Respectfully request FreeTrack support

[mbmonk 10]

I would LOVE it if Arma2 incorporated FreeTrack at some point. I know the team has MUCH more pressing issues to fix so just when you get a chance take a look at it.

Thanks,

Mike

PS: All the other FreeTrack threads were closed. So I couldn't find an existing thread to post my support for FreeTrack in Arma2. Sorry.

[maddogx 13]

There is already a FreeTrack poll where you can vote to show your support. Even being a TrackIR user I sympathise with you, but this thread will probably be locked for the same reason most of the others were locked.

There has also been a statement by one of the Arma2 developers about FreeTrack support.

[mbmonk 10]

There is already a FreeTrack poll where you can vote to show your support. Even being a TrackIR user I sympathise with you, but this thread will probably be locked for the same reason most of the others were locked.

There has also been a statement by one of the Arma2 developers about FreeTrack support.

I appreciate the response. I don't care if they close the thread. I understand. I just want to voice my support/request. That task is complete now. :)

Thanks for the link to the poll and the response from the devs.

[phobia 10]

The amount of threads that have been created with this concern and just the amount of users who have signed up here just to voice their concern of wanting Free Track supported should clearly show BI that this is a issue that needs fixing.

[EricM 0]

The question is only of resources allocation according to the devs.

Time spent on freetrack support will not be spent on other possibly more important and urgent issues. It's just as simple as that. At the moment, they feel they have more important things to fix, and I agree.

When all things work as they should, I'll sign the freetrack petition/poll...

[phobia 10]

The question is only of resources allocation according to the devs.

Time spent on freetrack support will not be spent on other possibly more important and urgent issues. It's just as simple as that. At the moment, they feel they have more important things to fix, and I agree.

When all things work as they should, I'll sign the freetrack petition/poll...

I agree on that point. I think the game should work and there are things more pressing I am sure. But while some of you enjoy the game and are waiting on those fixes. Some of us won't play the game unless we can use head tracking. I know I want to experience the game to its full potential.

I think support of Free Track would not take that long to implement. I could be wrong but just judging how some users are making it work with Arma2 and they are not developers.

Plus the time thing I don't understand. A developer is not made up on 2 or 3 people. You have a team of MANY MANY people. So assigning 1 person to this task would not be that detrimental to the progress made on other aspects of the the game.

But that is just my opinion.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Some of us won't play the game unless we can use head tracking.

Fixing other issues effects ALL users (all who bother to download patches at least). Adding support for this only effects a small percentage of users. It's that simple, more people will benefit from BIS spending their time & effort somewhere else. It doesn't matter how badly you may want/need it, if BIS has the oppertunity to make 1000 other people happy at the expense of just a single person's discontent, they'd be fools not to do so (yes I know you're not the only one but the fact remains that only a low percentage of ArmA2 users use FreeTrack).

[wooly-back-jack 10]

oh so if only a small amount of users use say a certain free antivirus program but it wont run while Arma2 is running we would be expected to go and buy a certain other anti virus program that is being promoted as being compatible-problem free with Arma2?

[Big Dawg KS 6]

We're not talking about incompatability resulting in non-working ArmA. We're talking about an additional feature. You can play the game just fine without it.

I'll admit I have a TrackIR, but TBH I rarely use it anyway, so I could care less what BIS decides to do about this. If they add extra stuff, I consider it an added bonus, not an obligation.

[wooly-back-jack 10]

I wasn't saying the 'imaginary' free antivirus was stopping the game running fine.

I was saying why should I have to go and buy another antivirus (that is advertised as being compatible and to buy using "this code" )just because Arma2 was stopping my free antivirus working (by use of securom? as it works with a fixed exe)

I use neither myself, but sometime in the future I may want to try headtracking.

you seem to have an "I'm all right jack" opinion on the subject because you have a TrackIR, not everyone wants to be forced to buy one.

[jw custom 56]

I wasn't saying the 'imaginary' free antivirus was stopping the game running fine.

I was saying why should I have to go and buy another antivirus (that is advertised as being compatible and to buy using "this code" )just because Arma2 was stopping my free antivirus working (by use of securom? as it works with a fixed exe)

I use neither myself, but sometime in the future I may want to try headtracking.

you seem to have an "I'm all right jack" opinion on the subject because you have a TrackIR, not everyone wants to be forced to buy one.

It's really as simple as this, quote by Suma, BI Developer:

Time spent implementing this is time taken from implementing other things. In the weeks to come, I cannot see how would I justify to spend our resources on this.

I repeat: there is no prejudice, there is no "we will never implement FreeTrack" stance from our side, only in current situation I see little reason to do so. Once we see this kind of input is popular enough to justify the development expenses, we may reconsider this.

There's more important things to take care of right now, i bet they have their hands full.

[wooly-back-jack 10]

fair enough JW Custom, like I said I don't use any headtracking myself yet but may want to give it a go in the future, but certainly not if I have to buy it to try it.

Just seems wierd that people are using freetrack but have to tamper with their legit game to do so.

[phobia 10]

fair enough JW Custom, like I said I don't use any headtracking myself yet but may want to give it a go in the future, but certainly not if I have to buy it to try it.

