DCSS and VR

[DW2020]

So I'm hearing a lot about using VR in DCS and have no clue where to start.

 

What are the pro's and con's of using VR, can U get into it cheaply or it going to be able expensive upgrade straight away?

Edited February 29, 2020 by DW2020

[Rhino4]

If you don't already have a vr device and a vr capable computer then it can get expensive, but there are options at just about every price point from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand. I would recommend that you first decide how much you are willing to spend, and then look at options within that price range to avoid talking yourself into spending more than you can afford.

 

Pros: The immersion, sense of scale, and depth perception cannot be overstated as pros. Since switching to vr, I feel that I would not fly at all if I wasn't able to use vr.

 

Cons: It can be expensive to get started, the computer requirements are quite a bit higher than normal, and reading gauges or smaller instruments can be difficult with the lower overall resolution.

 

So with all that said, what are your current computer specs, and how much are you willing to spend?

[Harlikwin]

Check out the VR forum.

 

Briefly

 

Pros:

Mega immersive, YOU ARE IN THE JET. I honestly can't say this enough. When my headset broke and I had to go back to flat screen, I couldn't do it.

 

Cons:

Interacting with the jet costs "extra" either you accept various workarounds or go buy pointcrl.

Resolution is still limited in VR even with the "best res" headset (HP reverb)

Performance sucks in VR, and doesn't really seem to be a priority for ED.

 

Cost.

Depending on your price point, you can find used VR headsets for 200 bucks provided your system can run them. Oddesey+ is a good 1 generation old headset. Otherwise 400-600 for a RiftS or HP reverb which are the current gen. Which headset is right for you depends on what your system specs are. With "moderate" specs you should be able to run a Oddesey or RiftS, or if you have a high end system the reverb is a good choice.

[draconus]

Harlikwin, how your old'n'busted doing in VR?

[BMGZ06]

I am getting my HP Reverbs today and will be spending time figuring them out. I am pretty sure my system can handle them so it should be a settings trial and error I hope.

[despinoza]

There´re a lot more cons than pros in VR, Nonetheless, the pros are game changing for DCS IMHO.

 

Cons: stuttering, low res, low FPS (compared to flat), flickering, contacts, can´t use keyb, motion sickness (for some people), sweaty face… and so on

 

pros: It´s amazing

[upupandaway]

It´s a (slightly) different way if playing dcs i think. It´s not just immersive; I think instead that it is one of the most immersive VR experiences overall. I put my setup together over the course of almost ten years and never looked back after switching to VR. Combat is still just as much fun, but even simple flying has a new quality to it.

 

despinoza is principally right about the cons, but most of them are not as distracting as it may seem. Flickering on loading screens is terrible though. It needs a fix...

[Fri13]

So I'm hearing a lot about using VR in DCS and have no clue where to start.

 

What are the pro's and con's of using VR, can U get into it cheaply or it going to be able expensive upgrade straight away?

 

This is good summary about the VR:

 

 

But that has been case for me for very long time.

[Fri13]

I am getting my HP Reverbs today..... I am pretty sure my system can handle them.

System Specs: i9 9900KS, EVGA 2080 TI

 

:megalol:

[fatboy]

I just went VR for the first time this week.I brought a Rift S.At first i got sick,Very sick.I had to go lay down down for hours and still felt queasy the next day.My first time It was cool to be sitting int the seat of the jet and really feel like i could reach out and touch the controls and switches and believe it or not but i found myself actually trying to move things in the cockpit then giggling like a schoolgirl when i realised i couldn't. I was limited to flying pretty much straight and level at first because any movement like roll or aggressive pitch would instantly make me feel like throwing up.

 

( A TIP FOR YOU DON'T FLY HELICOPTERS TILL YOU GET OVER ANY SICK FEELING TRUST, ME YOUR WELCOME)

 

Something else to understand is that if you wrote down all your start up lists on a notepad that you have next to you're desk like i do ,they are now useless.You will have to download kneeboard maker and make them again into digital form.(I haven't done this yet so i can't say what they are like in game as i just realise i haven't use the kneeboard in VR yet so i don't know what it looks like.I will have to check that)Any key bindings not on your HOTAS will require you to lift your headset up and use or if you have Pass through mode like rift S you can use that in a pinch not ideal but works Also something to take into consideration is what are your headphones like do they fit over the Headset? if not like mine you have to keep switching back and forward via the sound settings .Switching between using your headset sound and your headphones or speakers whatever you usually use. Sounds trivial but it gets annoying and will catch you out at times.Also for some reason my occulus software doesn't always remember my play area so i have to go through setup again and again also trivial but annoying.

