MikkOwl
01-25-2010, 01:58 PM
Initial reading (especially read the second link if nothing else), to understand why this should be implemented.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibular_system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_illusions_in_aviation
A thoroughly thought out proposal, which is not difficult at all to implement (although tuning it not to go crazy is a bit trickier), if not already implemented. It would much increase realism in sim flight for players with head tracking. We make use of the 1G available to the sim player at home in his static chair to manipulate his actual vestibular system through clever manipulation of the view angles on the monitor display. This allows us access of vestibular system like in real world to aid in flying, but also to mislead us like in real world, adding no false or gamey things that we don't already suffer from head tracking.
Clarification:
- Virtual pilot/head = the one in IL-2, simulated, we see through his eyes on the screen.
- Player = the real world body and head of the player running the simulation at home in his chair.
Example, left bank turn, instrument flying situations (at night or in a cloud).
(a). Banking left, the virtual pilot feels 1G pushing to the left (that's where the ground is). To simulate this feeling and to manipulate the vestibular system of the player, we roll (tilt) the virtual head to the right, towards the horizon. This way, the player's head will feel the 1G 'downwards' on his balance system like the virtual pilot, while seeing what he should be seeing when feeling these G-forces.
(b). If player wants to align his eyesight with the cockpit, player must tilt his real world head to the left. Doing so, player will feel the 1G force in real life, pulling player to the left, just like the virtual pilot should be feeling if he decides to keep his head aligned with cockpit.
(c). To properly simulate the real vestibular system, and to prevent player from using the tilt angle of the cockpit on the screen to always know (when flying blind) how much he is banking, and to add more vestibular manipulation and simulation (the player only has 1G; and cannot tilt his head as much to the side for the sake of G-force as is really required), the following must happen: The right tilt of the virtual pilot head mentioned in (a). above, is decreased slowly, until eventually becoming aligned with the cockpit. Then the player, leveling his real head slowly, will experience with all his senses (what he sees on screen as well as what he feels in his vestibular system), that he is flying straight and level.
(d). When we stop this bank and return to level flight, the virtual pilot head instead roll/tilts to the left. The player will then experience with his eyes as well as vestibular system that the plane is turning to the right, even though it is not. The only indication that he is not, is if he looks at the instruments in his cockpit, or the horizon. The tilt of the virtual pilot head continues until the vestibular system again has reset itself, taking up to 20 seconds.
This is exactly like real life in result, and much in feeling. If player does not read his instruments, relying alone on his vestibular system + watching the cockpit angle, he can suffer vertigo and enter the graveyard spiral and many other scary real world things.
Note that this will have to be combined with strong G-forces acting on our neck muscles like in air combat maneuvering. This is not a problem, because air combat maneuvering is so violent that it acts very forcefully on your vestibular system and neck muscles, making it fairly apparent to your body that you are performing a certain maneuver. But not at lower speeds where planes cannot reach high G-forces. And just imagine top of zooms. The effect from air combat maneuvering on the vestibular system will be noticed when not maneuvering violently anymore. Then the effects of all those G's you pulled will move your virtual head in the opposite direction. For example, after performing a tight loop, when you level out at the end, you will get the sensation that you are pitching down (the virtual pilot head will pitch upwards, just as it would if you were flying level and then pushed the stick forward - only now you are actually just flying level, yet it 'feels' and 'looks' as if you are going nose down). The youtube video of Storm of War (spitifire in clouds over water) looks just like this when coming out of the loop at the end, but I don't know if they use headtracking or not there.
