nVidia driver hotfix for SteamVR released

[speed-of-heat]

Announcing GeForce Hotfix Driver 461 | NVIDIA GeForce Forums

[Taz1004]

Thanks for the info.  But the comments on that thread doesn't seem promising.  Anyone actually try it on DCS?  I guess 30xx series users have no choice but I'll probably be sticking with 446.14 for longer.

Edited January 20, 2021 by Taz1004

[speed-of-heat]

i think its mostly this:

 

Quote

• [Steam VR game]: Stuttering and lagging occur upon launching a game (Without using any Hardware monitoring tool). [3152190]

 

[Taz1004]

Yea, that's why I'm using 446.14 too.  And some of the comments in that thread said it improved stutter but didn't eliminate it.  Probably for other games.

Are you using it?  Does it improve stutter in DCS?

[speed-of-heat]

thats the thing, i never had the stutter problem to begin with, so when i upgraded it didnt make it worse, but im not sure thats a great example ... but i did install it ... it doesnt seem to have broken anything.. im also on a 3090 so i cant roll back to 446.14

[Dodge]

Originally started from this thread, here

[javelina1]

I've also installed, but won't be able to test out until this evening.  As SOH noted, I wasn't really seeing any stuttering issues, even when using the punk driver.  But I'll give this one a whirl....

Edited January 20, 2021 by javelina1

[Johnny Dioxin]

Am I the only person that has seen a huge improvement in VR performance? I must say first that I haven't installed this hotfix (yet) - but after updating my main hardware a couple of months ago I am getting fantastic performance compared to the horror show it was when 2.5 was released, which kept me from flying due to the poor performance and even far better than the usually solid 45fps I used to get before my upgrade.

 

I now have 60fps absolutely solid, all the time - no mods, no special settings, just completely new installation, all the modules in and off I went and down dropped my jaw. The new rig isn't that special, either - i5 9600k with 4.3Ghz on the turbo, a GA Z390D mobo, 32GB DDR4 3200 (double my previous RAM) and a ZOTAC RTX2080Ti (which I kept from the previous build), using Windows on an M2 SATA SSD (the type you fit directly to the motherboard) and DCS World on a Corsair 1TB SSD with a million other games (okay, slight exaggeration, but you get the picture).

Settings as per screenshot and I haven't even looked at the PD - so it's at whatever the default setting is.

Edited January 20, 2021 by Johnny Dioxin (Brixmis)

[Dodge]

With this hotfix I have now managed to set my system (it's 6+ years old but with an RTX 3070) to a degree of clarity and 'so far' smooth performance on the MP servers I've currently used. I'm now a happy Quest 2 user, and will be happier once I upgrade my system (at some point this year).

[dburne]

2 hours ago, Johnny Dioxin (Brixmis) said:

Am I the only person that has seen a huge improvement in VR performance? I must say first that I haven't installed this hotfix (yet) - but after updating my main hardware a couple of months ago I am getting fantastic performance compared to the horror show it was when 2.5 was released, which kept me from flying due to the poor performance and even far better than the usually solid 45fps I used to get before my upgrade.

 

I now have 60fps absolutely solid, all the time - no mods, no special settings, just completely new installation, all the modules in and off I went and down dropped my jaw. The new rig isn't that special, either - i5 9600k with 4.3Ghz on the turbo, a GA Z390D mobo, 32GB DDR4 3200 (double my previous RAM) and a ZOTAC RTX2080Ti (which I kept from the previous build), using Windows on an M2 SATA SSD (the type you fit directly to the motherboard) and DCS World on a Corsair 1TB SSD with a million other games (okay, slight exaggeration, but you get the picture).

Settings as per screenshot and I haven't even looked at the PD - so it's at whatever the default setting is.

 

 

You can also up your anisotropic filtering to 16x without much hit on performance and it helps the view also.

[airdog]

I've installed the hotfix drivers and have noticed a huge improvement on my G2.

