Basic VR Questions

[TWC_SLAG]

1. If I don’t use the Steam version of DCS Open Beta, am I limited in my choice of VR headsets?

2. I see that some headsets don’t have mechanical IPD adjustments. Some of them have a software method of adjusting IPD. Is the s/w method as accurate?

3. Odyssey+, HTC Vive, Rift S: which is best for me, money not being a factor?

 

TWC_SLAG

[rick66]

I`ve had the Rift S for just over a week now, Value for money is great, quality is good, functionality is great, I have an IPD of 70 and my son is 65, move the slider in the Rift software and it simply works, I found i needed to make an adjustment of the headset when i put it on after changing the IPD to find that sweet spot with the lenses.. Other than that no regrets.

[TWC_SLAG]

I`ve had the Rift S for just over a week now, Value for money is great, quality is good, functionality is great, I have an IPD of 70 and my son is 65, move the slider in the Rift software and it simply works, I found i needed to make an adjustment of the headset when i put it on after changing the IPD to find that sweet spot with the lenses.. Other than that no regrets.

 

 

How about question 1?

[eaglecash867]

How about question 1?

 

No, you won't be limited in your choice of headsets if you don't go with the Steam version. I have a Reverb Pro which uses Steam VR and the Steam VR WMR Plugin, but I have the standalone versions of the Open Beta and Stable that I got directly from this web-site. Steam VR doesn't care if your game came from Steam, it will run it just fine. :thumbup:

[Willie Nelson]

No, you won't be limited in your choice of headsets if you don't go with the Steam version. I have a Reverb Pro which uses Steam VR and the Steam VR WMR Plugin, but I have the standalone versions of the Open Beta and Stable that I got directly from this web-site. Steam VR doesn't care if your game came from Steam, it will run it just fine. :thumbup:

 

Same here, Steam and SteamVR is required but NOT their DCS version of Steam. You’re good to go with stand-alone, the other add ons are free. Have fun, you won’t regret it.

[TWC_SLAG]

Thanks, all.

[TWC_SLAG]

After doing some price comparisons, I have another question. If I will only be using VR for flight sim, do I really need anything but a headset? A complete Vive setup is $500, but the Vive Pro headset, by itself, is only $100 more.

[dburne]

After doing some price comparisons, I have another question. If I will only be using VR for flight sim, do I really need anything but a headset? A complete Vive setup is $500, but the Vive Pro headset, by itself, is only $100 more.

 

I would seriously consider the Rift S over a Vive or even Vive Pro.

 

And you would have the Touch controllers should down the road you get tempted to delve into some other games.

It happened to me when I got my first Rift...

[javelina1]

I would seriously consider the Rift S over a Vive or even Vive Pro.

 

And you would have the Touch controllers should down the road you get tempted to delve into some other games.

It happened to me when I got my first Rift...

 

 

my thoughts too... Rift S.

[wormeaten]

After doing some price comparisons, I have another question. If I will only be using VR for flight sim, do I really need anything but a headset? A complete Vive setup is $500, but the Vive Pro headset, by itself, is only $100 more.

 

This is only HMD without a base station. This means only 3DoF head movement. For 6DoF head movement, you need minimum 1 base station what is additional 150$. And all this is without controllers.

 

Rift-S and Reverb WMR have so called inside out tracking all build in the HMD. No additional tracking stations like on Index or Vive or if you want. For flight and race sim, it is irrelevant diference.

 

There is also some difference in quality or Reverb default WMR controllers and Rift-S touch controllers and difference is also irrelevant for Sims using.

The only major difference between Rift-S and Reverb is resolution. Reverb has significantly better clarity but it is 200$ more expensive because of it. It is worth it but if you are budget limited Rift-S is worth this 400$ and it is better value than Index or Vive Pro.

[TWC_SLAG]

Just ordered Rift S from Amazon. (fingered crossed)

[dburne]

Just ordered Rift S from Amazon. (fingered crossed)

 

:thumbup:

 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

[Magnate]

A bit of feedback from another new user of the Rift S:

 

After dithering for several months, I finally ordered a Rift S last week and had it on Friday in time for the weekend.

 

I'm used to playing on a 65 inch 4K TV which looks fantastic.

 

I'd endorse most of what I've read on this forum, in that the sense of immersion is great, but after a 4K screen the resolution is very poor. However, the poor resolution is only problematic part of the time. The chief issue is with things in the middle distance. So a tanker in the distance is just a fuzzy blob, and the same is true for the carrier.

 

However, once you get close this ceases to be an issue and the sense of immersion takes over. You see the whole of an enormous C130 floating above you, and refuelling becomes even more fun than it already was. Being able to see the precise relationship between the basket and your refuelling probe is great - no comparison with the 2D version.