Just seems wierd that people are using freetrack but have to tamper with their legit game to do so.

I think that is my biggest beef. If I want to use my Free Track. I have to tamper with my legit copy of Arma 2 to get it to work. Granted I have not bought Arma2 because of this problem and won't until it is fixed.

But my thing is people that are trying to get their Free Track to work are being looked at as "Bad" or on the same level as piracy because they are trying to get their head tracking to work.

If I PAID for the game. I PAID for my Head Tracking unit (Cost to build) and then the game does not work for it. But there is a option out there to get it to work. I find NOTHING wrong with it. The point is these people should be made to feel bad because they are trying to get their equipment to work.

The correct route is just to get it supported and these kind of posts go away.

[jw custom 56]

The correct route is just to get it supported and these kind of posts go away.

I think it would be fine if it got supported but there's simply too many more importants things that need to be fixed first. Some people get crashes, others can't play the campaign etc. I think that needs more attention right now than implementing support for FreeTrack!

[phobia 10]

I think it would be fine if it got supported but there's simply too many more importants things that need to be fixed first. Some people get crashes, others can't play the campaign etc. I think that needs more attention right now than implementing support for FreeTrack!

As much as it pains me to say it, I agree :j:

[Big Dawg KS 6]

...not everyone wants to be forced to buy one.

Again, nobody is forcing you to buy anything. The game is still very much playable (and enjoyable) without any head tracking. I rarely use my TrackIR because it gives me some problems in ArmA, so it's not like I'm trying to support TrackIR here.

You seem to think BIS is obligated to give you the capability to use head tracking in ArmA2. The game's support for TrackIR is something they spent extra effort on to implement, probably because they themselves thought it was cool and would be nice to have. If only one device is currently supported then that's the way it is. If people want the extra functionality that badly then they can just buy a TrackIR, otherwise it must not be that important to them.

If I PAID for the game. I PAID for my Head Tracking unit (Cost to build) and then the game does not work for it

That's a really flawed argument. Just because you paid to build something that's not supported doesn't make it any more obligated to work... it's still not supported, if you're upset that you paid money for nothing then it's your own fault for doing so in the first place.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Big Dawg KS

[Scrub 0]

Well, as an industrial systems developer, I understand where Naturalpoint is coming from. They worked hard, and invested time and effort into a product and a business structure - only to have people hack it and try to use it for free.

This link: http://www.free-track.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=1892 proposes illegal, monopolistic action by Naturalpoint.. Which of course is caused by and pre-empted by the Freetrackers own illegal action of using someone elses work - copyrighted at least and patented at best, for free, without owners consent as it is stated to be payware not freeware. I don't know about you, but as a developer, until Freetrack straightens out the legal snafu they created, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot carbon fiber pole.

My $0.02 + the coming inflation.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Scrub
Clarity and damn I use a lot of commas when I'm not paying attention

[phobia 10]

That's a really flawed argument. Just because you paid to build something that's not supported doesn't make it any more obligated to work... it's still not supported, if you're upset that you paid money for nothing then it's your own fault for doing so in the first place.

Well my issue is that Free Track worked in Arma 1.

[Scrub 0]

Read the link above your post, and you'll see why it did, and also why it does not now.

[phobia 10]

Read the link above your post, and you'll see why it did, and also why it does not now.

I know the reason it did and does not now. But what I am saying is that BI has a nice size fan base that uses Free Track so thus implementing support for it would benefit their fans as well as their company because those people will further support them because of it.

[mbmonk 10]

I don't think you have to be an industrial systems developer to understand where Naturalpont is coming from. It's just common sense. I appreciate what Naturalpoint has accomplished.

The 'possible legal issues' FUD has made it into the thread, awesome! Thread complete! Close now!

I think $150 for a TrackIR is insane. You are right it's not worth THAT much to me. They can keep it, respectfully speaking of course.

Using face recognition for head tracking, if it works, will render this confrontation trivial. If you can use face recognition for TrackIR like functionality Sony or MS will figure it out. Then the FPS crowds will buy the peripheral in bulk and more games will support it. And everyone gets what they want, both FreeTrack and TrackIR users, and that is more head tracking in more games.

But we can keep arguing if you want to pass the time until then :).

[Python1 0]

I didn't really read this thread since it is clearly a heated debate. Let me just say that my Trackir 5 is awesome and I'm happy to pay the money for it. For those of you who disagree and feel that freetrack should be in ArmA2 see this thread where they announce that freetrack is now in ArmA2.

[phobia 10]

I don't think you have to be an industrial systems developer to understand where Naturalpont is coming from. It's just common sense. I appreciate what Naturalpoint has accomplished.

The 'possible legal issues' FUD has made it into the thread, awesome! Thread complete! Close now!

I think $150 for a TrackIR is insane. You are right it's not worth THAT much to me. They can keep it, respectfully speaking of course.

Using face recognition for head tracking, if it works, will render this confrontation trivial. If you can use face recognition for TrackIR like functionality Sony or MS will figure it out. Then the FPS crowds will buy the peripheral in bulk and more games will support it. And everyone gets what they want, both FreeTrack and TrackIR users, and that is more head tracking in more games.

