[How to] Setup FaceTrackNoIR for DCS A-10C in Win7 x64

[MIAHALLEN]

FaceTrackNoIR is a free app which uses your webcam to track your face and adjust your camera view in game accordingly...much like "TrackIR" but without any extra hardware. Here is how to set it up for A-10C Warthog

Before you start, I suggest you ensure your system is pretty fresh. I ran into major hold ups due to device driver & codec conflicts that existed on my system prior to starting.
Part of troubleshooting lead me to reinstall Windows (which was long overdue anyhow). If you system has any issues, I'd suggest you figure those out before proceeding.

My system specs (for the record):

• Intel i7 2600K @ 5.1GHz
• Asus Maximus IV Extreme P67
• 2x4GB G.Skill DDR3-1866
• 120GB Vertex 3 SSD & 500GB Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drive
• 3x GTX 580 in tri-SLI
• 2560x1600 Samsung 305T+
• Windows 7 x64 Ultimate SP1
• nVidia Forceware drivers 280.26
• Logitech Webcam 9000Pro
• Saitek Cyborg Evo Force FFB joystick (FFB not working yet )

1. Download and install the faceAPI portion of the SeeingMachines headtracking Demo (after the 1st portion of installation when faceAPI finished, you can cancel the rest)
2. Download and install the FaceTrackNoIR v130 program.
3. Download the FaceTrackNoIR v150 update and extract the files to the FaceTrackNoIR directory overwriting the original files (I made a small donation to the FaceTrackNoIR author and he sent me the v160 update, I do not know if the v150 will work with my setup or not).
4. Download the ED API interface x64 dll package and extracted the headtracker folder (with contents) into the game's "bin" directory.
   
   
5. Next, start the FaceTrackNoIR program, and load the DCS_A10C.ini file (its in the headtracker folder you placed in the bin directory).
6. Then select "faceAPI" under "Tracker Source" and select "Freetrack" under "Game protocol".
7. Now press the "Start" button under the faceAPI option...your webcam image should be displayed on the left side and within a few seconds it should detect your face and highlight the tracked area in yellow as shown below.
8. Next I spent a couple hours ALT-TAB'ing in and out of the game adjusting my curves until I found myself pretty happy with the following settings.

Make sure you have decent lighting illuminating your face...indirect lighting is best, I made a video of my current settings so you can see it in action.

 

[MattNo5ss]

That's pretty neat software!

Isn't it hard to look at the screen when you turn your head to show what's out the side windows? If you turn your head right, how do you also look straight to see the screen? Peripheral vision?

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Right and left isn't so bad...but looking down still needs some tweaking....I need way too much head movement right now....but its useable...unlike when I first started before tweaking the curves.

 

[EarthDog]

That. Is. COol!

 

[dillinja666]

Needs eyefinity

 

[MattNo5ss]

Right and left isn't so bad...but looking down still needs some tweaking....I need way too much head movement right now....but its useable...unlike when I first started before tweaking the curves.

So, you tweak the curves so that a given head movement equals a set view movement in game? For example, you could make a small head movement equal a greater in-game movement to help reduce having to look so far to the right that you can't see the screen?

Needs eyefinity

Needs nVidia Surround since he has 3x GTX580

 

[MIAHALLEN]

So, you tweak the curves so that a given head movement equals a set view movement in game? For example, you could make a small head movement equal a greater in-game movement to help reduce having to look so far to the right that you can't see the screen?

Correct! But there has to be a balance, because if its too sensetive, then you cannot keep the camera straight when you need it, it gets too jumpy. But the curves are not linear, so its doable

 

[zryder]

Super Cool! Another thread Subbed!

 

[jediman]

I tried this a while back for dcs black shark but it couldn't follow my glasses

 

[cthiggin]

Help an old fellow with FaceTrackNoIR

Hello folks,
I need some help, please.
I have used TrackIR 4 for quite sometime. After my headset pro broke, I have had to resolve to the ball-cap attachment.
I happened to see a thread on the FaceTrackNoIR and downloaded it. It works fine with Win7 64. I only used the TrackIR and will be using FaceTrackNoIR for FSX.
My problem is that FaceTrack seem too sensitive. I can be sitting inside my virtual cockpit inside FSX, with my head very steady, and I am getting annoying movement. No so in TrackIR - I really don't understand the curves, but have tried the above threads settings and I am still getting the shaky movement.
Your help would be highly appreciated. (Love the fact that No ballcap has to be worn)
cthiggin

 

[Firepac]

Stuff like TrackIR really makes me wish that Video Goggles take off. How sick would it be to play something like Flight Simulator with a high res video goggle and TrackIR?

 

[MRaza]

This setup is for the A10C. If I want to set it up for other aircraft, will I have to "extracted the headtracker folder (with contents)" into the bin directory of each aircraft?