Game version 2.009 discussion: Open VR support

[Halon]

In recognition of this excellent update (even as a non-VR pleb) I've just pre-ordered Kuban.

[Panthera_Tigris]

good job gentlemen. VR is outstanding. The trees are much better. I had shelved BoX until VR was back. Now I've shelved DCS probably for good

 

I didn't even know the devs were working on VR till I got the mail about this patch today. I have never played BoX in VR but planning to next week when I get my 1080Ti. I played a bit of DCS on my Vive, how does this compare?  

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

A new era in Combat Flight Simming just started today, let's just pause to think about that. In a few years the huge majority of simmers will fly in VR.

 

Let's now spread the GOOD WORD that a hi-fidelity combat flight sim with a superb implementation of VR exists. Unlike DCS this sim can actually be flown on very easy settings, so I think a whole new market of early VR adopters will open up.

 

Jason, maybe consider a free download of an "Il-2 VR demo"? - Let's say with just one plane flying around in the best terrain you have (maybe some mountainous Kuban area?).

 

This great VR experience should really get a wider audience. It will bring so much exposure and PR to Il-2 from way beyond narrow flightsimming circles.

Yes but two plane demo. E4 and LaGG. Better would be E4 and a Spit.

[BigC208]

The future is here! Great job guys! Took me 1 minute to setup with the rift.

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

The pimax doesn't really do 4k but it does an excellent job of 2k in each eye. It only did 60hrz but every review with the current firmware days it does an excellent job and is a vastly superior display. It does not have 6dof, only looking up/down left/right but when Nolo VR comes out you can add 6dof for $150. It's steam be compatible so it will work with il2 at 1440p.

A competent VR set for the price of a Track IR would be great starting point for new users on this new tech.

[Torso]

A competent VR set for the price of a Track IR would be great starting point for new users on this new tech.

 

I don't think you will ever see VR sets , good ones, going for sub $200. Now if you have GearVR, with your phone and Nolo you may achieve it, but again, you need your $500-600 phone to do it. But hey it does other stuff too of course.

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

Yes but two plane demo. E4 and LaGG. Better would be E4 and a Spit.

This has been discussed on first or second Q&A session. Having BoS and two expansions I guess team could afford to set two machines free and sort part of the product as a demo. Certainly not a bad idea. 

[dburne]

In messing around with settings more this weekend to see what real limitations are. However, having the map screen pop up and not cover your entire view is outstanding. Best feature of all. Feels natural.

 

Indeed, they did a great job with the map for VR.

[Danziger]

All of these great comments and shared experiences are making me hungry to buy a VR machine.

[71st_AH_Mastiff]

All of these great comments and shared experiences are making me hungry to buy a VR machine.

me too I just accidentally bid on a broken one on eBay!

[Torso]

me too I just accidentally bid on a broken one on eBay!

 

All of these great comments and shared experiences are making me hungry to buy a VR machine.

 

 

If it is within a workable budget and your pc has the hp for it I cannot recommend it highly enough. If neither of you have had the chance to try a decent VR experience yet, you really are in for a treat. It is a sim game changer.

 

I had the best dogfight of my life last night, against 2 ai. By the end of it, I was barely alive, blood splatters on my goggles, sitting in a cockpit with an oil covered canopy, only able to see by looking through 3 holes that had been shot in it and able to move around in 3d and look through them to see out. The journey to make it back to base alive was one of the most immersive nail biting experiences I have had so far. And I have had both Rift and Vive from day 1 launches for both. Been doing DCS for yrs, VR since available, iRacing, ED, Assetto, Rally..yadda yadda. But damnit if IL-2 didn't deliver the best EXPERIENCE so far.

 

I also then earlier today went in a tank mission. To be inside your tank, taking shells and mg fire bouncing off the armor plating while I prayed it held up was damn fun. It is like it's own complete separate game and was a blast.

 

Too bad someone doesn't create like a VR buddy list that if you happen to be in the area of another member that has VR, those who haven't had a chance yet could setup a meet and try it perhaps so you can see for yourself.

Kinda just be open to demos.

Edited April 13, 2017 by Torso

[DD_Arthur]

Yup, that's me, lol.

 

Urufu!!!!!  Hey, Big   man.   Really nice to see you here. 

[Danziger]

Yes I'm beginning to think my $4.5k USD hard currency may be better spent on a PC upgrade and VR gear rather than a custom Gibson Flying V...

[No601_Swallow]

Bugger. Gotta get a VR setup! Wondering which of my children to... Nope - all of my half-formed slavery/organ-donation jokes are tasteless, so I'll go with simple bank robbery and/or finding more oligarchs to teach English to. Either that or set up an IL2-VR benevolent fund. Surely Elon Musk would chip in.

