[Dashboard]: User Manual

[Dashboard]: User Manual


Requirements

SteamVR


WARNING : The VR Unleashed mode is not compatible with STEAMVR BETA , please use the Standard version.
Firmware

This version of the Dashboard works with firmware version 1.3.x.x or higher!

If your 3dRudder  firmware version is firmware 1.2.x.x or older, please contact us to receive the updated software :  support@3drudder.com


Device

The 3dRudder device allows users to move in 3D digital spaces.
Its main function is to move in Virtual Reality without using the hands while being seated.

Moreover, the 3dRudder can natively emulate the following generic PC peripherals :

  1. keyboard,
  2. mouse,
  3. joystick,
  4. HOTAS (Hands on throttle and stick).
These functions are available in the device's companion app 'Dashboard'.
As detailed later, the firmware can be updated its (embedded software) via the Dashboard.
The 3dRudder is an analog controller : the movement speed (in mouse and joystick modes) is linked to the device's angles and foot pressure.

 4 Axes 

 Progressive

 Combined

 Free Hand 



Compatibility

Compatibility

The Dashboard software is currently compatible with following OS :
  1. Windows 10.
HMD headset

  1. HTC Vive
  2. Oculus Rift, Quest
  3. Windows Mixed Reality ( With Steam VR)
  4. PiMax


Installation

Download


Download the Dashboard here:

Dashboard installation procedure

The Dashboard installation procedure is available at:


Installation instructions are also available via our video tutorial featured below: 


Software startup

Once installed, the dashboard software is launched automatically each time Windows is started.

The 3dRudder icon is located on the Windows task bar in the systray area.




Once the Dashboard is launched, a notification will pop up prompting you to manage your device if you so choose. 





Getting started

When first launched, Dashboard will display the following windows: 

  1. Welcome 


  1. Start window


  1. Pre-installation window



  1. Do not plug the 3dRudder yet. 


  1. Plug in the 3dRudder


  1. Update the device to the latest version of Dashboard



  1. Update the device to its latest version.


  1. Wait for the device to calibrate



 "Enable One foot  to initialize":  Thank this option, you can use the 3dRudder with only one foot.
Please, don't hesitate to visit the following link concerning the unilateral gaming. 


  1. After the device has been calibrated, the device's tutorial will start. Follow these instructions to learn the 3 basic movements


  1. Then, follow the tutorial instructions to learn the final and most difficult movement: up/down. 


  1. The dashboard will then ask you how you would like to use your device. Select your desired mode and go to the Dashboard
Newmenu

After installing the Dashboard, you can now use your 3dRudder!

User Interface (UI)

Introduction

The User Interface (UI) is made of 4 main areas :
  1. a menu,
  2. a taskbar at the top of the window,
  3. another taskbar on left of the window,
  4. a central display area.

Main Pages

Several pages are accessible by the left taskbar. These pages are listed below:
  1. Home
  2. Games
  3. Joystick
  4. Mouse
  5. Keyboard
  6. Unleashed VR
  7. HTC Vive / Mixed Reality
  8. Oculus Rift / Quest / PiMax

All buttons on each mode panel are disabled until said mode is activated. This can be achieved by clicking the appropriate activation button on the bottom right corner the central display area. 

Upper taskbar

Introduction

Uppertaskbar

The upper taskbar has two functions :

  1. To display pertinent device information. This information is listed below:
    1. 3dRudder connection status
    2. available updates
    3. help
    4. if device is connected, 3dRudder firmware version
  2. To open important pages

Pages

  1. Clicking the 3dRudder icon on the top left corner of the taskbar window will open the About window. 
Abouticon
  1. Clicking the gear icon on the top right corner will open the Settings window. 
Settingicon
  1. Clicking the download icon will open the Software Update window. 
Downloadicon

  1. Clicking the question mark icon will open either the documentation on Windows 32-bit devices or the Menu Page on Windows 64-bit devices. 
Menu

Lower taskbar

Lowertaskbar
The lower taskbar displays the following information :
  1. currrent mode: standard (joystick), mouse etc.,
  2. device status: standby, in use etc.

