Hi all,
One of the best VR experiences I've had so far was flying around Mount Everest and Yosemite Nat Park at sunset in a Cessna 172. It took quite a lot of setup to accomplish, so I wanted to outline what I did to hopefully save others a lot of the trial-and-error that I went through to figure it out so far. I'm sure there are much better ways to do it but here is what I did and, for what it's worth, I hope someone else who is new to VR may find it useful. Happy flying.
HARDWARE:
Oculust Rift
Razer Hydras
Nice 'over-ear' headphones (I used AKG K-501's)
Buff headwear
one sock
one velcro tie
a small fan
Mac Pro using bootcamp
AMD Radeon 5800
SOFTWARE:
Oculus Rift Config Utility v1.2 SDK 0.2.5
Opentrack win32-2.0b3
Motion Creator 2
Outerra Anteworld 0.8.0.4301
Windows 7 64bit
Latest AMD Catalyst Control Center
OPTIONAL:
A good pint of beer. For the flight, of course!
PROCEDURE:
1. Install all programs. Have latest video drivers installed.
2. Run the Oculus Rift config utility to make sure everything is set right and calibrate the Oculus Rift, then close that program.
3. Run OpenTrack and configure as follows:
Main Tracker = set to Rift
Auxiliary Tracker = set to Hydra
Auxiliary Tracker settings = disable pitch, yaw, roll and enable X, Y, and Z.
Game Protocol = set to Freetrack 2.0
Keys = I set "center" to Shift-Z so that I could find it easily on keyboard with the Oculus Rift on.
Curves = For yaw, pitch, and roll, I had a straight diagonal line from 0-0 (bottom left) to 180-180 (top right). For X, I dragged the top right vertex to 20, for Y, I dragged the top right vertex to 25, and for Z, I dragged the top right vertex to 25. This is adjustable, of course. So far, however, I've found this to feel most natural for spine motion. I can lean a few feet to the left or right and look right outside the side of the Cessna and check my landing gear or even examine the side of the plane. I can move a few feet up or down or virtually scoot forward or back in my seat and it feels more natural.
Axis Inversion = I had to have TX and TY checkboxes highlighted while the rest were blank.
4. Start OpenTrack to determine which Hydra controller is being tracked by its X,Y,Z coordinates. This controller will be physically attached to the Oculus Rift.
5. To map controls, I created a different profile in Motion Creator 2 for each vehicle in Anteworld. The Cessna profile I made was a follows:
Controller Mode = motion controller
Game Type = none
Requires Schema = 1.2
Mouse Pointer = not used
Joystick controller = set the other Hydra to 4_way and auto_bind wasd. This will make it behave like a yoke, although I'm sure a Thrustmaster
type joystick would be better!
I setup about 11 key bindings as follows:
THROTTLE UP = button 4 (key "pageup")
THROTTLE DOWN = button 2 (key "pagedown")
MIXTURE UP = button 3 (key "home")
MIXTURE DOWN = button 1 (key "end")
LANDING GEAR TOGGLE = depress joystick button (key ".")
ELEVATOR UP = tilt up (filter = normal, angle = 25) (key "s")
ELEVATOR DOWN = tilt down (filter = normal, angle = 25) (key "w")
RUDDER LEFT = tilt left (filter = normal, angle = 25) (key "z")
RUDDER RIGHT = tilt right (filter = normal, angle = 25) (key "x")
SHOOT = trigger (key "space")
CAMERA = button reset (key "c")
I mapped the top joystick on the Hydra because I've found it easier to start with controlling the plane via the joystick and then use the 'yoke' itself as it becomes more familiar. It's nice to have both methods readily available to use while flying. It's also nice to have rudder and aileron controls separate so you can practice your sweet aerobatics.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
The camera button is especially helpful for checking your plane or jet's orientation if things get a little chaotic. Note: I also set the mouse to 'invert' from within Anteworld, so when I pull back on the yoke or joystick, I go up.
6. Save the Motion Creator profile. Exit. Restart. Rescan. Then right-click and 'force' the profile.
7. Make sure the Hydra base station is oriented correctly and located right in front of you. Start Anteworld and make sure the Oculus Rift is being tracked. There's a certain procedure to starting all these programs or they don't alwyas work right, so follow carefully. If something goes wrong, exit all programs and start again.
8. Alt-Tab out of Outerra and start OpenTrack. It will have a FaceTrackIR error "Unable to enumerate Rift tracker". Ignore this error. Make sure the Hydra is being tracked (this only tracks position). A good way to check this is to spawn a cockpit and then move it around, as if you're shifting around inside the vehicle. You should be able to move just outside of the cockpit to the left and right and all XYZ axis should behave normally. Use the center command (I mapped shift-Z) as necessary to center yourself inside the cockpit.
9. Alt-Tab out again and start Motion Creator 2 to initialize "motion mode". Then, right-click to "force" your Cessna profile. If your buttons to control the plane are on the same Hyra controller that is being physically tracked, then correct this in Motion Creator 2. Rescan as necessary. One Hydra should ONLY be tracking your physical location and the other one is for controlling the plane.
10. Once you have it all setup and working, take a quick breather. Get ready for a nice, uninterrupted flight. Now might be a good time to take a sip of that beer and put it out of harm's way.
11. I find putting Buff Headwear bandana on my head to dramatically improve comfort while wearing the Oculus Rift. Next, I affixed a velcro cord strap to the center of the rear adjuster so that it can cradle the top part of the hydra and simulate my spine. Since the bottom of the hydra is kind of sharp, I've found wrapping it in a sock to be more comfortable as it sits against my back. Comfort in VR is everything!
12. Next, I setup a small fan in front of me to simulate air currents. The minute details of VR are everything too!
13. For starters, I tend to lock the door so I won't be surprised by any interruptions in RL. Put on the Oculus Rift and ensure the horizontal strap is tight enough that it never feels heavy. I usually turn out the lights in the room just before doing this to eliminate any light leak. Next, put on your headphones and grab your other hydra controller. When you spawn your airplane or jet, it's best to be either on flat ground or way up in the air, so it's a good idea to set these parameters before starting your flight. Putting your elbow or the bottom of the hydra on the table helps make for a good base on which to control your yoke. (Can't wait to get a real flight joystick). And, finally...
14. Enjoy.
If anyone has improvements to this setup, as I'm sure there are many, I would love to hear them. VR is amazing and it's so good to know we are all experiencing it comfortably, safely, and to the highest degree of immersion possible. We have a long way to go, so let's get there as soon as possible. Thank you to ALL who have contributed to this fabulous hardware and software to bring us to our next reality!
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