Posts by RoyPettit

Quote from KJKsimmer

Hi Roy, I very carefully selected Carenado and JustFlight in my list because they create (mostly) aircraft that fall within the recreational (as opposed to study) side of the equation. - Kenneth

I must confess I'm not that familiar with 3rd party sim AC developers, so looked at the JustFlight web site. I like their Golden Age add-on which contains a Davis D-1. That plane is in the WAAAM Museum of which I am a member and was a docent for their first 5 years. The one in the museum is the one that was in the movie "Tarnished Angels". The Culver Dart also in the movie sits right next to it.

But to get back on topic, I very much agree with your comments regarding FS2 gaining momentum via the support of 3rd party developers. Maybe what IPACS needs is not another programmer, but an "industry liaison"?

Ken, I know this is off-topic here but maybe IPACS won't delete it before you see it. From my perspective the spring tension on the T16000 was way too much. Mods such as using zip ties to squeeze the spring had too many negative side effects. So using a dremel grinder I actually reduced the diameter of the tension spring wire (and sawed off 1.25" of each end of the spring). It is now about 50% "softer" (lateral pressure at top stick was reduced from 300 grams to 150 grams). It is now much more pleasant and realistic to fly with. I also clipped the wire to the light while I was in there. -=Roy=-

Quote from KJKsimmer

I think the point of this thread was to ask about ANY third party addon aircraft for AFS2. I do not think it is an unreasonable question for loyal customers to ask IPACS whether or not they are in the process of developing relationships with ANY existing third party aircraft companies with a view to expanding the fleet. So IPACS, where are you at in this matter? Fair question I think. It would do wonders for AFS2 to have Carenado or Just Flight on board. BUT inroads and approaches have to be made to get the ball rolling. So, is it rolling? If so, how far along the process are we? And if not, why not?

- Kenneth

I too am very happy with AFS2 as a "recreational" flight simulator. IPACS has done a good job of making a sim "for the rest of us" (an Apple quote). With the addition of a Carbon Cub my needs will be met. Also, I am looking forward to "getting into gliders". I once flew in a DCS World quadron and while the planes are insanely detailed and aerodynamically and operationally accurate, I resigned from the squadron after a 3 month, several hours per week, learning curve had still not allowed me to start the A10 and arm the weapons. The currently in development SU-52 has a year of development in it, and has still not gone live. But DCS is out there if that's what you like (and are into combat). But I bring up DCS only as evidence of the consequences of extreme development. For recreational sim flyers AFS2 is a solid choice providing hours of entertainment, with good performance and low learning curve, with a nice variety of aircraft.

The plane in question is the Pitts, which has no autopilot. I'll check out the other SEL planes for this issue (Single Engine Land is what I mostly fly). If this is in an "INI" file somewhere I'd be happy to change it myself.

| time |

OK, the same problem exists to various degrees in the following SEL planes (tested with throttle set to 70%):

Pitts, C172, Sopwith Camel, Jungmeister, Extra 330

Also, it is not just the pitch axis, it is all 3 axis -- pitch, roll, yaw.

Bottom line, unable to trim for straight and level (hands off) fight in these planes (not sure about others). One click from not centered one way, to the other way, results in too far the other way. Perhaps some kind of "center trims" function (but that's not "real")?

Attached is my joystick settings. The TM T16000M has 16000 resolution (units not known).

Obviously TOD is an issue to invoke so many responses. Please add to your "To Do" list to simplify the, what to me, is the cumbersome UTC method. In the meantime I will set up a rocker switch for T/Shift-T as suggested.

Quote from Stevie777

I am so glad I chose this sim to start my sim-flying career. So much nice things to come!

It would be great to see a list of things planned for implementation in the future. No ETA is needed, just stuff on the "To Do" list from IPACS perspective. Would keep us from bringing up redundant topics here, as well as nourish anticipatory excitement.

I notice there are updates on the ORBX web site for content that's available as DLC's for AFS2 on Steam. Do these updates automatically update for those of us who've purchased ORBX DLC's on Steam, or do we have to install the update manually from the ORBX web site?

I was looking for a way that I didn't have to remove my VR HMD and go to a 3rd party website just to set time-of-day. As PMB says, local time is in competitor sims. And "local" is where you are flying, no matter where your home is.

Is there a way to set the trim increments (amount that it moves per click)? I'm flying the Pitts and trying to set elevator trim for level flight. One click up and it climbs. One click down from there and it descends. In that throttle controls altitude, I played around with small throttle changes to no avail (set at about 60-70% green on the tach).