Home Page



The Home page will pop up when the Dashboard is initially activated. It includes the following items:
  1. A 'Launch Tutorial' button which starts the device tutorial. 
  2. A 'Open Portal Web/WebVR' button which open this URL on your browser. 
  3. A news area featuring announcements from 3dRudder
  4. A 'Visit our Gallery' button which redirects to the gallery page of our website 3dRudder.com.
This page is updated each time you restart the Dashboard.
Alternatively, it can be updated by right clicking and selecting 'Reload' from the drop down menu. 

Reload home page

Home Reload

Axis Introduction (Expert Instruction)

Axis data and response curve

A standard response curve is shown below:

Curverule

Each device axis has its own response curve : Forward/Backward, Left/Right, rotation and Up/Down.
This curve transforms a physical value (ex. Left/Right angle, in °) into an output value.

The user-defined parameters are :

  1. X0: dead zone; any value below this limit will give a null result,
  2. Xsat: saturation limit; any value above this limit will give a full-scale value,
  3. Ysat: full-scale value,
  4. curve shape coefficient, see below.
The curve shape is determined by a coefficient called 'acceleration'. This confers either a linear or exponential behaviour to the curve shape :

  1. If the coefficient = 1, then y = 𝑥. The curve is linear (as shown above),
  2. If the coefficient = 2, then y = (𝑥⋅𝑥) = 𝑥². The curve is exponential, smaller significant input values will yield larger output values,
  3. If the coefficient = 3, then y = (𝑥⋅𝑥⋅𝑥) = 𝑥³. The curve is more exponential, even smaller significant input values will yield even larger output values
  4. etc.
This output value is then divided by Ysat, so the final result is in a closed interval [-1,0 .. +1,0].
When multiplied by 100, this result can also be expressed a percentage value (eg 0.8 x 100 = 80%). 

Game Page

Please, visit this article


Joystick Page

Please, visit this article

Mouse Page

Please, visit this article

Keyboard Page

Please, visit this article

Unleash HTC / WMR Page / Dashboard in VR

Please, visit this article

Unleash Oculus / Pimax Page

Please, visit this article


VR Dashboard

The 3dRudder VR dashboard is an application under the SteamVR Dasbhoard.
You can access it when you open the SteamVR Dashboard or when you activate the Unleash VR from the 3dRudder Dashboard.
The VR Dashboard allows users to change their 3dRudder settings while wearing their VR hardware.

VR menu

Vrmenu


There are 4 tabs:
  1. Free Locomotion
  2. Controller Mapping
  3. Axes Parameters (Params)
  4. Game Configurations (Configs)





Warning: After you change any settings, you must click on the "UPDATE" button to apply them


There is also a Notification Bar to display the 3dRudder status

Vrstatus


Free Locomotion

Free locomotion allows you to move in all directions


WARNING: If you're having problems with the 3dRudder free locomotion, such as seeing a black screen or experiencing unwanted rotation/position, remove your feet and click on the "Reset Position and Orientation" button





To enable free locomotion you must first calibrate the device. Please make sure you are in your in-game position and click on the calibration button. 
If you see the message "you are not in the right position/calibration" displayed in orange text, this is because you are not close to your original position/orientation when you initially calibrated your device with SteamVR (Room Setup)

Controller Mapping


In this window, you can associate each 3dRudder axis to a specific controller action.




-Priority to trackpad: Yields priority to trackpad in case of double use. Eg. Navigating the pip boy in Fallout 4 VR.
-Touch only: When ticked, only touch controls will be patched. To patch both press and touch controls, leave this box unticked
-Type: it's for Valve Index controller, joystick or trackpad mapping (All by default, joystick and trackpad)

Axes Parameters (Params)




  1. Non symmetrical pitch: When activated, in the case of the Forward/backward axis, the output is magnified depending on the initial user position (measured during the calibration phase) to ensure access to a the full range to output magnitudes. 
  2. Roll to Yaw compensation: When you yaw with your 3dRudder, you also roll a little. This feature will counterbalance against that. 
  3. Deadzone[%]: The input threshold necessary to trigger movement.
  4. Sensitivity[1-5]: Determines the sensitivity of each parameter (i.e. at which minimum angle will result in the maximum speed of the character's movement.)
  5. Linear: Determines the reactivity of each parameter. Ticking this box will reduce the reactivity of said parameter.


