MT VR Broken for Varjo Aero users

[wheelie]

@BIGNEWY Hey mate are you guys actively aware of this VR issue with the Aero following the last update?

[wheelie]

I can confirm i also have this issue even with the i9 9900k.

If i have OpenXR toolkit enabled DCS crashes after both the headset and screen goes black.
If i set OpenXR toolkit to safe mode i see the mirror working properly but black screen in the headset.
If i disable OpenXR toolkit (no DFR) i can use as normal but with no OpenXR tookit settings or changes possible.

If i disable OpenXR toolkit and install DFR again i can use as normal.
Prior to the update i could use OpenXR toolkit without DFR and change all aspects of the headset/OXRTK/instance wrapper settings within game.

I have literally tried every conceivable combination of drivers, versions of OpenXRTK and various versions of varjo base and GPU drivers all to no avail.

Common error appears to be the following:

2023-07-05 00:02:14.599 ERROR   VISUALIZER (Main): OpenXR exception: runtime is not available
    Source: Projects\Visualizer\Source\OpenXR\openxr_program.cpp:322

Edited July 5, 2023 by wheelie

[BIGNEWY]

I dont have a varjo headset personally but I ask the team to check 

[wheelie]

10 minutes ago, BIGNEWY said:

I dont have a varjo headset personally but I ask the team to check 

Thanks Scott much appreciated sir.

[Fizzle]

I'm ashamed it took this long to find this, but checking the "Enable Virtual Reality Headset" option in the VR settings fixed this for me. I've been using the --force_enable_VR switch so long I forgot that setting even existed. With this setting ticked, the startup argument is irrelevant and DCS is starting in VR every time.

It looks as if the last patch introduced a race condition that affects reading launch arguments but not config settings.

To avoid having to launch DCS twice now when I want it in 2D (the first time to change the setting), you can modify the ["enable"] = true value, the last line below, in [Saved Games]\Config\options.lua. It has the same effect as changing the setting in-game.

options = {
	["VR"] = {
		["bloom"] = false,
		["box_mouse_cursor"] = true,
		["custom_IPD"] = "62.4",
		["custom_IPD_enable"] = false,
		["enable"] = true,

Hope this helps somebody else.

Edited July 19, 2023 by Fizzle

[daddio007]

Unfortunately, checking the "Enable Virtual Reality Headset" option in VR does not fix it for me.

@BIGNEWYI had Ticket # 141742 but it was auto closed since the devs were on break and no one has responded to it in several weeks. The log is in that ticket if you can get someone to address it. Happy to play tester if you don't have an Aero on the team.

 

I had to roll back to 2.8.6.41066. That fortunately still works.

 

Thanks for the suggestion though! Glad it works for you!

[Jyge]

I got my Varjo Aero on Monday and it was running VR only on single thread DCS.exe.  And no, the issue was not the checkbox, that was active on my DCS all right.

In the end I got the hint on Discord to roll back to previous openbeta. 

I gave I gave .\DCS_updater.exe update 2.8.6.41066@openbeta and it immediately started in VR with bin-mt/DCS.exe so there is something that was broken on the new version. I hope this information helps to fix it on the oncoming releases. 

[wheelie]

13 hours ago, daddio007 said:

I had to roll back to 2.8.6.41066. That fortunately still works.

 

Thanks for the suggestion though! Glad it works for you!

Where are you getting the previous version of the beta 14066 install? Did you already have it locally?
i'm at the point where i want to rollback.

[dburne]

6 hours ago, Jyge said:

I got my Varjo Aero on Monday and it was running VR only on single thread DCS.exe.  And no, the issue was not the checkbox, that was active on my DCS all right.

In the end I got the hint on Discord to roll back to previous openbeta. 

I gave I gave .\DCS_updater.exe update 2.8.6.41066@openbeta and it immediately started in VR with bin-mt/DCS.exe so there is something that was broken on the new version. I hope this information helps to fix it on the oncoming releases. 

 

Strange - latest beta version working great for me.

[zildac]

Same here latest OB and Varjo Base and no issue.

[wheelie]

7 minutes ago, zildac said:

Same here latest OB and Varjo Base and no issue.

Ok so quick question for those that are saying its ok.
Currently we cannot use OpenXR tooklit and Varjo Aero like we could previoiusly.
So within DCS we now don't have the ability to open the XR toolkit menus and amend the VR config with the current MT openbeta.

If your using DFR you already have OpenXR tooklit disabled and you won't see what we're referring to.

Does anyone currently use the OpenXR Toolkit enabled with the Aero and are able to open the XR Toolkit menus within DCS MT openbeta?

Edited July 20, 2023 by wheelie

[zildac]

As of two days ago there is a new version of Foveated that supports OXRTK. See here: https://github.com/mbucchia/Quad-Views-Foveated

But in answer to your question, no. I was using the previous version of Foveated, MT and had OXRTK disabled.

[edmuss]

23 minutes ago, zildac said:

As of two days ago there is a new version of Foveated that supports OXRTK. See here: https://github.com/mbucchia/Quad-Views-Foveated

But in answer to your question, no. I was using the previous version of Foveated, MT and had OXRTK disabled.

