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#3876639 - 12/13/13 11:14 PM Mouse look  
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 418
AnKor Offline
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AnKor  Offline
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Russia
UPDATE there is a Mouse Look and Mouse Zoom function built into WOFF UE v 4.14 and above now, please see the WOFF UE FAQ.
This tool should not be necessary.
See section 53.
http://www.overflandersfields.com/index_html_files/FAQ%20WOFF%20UE.pdf




Hi!

I haven't bought WOFF (yet), but from my OFF experience there is a serious issue with CFS3 engine - the lack of mouse look or the ability to bind joystick axis to control head rotation/movement. Which means that without track IR (or similar solution) all I have is awkward keyboard panning. And the ability to look around is obviously very important for immersion.

I suppose nothing has changed for WOFF?
And I don't know of any 3rd party solutions: FreePIE and NewView doesn't seem to work.

That's why (and out of curiousity) I've made a tool which together with FaceTrackNoIR (which does support CFS3) adds mouse look feature into OFF.

Quick setup guide smile
First, you need to get FaceTrackNoIR: http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/information_links/download.htm
Install and set it up like shown below:
[Linked Image]

Steps 1 and 2 should be done once, but obviously you need to click "Start" every time before starting a game.
Two important notes:
First, when you click "Start" for the first time Windows Firewall may ask you to allow network connection. You must allow it. It doesn't really go into any networks, but local connection is used to transfer data between my tool and FaceTrackNoIR.
Second, you must enable "Use TIRViews" for it to work with CFS3. As onscreen instruction says: you can download and install official TrackIR software and copy this dll from there into FaceTrackNoIR installation folder.

Now, get my tool here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2918136/cfs/MouseTrack.20131213.zip
Extract it anywhere (there is just one small exe file) and run.
You can start it before or after starting FaceTrackNoIR but they have to be running at the same time.

It will show usage instructions which are really simple smile
Note that right-click disables mouse cursor everywhere, not just in the game, so after playing you have to close my tool to avoid frustration.

Right now it doesn't have any settings, but that's because I just made it in one evening for myself. It may conflict with your setup if you use mouse buttons and wheel for other purposes in-game.
Of course I will add customizable settings if there will be interest in this development.

Almost forgot: mouse look only works in virtual cockpit mode.

Hope you like it smile

Last edited by Polovski; 03/09/18 03:40 PM.
#3877035 - 12/14/13 05:35 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
Joined: Oct 2011
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Seamus Offline
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Seamus  Offline
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Long Island NY
AnKor,

It seems that you have gone through quite a bit of trouble in order to look around the OFF skies. It took me a while to figure out how to bind a joystick axis to control head rotation/movement, but the solution is very simple, just make sure that you press the "Scroll Lock" button on your keyboard to turn it on. With the scroll lock on, I can look around the same as using a mouse with the hat switch on my joystick. I use both a Thrustmaster t16000m and a Saitek ST290 pro and looking around with the hat switch is no problem. If I want to snap back to forward view, I just map one of the thumb buttons on my joystick to "Eyepoint Reset". This works very well for me and I have no problem looking around or tracking enemy aircraft. This works in both OFF and WOFF.

#3877112 - 12/14/13 08:32 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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Catfish Offline
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Where the ocean meets the sky
Seamus, you must be joking.

If AnKor found a way to get cockpit-viewing around with the mouse, this is ONE GOOD FEATURE i have waited for for five years.

The one thing i hated about OFF (and maybe hate in WOFF) would be this antiquated "coolie hat panning". God ! Using the mouse to look around is so much better, you will never go back.

If this works AnKor deserves a medal!!

#3877130 - 12/14/13 08:59 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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AnKor Offline
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AnKor  Offline
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Russia
Thanks Seamus, I know about "scroll lock" and hat switch panning, I just don't like it smile
Of course if you are used to it you will be comfortable with pov buttons, but for me it is something like flying with a keyboard instead of a joystick: can do, but not fun.

Well, actually I don't have a "real" joystick and want to play OFF with Xbox 360 controller: using its left stick to control the plane and the right stick to look around. I have been able to setup and enjoy other sims this way - ROF and WarThunder have built-in support for view axis assignment, and for IL2 there is a NewView tool.
However there was nothing for CFS3 and that's why I decided to fill the gap.
So in fact I don't even need this mouse-look tool for myself. It was a proof of concept which really works and I like how it works, but I already extended it to support thumb-stick view control for my gamepad which is what I wanted to have in the first place.

I decided to publish it because I've read other people complain about CFS view system while discussing OFF/WOFF, so I hoped the tool will be useful for someone.
Though by the lack of comments it seems no one really tried it so far smile

#3877302 - 12/15/13 03:42 AM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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Seamus Offline
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Long Island NY
I think I have misunderstood something here. By mouse view, do you mean you can look up/down and all around like one does with one's head and eyes? Is so, that is what I can do with the hat switch. It would be very difficult for me to look around with the mouse while having one hand on the joystick and the other working the throttle.

