FSX-MS Version v170 of FaceTrackNoIR released!

[V4Friend 4]

Dear FSX and/or FS2004-users,

 

I am happy to announce that v170 of FaceTrackNoIR was released yesterday. The new version contains a number of important improvements, which also benefit many FSX-users (as well as FS2002/2004 and MS Flight).

 

The most important new features:

• A new filter called Accela, providing great stability and yet maintain response;
  
• A new curve-configurator, so response can be tweaked better than before;
  
• An IR-tracker called PointTracker. This was translated from the FreeTrack sources and is very useful for users, who already have an IR-headset;
  
• A new game-protocol called "FreeTrack 2.0", which supports all FreeTrack and TrackIR enabled games, including MS Flight.
  

All new features are listed on the website. You are welcome to try v170, please visit the FaceTrackNoIR website

 

Wim Vriend

FaceTrackNoIR Team

Holland

 

:p0502:

[JordanChin 24]

Thanks Wim! Tested it yesterday. It's a huge improvement from V1.6!

[aalawand 3]

I like this application but I keep tweaking it and it still moves the view all around..

[JordanChin 24]

Here's the link to my settings: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0otrbdglcrtxfdn/FSX.ini

 

I guess we can share settings until we find something that works for everyone.

[Spook 96]

Just had a download and a little play of this...haha...It good!

 

Need to work on some sensitivitie settings tho, as it moves on its own - although this is the 1st time i have used it useing the ini file from above so i need to use it some more.

 

Where can i find a manual? ( Manual on website doesnt go into much detail - seems like a manual for people that already know how to use it.)

 

I take it camera position is a big factor?

[V4Friend 4]

Hello guys (I guess...),

 

It's good that you are sharing settings, because they are very 'game-dependent'. It's a bit problematic to keep track of settings for over 400 games...

 

@Spook: you are right: the manual is still a bit 'general' (and it's not finished yet). There are also some guidelines in the wiki (I know, it's not ready either). But it's also not difficult to configure FaceTrackNoIR.

It's best to start using the Accela-filter and leave al it's setting 'default'. Be sure to set 'Smoothing' on the main-window to '1'.

 

Indeed: the camera position and lighting are very important. I have my PS3Eye camera below my monitor and a lamp on top of the cabinet, in which my monitor is placed. It is important to have 'even' lighting, from above the monitor (and on your face, of course).

 

But the new version of FaceTrackNoIR also contains an IR-tracker (similar to FreeTrack). For this tracker, it is important to have as little light as possible.

We are also working on a tracker based on gyro's, accelerometers and magnetometers. This tracker (called AIC-IHT) is even less picky: it is totally non-visual, so light is irrelevant. TrackIR users who have tried to fly a LAN-party in the sunshine will know, why that's a great advantage...

 

Wim

[Spook 96]

Thanks for the reply Wim. i will have a play with it and see what i can do

 

Sounds like alot going on in the background with good things to come.

 

Thanks for the tips!

[Jean-Jacques 120]

Hmmm,

 

My version doesn't work at all! The GUI confirms that it's tracking but doesn't translate the movements to FSX. Also, I can't choose a different profile such as the FSX profile available on this forum. The Profile and Filter boxes are dimmed and unavailable. I never could get stability with the previous version but at least it worked!

 

I've unsinstalled and reinstalled but to no avail. I've even tried deleting the second piece of software that comes with FTN. Still no success.

 

I'm using FSX with EZdok and have tried disabling its TrackIR feature but that didn't make any difference.

 

Because I don't like wearing a hat or other gear to use TrackIR, I'm very much looking forward to making this work and offer financial support. But it needs to work first! Any other tips to try anyone?

 

Thanks,

 

JJ

[VeryBumpy 272]

Cool thanks for the heads up, will see how well this version works.

[V4Friend 4]

Hmmm,

 

My version doesn't work at all! The GUI confirms that it's tracking but doesn't translate the movements to FSX. Also, I can't choose a different profile such as the FSX profile available on this forum. The Profile and Filter boxes are dimmed and unavailable. I never could get stability with the previous version but at least it worked!

 

I've unsinstalled and reinstalled but to no avail. I've even tried deleting the second piece of software that comes with FTN. Still no success.

 

I'm using FSX with EZdok and have tried disabling its TrackIR feature but that didn't make any difference.

 

Because I don't like wearing a hat or other gear to use TrackIR, I'm very much looking forward to making this work and offer financial support. But it needs to work first! Any other tips to try anyone?

 

Thanks,

 

JJ

 

Hi JJ,

 

That's strange, though interesting too. So you have installed the update 'on top of' v160? When you start FaceTrackNoIR, you should be able to select an INI-file (the buttons are disabled, when the Tracker is started).

