Oculus Rift with DCS World Discussion

[Johnny Dioxin]

Definitive answer on how quick you get your Rift these days...

 

[Teej]

Dunno why it took me so long but the other day I did my first probe & drogue refueling with the rift. So much cooler than 2D :D

[GregP]

Just got my CV1 last night and I'm having trouble getting good results. Completely agree that the sense of immersion in the cockpit is stunning, but is everything -- everything -- supposed to be fairly blurry? I haven't tried a plane with a HUD yet, but at least in the F-86, MiG-15 and L-39, no matter how far I 'zoom in' on labels and dials, they never get sharp and are barely legible. And, for example, if I go to external view, the label on my plane is really blurry.

 

I know setting resolution within DCS doesn't affect anything; I've played with pixel density and pushed it up to 2.0 with no apparent difference. Is there anything else I should be doing to get things to sharpen up? My own eyesight is a factor here, I know that; I wear glasses but am afraid of scratching the Rift lenses with them, so have instead reverted to an older contact lens prescription I have. I know they're not perfect, but for example, with the Rift off, I can clearly read all the text on my 4K screen that sits 3+ feet away.

 

I should also note that these results are consistent across all games I've tried with the Rift, not just DCS.

 

Any suggestions?

[adrianstealth]

quick fix:

run for a while on lower pixel density of 1.0 & start to get used to that

 

then put it up to 2.0 ......there its heaven hey, sorted

 

dont mention it

[AndersAnd]

Have you tried adjusting the IPD as well as moving the headset up/down?

[Enduro14]

Just got my CV1 last night and I'm having trouble getting good results. Completely agree that the sense of immersion in the cockpit is stunning, but is everything -- everything -- supposed to be fairly blurry? I haven't tried a plane with a HUD yet, but at least in the F-86, MiG-15 and L-39, no matter how far I 'zoom in' on labels and dials, they never get sharp and are barely legible. And, for example, if I go to external view, the label on my plane is really blurry.

 

I know setting resolution within DCS doesn't affect anything; I've played with pixel density and pushed it up to 2.0 with no apparent difference. Is there anything else I should be doing to get things to sharpen up? My own eyesight is a factor here, I know that; I wear glasses but am afraid of scratching the Rift lenses with them, so have instead reverted to an older contact lens prescription I have. I know they're not perfect, but for example, with the Rift off, I can clearly read all the text on my 4K screen that sits 3+ feet away.

 

I should also note that these results are consistent across all games I've tried with the Rift, not just DCS.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Lol spoiled by 4K buddy. Vr is no where near that clarity that's for sure. Make sure you have textures to high and also anisotropic filtering to at least x4. If you have Nvidia make sure in control panel you have texture filtering to high.

[j0nx]

Anyone else having issues with the latest nvidia driver not boosting with DCS? I tried in 1.5 and 2.0 and the 368.69 driver is stuck at default non-boost speeds with my 1080 in DCS. From what I can tell so far it seems to be isolated to just DCS. I rolled back to .39 and all is well again.

[GregP]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Yes, I've tried adjusting the Rift up and down, different IPD, AF is 16x, TF is high -- none make much difference. I'm starting to suspect that my contact lenses are causing more problems than I initially thought.

 

For those of you who feel like you can reliably read instruments, can you give me an example of some label, switch, dial etc. that you think is sharp enough to read from the default head position? I'd like to directly compare.

[Johnny Dioxin]

I was actually astounded by how clear my Ka-50 text and HUD were, after all the reports before I got my Rift. If you look at this video - the text is actually clearer for me in the Rift than it looks in the video (except where it's sharp at close-up, where they are about the same) - and that's without my specs.

 

https://youtu.be/JngU_ErbEgU

 

Did you clean your lenses with the provided cloth? I've heard people complaining about the amount of smudging the protective films you remove can leave on there.

 

btw - the HUD was clear enough to read - a little blurry from the default position, but could still read it okay - and just leant forward a few inches it sharpened up nicely.

[GregP]

Thanks for the data point, although it's hard to see how clear the HUD may appear to you since the video is limited to 360p. Anyway, yes, I have cleaned with the cloth. I even went and got an eye exam and then new contact lenses today! No real change. Everything in every cockpit is blurry. Using the new 'VR Zoom' function in 1.5.4 OB helps, but doesn't seem practical to me if I can't read almost anything from the default head position and zoom level.

 

I can read HUDs, but all instruments and digital readouts are extremely difficult to precisely make out. I don't know, I'm really surprised that so many of you seem so taken with the Rift; for me the vast drop in clarity completely overshadows the immersion factor.

