4.10 Official Release

[Furio]

Originally Posted by JAMF

I wonder how much of that reasoning is based on the view angle being the field of view and the head position... without taking into acount the amount the eyes can turn . Try looking behind you with shoulders locked to the back of a chair, like being strapped into an aircraft seat. Your real FoV will see 360 degrees.

This is true only for young people with good “neck swivel”. And while looking to the far rear, you loose binocular vision, because nose blocks one of the eyes. The whole topic of vision is a complex one. Surely 6DOF would be cool, but to be realistic it should be severely restricted. Shoulder harness apart, fighter cockpits were tight and cramped, and there was no much way to move around.
I fly with an old motorglider, and I must wear my cap with visor turned to the rear, just to have a little movement.
Perhaps, asking for a 6DOF within a restricted box could reduce some of the developers worries about unfair advantages (and obtain a better realism).

[JAMF]

Originally Posted by Furio

This is true only for young people with good “neck swivel”. And while looking to the far rear, you loose binocular vision, because nose blocks one of the eyes. The whole topic of vision is a complex one. Surely 6DOF would be cool, but to be realistic it should be severely restricted. Shoulder harness apart, fighter cockpits were tight and cramped, and there was no much way to move around.

We are simulating a day in the life of a WW2 pilot and I don't know if there were any of ages above 40. If we were simulating a pilot of that age, your 'avatar' would maybe be assigned a desk job as a CO.

Loosing binocular vision is a moot point, since 3D displays have an even lower market penetration than, oh... pick a piece of hardware we flight simmers use. With monocular vision, one still can determine where that dot on your six is.

The restriction of movement should be a "box" defined per plane, as we all know they varied from bf109 tight to P-47 roomy. If future simulations were to have this limitation, it would be nice to have the possibility to toggle for harness slack or tight, giving a large and small "box" respectively. Slack harness manoeuvres would have the dangers similar to reality. The view limitation should naturally be investigated on a case-by-case basis, taking real circumstances into account. Like for instance sitting on the parachute gives an approximately 4" or 100mm higher line of sight through the gunsight and out onto the wing, making mistakes of simply setting the viewpoint "x" distance a thing of the past.

[highmoor]

Originally Posted by Furio

Perhaps, asking for a 6DOF within a restricted box could reduce some of the developers worries about unfair advantages (and obtain a better realism).

I have my FAA and TC pilot's licenses, I ALMOST finished my Commercial license (but ran out of money), and my best flying buddy got his aerobatic rating because he is crazy.

You can turn your head, you can look behind you, you can move around. I was flying two weeks ago upside-down in a Citabria and tried it. Even checked through an aileron roll. You just don't tighten the shoulder straps as much. I also still retain my hands in flight, so I can tighten and loosen as required. Admittedly, it doesn't feel so good upside-down to be hanging in the seat a little loose, but if my life depended on it I am sure I could deal with it.

I use TrackIR, because it feels like I am really in the plane. Ever try pulling the Johnson-bar flap handle in a Piper Cherokee sitting bolt upright? It's just not realistic to expect that my head won't move around.