Yer know what. This is really hard

[HagarTheHorrible]

Damn I need some new glasses for when I check in the medicine cabinet again. (Wife, in the background, lets out a groan, not the good kind, shakes her head in despair before turning on her heal and making a bee line for the nearest exit as fast as her little legs will carry her)

 

On an all together different point, it's really hard flying without TrackIR.  I've used TrackIR since the very earliest days and never looked back (God my jokes are brilliant, even smiled at that one myself).  However last weekend, lightning came down the phone line and fried my TrackIR camera. Being a miserable Scottish b/stard and not wanting to spend more money than absolutely necessary I've tried holding off getting another (waiting with much expectation and hope, tinged with fear of disappointment) hoping that the Rift will not only be out in the near future but will replace my broken camera.  Trying to unlearn all the habits of doing things with TrackIR and revert to pan and snap views is just to painful for words though after so many years of TrackIR goodness.  I just can't do it, I'll just have to tell the wife that I've found a cure for the little blue pills unfortunately it'll cost a few quid, but I'm sure she'll cum around to seeing my point of view, eventually.

 

[RainMan]

I have yet to get a Track IR, however, I started to realize I really want... no... need one asap.  

[RoterBallon]

I have yet to get a Track IR, however, I started to realize I really want... no... need one asap.

Same happened to me yesterday with ruder pedals and stuff..

[dburne]

There is no way whatsoever, I would fly without my Track IR5.

I reckon if mine got fried, I would have to  NDA another one in lol.

[Half-DevilPorkChop]

You could try making a homemade track IR, if you have a web cam that is.

 

 

 

I reckon if mine got fried, I would have to  NDA another one in lol.

 

 

^^ This

Edited August 24, 2014 by PorkChop

[Descolada]

Playing without it isn't too hard. I've always used a combination of snap views and occasionally flying with my left hand when I need to look around.

[Trident_109]

Went without Track IR for two weeks, and it was in that time that I realized how essential Track IR is and how much it adds to the realism of flight simming. I'd never want to do it again.

 

 

You can usually find a used one from rather reliable gents at a certain "simming headquarters forum."

Edited August 24, 2014 by Robert

[Gort]

Damn I need some new glasses for when I check in the medicine cabinet again. (Wife, in the background, lets out a groan, not the good kind, shakes her head in despair before turning on her heal and making a bee line for the nearest exit as fast as her little legs will carry her)

 

On an all together different point, it's really hard flying without TrackIR.  I've used TrackIR since the very earliest days and never looked back (God my jokes are brilliant, even smiled at that one myself).  However last weekend, lightning came down the phone line and fried my TrackIR camera. Being a miserable Scottish b/stard and not wanting to spend more money than absolutely necessary I've tried holding off getting another (waiting with much expectation and hope, tinged with fear of disappointment) hoping that the Rift will not only be out in the near future but will replace my broken camera.  Trying to unlearn all the habits of doing things with TrackIR and revert to pan and snap views is just to painful for words though after so many years of TrackIR goodness.  I just can't do it, I'll just have to tell the wife that I've found a cure for the little blue pills unfortunately it'll cost a few quid, but I'm sure she'll cum around to seeing my point of view, eventually.

I'm not sure anyone got your joke.

[Pringliano]

I couldn't do without it, and only met this extraordinary peripheral 2 months ago! after 25 yrs of flight simulation....

 

For the civil sims, I guess I could have continued withou it, but for DCS, IL2 and ROF, simply impossible.

 

Regarding OR, I think I'll get sick if I ware those....

[pilotpierre]

I'm not sure anyone got your joke.

I'm sure most did it was fairly obvious.

[PreachR]

I still don't have one. I've only recently started playing combat flight sims again. Back when I played before, TrackIR was relatively new. Only one or two from my old squadron had them. I'll probably get one soon, though. I had also planned to wait for the OR, but I'm not sure if I can. I have to give the developers credit for having good snap and pan views. Anyone that played WT would know what I mean. I'm just using pan views at 70% speed, and that's been getting the job done for me.

[Gambit21]

I used to do just fine with pan views in the old IL2 - never suffered for not having TrackIR.

I got very good with that HAT switch.

 

Now that I have it I don't necessarily want to go back, but I easily could. 

[Gort]

I'm sure most did it was fairly obvious.

Obvious to you because you are sixty eight! ;)

[SharpeXB]

My first flight "sim" (Wings of Prey, not quite a sim but it had a 3D cockpit) I discovered when reading the manual there was this thing called a TrackIR. I was unemployed at the time so I couldn't get one, so WoP went on the shelf till I could. It was the first thing I bought when I got a new job ;-)

[dburne]

Obvious to you because you are sixty eight! ;)

 

Unfortunately, this 56 year old got it...

[Gort]

Unfortunately, this 56 year old got it...

I wouldn't know.

 

However, I did have a trackIR camera go out and immediately purchased another. A must-have.

[Bearcat]

What version did you have?

I'm not sure anyone got your joke.

 

Well there was more than one in there...

[6high]

Unfortunately, this 56 year old got it...

I`m 39 and got it - that`s scary.....

[chris455]

Only one thing could ever, EVER make me give up my TrackIR-

Occulus Rift.

I just hope my marriage, career, and friendships survive me getting my hands on one......................

[HagarTheHorrible]

I might have to start a support group, I never realized.

