The Impossible Hardware: TrackIR 5
Normski, 21-Sep-09 »
TrackIR 5 Review - by nGR Guest Reviewer Osiris
NaturalPoint TrackIR 5
Overview
TrackIR 5 is the latest iteration in NaturalPoints stable of head tracking hardware. This product immediately caught my eye when an ArmA2 demonstration video (see links at bottom of review) surfaced showing how it changes the level of immersion within the game. Apart from being really cool the point of my purchase was to see how much it might change how I not only play the game but the level of enjoyment I’ll get out of them as well. Anyway, enough about me more about the Hardware.
Arriving just two days after being dispatched, kudos to my supplier www.ITSDirect.com.au, getting the unit home and unpacked was pretty unexciting in all honesty. I did, however, have one moment where my head screamed, “WTF! There is no CD in this case, nooooooo”. Alas the clever people at NaturalPoint are tree-loving, carbon friendly individuals who left a lovely note directing me to their website to download the latest version. Top idea and a completely sensible one to me.
Installation
Plugging the hardware in was straight forward, thankfully the two pieces of hardware, the TrackClip Pro and the Infrared Receiver, plugged into a single USB port on the PC with some fancy piggy-backing done in the cabling (Refer pic).
Another excellent idea again as I only had the one port left on the back of my PC and installing a card slot USB connector was not something I wanted to do any time soon.
Cabling done right, TrackIR 5 keeps it clean and simple
Downloading the fourth version of a Beta driver set, that appears to have been updated with quite a few new features from earlier versions and again, being a Beta, I’m not concerned at the stability of the application so all good so far. Anyway, the installation goes fine and after a reboot (for reasons unrelated to my driver install) the app fires up and I can see my virtual head swiveling and pivoting away.
It is weird and strangely ‘TRON’-like seeing my wireframe self moving in unison with my own, completely non-handsome, head.
TrackIR 5 Software, complex looking but easiser to use than expected
As with most things technical (there are a lot of settings in this software) I completely ignore the User Manual and Quick Start Guides and load up the ArmA2 demo (I’m still waiting for my full version to arrive) and immediately wonder why my head is swiveling a fraction of what I’m expecting.
Closing down the game I can see that I have selected the One to One profile. Basically the in-game head movement matches my own. So, not wanting to snap my own neck to be able to see behind me I change to the "Smooth profile" and I check out the range of movement in the 3D wireframe model of my head.
Excellent, full 360 degree rotations are now possible with minimal head movement. BAM! I’m off and running, so to speak.
Thoughts
Jumping back into the game there is an immediate improvement in my situational awareness, restarting the Helo Assault level and I am able to keep in close proximity to my squad through a quick head swivel to both sides. After the first 15 seconds of the round and I’m not separated from my squad like I have been previously, its more fluid and a lot easier to maintain awareness, I think I’m going to like this.
TrackIR 5 from the side
Continuing into the world of ArmA2 the first noticeable change is a negative one! Horrible! Not really quite that drastic but weird nonetheless.
I can only attribute this to my years of having a mouse to control where I look. It is the tendency for my mouse hand and therefore my aim to creep in the direction I am looking, for those that drive cars out there (real ones) you’ll most likely have experienced this at least once in your lifetime. Looking down at the stereo, talking to your passenger and then returning your gaze to the road to find you’ve drifted in the direction you looking were only moments ago.
In the past a quick flick of the wheel has corrected this problem and the same correction is possible in the Virtual world. Over time this will no doubt be something I will intuitively stop doing as I reprogram how my brain responds to this new way of interacting with the game through TrackIR.
Apart from that the new way of playing this game, nay – experiencing this world, certainly ramps up the level of enjoyment I had from previous times without it.
Usage
With realism a key factor in ArmA2 a good understanding of the players surroundings is vital. Kneeling behind a wall and being able to quickly check your left and right flanks while still aiming at the opposing forces is extremely valuable.
As with most infantry-based shooters running between areas of cover is vital to staying alive. All of this can be achieved without the TrackIR unit of course but would require the player to pivot their whole body in the direction they wanted to check, pivot themselves back to the direction they wanted to run and complete the dash. Cumbersome and exposing the player to enemy fire longer than they need to.
Games that support head movement like ArmA2 coupled with the TrackIR unit allow a soldier to complete the same exercise, but while on the move and in the direction they want to travel, keeping themselves exposed to enemy fire for the least time possible and not zig-zagging across the battlefield.
ArmA 2 - the "pin-up game" for TrackIR 5
By far the most useful feature, in particular in ArmA2, in the incremental lean feature allowed through the use of TrackIR. Exposing only the player’s head at various lean levels allows for a player to check a corner, lean further and then check more of the corner. A great way to not only see enemies but to keep a low profile while doing it means you just stay alive longer.
Conclusion
Clearly this review has been done by playing ‘infantry only’. With 102 TrackIR enhanced game titles available at present the options for gamers is great and will only get better.
Game developers will be always looking for that edge in their games and with this technology, not yet, being what I’d call "affordable for the masses" (at approximately $282) there is some way to go but right now it is certainly adding to my levels of enjoyment of the games it is supported in.
Want More Information
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ - Introductory video for the TrackIR5 from NaturalPoint, shown in conjunction with ArmA2 by Bohemia Interactive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AO0F5sLdVM - Warren Blythe of NaturalPoint explains TrackIR and shows it in a variety of situations and games.
http://www.naturalpoint.com/ - Maker of TrackIR 5, visit the site for more information and find out where you can buy one.