[James Spartan]

Yep I noticed also a great performance boost. With the G2 I turn it at 60Hz and I can hold 60FPS everywhere ! Really happy about that !

[dburne]

Yeah I am running 100% resolution for my Reverb G2 with Motion Smoothing locked at 45 FPS.

Some pretty high graphics , just no AA. Looking and performing sweet.

[unlikely_spider]

17 minutes ago, James Spartan said:

Yep I noticed also a great performance boost. With the G2 I turn it at 60Hz and I can hold 60FPS everywhere ! Really happy about that !

You don't get a flickery or strobing effect at 60hz? I would love to set it there instead of 90/45, but the image is more stable at the native setting than at 60.

[Drac]

Any RTX2080 users using this hotfix seeing any improvements with G2?

[James Spartan]

@unlikely_spiderI can notice it's a bit less smooth than the 90 Hz settings but it's a kind of compromise I made. I really prefer the 60Hz mode to the 90/45 as I can bear the ghosting when at 45FPS. Seeing ghosting on a plane I'm trying to shoot is making me crazy !

With that hotfix you could maybe give it another go !

[YoYo]

No any improvments for me (Reverb).

 

According fpsVR = the same FPS and same magnet peaks in some situation as it was before, I think its placebo effect only (because something new means better). 

Edited January 21, 2021 by YoYo

[Lurker]

Well according to this thread it's a pretty good driver fix, check it out: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/game-ready-drivers/13/402768/valve-index-missing-dropped-frames-since-nvidia-d/

 

Also it obviously doesn't affect all, and fpsVR will not give you the real picture I think. It's mostly about the spikes. I look forward to trying them out, even though I don't expect a lot of performance improvements. After all Im on an Oculus Rift S and don't use Valve VR. 

[Dodge]

 I thought I'd post my settings with my legacy rig + Quest 2 VR headset in the event that its of help (hopefully the images post). The game changer for me was the lastest NVIDIA driver hotfix (461.33) - https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5152

 

 

M/B	MSI X99S Gaming 7 (MS-7885)
CPU:	Intel Core i7-5930K @3.5GHz, 6 Cores (OC to 3.9 GHz)
RAM	48GB 2100MHz
GFX	NVIDA RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6 (461.33 Drivers - HOTFIX)
SSD	Samsung EVO 1TB's (Multiple)
OS	Windows 10 Pro (Latest OS patches)
VR	Oculus Quest 2

 

Oculus Software

 

Graphics > Devices > Graphics Preferences

GRAPHICS PREFERENCES

 

Oculus Tray Tool

 

GAME SETTINGS > VIEW & EDIT > CREATE NEW PROFILE

QUEST LINK

 

SteamVR Settings

 

Settings > General (I set this to the closest Oculus Quest 2 per-eye resolution - 2232x 2252)

• Render Resolution: Custom
  • Set to 150% (or closest per-eye resolution of your VR Headset as a minimum)

 

Settings > Video

• Resolution per eye (This is set via the 'global screen')
• Advanced Supersample Filtering: On (Will also set this in-game)
• Overlay Render Quality: Low

 

Setting > Video > Per-Application Video Settings

• Select 'DCS WORLD STEAM EDITION' (DCS STEAM, yours may vary if non-steam)
• Custom Resolution Multiplier: 44% (Your mileage may vary) = Add SS
  • Note: You'll be increasing DCS settings, so there's no needs to go crazy here
• Motion Smoothing: Disabled (This adds another 50% to SS)

 

DCS Game Settings

 

SYSTEM TAB

 

VR TAB

 

NVIDIA CONTROL PANEL

 

Manage 3D Settings > Programs Settings > Digital Combat Simulator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Dodge

[speed-of-heat]

@Dodgesomething i really dont understand (and its not just you) is why people use both in game PD and super sampling to achieve their results ... is there an improved graphical outcome ?  I have never seen one but thats just me I'm weird... and whatever works for you works.

 

but just from a simple math POV you are currently driving a total of 6,381,582 pixels.

