Free face tracking - No lamps, reflexes or anything - that WORKS!

Apologies if this has been covered before, but I can't find any reference to it in the thread. I have:

-DCS: Black Shark 1.0.2, purchased through Steam.

-FaceTrackNoIR 1.5.0

-The 32-bit ED API zip.

-A MacBook Pro running Windows 7 x86_64 (yes, 64-bit version of the OS).

I am able to start FaceTrackNoIR and get a good track (yellow outline of the eyes/mouth).

Problem #1: The directory structure of DCS: Black Shark, in the Steam common apps directory, does not match what the readme for the 32 bit ED API suggests -- my Black Shark files are installed in:

c:\program files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\dcs black shark\

There is a bin subdirectory, but it has only other subdirectories in it, no files. The directory structure looks like

\bin

-\stable (no files in this dir)

-\x86 (no files in this dir)

--\stable (tons of DLLs here)

In desperation, I tried putting a copy of the headtracker folder from the 32bit_headtracker_ed zip in each of the subdirectories. No joy within Black Shark.

I've also tried using the 64bit_headtracker_ed files in the same way. No joy.

In both situations, the c:\FTNoIR_ED_HeadTrackerLog.txt file is not created.

Has anyone got this working with the Steam version of DCS: Black Shark? What's the magical incantation I need?

I found this really really awkward and unnatural to use, but I think its because my laptop is facing me at an angle, so you don't look directly at it.

What is it like for you guys? Can you remove the roll? Thats one degree of freedom I do not want. :p

free face tracking

 

anyways, I've put the facetrack dll into DCS a10, but now it won't allow me to control my camera with my joystick, even with ftnoir closed and no webcam. is this how it's supposed to work? I'll have to remove the API if I want to use my controller to rotate view?

First a big thanks to V4Friend for the work you have done with this issue.

After following your instructions I eventually got this to work with a ps3 eyetoy.

Was wondering though,as it has to be well lit to work properly any idea if it would work if I put an IR filter over the lens to block out natural light and made a little clip out of old TV remote's would it still track or is that a whole different ball game?Hoping I would be able to use at night or low light:huh:

Anyway getting the same issue as fael097,not that its a big problem,oh,and when I quit the game it wont let me go back into options it just hangs.Any help would be appreciated and thanks again for your hard graft and everybody's input.:thumbup:

:doh:Forgive the lad,obviously if I blocked out visible light ......face-tracking....:doh:

:music_whistling:

I found this really really awkward and unnatural to use, but I think its because my laptop is facing me at an angle, so you don't look directly at it.

 

What is it like for you guys? Can you remove the roll? Thats one degree of freedom I do not want. :p

Yes you can remove an axis detection, personally I still find it too sensitive which I am hoping to iron out with the settings. Also I would like to be able to use a HOTAS button to enable/disable the head tracking.

Overall though its pretty damn good.

First a big thanks to V4Friend for the work you have done with this issue.

After following your instructions I eventually got this to work with a ps3 eyetoy.

Was wondering though,as it has to be well lit to work properly any idea if it would work if I put an IR filter over the lens to block out natural light and made a little clip out of old TV remote's would it still track or is that a whole different ball game?Hoping I would be able to use at night or low light:huh:

Anyway getting the same issue as fael097,not that its a big problem,oh,and when I quit the game it wont let me go back into options it just hangs.Any help would be appreciated and thanks again for your hard graft and everybody's input.:thumbup:

 

:doh:Forgive the lad,obviously if I blocked out visible light ......face-tracking....:doh:

:music_whistling:

you don't need any kind of filters. as you stated, you obviously can't block visible light :P

but about too much light, it doesn't matter, as long as the camera can see your face, and about too little light, some cameras get slow fps from dark rooms, so that deppends on your camera.

my ps3 eyecam works really good without ANY lights besides my monitor's.

so it works pretty much in any light conditions, as long as you get good fps.

ps.: too bad I didn't get the answer to my question :cry:

I'm no expert but I believe the source of the problem is how DCS A10c handles the HeadtrackingAPI.dll as opposed to any fault with FacetrackNoir.

If this is the case then its a question of asking ED nicely to investigate.

Webcams

Cheers as allways guys,Yep this freetrack/noir stuff is a really good idea for folks like myself for one reason or another don't have a lot of spare cash,I managed to get it working with a ps3 eyetoy but wasn't to hot as the camera didn't seem to like the low light levels,currently on the hunt for a cheap webcam with those IR LED'S round the housing as I hope this will sort out my problem as well as getting freetrack working maybe with IR reflectors or LEDS.

Anyway looking good so far,thanks for all the info and ideas guys.:)

Hey guys, I recently picked up A-10C on the steam sale and it has been an awesome experience. After browsing the forums, I decided to try out FaceTrackNoIR. I got it to work too so im sure some of you will appreciate this little guide/info.

