Virtual Reality flight sim....

[dans2992]

It's not quite here yet, but I think it's going to revolutionize flight simulation.

They need to figure out a way to manipulate virtual cockpit switches as well.

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/flyinside-fsx-oculus-rift-software-for-flight-simulator-x-02-07-2015/

 

[Bonchie]

Figuring out how to use the VC while wearing the headset will be the biggest challenge.

Maybe some kind of device that goes on your finger and moves a cursor around the cockpit? Not sure how awkward that would be in practice.

 

[Timmer]

I'm not that enamored with this concept for flight simulation. I have a decent Flight Sim set up at home and the one accessory that is indispensable is the TrackIR. It clips on to your hat and then follows your head just like the Rift, although it just affects the view on your traditional monitor.

The problem with the Rift is you can't see anything except your screen, thus any other hardware which is essential for flight simulation, such as throttles, buttons, switches, charts, notes, and the like are unusable.

Here's a flight sim video I did years ago practicing and you can see it moves perfectly with my head movement... but I can also see my desk outside of the computer world.

I will say if they make a Rift that is augmented reality instead of virtual reality, then I'll become very interested.

P.S. Everyone I know who has tried the Rift complains of serious motion sickness after a short amount of time, various to each person.

 

[MAKG1]

Keep a barf bag within reach.

Not a virtual one.

 

[brian109]

This is cool but you get basically the same thing hing with the Trackir software.

 

[FloridaPilot]

I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't come out with a new Flight Simulator game X is almost 10 years old and my new video cards make the software run rather buggy, (All service packs and patches were installed). I did play Microsoft Flight but it wasn't the same as X. I have all the others as well.

 

[OkieAviator]

This is cool but you get basically the same thing hing with the Trackir software.

Not so much... I had an Oculus Rift DK2 and ran it with Prepa3D on a pretty robust set up. Even with SLI 980s you had to put the settings pretty low to have it remotely smooth. The immersion aspect is cool though and I think a couple generations in, specific drivers and vendor support it will be much more viable. I never get motion sickness but for whatever reason after about 20 mins of flying I would get sick.

So now I use Track IR which allows me to look at chart ect.

 

[gitmo234]

That's very similar to the simulators I flew for the S-97 and UH-60M. They used them with a million hook ups to analyze the airworthiness of the airframe before a real person actually test flies them. I was fortunate enough to be able to fly both of them.

I'm not a rotary wing pilot (or even student pilot) but did well enough. Yes, you can definitely get lost in it. I was flying the S-97 through a city and found myself 100% immersed. Well...until the engineers got mad because I started pushing it and over-torqued it and they hadnt tested it for that yet

 

[overdrive148]

Projectors are actually turning out to be really useful for stuff like this.


And another with a different game I play...
(Link to forum post)

 

[Comanche flyer]

I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't come out with a new Flight Simulator game X is almost 10 years old and my new video cards make the software run rather buggy, (All service packs and patches were installed). I did play Microsoft Flight but it wasn't the same as X. I have all the others as well.

Lockheed Martin owns the code for Microsoft simulator, with the rule of being marketed as training simulator and not a game, flight simulator division of Microsoft was closed, P3D same coding with major improvements. I really like p3d over X Plane. Microsoft come out with Flight after FSX and was a flunk.

 

[overdrive148]

Lockheed Martin owns the code for Microsoft simulator, with the rule of being marketed as training simulator and not a game

While I was installing a Redbird FMX in Turkey last year, I made the mistake of calling Xplane a game in off conversation (I play flight sims and other games in my spare time and they are games to me). I was immediately told by the Redbird tech that it was NOT a game, it was a "flight training simulator". I guess I can see why now

 

[OkieAviator]

Lockheed Martin owns the code for Microsoft simulator, with the rule of being marketed as training simulator and not a game, flight simulator division of Microsoft was closed, P3D same coding with major improvements. I really like p3d over X Plane. Microsoft come out with Flight after FSX and was a flunk.

I think referring to Prepar3D as a 'non entertainment' product has more to do with Lockheed not wanting to pick up the 'Entertainment Software' NAIC code than any agreement that it had with Microsoft. I also like P3D over Xplane. I played both for a few days and for whatever reason decided P3D was for me... maybe it was the familiar feeling of it being based off FSX and as a kid playing that game a ton.

While I was installing a Redbird FMX in Turkey last year, I made the mistake of calling Xplane a game in off conversation (I play flight sims and other games in my spare time and they are games to me). I was immediately told by the Redbird tech that it was NOT a game, it was a "flight training simulator". I guess I can see why now

Having 10 or so hours in the Redbird I would say that is very much so a flight simulator. You have realistic controls with working knobs and yoke resistance. Flight dynamics are still that of P3D which anyone who plays that (or Xplane or FSX) and flies real planes knows they are worlds apart.

Being that I do use my setup to 'train' on, I read a lot of the Flight Sim boards and most users seem to be very touching, referring to themselves as Hobbyists over Gamers and if you call it a game they get up in arms about that. I think it has to do with people wanting to take themselves more serious than they are.

Maybe it has more to do with how people are using it. For example mine is a flight simulator when I plan and fly an IFR flight in Heavy IMC, practicing comms, navigation and doing all the knob twisting and GPS setups and chart using.... but it's a game when I load up the Piper Cub and do touch and goes on the aircraft carrier in San Diego's bay.

