Charlie-1

Jaggies, reduced FPS, and MSAA to side, I've mentioned the overall image quality for me has reduced with DS on several occasions, but not yet seen an explanation. When comparing the latest versions to 2.5 DS off, the image now looks more blurry as if PD has been reduced to 0.7 or similar, and increasing PD or SS in Steam VR, doesn't improve. Are there any explanations for this or any possibility of improving?

Why is it so hard to get rid of the jaggies...I've never known this issue with any other Sim or game, especially with the hardware today. Surely this is basic stuff that should have been sorted before DS was considered, and definitely before being introduced. Emperors new clothes comes to mind.

No improvements that I can see in VR :(

Oh ok, that's not bad FPS considering your settings then.. Especially MSAA with Deferred Shading in play! :thumbup:

Thanks very much DB.. They certainly weren't joking when they say 1080 GPU now for VR.. Out of interest, what were you getting around the desert In Nevada if you have it? Also, what were your MSAA and PD settings if you don't mind?

Any feedback on VR performance of this map and game release please? There was a notable drop in image quality and FPS with DS on before.

I was watching the F18 promo video yesterday, which looks amazing, almost film like. I wondered if it was being run on the recommended spec machine or something better; and what the graphics settings are needed to look as good and smooth running as that? I couldn't see anything in the description or comments below.

Considering the feedback on here relating to the performance of the beta version, and some modules in fact, it would be useful guide if promotional videos were to display the spec of the machine running them and even better the key performance data in real time and graphics option settings too?

Dare I say 2.5.1 actually runs ok for me on triple monitor setup and looks great! FPS 60 plus, but strangley drops to 30 with Vsinc on??. VR runs ok FPS wise, about 45 to 60, with reasonable settings (lower than 1.58 ) but it's the reduced image quality that's the difference. Compared to 1.58, Deferred Shading is just blurry in VR, cockpit detail is much reduced and a fuzzy glow around switches and dials etc. Without MSAA, it's all the shimmering objects around low sun too. So for VR I find 2.5 with DS off, or 1.58 is best. So far, I have not read an explanation anywhere for the cause of reduced image quality in VR with DS on.

+1...DCS V1.58 is still awesome in VR, Best performance, graphics and night lighting, especially with HDR on. No need to spend more money if genuine immersive combat is what you're looking for on a PC also good for most other VR games. :thumbup:

I believe that I ended up with 2.5.1 beta by mistake update of 2.5 too. Luckily I had another copy of 2.5 on another drive,which I was able to reinstate. I now have parallel versions of 1.58, 2.5 and 2.5.1. The former two are for VR playtime and 2.5.1 for experimenting. Just to point out though settings made in one version will be used by the others so remember how to set them back as needed. :thumbup:

I think I'm going to wait and see what the feedback is like before my hand goes anywhere near my pocket for any more new products or updates on here, but hopefully it will come together in the end. Edit.. Apologies.. Replays is working just fine if recorded and played back in 2.5.1. :joystick:

Definitely says "Requires DCS World version 2.5!" in red at the top of both product pages. :thumbup:

I think the new additions you mention above will work in 2.5, which still has the off switch. ..at least that's what it says in the description.

Despite the great input on here I'm not sure if there has been any explanation for item 1) on my original post, which relates to the drop in resolution in VR, which is especially notable in the cockpit. I don't think this is an AA or PD thing as cranking them up doesn't seem to help. Can this be fixed or is it inherent with DS?

I keep hearing peeps bang on about advances in technology, but IMO, VR performance and image quality has dropped significantly since the introduction of DS which even 2 x super sampling and 4 x MSAA doesn't fix. It would be interesting to know if the drop in VR image quality is inherent with DS and if it can be improved to what it was pre DS?

Will try your suggestion.. I've often wondered why the mouse option doesn't work too.

Yes I tried replays this week in 2.5.1 and my plane crashed when it should have flown by over Caucasus. Did you see my links in my post? Those games / sims look and play amazing for me.

Just to clarify, I did say DS is experimental in this game. I read it has been around since the 70s. Performance hit or not, MSAA doesn't fix the fuzzy cockpit text in VR. I ramped PD up to 2 and it's still Illegible. For reference I am looking at the bottom left display in the F15-C. Switches and dials have a fuzzy glow around them too. This is crystal clear without DS and PD of 1.5 and no MSAA. Is this issue able to be improved?

Forgive me if this has been stated before and it sounds crazy, but is it possible to use traditional rendering in cockpit panels where detail and sharpness of the image really matter, (especially in VR), but use DS for rendering the outside world? This would potentially solve several of the major issues we're experiencing. WIN WIN!

I reckon the transition is likely to be a year or more to port over existing assets and complete? Was the video from the cockpit or outside? I agree DS can make the outside world look amazing, especially in Nevada at sunset, but making a video to show your friends is not quite the same as trying to read gauges and displays in VR in battle, which 2.5.1 makes considerably less enjoyable. Did you record from a replay btw, as that's broken and and should be on the priority list for fixing. DCS 2.5 with HDR and lens flares on things look amazing from the air and even sitting on the runway there's not much difference, except the damn trees, which now look rediculous with DS off because they only have shading on the leaves with DS on. Nevada looks more pink at sunset than 2.5.1, but I think a gamma slider with 2.5 DS off would even that out. I think photoreal is nice to aim for, but not at the expense of performance and practicality. Finding the compromise is subjective, but IMO, 2.5 is not bad at all. Other examples here.. https://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=183566&d=1525022277 https://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=183567&d=1525022901

From what I can tell DS is early experimental technology in this game and the real workable solution with purpose built models and Shader AA are theoretical and a long way off being practical. It's a shame effort is going that way as IMO it doesn't look much better than running 2.5 with DS off and HDR on, both on a monitor and in VR except the fluorescent trees! If the trees could be improved without DS then why bother?

I'm not sure about 2.4, I was comparing both 1.58 and 2.5 with DS off compared to 2.5.1 with DS forced on.

Maybe they would, but from what I am seeing my CPU and RAM aren't maxing out at all, but my GPU is. I chose the i3 because of its excellent single core process capability. Besides, DCS ran very well indeed along with other similar sims in VR before the introduction of Deferred Shading, so why should I shell out more money when there are no benefits to see in 2.5.1 or I can play and spend much less money on assets in other games instead? Other users are seeing similar issues to myself with much higher spec machines to. Here's what Steam VR test made of my system https://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=183683&d=1525165360

Thank you very much for the detailed response and explanation. Whilst this is soaking in, can you just clarify the point about Is this because MSAA of some degree is enabled behind the scenes automatically with DS on in 2.5? The performance hit is one issue, but the other is a drop in clarity in text on cockpit displays etc, and especially in VR. If my understanding of the above is correct, the MSAA may explain the fuzzy appearance of edges?