P3D VR Zoom Support Question

[joepoway 241]

Hi Keven

I was curious now that P3Dv4.2 has been released is there any possibility to enable a zoom feature in Native VR that would mimic what FlyInside has for P3D?

 I find this zoom toggle feature with its quick zoom in and out capability invaluable. If this feature were available with ChasePlane in Native VR coupled with the new abilities to import Windows with Oculus Dash I wouldn’t have to trade off what I love about CP and Native VR particularly now with the single pass renedering capability of version 4.2.

Any thoughts?

Joe

[Keven Menard 658]

I have not tried P3D in native VR yet, that's the main reason why it's not supported by ChasePlane out of the box.

Is ChasePlane able to zoom in/out in VR mode?

If so, you can use the Binocular feature in the Control Assignments to achieve what you want.

[joepoway 241]

The binocular feature isn’t a virtual cockpit feature to zoom in on gauges and panels, that’s mainly what I use the FlyInside feature for. I was using CP presets but they are different in VR vs 2D mode and I want to keep my 2D settings. 

I also think the binocular feature is too extreme compared to the zoom toggle feature with FlyInside. I really hope CP can take on some capabilities with Native VR because then we would have the best of both worlds as it is quite easy to toggle back and forth between 2D and VR in P3D.

Joe

[joepoway 241]

Hi Keven

If you guys at CP get the chance I highly recommend investigating VR in P3D and how to incorporate the great features of CP. Based on my experience with VR and the incredible immersion it offers it won’t be long before most of the sim community switches to VR particularly at the rate it’s evolving. 

The beauty of CP is the ability to create these custom views with ease and move between them and they work well in VR even external views in VR which is cool. The biggest missing in native P3D VR now is an effective zoom for the virtual cockpit and outside the window similar to your binocular view like FlyInside has enabled. I don’t technical know why but the CP zoom and binocular capabilities don’t work in Native VR. This FI added ability enables very clear reading of gauges and instruments particularly in PMDG type airliners. The resolution being low for now is compensated by this zoom capability when instruments, switches, dials or gauges need fine adjustment and it works quite well. Also I could see a CP enablement of a walk around inspection of aircraft that would be very cool in VR. 

As stated previously FlyInside and ChasePlane don’t work well together even with the necesssary config file mods to get FlyInside to tolerate the changes CP makes to the file regarding cameras. so this leaves me to not use CP in VR and only use it in 2D flying but I always have to change my camera.cfg files between the two which is an obvious hassle. Additionally P3D makes it very easy to switch between VR and 2D and if I had the full use of CP in this way I would be set particularly with the new Oculus Dash functions to embed windows into the virtual cockpit.

Anyway I hope CP takes on a value added addition to p3D VR because I believe we’re headed there faster then people think and I believe there will still be value in a CP contribution to that space.

Thanks

Joe

[Keven Menard 658]

We are going to support Native VR after v1.0

Right now, Lockheed is changing a lot of code to support VR making it hard for us to keep up at an efficient pace. We don't want to waste ressources having to reprogram the thing over and over so we will wait for them to stabilize the feature.

Our focus right now is to eliminate the little bugs that are still present in ChasePlane and once that's done, we'll be able to release v1 and concentrate on VR.

[joepoway 241]

8 hours ago, Keven Menard said:

We are going to support Native VR after v1.0

Right now, Lockheed is changing a lot of code to support VR making it hard for us to keep up at an efficient pace. We don't want to waste ressources having to reprogram the thing over and over so we will wait for them to stabilize the feature.

Our focus right now is to eliminate the little bugs that are still present in ChasePlane and once that's done, we'll be able to release v1 and concentrate on VR.

I understand and thanks for the reply.

I look forward to some creative solutions for VR in the not too distant future 

Joe

[joby33y 152]

Guys,

I would have to give this my vote as well.  Spot on Joe, you captured it correctly.  The zoom feature in FI is the best thing for being able to read instruments, but I'm flying more and more with LM's native VR just for the ability to switch in and out of VR / 2D.  

Have CP maintain constant camera angles AND supporting a zoom feature would be fantastic.

cheers, 

[Keven Menard 658]

So, if I understand correctly, the camera position is all good, only the zoom is not working while in VR mode?

[joepoway 241]

Hi Keven

Yes the camera preset functions work well in VR. The only issue with them is that optimized presets for 2D views end up at a slightly different place verses where the VR space wants them to be. This means one preset isn’t the same for both so you need to optimize for one at the cost of the other. If two sets of presets could be established per plane, one for 2D and one for VR would be great

Enabling Zoom capability would be great and is still a key missing and is one of two reasons I use FlyInside in VR mode. The second reason is the ability to import and/or open windows in the cockpit. This feature is something the new Oculus Rift Dash features will enable when they add mouse capability so you don’t have to only use there hand controllers to interact.

So bottom line if CP gave me 2 sets of presets one for 2D and one for VR plus an effect zoom capability in VR equal or better to the Flyinside solution I would switch to CP completely and be able to avoid the painful camera.cfg file switching I do to use both FlyInside VR and CP 2D mode.

The beauty of this is using P3D native VR you can switch back and forth between 2D and VR during the same flying session if you chose, something FI can’t do. This is where 2 sets of accessible presets for CP would be great.

Thanks for asking

Joe

 

[GCBraun 2,392]

I agree with this. Having a possibility to zoom in VR would be great. This is already natively available in XP11 and DCS, but not on P3D.

[Xiter 0]

Guys, is the normal zoom (spacebar+mouse scroll) disabled in VR? I am trying to understand what is going on here. I don't have VR myself but is reading up on it. Still using FSX so I assume zooming is done the same way in P3D. Can be wrong though.

Best regards, 

Hans 

[joepoway 241]

9 hours ago, Xiter said:

Guys, is the normal zoom (spacebar+mouse scroll) disabled in VR? I am trying to understand what is going on here. I don't have VR myself but is reading up on it. Still using FSX so I assume zooming is done the same way in P3D. Can be wrong though.

Best regards, 

Hans 

Yes Zoom functions don’t work in Native VR

Joe

[Xiter 0]

Thanks Joe. Hmm...I fly the PMDG 737 NGX and have always been annoyed by the fact that while having the zoom set at 1.0 and using the Wideviewaspect=TRUE in the cfg, as it should be with a wide screen monitor, the field of view is not large enough for me to see the runway and the Primary Flight Display at the same time. In VR, is that possible or do you have to tilt your head down to see the Primary Flight Display?

[joepoway 241]

I fly the PMDG 737 as well and I use ChasePlane in 2D to set my primary view just as I want it as well as many other helpful VC and external views. 

When I fly VR with a Rift the cockpit and views are great and very immersive. It gets complicated but there are two ways to fly VR now Native VR in P3D or the use of FlyInside. I slightly prefer FI and use it regularly. It has two advantages zoom capability and window pop ups like the CDU appear in the VC for use with a mouse you can also bring into the VC other application windows like nav maps etc...

The VR space is evolving quickly and is clearly the future of flight simming.

So regadingbyour original Question I have no issue with views using CP which I have auto load preset profiles for all my aircraft, I have to do a silly camera.cfg swap when I alternate between 2D and VR with FI due to incompatibility issues with CP but it’s easy.

Hope that helps

Joe

[Xiter 0]

Maybe it was a silly question but I didn't understand if the view with the Rift on approach was big enough vertically to see the runway and the Primary Flight Display at the same time. The reason I ask is because that is impossible with one monitor using the correct zoom 1.0 for the outside objects, height, speed and runway to appear as they would in real life.