[whitav8]

@GregP,

A key thing you said in your first posting was that you are having trouble with ALL VR applications - not just DCS. Most of us, after using the Oculus Debug Tool at 1.5 or higher are getting crisp panel displays without zoom (maybe a little lean in) as long as we sit close enough (look down to make sure you see the forward edge of the seat). I wonder if you are thinking that you need good close/near vision when in fact, what you need to be clear (your own eyesight) is your far vision since that is the expectation of the Rift lenses. I wear glasses (I am nearsighted) and I am looking through the top portion of my bifocal lenses that change my 20/200 to 20/20 and if I need to see an instrument clearly, I move my head so that I am directly looking at it instead of changing where my eyes are pointing.

Edited July 8, 2016 by whitav8

[cichlidfan]

I don't know, I'm really surprised that so many of you seem so taken with the Rift; for me the vast drop in clarity completely overshadows the immersion factor.

 

This.

 

The rift is very cool. However, the 3d view is overshadowed by the fact that the terrain looks worse than stock FSX (just an example, not a comparison). When flying without the rift, a glance at an instrument is sufficient while in the rift, I have to actually take a good look at the instruments to determine what I wanted to know.

 

Not to mention, that I really need to maintain two installations of DCS to avoid having to play with the settings every time I want to switch from Rift to monitor. The only thing DCS has right so far, in that arena, is that I don't have to change resolution manually.

[average_pilot]

It sounds like an expectations problem.

[cichlidfan]

It sounds like an expectations problem.

 

Actually, just accepting the reality of the situation. The CV1, combined with DCS, just isn't ready for prime time.

[Enduro14]

Fact and I hate to say so but we need a real big jump in clarity maybe software side things will be done months down the road. Be a wait and see for sure

[NineLine]

Actually, just accepting the reality of the situation. The CV1, combined with DCS, just isn't ready for prime time.

 

I dont have CV1 yet, I am still rocking the DK2, and I absolutely love it... my first flight in the 109 blew me away over Nevada... but of course everyone has their own opinion.

[average_pilot]

Actually, just accepting the reality of the situation. The CV1, combined with DCS, just isn't ready for prime time.

I expected a general disappointment after the release of the rift and the vive because of the very high resolutions we're used to nowadays. But it's been shockingly well accepted so far. That says a lot about the power of VR

[cichlidfan]

I expected a general disappointment after the release of the rift and the vive because of the very high resolutions we're used to nowadays. But it's been shockingly well accepted so far. That says a lot about the power of VR

 

Or a lot about how people will defend a questionable investment, after they have made it. Though, I must admit, I am very happy with the significant investment that I made in Facebook after they bought Oculus.

[NineLine]

Or a lot about how people will defend a questionable investment, after they have made it. Though, I must admit, I am very happy with the significant investment that I made in Facebook after they bought Oculus.

 

I have $0 invested right now... well some shipping costs, that's it. SO not sure I buy that people are happy with it because they spent a lot of money on it. I am extremely happy with it, not just for DCS as well, although anytime I use it, my 4 year old wants to "play the airplane game" too :)

 

Soon as I can afford it, I will sink my teeth into a release version, whether its CV1 or the next version. I am sure it will be like anything, it will get better and cheaper.

[GregP]

@GregP,

A key thing you said in your first posting was that you are having trouble with ALL VR applications - not just DCS. Most of us, after using the Oculus Debug Tool at 1.5 or higher are getting crisp panel displays without zoom (maybe a little lean in) as long as we sit close enough (look down to make sure you see the forward edge of the seat). I wonder if you are thinking that you need good close/near vision when in fact, what you need to be clear (your own eyesight) is your far vision since that is the expectation of the Rift lenses. I wear glasses (I am nearsighted) and I am looking through the top portion of my bifocal lenses that change my 20/200 to 20/20 and if I need to see an instrument clearly, I move my head so that I am directly looking at it instead of changing where my eyes are pointing.

 

Reading this, I almost feel like we're using two completely different VR products. I'm wearing contacts that correct my vision back to nearly 20/20; I ran the Oculus Debug Tool, which said pixel density was at 0.0; I changed that to 1.5 and 2.0 and it didn't seem to make any difference whatsoever to either Home or DCS. I ran the Performance Overlay tool and it seems I'm averaging 22.5 FPS in DCS, pretty poor, but I wouldn't think image quality would depend upon framerate.

 

And nothing I'm seeing in DCS would even remotely qualify as "crisp display panels", so I really don't understand what's going on. It feels more like sitting close to a a large 720p TV. Good for you for apparently getting better results than I, though!

