How to save your neck in VR
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For those of us that have bad necks and find it hard or painful to see your six while flying, and the rear side panels when starting the F16 while in VR, I managed to get the free utility called VRNeckSafer going within Falcon BMS.
The link for the utility is : https://gitlab.com/NobiWan/vrnecksaferThe author does not officially support Falcon BMS VR, but some of the issues and solutions that users of other VR flight sims have reported seem to work on BMS.
This information is from testing on an HP Reverb G2 version 2.
VRNeckSafer setup:
Did not use autorotation. Used hotkey rotation.(autorotation will probably work, did not test it)
Under settings : Game mode is “Force Seated” and Position Compensation is “In Seated Mode”.Also cleared environment data from WMR window and redid the seating calibration:
From the top menu “Set up room boundary”, choose “set me up for seated and standing”. Make sure you are holding your headset just like the cartoon before pressing “Centre”.The author also has an OpenXR version called XRNeckSafer, which of course does not work with the current Falcon BMS VR implementation.
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@Kiwispirits said in How to save your neck in VR:
For those of us that have bad necks and find it hard or painful to see your six while flying, and the rear side panels when starting the F16 while in VR, I managed to get the free utility called VRNeckSafer going within Falcon BMS.
The link for the utility is : https://gitlab.com/NobiWan/vrnecksaferThe author does not officially support Falcon BMS VR, but some of the issues and solutions that users of other VR flight sims have reported seem to work on BMS.
This information is from testing on an HP Reverb G2 version 2.
VRNeckSafer setup:
Did not use autorotation. Used hotkey rotation.(autorotation will probably work, did not test it)
Under settings : Game mode is “Force Seated” and Position Compensation is “In Seated Mode”.Also cleared environment data from WMR window and redid the seating calibration:
From the top menu “Set up room boundary”, choose “set me up for seated and standing”. Make sure you are holding your headset just like the cartoon before pressing “Centre”.The author also has an OpenXR version called XRNeckSafer, which of course does not work with the current Falcon BMS VR implementation.
Excellent apps, have been using both versions since they came out. The best support is on the XRNS Discord, J2_Nobiwan (author) is there. There is a specific VRNS channel there also. https://discord.gg/5N7QxDf9
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@Icer @Kiwispirits can you guys explain how this works or how it helps in VR? Thanks!
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@Atlas VR head movement is normally 1 to 1 with the movement you see in the VR headset. So to see behind you or down to the rear side cockpit panels you have to turn your head a long way, compared to using mouselook in flat screen mode.
The amount of torso and neck twist is worse than real life. Most people have a field of view of about 180 deg , but VR headsets are around 114 deg meaning you have to twist further in VR than real life.
The Necksafer program has two ways of compensating for this:- You can map buttons that when pressed cause your view in the VR goggles to further rotate a selected number of degrees without having to move your head any further
- There is an auto mode that automatically turns your view further when your head is a certain number of degrees rotated; the default setup has multiple steps where this happens.
Some caution is needed with how much rotation you set up, and how often it is triggered. Because the head movement /eye movement is no longer 1 to 1 when Necksafer kicks in, you can get vertigo/nausea if you do it too much or too often.
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@Atlas said in How to save your neck in VR:
@Icer @Kiwispirits can you guys explain how this works or how it helps in VR? Thanks!
To add to what @Kiwispirits stated, the way I use it is to assign the Trim hat to L/R/U/D views in VRNeckSafer, adding about 80 degrees to L/R, 45 to Up, Down I don’t use. By hitting the L/R hat it automatically looks 90 degrees L/R and then I can naturally look further (from 90->180) by turning my head. You can turn your head 1st then add to the rotation with the hat, I prefer the other way. Looking up 45 is in a dogfight, then I can use natural head movement to move from 45-> 90 (straight up)… In BMS I do not use the views a lot, in WWI/WWII sims they are invaluable…
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@Icer @Kiwispirits thanks guys, seems like this is exactly what I am looking for. Just to confirm, here’s what I’m hoping to accomplish — 1:1 for 9-12-3 o’clock views. Further left than 9 o’clock or further right than 3 o’clock, I want some sort of head acceleration (ala TrackIR) so that I can check six properly, so like being able to check six at 8 o’clock and 4 o’clock positions. I don’t want buttons for this, I just want it automatic.
