Best eye or head tracking for msgs 2024 (and maybe DCS as well)

fliger747

fliger747

Administrator
Staff member
Back in the dim days of FS9 or FSX I had Track IR. (still have the hardware). I am aware there are as many opinions as (um individuals) but want some honest user reports from MSFS 2024 and maybe DCS as I have downloaded that if not used it yet.
 
I've been very happy with my Tobii Eye Tracker 5 for quite some time now. Takes a bit of setting up (like anything these days), but once you do it's fantastic. The fact that you don't have to wear anything on your head is a big plus. However, it's still not fully implemented in MSFS2024, but there is a temporary work around that I had posted about in this forum.

gaming.tobii.com

Tobii Eye Tracker 5 | Next Generation of Head and Eye Tracking

The only device capable of tracking both head and eye movements for a more immersive gaming experience, content creation and simulation gaming.
gaming.tobii.com gaming.tobii.com

Side note: Using the Tobii in MSFS2024 on my LG 42" Flex 4K OLED gives an amazing perception of a 3D experience, without it actually being 3D. Way more so than I ever had in MSFS2020. I believe it has a lot to do with the overall increased graphical detail of MSFS2024 over MSFS2020.
 
fliger747 said:
Does this cause any difficulty with mousing controls or setting up a CDU for instance in a 737 or 747?
Click to expand...
You can turn off/on the eye/head tracking as desired. I've set up the keyboard "End" key to do that. Then you can just use your hat switch to pan around as necessary.
 
DaveKDEN said:
You can turn off/on the eye/head tracking as desired. I've set up the keyboard "End" key to do that. Then you can just use your hat switch to pan around as necessary.
Click to expand...
Dave, my hat switch works fine in External View but i can't seem to get it to work in Cockpit View... Do you know if a hat switch SHOULD work in FS2024 Cockpit/Internal view ??.....

Just to be sure, your "Tobii Eye Tracker 5" DOES work in FS2024 Cockpit/Internal view, right ?...

Thanks ! :encouragement:
 
Javis said:
Dave, my hat switch works fine in External View but i can't seem to get it to work in Cockpit View... Do you know if a hat switch SHOULD work in FS2024 Cockpit/Internal view ??.....

Just to be sure, your "Tobii Eye Tracker 5" DOES work in FS2024 Cockpit/Internal view, right ?...

Thanks ! :encouragement:
Click to expand...
The Tobii works after using the hack in the YouTube video tutorial by Jonathan Beckett called "Configuring the Tobii Eye Tracker for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024." That hack is an intermediate work around until Asobo gets the Tobii settings figured out in MSFS2024. Also, my hat switch works - I can check a little later today to see how it's mapped in the controls settings.
 
Yeah, MS totally botched Tobii support in MSFS2024 (appalling given they are a marketing partner with MS) and you can't configure it in the sim.

However, there are two workarounds that work fine. Tobii's official workaround:

Editing the controller profile lets you use it without having to use OpenTrack:
forums.flightsimulator.com

How to get Tobii & MSFS 2024 to Work Together

Natively, there are issues with 2024 and Tobii. Attempting to adjust the Tobii settings from within the sim results in a CTD. In the interim (or possibly forever if you prefer how this works), download opentrack here: Download opentrack-2023.3.0-win32-setup.exe (opentrack) You will continue...
forums.flightsimulator.com forums.flightsimulator.com
 
Javis said:
Dave, my hat switch works fine in External View but i can't seem to get it to work in Cockpit View... Do you know if a hat switch SHOULD work in FS2024 Cockpit/Internal view ??.....

Just to be sure, your "Tobii Eye Tracker 5" DOES work in FS2024 Cockpit/Internal view, right ?...

Thanks ! :encouragement:
Click to expand...
My Hat Switch is mapped to "Cockpit View Yaw Axis" for left/right movement and "Cockpit View Pitch Axis" for up/down. They work in concert with each other for a smooth all around view. However, I typically just move my head with the Tobii to look where I want. I have my keyboard "Home" key set to reset my view to neutral if it gets too far off with the Tobii.
 
