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Cut the crap - Is the Aimtrak any good?

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Ummon:
Maybe, instead of a poll, asking for simple, organised points - within a single paragraph or set of less than five hundred words? Perhaps 250? Seriously.

AndyWarne:
It might seem strange for me to answer this but I am going to try to be as honest as possible.

A few years ago I started looking at lightgun options, but stopped all work when the Guncon drivers came out. The reason I re-started work on this was virtually nobody seemed to be getting good results with the Guncon on a PC. Now I might be wrong about this, and please feel free to correct me on the above.

The AimTrak offers fast response, easy usage, no drivers nor software, and useable close to the screen.

Its extremely accurate following calibration, and will be even more so when I make some changes.

It has a limitation in that it must be used at the same height and screen distance as it was calibrated at.

There will be enhancements to the calibration process. At the moment I am working through the comments on the config utility, starting with tidying up the firmware upgrade process, which is now done, but other issues to look at. Then I will improve the calibration. But, the limitation on moving firing location after calibration will always remain. Its that limitation which is causing the doubt in the comments on the forum. Whether or not this is an issue depends on your method of playing so it introduces some subjectivity.

In the original design phase I assumed that the gun would be generally used at eye level when wanting to aim without crosshairs, thus the same height, and that the user would generally be a similar distance from the screen, as arcade guns are constrained in distance. So I considered the design viable. Whether or not I am right is open to debate, and has been on this forum.

Andy

 

Ginsu Victim:

--- Quote from: AndyWarne on October 28, 2009, 04:41:06 pm ---The AimTrak offers fast response, easy usage, no drivers nor software, and useable close to the screen.
--- End quote ---

I know it can be used without the software, but it seems pretty worthwhile to install it (IMHO).

RandyT:


--- Quote from: AndyWarne on October 28, 2009, 04:41:06 pm ---The AimTrak offers fast response, easy usage, no drivers nor software, and useable close to the screen.

--- End quote ---

I think there's more subjectivity here than you are considering.  The words "easy" and "close" are also very subjective and need to be carefully considered.  I pretty certain that most don't consider the need for "trick calibration" easy, and if you have a larger monitor, one may not consider the distance required as "close".  "Closer than the LCDTopGun", definitely.  Close in the terms of a GunCon, not even "close" ;)

The first you can probably address with some updated firmware, or heaven forbid, a separate calibration app.  The second one is alway going to vary based on what the user finds acceptable, unless you change the design a bit.


--- Quote ---It has a limitation in that it must be used at the same height and screen distance as it was calibrated at.

--- End quote ---

It also doesn't seem to correct very well for tilt around the Z axis.  For good accuracy (note that I did not use the word acceptable) the user really needs to, at all times during use,  hold the gun almost exactly as they did when calibrating.  This is another subjective issue that may or not be important to a potential user.  But I personally have seen the effects of forgetting to do this while playing.

So there are a few more considerations than simply height and distance that need to be considered.  I think it's a nifty gizmo, and it's fun, but I am reluctant to compare it favorably to the technology used in the arcades.  It more closely resembles the technology used in the JAKKS Big Buck Hunter TV game, but with the benefit of USB compatibility.

RandyT

swamprat96:
I for one am surprised that anyone has got satisfactory performance out of a guncon2. I persevered for almost a month with these using a Nanao 29" monitor with an overhauled chassis and two guncon2.  I thin k I knew what I was doing and I did have partial success but

1. I could never get the tracking accurate - particularly at the edge of the screens
2. I had varied results with different games. Anything with a white or bright background just sucked
3. In the end to make it work I used a dual input graphics card and plugged the guns into one and the monitor output into another. It was tricky and the software (both winguns and smogs) had issues with calibrating. I only ever had moderate success with the wingun software- which is no longer supported.
4. I did get both guns working but not accurate

I gave up and went topgun 2. This worked way better but as Turneracades says - has ugly led bars (that don't work through any kind of angled glass- 90 degress clear is ok) and you have to stand way too far back. I've already broken one topgun trigger so for me not a permanent solution.

Andy your product sounds like the best option available today. The calibration does sound a little odd but if it cures the distance issue then it will do for me

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