flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Discussion about VR

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miguez
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2020 3:30 pm

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by miguez » Thu Feb 06, 2020 8:14 pm

Hello Ed and all,

I've been using Condor 2 with XCSoar and my stream chat window showing in VR for a few days. I have just learned how to do this, and came here to help answer Ed.

Bruce's video pretty much nails the explanation of how to do it. The only difference between what he does and what I do is that when I "pull" a window from the virtual desktop into VR, the bottom of this window (be it XCSoar or any other window) has an area showing three icons: a keyboard, a thumbtack, and a minimize bar. In other words, Bruce has to click on the window with his Oculus touch controller to get a popup that allows him to pin. In my Oculus app, the pin icon is already showing at the bottom of the screen. This could be due to different Oculus app versions, or different settings in the app. Both work, though, so this shouldn't be a problem.

Ed, this means you don't need SteamVR to get this to work. That's another way to do this, but the native Oculus app is capable of doing so. It lacks some features I'd like, like window transparency, but it does the job.

That being said, I've encountered the same issue CVVS is speaking about. Namely, that once you have a window injected into VR, it works sometimes, and sometimes this window will go black, have a large orange circle filling it, with a white exclamation point in its center. When this happens, the only way to fix it is to kill the Oculus app and the Oculus server service (I do this in Task Manager) and restart it. After some online research, this is an issues that happens to a lot of Oculus users. So it's not specific to Condor, or XCSoar, or anything else we're doing/using. I have not yet found a solution to this problem, or what triggers it. I'm still experimenting, and will come back if I find anything and let you know.

But for now, Ed, you should be able to get XCSoar working in VR by using he Oculus app.

Once that's done, then the next thing to worry about is how to interact with it. Some have mentioned VoiceAttack, a good solution. I have not tried that. What I do is I make sure XCSoar was the last app I used before alt-tabbing into Condor. That means that once I'm flying and in VR, if I want to interact with XCSoar, I just hit alt-tab (blind, I don't take my VR goggles off), and know that now the focus is on XCSoar. I then move my mouse pointer over it, which can be seen in VR, and then use my mouse to interact with XCSoar while I'm looking at it in VR. I've gotten very used to this, so it's no bother whatsoever, and I'm happy with it.

P.S. Bruce, btw, you mentioned that was your first video. I thought you did a great job, and will be very helpful to a lot of people. Thank you sir!

miguez
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2020 3:30 pm

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by miguez » Fri Feb 07, 2020 10:53 am

Oh, by the way, I too use VSPE to create a virtual COM port to connect XCSoar to Condor and find it works more reliably than other alternatives.

Crakob
Posts: 239
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:26 am

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by Crakob » Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:29 pm

Hi Bruce,

thanks for that great Video. Now i will try the rift a second time :)

one Question. Is the Cotasa-artificial-horizon just hidden behind xcsoar, or why isn't it seen in the cockpit ?

Christian
CRAKOB = CRA

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brucesailor
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Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 8:57 pm

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by brucesailor » Wed Feb 19, 2020 4:14 am

I have not used the artificial horizon yet, but it has several functions you can select. I think that you can place it on your VR scene just like I did XCSoar, and Cotasa window that I demonstrated. Oculus did a software upgrade last week and I have been experiencing some black screens, but usually get by them by reloading. I think they have some driver problems that they are working thru.

Bruce

Crakob
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Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by Crakob » Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:11 am

Hi Bruce,
in wich mode does condor run on your system ? Windowed,/window emulation /fullscreen ?? ( i tried all three)

i am able to place xcsor and cotasa correct. But when starting condor, i don't see them anymore ?
CRAKOB = CRA

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brucesailor
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Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by brucesailor » Fri Feb 21, 2020 2:40 pm

Hi CRAKOB

you need to make sure you "PIN" the window. I'm away from home, but depending on how you set it up, I use the top button that brings up a menu with PIN as an option. I think that I use the widow emulation option, I'll check when I get home and post if it is not.

Bruce

Crakob
Posts: 239
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Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by Crakob » Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:17 pm

thanks a lot. got it working somehow.

when i resize cotasa at some point (too small) it gets black. when i tilt it to look from the side, i t appears. when trying to place xcsor some oculus service crashes an i get the yellow sign with the exclamation mark.

very strange.
i think i give the steam app a last try. But if i have to place the windows everytime i start condor. Thats way too much fuzz.

Than the rift goes back to amazon :(
CRAKOB = CRA

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cvvs
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Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by cvvs » Sat Feb 22, 2020 6:19 pm

I also abandoned this system a bit because it is too random and we spend more time tinkering than flying.
It is not only on condor but also with other games, so I think that at some point this problem will be solved, unless you have a more simple and stable tip .........