I can't say what other headsets are like but the Rift S controllers battery's go flat very quickly. So have some rechargeable batteries On standby.I have also started taking batteries out when I'm not using them so if you don't have rechargeable batteries,that's an extra expense you might have to consider.Another consideration is getting some sort of anti fog treatment for your lenses as they will fog up a lot.Also it takes time to get used to flying in the headset.It felt like learning to fly all over again to me.I would jump in and try do do a very simple circuit that i have done a thousand times and found i would have to go around as i have completely misjudged the landing,especially the height.This sorts itself out after a while.Also you will have to get used to physically moving your position to reach switches in the cockpit and to see behind your Aircraft.I literally have to move in my chair to look down on the side panels in the hornet to flick switches it takes some getting used to that's for sure.Also you will have to choose Do i use the headset controllers in game to flick switches or do i use the mouse?I found using my HOTAS all the time that using the hand controllers just doesn't work for me so i ticked the use mouse setting in game.The headset for a reason I'm yet to discover when you use the mouse will still follow the headset view position.So you have to get use to when you use mouse to keep your head very still.This is very annoying and i hope i find a solution.

 

It took me a few days to get used to the Motion sickness but one day i jumped into game and was doing tight turns and realised hey i don't feel sick.Some people don't get sick at all and some like a squad mate took a full month of feeling awful to get used to it.Your mileage will vary.

One of my first reactions was wow this looks like crap because i had just gone from a 32 inch 2k monitor with crystal clear graphics to the Rift S resolution it felt like i had gone back to my first days of 800 x 600 8 bit graphics it was a major downgrade to say the least and so far is my biggest Gripe and reason to go back to monitor. Also say goodbye to high FPS even with a high end system like mine i get a steady 40 with a lot of tweaking and compromise.Spotting things from a distance is just plain harder and your view distance will be turned down also.

 

This is my experience and take from it what you will.I know I've sounded pretty Negative in this review but it's not all gloom and doom as i have am getting used it more and more every day.The positives are there as well. Like doing a carrier takeoff and landing in VR is plainly amazing and will have you giggling like a schoolgirl over and over.Hitting the tanker feels great and flying formation is awesome.Once you get used to the motion sickness flying a helicopter is awesome and in my opinion way easier to do. Getting a headset just for the heli's is reason enough.I fly heli's way more now than i used to.Immersion Is amazing .So there is a few thing's for you to consider.I'n my opinion if you have the disposable income and understand it will take getting used to go for it. Best of luck to you.:pilotfly:

[Fri13]

Something else to understand is that if you wrote down all your start up lists on a notepad that you have next to you're desk like i do ,they are now useless.You will have to download kneeboard maker and make them again into digital form.(I haven't done this yet so i can't say what they are like in game as i just realise i haven't use the kneeboard in VR yet so i don't know what it looks like.I will have to check that)Any key bindings not on your HOTAS will require you to lift your headset up and use or if you have Pass through mode like rift S you can use that in a pinch not ideal but works

 

 

Ones of the reason I like Rift S is hassle free "kneeboards" as one can pin any window from windows desktop to VR. So you can get your favorite PDF reader or a notepad application hovering in wanted position in cockpit and in wanted size and distance.

 

So writing own notes to notepad, pinning it to leg position makes great job...

 

And Rift S supports controls in DCS. Something that requires the above mentioned Ctrl devices. And those makes immersion VR^4. You bind correct functions to HOTAS, nothing else. And you move your hands in cockpit to click buttons, flip switches and adjust knobs etc. No mouse comes to close to this. As one will learn quickly the cockpit by muscle memory and not what is where. And middle of combat you are not moving hands away from HOTAS as you have no time to move hands around cockpit and adjust things when fighting for your life.

 

The VR is a rabbit hole, once experienced and grown to. One can't go back to screen.

Once learn to use hand controls, one can't go back to keyboard and mouse.

 

I have not touched mouse or keyboard for two years in DCS.

And i still hate how DCS UI is not VR friendly by making the UI operational by HOTAS!

[fatboy]

Ones of the reason I like Rift S is hassle free "kneeboards" as one can pin any window from windows desktop to VR. So you can get your favorite PDF reader or a notepad application hovering in wanted position in cockpit and in wanted size and distance.

 

So writing own notes to notepad, pinning it to leg position makes great job...