 

The carrier is a blob until you get close, but those last few seconds as you land there's a real sense of the size of ship.

 

Reading cockpit instruments is not a problem for me, and of course there's the zoom function if you ever do have an issue reading a particular figure. I understand that the Rift S is a big improvement in this respect. Speaking of cockpits, the sense of being inside a cockpit is extraordinary - no amount of TrackIr is a substitute for this. The inside of the canopy actually exists as a real 3D object, and the HUD is also transformed.

 

Lighting effects - sun's glare - and volumetric clouds also work very well.

 

I had been a bit apprehensive about narrow Field of View, but haven't been aware of this as a limiting factor. IRL a helmet would limit a pilot's FOV to some extent in any case.

 

Sense of height and speed is enhanced and I occasionally found myself with a moment's vertigo. However, I see this as an endorsement of the realism, not a problem, and I didn't feel unwell at any time over many sessions over the weekend. Mountains, hills and valleys all become far more 3-dimensional - flying low and fast over a ridge feels real - there's a genuine sense of an actual hill top.

 

I'm a ground pounder rather than an A2A fan, but I did fire up a WW2 dogfight and the first time you have an enemy zip past you in the initial merge is a revelation. The only problem with dogfighting is going to be resolution and identifying aircraft.

 

My hardware is decent - 32 GB RAM, 1080 card - but not extreme, and I can say that I haven't yet been conscious of any performance issues.

 

I've found the headset as comfortable as one could expect, and no problems as a glasses wearer once you work out a routine for putting the headset on and off. I just loosen the retaining knob at the back and rotate forward from the back so that headset falls clear of my face.

 

Could I go back to my pin-sharp huge TV with TrackIr? Probably not, but I'll certainly be looking at upgrading to a higher resolution VR headset before too long, I suspect.

[jojo]

Even if Rift S FoV isn't the widest on the market, it's probably as wide or even wider than what we use most of the time on screen (on par horizontally and wider vertically).:smilewink:

[TWC_SLAG]

I would seriously consider the Rift S over a Vive or even Vive Pro.

 

And you would have the Touch controllers should down the road you get tempted to delve into some other games.

It happened to me when I got my first Rift...

 

 

Well, I got DCS working, and flew around a bit. did a landing, and have decided VR is not ready for prime time. If you can't see in back of you in a dogfight, the flat screen is better. The resolution is good enough for some games. Flight sim is not one of them. I'll be sending the Rift S back to Amazon.

 

 

At 75, I hope VR becomes good enough while I am still able to fly.

[DerFangzahn]

Even if Rift S FoV isn't the widest on the market, it's probably as wide or even wider than what we use most of the time on screen (on par horizontally and wider vertically).:smilewink:

 

I dont see an issue with FOV in any HMD because as soon as you look slighly to a side your sight gets unclear due to the lense sweetspot not aligned perfectly. So why a large FOV if you can not identify anything.

[dburne]

I dont see an issue with FOV in any HMD because as soon as you look slighly to a side your sight gets unclear due to the lense sweetspot not aligned perfectly. So why a large FOV if you can not identify anything.

 

I am with you there. Until we have something like eye tracking to me FOV is just not that big a deal. I will take image quality and performance over it any day.

[Dr_Pain]

You'll enjoy VR. It does have it's limits, I'm using a rift CV1, but it's so nice to feel like you are in the aircraft.

[TWC_SLAG]

I would really have liked to have had an owners manual. Maybe say what each controller button does. Or, if I want to change X, what steps do I take? Some diagrams and a little verbiage would help. Games may be different, but the headset operates the same for each.

 

I didn’t feel like I was IN the cockpit so much as in a fuzzier cockpit with worse colors.

 

You can’t see in back of you.

 

I’m going to wait awhile, and see how VR improves.

[Harlikwin]

Well, I got DCS working, and flew around a bit. did a landing, and have decided VR is not ready for prime time. If you can't see in back of you in a dogfight, the flat screen is better. The resolution is good enough for some games. Flight sim is not one of them. I'll be sending the Rift S back to Amazon.

 

 

At 75, I hope VR becomes good enough while I am still able to fly.

 

You can see behind you as well as a real pilot can. You do have to turn your head though (gasp). Yes TIR is easier/cheatier to look behind.

 

Resolution on a reverb is significantly better than the RiftCV1 (personal experience) and RiftS (other peoples experience). Going from the CV1 to the reverb was a ZOMG moment for me. Everything is pretty clear, I can read all the text, DDI's etc without too much bother. Could it be better? Sure it could, but its a pretty huge jump to where VR was 6 months ago, and I don't forsee another such "big jump" anytime soon.

 

VR is good enough for me today. I don't forsee things getting that much better than the current Reverb for the next few years.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Harlikwin