Elite on Kickstarter...

[Muttley]

Newsletter #32 is out: http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcb ... 70b7a0178e

Included is some lush planetary landing concept art:



And a look at the cockpit interiors which are all ready for the whole FPS / Getting out of you seat expansion:

[Cloudane]

Lovely stuff

Built a head tracker today. Cheap. http://edtracker.org.uk/

It makes an IMMENSE difference when dogfighting (you can look right up at the canopy above you, making it easier to keep your eye on the enemy), trying to find the station entrance when flying a bit too close to the station, and instantly bringing up the left and right panel UIs by just looking at them.
I thought it'd be weird, like looking way up and squinting at the monitor from the corner of your eye, but the amount that it 'exaggerates' your head movements feels very natural.


It doesn't make for pretty viewing if you're watching someone else play over their shoulder or on youtube when their view is moving about all over the place (as I saw when watching a vid with someone using one.. I kept thinking "stay still will ya"), but when you're the one playing it's spot on.

[Darkflame]

So that just does rotational headtracking and not displacement headtracking?

[Cloudane]

I er..... wat?
Whoooosh!
It works, whatever it is!
It detects me rotating rather than moving my head around, so I guess so?

[Whiteball]

Lovely stuff

Built a head tracker today. Cheap. http://edtracker.org.uk/

It makes an IMMENSE difference when dogfighting (you can look right up at the canopy above you, making it easier to keep your eye on the enemy), trying to find the station entrance when flying a bit too close to the station, and instantly bringing up the left and right panel UIs by just looking at them.
I thought it'd be weird, like looking way up and squinting at the monitor from the corner of your eye, but the amount that it 'exaggerates' your head movements feels very natural.


It doesn't make for pretty viewing if you're watching someone else play over their shoulder or on youtube when their view is moving about all over the place (as I saw when watching a vid with someone using one.. I kept thinking "stay still will ya"), but when you're the one playing it's spot on.

Sounds ace! How easy is it to build and get setup? Basically, is it a fiddly process or fairly straight forward/well documented one?

[zip accident]

So that just does rotational headtracking and not displacement headtracking?

I think they call displacement head tracking six degrees of freedom, as I understand the website it says this is only three degrees of freedom, so presumably not.

[Misfit]

Does look good.

But I just got this email, which is exciting and may hold me back trying it...

Hi Marc,

We are preparing to start shipping the new Oculus Rift Development Kit 2. Please take a moment to update your billing and shipping information on the Order Management page: https://www.oculusvr.com/sales/.

Incomplete information or errors with your payment information or shipping address will cause shipping delays.

For people that purchased using credit cards, we have already charged a $50 deposit. We will charge the remaining balance to the original credit card shortly before we ship your DK2. If we are unable to charge the credit card on file, you will receive an email notification, but your order will be delayed until we can successfully complete the transaction.

For people that purchased using PayPal, their policy requires us to charge the full amount at the point of sale, so you’re all set. Just confirm your address and you’ll receive your kit.

To check on your order information and status:
Go to https://www.oculusvr.com/sales/
Enter the email address you used when originally placing your order
Check your email for a link to a page with your order information
Verify or update your shipping address
Verify or update your payment instrument

Thanks,
Oculus VR

[Cloudane]

Oh Misfit. There's always one isn't there

Sounds ace! How easy is it to build and get setup? Basically, is it a fiddly process or fairly straight forward/well documented one?

It's not THE most documented thing in the world but pretty well. Much more clear than say, rooting an Android device (which is full of intentional vagueness and l33tspeak)

You need the lil Arduino (clone from China), the sensor board and the PCB (and header pins and button) from there that holds them together. Easy as piss to solder (I'm terrible at soldering)

Then you install the Arduino SDK and driver (get the .6 beta 2 SDK from "previous versions", I heard, not the new .7 one, and the driver is on the edtracker site)
Then it gets a tad fiddly but basically you aim to add the new device as an "edtracker" on Arduino and extract the bits and pieces into the right places on your disk as per the instructions. Then upload the calibration sketch to the Arduino, run the GUI, follow instructions on site, upload normal sketch, unplug and replug, set it as a direct up/down and left/right look axis in Elite options and bobs your uncle. Press the button to re-center if it drifts.


tl;dr: easy. kinda.

[Misfit]

Looks like they'll sell you one ready made for £25 if you aren't in a hurry.

[defsdoor]

Isn't there a problem with head tracking if your screens don't follow you ? Don't you end up looking out of the opposite corner of your eye constantly ?

[Whiteball]

Then you install the Arduino SDK and driver (get the .6 beta 2 SDK from "previous versions", I heard, not the new .7 one, and the driver is on the edtracker site)
Then it gets a tad fiddly but basically you aim to add the new device as an "edtracker" on Arduino and extract the bits and pieces into the right places on your disk as per the instructions. Then upload the calibration sketch to the Arduino, run the GUI, follow instructions on site, upload normal sketch, unplug and replug, set it as a direct up/down and left/right look axis in Elite options and bobs your uncle. Press the button to re-center if it drifts.

tl;dr: easy. kinda.

Thanks, sounds fairly straight forward then. Probably give this a go, always wondered what head tracking is really like in use.

[Yak]

Bit more pew pew practice (I still suck, but I have way more fun sucking with the joystick and Oculus) and I've found a little oddity: sometimes the game stops recognising my systems power diversion hat switch. It's odd because it's only in cockpit (the switch can be used to navigate the menus as normal), restarting the game resets it, but it'll occasionally just drop out during combat (which is a bit of a pisser since effective use of that switch is something I actively want to get used to).

[Yak]

I thought maybe installing the saitek drivers for the x52 might help (actually I don't see why, as the hat switch works fine in menus, just sometimes not in battle). But anyway, I'd not installed any drivers at all, just plugged it in and selected x52 from the control options in game, all worked just fine apart that small hat switch glitch.

But anyway, install the official drivers, no harm in doing that right?

After installing the official drivers I noticed 2 things: (1) the MFD display on the throttle now lights up fully blue and (2) my BOOST button no longer works!

No amount of fiddling around brought back my boost button and buggered if I'm going into combat without a boost button.

So I uninstalled the official drivers, rebooted and my boost button came back.

Looking forward to the beta release now, pew pew pew and getting killed a lot is definitely fun but I want some going into hyperspace and landing on space stations action too now .

[Muttley]

There's some weirdness with the default profile in the X52 Flight Control Software. I use this one which basically has all the shifting stuff disabled: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/358 ... eShift.pr0

You also need to make sure clutch mode is disabled in the control panel settings:

[Whiteball]

Ok, err..thanks, I think.

Got fed up reading all these positive comments and looking at lush pictures so decided to upgrade to the premium beta

Got set up and did a little flying about and stuff...
Now think I may need a HOTAS too as the Saitek Cyborg Evo stick thing I have is ok, but only really doing half a job. I need more control

I've got to say though even with all I've read and seen, you can't appreciate this until you start playing. It's just ace!
I'm really looking forward to see where they take this now, it's going to be an awesome ride for sure.

So thanks from me, but not from my wallet....