The video, sponsored by Tobii, highlights the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 and its integration with the game Star Citizen. Star Citizen’s first-person perspective gameplay makes it an ideal match for the eye tracker, enhancing immersion and situational awareness by allowing players to look around naturally using head and eye movements. The presenter, Farister, shares his personal experience with the device, emphasizing that he purchased it independently years ago and genuinely enjoys using it, which underpins his positive endorsement. He also explains the sponsorship arrangement transparently, noting that the video reflects his own views and that purchases through his affiliate link support the channel.
The Tobii Eye Tracker 5 offers two main features for Star Citizen: head tracking and eye tracking. Head tracking captures six degrees of movement—pitch, yaw, roll, and positional shifts—allowing the in-game character’s head to mimic the player’s real-life head movements. This creates a natural and immersive experience where looking left or right in real life moves the character’s view accordingly. The eye tracking feature lets players glance at targets or objects without moving their heads, enhancing combat targeting and interaction. The device is easy to set up, mounting magnetically to the monitor and requiring a quick calibration process. Star Citizen has native support for Tobii, allowing straightforward in-game configuration and customization.
Farister outlines four primary use cases for the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 in Star Citizen. First, it significantly improves combat by enabling players to track targets and manage weapons more intuitively, even allowing off-axis firing with missiles or turrets. Second, it aids in precise control when using the ATLS tractor beam to move large crates, which can otherwise block the view. Third, the eye tracker helps with spatial awareness when flying near obstacles, such as during takeoff, landing, or navigating asteroid fields. Lastly, it greatly enhances immersion by allowing players to naturally look around the game world, appreciating details like sunsets and the scale of large ships, which deepens the sense of presence.
Addressing common questions, Farister notes that the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 performs well in both low light and bright sunlight, works effectively with curved and larger-than-recommended monitors, and is more convenient than other head tracking solutions he has tried. The device sits unobtrusively below the monitor, ready to use without complicated setup. Additionally, the Tobii Ghost software can overlay the player’s gaze on the screen, useful for content creators or competitive players analyzing their focus, though it is not commonly used in regular gameplay. The presenter also mentions that the eye tracker supports Windows Hello sign-in, adding extra utility beyond gaming.
In conclusion, the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 is a premium product that can significantly enhance the Star Citizen experience by improving control, situational awareness, and immersion. While it comes at a higher price point, discounts and promotions frequently run, which may ease the investment. Beyond Star Citizen, the device supports over 270 games, including popular titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator and DCS World, making it a versatile tool for gamers. Farister stresses that while the eye tracker is not essential to enjoy Star Citizen, it can become an indispensable part of the gameplay experience once used. He encourages viewers to ask questions or share their experiences and thanks Tobii for sponsoring the video.