Here is the DL link for FaceTrackNoIR so you dont have to go back to the OP. :thumbup:

http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/information_links/download.htm

For Steam users:

Download FaceTrackNoIR from the website if you haven't done so already. Also get the update and follow the included instructions to install. You can also download the EWMA fix if you need it.

Next, Download the Eagle Dynamics API interface DLL 64Bit if you have 64bit Windows. You want to extract this to the DCS A-10C bin folder that is in the steam folder. That will look something like this if you have Windows 7 64bit.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\dcs a-10c warthog\bin

If you go back and look in the bin folder, you should see the Headtracker folder. Then you will want to copy the provided A-10C ini file to the FaceTrack folder that contains the default profiles that came with FaceTrack.

Hopefully that clears up installation for the guys using the Steam version. If you jump into A-10C and facetrack is not working (no camera control at all), you will need to also download the headtracking demo from seeingMachines. It is free and easy to register and DL the demo. It seems that the facetrack install can leave out some needed runtime libraries that the demo will then install for you.

http://www.seeingmachines.com/product/faceapi/downloads/

Other Notes:

If you have a 64bit OS, Steam should have downloaded the 64bit version of A-10C.

Sorry about the long post, but I hope it helps. If you have any questions I'll do my best to answer them. I'm still new at this stuff, but I have had some success so far (and some failures). I'm still working on setting up a profile that I like, and so far I have found it to be too sensitive to my head movements. Some tweaking of the settings and curves should fix this.

I would also love to see some of the profiles that you guys have setup for FaceTrack.

Do the hotkeys for FaceTrackNoIR work in game for anyone?

Yup, hotkeys work like a breeze...

I put Ctrl+Alt+X to Center tracking & Ctrl+Alt+Z to Start/Stop tracking (which re-centers the cockpit view anyway)...

I bound those key combinations to my Saitek X45 and now it's a dream to fly and turn your sight to the wing pylons while launching Mavericks... :thumbup:

I can confirm it works!

Windows 7 64Bit

Logitech 300 webcam

I don't need ppjoy anymore!

@ V4Friend

check your six, donation inbound! :thumbup:

It would be great that those, who are happy with settings would post their curve & other settings, so that we could compare. I'm not satisfied with moving L/R Up/D Fw/Bk. This are translation curves (I think).

Heres my settings (screencaps & .ini file)

My .ini file download

Aries, thank you! I'll try it. +1

Fine curves you have Aries. I like them. I only changed EWMA & smoothing settings:

Now testing more.

I tested it today and would say it works ok at distances from 10-30cm. At 2m it doesn't work at all and it's very shaky and cpu hungry. Will try freetrack with the PS3 eye now.

Hi guys,

I was wondering if one of you kind fellows might be able to help me out! I tried freetrack but as I am using Windows Vista 64-bit i don't think it will work!

I have set up facetracknoIR and it track my movements correctly. My problem is that I can't get it to work in game.

I am running Windows Vista 64 with the latest versions of Flaming Cliffs 2 and DCS Black Shark.

I have tried using TrackIRfixer and using the fake trackIR setting - but it doesn't seem to do anything - i set TrackIRfixer running and it searches for games - it finds Lock On or Black Shark when I start either up but doesn't say that it is doing anything. Am I doing something wrong? I have copied them to the correct bin/stable file! (I think....)

I have also tried to install 2 different versions of PPJoy and tried to get the unverified drivers to work by switching to test mode... still no luck! I get the error that Virtual joystick is not detected!

Could anyone please help as I am running out of options! :cry:

Thanks

I think you will find most of the 64bit users are running a custom headtracking API released (unsupported by ED) for DCS A10C as such I can't offer much help but maybe others can comment.

Could anyone please help as I am running out of options! :cry:

 

Thanks

Re-read this thread and this one:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=75917

And of course, forget PPJOY...

Choose one of the headtracker .dll-s (samteeagle's or V4Friend's) and combine it with Freetrack or FacetrackNoIR...

Hi

I got this to work with my Microsoft LifeCam HD3000 and it's very cool. One question, the movement in the cockpit lags behind my actual head movements, is this normal or something I can fix/improve?

It's because of the smoothing and the filters, you won't get rid of it. You can turn of the filtering but it will go all over the place then.

Aries, a very quick question for you. How did you get your PS3 Eye camera upto 50Hz?

Aries, a very quick question for you. How did you get your PS3 Eye camera upto 50Hz?

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1268112&postcount=15

Thanks Migo, much appreciated.

Just wondering if anyone has the 64 bit headtracker dll working in BS? works great in A10 but just cant figure out BS.

thanks. EDIT: got facetrack runing in BS using PPjoy. Nowhere near as good as the headtracker.dll in ac10. Hope someone has some ideas for the 64bit version of BS and this dll. cheers

EDIT 2: ok, got it working with the trackfixir. The gotcha was that the new version of trackfixir wont work! it doesnt offer the ability to patch the input.dll like the old one. So get the old version, patch the dll then run facetrack using fakeTIR. Works great.

Sadly the headtracker.dll's simply dont work in bs.