GlenBecker
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2019 5:42 pm

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by GlenBecker » Sat Feb 22, 2020 6:31 pm

Crakob wrote:
Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:17 pm
i think i give the steam app a last try. But if i have to place the windows everytime i start condor. Thats way too much fuzz.
OVRdrop. After you configure it (location, orientation, size, opacity) you can save the profile and reload it automatically. You don't have to do any positioning or fiddling every time.

cvvs
Posts: 153
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Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by cvvs » Mon Feb 24, 2020 11:52 pm

Hello GlenBecker,
How do you use ovrdrop. do we find a video tutorial
Do you need to start Steam, because it is not used for condor.

Smithers-1968
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2020 3:46 pm

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by Smithers-1968 » Sun Mar 15, 2020 12:55 pm

At the risk of taking this off topic, the comments here inspired me to try the voice attack demo. Opened it up, added "left helpers" "task helpers" and "menu", which took about 30 seconds each. Launched the game, all just worked.

Think I'll be spending £8 on the full version. Then I just need to think what I want to map.

I'd still rather have motion control or hand tracking support and poke at things in the cockpit myself, like in Flyinside Flight Simulator, but this is seems a great option for those lesser used commands.

GlenBecker
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2019 5:42 pm

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by GlenBecker » Sun Mar 15, 2020 4:33 pm

cvvs wrote:
Mon Feb 24, 2020 11:52 pm
Hello GlenBecker,
How do you use ovrdrop. do we find a video tutorial
Do you need to start Steam, because it is not used for condor.
I don't remember the details of how I came to learn it; it's been almost 2 years. I think I just ran it and tinkered. The configuration interface controls are a bit fiddly at first, but not complicated. Once you've placed your xcsoar window inside your VR world, you can save that profile for easy use every time you fly. I'm distanced from the default install requirements since I run 3 instances of OVRDrop and need the oddly-well-hidden unreleased versions to make that happen. I'm happy to share my app launch scripts for anyone interested, but no need to complicate a simple install unless you want it.

I believe Steam is required for overdrop, though since I use WMR I need Steam anyway, so I'm not sure what, if any, flexibility you have in running ovrdrop.

Sorry for the long delay. Some unplugged travel followed by some crazy business days. (I'm a financial advisor. :D )

pckormic
Posts: 159
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2005 6:40 pm

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by pckormic » Fri May 01, 2020 8:25 pm

Hi, everybody


I have purchased OVDrop program a couple days ago, but I made a mistake and I can´t fix it.

I was trying to follow the steps to see the XCSoar window inside VR Valve Index, but with no success.

First of all, I would like to know if there is a tutorial or something to guide to manage properly your program.

I was tinkering with the program, when by mistake I deleted the profile "World Frot +++". I tried to restore, but i couldn´t, so I uninstalled the OVRdrop from my computer (I used the Win 10 Microsoft utility) but when I installed again the program, the old options remained in, so the profile deleted isn´t there.

I have tried to delete any file or folder, but doesn´t work.

So please, How can I delete or uninstall completely the OVdrop program, so when I install again it is a "fresH" install and all the old settings are disapeared, and all the profiles are installed again?

Another question ¿It is possible to change the size of the XCSoar window to see it smaller inside the cockpit?

Goodbye and good flights
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cvvs
Posts: 153
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Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by cvvs » Sun May 03, 2020 3:24 am

Hello everybody
The framework of a program like xcsoar in condor with my occulus rift still does not work in spite of numerous update of occulus.
is there really a system so that it works well and that we no longer have this sacred black screen or much more often the orange circle and exclamation mark.
I watch ovrdrop, but a priori it does not work if you do not go through steam.
And I don't really understand how to launch condor from steam afterwards

complicated to have xcsoar during our virtual flight.
all good idea I would be interested in testing it so that it is stable

GlenBecker
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2019 5:42 pm

Re: flight computer and keyboard integration for VR

Post by GlenBecker » Sun May 03, 2020 7:21 pm

pckormic wrote:
Fri May 01, 2020 8:25 pm
First of all, I would like to know if there is a tutorial or something to guide to manage properly your program.
I don't know of one. Best source of info seems to be the forum. The developer doesn't appear to be releasing updates but is active on the forum. https://steamcommunity.com/app/586210/discussions/
pckormic wrote:
Fri May 01, 2020 8:25 pm
So please, How can I delete or uninstall completely the OVdrop program, so when I install again it is a "fresH" install and all the old settings are disapeared, and all the profiles are installed again?
This forum post from the developer will help you locate the saved profiles file and either save or reset it. https://steamcommunity.com/app/586210/d ... 758199441/

I've attached my savedProfiles.xml in case it helps you. I position XCSoar between the pilot's knees, slightly transparent. It gets larger and goes opaque when I look directly at it.
savedProfiles.zip
pckormic wrote:
Fri May 01, 2020 8:25 pm
Another question ¿It is possible to change the size of the XCSoar window to see it smaller inside the cockpit?
Yes, adjusting the Z-axis will have the affect of making XCSoar larger or smaller. To configure a new window I find it easiest to load into vr, have the OVRDrop console as the 'active' window, put on my headset, and use the keyboard hotkeys to move, size, rotate until I get it perfectly where I want it in my vr view.
ovrdrop hotkeys.png
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