Spork's Journey
- Thread starter Spork
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Spork
There is no spoon
Freerider runs okay for me, but Liftoff I have to use potato video settings or its too choppy. I'm really loving flying in the sims, can't wait to fly FPV for real. Liftoff has also been great for letting me try a few different frame design, 3S/4S, motor, prop, and camera angle combos. I've learned that I love doing freestyle tricks and that I suck at hitting racing gates. I also need to practice not going full throttle all the time...liftoff has battery management, but I haven't turned that on yet.
Gyro Doctor
Electronics Tech for over 45 years
I like Freerider to warm up with, especially if I haven't flown for a while, (plus the computer load is a lot less) but Liftoff feels much more real to me.
My computer can't handle the high graphic settings either without affecting everything else (especially in Liftoff) so I just lower it to the point where the
flow remains smooth and still enjoy it...Real life damage levels get annoying so I'll often use "God Mode" (especially when hitting gates) just to keep flying
even though clipping that last gate would've wasted my props ... lol ... After it starts feeling really good to you then you can turn off God mode, turn on video
flicker/interference, and all the other aspects that make it even more realistic (but annoying).
Do look around in the game's chat area too because there's a lot of talk and help in there about different aspects of the game, PIDs and tuning, etc.
Haven't tried Velocidrone yet, but tried DRL and found it basically unusable.
Don't forget in the radio's settings to turn off the transmitter section when using it for SIMs, there's no point in generating RF power for nothing.
I found it's also beneficial with tweaking the SIMs to have each one setup as a different model in the radio. That way subtle combinations of settings in the radio combine
with settings in the SIM for a more refined control of the experience.
Once you get everything dialed in just right it IS almost like flying for real, except it's free to crash and you don't even have to run over and pick it up, batteries can last forever,
and like you mentioned, you get to try out different quads, motor/prop combos, etc, etc.
My computer can't handle the high graphic settings either without affecting everything else (especially in Liftoff) so I just lower it to the point where the
flow remains smooth and still enjoy it...Real life damage levels get annoying so I'll often use "God Mode" (especially when hitting gates) just to keep flying
even though clipping that last gate would've wasted my props ... lol ... After it starts feeling really good to you then you can turn off God mode, turn on video
flicker/interference, and all the other aspects that make it even more realistic (but annoying).
Do look around in the game's chat area too because there's a lot of talk and help in there about different aspects of the game, PIDs and tuning, etc.
Haven't tried Velocidrone yet, but tried DRL and found it basically unusable.
Don't forget in the radio's settings to turn off the transmitter section when using it for SIMs, there's no point in generating RF power for nothing.
I found it's also beneficial with tweaking the SIMs to have each one setup as a different model in the radio. That way subtle combinations of settings in the radio combine
with settings in the SIM for a more refined control of the experience.
Once you get everything dialed in just right it IS almost like flying for real, except it's free to crash and you don't even have to run over and pick it up, batteries can last forever,
and like you mentioned, you get to try out different quads, motor/prop combos, etc, etc.
Spork
There is no spoon
Thanks for that review Doc. I definitely have tried God Mode - was very useful. I've turned it back off for now to get a better sense of my "real crashes".
I've just done the transmitter off advice you gave. Should help with the battery situation.
I spent more time than I wanted to trying to get the OrangeRx to work - still not working. I can get it bound to the transmitter and I can see it connected on the Mac. But I can't get it to control the sticks in FPV Freerider or Liftoff. Liftoff gives a controller detection notification with both USB and OrangeRx and the controller name messages are different. I can control the sticks and configure switches with USB - but nada with the OrangeRx. I've watched a youtube video and configured the D8 to only use 6 channels, tried D8 with 8, D16 - nothing seems to work. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I've just done the transmitter off advice you gave. Should help with the battery situation.
I spent more time than I wanted to trying to get the OrangeRx to work - still not working. I can get it bound to the transmitter and I can see it connected on the Mac. But I can't get it to control the sticks in FPV Freerider or Liftoff. Liftoff gives a controller detection notification with both USB and OrangeRx and the controller name messages are different. I can control the sticks and configure switches with USB - but nada with the OrangeRx. I've watched a youtube video and configured the D8 to only use 6 channels, tried D8 with 8, D16 - nothing seems to work. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Gyro Doctor
Electronics Tech for over 45 years
You may need to add some drivers to the computer in order for it to properly handle using the radio as a "game controller".
