Head Tracking with Cliffs of Dover

[swiss]

Originally Posted by MadBlaster

Ok.

I think potential lost revenue would be very difficult to prove, if not impossible. Especially given that using a webcam is so much cheaper than purchasing TrackIR. For some, the webcam is a sunk cost, so they may only spend $5 or $10 on LEDs or nothing at all if those are a sunk cost too. So you would be arguing to a judge that that same person would have otherwise spent +$150 instead of using something that costs nothing. Then that puts all mouse users on the hook as well. Well, you see, there’s nothing to stand on here.

Let's try it the other way around.
At $150 for TIR we're in the range of a decent joystick.
How many of the FT users do have such a stick?
Yes they do benefit, yes they can and do spend this amount for peripherals.

Another comment on the fourth test. If NP wanted to, they could have chosen not to bundle the TrackIR interface code in games. Simply sell it as separate software package with a market price. When it is bundled, there is no value or the value it indeterminate. How can a judge make a determination on value this way? He can't. Since it is bundled, it is easy to make a case that the value is zero, again, since the game can be played with a mouse.

I can't see any relation to the problem, but nice text anyway.

[Blackdog_kt]

Originally Posted by swiss

I see: if the NP interface is the only one available, you use it with FT.
It's justified because you got the moral "right" too have a second option of your choice?

What W-R wants is basically FT 2.3 without the option of being able to use the np interface.
Yes, that would mean you couldn't use in games like IL2 anymore, but at least there would be nothing left to argue about and this discussion could finally end.

It's obvious what he wants, he's perfectly entitled to his opinion and until we hear otherwise from a qualified lawyer it could or couldn't stand in court, but for the majority of people who are looking at the big picture the issue is not the legalities but the actual usability: we can't let the availability of alternative forms of head tracking in general (besides FT) to rest on that one point of FT doing things the way it does.

If we do, the FT debate will only serve as a "trojan horse" to block all alternatives by trying to make the developer screen each method for copyright issues, which in turn will make the developer not bother at all because it will be too much work. This is what i'm against, we're looking at the tree and missing the forest here.

The thing is, there's an even easier way to do it all and the developer totally "washes his hands" of all responsibility so to speak if they follow this route: 6 generic headtracking axes in the game options that the user can map to whatever control on his own. Get your favorite alternative headtracker set up, map the axes in the game to it (either directly or through emulation like PPjoy as a 2nd joystick) and you're good to go:

1) Is this legal? Perfectly.

2) Will it work with the majority of head tracking solutions without the need to add customized support separately for each one? Most likely so.

3) Will it prevent freetrack from working with it until they remove the naturalpoint emulation? Well, it's not Oleg's job to enforce a solution, so we don't care.

That's all there is to it. We can't expect the developer to individually screen every head tracking method for copyright issues just like we can't expect him to provide customized individual support for each one. However, if they choose to use an in-house generic interface of their own they shift the burden of dealing with the legalities away from them to the end user (that means us) and they also get a working product for everyone, problem solved.

[LoBiSoMeM]

Originally Posted by swiss

Let's try it the other way around.
At $150 for TIR we're in the range of a decent joystick.
How many of the FT users do have such a stick?
Yes they do benefit, yes they can and do spend this amount for peripherals.

The funny thing is that I spend less than $40 in a TM16000M, glue some pvc tube and have the better control rod available for use in IL-2 1946 or IL-2:CoD...

And I use Freetrack with a PS3Eye and can have wide range of movement with 120FPS...

I have the money, but I don't want to give a coin for NP. They have overpriced products.

About generic interfaces, it's the simple way to go, but NP don't like this route. NP like limited HT capabilities, like 3DoF for the "poor" and 6DoF with TIR, things that we all tired to see.

It's pointless this discussion. NP have it's basis in the pathetic atempt to restrain all alternative HT solutions, or talking crap about "hacking", or pushing game-dev to use only NP interface.

That's the way it's work. All can see that W-R and other NP trolls don't want to discuss REAL alternatives, because this REAL alternatives put in risk the market of NP.

[DD_crash]

Just to add some more info http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12144231 so with MS hardware involved with motion tracking I think the NP will have their hands full

[LoBiSoMeM]

Originally Posted by DD_crash

Just to add some more info http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12144231 so with MS hardware involved with motion tracking I think the NP will have their hands full

Nah, decent hardware creators don't bother so much about "hacks", they goes opposite way:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ne/9210071.stm

I bought a PS3Eye without even have a PS3... Just because someone "hack" the driver to PC use... you think Sony is upset about that? LOL!

NP is a joke. Isn't a serious hardware company, someday they will vanish if still trying just to keep this market of simmers nerds with IR lights in head!

With M$ Kinetic and future hardware we maybe someday can use our hands to rotate some dials inside the cockpit of WWII warbirds virtualy...

[DD_crash]

I was thinking that MS would put motion tracking support into windows, like mouse and joystick. Do you think that NP will like or fight it?

[LoBiSoMeM]

Originally Posted by DD_crash

I was thinking that MS would put motion tracking support into windows, like mouse and joystick. Do you think that NP will like or fight it?

It near future M$ WILL do that, for sure.

Kinect is years away form IR dots tracking, is much more flexible, with much more possibilities. And the hardware price is the same as some TIR actual solution...

NP will bankrupt when this technology became available for PC users, and I'll never use Freetrack again, or have stupid IR leds in my head.

But next month I'll like to have Freetrack suport in IL-2:CoD! LOL!

[swiss]

I don't know how this Kinect stuff works, but it sounds promising for sure.


Lobi, f.i.
You are aware NP makes the big money with the professional tracking systems not with a downgraded eco gamer solution, right?

[adonys]

M$'s Kinect was already reverse-engineered and connected and used on PC. So, that moment won't be too far away.

I also find the price NP asks for a device like that to be outrageous. And I own town of their devices: a TrackIR2 and a TrackIR 4 Pro.

[albx]

Originally Posted by LoBiSoMeM

Nah, decent hardware creators don't bother so much about "hacks", they goes opposite way:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ne/9210071.stm

I bought a PS3Eye without even have a PS3... Just because someone "hack" the driver to PC use... you think Sony is upset about that? LOL!

NP is a joke. Isn't a serious hardware company, someday they will vanish if still trying just to keep this market of simmers nerds with IR lights in head!

With M$ Kinetic and future hardware we maybe someday can use our hands to rotate some dials inside the cockpit of WWII warbirds virtualy...

I did the same lobi, i also have a PS3eye e no PS3 , did you removed the IR filter? i'm using white leds, not the IR, and works very good