#3877365 - 12/15/13 10:41 AM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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AnKor Offline
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Russia
Your understanding is correct and your point about the throttle is valid.
I just provided an option, but I can't guarantee it will be suitable for everyone smile

#3877580 - 12/15/13 07:53 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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AnKor Offline
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Russia
So... I decided to make a video showing what is possible with mouse look as implemented with my tool.

The video is based on OFF (as I said I don't have WOFF) and is very low-res to keep good framerates during recording, but it is not about visuals it's about the control smile

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkGwvbzQJAs



#3878331 - 12/16/13 10:10 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
Joined: Mar 2003
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Polovski Offline
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Great job Ankor now you need to get WOFF and try it smile


Regards,

Polovski,
OBD Software, developers of immersive flight sims;
Wings Over Flanders Fields and Wings Over The Reich
http://www.overflandersfields.com
http://www.wingsoverthereich.com
#3878355 - 12/16/13 10:52 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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AnKor Offline
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Just bought it today, actually smile

#3882406 - 12/23/13 03:57 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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Rick_Rawlings Offline
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Very well done, Ankor! This was a concern of mine since the inception of this series. I have been having some good success with facetracknoir, but it's great to have this option finally available. Thank you for your efforts, the video looks great!

RR


The older I get, the more I realize I don't need to be Han, Luke or Leia. I'm just happy to be rebel scum...
#3889247 - 01/04/14 10:35 AM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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Dirk98 Offline
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Montgomery AL
Originally Posted By: AnKor
So... I decided to make a video showing what is possible with mouse look as implemented with my tool.

The video is based on OFF (as I said I don't have WOFF) and is very low-res to keep good framerates during recording, but it is not about visuals it's about the control smile



AnKor, I like the smooth Zoom in/out feature (as opposite to the default stepped one), will it work with TrackIR5?

Thanks,
Dirk.

#3889334 - 01/04/14 02:03 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: Catfish]  
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Winding Man Offline
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Originally Posted By: Catfish
Seamus, you must be joking.

If AnKor found a way to get cockpit-viewing around with the mouse, this is ONE GOOD FEATURE i have waited for for five years.

The one thing i hated about OFF (and maybe hate in WOFF) would be this antiquated "coolie hat panning". God ! Using the mouse to look around is so much better, you will never go back.

If this works AnKor deserves a medal!!


The best is Trackir or Face Track etc...then you simply look and dont use any unatural devices like POVs or Panning via buttons or mouse.

HTH

WM


OBD Software
#3889339 - 01/04/14 02:18 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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ArisFuser Offline
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I fully agree WM, but still, the "CFS 3 legacy" method to zoom and look in Chase or any other external view is awkward.

#3889342 - 01/04/14 02:24 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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AnKor Offline
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Dirk98, well, in this I don't use zoom, the smoothness of zoom is controlled by the game, not by input device.

WM, I play with Xbox controller which has a thumbstick dedicated to viewing around. That's why I made this tool in the first place - to make that thumbstick work in WOFF because I don't want to bother with setting up a camera. Though Xbox controller support is NOT included in published version, because it seems I am the only one who needs it smile

#3911490 - 02/13/14 11:01 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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Pat_Pattle Offline
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Excellent job AnKor, installed as per your instructions and it works really well.

Thankyou! cheers

#3911492 - 02/13/14 11:08 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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Olham Offline
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AnKor, once you have tried TrackIR, you would never want anything else again.
You move your head naturally - and you look where you want to look.


Vice-President of the BOC (Barmy OFFers Club)
Member of the 'Albatros Aviators Club' - "We know how to die with Style!"
#3912094 - 02/14/14 11:00 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: Olham]  
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Dirk98 Offline
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Originally Posted By: Olham
AnKor, once you have tried TrackIR, you would never want anything else again.
You move your head naturally - and you look where you want to look.


I'm sure AnKor has tried TrackIR and there are other reasons why he uses mouse look.

Dirk.

#3912105 - 02/14/14 11:30 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: Dirk98]  
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chrispdm1 Offline
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NE Saskatchewan
Originally Posted By: Dirk98
Originally Posted By: Olham
AnKor, once you have tried TrackIR, you would never want anything else again.
You move your head naturally - and you look where you want to look.


I'm sure AnKor has tried TrackIR and there are other reasons why he uses mouse look.

Dirk.


Yeah, its there for those that want it and the ones that don't can do what they want to. The more options the better!!

#3912116 - 02/14/14 11:51 PM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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Uncle_Bob Offline
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I got this mouselook to work and its very good. I have trackir but i dont use it much, stiffens my neck and i wake up with a headache:) Only wish it would work on outside views too. But its almost good to see theres limits for what you can do Ankor.

#3923049 - 03/11/14 05:48 AM Re: Mouse look [Re: AnKor]  
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cptroyce Offline
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Ankor

Just found out about this great tool you made. Works fine. Iook a bit of d/l to get the TIRView.dll.

Can you create some further settings? Is there a way to sort of slow down the panning movement a bit?

Thanks

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