3.1. My review

[Jaeger]

Please take no offence but it seems like I've got a new hobby. Installing and uninstalling TrackIr software.

I fly Il-2 ForGotten Battles.

For me, "2.11 Final" runs as smooth as glass. Very precise, going exactly where I want it to go, when I want it to go there.

2.12 Beta did this also, but a glitch in this version caused an intermittent frame rate drops during game play. (about 20-25 fps)

3.0 as we all know was a mess.

3.1? Better than 3.0, but it still needs work.

When I try to use it in the sim, things are still "jerky".

Worse, when I move my head, regardless of my setting, "Dead Zone, Smooth etc, the tracking is always a step behind. Almost as if there's a delay.

In other words, I move my head and a fraction of a second later the Track Ir catches up. It's a real spoiler.

I tried mucking around with the settings, including the mouse speed in the sim, but there was no improvement.

Another problem, reminisent of Il-2 Sturmovik, is that Track Ir (3.1) over steers. By that I mean, if you move your head fast, as is normal in a dog fight, (and was not a problem in 2.11 or 2.12) TiR goes well beyond were you want it to go.

It also gets knocked off center (just like Il-2 Sturmovik). By that I mean, that when I turn back to the front view, TiR is no longer centered. Again not a problem with 2.11 or 2.12.

Constantly having to hit the centering button is a pain.

Thanks for the effort, and please keep it up. Meanwhile, I'm going back to 2.11 Final untill your next version comes out.

Thanks, Jaeger

System

Windows XP Pro
Asus V9950 Ultra 256 mb
Asus A7N8X Deluxe w/Xp2600
NForce2 Chipset
1024 Corsair XMS DDR 400 PC 3200

[Mark H]

Cannot get v3.1 to "start upon startup".

It's slightly jerky.

Still got long, long, long shutdown problem with Windows if you accidently have the NP software running whilst shutting down windows.

Gone back to V2.11 until the problems ironed out.

Mark

[mobbe123]

Hi!!

so do you think the 2.11 is the best to use????? dont want any problems!!! Have enough of that in computing!!!

[Jaeger]

mobbe123, I would have to say yes.

[Charlie251]

[ November 12, 2003, 01:37 AM: Message edited by: Charlie ]

[Jaeger]

Thanks Charlie, but no thanks.

Like I said above, 3.0 was a mess, 3.1 was better but there were still to many problems for me (see above) so I guess I'm stuck with the 2.11 Finals.

[Jim]

Jaeger:

I am very interested in your opinion of 3.01 not being smooth or responsive. Can you please elaborate:

- in 3.01 does the cursor motion feel smooth and responsive, compared to 2.11?

- is the sluggish feeling happen in FS2002 / 4 or just in IL-2.

- are you in Enhanced Mode?

There could very well be something broken in 3.01 that none of us caught because it is all new code, so we welcome feedback on this. Anyone else feel the same way? Please compare head to head against 2.11. Thanks in advance!

[Schallmoser]

Hi Jim, Please read "the thread 3.01 killed my trackIR1".

I describe the missing smoothness there.
Plus the fact that my TIR died

best regards
Schallmoser

[Jaeger]

Jim, I'll try, but it's been over a week since I used it and I'm back to 2.11 final.

First, I only fly Forgotten Battles so I can't comment on other sims. And yes I operate in "enhanced mode." It's set to start up in that mode, so noticing what the cursor does, doesn't come into play.

As I said above, the two main items that were disruptive were the "panning delay' (I don't know of a better term.) and the jerkiness, which while not nearly as bad as 3.0, it was noticable.

To explain furhter. When I would look around the cockpit, the actual view change would take a moment to catch up with the head movement that was made.

With 2.11, this does not happen. Every head movement is matched, at least to my eye, instantly by TiR.

I beleive some one else posting here in the TiR forum mentioned the same problem, and if I recall, he also flies "FB."

The other item, was the smoothness. It wasn't up to par with 2.11.

It's an effect similar to what I get with 2.11 if I tilt my head back to far. In this case I found, or at least I believe, that the TiR unit was being confused by a slight reflection from my glasses. It's something I've learned to live with.

I must note however, that there are times when, if I have the unit, and my dots positioned just right, that jerkiness is reduced to nearly zero.

Finally, the 3.10 version of TiR seemed to get knocked off center easier. That would happen alot with Il-2. (Before Fb and Olegs incuded .dll)

With 3.1, I found my self constantly correcting, something I had'nt had to do with 2.11, and for some reason, and since the 3.10 install, 2.11 seems to be doing it more often than before.

I'm quite sure I did a proper uninstall of the 3.10 as well as a proper install of the 2.11.

Perhaps something stuck from the 3.10 or it could very well be me being more sensitive to the function.

As for adjustment. I tried everything I could think of. Always looking to get the improvements I needed for smooth game play, and all the while hoping I'd see some little change that would lead me in the right directon and the perfect setting, but I never found it.

Thats about all I can tell you.

I'd like to be of more help, but I'm not exactly thrilled about reinstalling 3.1 and doing more testing. It's purely selfish I know, but I'm not sure I want to do more experimenting and disrupt my on-line fying.

TiR Set-up Note: My reflective dots are arranged on a 1/2 in square piece of styrene, fully covering it. The contraption is then hot glued to an alligator clip, which I mount on the bridge of my glasses. This is the best combination I've found, and I've tried many including one that consists of a small ball.

Distance from the TiR unit and my dot arrangement is 16 to 18 inches .

Thanks