift" together with "Button 2" you get the same result as you describe above.

 

The "trick" is that in IL-2 you can combine keyboard presses and joystick buttons/HAT switches.

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by 335th_grFirdimigdi

[56RAF_Roblex]

1 hour ago, 335th_grFirdimigdi said:

 

It allows you to set one of your buttons to emulate a shift or ctrl or alt press on your keyboard. Then you hold said key on your keyboard and press the button you want in the sim so the sim makes a binding like for example "Left Shift + Joystick 1 Button 2". Then by pressing the button you have set to emulate the "Left Shift" together with "Button 2" you get the same result as you describe above.

 

The "trick" is that in IL-2 you can combine keyboard presses and joystick buttons/HAT switches.

 

 

That is not actually what I meant but I downloaded JoyToKey and I worked out how to do what I actually wanted.  Now when I hold down a certain key on my joystick it uses a completely different set of joystick commands eg I could have Button-1 shoot my guns while Button-2 fires my rockets but if I hold down Button 6 then Button -1 now opens my bomb doors and Button-2 now drops the bombs.

[firdimigdi]

32 minutes ago, 56RAF_Roblex said:

 

That is not actually what I meant but I downloaded JoyToKey and I worked out how to do what I actually wanted.  Now when I hold down a certain key on my joystick it uses a completely different set of joystick commands eg I could have Button-1 shoot my guns while Button-2 fires my rockets but if I hold down Button 6 then Button -1 now opens my bomb doors and Button-2 now drops the bombs.

 

Yes, that is what I tried and failed to describe. We are talking about the same thing.

[Avetorro-VR]

On 1/19/2022 at 3:21 PM, 56RAF_Roblex said:

I cannot get this app to work when I am using the Saitek joystick software to enable 'shift'/'pinkie'  to be used.   It looks like whatever app gets used first then locks the other one out.   

 

Let me explain that in more detail.   Now I use VR, I don't have enough buttons on my HOTAS to use all the common controls without seeing my keyboard so I set up the Saitek software to let me pull the pinkie trigger on my X52 and re-use some of the buttons for less frequently needed but essential functions.   Now what happens is that if I use the NeckSaver to look behind before I use any 'shifted' commands then the Necksaver works fine but none of my 'shifted' commands work.   If I use a shifted command before trying to look behind with NeckSaver then Necksaver does not do anything.

Does anyone have this working?

I use the free voice bot app. You just assign words or commands to keys and just speak.  Requires a little bit of caution as if you are talking on srs or discord you can accidentally say something that might lower the gear or turn the engine off for example if you have them assigned to voice commands. You need to use unique words that won’t get it confused 

[TAIPAN_]

Hi Guys,

 

I've started to use VR again in IL2 and it's been going fine, but a weird thing happens when I try and use VRNeckSafer.

 

When I run it with IL2 VR, Steam gives this error and then IL2 shuts down (crashes).

 

Some googling suggested onboard graphics cards in laptops etc, but this is a desktop with an Nvidia 3090 and the latest Nvidia drivers, no other graphics card.

 

Any ideas why this would happen when running VRNeckSafer but doesn't when running IL2 VR without it?

 

 

ps found a workaround, if I launch WMR, SteamVR, open IL-2 VR, then go back out to windows WIN+Y, then open VRNeckSafer after everything is running it works without crashing. Curious why it can't do the auto-start at the same time?

Edited January 30, 2022 by TAIPAN_

[Drum]

 

TAIPAN, there is a setting inside VRNeckSafer's options that allows the launching of WMR & SteamVR with it.

[TAIPAN_]

1 hour ago, Drum said:

 

TAIPAN, there is a setting inside VRNeckSafer's options that allows the launching of WMR & SteamVR with it.

 

Thanks, but I probably wasn't clear enough in my post. That setting is actually part of the bug, when I use that setting it has the error/crash because IL2 VR is not running first.

 

The workaround is to turn that setting off and select "Background (requires SteamVR already running)", launch everything including IL-2 VR and only then alt+tab out and launch VRNeckSafer as the very last step.

 

To summarise:

* Crash occurs when IL2 is opened last. This mean VRNeckSafer is opened before IL2. It happens when you open all the VR apps in any order. The only the requirement for the crash to occur is to open IL2 last.

* No crash occurs if open VRNeckSafer last. We can open IL2 first or SteamVR first in any order. The only requirement to not crash is to open VRNeckSafer last.

 

I don't assume it's an easy fix, because of the complex interaction between DirectX, SteamVR, WMR, IL2 etc. 3 out of 4 of these crash, only WMR is still running after the crash.  I'm happy enough with the workaround but putting this here in case it happens to anyone else.

 

Also a note that it isn't related to any recent updates - I do remember this happened last time I did IL2 VR which would have been 6-9 months ago, and I think I just used my neck muscles instead at the time. But now I'm happy to find a workaround.

My system is details here in case it has anything to do with the AMD chip/motherboard: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/TaipanDan/saved/#view=qGRZwP

Headset is Reverb G2 from Dec 2000, the error happened before firmware update and also with the new firmware as well.

I'm a technical guy but honestly I have no idea of the cause...

[J2_NobiWan]

Thanks TAIPAN_ for reporting the issue (and finding a workaround!). I've never seen that error before and have currently no clue what could cause it. Might be Windows11 related?

[TAIPAN_]

1 hour ago, J2_NobiWan said:

Thanks TAIPAN_ for reporting the issue (and finding a workaround!). I've never seen that error before and have currently no clue what could cause it. Might be Windows11 related?

I was thinking that, but the date I upgraded to Win 11 was after the first occurrence.

Unfortunately I don't have any screenshots of the error that happened 6-9 months ago, so I'm not sure if it was the same error but it was a similar crash of IL2 & Apps.

