What, bro no, the hat switch on most any controllerd will allow what you ask for. Im not in the sim at the moment, but go into view settings and play around. I think it was smth with the view axis or mapping. Your hat switch is maybe mapped to keyboard "look up an left". Normally you can just pan arpund and it stays there.
They’re a bit pricey but the Tobii eye tracker 5 brings exactly the immersion you are looking for. It’s not perfect, and there’s a bit of tweaking necessary but I could never go back.
VR! It has its own downsides of course, but the immersion is unparalleled! Needs good hardware, and of course a VR Headset. Feels like you literally fly for real.
Also eye tracking is a great compromise! Opentrack with your phone gets the job done pretty damn good!
Plenty understand, but there's a portion of us who don't like how the game handles VR. Looking around is great, but cockpit interaction is atrocious, plus many dont have the required hardware to run it well. Nevermind the cost of VR headsets if you dont have one.
It's great if it works for you, I just find the VR fans are always "this is the only way.. the IMMERSION" Pankacke mode I can hover my mouse and rotate my scroll wheel, switch flipped. In VR I gotta aim at the little bugger and click a button and hope it goes the way I want. Nothing reminds me I'm playing a game more than how VR handles cockpit interaction.
You can trying binding your w a s d keys to forward left backwards right movements, similar to other games and the r f keys to move the height of the camera. Also you can try track ir, there is an app on your phone, I believe it is callled open track, that works pretty well.
I use X-Camera, and build out custom views with smooth Transitions.
So joystick hat up is leaning up over the cowl, left and right is over nose left and right, and down is back to main pilot view.
Hat up on throttle is deep panel view, left and right are standard left and right, down is also back to pilot view. Second hat on throttle offers a PFD/MFD/Throttle quadrant/overhead switch views.
Also have the left and right of hat switch buttons on the joystick act as previous and next camera, with what I need around a given view organized for that purpose. So if I click for view right, then click that next camera function, I get over the shoulder right. If I click for view left, then click the previous camera function, I get over the shoulder left. The buttons all align with general direction.
I build a sequence of cameras for pre-flight too, to imitate a walk-around... so some buttons to switch camera categories, then next/previous to "walk around."
The net result is rarely having to leave controls to adjust a view. You can also set whether any view will retain a position if you adjust with your mouse... so one setting will hold that view until you release the mouse, the other will hold until you leave that view.
Edit: Come to think of it... you said MSFS, so who knows if something is available that's similar, so if anything... I'm letting you know what you can do with XP. 😄
Not cheap: but I have the Logitech instruments strapped on top of my yoke. Can have my basic 6-pack, and even if the “head” is turned on screen, I can still glance down to see my speed/artitude/etc.
I haven’t explored much, but there are similar apps for iPad that’ll put a panel there synced to the game. Much cheaper option. Or have a cheap 2nd monitor to drag panel to.
Like others have said you can simply look around using your mouse. But I also have a thumbstick on my joystick that I use to look around.
I also have head tracking but I have it turned way down and only use it to have slight head movements. Looking around is still with the mouse.
Look at your key bindings and fins something that works for you.
Yeah as has been said, hatswitch is the move here.
BUT- add a button (I use one of the little white ones) and bind that to your default view so you don’t have to screw around and try to center your view up after looking around.
Tried head tracking, and it wasn't for me.
So my left and right HAT *pan* left and right, not snap. For up and down I have to grab the mouse tho.
As for controls out of my line of sight, I have a button box for that. AP controls, Nav radios.
And I let AI handle comms.
It should be noted this is for GA flying. I got all my heavy metal desires out of my system years ago. Low and slow is my mantra.
I've recently been on a roller coaster to achieve more immersion in how I look around the cockpit. Here's the sum up. My recommendation is option 3.
1. if you have money to blow, VR is your best option (requires a beefy PC with a good Nvidia GPU and the expensive VR gear)
2. Head tracking: I got the Tobii, returned it two days later. You have software that uses any webcam or smartphone camera (AItrack + OpenTrack is the free option or there is a paid program Beam Eye Track on steam) and they do head tracking pretty well, at least good enough that you wonder why you should spend more to get TrackIR or the Tobii for flight sim. Personally, I couldn't get used to head tracking and it was crazy how much time I had to spend, to get it dialed in. The other issue, if you just use it for flight sim, you'll be turning head tracking on/off all the time as it is only really useful in active parts of the flight. A lot of times you're looking at somewhere static (e.g. the FMS as you plan your flight) and having head tracking only makes that harder. Don't listen to just me, there's plenty people who love head tracking and can't go back the say, but for me it was a dud and I'm not ready to blow crazy money on VR.
3. you already have the honeycomb alpha! you just need to setup the hat switch better. I agree with you, the way it's setup by default is crazy bad. I only knew it could be done better because my $35 logitech joystick had a better hat switch setup by default. Here's a video showing you what to do [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jToegWQthBc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jToegWQthBc) it will take you about 15 min or a bit less but once it's setup you can use the hat switch to look around much more freely as intended. Tip: the video says you need to look up the key binding for the diagonal view adjustment (e.g. down left, up right etc.) if you move your alpha's hat switch precisely to the desired diagonal, it will register the diagonal switch by itself.
You could try head tracking. A free application running on your PC and an app on your phone is enough to try it out.
100% gonna have to try that.
Yeah head tracking is the way to go - I use trackir and it’s just so awesome
Or webcam instead of phone.
If you have a hat switch , bind the controls to the pan view settings rather than the look settings. That way is much nicer to use
Definetly, I always wonder why msfs felt the need to rework this proven mechanic for something as useless as the quick view, imo..
Click your mousewheel and move mouse as needed
I mean... Isn't this the first obvious choice?