Games Configuration (Config)


Select the configuration for your game and click "LOAD"





Instructions in white text will appear when a configuration is selected

Top Bar




  1. The top bar will indicate if the Unleash driver is installed. If not re-install, please the 3dRudder Dashboard
  2. Activate/Deactivate the Unleash SteamVR
  3. Update new settings (you must click this button to apply any changes)
  4. Reset to default settings
  5. Save configuration. Click this only you after you have entered a name for your configuration (the keyboard VR will open automatically)

Vrgameconfig


Notification Bar


This overlay will always be positioned in the same place.

The notification bar will display the status of the 3dRudder. A list of possible statuses are below:

  1. NoStatus Displayed while the 3dRudder initializes.
  2. NoFootStayStill Place the 3dRudder on the floor, curved side on the ground, without putting your feet on the device. The must user wait for approximately 5 seconds for the 3dRudder to boot up until 3 short beeps are heard.
  3. Initialization The 3dRudder will initialize for about 2 seconds. Once complete, a long beep will be heard from the device. The 3dRudder is then operational.
  4. PutYourFeet Put your first foot on the 3dRudder.
  5. PutSecondFoot Put your second foot on the 3dRudder.
  6. StayStill To complete user calibration, the user must remain still for half a second until a last short beep is heard from the device. The 3dRudder is then ready to be used.
  7. InUse The 3dRudder is in use.
  8. Frozen The 3dRudder is frozen.
  9. IsNotConnected The 3dRudder is not connected.

Vrnotif


About Page

Please, visit this article

Update Page

Please, visit this article

Settings Page

Please, visit this article

Systray (Taskbar)

To show this menu,  click right on the 3dRudder icon, in the Windows taskbar :

Iconsys

A contextual menu is then displayed :

Menusystray

The user can :

  1. activate different device modes (Joystick, HOTAS, Keyboard, mouse),
  2. launch the “LiveViewer” Window,
  3. launch the diagnostic
  4. launch the Dashboard (software window),
  5. close the software.

Live Viewer

Presentation

The “LiveViewer” is a software used to display the current state of the connected 3dRudder. It can be useful for video editing and for debugging purposes

Liveviewer

  1. Launch the LiveViewer
  2. click right button mouse on the Icon 3dRudder in the systray.

Systray

  1. Select "Display LiveViewer"

Actions

”F1” : Show the Help window where you can find every key binding

Image 10

”F2” : Enable and disable the enhanced mode (shadow, up/down arrow, pressure disks)


Normal mode
Liveviewer 0

Enhanced mode
Liveviewer 1


”F3” : While in enhanced mode, toggle between scale and transparency variation for the disks.

Scale variation
Liveviewer 3

Transparency variation
Liveviewer 4

”F4” : : While in enhanced mode, display 4 disks (upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right)
Liveviewer 5

”F6” : While in enhanced mode, display 6 disks representing every sensor on the 3dRudder.

Liveviewer 6

”F8” : Change the background color

Liveviewer 7

“F9” : display Window Title (Move, Resize,close window),
Liveviewer 8

“F10” : Change the disk color.
Liveviewer 9

“F11” : Change the arrow color.
Liveviewer 10


LiveViewer and Video


You can use the LiveViewer for your videos.



To do this,

Change the background Color (F8) of the LiveViewer
Liveviewergreen

For example, Under OBS, add a filter : Chroma Key

Freeze/Unfreeze

It may be useful to temporarily deactivate and reactivate the 3dRudder without necessarily removing and replacing the users' feet.
This makes it possible, for example, to freeze the displacement when they are more required in the 3D universe, without risk of drifting, and to avoid freezing the user in his initial neutral position, and thus to relocate the device or move the legs into a more relaxing position.
In Freeze mode, the values returned by the 3dRudder are identical to those returned when the device waits for the 2nd foot: the outputs are set to 0.

During an "unfreeze":

  1. The device switches directly to the "InUse" mode, without going through the required immobility step required in standard mode. This makes it possible to freeze the displacements and to restore them without latency, for a more fluid operation.
  2. The user offsets are recalculated when unfreezing: thus, during the freeze, the user can change his rest position.
As a summary, the freeze / unfreeze function allows you to reposition yourself without creating unintentional movements in the game.

You can use the “Space” Key (by default) to activate Freeze under the Dashboard but you can change the key bind directly on the settings page

Accessibility

Windows Cortana

To use Cortana, you need Windows 10 and a microphone plugged in.

