VR guidance for a VR total novice

[davidrbarnette]

As a starting point, I have no experience with VR. None. Zero.

 

I have a decent system and would like to get in to VR for DCS (maybe some MSFS 2020 and IL2 as well). My system specs are Ryzen 9 5950X CPU, RTX 3080 GPU, 64GB DDR4-3200 RAM, and an M.2 NVMe SSD.

 

I'm looking for guidance on which VR headset might be the best for DCS. Also, I have some general questions around usage... i.e. how are cockpit mouseclicks controlled while wearing the headset? How do you know where you're hitting the keyboard?

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks

[dburne]

Probably Reverb G2 would be a good choice for you. Very nice clarity at a reasonable price.

Alternatively Oculus Quest 2 if you want to save some money, however be aware a Facebook Account is required to use it. It connects to the PC via a USB 3 Link cable, or wirelessly through their Airlink. It does not connect via display port to GPU.  There is some video compression going on that way but Oculus has done a pretty good job with that.

 

As far as cockpit mouse clicks - well I use my mouse on a pull out pad built into my desk on my right side, works ok for me and is convenient.

I also have the mouse functions in DCS assigned to buttons on my HOTAS so I can use those as well. I tend to do a little of both. I have Voice Attack with the Vaicom Pro add on that is wonderful with DCS for AI coms and ATC.

 

Reverb G2 and Oculus Quest 2 are probably the most popular VR headsets with DCS currently.

I myself am currently using a Vive Pro 2 with Lighthouse tracking system. It is nice but the complete package would be pretty pricey.

And really the image is hardly any better than the Reverb G2. ( I have both). Maybe slightly better image and slightly better FOV, but not enough for the big difference in price.

 

Edited October 5, 2021 by dburne

[Lange_666]

5 hours ago, davidrbarnette said:

Also, I have some general questions around usage... i.e. how are cockpit mouseclicks controlled while wearing the headset? How do you know where you're hitting the keyboard?

 

I use the regular mouse to do so. Works fine except sometimes for the comms menu depending on where the mouse actually is when you bring it up. If the mouse is to far off it will sometimes not switch from the blue cross (VR headset) to the white mouse dot. Placing the blue cross (with your head) in the vicinity of the comms menu and closing and re-opening again brings up the white dot again which then lets you work the comms menu.
Voice Attack can be a big help but for some reason (my accent maybe) i can't get to work decently. Way to many wrong commands to my taste.

For taking notes you can use Scratchpad:  https://github.com/rkusa/dcs-scratchpad and bind the on/off option to a button on your controller.

[Jayhawk1971]

I also use the mouse, as I found using controllers too clunky. Mouse works fine most of the time. Transitioning between "inside" and "outside" the cockpit (blue cross to white dot) is sometimes annoying, but I only need that to interact with the kneeboard. I use Voice Attack/ VAICOM Pro extensively for all kinds of comms. The only "non-communication" voice commands I use is a verbal launch command for the Supercarrier catapult, and one for pressing the space bar to acknowledge things in story-driven campaigns (Reflected's, in this case).

 

Gear, flaps, speedbreaks, push-to-talk (a VAICOM thing) and comms menu (in case voice attack refuses to recognize a command) are all bound to my HOTAS. The very few keyboard bindings I still use can be found via feeling for them. Being familiar with touch typing, I use the F and J keys as reference points (on my keyboard, these keys have tiny plastic "bumps" so you can feel them), and I have set my keybinds around those keys (K,L,M, etc).

Edited October 5, 2021 by Jayhawk1971

[DucS2r]

I mainly use the mouse though I also have the right and left mouse buttons bound to keys on my throttle. I also put little squares of the fuzzy side of Velcro on important anchor points on my keyboard, like F1, F5 and F10. 

[Mack Dream]

Highly recommended to go to https://www.gamersbynight.com/dcs-settings-vr/ and get enlightening DCS/VR help (except for those who knew), ...I didn't... so I flew as good as blind until today. Finally thanks to gamersbynight my reverbg2 suddenly sees the light

[AKA_Clutter]

I'll echo @dburne in recommending the G2 or alternately the Q2.  I have had the Rift CV1, Rift S and now the G2.  G2 clarity is great.  The FOV is smaller than some others (Q2 is about the same from what I have read) but I think you will get use to to.

As to "Clicking buttons in cockpit"  I used the mouse for several years.  Also there is a method where you program the mouse clicks to your HOTAS and point the cross that comes up with your head to the button you want to press.  I have a device called PointCTRL that sets of the index fingers and then I can use it like a mouse control.

Voice Attack is also used by many as a method to interact with the game controls.

As to seeing the keyboard, I just lift the visor up a little if I need to see it.

 

One thing for sure about VR is that it is a tweaker's paradise!  There is always something to adjust just to squeeze a little more performance out of the rig and headset.

 

Enjoy!

[wormeaten]

My advice is to get now Quest 2 for start in few reasons.

You got more than a biffy rig but just to start with VR and see do you like it at all or not without much investment.
If you like you will easily buy some other better headset and will have your Quest 2 for some other more casual VR usage.
Simply you want Quest 2 no matter what the future brings. Quest 2 is WiFi capable and because of it for some fun with Dart Vedar or some shooting or adventure in VR is a better choice than any other HMD with cable. Watching 3D movies with friends in BigScreen theatre is great fun as well. You will never regret this 300$ or more with upgrades no matter what.

G2 is now the best option for DCS no doubt but ... in the next 12 months, several new headsets are announced so it is maybe better not to buy G2 straight away now and wait to see what will be the best option in near future. So in that 12 months Quest 2 will use for DCS as well and will stay with you in the future for sure. Maybe Varjo consumer version is coming soon.

[WipeUout]

Personal preferences are very important here.  I personally prefer wide field of view and butter smooth video over sharpness, very personal.  For that reason I use a Pimax 5K Super although I have an RX6900 XT and i9-9900k.  I can achieve easily 90+ FPS.  The image sharpness is certainly not as good as a G2 but I feel very much immersed with a smooth image and the wide field of view and this is more important to me.  The screen door effect is there also but it kind of goes away after a few minutes playing.  

All this to say, you need to ask yourself what is important.  FPS, view, clarity, etc.?

 

[Hoirtel]

I can agree with others here G2 or Q2 its pretty subjective with people liking both. Perhaps the Q2 is a bit easier to set up if you haven't done it before. However given that today is 20th October 2021 don't buy any VR headset. This month will see some major announcements from Varjo, Oculus and Pimax so its possible landscape is due to change.

As for input.. I use the mouse, and click as much as I can in the cockpit. I don't find this a problem. Some buttons will need to be bound to hotas and button box (maybe part of a throttle) is handy for flaps, gear etc.

Try not to use the keyboard at all. Its easier than you think. I can find the esc key for menu, and have f buttons marked for views (although these are rebindable). To be honest even when I was in 2D I could never remember any two or three combo keyboard modifiers anyway!

[Supmua]

Hold off purchase if you can. Multiple new headsets are going to be announced soon from Varjo, Oculus and Pimax.