 

With EZCA, you should select the "FreeTrack 2.0" protocol. In the Settings of this protocol, you must select "Start dummy TrackIR.exe", since EZCA checks for this.

If you don't use EZCA, choose SimConnect and make sure EZCA does not start: because then two programs would manipulate the camera-position and that's not going to work...

 

Do you run the installer and FaceTrackNoIR 'As Administrator'?

[Jean-Jacques 120]

Hi V4Friend,

 

Interesting indeed!

 

" . . . So you have installed the update 'on top of' v160?"

 

No, I downloaded the 'full' installer and installed it as Administrator after deleting v1.6.

 

" . . . When you start FaceTrackNoIR, you should be able to select an INI-file (the buttons are disabled, when the Tracker is started)."

 

If you mean inside the 'Profile' window, i.e., the SimConnect.ini, no, even when the Tracker is OFF by pressing the END key, the selection of an 'ini' file is not available. The 'SimConnect.ini' is displayed but the arrow on the right-hand side to activate the 'drop box' is greyed out and therefore unavailable.

 

" . . . With EZCA, you should select the "FreeTrack 2.0" protocol. In the Settings of this protocol, you must select "Start dummy TrackIR.exe", since EZCA checks for this."

 

Under Game protocol, 'FreeTrack 2.0' and 'Start dummy TrackIR.exe' under 'Settings' are both selected. Similar to the Profile area, the drop-box arrow is greyed out but shows that FreeTrack 2.0 is selected.

 

" . . . If you don't use EZCA, choose SimConnect and make sure EZCA does not start: because then two programs would manipulate the camera-position and that's not going to work..."

 

 

Doesn't apply. I always use EZCA. Wouldn't do without it!

 

I'll give this a rest until tomorow and unless you have additional tips, what I'll do after uninstalling the version I have is download version 1.6 and try to apply the update patch.

 

Thanks for your quick response.

 

JJ

[VeryBumpy 272]

Hmm, won't start, immediate crash window of "FTNR has stopped working" pops up with ntdll.dll as fault module name.

[V4Friend 4]

even when the Tracker is OFF by pressing the END key, the selection of an 'ini' file is not available.

 

Hello JJ,

 

The buttons are only enabled, by pressing the "Stop" button (see bottom of main-window). The shortkey is only meant to stop tracking temporarily, while 'in-game'.

 

 

 

I assume that when you press Start, you see the video-widget popping up, which shows your face? Only when faceAPI detects your face (yellow outlines appear), it starts sending the head-pose.

You should then see the "Man in Black" (left top-corner) move and the green numbers to the right of it change. Do you get that?

 

Like I said, when using EZCA, use the FreeTrack 2.0 protocol, with the checkbox "Use dummy TrackIR.exe" ticked.

[VeryBumpy 272]

What is IPP Runtime Installer 5.3? It did not install on my main computer but did install on my laptop. 1.7 crashes on my main computer and not on my laptop.

[Jean-Jacques 120]

Hi Wim,

 

HaHa! I can now get access to the different settings. That's the good news! The not so good news is that I got it to work for a few minutes and noticed that my EZCA settings were being ignored (EZCA didn't work) and that I couldn't get a stable view (the camera kept 'waltzing' from left to right and up and down) but I suspect that if I could get it to work 'all the time', I could experiment with the settings. As it is now, I can't get FTR to dump its tracking data to FSX but the FTR confirms that it's tracking (I can see my face with the 'yellow contouring' on it and the 'man in black' is following my head movements . I've tried different scenarios including starting FTN before FSX and the other way around, reinstating the two 'simconnect.manifest' files in the TIR folder that EZCA demands they be deactivated, testing both FTR's Simconnect and Defaut configuration files and the FSX.ini that Jordan made available.

 

Here are my settings:

 

Profile=SimConnect.ini (I noticed you have an EZCA.ini which I cannot try because it didn't come with the original download)

Tracker source(1st=master)=faceAPI v3.2.6

Tracker Source (2nd)=None

Global Settings=Smoothing=10 (none of the Invert boxes checked)

Filter=EWMA Filter Mk2 (I tried the Accela Filter Mk2 but that didn't make a difference)

Game protocol=FreeTrack 2.0, Settings=Start dummy TrackIR.exe (checked)

Shortkeys=default settings

Curves=default settings

 

My 'FSX' room faces south and therefore the lighting is quite bright. I will test using FTR during the evening over the weekend to see if the brightness of the room could be the issue or part of the issue. By the way, I did download v1.6 and then applied the 1.7 patch. The result was the same. So I'm back using the full version download.

 

Many thanks for your feedback. I'll report back after conducting further tests.

 

Regards,

 

JJ