TrackIR full 6DoF implementation?

[dmarkwick 261]

OK we all know we currently enjoy 4DoF, and as such it works very well.

There is one movement however that I really would like to see implemented: the scrunch-down, or stretch-up. This would have obvious benefits when crouching behind cars, walls, sandbags, logs etc, scrunching down in your seat makes your character scrunch down whether he's lying, crouching or standing, and stretching up in your chair makes your character stretch up. I would guess this action would be most easily implemented as a waist lean forward/backward. Now that there's a fancy new skeleton animation system perhaps this is possible in ArmA2.

Quite often when lying down in grass I wish I could pop my head up for a second to see if there's any danger around, and also quite often I wish I could crouch by a window & pop up (either sight raised or lowered) to see/aim out the window.

As for the other unused TrackIR translation - roll - I don't know. I can't really think of a use for this that wouldn't be intrusive to the other axes. I guess, as far as I'm concerned, 5DoF would be good enough :)

[EDcase 87]

Yeah, that would be great.

[messiahua 0]

second that!

[U-K Andy 10]

me too!

[DennisK4 10]

Yes!, if this is implemented the use of TrackIR in ArmA 2 will be just about perfect. The ability to lean to look around corners is great, and now all we need is the ability to sneak-a-peek over the grass to spot that enemy!

[Alpha-Kilo 36]

I have followed this subject (also in other threads) with great interest. It surprises me that BIS seems to have teamed up with the monopolist and then decided not to support the expensive hardware to the full extent. There may be good reasons but I fail to see them and I don't want to speculate.

Currently FreeTrack doesn't seem to work at all with ArmA2, but what would happen if the FT crowd came up with five or six degrees of freedom where TIR could offer only four at a significantly higher price?

Frankly speaking, I could not use FT because computer hardware is a black box to me. So, sooner or later I think I will buy TIR, but I like a good David-against-Goliath story and I wish FT the best of luck!

[huendchen 0]

But wouldn't that give a massive advantage to TrackIR owners?

[Alpha-Kilo 36]

huendchen,

I think it would. And that is probably why people are interested in tracking devices. Just like pilots who purchase a joystick in order to have an advantage over pilots using keyboard and mouse.

The question, whether or not the advantage that technical progress provides is unfair to those who don't use it, may best be discussed between the people playing together on one server. Especially, if technical progress is just another word for money that one person is able to spend and another person is not. On a larger scale it will be difficult to have a reasonable discussion, I guess.

[DennisK4 10]

The whole point of using TrackIR is to immerse yourself even more in the game by mimicking natural head movement, so being able to lift your head to look over things such as grass is obviously a step forward in realism.

About it being an unfair advantage... well when it is ever a completly even playingfield ? So I guess people should just agree on what is allowed in any given game. One player using crosshairs while the other plying without HUD is not even either.

[EDcase 87]

Regarding player advantages there is a simple solution.

As with MP games now certain options like Veteran mode, no crosshair or target helpers can all be forced on or off so everyone plays the same.

So the extra axes or even the use of TIR in certain missions could be defined by the server.

Equally a server could be set up for only TIR users.

[huendchen 0]

Actually I just joined the TrackIR club today so I'd love full 6DOF implementation :D

While messing around I found a somewhat clumsy way to peek over obstacles. It's quite tricky as you have to move the mouse and your head simultaneously:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDBqBwHw_qs&fmt=18

[DennisK4 10]

That looks great! How do you do it?

[galzohar 31]

I think he's abusing the fact that your profile is lower when you're aiming down, and then uses trackIR's freelook to lock his view to being straight forward, and then slowly moving the mouse up and the head down so that the posture goes up and the view stays straight. Overall a very lame workaround for the lack of fluid stances. Only works in crouch and only works if you use some analog device other than your mouse for freelook, and even then it's very hard to control effectively (as can be seen in the video).

Overall I really don't understand why they made you have a lower profile when you're aiming down.

[Sosna 0]

Already possible in A1 with community-made addon (

) I don't see why it can't be done by the devs - perhaps animation related troubles.

Also, freetrack support would be nice, but that's another story...

[huendchen 0]

Galzohar explained it nicely; if you look at yourself lowering the gun in 3rd person you can see how much your profile changes and it's pretty significant - in the video I am invisible in the lowest position.

I only managed to do this with a linear TrackIR profile and even then it's hardly usable. With my standard nonlinear profile with deadzones it's a complete nightmare.

Edited June 17, 2009 by huendchen

[frederf 0]

The thing with keyboard pilot vs joystick pilot is that while the joystick may be nicer, both users have full control authority. If TrackIR was required to do anything fluid stance then it would be like the keyboard pilot only has 0-75% throttle while the joystick user has 0-100%... patently unfair.

We must not confuse or merge the ideas of "control authority" with "controller hardware." Proper implementation of a fluid stance would have that authority accessible but all manner of hardware controller. It's just a set of axes that interpret values. It shouldn't make any difference what shape plastic the controller is that is inputting those values. Any attempt to make only certain hardware control input axes is unforgivable.

For instance with ArmA1 I can hook my USB pedals up and use them to control my lean axis or aircraft bank or zoom or whatever I want.

[Blackbird_CaD_ 10]

I would also love to see full 6DoF in ARMA II.

Being able to just lift your head a bit to peek over grass sounds wonderful :)

And it would add alot to the realism.