 

I think my wife would probably prefer if it was little blue pills, at least she could hide them.  I haven't let on to her, yet, that hitting it to make it go a way isn't helping.  I imagine she still thinks 50 shades of grey is a home decorating catalouge from the 40's.

[pilotpierre]

Obvious to you because you are sixty eight! ;)

Is that discrimination, picking on the oldies?

[Zappatime]

Build yourself a head tracker for about £15 which removes the necessity for camera and led tracking, or buy one ready made for about £25. Its not 6DOF ( effectively just pitch and yaw) but works very well in il2BOS, particularly if you have a HOTAS that will give you easy access buttons to achieve zoom in/out and head lean left/right. The tiny pcb board is a marvel.

 

See here for all the well explained info, videos and guides that you need: http://edtracker.org.uk

[DD_bongodriver]

if you were using a TIR4 then I can give you the bits to my old one, I can't go back to trackIR now I've been using an Oculus rift.

 

The stand broke on mine but the internals are perfectly serviceable, you could build a fully serviceable unit from it perhaps?

[DD_bongodriver]

Yes? no? insert it sideways without lube?

[HagarTheHorrible]

Cheers Bongo, that sounds promising, I'll PM you later when I get a mo.

[DD_bongodriver]

its gonna be tiresome checking your 6 with OR due to the narrow field of view and 1:1 movement ratio, i can see some neck aches coming

 

it is no more tiring than doing it in real life, I find actually using my neck keeps it flexible, it's almost as if that's what it was designed to do  , but I do realise that for some turning the neck might be the closest they ever experience to hard physical exercise.

[Thor]

I might have to start a support group, I never realized.

 

I think my wife would probably prefer if it was little blue pills, at least she could hide them.  I haven't let on to her, yet, that hitting it to make it go a way isn't helping.  I imagine she still thinks 50 shades of grey is a home decorating catalouge from the 40's.

What actually are the 'Blue pills'? lol

[3instein]

LOL.

Mick.

[Thor]

LOL.

Mick.

Be a good username on the servers would 'Viagra'!! (I'm rolling!) :lol:

[kongxinga]

Damn I need some new glasses for when I check in the medicine cabinet again. (Wife, in the background, lets out a groan, not the good kind, shakes her head in despair before turning on her heal and making a bee line for the nearest exit as fast as her little legs will carry her)

 

On an all together different point, it's really hard flying without TrackIR.  I've used TrackIR since the very earliest days and never looked back (God my jokes are brilliant, even smiled at that one myself).  However last weekend, lightning came down the phone line and fried my TrackIR camera. Being a miserable Scottish b/stard and not wanting to spend more money than absolutely necessary I've tried holding off getting another (waiting with much expectation and hope, tinged with fear of disappointment) hoping that the Rift will not only be out in the near future but will replace my broken camera.  Trying to unlearn all the habits of doing things with TrackIR and revert to pan and snap views is just to painful for words though after so many years of TrackIR goodness.  I just can't do it, I'll just have to tell the wife that I've found a cure for the little blue pills unfortunately it'll cost a few quid, but I'm sure she'll cum around to seeing my point of view, eventually.

LMAO at your pun that was actually a pretty good one, I will have to steal it.

[AndyJWest]

it is no more tiring than doing it in real life, I find actually using my neck keeps it flexible, it's almost as if that's what it was designed to do  , but I do realise that for some turning the neck might be the closest they ever experience to hard physical exercise.

 

Necks are unfortunately one of those things you don't realise how much you need until they stop working - like mine does occasionally. Well, not stop working exactly (my head doesn't fall off  ), but fail to work according to expectations - and it hurts like $@%# in the process. One of the muscles (the left sternocleidomastoid muscle think) goes into spasm every so often, pulling it sideways, and more or less locking it solid. Not just excruciatingly painful, but awkward too, as shuffling along the street almost sideways so I can see where I'm going tends to attract funny looks.

 

On the plus side, my doctor recommends neck exercise to free it up once the spasm ends - and TrackIR is probably as good as anything for this. If my TrackIR ever breaks down, I'm going to see if I can get a replacement on the NHS...   

 

Edit: looked up technical term in Wikipedia...

Edit 2: Probably wrong - I've only ever studied human bones, not muscles...

Edited August 26, 2014 by AndyJWest

[AndyJWest]

Found it! The muscle I mean: splenius capitis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splenius_capitis_muscle

[Freycinet]

I can attest to the Oculus Rift being good neck exercise, but it doesn't have to be. With a good swivelling chair you actually don't exert yourself too much, even when checking six.

[VR-DriftaholiC]

Being an Oculus & TrackIR owner myself it's really not that bad looking behind you. The low resolution in the bane at the moment. However I wouldn't give up the sense of immersion the rift provides for anything. I fly sims to feel like I was there more than I do to win at a video game..

Edited August 27, 2014 by driftaholic

[Valok]

Well you folks can add me to the list of (hopefully) happy owners of TrackIR, got one today (Pedals coming next). I even payed 3 times more than you yanks because.. Well you know..

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hZJ_mQtniA&feature=youtu.be

 

While I did managed to create a somewhat "successful" view control with ADWS + Joystick, I was feeling that in the middle of intense dogfights having to keep pressing those buttons was slowing down my thought process, taking some of my attention away from the actual fight since I was busy figuring out too many controls at the same time. I reckon that only having to move my head now for the most part will make things easier.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Valok