Full Cockpit or VR? That is the question

hmmmm, i mean, this is the future…

Mixed Reality + fully physical fighter jet cockpit simulator: The best implementation of XR/MR - YouTube

I just use a button box via Mobiflight for VR. it has everything I touch in any of the single engine steam gauge GA aircraft I fly. Mobiflight allows for multiple profiles. So I can keep all everything in the same place, just program for each specific plane.
I may do what LTMcComb did with his panel. But make several panels that will store in a rack when not in use, then just slip into place and plug in 1 USB cable for flight. I would make the panel out of a lightweight material. Maybe 1/4" thick ABS sheet. Then have a lifesize sticker (just the PIC side) of the aircraft’s panel printed for it. Install the sticker. Then drill holes for the switches and knobs. I already have some dimensional drawing from when I made my first panels in FSX.
I think I’ll draw up a mockup this weekend. I may start with the Skymaster. Have to put the finishing touch on my FFB yoke first. I’ll be updating that build later.
I love this hobby…

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Would you do a whole panel for each aircraft or just one panel and swap out items?

I see the advent of a lot more VR users as MSFS improves its performance. Flew into Winslow, AZ today in VR and it was much easier to compensate for cross wind with the VR setup.

I think doing whole panels would be easiest. With the throttle quadrant and radio stack separate. You could have several panels with the switches, gauges, and dials. A couple different radio stack, and 2 or 3 throttle quadrants. Build a frame that they slide into.

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Indeed! The good thing about VR: anyone who tries it once (with a decent headset and PC) will be hooked - at least, that‘s what happened to me :slight_smile:

I only hope MS and Asobo notice this trend and spend some more time optimizing VR. In the last Developers session on Twitch VR was still pretty much on the side lines

I have a 737 cockpit but I also use VR with an HP reveb g2 which behaves quite well with MSFS, however I think the future is mixed reality where you can see your cockpit and through the windows let virtual reality filter through. I think we are very close to this.
it would be very nice if someone experienced started looking inside

in fact you are right, I too was captured by the lights and reflections of MSFS on the latest generation VR
Only flaw, I find that the world scale is reduced by a good quarter, unfortunately I have not found a world scaling setting into Mixed reality portal … if anyone has any ideas to resolve this problem…

That’s my concern as well. In DCS you can change the world scale to make it accurate to real life size. MSFS seems a little small. I wouldn’t think scaling would be that difficult but I’m not a rogrammer so I could be very wrong.

The future is in Mixed Reality. It eill allow you to utilize your home built cockpit and use VR at the same time. But it looks like it doesn’t come any time soon, unfortunately.

Until then, the most effective way in my opinion is to use VR, motion platforms and hand tracking. VR is already here and getting better, Motion Platforms are getting affordable (DOF reality and YAW2) and hand tracking is coming with already available affordable hardware and 3party tool (released just today).

Can you elaborate?

Can you elaborate?
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Newly released:
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/openxr-toolkit-upscaling-world-scale-hand-tracking-release-thread

Original thread:
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/hand-tracking-in-msfs-leap-motion-ultraleap-native-support-for-wmr-openxr

Exactly right. I built my DIY 2DOF Motion Platform with DIY vibration transducers, and custom DYI hardware (pendular yoke, throttles, HOTAS, encoder and button boxes) for about $400. I’m currenty testing the OpenXR Toolkit you referenced, and I do what I can to help its creator with testing and brain storming the features. It has some bugs still, but it’s almost there and hand tracking is already working with an inexpensive Leap Motion controller. Together with motion platform, and of course VR, the experience is mind-blowing. Now, it just needs to be stable and the bugs ironed out and it’s gonna be awesome!

Just tried it out to increase the scale. Unfortunately, there is a known bug that is making the menu illegible on a 6900XT. They are hoping to have it fixed in the next patch though.
I’ve been watching the leap motion since it came out all those years ago. Seems like it’s matured to the point of getting it. This is going to be an expensive year for my gaming rig…

I’ve been watching your testing of the hand tracking with OpenXR Toolkit. Patiently waiting for your approval before I buy it…
How is it with the new version of the OpenXR Toolkit? As I understand it supposed to fix the showstopper bugs reported by you before.

Seems like every year has it expense in this hobby.

It’s better but the interaction loss bug is still present. I haven’t tried the today’s hotfix but it’s not supposed to fix that bug. Matthiew is aware of the problem and he is working on that. So hopefully it should be solved soon. I found my Motion Leap controller locally in like-new condition for $60, so it’s worth it just to try. Also works in DCS natively, although I’m not very keen on its interaction implementation.

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I use the Reverb g2 passthrough system, which opens a kind of “flashlight” to the real world with a simple voice command. this system is very far from mixed reality as we understand it (reverb uses only one camera to see the real), but it already helps.

That’s it in a nutshell for me. Until VR can support a controller that I can use without having a mouse like experience it’s a hardware cockpit all the way. I also fly many different types so a cockpit based on a single aircraft type is also a no-no for me.

My modular build I am working on is for VR only. No keyboard or mouse allowed. Currently supports single engine Piper and Cessna style. I have a steam gauge setup with dual GNS systems but plan on a VR G1000 and duel engine setup next build. The upper and lower panels are separate pieces and changeable. Certain nothing for airliner support. With the modular controller of three arduinos, Leo Bondar, and FFB yoke anything is possible. Agree that no keyboard or mouse is a must.