Just wondering if there's a way to set percentage of movement per click somewhere. Alternately a way to reduce the sensitivity of the top hat which I use for trim.

Thanks.

I'm finding that setting Time in various locations around the world, and having to figure out the "UTC" differential so that I'm flying in daylight, is quite a challenge for my aging brain. Would it be possible to update AFS2 to where a person could choose UTC method, or local time method? First you would choose your location, then set your 24 hour time based on that location.

Just an idea. Thanks for considering.

Quote from drhotwing1

Guys, thank you very much for your honest and detailed responses here. I don't know if I can buy one but I certainly may do so for comparison sake and testing.

If IPACS does get a WMR HMD for R&D, here's a video on how to use content developed for SteamVR/Vive or Oculus Rift on your WMR headset. There might be something useful to you regarding the differences between the HMD's. BTW: I plugged AFS2 in the comments of this channels review of Top-10 WMR games (not that I consider AFS2 a game).

Quote from admin

Here is a video showing hands in action: FLY WITH VR HANDS! | Aerofly FS 2 Flight Simulator Update: VR Controller Support (Video)

Thanks!

10-4. I thought SteamVR was kind of an API, and if you wrote for that any HMD would be usable for a SteamVR app (or as we used to call them -- program). This explains why an "app" written to support Vive, worked with WMR from the get go. I was already flying FS2 successfully in VR with my WMR HMD before the hands came along. I guess WMR-only apps available in the WMR Portal are written using some kind of MS API.

Which brings up the next issue. I intend to continue using HOTAS+Mouse, as flying with the hands isn't as good from my perspective (except for instrument adjustment). I'll just continue to leave my VR controllers off. But since you have a Samsung Odyssey let me ask you this. Does yours work at the menu level? Mine works about 10% of the time if I persist in stabbing here and there and pushing buttons. I can scroll through the aircraft if I "go deep". Not a show-stopper for me, but just wondering if I need to go through the WMR Portal calibration again or something.

Quote from kenventions

With IPACS already supporting Vive & SteamVR, WMR headsets are also informally considered supported since they are SteamVR-based.

Ken,

Just for my edification, can you clarify what you mean by "WMR headsets are ... SteamVR-based"? The WMR Portal (cliff house) runs content that doesn't require SteamVR to be installed. Also, DCS and XPlane 11 don't seem to need SteamVR for their VR support. I'm a little confused on this and it's in my nature to understand how things work. Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

-=Roy=-

Quote from drhotwing1

So you are saying that if we fix some of the bugs and make some tweaks here and there the Samsung Odyssey with motion control will work well with Aerofly?

>> Yes

Also, compared to the resolution and optical quality of the Oculus Rift, would you say that Aerofly looks and performs better in the Odyssey?

>> I don't have a Rift for comparison, but info on the web indicates Odyssey beats Rift hands down (both looks and performance). If you want to get by with less expense you could get by with a Lenovo Explorer which would be good enough for test & debug. Be sure to view comparison of the two on the YT channel referenced above.

Kenventions...

>> I don't think IPACS has to do anything else to support them.

My Samsung HMD works as expected in the cockpit, but in the menu screens results are mostly unpredictable. This may be due to some setting I have. Do the menu's work fine with your Odyssey?

>> The WMR controllers do have vibration motors.

Duh, Of course they do. On/Off buzzing is a clue isn't it? What was I thinking? :o)

>> I do think it would be useful for IPACS to own a Samsung Odyssey.

It would allow them to see what's up with all 3 HMD options, and debug any issues (and understand there are no limitations vs O/V). Currently the Odyssey can be gotten for $400 from Samsung. There might be some kind of developers deal from Microsoft.

>> probably the same display panels that will be in the next version of the Vive = VivePro.

Samsung and Oculus appear to be working closely together. My Samsung Gear VR HMD uses Oculus software. That Samsung deviated from the Microsoft HMD template by providing extra features the other WMR HMD's don't have (IPD adjustment, better lenses (providing larger sweet spot and FOV), better display panels, ergonomic controllers, earphone/mic, etc.) may be due to the influence of Oculus. So I wouldn't be surprised if Oculus's "nextgen" HMD has the Odyssey display panels.

Quote from drhotwing1

May I ask, what do you feel are limitations using the WMR HMD? I haven't researched WMR much yet, are there motion controllers available for it?

