mossfoot wrote:Given that hardware limitations are often an issue with people (as in can't afford to buy new hardware), I assume this won't only be an IR based system? I mentioned FaceTrackNoIR before, which would only use a webcam that most people would already have.
The way that most sims do it is to support TrackIR protocol, but also generic joystick headlook, that gives you a bunch of options. I have been playing with some of them lately- and a lot of homebrew stuff is possible cheaply, and works well.
Despite the name, you can make a pretty decent IR tracking setup with FacetrackNoIR. You need an IR source to clip onto your headphones, and an IR pass filter (the guts of a floppy disk will do). I did this with a four quid PS3 camera from Amazon- popped it open and chopped the IR filter out with a Stanley knife (a five minute job, even for a klutz like me).
It works pretty well! I was using a pre-built IR source:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DelanClip-Mot ... 1456150295
Here's how you butcher the ps3 camera:
https://codelaboratories.com/research/v ... isassembly
Here's the windows driver for the ps3 camera:
https://codelaboratories.com/products/eye/driver/
Used with Facetrack NoIR, it was pretty good, after some fiddling. The total cost was about 35 quid, for a full-blown IR tracking system. Not pocket change, but not bad.
Another nice option is the EDTracker, using an Arduino to emulate a USB HID joystick directly. This doesn't give you full six degrees of freedom like the above, but then, it was built for Elite: Dangerous, which doesn't really pay much attention to spatial translations. It's very cheap and simple, and works really well. It costs about a tenner to roll your own, or you can get a pre-built one for twentysomething quid. The guys responsible are very nice and friendly.
http://edtracker.org.uk/
That said, I am on the dark side now, with a TrackIR5, because I love how wide-angle the sensor is, and the indicator LED feedback for the tracking is handy. It's very slick and robust. Way overpriced, of course, and TrackIR are somewhat evil. However, the product is very good indeed. Anyone tempted by TrackIR should avoid getting a bundle with the "Proclip" though, it's really flimsy. Either use the included retro-reflective Trackclip, which works well clipped onto a cap, or get the Delanclip from the ebay link above- the layout is TrackIR compatible.
I personally prefer the Trackclip, as then I don't have to keep routing an extra USB cable down my headphone/headset cable- or swapping things between my nice HD-25s and my gaming headset (the former sounds much nicer, the latter has a mic).
In any case, if OOlite were to support just joystick POV, that'd work. If it were to support other protocols too, it'd be even easier to get working. It'd be really exciting either way, though- I'd love me some of that. I would tempted to set Voiceattack up too, for some speech control of systems
Edit:
Oh, and I forgot to mention.. there's another approach, if you don't mind looking really daft. For the price of an Alice band and a scrunchy, you can strap your phone to your head, and use that that!
https://github.com/opentrack/opentrack/ ... adtracking
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, with FacetrackNoIR with a variety of game titles.