 

If you had left your custom resolution multiplier alone (e.g. 100% for DCS, or 150% of native) you would be driving 5m (ish)pixels.

 

By increasing your Steam super sampling to for DCS 126% you would get 6,333,344 pixels pretty much the same (128% would take you to just over 6.4m).

 

I can only see a case for lost cpu cycles and fidelity as a result of multiple super sampling (up and down and up again) operations... does one have different properties (I know the SS math is done differently for PS vs Steam SS, but ultimately that's a granularity issue not a visual outcome)?  

Edited January 21, 2021 by speed-of-heat

[Dodge]

Hi @speed-of-heat Thank you for your input. Most interesting and something I'll use to continue tweaking.

 

Now, forgive me if this seems strange, my memory is terrible at the best of times; and what with many many many changes/tweaks over the past two weeks in the hope of trying to get my Q2 to both provide satisfactory performance and quality I'm going by vague recollections..

 

To answer your question. The reason for using the in-game PD settings was just that if memory recalls correctly, I  found the quality to be sharper/better for me with the above settings (I think the performance issues at the time as well). However, using your input (helpful for me as I'm old and poor at math) I'll revisit my settings and try again. My preference would be to use just one program of setting change (e.g. just using SteamVR, rather than SteamVR + in-game PD, and/or OTT, Although I purposely remove SS from OTT)

Out of all of this, I feel that the latest nvidia driver hotfix (461.33) is what has been the game-changer for me and allowed me to find a setting that seems to work (for me anyway).

[speed-of-heat]

yep part of me was wondering along those lines ... get the performance that you want and then tweak in game or because thats where you have gotten to because of lots of iterations of change without (no intended judgement) going back to the root cause etc... I'd be interested to know your results after testing... but either way glad you have a better  experience now.

[Bailey]

1 hour ago, speed-of-heat said:

I can only see a case for lost cpu cycles and fidelity as a result of multiple super sampling (up and down and up again) operations... does one have different properties (I know the SS math is done differently for PS vs Steam SS, but ultimately that's a granularity issue not a visual outcome)?  

 

 

If you swap the math "operations" for SS and PD, you will notice that DCS PD results in much higher clarity, but at the expense of more processing. The reverse is not true because if PD is really low with SS really high, SS cannot make up the gap in clarity because the PD never rendered those pixels that were necessary for a clear picture in the first place. 
Something like that.

[speed-of-heat]

10 minutes ago, Bailey said:

 

If you swap the math "operations" for SS and PD, you will notice that DCS PD results in much higher clarity, but at the expense of more processing. The reverse is not true because if PD is really low with SS really high, SS cannot make up the gap in clarity because the PD never rendered those pixels that were necessary for a clear picture in the first place. 
Something like that.

 

depends on what you mean, ss 110 is not equivilant of PD 1.1.

 

A PD of 1.1 drives the same number of pixels as a Steam Super Sample of 121. So i would expect them (1.1 and 110%) to have different clarity as there is a different value of work being done...

 

or are you saying that a pd of 1.1 has a improved clarity over steam SS of 121%?

 

link to handy dandy PD SS comparison spreadsheet https://forums.eagle.ru/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=182146

Edited January 21, 2021 by speed-of-heat

[Taz1004]

35 minutes ago, Bailey said:

 

If you swap the math "operations" for SS and PD, you will notice that DCS PD results in much higher clarity, but at the expense of more processing. The reverse is not true because if PD is really low with SS really high, SS cannot make up the gap in clarity because the PD never rendered those pixels that were necessary for a clear picture in the first place. 
Something like that.

 

Game doesn't render twice.  It doesn't render once from DCS and another from SteamVR.  It takes the PD and SS values (as resolution) and multiply into final resolution to send to GPU.  And output once (per eye that is).  So both PD and SS does same thing.  Confusion comes from different scale as speed-of-heat mentioned.

 

And not only the different scale but 100% of SteamVR isn't even native resolution for many HMD.  Which adds even more confusion.

Edited January 21, 2021 by Taz1004