• Hi all,

    I’ve seen this mentioned a couple of times but wasn’t sure if anything had changed recently.

    How do you tackle navigation in VR? I’ve just started using VR (and it’s awesome in AF2), but I’m struggling somewhat to find my way around.

    I’ve tried the trick of mapping the HUD toggle to a controller button - that works to a degree, but isn’t ideal.

    I have FSWidgets Map on my iPad, but it breaks the VR barrier having to remove my headset to check it. I can sort of see a tiny bit of the map out of a small gap at the bottom of my headset lol but again not ideal.

    Any other hints or suggestions?

    Regards,

    Mark

  • Are you creating a flight plan with waypoints in the 'Navigation' screen?

    In the Cessna I just move my head a bit closer to the moving map, or zoom in with the control knob.

    I find it easy enough to see if I'm following the green line of the planned route.

    AeroScenery - Easily create photoreal scenery for Aerofly

  • Hi Mark, as I am mostly interested in gliding, I am trying to tackle this very problem myself.

    Fortunately I am software developer so I am developing own VR overlay navigation device, it connects to Aerofly to retrieve the data and overlays my device in VR.

    This is currently only for visual navigation (moving map) & tasks (flying to waypoints) and currently aimed towards gliding. The tasks or navigation routes will be done online in a web browser and then saved for use in my navigation.

    You can fine my development thread here: Glider Map / Nav App (just playing)

    Here is the last video update i did, however it has come on quite a bit since and later this evening I will be doing another video showing its current status.

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    Thanks

    Andy

    Edited once, last by gonzo84 (September 27, 2019 at 1:13 PM).

  • Wow, if this is what I think it is then I’ve been desperately hoping for IPACs to build it in for a few years now. i don’t find the steam overlay tools very usable so my approach was to render some flight plan key info into modified parts of the aircraft ttx files.

  • Wow, if this is what I think it is then I’ve been desperately hoping for IPACs to build it in for a few years now. i don’t find the steam overlay tools very usable so my approach was to render some flight plan key info into modified parts of the aircraft ttx files.

    Phil, we need to explore this with K to see if it might be used in the VR cockpit of our flight plan interactions.

  • Hi Phil,

    This is basically a low level overlay, which interfaces with OpenVR - it is still an overlay nonetherless - however it is not an overlay designed to "show" a window or browser from the desktop. Think of this more of a software navigation device which has built in VR overlay feature for Aerofly.

    However, since starting this, I have found a few quirks with "overlays" and Aerofly, so this has now become very much much suited for Aerofly.

    You can also now (using the Aerofly hands) simply pickup the device in the cockpit and position it wherever you like ETC. Works really well.

    The actual mapping / navigation is also being done by myself which means I (or we) can have complete control over how we want it be.

    I guess this could be made more "universal" so it fits with other aircraft too, but essentially I am developing this very much like the real stand-alone nav devices which are on the market such as the LxNav or the Oudie (https://lxavionics.co.uk/index.php?rout…t&product_id=77)

    Andy

  • For me it's actually a fun challenge. I try to memorize the maps and features, from either maps, or satellite maps, before hand, and then fly them. It creates a sense of realism (when flying without GPS was a thing), especially in warbirds and even jets.

    I never fly with navigational aid. The most cheating I allow myself is bring up labels, not always helpful either if one doesn't know which city is where. I've gotten significantly lost at times. But then figuring out where and why and trying again is fun (to me).

    Very different challenge in the US west, US East and Switzerland. In the west US I've come to a point where you could drop me almost anywhere, I take on some altitude and I know where I am and which way is which.

    I still get significantly lost in Switzerland and US East, more exploring is in order, yay!!!

    I guess it is somewhat the feeling the ancient navigators would have had.

  • That looks amazing and pretty much just what I’m after 😄 Many thanks, I shall check out the video later.


    For me it's actually a fun challenge. I try to memorize the maps and features, from either maps, or satellite maps, before hand, and then fly them. It creates a sense of realism (when flying without GPS was a thing), especially in warbirds and even jets.

    I never fly with navigational aid. The most cheating I allow myself is bring up labels, not always helpful either if one doesn't know which city is where. I've gotten significantly lost at times. But then figuring out where and why and trying again is fun (to me).

    Very different challenge in the US west, US East and Switzerland. In the west US I've come to a point where you could drop me almost anywhere, I take on some altitude and I know where I am and which way is which.

    I still get significantly lost in Switzerland and US East, more exploring is in order, yay!!!

    I guess it is somewhat the feeling the ancient navigators would have had.

    Yep, agree that’s totally a fun thing to do as well 😄 I like both depending what mood I’m in 😄