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And this should just be an option to be checked for fun immersion, or in the 'realism' setting ;) Maybe it will make some people sick. Never the less, it misleads as much as it adds. The normal IL-2 with 6DoF mod already makes you unable to know what is up, down etc if you are flying in clouds or at night, so it's not really different. But it has the potential to add a lot for those wanting to use it. There's not much to be gained in terms of flying ability with it on, rather you probably suffer more disadvantages due to the illusions it gives you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibular_system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_illusions_in_aviation
A thoroughly thought out proposal, which is not difficult at all to implement (although tuning it not to go crazy is a bit trickier), if not already implemented. It would much increase realism in sim flight for players with head tracking. We make use of the 1G available to the sim player at home in his static chair to manipulate his actual vestibular system through clever manipulation of the view angles on the monitor display. This allows us access of vestibular system like in real world to aid in flying, but also to mislead us like in real world, adding no false or gamey things that we don't already suffer from head tracking.
Clarification:
- Virtual pilot/head = the one in IL-2, simulated, we see through his eyes on the screen.
- Player = the real world body and head of the player running the simulation at home in his chair.
Example, left bank turn, instrument flying situations (at night or in a cloud).
(a). Banking left, the virtual pilot feels 1G pushing to the left (that's where the ground is). To simulate this feeling and to manipulate the vestibular system of the player, we roll (tilt) the virtual head to the right, towards the horizon. This way, the player's head will feel the 1G 'downwards' on his balance system like the virtual pilot, while seeing what he should be seeing when feeling these G-forces.
(b). If player wants to align his eyesight with the cockpit, player must tilt his real world head to the left. Doing so, player will feel the 1G force in real life, pulling player to the left, just like the virtual pilot should be feeling if he decides to keep his head aligned with cockpit.
(c). To properly simulate the real vestibular system, and to prevent player from using the tilt angle of the cockpit on the screen to always know (when flying blind) how much he is banking, and to add more vestibular manipulation and simulation (the player only has 1G; and cannot tilt his head as much to the side for the sake of G-force as is really required), the following must happen: The right tilt of the virtual pilot head mentioned in (a). above, is decreased slowly, until eventually becoming aligned with the cockpit. Then the player, leveling his real head slowly, will experience with all his senses (what he sees on screen as well as what he feels in his vestibular system), that he is flying straight and level.
(d). When we stop this bank and return to level flight, the virtual pilot head instead roll/tilts to the left. The player will then experience with his eyes as well as vestibular system that the plane is turning to the right, even though it is not. The only indication that he is not, is if he looks at the instruments in his cockpit, or the horizon. The tilt of the virtual pilot head continues until the vestibular system again has reset itself, taking up to 20 seconds.
This is exactly like real life in result, and much in feeling. If player does not read his instruments, relying alone on his vestibular system + watching the cockpit angle, he can suffer vertigo and enter the graveyard spiral and many other scary real world things.
Note that this will have to be combined with strong G-forces acting on our neck muscles like in air combat maneuvering. This is not a problem, because air combat maneuvering is so violent that it acts very forcefully on your vestibular system and neck muscles, making it fairly apparent to your body that you are performing a certain maneuver. But not at lower speeds where planes cannot reach high G-forces. And just imagine top of zooms. The effect from air combat maneuvering on the vestibular system will be noticed when not maneuvering violently anymore. Then the effects of all those G's you pulled will move your virtual head in the opposite direction. For example, after performing a tight loop, when you level out at the end, you will get the sensation that you are pitching down (the virtual pilot head will pitch upwards, just as it would if you were flying level and then pushed the stick forward - only now you are actually just flying level, yet it 'feels' and 'looks' as if you are going nose down). The youtube video of Storm of War (spitifire in clouds over water) looks just like this when coming out of the loop at the end, but I don't know if they use headtracking or not there.
---
And this should just be an option to be checked for fun immersion, or in the 'realism' setting ;) Maybe it will make some people sick. Never the less, it misleads as much as it adds. The normal IL-2 with 6DoF mod already makes you unable to know what is up, down etc if you are flying in clouds or at night, so it's not really different. But it has the potential to add a lot for those wanting to use it. There's not much to be gained in terms of flying ability with it on, rather you probably suffer more disadvantages due to the illusions it gives you.