I don’t suppose any acceleration is needed for looking up/down.
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Just tried this out and while the default settings are wonderful, I don’t quite like the jumps that it does as I turn my head. Can you guys please share your settings? Is it possible to smooth this out?
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@Atlas You actually don’t want it to be smooth. Sudden shifts in view are much more comfortable in VR rather then gradual movement that doesn’t match with your head movement. If it was like Track IR it would be motion-sickness city.
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@SOBO-87 I’d like to try it anyway as the shifts are too jarring for me, but if you’d like to share your settings, I’d love to give them a try.
I wonder if XRNeckSafer works?
EDIT: that is a negative on XRNS -
@Kiwispirits i knew this issue was coming once vr was implemented. I think simmers will respect pilots more since they now see what the simple act of turning one’s head to “check 6” really takes. And that’s under a 1G load. Imagine having to do that at 3 -5 G.
Sounds like a nifty tool but I hope it doesn’t become the new cheat device.
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@TheSilkMan It has been in use for quite some time in VR in both DCS and ILs. I use it as compensation for a poor set of neck bones and the limitations of VR.
Perhaps there are some that might use it for cheating, but I have always felt that cheaters cheat themselves in those situations. -
@Atlas said in How to save your neck in VR:
@SOBO-87 I’d like to try it anyway as the shifts are too jarring for me, but if you’d like to share your settings, I’d love to give them a try.
I wonder if XRNeckSafer works?
EDIT: that is a negative on XRNSXRNecksafer is for OpenXR/OpenComposite only. Maybe try it in “Snap” mode as I do and use a hat switch to get the view you need. I never liked the “AutoRotation”, disorientating for me…
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@TheSilkMan not really a cheat device as in reality, you can look to the side further with peripheral vision whereas VR is like having blinders on so your FOV is limited. If this is a cheat device, then what is TrackIR when you can check six with a 30-45degree head turn?
@Icer I’d rather not have to do the snap mode function as I feel that will be a bit of an immersion breaker, but I’ll give it a try. Thanks!
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Has anyone gotten this to work with an Oculus Quest 2 and StreamVR?
Daniel
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@Glasmus In case anyone else is wondering, it does work with Oculus Quest 2 and SteamVR.
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Have been flying VR with the Pico4 for a few days now. Yesterday i tried it with VRNS for the first time. And it works! Even with the default settings (and “autorotation” on).
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Is it normal that when I snap back after checking my six , I’m suddenly a few feet outside my pit and can see myself sitting in the pit if I look down? If I then recenter, the view is back to normal. No problem there. The problem is that when I pitch down and at the same time look left or right to turn some knobs in the pit behind me (Ex. turn off the lights at Fence In) the same thing happens: I’m projected outside the pit ! That also means a VR rampstart is not possible for the moment.
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But the big problem I’m having is that, when I come in pit, VRNS sometimes works and sometimes it doesn’t. And I don’t know why…
As the accompanied explication on how VRNS works is very limited, Perhaps one of you can direct me to where I can find a solution?
Thx
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I use a key binding to center my VR view in BMS and I use the same key binding to center VRNS. That solves your 1st problem.
I also make sure to close VRNS when I close SteamVR. It seems that VRNS does not realize when a new SteamVR session is started and therefore gets lost. That solves your 2nd problem. -
Thx. Could it be THAT simple?
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How to save your neck in VR…
I have a desktop Hotas, and just use a ‘swivel’ office chair to check six. Some times flip hands on the stick, if i’m checking starboard. No neck strain so far.
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FWIW, besides for having an amazing wealth of other info, the Korean_BEM_VOL5.pdf included in the “Real Manuals” folder does show recommended head positioning for RL Viper pilots on page 4-56 and 4-57. I have found this positioning very helpful even with my old neck in VR. However, I do use a seat cut out of my old Akers Barnes based cockpit that has a Viper like seat tilt so that may help me some with rearward visibility than an office chair.