When using my Taranis X9D+ once the sim has "seen" it I can actually turn off the radio entirely and it basically becomes just like a joystick
that runs off the USB connection !
Sometimes it also matters whether or not the radio is turned on BEFORE being plugged into the USB port on the computer, as opposed to being plugged in then turned on.
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Spork
There is no spoon
No luck on drivers that I can find. For now, I'll just stick with USB and turning off the radio as you mentioned.
In other news, I have been flying in Liftoff a LOT since I got the Taranis. Not sure how, but at some point I broke off my momentary switch and after charging the battery for the third time, I ordered the NiMh battery charger kit and a new momentary switch from Aloft. They arrived today, and presto they are installed. All that soldering practice paid off, as the new switch had to be soldered in. The charger kit installed nice and easy - drill a hole, and plug in the two sets of wires.
.
In other news, I have been flying in Liftoff a LOT since I got the Taranis. Not sure how, but at some point I broke off my momentary switch and after charging the battery for the third time, I ordered the NiMh battery charger kit and a new momentary switch from Aloft. They arrived today, and presto they are installed. All that soldering practice paid off, as the new switch had to be soldered in. The charger kit installed nice and easy - drill a hole, and plug in the two sets of wires.
.
roger jones
Well-Known Member
Spork
There is no spoon
Sure, Roger. It's the bottom side of my Taranis radio. In the first picture, you can see the charger's flap cover on the lower left side of the radio.
I installed the charger port, because the battery connector goes straight into a connector on the main circuit board - many reviewers have suggested this is likely to break after repeatedly removing and replacing the battery cable for charging. Now instead of dorking around with removing the battery, connecting to the charger, and putting it back together, I just plug the wall wart cable straight into my controller. Super simple, though I wish Taranis had done this in the factory.
Here's a pic of my radio startup screen, because Spork!
Gyro Doctor
Electronics Tech for over 45 years
... Great "splash screen"! ... lol ... Mine's just a pic of a QAV 250, but I love the greetings "she" gives medepending on my switch's settings when I turn it on ... Out of curiosity, does that version of the Taranis also speak ?
Spork
There is no spoon
Thanks, I figured why not while waiting on stuff to download and install. Yes, I think the update I did included the Amber sound pack. Right now, the only time I hate her is when she relentlessly complains about some trivial thing called "low battery". I get it Amber, it's time to take a break and charge up the radio for next time.
Gyro Doctor
Electronics Tech for over 45 years
Yep ! .... I'm also using Amber, she sounds much more sultry than the stock voice ... lol ... also, after I've ignored her for too long and monitors are approaching a critical state, she shuts up, the haptic feedback kicks on, and Yoda chimes in instead. When Yoda tells you "Land now you should or crash you will" it's time to drop it where it is
... I also have "logical switches" set for like when I've crashed and turn on the beeper she says "Was it supposed to do that ?" .... lmao ... and whenever I switch into horizon mode she says "Oh no you didn't ! "
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roger jones
Well-Known Member
mozquito1
Well-Known Member
What about acro mode lolwhenever I switch into horizon mode she says "Oh no you didn't ! "
Spork
There is no spoon
I can just imagine my wife’s reaction when my controller says “That’s the way I like it, baby”.
Gyro Doctor
Electronics Tech for over 45 years
When I switch to Acro mode she says "Things are about to get real" ... lol ...
Gyro Doctor
Electronics Tech for over 45 years
There's a list of things Amber can already say and you can string them together.
For example when I switch to Acro she'll first say "Acro Mode", followed by "Things are about to get real"
which is a script I created. It's a convoluted process to make up your own scripts, but you can actually have the
Taranis say anything you'd like by typing it out, as well as switching voices, make noises, or even play a WAV files (music)
which is pretty darned cool.
One of the first things I did was to assign one of the knobs on it as a volume control so I could shut all that off
if I wanted to; there's always still the "haptic feedback" (the radio buzzes in your hands) to alert you to something
if need be.
For example when I switch to Acro she'll first say "Acro Mode", followed by "Things are about to get real"
which is a script I created. It's a convoluted process to make up your own scripts, but you can actually have the
Taranis say anything you'd like by typing it out, as well as switching voices, make noises, or even play a WAV files (music)
which is pretty darned cool.
One of the first things I did was to assign one of the knobs on it as a volume control so I could shut all that off
if I wanted to; there's always still the "haptic feedback" (the radio buzzes in your hands) to alert you to something
if need be.