Friday 2010-08-13 Dev. update and Discussions

[engarde]

Originally Posted by Blackdog_kt

Just look at that Blenheim cockpit shot posted in one of the previous updates, the instruments look so crisp and detailed that i got "cockpit and switch mania" and got a sudden urge to go fly something with clickable cockpits

Lets hope trackIR will someday allow us via head movement of a hi-vis dot, activated by a quick double blink, to activate live cockpit functions.

[Blackdog_kt]

You mean like a cursor that can be moved via TrackIR instead of mouse? That would be very nice.

Another thing i had in mind...having a cursor that is bound to the cockpit's 3d coordinates instead of the screen's coordinates. For example, that would enable us to place the cursor on the gunsight controls and it would stay there regardless of where we looked. The cursor might be out of view but unless the mouse (or mouse emulating hotas hat) moved, it would stay there. It would be like having a virtual hand instead of having to always look at what we want to manipulate, quite useful for setting up things in advance.

For example, i might be looking over my shoulder but still adjusting my gunsight brightness or range by moving that mouse wheel. Or, i could be expecting one of my fuel tanks to run dry, so i could place the cursor on the fuel tank switch 5 minutes ahead of time...just as the engine begins to cough and sputter, a click of the mouse or roll of the mouse wheel and the next fuel tank is selected.

I guess this would be more useful for twin engined aircraft or bombers, ie flyables with increased amount of controls. Clickable pits or not, i doubt anyone would want to click the gun triggers or other important controls like flaps, throttles, etc, but it works quite nicely for less important controls that are used less than often in the duration of the entire mission, as it minimizes the amount of needed keyboard shortcuts to map and memorize.

I'll stop here, before we derail this from a "WiP discussion and screenshots" to "ideas about the interface of SoW"

[airmalik]

Originally Posted by engarde

Lets hope trackIR will someday allow us via head movement of a hi-vis dot, activated by a quick double blink, to activate live cockpit functions.

Don't know if I'd want to blink to activate switches. I'd prefer voice activated switches or something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLkfx6QxLfg

He's using a Wii remote to activate switches by touching them on the screen.

[tourmaline]

Originally Posted by airmalik

Don't know if I'd want to blink to activate switches. I'd prefer voice activated switches or something like this:

He's using a Wii remote to activate switches by touching them on the screen.

Voice activation will have some problems, first of all, wich language will you use and if your language is not the native one used for the game, if you don't pronounce it well, then it won't recognize the commands. This is also the case with some dictate software; if you have a cold, it's going mad allready...

Not the best solution for international games.

A cursor that moves via a hat keyswitch on your hotas would be a much better option!

[airmalik]

Originally Posted by tourmaline

Voice activation will have some problems, first of all, wich language will you use and if your language is not the native one used for the game, if you don't pronounce it well, then it won't recognize the commands.

I was thinking of the free software shoot . This allows you to record commands in your OWN voice and will issue the desired keystroke to the game. Because it's your own voice, there's no issue with recognition. When I used to play IL2, I had common voice commands like 'gear', 'flaps up', 'nav lights', 'fire extinguisher', 'smoke' set up and it was pretty cool to have the plane react to them. Felt like I had a copilot flying with me, performing what I asked him to do.

Before 'shoot' I spent a lot of time configuring my Saitek stick and throttle with modifiers keys etc. but couldn't always remember what button combo to press for a command. Shoot made it so much easier especially for the less commonly used commands.

[tourmaline]

Originally Posted by airmalik

I was thinking of the free software shoot . This allows you to record commands in your OWN voice and will issue the desired keystroke to the game. Because it's your own voice, there's no issue with recognition. When I used to play IL2, I had common voice commands like 'gear', 'flaps up', 'nav lights', 'fire extinguisher', 'smoke' set up and it was pretty cool to have the plane react to them. Felt like I had a copilot flying with me, performing what I asked him to do.

Before 'shoot' I spent a lot of time configuring my Saitek stick and throttle with modifiers keys etc. but couldn't always remember what button combo to press for a command. Shoot made it so much easier especially for the less commonly used commands.

Oh yes, if you have a severe cold, shoot might have a problem recognizing your commands since your voice sounds quite different. This has always been the case with voice activated software.

I prefer a hotas system anytime over shoot. You can record loads of keystrokes under a button. In real world situations it also doesn't work with voice command. Maybe some ultra modern airplanes might have it, but not the ones used in wow: BOB.

[airmalik]

Originally Posted by tourmaline

In real world situations it also doesn't work with voice command. Maybe some ultra modern airplanes might have it, but not the ones used in wow: BOB.

It's up to you what you want to use the voice commands for. For instance, in the absence of hand signals, issuing commands to your wingman may be more realistic when voice activated rather than via keyboard/hotas button.

Being entirely optional, you don't have to use it if it doesn't work for you.

[swiss]

Originally Posted by tourmaline

Oh yes, if you have a severe cold, shoot might have a problem recognizing your commands since your voice sounds quite different. This has always been the case with voice activated software.

I prefer a hotas system anytime over shoot. You can record loads of keystrokes under a button. In real world situations it also doesn't work with voice command. Maybe some ultra modern airplanes might have it, but not the ones used in wow: BOB.

Bingo - if you want total immersion: build a cockpit.
It's fairly easy to build, only problem could be space - and the fact that everybody who knows about it thinks your're nuts.

[Dano]

Originally Posted by engarde

Lets hope trackIR will someday allow us via head movement of a hi-vis dot, activated by a quick double blink, to activate live cockpit functions.

Well that is pretty much exactly what TrackIR was developed for, the version we have is the offshoot of technology designed to allow people with disabilities to interact with computers so I'm sure that with a little prompting NP would add the feature in, as it stands my older V2 TIR unit allows me to use mouse emulation, has that feature been removed from the later software releases?

[engarde]

Originally Posted by Dano

Well that is pretty much exactly what TrackIR was developed for, the version we have is the offshoot of technology designed to allow people with disabilities to interact with computers so I'm sure that with a little prompting NP would add the feature in, as it stands my older V2 TIR unit allows me to use mouse emulation, has that feature been removed from the later software releases?

My earlier post was pure fantasy.

I meant no disrespect.

I wish they would add my suggested, but in no way unique, feature.

TrackIR dev should add a hi-vis dot, enabled over the panel-like areas, to allow for blink triggered panel control.....