 

[dans2992]

What sim is the Redbird based on?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[overdrive148]

I played both for a few days and for whatever reason decided P3D was for me... maybe it was the familiar feeling of it being based off FSX and as a kid playing that game a ton.

Having 10 or so hours in the Redbird I would say that is very much so a flight simulator. You have realistic controls with working knobs and yoke resistance. Flight dynamics are still that of P3D which anyone who plays that (or Xplane or FSX) and flies real planes knows they are worlds apart.

Being that I do use my setup to 'train' on, I read a lot of the Flight Sim boards and most users seem to be very touching, referring to themselves as Hobbyists over Gamers and if you call it a game they get up in arms about that. I think it has to do with people wanting to take themselves more serious than they are.

Maybe it has more to do with how people are using it. For example mine is a flight simulator when I plan and fly an IFR flight in Heavy IMC, practicing comms, navigation and doing all the knob twisting and GPS setups and chart using.... but it's a game when I load up the Piper Cub and do touch and goes on the aircraft carrier in San Diego's bay.

I started with Microsoft Flight Sim 2000 with the Concorde and Sopwith Camel and remember running to Dad's workshop to download new planes on floppy disks (later ZIP disks) so I could fly them at home. GameSpy was awful so I didn't do much multiplayer, mostly small hops that weren't anywhere near complicated. I have FSX and Xplane, and honestly I couldn't tell much difference between the two down to the same paused messages and menu locations.

Also, don't get smart with the FMX and use the keyboard to access said airplane menu and try to swap because the panel (USB connection) will get unhappy and crash the game simulator.

Although now I'm second guessing myself, I'm not sure if it was Xplane or Prepar3d... The result was the same though, instant correction on calling it a "game".

And during the flight training expo, I was told to "make the sim move" because no one else's did (so we'd attract more traffic) so I was shooting approaches with all kinds of crosswinds and weather conditions and visibilities on the carrier. The cool thing about the instructor laptop that we had was being able to change winds instantaneously. Some experienced sim guys got in and asked for some really challenging conditions. I was able to drop sudden 20-40kt winds in real time, slewing the crap out of the sim and scaring the bejesus out of the pilots. You have to pause and change the winds in the weather tab yourself otherwise.

Also, regarding the carrier... I got a bit too familiar with it during all the calibration and demonstration and got a little bit of a wild streak

 

[OkieAviator]

What sim is the Redbird based on?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Lockheed Martins Prepar3D product.

I started with Microsoft Flight Sim 2000 with the Concorde and Sopwith Camel and remember running to Dad's workshop to download new planes on floppy disks (later ZIP disks) so I could fly them at home.

My dad have the very first MS Flightsim. It was monocrome graphics, used dual floppy 5 1/4 kind, also had some pinball game and a dogfighting part. I remember my dad would break out his old sectionals and shoot approaches, flying only with the keyboard. Good times.

 

[overdrive148]

My dad have the very first MS Flightsim. It was monocrome graphics, used dual floppy 5 1/4 kind, also had some pinball game and a dogfighting part. I remember my dad would break out his old sectionals and shoot approaches, flying only with the keyboard. Good times.

I had Warbirds I and II for dogfighting. I remember playing Lego Island and other games but the flight ones were the best. My dad is ex RAF (flew English Electric Lightnings) and could to trim aircraft to land themselves completely from miles out. I was amazed.

Great fond memories. Warbirds was before FS2000 and it was where I started getting to know how to really fly and maneuver and sparked my interest of WW2 aircraft and beyond while my dad told stories of his flying experience. He got me rides in as much winged things as possible too.

//edit
Also, nostalgia to the max looking at that joystick.

Specifications
Logitech recommends a Pentium 166 or better, Win95 or 98 and 16MB of RAM as minimum requirements. If you’re a serious gamer, these specs should present no problem as prices fall on the Athlon/Coppermine/GeForce systems. It goes without saying that you also need a joystick port, which is usually found on most sound cards. Logitech offers a one-year warranty.

Written 12/07/99

 

[Lindberg]

Keep a barf bag within reach.

Not a virtual one.

No joke. I've flown a simulator written for the Rift, and the problem is that it's so immersive, your brain thinks you're in the plane. But your ears don't feel it. It can be disorienting after just a few minutes.

 

[Bonchie]

Maybe they should issue all Rifts with a set of $10 seabands.

 

[MAKG1]

Maybe they should issue all Rifts with a set of $10 seabands.

That problem has been around for 25 years, and there is no reliable solution aside from backing off the realism.

There is a reason we didn't get VR gaming in 1995. It's not technological. It's just not fun to throw up.

 

[OkieAviator]

No joke. I've flown a simulator written for the Rift, and the problem is that it's so immersive, your brain thinks you're in the plane. But your ears don't feel it. It can be disorienting after just a few minutes.

I think it's more to do with the resolution and display refresh frequency. Because it wasn't just flight sims and the roller coaster demo. Even their demos where you just move around a house make you feel uneasy.

That said I fully intend to buy their consumer version. I know they bumped the resolution up, got rid of what they call the 'screen door' effect and it's now its a 90 Hz display. It's cool technology, but has a ways to go.

 

[StinkBug]

Like VHS and Blueray it'll probably only be successful when they start putting porn on it

 

[acrophile]

I think referring to Prepar3D as a 'non entertainment' product has more to do with Lockheed not wanting to pick up the 'Entertainment Software' NAIC code than any agreement that it had with Microsoft.

P3D's EULA permits the software to be used "only for purposes other than personal/consumer entertainment".

So if you're having fun, you're in breach of contract!