 

And Rift S supports controls in DCS. Something that requires the above mentioned Ctrl devices. And those makes immersion VR^4. You bind correct functions to HOTAS, nothing else. And you move your hands in cockpit to click buttons, flip switches and adjust knobs etc. No mouse comes to close to this. As one will learn quickly the cockpit by muscle memory and not what is where. And middle of combat you are not moving hands away from HOTAS as you have no time to move hands around cockpit and adjust things when fighting for your life.

 

The VR is a rabbit hole, once experienced and grown to. One can't go back to screen.

Once learn to use hand controls, one can't go back to keyboard and mouse.

 

I have not touched mouse or keyboard for two years in DCS.

And i still hate how DCS UI is not VR friendly by making the UI operational by HOTAS!

 

Howdy Fri13,

 

Can you please clear this up I'm a little confused.Please understand I'm not criticising you I just don't understand what you mean cheers.

How do click buttons and switches with your hands in cockpit yet keep hands on hotas?

[RealDCSpilot]

@fatboy

1. you bind left mouse button, right mouse button and scrollwheel functionality to your HOTAS (UI controls category)

 

2. you set the HMD to have the mouse pointer fixed in the center of your view

3. from there you just need to look at a button or knob in the cockpit and use those HOTAS bindings to interact with it

[fatboy]

Thanks Alec.:thumbup:

[Skeinon]

@fatboy

1. you bind left mouse button, right mouse button and scrollwheel functionality to your HOTAS (UI controls category)

 

2. you set the HMD to have the mouse pointer fixed in the center of your view

3. from there you just need to look at a button or knob in the cockpit and use those HOTAS bindings to interact with it

 

However, switches located at the bounds of the view, are very difficult to reach....

:/

[Terry Dactil]

Now it is even better with PointCTRL.

This tracks your index fingers so you reach out to where the switch appears to be to select and operate it.

See thread here

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=218861

The days of using a keyboard and mouse are rapidly ending. :)

[fatboy]

However, switches located at the bounds of the view, are very difficult to reach....

:/

 

Yeah it is very difficult to reach some and there seems to be some i just can't get to at all.

[Funflite]

I try and it's works very fine!!!

[Skeinon]

Yeah it is very difficult to reach some and there seems to be some i just can't get to at all.

 

Damn, in the KA 50, there are panels also behind the shoulders!.... due to the limited fov of my hmd, the edges of my seat (racing car type) and... last but don't least, my age, i need to be Linda Blair to activate those switches ..

 

i'm in the waiting list for the PointCtrl.... i hope it can help me to save what remain of my backbone

[BMGZ06]

It seems the OP has left the building. Either that or got VR and was sucked into it and is now Lawnmower man.

[draconus]

It seems the OP has left the building. Either that or got VR and was sucked into it and is now Lawnmower man.

He's very much active on the forums.

[Leeham]

It seems the OP has left the building. Either that or got VR and was sucked into it and is now Lawnmower man.

Wouldn't be surprised. I got mine last week (just a Rift CV1) and I can't put it down.

 

 

The F15 is incredible, I like it more than the A-10 for 3D-ness.

[Fri13]

Howdy Fri13,

 

Can you please clear this up I'm a little confused.Please understand I'm not criticising you I just don't understand what you mean cheers.

How do click buttons and switches with your hands in cockpit yet keep hands on hotas?

 

I dont.

 

I use touch controllers. They are both on my lap. Resting on my tights so I can just quickly grab one and point around and place back. Faster than grabbing even a mouse or using a trackball on tight or table next to HOTAS.

 

That is the point. You learn to operate aircraft by setting it up before you go to combat or moments when you can't take your hands off from HOTAS.

 

Dont use the VR UI mode that allows you to bind mouse to HOTAS, and then use cursor on view to look things etc. As that is as much unrealistic as is using mouse or other bindings in HOTAS that doesn't belong on it.

 

So if aircraft stick doesn't have a function, it doesn't get bind to your joystick. Same for throttle.

So only way you to manipulate aircraft, is take your hand off from HOTAS and move them around to corresponding location and use the correct switches etc.

 

You will learn very quickly how to prepare for given situation, and what are the aircraft design ideas and reasons. Like you will become value a lot more a HOTAS aircrafts like F-18 over MiG-21 where other allows you to switch between missiles via HOTAS, while other requires you to take hand off from throttle to set wanted priority.

 

Once we get a good hand tracking so nothing is required, so that your index finger tips and thumbs gets tracked and you can manipulate cockpit with just those two fingers naturally, everything turns really natural.

 

Like let user to use index finger tip to press buttons, and grab switches and knobs with index finger + thumb and moving up/down or left/right to flip switches or rotate knobs until released.

(would be nice able be rotate knob, but that is difficult to track via cameras)