[average_pilot]

Reading this, I almost feel like we're using two completely different VR products. I'm wearing contacts that correct my vision back to nearly 20/20; I ran the Oculus Debug Tool, which said pixel density was at 0.0; I changed that to 1.5 and 2.0 and it didn't seem to make any difference whatsoever to either Home or DCS. I ran the Performance Overlay tool and it seems I'm averaging 22.5 FPS in DCS, pretty poor, but I wouldn't think image quality would depend upon framerate.

 

And nothing I'm seeing in DCS would even remotely qualify as "crisp display panels", so I really don't understand what's going on. It feels more like sitting close to a a large 720p TV. Good for you for apparently getting better results than I, though!

That's a pretty good description of where consumer VR technology is today. Resolution is that low. If you can't get enjoyment of the pros of VR then you may consider sell it.

[dogbite]

Reading this, I almost feel like we're using two completely different VR products. I'm wearing contacts that correct my vision back to nearly 20/20; I ran the Oculus Debug Tool, which said pixel density was at 0.0; I changed that to 1.5 and 2.0 and it didn't seem to make any difference whatsoever to either Home or DCS. I ran the Performance Overlay tool and it seems I'm averaging 22.5 FPS in DCS, pretty poor, but I wouldn't think image quality would depend upon framerate.

 

And nothing I'm seeing in DCS would even remotely qualify as "crisp display panels", so I really don't understand what's going on. It feels more like sitting close to a a large 720p TV. Good for you for apparently getting better results than I, though!

 

The statement that you see no difference after applying 1.5 or 2 in the debug tool is curious to say the least. I assume you know you must launch Oculus Home before the tool. That you must leave the tool running. That you must hit enter after you type in the desired number.

Also, I have heard that new Nvidia drivers are causing some VR issues, but don't know if the debug tool is one of them. I use 364.72 and have not seen a reason to migrate to a newer driver. That assumes you use an Nvidia card.

It may not be as clear as a monitor, but you should still see the difference with pixel density. I can't speak to the built in pixel control as I am not running the beta.

 

If you would speak to a specific aircraft and what you cannot read, we can tell you if your issue is expectations or that you are not getting the tool to run. Hope your not running that piece of crap called Windows 10, not that that is the culprit here, necessary.

 

I would also ask what else have you played and did you try the debug with it?

Edited July 8, 2016 by dogbite
append

[Mad Dog 7.62]

This.

 

 

Not to mention, that I really need to maintain two installations of DCS to avoid having to play with the settings every time I want to switch from Rift to monitor. The only thing DCS has right so far, in that arena, is that I don't have to change resolution manually.

 

Nope. There is post from Skatezilla explaining how to make .bat files to launch DCS in either 2D or VR, that apply the correct settings for either version. This way you can have one set of graphics settings for 2D and another for VR. I find this very useful for using the mission editor or when I want to watch a replay without the Rift on.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2819005&postcount=6

Edited July 8, 2016 by Mad Dog 7.62

[Mad Dog 7.62]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Yes, I've tried adjusting the Rift up and down, different IPD, AF is 16x, TF is high -- none make much difference. I'm starting to suspect that my contact lenses are causing more problems than I initially thought.

 

For those of you who feel like you can reliably read instruments, can you give me an example of some label, switch, dial etc. that you think is sharp enough to read from the default head position? I'd like to directly compare.

 

I can read the HUD and MFD's quite well, and most of the instruments and switches on the consoles. The UFC is clear, and the CDU is acceptable though not perfect.

[SkateZilla]

Nope. There is post from Skatezilla explaining how to make .bat files to launch DCS in either 2D or VR, that apply the correct settings for either version. This way you can have one set of graphics settings for 2D and another for VR. I find this very useful for using the mission editor or when I want to watch a replay without the Rift on.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2819005&postcount=6

 

This.

 

The rift is very cool. However, the 3d view is overshadowed by the fact that the terrain looks worse than stock FSX (just an example, not a comparison). When flying without the rift, a glance at an instrument is sufficient while in the rift, I have to actually take a good look at the instruments to determine what I wanted to know.

 

Not to mention, that I really need to maintain two installations of DCS to avoid having to play with the settings every time I want to switch from Rift to monitor. The only thing DCS has right so far, in that arena, is that I don't have to change resolution manually.

 

 

 

I actually changed the way I do this now, Instead I Use Separate Saved Games Folders Entirely and Separate Shortcuts, that way any changes made to the options are saved. As well as separate logs etc.

 

So It's One Install, but 2 Separate Saved Games Folders.

ie

/Saved Games/DCS.OpenBetaVR/

/Saved Games/DCS.OpenBetaNONVR/

 

That same install, just loads settings from different Saved Games Folders depending on the shortcut.

 

 

Will post how when I get home

Edited July 9, 2016 by SkateZilla