TrackIR 5 Review - by nGR Guest Reviewer Osiris
NaturalPoint TrackIR 5
Overview
TrackIR 5 is the latest iteration in NaturalPoints stable of head tracking hardware. This product immediately caught my eye when an ArmA2 demonstration video (see links at bottom of review) surfaced showing how it changes the level of immersion within the game. Apart from being really cool the point of my purchase was to see how much it might change how I not only play the game but the level of enjoyment I’ll get out of them as well. Anyway, enough about me more about the Hardware.
Arriving just two days after being dispatched, kudos to my supplier www.ITSDirect.com.au, getting the unit home and unpacked was pretty unexciting in all honesty. I did, however, have one moment where my head screamed, “WTF! There is no CD in this case, nooooooo”. Alas the clever people at NaturalPoint are tree-loving, carbon friendly individuals who left a lovely note directing me to their website to download the latest version. Top idea and a completely sensible one to me.
Installation
Plugging the hardware in was straight forward, thankfully the two pieces of hardware, the TrackClip Pro and the Infrared Receiver, plugged into a single USB port on the PC with some fancy piggy-backing done in the cabling (Refer pic).
Another excellent idea again as I only had the one port left on the back of my PC and installing a card slot USB connector was not something I wanted to do any time soon.
Cabling done right, TrackIR 5 keeps it clean and simple
Downloading the fourth version of a Beta driver set, that appears to have been updated with quite a few new features from earlier versions and again, being a Beta, I’m not concerned at the stability of the application so all good so far. Anyway, the installation goes fine and after a reboot (for reasons unrelated to my driver install) the app fires up and I can see my virtual head swiveling and pivoting away.
It is weird and strangely ‘TRON’-like seeing my wireframe self moving in unison with my own, completely non-handsome, head.
TrackIR 5 Software, complex looking but easiser to use than expected
As with most things technical (there are a lot of settings in this software) I completely ignore the User Manual and Quick Start Guides and load up the ArmA2 demo (I’m still waiting for my full version to arrive) and immediately wonder why my head is swiveling a fraction of what I’m expecting.
Closing down the game I can see that I have selected the One to One profile. Basically the in-game head movement matches my own. So, not wanting to snap my own neck to be able to see behind me I change to the "Smooth profile" and I check out the range of movement in the 3D wireframe model of my head.
Excellent, full 360 degree rotations are now possible with minimal head movement. BAM! I’m off and running, so to speak.
Thoughts
Jumping back into the game there is an immediate improvement in my situational awareness, restarting the Helo Assault level and I am able to keep in close proximity to my squad through a quick head swivel to both sides. After the first 15 seconds of the round and I’m not separated from my squad like I have been previously, its more fluid and a lot easier to maintain awareness, I think I’m going to like this.
TrackIR 5 from the side
Continuing into the world of ArmA2 the first noticeable change is a negative one! Horrible! Not really quite that drastic but weird nonetheless.
I can only attribute this to my years of having a mouse to control where I look. It is the tendency for my mouse hand and therefore my aim to creep in the direction I am looking, for those that drive cars out there (real ones) you’ll most likely have experienced this at least once in your lifetime. Looking down at the stereo, talking to your passenger and then returning your gaze to the road to find you’ve drifted in the direction you looking were only moments ago.
In the past a quick flick of the wheel has corrected this problem and the same correction is possible in the Virtual world. Over time this will no doubt be something I will intuitively stop doing as I reprogram how my brain responds to this new way of interacting with the game through TrackIR.
Apart from that the new way of playing this game, nay – experiencing this world, certainly ramps up the level of enjoyment I had from previous times without it.
Usage
With realism a key factor in ArmA2 a good understanding of the players surroundings is vital. Kneeling behind a wall and being able to quickly check your left and right flanks while still aiming at the opposing forces is extremely valuable.
As with most infantry-based shooters running between areas of cover is vital to staying alive. All of this can be achieved without the TrackIR unit of course but would require the player to pivot their whole body in the direction they wanted to check, pivot themselves back to the direction they wanted to run and complete the dash. Cumbersome and exposing the player to enemy fire longer than they need to.
Games that support head movement like ArmA2 coupled with the TrackIR unit allow a soldier to complete the same exercise, but while on the move and in the direction they want to travel, keeping themselves exposed to enemy fire for the least time possible and not zig-zagging across the battlefield.
ArmA 2 - the "pin-up game" for TrackIR 5
By far the most useful feature, in particular in ArmA2, in the incremental lean feature allowed through the use of TrackIR. Exposing only the player’s head at various lean levels allows for a player to check a corner, lean further and then check more of the corner. A great way to not only see enemies but to keep a low profile while doing it means you just stay alive longer.
Conclusion
Clearly this review has been done by playing ‘infantry only’. With 102 TrackIR enhanced game titles available at present the options for gamers is great and will only get better.
Game developers will be always looking for that edge in their games and with this technology, not yet, being what I’d call "affordable for the masses" (at approximately $282) there is some way to go but right now it is certainly adding to my levels of enjoyment of the games it is supported in.
Want More Information
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ - Introductory video for the TrackIR5 from NaturalPoint, shown in conjunction with ArmA2 by Bohemia Interactive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AO0F5sLdVM - Warren Blythe of NaturalPoint explains TrackIR and shows it in a variety of situations and games.
http://www.naturalpoint.com/ - Maker of TrackIR 5, visit the site for more information and find out where you can buy one.
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| Category: | Hardware Reviews |
| Posted: | 21-Sep-09 8:59:19 pm |
| Author: | Normski |