[LonnyEnds]

I haven't tried any other headset so I cannot compare FOV but it is listed as the same as the rift I believe. There is no 6dof but there is a pseudo effect if you lean and you can easily see over the nose. I am working on getting vjoy to work with my track ir. Will update as I progress. I also have found the drift is an issue but bearable for me.(my trackir clipped quite often so i was recentering alot) I do believe this will be remedied with nolo due out in June? They are working with Nolo vr directly(Also the devs are actively working on this and many other issues) Not ideal but the screen looks really good to me. Light ghosting but steady 60fps with no ill feelings.

 

Could you possibly do a quick capture like mine below one is of "display mirror" when you right click steam VR and one is a capture straight from PC screen as normal. Definate issue with Pimax and HDK2 apparently. Could you also elaborate on which Piplay version and Firmware you are running? 

 

 

[dburne]

me too I just accidentally bid on a broken one on eBay!

 

Well if you win hope it is not too " broken" badly.

Those things are pretty much not easy to repair and usually have to be replaced, like when they are under warranty.

[UrufuShinjiro]

Urufu!!!!!  Hey, Big   man.   Really nice to see you here.

 

Thanks man, I've been keeping up with the updates and additions but I have no room to drag out my hotas etc but as soon as I get moved out of this little apartment it's on! Lol

[dburne]

 

I had the best dogfight of my life last night, against 2 ai. By the end of it, I was barely alive, blood spatters on my goggles, sitting in a cockpit with an oil covered canopy, only able to see by looking through 3 holes that had been shot in it and able to move around in 3d and look through them to see out. The journey to make it back to base alive was one of the most immersive nail biting experiences I have had so far. And I have had both Rift and Vive from day 1 launches for both. Been doing DCS for yrs, VR since available, iRacing, ED, Assetto, Rally..yadda yadda. But damnit if IL-2 deliver the best EXPERIENCE so far.

 

 

I feel ya - very similar to my dogfight experiences with the AI since this thing released.

Absolutely incredible.

I am really looking forward to some serious campaign flying in this now.

 

I also have had fun just setting my plane on auto-pilot for the quick mission, relaxing back in my swivel chair - setting it to exterior view, and just turning in my chair and watching the action going on literally all around me. Breathtaking.

Edited April 13, 2017 by dburne

[No601_Swallow]

... After trying BOS with VR ive put my money where  my mouth (which is currently fixed in a wide grin) is and just purchased BOK and BOM and LA-5.

Can't wait to see where this will lead us ... 

Well done 777!

 

Accolades akimbo!

I feel ya - very similar to my dogfight experiences with the AI since this thing released.

Absolutely incredible.

I am really looking forward to some serious campaign flying in this now.

 

I also have had fun just setting my plane on auto-pilot for the quick mission, relaxing back in my swivel chair - setting it to exterior view, and just turning in my chair and watching the action going on literally all around me. Breathtaking.

 

Stop it. Just stop it. Not fair... 

[Torso]

I feel ya - very similar to my dogfight experiences with the AI since this thing released.

Absolutely incredible.

I am really looking forward to some serious campaign flying in this now.

 

I also have had fun just setting my plane on auto-pilot for the quick mission, relaxing back in my swivel chair - setting it to exterior view, and just turning in my chair and watching the action going on literally all around me. Breathtaking.

 

You got it dburne. I know you are enjoying your VR too. Yeah I love just watching even now. Another thing I actually enjoyed was just being in a gunner/bomber pos for a complete mission to see what it was like and it is a trip to just sit in the back of the plane or a turret/gunner pos and basically role play the mission. Was fun and something NO OTHER flight sim (not sure about other genres) can provide currently.

 

My custom VR chair is really paying off now because I retained all mobility functions on it even with all my mods so I can actually swivel in my chair just as the turret gunners do. Was just awesome it worked out at it has. So I am rotating around in real life as gunner is in game. I am sure I look funny doing it from outside but man inside it is another virtual world, literally.

Edited April 13, 2017 by Torso

[dburne]

You got it dburne. I know you are enjoying your VR too. Yeah I love just watching even now. Another thing I actually enjoyed was just being in a gunner/bomber pos for a complete mission to see what it was like and it is a trip to just sit in the back of the plane or a turret/gunner pos and basically role play the mission. Was fun and something NO OTHER game can provide currently.

 

My custom VR chair is really paying off now because I retained all mobility functions on it even with all my mods so I can actually swivel in my chair just as the turret gunners do. Was just awesome it worked out at it has. So I am rotating around in real life as gunner is in game. I am sure I look funny doing it from outside but man inside it is another virtual world, literally.