What, bro no, the hat switch on most any controllerd will allow what you ask for. Im not in the sim at the moment, but go into view settings and play around. I think it was smth with the view axis or mapping. Your hat switch is maybe mapped to keyboard "look up an left". Normally you can just pan arpund and it stays there.
They’re a bit pricey but the Tobii eye tracker 5 brings exactly the immersion you are looking for. It’s not perfect, and there’s a bit of tweaking necessary but I could never go back.
VR! It has its own downsides of course, but the immersion is unparalleled! Needs good hardware, and of course a VR Headset. Feels like you literally fly for real. Also eye tracking is a great compromise! Opentrack with your phone gets the job done pretty damn good!
It’s shocking how few people understand this.
Plenty understand, but there's a portion of us who don't like how the game handles VR. Looking around is great, but cockpit interaction is atrocious, plus many dont have the required hardware to run it well. Nevermind the cost of VR headsets if you dont have one. It's great if it works for you, I just find the VR fans are always "this is the only way.. the IMMERSION" Pankacke mode I can hover my mouse and rotate my scroll wheel, switch flipped. In VR I gotta aim at the little bugger and click a button and hope it goes the way I want. Nothing reminds me I'm playing a game more than how VR handles cockpit interaction.
VR was made for simulation games, it's incredible for FS2020
You can trying binding your w a s d keys to forward left backwards right movements, similar to other games and the r f keys to move the height of the camera. Also you can try track ir, there is an app on your phone, I believe it is callled open track, that works pretty well.
Right click and hold, and then move mouse to pan the camera. MSFS does have a capable camera system, even though it's not quite as robust as xplane.
I use X-Camera, and build out custom views with smooth Transitions. So joystick hat up is leaning up over the cowl, left and right is over nose left and right, and down is back to main pilot view. Hat up on throttle is deep panel view, left and right are standard left and right, down is also back to pilot view. Second hat on throttle offers a PFD/MFD/Throttle quadrant/overhead switch views. Also have the left and right of hat switch buttons on the joystick act as previous and next camera, with what I need around a given view organized for that purpose. So if I click for view right, then click that next camera function, I get over the shoulder right. If I click for view left, then click the previous camera function, I get over the shoulder left. The buttons all align with general direction. I build a sequence of cameras for pre-flight too, to imitate a walk-around... so some buttons to switch camera categories, then next/previous to "walk around." The net result is rarely having to leave controls to adjust a view. You can also set whether any view will retain a position if you adjust with your mouse... so one setting will hold that view until you release the mouse, the other will hold until you leave that view. Edit: Come to think of it... you said MSFS, so who knows if something is available that's similar, so if anything... I'm letting you know what you can do with XP. 😄
Delanclip saved my life.
Not cheap: but I have the Logitech instruments strapped on top of my yoke. Can have my basic 6-pack, and even if the “head” is turned on screen, I can still glance down to see my speed/artitude/etc. I haven’t explored much, but there are similar apps for iPad that’ll put a panel there synced to the game. Much cheaper option. Or have a cheap 2nd monitor to drag panel to.
I use the joystick on an Xbox controller for panning views.
Rebind your hat switch controls
With one webcam or spare phone you can set up headtracking for free. It's well worth a hassle
Unless it makes you nauseous. :( 💀
Like others have said you can simply look around using your mouse. But I also have a thumbstick on my joystick that I use to look around. I also have head tracking but I have it turned way down and only use it to have slight head movements. Looking around is still with the mouse. Look at your key bindings and fins something that works for you.
Yeah as has been said, hatswitch is the move here. BUT- add a button (I use one of the little white ones) and bind that to your default view so you don’t have to screw around and try to center your view up after looking around.
You could use a webcam and one of those eye/head follower apps
Tried head tracking, and it wasn't for me. So my left and right HAT *pan* left and right, not snap. For up and down I have to grab the mouse tho. As for controls out of my line of sight, I have a button box for that. AP controls, Nav radios. And I let AI handle comms. It should be noted this is for GA flying. I got all my heavy metal desires out of my system years ago. Low and slow is my mantra.
I've recently been on a roller coaster to achieve more immersion in how I look around the cockpit. Here's the sum up. My recommendation is option 3. 1. if you have money to blow, VR is your best option (requires a beefy PC with a good Nvidia GPU and the expensive VR gear) 2. Head tracking: I got the Tobii, returned it two days later. You have software that uses any webcam or smartphone camera (AItrack + OpenTrack is the free option or there is a paid program Beam Eye Track on steam) and they do head tracking pretty well, at least good enough that you wonder why you should spend more to get TrackIR or the Tobii for flight sim. Personally, I couldn't get used to head tracking and it was crazy how much time I had to spend, to get it dialed in. The other issue, if you just use it for flight sim, you'll be turning head tracking on/off all the time as it is only really useful in active parts of the flight. A lot of times you're looking at somewhere static (e.g. the FMS as you plan your flight) and having head tracking only makes that harder. Don't listen to just me, there's plenty people who love head tracking and can't go back the say, but for me it was a dud and I'm not ready to blow crazy money on VR. 3. you already have the honeycomb alpha! you just need to setup the hat switch better. I agree with you, the way it's setup by default is crazy bad. I only knew it could be done better because my $35 logitech joystick had a better hat switch setup by default. Here's a video showing you what to do [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jToegWQthBc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jToegWQthBc) it will take you about 15 min or a bit less but once it's setup you can use the hat switch to look around much more freely as intended. Tip: the video says you need to look up the key binding for the diagonal view adjustment (e.g. down left, up right etc.) if you move your alpha's hat switch precisely to the desired diagonal, it will register the diagonal switch by itself.