PointCtrl

[Troll]

My PointCtrl devices have arrived in town… Just need the postman to wake up so (s)he can deliver it to me. Unfortunately I can’t stay at home pretending to fly today as my employer want me to fly for real.
Anyway, PointCtrl is a nifty wand type controller that you wear on your index fingers. A receiver on your VR headset picks up the LED on the controller and translates that into mouse movement.
So, not a VR controller as such, with 3D and all, but a sort of wand, you can point at your cockpit switches and flip them with a button on the finger controller.

PointCtrl has got a website, although not much there, yet.

https://pointctrl.com/

A lot more info can be derived by reading the developer, MilesD’s thread at the ED forum.

[Troll]

7 flights later, I’m back home to find a small parcel in my mailbox! Thank you Mr. Mailman!

Two finger PointCtrl units with charging cables.
One receiver with a USB cable.
A datalogger which I believe is used to update the firmware.
A LiPo safe pouch to store the PointCtrl units in.

Surprisingly comfortable.
The aft button is slightly awkward to reach.

Now I have to look up the instructional videos on Youtube…

[Hangar200]

@Troll

as my employer want me to fly for real.

You really got to get a better job like the one I have …retired

[Troll]

@Hangar200

retired

I’m working towards that goal!!

[Troll]

Between dinner, followed by helping my daughter with her homework and preparing for a very early check-in tomorrow, I got to test the PointCtrl…

I just mounted the sensor on the Rift S, plugged it in and started DCS.

It works. It just…works…!

Now, bear in mind that these are relatively early production units. MilesD have already made changes to the firmware and he’s very eager to get user input.
It’s basically beta testing.

That said, out of the box, plugged in and 10 minutes looking through the setup PDF, I managed to use PointCtrl in DCS.

The unit comes sort of pre-calibrated for Rift S, but it is possible to calibrate it to suit your personal setup. But I had no time for that as I was eager to test it out.

And, like I said, it works.
It’s really intuitive and you can use each hand to control your mouse pointer and still be able to grab your HOTAS.

Now, it wasn’t a 100% flawless experience. But, like I said earlier, I didn’t spend any time setting things up. I will have to wait until saturday for that…

Things that constitutes small concerns is that the sensor covers the upper camera of the Rift S. Now, it seems like that doesn’t mess with the positional tracking of the Rift S, but that camera is there for a reason, isn’t it…?
Googly eyes are not required.

The FCU (Finger Control Unit) rubs against the stick grip of the MT-50. I guess this will be an issue with the TM Hornet grip as well…
Not a big problem, but may be something to look into.

Holding the throttle is not a problem.

My brief test tells me MilesD is really onto something here.
Give me some time to calibrate and learn how to use the PointCtrl and I believe mice and trackballs will be ancient history.

[Aginor]

How well does the whole “2D cursor in 3D world” work?
Did you have any problems clicking little switches next to each other because of that?
That’s my biggest concern about PointCTRL, otherwise I am pretty hyped by it.

[jenrick]

You may have my trackball when you pry it from my cold, dead, and polished smooth palm sir.

I still find the trackball as one of the greatest input devices man has ever created.

[PaulRix]

A 2D cursor works just fine with a mouse, so I can’t see that there would be any major problem in that regard. In fact, it might be better than a true 3D input.

[Aginor]

Good to hear.
I haven’t used VR much yet, hence the question.

[Troll]

Yeah, pretty much what @PaulRix says…
The advantage of PointCtrl over a regular VR controller is that you don’t have to reach the virtual switch in 3D space. It’s enough to point at it, just like you would with a mouse or trackball. This may not be as immersive, but it makes things easier if you have physical hardware in close proximity, like a chair with armrests, table or your HOTAS.

[Troll]

@jenrick

the trackball

Yeah, I use one as well.
The advantage with PointCtrl is that you can use both hands (not simultaneously) to control the mouse pointer.
It’s the equivalent of having two trackballs that are instantly active the moment you move your hand from your HOTAS…

[NEVO]

@Troll

instantly active the moment you move your hand from your HOTAS…

That means they are not active while on HOTAS ( it would be great ) ? How does that work ?

[Aginor]

One of the videos explained it like this IIRC:
Only inputs from a hand control device in the camera’s field of view are accepted.
If both devices are in the field of view, the one that is higher controls the cursor.

[Troll]

@NEVO

not active while on HOTAS

I see my statement requires some explaining
PointCtrl does not know I’m holding my HOTAS.

But when you move the FCU units out of the sensor view, the cursors are stowed away. And if you don’t use the FCU for a while they will time out, to save battery power and have to be awaken by a press of one of the buttons. The time out delay can be adjusted.

So, to move the cursor, you just move your hand and the cursor will be where your FCU is situated.
If calibrated correctly, the cursor will be where you intuitively are reaching for the part of the virtual cockpit you want to interact with.

If you use a mouse or trackball controller, you need to move your hand to the controller and then move the cursor to where you want it.

[Hangar200]

So they put up cursors that “stick to” the 3D cockpit?… not the “Lasers” that regular hand controllers use? (That is supposed to be the confused emoji … it doesn’t look all that confused…)

[PaulRix]

Think of it as being a mouse pointer. The only difference is that you move the pointer without having to rest your hand on a device such as a mouse or trackball.

[Aginor]

Yep, it is not 3D like for example the Rift controllers, but basically a mouse or touchscreen.

The touchscreen is invisible and turns with your head. You can touch it with the devices on your fingers.

[Troll]

It’s the same cursor as if you are using a mouse or trackball, in the cockpit. It will jump or snap to the 3D level it is scrolling over, just like it would if you used a mouse.

Looking forward to come home and play some more…

[schurem]

Exciting! I just paid for mine

How long between payment and plugging in for you @Troll?

[Troll]

@schurem

How long

14 days. He usually send the packages on a friday, but mine was delayed until monday.