But we can keep arguing if you want to pass the time until then :).

Opps misread what was wrote. My bad :)

Back on topic.

I do hold Free Track developers at fault. They should have got with BI during the creation of Arma 2 to make sure support would of been implemented. But we the fans of both BI and Free Track can't make that happen. So we are relying on BI to hopefully help us out. We do make up a nice bit of a fan base. Free Track has around 2,500 members. So that is roughly around 125,000$ if every user bought Arma 2. Granted that is most likely not going to happen but it goes to show you we do make up a nice bit of dough.

---------- Post added at 05:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:48 PM ----------

I didn't really read this thread since it is clearly a heated debate. Let me just say that my Trackir 5 is awesome and I'm happy to pay the money for it. For those of you who disagree and feel that freetrack should be in ArmA2 see this thread where they announce that freetrack is now in ArmA2.

This thread has remained pretty darn civil. I am surprised and happy. I like being able to communicate with others and it not go down a unneeded path. That link is pretty example of what I was refering to on how people are just trying to make their equipment work. They are not necessarily going about it the right way. But they are not also doing anything terribly wrong if everything they paid for. Because they are not "stealing" anything.

Edited July 14, 2009 by phobia

[bushlurker 46]

It's perfectly clear from even a cursory glance around the forums that there are indeed many, many far more pressing issues with Arma2 currently, than the inclusion of another API for control devices...

It's also clear that theres considerable consumer-level support for such an inclusion...

There's been a flurry of PM's, discussions and chat over the last few days behind-the-scenes on this forum, the Freetrack Forum and elsewhere... One result is The Poll you may notice Placebo himself started yesterday.. another is the fact that this thread hasn't been closed...

Following some recent discussion with Suma, the overworked Dev who'd probably be the one having to implement Freetracks SDK, Microsoft SimConnect, or whatever API is finally decided on, the entire issue is on hold, pending...

a) As requested - by Suma - a demonstration of the level of support for implementing another API...

b) All other far more important Arma2 patching being completed...

So - demonstrating your support for Freetrack via discussion or poll or petition will NOT delay the next patch - rest assured... things ARE merely in the discussion/assessment stage at the moment...

If anyone is interested, there's been considerable discussion - with contributions by Placebo amongst others - over on the Freetrack Forums - see link above...

If anyone would like to have a go with headtracking in Arma1 (and Arma 2 - with certain current limitations), theres a post of mine HERE on the Armaholic Forums with full details (I'll add in the pic from that below)... £15-£25 will see you smoothly head tracking in either game...

(although if you have a webcam, or even a Wii-mote - and you can handle a little DIY - you could be headtracking - right now - for nothing... thats right - nothing.....)

If you're not a DIY guy my post will explain how you can just buy all the necessary stuff and use it all straight out of the box without any DIY or modifications whatsoever...

(Passive IR nanoclip - DIY - materials = 3 reflective beads, a cabletidy and the legs off my old sunglasses))

No LED's, no batteries, no wires, no fuss...

B

Edited July 15, 2009 by Bushlurker

[phobia 10]

It's perfectly clear from even a cursory glance around the forums that there are indeed many, many far more pressing issues with Arma2 currently, than the inclusion of another API for control devices...

It's also clear that theres considerable consumer-level support for such an inclusion...

There's been a flurry of PM's, discussions and chat over the last few days behind-the-scenes on this forum, the Freetrack Forum and elsewhere... One result is The Poll you may notice Placebo himself started yesterday.. another is the fact that this thread hasn't been closed...

Following some recent discussion with Suma, the overworked Dev who'd probably be the one having to implement Freetracks SDK, Microsoft SimConnect, or whatever API is finally decided on, the entire issue is on hold, pending...

a) As requested - by Suma - , a demonstration of the level of support for implementing another API...

b) All other far more important Arma2 patching being completed...

So - demonstrating your support for Freetrack via discussion or poll or petition will NOT delay the next patch - rest assured... things ARE merely in the discussion/assessment stage at the moment...

If anyone is interested, there's been considerable discussion - with contributions by Placebo amongst others - over on the Freetrack Forums - see link above...

If anyone would like to have a go with headtracking in Arma1 (and Arma 2 - with certain current limitations), theres a post of mine HERE on the Armaholic Forums with full details (I'll add in the pic from that below)... £15-£25 will see you smoothly head tracking in either game...

(although if you have a webcam, or even a Wii-mote - and you can handle a little DIY - you could be headtracking - right now - for nothing... thats right - nothing.....)

If you're not a DIY guy my post will explain how you can just buy all the necessary stuff and use it all straight out of the box without any DIY or modifications whatsoever...

(Passive IR nanoclip - DIY - cost=nothing)

[iM]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b272/Bushlurker/trackclip.jpg[/img]

No LED's, no batteries, no wires, no fuss...

B

Nice build Bush. I am running a 3 point clip(LED's) right now, powered with batteries. I would not attempt a reflective version ;)

Edited July 15, 2009 by Placebo