DaveKDEN said:
The Tobii works after using the hack in the YouTube video tutorial by Jonathan Beckett called "Configuring the Tobii Eye Tracker for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024." That hack is an intermediate work around until Asobo gets the Tobii settings figured out in MSFS2024. Also, my hat switch works - I can check a little later today to see how it's mapped in the controls settings.
Click to expand...
DaveKDEN said:
My Hat Switch is mapped to "Cockpit View Yaw Axis" for left/right movement and "Cockpit View Pitch Axis" for up/down. They work in concert with each other for a smooth all around view. However, I typically just move my head with the Tobii to look where I want. I have my keyboard "Home" key set to reset my view to neutral if it gets too far off with the Tobii.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot Dave ! Finally feels like i'm home again, this mapping works fantastic ! :encouragement: One very frustrating issue out of the way ! ( i must be very frustrated because i could've easily found that setting myself in the External camera mapping list. Must've simply overlooked..)

Can't tell you how happy i am with your tip, Dave, looking around easily and smoothly either external or internal is the first thing i'll try to accomplish with a new flightsim..... Normally ! But this isn't a 'normal' flightsim, is it.. It is both the most beautiful and the most frustrating flightsimulator i have ever come across ! :mixed-smiley-027:

Soooo, no Tobii today then.... But i'm sure sitting on the fence. I do have the Reverb G2 VR headset but haven't tried it yet in MSFS. Flightsimming in VR is the best thing since sliced bread, absolutely breathtaking (sometimes..flying a Tiggie or J3 gives the best results in my FSVR book) but my main problem with it is having to 'fly blindfolded' in the cockpit. Not having a true high end machine neither.

So thank you very much again, Dave ! Looks like i'm going to enjoy FS2024 like never before ! :ernaehrung004:
 
Javis said:
Thanks a lot Dave ! Finally feels like i'm home again, this mapping works fantastic ! :encouragement: One very frustrating issue out of the way ! ( i must be very frustrated because i could've easily found that setting myself in the External camera mapping list. Must've simply overlooked..)

Can't tell you how happy i am with your tip, Dave, looking around easily and smoothly either external or internal is the first thing i'll try to accomplish with a new flightsim..... Normally ! But this isn't a 'normal' flightsim, is it.. It is both the most beautiful and the most frustrating flightsimulator i have ever come across ! :mixed-smiley-027:

Soooo, no Tobii today then.... But i'm sure sitting on the fence. I do have the Reverb G2 VR headset but haven't tried it yet in MSFS. Flightsimming in VR is the best thing since sliced bread, absolutely breathtaking (sometimes..flying a Tiggie or J3 gives the best results in my FSVR book) but my main problem with it is having to 'fly blindfolded' in the cockpit. Not having a true high end machine neither.

So thank you very much again, Dave ! Looks like i'm going to enjoy FS2024 like never before ! :ernaehrung004:
Click to expand...
I am more than happy to help, as I've received a TON of advice from other members here on numerous occasions.
 
Long story short: i bought the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 !:santahat:

Reason was after i got my hat switch back in the VC i lost my mouse settings for looking around the cockpit. Couldn't get it back the way it was somehow (move mouse to look around while holding down left button), got fed up with it and bought the Tobii, something i was looking for for a while anyway.

Now! Setting it up i thought i'd best go with Jonathan's tutorial but that's particularly for the MS Store bought version. I have the Steam version for which the paths are different. I have been looking for this Microsoft.Limitless_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder for an hour or so without any result. A while ago i stumbled over a folder with Limitless in its name but can't find that anymore neither.

Anyone with a Steam installation that knows the whereabouts of this Microsoft Limitless folder ??.....

Thank you so much in advance ! :encouragement:
 
Javis said:
Long story short: i bought the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 !:santahat:

Reason was after i got my hat switch back in the VC i lost my mouse settings for looking around the cockpit. Couldn't get it back the way it was somehow (move mouse to look around while holding down left button), got fed up with it and bought the Tobii, something i was looking for for a while anyway.

