FreeTrack Forum

Hello everyone, new forum member who needs some help here.  Sorry in advance for the lengthy post:

Though I play other games on occasion, I recently set up a 3-monitor/head-tracking rig specifically to play Aces High II (AHII, an MMOG WWII combat flight game, for those who may not know of it...).  AHII supports 3-monitor gaming AND head-tracking via FreeTrack or TIR.   The basic specs of my setup are:

I'm currently using the latest version of FreeTrack.  I use a Microsoft VX6000  web camera without its original IR filter, along with a TIR ProClip 3-led headpiece.  The monitors are a 24-inch panel in the center with two 22-inch side monitors coordinated via SoftTH.  Technically, it all works well together, and FreeTrack has no problem with the VX6000 or the ProClip.  Outside of some natural lag due to having the clip mounted on the left of my headset (minor) it's generally great, and I'm still agog whenever I get into the game and see it all work so well.

However, I still find it difficult to get "just the right" settings for my AHII config file.  The problem is that I'm not getting enough precision control in my yaw-axis (I think part of the issue may be that my yaw axis must track accross all that 3-panel screen "real estate").   The 3 panels create a far wider field of view that a one monitor does, which means that when I look right or left with enough head movement, the airplane's wings and the rear quarter views appear in whichever side monitor I'm looking toward.  In order to keep the yaw traverse controllable and avoid a wavering, jumpy view, I've dialed in a good amount of initial deadzone/lag using the Curves feature.  This works okay to a point (and that's my problem).  Btw, I use the "pan" mode in the game, rather than "instant" view changes.

As I look left or right toward the "rear" and past my "wings," the view on the screen becomes less controllable and at a point past 90 degrees perpendicular from "front, it will SNAP too quickly all the way back toward the "rear" view without my ability to control it or slow down the traverse.  And it will not stay in the rear view stably, but rather, swings back and forth from rear to side to rear and so on.  What I would like to achieve is the same smooth, gentle and complete control that I have through the first 90 degrees of yaw traverse, ALL THE WAY through the rear-quarter views of right or left yaw.

I have tried balancing the various global and profile-specific sensitivities, smoothing, and Curves feature to get a smooth, easily controlled traverse across the the entire yaw-axis, but again, I've only been been able to get that control through the first 90 degrees in either left or right direction (i.e., from my wings forward).  In other words, I would like to be able to look "over my shoulder" in the game and achieve a stable view through a gentle, easily controlled yaw traverse, just as I get in my forward quarter views.  It's not a huge issue unless I'm dogfighting one or several opponents, at which point, being able to PRECISELY control my views is critical.

Can anyone provide any suggestions or configuration tweaks for this, considering that this is a 3 panel set up, and may be the reason of the rear-quarter view instability?

Thanks in advance,

A deadzone curve makes it less sensitive in the middle but more senstive at the limits,  if you don't like this you should be using a linear, straight curve. Then, to reduce jumpiness, you increase smoothing, but unlike the deadzone curve this will cost you lag.

Thanks, Zaphod.

Yes, I took a look at the settings again from that perspective.  I'd hoped that I could enable the forward views' rock solid control all the way through those rear views, but it looks like that isn't possible, and that some middle ground is the best that can be achieved.

Last night I re-configured the profile with a shallower, shorter curve, and more smoothing.  I ended up with the perfect rear view stability that I wanted, but as you said, I ended up with a bit more sensitivity in the front views than I'd really want.  This is important due to gunnery in the game.  The twitchier the front view, the harder it is to maintain a rock solid lock on the target in the gunsight.

The upside is that I tested it in combat and found that I could absolutely track a target in practically any angle or direction from my canopy, and found that I could turn and roll my head and keep my opponent in my view even after we'd passed each other.  I was also getting those views perfectly placed in my side monitors, giving me a true sense of direction and spacial orientation.

Picture  "Goose" and "Maverick" from "Top Gun" craning and contorting to keep the Mig in sight during their dogfights.  That was me last night, working hard to keep the bandits in sight, with my head going one way, and the plane going another.  What a workout, and probably funny as hell to someone watching me.  Total immersion; all I needed was the G-forces...    

Thanks!