OpenFSR vs steam SS

[DeltaMike]

Wondering where in the scheme of things OpenFSR does its undersampling, and how that affects barrel distortion and central resolution. 

Near as I can tell, Steam SS settings account for barrel distortion. So let's say we are using a G2.  We want the game to render at 2100x2100 approx.  Steam suggests actually rendering at 3000x3000 approx due to data loss that occurs as a result of  barrel distortion.  In other words, once the barrel disortion is completed, we are back to native resolution, but with pixel density much higher at the periphery, than in central vision.  You gotta upsample to preserve pixel density in the center.  

Using Steam SS settings, I do seem to lose some resolution in the center if I undersample (as measured by spotting distance) regardless of whether I do this in global, or per-app settings.  

Using the FSR mod, my spotting distance seems to be about the same as running 100% SS -- it's a blurry mess, but it's there -- which suggests to me that undersampling occurs before barrel distortion correction. 

So in other words, steam knows we are using a G2 and calls for 2100x2100 from the game.  It upscales this to 130%. Barrel distortion downscales this right back down to 2100x2100 and then Steam feeds that to your headset.  Would it be fair to say, then, that FSR hijacks this at the outset, only calls for 80% of native, then steam upscales that by 130%, downscales it right back down to 80%, and then FSR handles upscaling it up to native resolution before feeding it to the headset?

If so, I imagine that's why you would use FSR over steam SS, no? 

That said, the game doesn't look terrible at Steam SS 80%.  Something is upscaling the image, I imagine that something is the GPU, and it's not doing a terrible job of it.  

[Pocket Kings]

I cannot speak for the internals of FSR, you'd have to ask fholger over at github to get an elaborate answer. However, I played with the settings for days back and forth and I can only suggest to any other newbie to the topic: Begin with 100% Steam SS, Pixel Density of 1.0 within DCS and downscale with FSR. Also, play with a much smaller radius. Tried as low as 0.3 and it wasn't terrible at all. I don't see any real world, that is "IN FLIGHT" and NOT cold and dark on the ground, differences that break immersion to the extent that I want to get rid of FSR.

Currently I'm struggling with the variants of anti aliasing, MSAA, FXAA and the likes. Performance is great, but power lines and fences look awful.