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Is it worth using MSAA with VR? (As opposed to going direct to Super Sampling)


Dangerzone

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Trying to get a deeper understanding. As I understand it (and I could be very wrong here)... MSAA uses super sampling to get a less 'jaggy' image. It  renders at a higher resolution, and then downscales again to the native resolution.

 

But Supersampling does the same? (renders at a higher resolution, and then downscales again). 

 

Super sampling also appears to have the side affect (benefit) of giving a much clearer/sharper image as well in VR.

 

So - what is the benefit of using MSAA over super sampling?  I see many threads with VR users using MSAA - so I know I'm wrong with my understanding - just trying to figure it out. 

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they do very different things visually, and they have massive differences from a performance point of view, clearly.

 

MSAA provides smoother edges of objects  SS x8/x16 provides greater clarity to things like lines or edges, it also can reduce the shimmer effect on the ground or aircraft 

 

depending on your hardware/settings you may no be able to run MSAA, but you will nearly always be able to run SS x8 or 16 and should. 

 

this is not a bad discussion of the subject at a high level 

 

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7 minutes ago, speed-of-heat said:

depending on your hardware/settings you may no be able to run MSAA, but you will nearly always be able to run SS x8 or 16 and should

 

You've mistaken SS for AF (anisotropic filtering)

Super sampling is very taxing, even 2x. It's a brute force metod, but works always and on everything. MSAA works only on some parts of the image, and it can make better improvements at lower overall cost, but it is still taxing in DCS engine.

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you are correct... i did, i havent had my run yet and its early.

 

 

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Yeah - sorry. When I meant Super Sampling - I mean like in SteamVR for instance. 

 

I wasn't aware that MSAA only worked on some parts of the image. I guess that is why I can do MSAA at x2, and it's better than SS at 200%?

 

Can AF actually reduce shimmer as well? 

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Yes, MSAA works only on the edges of the objects, so it reduces jaggies at a lower cost than equivalent SS. But on the other hand, you still have to crank up the SS in VR to improve other parts of the image, like cockpit labels and displays. It's a consequence of how the image is displayed on the VR headset screens. 

 

It's a balancing act, play with the settings until you're satisfied with the image quality and performance. 

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I use MSAA x2 because if I don't the "shimmering" of certain objects outside of the cockpit makes it almost impossible to use VR. Super sampling all by itself does not fix shimmering. So I run both. It's taxing, but I can't go without either. 


Edited by Lurker
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Once I got headsets with resolution around 3k per eye I found I could disable MSAA to help performance.

I ran with no MSAA with Reverb G2 and now Vive Pro 2.

Don B

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MSAA 4X, AF 16X, SteamVR SS 126%, DCS PD 0.6 here with Reverb G2.  Looks great and runs great.  As others have said, contrary to claims otherwise, MSAA and SS don't do the same thing.  You can run your SS all the way up to as high as it will go, completely kill performance, and still have more jaggies than you would if you left SS at a reasonable level and opted for increasing MSAA.  I can't stand shimmering and jaggies either, so I always shoot for maxing out MSAA.  But, in the end, its all about what looks good to you, and we all have different preferences.


Edited by eaglecash867

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@eaglecash867May I ask what DCS settings you have other than that ( a screenshot would be the best) and what hardware you have? 

I'm around 40/45 FPS with a G2, Maxed out settings except MSAA off. Steam VR SS at 100%, PD at 1.0 

Running a 3080 ti with an R7 5800x.

 

It would help on my quest to get the best candy for the eye but still clear.

 

thanks!

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Hi LaCrepe,

 

Take a look at my link in this old thread.  Now, bear in mind that the screenshots are really old and a lot of things have changed since then, but the screenshots of my DCS settings are representative of what I still use today...except for the change in DCS PD of course.  I made the change to running higher SteamVR SS (the level that SteamVR automatically wants to set for your individual setup) and lower DCS PD after reading about why SteamVR picks what it picks for your rig (barrel distortion).  After some experimentation with it, I have found the combination of those two things to be beneficial to how things look while still getting the same performance.  I don't spend much time chasing FPS counter dragons.  What I do to test performance is to fly low and fast, while maneuvering hard, and look for a minimum of ghosting in ground objects while looking to the side as I fly past them.  One DCS setting that I found makes a HUGE difference there is Cockpit Display Resolution.  I have mine set to the lowest possible level.  The only thing that seems to degrade is the quality of the reflections in your mirrors.  I find that I don't spend much time staring at my mirrors, so its not even missed.

 

 

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