You can check my profile to see if my background provides any validity to what I'm about to share or not. Be advised it takes me months to buy anything because I spend so much time researching the best choice by watching and reading gobs of videos, reviews, media reports, etc (my wife calls me "Monk" of the TV detective series). I will refer to Oculus and Vive products as O/V, and Windows Mixed Reality as WMR. I have owned/used Lenovo Explorer and Samsung Odyssey WMR HMD's. I admit to being a "WMR bigot" and fully expect opposing views from the O/V community. I can provide a lot of history and details related to WMR, but will try and contain myself to answering your question. Having said that, here is some info that may be helpful as you prepare to support 100% of the VR HMD offerings. I recommend this YouTube channel as a starting point for supplemental information: Mixed Reality TV

From my perspective the "limitations" are on the O/V side. They have less per-eye resolution, require extra hardware for positioning, have a more complex and time consuming software setup, have about the same "sweet spot" and FOV as the Samsung Odyssey, have heavier HMD's, and require a higher level of supporting PC hardware. As for content/software, anything available for SteamVR works on WMR, and there is a 3rd party app that allows running Oculus content on WMR. The cost for Oculus and Odyssey is the same: $400, otherwise the "below $300" WMR HMD's are considerably less expensive than O/V options. Both provide 6 degrees of movement. Both have similar controllers in terms of layout/configuration and movement resolution (I don't know if the WMR controllers have vibration motors as I've only used mine for flying AFS2.

There are a plethora of web reviews saying that the Samsung Odyssey is superior to anything from O/V. Search on something like "Oculus vs WMR".

Based on my readings I'm getting about twice the FPS on my punny I5 7600K/GTX 1060 than O/V users are with I7/1070.

But to answer your question, there are no limitations when using WMR vs O/V to fly in ASF2, except maybe the haptic feel. You have done a great job of providing support for 2/3rds of the VR users, now just some minor tweaks are needed to support all of the VR users. I recommend you get a Samsung Odyssey as it has better FOV, sweet spot (focus area), color & intensity, resolution, and ergonomic controllers compared to the Lenovo/HP/Acer/Dell HMD's (which Microsoft provided the template for). If you go for a non-Samsung HMD, I recommend the Lenovo Explorer as it is the lightest and most comfortable of entry level choices. Negatives of the Samsung include the weight and comfort level, and the maker does not recommend using with glasses. I have modded mine to be more comfortable and usable with glasses as documented here.

Let me know if I can provide any additional information that might be helpful.

-=Roy=-

Has anybody posted anywhere a video showing the VR hands in use? I've tried telling my email friends about the new feature, but "a video is worth a thousand words". I've considered making my own, but since my WMR HMD is not officially supported yet, and kind of iffy, a video made with Oculus or Vive would be better. Something that shows setting the dials (barometer?), controlling the stick, setting flaps, etc. would be great (and promotionally beneficial?).

Quote from edpatino

Hi Roy, did you solve that issue?. I'm having the same here, and still trying to work around the Oculus Guardian System setup to see if it can be solved that way. Cheers, Ed

Since I won't be controlling the aircraft with VR but with HOTAS, I didn't pursue the desk-obstacle problem. I'm assuming that "Guardian" is similar to WMR's "Boundaries"? I have boundaries turned off in my WMR setup, so that's not the problem. It's that VR actually replicates real world space, dimensions, locations, etc. The C172 throttle is about where your desk/work surface would be, so I don't see a clever way around this for now other than to have a VR setting for what we in the RC world call "exponential", except that in VR is would be backwards exponential (the curve gets more not less).

In spite of the fact that IPACS said: "We originally planned on releasing ‘VR Hands’ only for Oculus users but decided to go all in and offer this spectacular new feature to everyone! The wait is over!", they said that they actually didn't test with WMR headsets (only tested with 2/3rds the VR HMD options available). So I'm just happy that it mostly does work with WMR HMDs! [because SteamVR uses Vive emulation?] So going forward it will be fun to experiment with hybrid HOTAS+Hands controlling to see what provides the most effective/practical VR flying experience. I can't wait to see if I can bop my copilot on the back of the head for making a mistake (ha ha).

Quote from drhotwing1

we never tested this with WMR so it's not likely fully supported.

OK. I'm not sure what percentage of VR users are WMR, but WMR headsets are selling like mad. Since it's cheaper and easier to implement, I would guess WMR would overtake Oculus/Vive at some point in time. Once the "critical mass" is reached for WMR the VR community will probably give it more "cpu cycles". There's a lot of content on Steam that supports it. Might be interesting for you to do a survey on who's using VR (just percentage wise, not names), and what kinds of headsets folks are using (Oculus/Vive/WMR/Other).