 

In any case, I did a couple of flights today and was able to enjoy getting back into VR without getting shot down from behind Thanks!

[Real_Ranger]

[Edit - several hours later:  I downloaded an earlier version of necksaver and got it to work.  For some reason the new one would not even register anything at all.  So, this is solved]

 

OK, I'm stumped.  I downloaded the newest version of necksaver, and so far I have not gotten it to do anything.  No reaction at all.  I have hit just about every option, and I have set the button 1 and 2 with the toggle/hat, but there is no reaction at all while in the game.  I have gone through the method that is described in some comments (start Steam, start IL-2, start necksaver), but again, there is not reaction at all in the game.  

 

I have looked all over the internet for some basic set up instructions, but there are no videos at all.  If anyone actually made a video and put it on Youtube, you would be the only one out there and get a ton of views by folks like me who are lost trying to get necksaver to work.  

 

When I do a search for how to set up necksaver, all I find is the jpeg showing a chart, which really doesn't help me much.  

 

So, can someone give me the basic set up manual?  I just want to get necksaver to move at all... do something... 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Real_Ranger
updated info

[jumento]

NobiWan,

 

Thank you SO much... this is FANTASTIC! My IL2 time has been limited by neck issues. This is a game changer!

[firdimigdi]

On 1/7/2022 at 9:28 PM, J2_NobiWan said:

I believe that this is a side effect of a not perfectly centered neutral/reset point. It is not intentional and I don't see it on my Rift-S. The exp version is more or less a quick hack to see if the concept works. I should stop slacking and make it work better... But you know how life is! ?

 

I've noticed this in the G2 as well if I keep my head centered and rotate like an owl, it seems to have some translation applied. It's not too annoying when looking over my shoulder but in some planes it doesn't help when looking all the way behind as your face gets pushed in to the seat. Is there any chance perhaps you could commit the exp version to git? I didn't notice a relevant branch there, unless it's in one of the "master-patch" ones.

[J2_NobiWan]

2 hours ago, Firdimigdi said:

 

I've noticed this in the G2 as well if I keep my head centered and rotate like an owl, it seems to have some translation applied. It's not too annoying when looking over my shoulder but in some planes it doesn't help when looking all the way behind as your face gets pushed in to the seat. Is there any chance perhaps you could commit the exp version to git? I didn't notice a relevant branch there, unless it's in one of the "master-patch" ones.

Sure, no problem. I will push it to gitlab later this evening. Remember though that it's a quick hack... ?

 

[firdimigdi]

1 hour ago, J2_NobiWan said:

Sure, no problem. I will push it to gitlab later this evening. Remember though that it's a quick hack... ?

 

 

Thanks and don't worry, I am no coding snob!

[J2_NobiWan]

10 hours ago, J2_NobiWan said:

Sure, no problem. I will push it to gitlab later this evening. Remember though that it's a quick hack... ?

 

It's up at https://gitlab.com/NobiWan/vrnecksafer/-/tree/Exp

 

[Patricks]

I'm still hoping someone gets this to work with the Varjo Aero!

[JG1_Greif]

10 hours ago, Icer said:

I'm still hoping someone gets this to work with the Varjo Aero!

Do we actually have the confirmation that VRNecksaver does not work with the Varjo Aero?

 

What I can find about this is a few people on the forum having the Aero but that did not use or tried VRNecksafer and feedback from Varjo that they did a short test which yielded some problems ("stutters/part of the view turns to black when trying to switch the view"). I would be curious to know if someone of the IL2-community had given it a go, maybe having more time to get it to work compared to Varjo for whom this is, understandably, a rather minor priority I imagine.

[Patricks]

12 hours ago, JG1_Greif said:

Do we actually have the confirmation that VRNecksaver does not work with the Varjo Aero?

 

What I can find about this is a few people on the forum having the Aero but that did not use or tried VRNecksafer and feedback from Varjo that they did a short test which yielded some problems ("stutters/part of the view turns to black when trying to switch the view"). I would be curious to know if someone of the IL2-community had given it a go, maybe having more time to get it to work compared to Varjo for whom this is, understandably, a rather minor priority I imagine.

 

It's been discussed on the Varjo Discord in both the DCS and IL-2 sub-discords there, and several other places. No one has reported it works correctly. I have been in contact with a person at Varjo support who actually tried it in his home with an Aero, did not work. The best he could do was put it on the list for support but promised nothing (and i'm pretty sure that's the end of Varjo's input unless a lot more people put a support ticket in).. Im my mind it's the developers that offer VR in their games that need to step up and put something like this in their systems, as they did for TrackIR. Having to spin around in your seat to look over your shoulder may be "realistic" but many of us just don't have the mobility to spin around constantly or possess a neck like an owl..

Edited February 6, 2022 by Icer

[firdimigdi]

24 minutes ago, Icer said:

Having to spin around in your seat to look over your shoulder may be "realistic" but many of us just don't have the mobility to spin around constantly or possess a neck like an owl..

 

It's not entirely realistic either, given the highly limited FOV with a headset. IRL you'd swivel your waist and neck up to a point and then look out of the corner of your eyes, the latter you simply cannot do in VR.

[J2_Nedo]

On 2/6/2022 at 1:02 PM, Firdimigdi said:

 

It's not entirely realistic either, given the highly limited FOV with a headset. IRL you'd swivel your waist and neck up to a point and then look out of the corner of your eyes, the latter you simply cannot do in VR.

I dont agree here, in real life they wore big aviator glasses (reduced FOV), thick clothes with safety belts, the freedom of movement was certainly limited.

In racing games you feel like you are wearing a helmet when racing in VR, and thats actually what they do in RL, wearing a helmet