Now! Setting it up i thought i'd best go with Jonathan's tutorial but that's particularly for the MS Store bought version. I have the Steam version for which the paths are different. I have been looking for this Microsoft.Limitless_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder for an hour or so without any result. A while ago i stumbled over a folder with Limitless in its name but can't find that anymore neither.

Anyone with a Steam installation that knows the whereabouts of this Microsoft Limitless folder ??.....

Thank you so much in advance ! :encouragement:
Click to expand...
There's another work around available where you use open track. I'll try to link the video, but I've had problems linking YouTube videos in the past. If it doesn't work, look for "IslandSimPilot" pilot on ouTube and his video titled "Tobii Eye Tracker 5: Setup and CTD Fix MSFS2024"

Edit: YouTube link didn't work - I'd appreciate any advice on how to link a YouTube video here...
 
Thanks Dave ! Yes, i read about the Open Track option but it is not the best option so i'd like to try Jon Beckett's work around by directly editing the XML Profile Axe files so Open Track won't be needed. For that to work i have to find the folder where that data resides... In his tut Jonathan says that he doesn't own the Steam version so can't help with that. All hints i found sofar are about the whereabouts of the Steam version MSFS24 Community folder, that's not where this XML Profile data can be found. It's the, for us Steam users, mysterious 'Microsoft. Limitless' folder we need to find. I have had my puter search the C drive for it without any result....

This is the path that the MS Store version uses:

C:\\Users\\{username}\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.Limitless_8wekyb3d8bbwe\\SystemAppData\\wgs

Btw, there's a million of 8wekyb3d8bbwe files on C drive. Interesting ones in Users\Myname\Appdata\Local\Packages\ lots of Microsoft and even one Microsoft.Flightsimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe that holds 2 Justflight aircraft files, Hawk-T1 and PA28 Arrow..... No Microsoft.Limitless what soever..... You'd think IF it can be found at all it should be here in this neighbourhood.... Maybe i have to settle for Open Track after all..

I was a bit afraid the Tobii module wouldn't fit my curved monitor but the additional bracket (if that's the correct name) that comes with it works great !

If i want to copy a YT video link here (or on my puter, i have an email draft to myself with a truckload of YT links, one click and i'm there ;-) i click on ' Share' , the link gets copied. In here i click 'Media' and paste the link in the box and click 'Continue' et voila :


Thanks again, Dave ! :cool:
 
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The default Steam location is this:

C:\Users[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024\Packages\Community
 
tiger1962 said:
The default Steam location is this:

C:\Users[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024\Packages\Community
Click to expand...
Yes, thanks Tiger alas that's not the location where the Profile Axe data i'm looking for is stored. I copied a few FS2020 aircraft there and it works Ok ( the path i mean, not so much the aircraft, something wrong with most of 'em. Typical SNAFU ;-)

Jon Beckett shows how to tweak these XML Profile Axe data to make Tobii eye tracker work fine without Open Track. But that concerns the MS Store 2024 version only, not the Steam version for which i can't seem to find the path that Jon is showing for the Store version. Remarkable problemo !

Thanks anyway, Tiger ! (y)
 
Good things come to those who wait...

Got it ! Hurray!!!

Has nothing to do with 'Limitless', that seems to be for MSFS2024 MS Store version only. For anybody interested here is the folder where the XML Profile Axe files are located with the FS2024 Steam version, the files that Jon Beckett talks about to tweak so Open Track won't be needed anymore.

C:\ Program Files(x86)\Steam\userdata\57292039\2537590\remote

Nicely tucked away, aren't they...

Your numbers may be different, just look for the files with the latest date. I didn't have the time yet to actually find my own profile that needs to be tweaked (i haven't even installed the Tobii yet...), i just thought i'd post the whereabouts of these mysterious Profile XML files now that the path was generously presented to me at the Steam/FS2024 forum a few minutes ago.

Ok, got some work to do !

Until later ! :cool:
 
Glad you found it. I wish to thank you for the heads up on Jon Beckett's post. I have the MS version and followed his method. Tobii now works great in 2024. I used to also have Opentrack which induced some lag to the head movements, not the best. It is now perfect.
 
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