What he said ^^^
All working perfectly for me, no commandline switches, VR tickbox ticked, openxr toolkit and QVFR.

[Jyge]

4 hours ago, wheelie said:

Where are you getting the previous version of the beta 14066 install? Did you already have it locally?
i'm at the point where i want to rollback.

Like I said I used the command line entry with the DCS Updater - "DCS_updater.exe update 2.8.6.41066@openbeta"

[wheelie]

6 hours ago, Jyge said:

Like I said I used the command line entry with the DCS Updater - "DCS_updater.exe update 2.8.6.41066@openbeta"

Aha apologies chap didnt realise that would actually work, many thanks.

[DroptheHammer]

I can confirm with @Jyge that I am also a recent delivery Aero user (received 24 hrs ago).  I went through the same testing loop as him and ended up with the same resolution...

• DDU'd and went to latest nvidia drivers 536.67 - FAIL
• WMR Removal and Reverb G2 Drivers purge - FAIL
• double check --force_enable_VR --force_OpenXR was still enforced on MT (Yes I had this for my reverb G2 before, so it worked great) - varjo FAIL(still works on reverb G2...)
• full DCS SLOW repair remove all extra files - FAIL
• disable OXRTK - FAIL
• uninstall OXRTK - FAIL
• Varjo Foveated 2.0 - FAIL
• Mbuccia Quad Views Rendering - FAIL
• Attempt to use DCS Single Thread (this is where my story differes from @jyge) - FAIL
• Enable VR Headset Checkbox on - FAIL
• Disable VR Headset Checkbox - FAIL
• Re-Enable VR Headset Checkbox - FAIL
• Rollback to prior version of dcs 41066.1  - Success
• Varjo FOveated 2.0 with 41066.1 - Success
• QVFR with 41066.1 - Success
• Install and enable OXRTK - Success
• Toggle VR Headset Checkboxes - Successes, doesn't matter.
• Reinstall G2 for side by side testing - Success

I don't know if it's some difference between firmware or headset construction more recently that recent owners aren't connecting and older users are... But either way. Something broke in the last update that is keeping us from using DCS.

Edited July 26, 2023 by DroptheHammer

[wheelie]

@BIGNEWY

Scott can we get some information or clarification as to what changed in the last DCS patch that is not detailed in the change log please?
It appears something changed around VR that was not documented or detailed that specifically affects Varjo Aero headsets.
Openbeta v41066.1 doesnt have the issue.

Any clarification/details would be most appreciated.

[Fizzle]

On 7/18/2023 at 9:19 PM, Fizzle said:

I'm ashamed it took this long to find this, but checking the "Enable Virtual Reality Headset" option in the VR settings fixed this for me. I've been using the --force_enable_VR switch so long I forgot that setting even existed. With this setting ticked, the startup argument is irrelevant and DCS is starting in VR every time.

A few days later I have had a single instance where DCS didn't start in VR with this set. So it's not a complete fix, but it's definitely a big improvement. Used to get VR starts about 20% of the time, now it's more like 90%.

[wheelie]

9 minutes ago, Fizzle said:

A few days later I have had a single instance where DCS didn't start in VR with this set. So it's not a complete fix, but it's definitely a big improvement. Used to get VR starts about 20% of the time, now it's more like 90%.

Are you playing with OpenXR enabled and no DFR?
This seems to be the main issue, since the latest release we cannot use OpenXR toolkit with the wrapper as we could in 41066.1.
Matt has released the updated version of DFR which allows us to once again use OpenXRTK within DCS but turbo mode crashes DCS and the anti-aliasing is broken somehow, e.g when i look back at the sidewinders on the wingtips they are pixelated.

[Fizzle]

8 hours ago, wheelie said:

Are you playing with OpenXR enabled and no DFR?

I’m using OpenXR and still the older varjo-foveated DFR. No OpenXR toolkit.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Fizzle

[dburne]

I too run DFR with my Aero and am not running the Open XR Toolkit at this time. Since everything working so good for me have not tried the new Toolkit version.

[DroptheHammer]

Anyone try again this morning on the new patch? If not I’ll give it a go in a few hours..  

 

for me on the prior patch didn’t matter if I had DFR enabled or not or toolkit enabled or not… my aero just doesn’t launch with DCS unless I roll back to 41066.1 then it works fine no matter what combination of DFR and OXRTK I’m using (within mbuccias support matrix)

[Jyge]

2 hours ago, DroptheHammer said:

Anyone try again this morning on the new patch? If not I’ll give it a go in a few hours..  

Too busy at the moment with this irritating thing called work, I am afraid it will drag into Friday, but please give an update how it went.

[DroptheHammer]

Nope... still broken. I guess I'm going back to 41066.1 again @Jyge

Edited July 24, 2023 by DroptheHammer
pic

[DroptheHammer]

"S:\DCS World OpenBeta\bin-mt\DCS.exe" --force_enable_VR --force_OpenXR

^^ My Prompts

Edited July 24, 2023 by DroptheHammer