  1. Check that the Dashboard has installed the following shortcuts: 
    1. "Mouse Mode",
    2. "Keyboard Mode",
    3. "Standard Mode",
    4. “Hotas Mode”,
    5. “Freeze”,
    6. “Unfreeze”,
    7. “Toggle Freeze”,
    8. "Diagnostic"
  2. To activate Cortana under Windows 10, click on the microphone at the bottom of the taskbar and then on the icon "Settings".
  3. Check the option "Hey Cortona" and "Try to answer only to me". Then click on "Learn how I say Hey Cortana" and follow the instructions.
  4. Finally say "Hey Cortana Start Mode X" or X is the desired mode between "mouse", "standard", "keyboard"...If it works Cortana will launch the shortcut which will change the mode in the Dashboard.

Menu Page

Introduction

Newmenu

  1. Select one of the 6 modes if you want more information
  2. You may also skip this menu and go directly to the Dashboard home page

Mode informations


Newmenumode

  1. Tell me more: open the documentation of Dashboard,
  2. Go to mode: open the selected mode page,
  3. Skip this page and go to the home page.

List config file settings

Here is the list of the setting files of the Game page

You can also create your own settings.

Flat Game (No VR)

  1. 7 Days to die
  2. Albion (combat)
  3. Albion (recolte)
  4. Apex Legends (Keyboard + Mouse)
  5. Apex Legends
  6. Ark
  7. Assasin Creed-China
  8. Assassin Creed Syndicate
  9. Axiom Verge
  10. Battlefield 1
  11. Black Day
  12. Black ops 3
  13. Borderland 2
  14. Broforce
  15. Civilisation VI
  16. Counter Strike; Global Offensive (AZERTY)
  17. Counter Strike; Global Offensive (QWERTY)
  18. DCS
  19. Dead Rising 3
  20. Dirty Bomb (AZERTY)
  21. Dirty Bomb (QWERTY)
  22. Don't starve (all)
  23. Dota 2 Spectator
  24. Dota 2
  25. Edith Finch (Keyboard + Mouse)
  26. Elite Dangerous HOTAS
  27. Fallout 4
  28. Far Cry Primal
  29. Farming Simulator (AZERTY)
  30. Farming Simulator (QWERTY)
  31. Final_approach2
  32. Final Fantasy XIV
  33. Firewatch (AZERTY)
  34. Firewatch (QWERTY)
  35. Fornite
  36. Fornite (Keyboard+Mouse)
  37. FPS (Arrows Keys)
  38. FPS (WASD+Mouse)
  39. FPS (ZQSD+Mouse)
  40. FPS Basic (AZERTY)
  41. FPS Basic (QWERTY)
  42. Garry's mod
  43. Google Earth
  44. Qwent
  45. H1Z1 King of the Kill
  46. Half-Life 2
  47. Hearthstone
  48. Heroes of the Storm
  49. League of Legends
  50. Left 4 dead 2
  51. Limbo
  52. Mafia 3
  53. Mapple Story
  54. Minecraft
  55. Narcosis (AZERTY)
  56. Narcosis (QWERTY)
  57. No GBA (Pokemon)
  58. Overwatch
  59. Overwatch (Core Heroes)
  60. Overwatch (Genji Hanzo Lucio)
  61. Overwatch (Wrecking Ball)
  62. Pay Day 2
  63. PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS
  64. Pokemon metal
  65. Portal2
  66. Quake Champions
  67. Realm Royal
  68. Rust
  69. Sekiro Shadows Die Twice (AZERTY)
  70. Sekiro Shadows Die Twice (QWERTY)
  71. SimCity
  72. Sims 4
  73. Skyrim
  74. Smite
  75. Star Citizen HOTAS
  76. Steep
  77. Subnautica
  78. Team Fortress 2
  79. The forest
  80. The Long Dark (Keyboard+Mouse)
  81. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (Keyboard+Mouse)
  82. The Witcher 3
  83. The Wolf Among Us
  84. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
  85. Twitch App
  86. Unturned (AZERTY)
  87. Unturned (QWERTY)
  88. Valley
  89. VisualBoyAdvance
  90. Vox Machinae
  91. War Thunder (Plane)
  92. War Thunder (Tank)
  93. Warframe
  94. Wolfenstein 2
  95. World Of Tanks (AZERTY)
  96. World Of Tanks (QWERTY)
  97. WOW
  98. Yaw simple click

SteamVR (HTC Vive)

 Oculus Rift


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