 

You probably don't look as funny as I playing a standing FPS game with the Oculus Touch controllers - which as I understand from my wife looks pretty crazy lol.

 

I am going to have to give the gunner position a try, had never tried that before as it did not really interest me, but now with what you describe in VR I will have to check it out.

 

This is awesome stuff.

[Torso]

You probably don't look as funny as I playing a standing FPS game with the Oculus Touch controllers - which as I understand from my wife looks pretty crazy lol.

 

I am going to have to give the gunner position a try, had never tried that before as it did not really interest me, but now with what you describe in VR I will have to check it out.

 

This is awesome stuff.

Yeah it can be entertaining for those even just around a person doing VR...lol.

 

Yeah it was real change. After doing a bunch of mission and dogfights and stuff, switching to different pos throughout flights in planes that allowed it. I said to myself, "wow, woulda been kinda crazy to be back here for a whole mission as a real crew member, eh, why not try it?" So I did. Was different for sure and just another cool option to use if wanted.

Edited April 13, 2017 by Torso

[Brownshortz]

 

Ok I'm getting seriously jealous with all these descriptions of the VR experience lol. Can anyone tell me if my rig would be capable of playing it adequately....if so I might just fork out the cash. I have a GTX 980 with 4GB and in I7 2700K processor with 16GB of system RAM. Anyone using a similar rig with VR?

[AldoUSMC]

Ok.. enjoying the VR implementation very much... Thanks Devs.

 

I know this is primarily a flight sim... BUT... you VR folks have jumped into a Tank to see what that's like also in VR .. right ??? !!!

 

If not... do it... you will find it very interesting I think.

 

Spoiler..range sight is very hard to see in black due to screen door effects..... but Devs will probably fix that implementation soon.....

 

Get ye to a Tank Warriors !  See what it's like to be pounded on by all those pilot types and get in a direct fire slug-fest with another tank !

 

Semper Fi

AldoUSMC

[Dave]

Could the dev team possibly obtain a StarVR rig from StarBreeze?

Until consumer VR resolution and FOV improve to those of the StarVR I'm not buying, but it would be good if development can get ahead of the curve.

[HelldiversYonaps]

Anyone with a VR headset, how they work with headphones? Id like to use my beyerdynamic cans instead of the cheapo ones that come with the vive/rift. Does the strap get in the way?

If you got a rift the headphones are okay, they fit nicely and they sound good no need to put on headset. VR is the best I can't go back to monitor.

One thing if you use VR be careful with your neck , you might break it looking at your back.

 

 

Ok I'm getting seriously jealous with all these descriptions of the VR experience lol. Can anyone tell me if my rig would be capable of playing it adequately....if so I might just fork out the cash. I have a GTX 980 with 4GB and in I7 2700K processor with 16GB of system RAM. Anyone using a similar rig with VR?

 

I use my rift with msi laptop similar to your specs. works fine, no issues. 

Could the dev team possibly obtain a StarVR rig from StarBreeze?

Until consumer VR resolution and FOV improve to those of the StarVR I'm not buying, but it would be good if development can get ahead of the curve.

youre missing a lot bro

[Han]

Hello,

 

Some thoughts on idea to remove link between in-canopy head camera movement limits in VR and "External Views" option.

 

Let's look to the future a bit in case if we will do this. 

 

 

- Ok, we have removed VR in-cockpit head camera moving restriction link to "external views" option.

 

- After a week (or may be a day) after releasing this - hardcore multiplayer 2D-monitors community will complain that VR customers have no limits in looking backward and downward as monitor users have - you may to lay VR helmet down on the floor and look on your monitor what is happeingng below your airplane belly. Or you may stand up and look behind what is happening behind and below your plane tail, while it's impossible in reality and on monitor. Or you may move aside of canopy and look forward-below your plane nose. Or you even able to move view outside the closed tank armour. And so on.

 

- After two weeks (or may be in two days) after releasing this - hardcore multiplayer 2D-monitors community will complain that Developers got to add an option to not allow VR customers to connect to hardcore servers, where external views are locked. "Or we will quit!" - they will say. And again we will be "opened to community" and we will add this "lock for ability of VR users to connect to hardcore servers" to Multiplayer

 

- After three weeks (or may be in three days) VR customers will complain again - "Why we can't play on hardcore multiplayer servers with our lovely VR?". "Remove this restroction too or we will quit!" - they will say.

 

- So in final, everyone will be angry in a month. And only possible compromise in this situation, which allow VR and 2D customers to play together in hardcore multiplayer and don't be angry - is a current solution, when VR and 2D monitor have the same limits in total field of view from cockpit. 

 

So... We hope on community here - we hope that everyone understand that this is no our "evil will" but this is only possible compromise.

[II/JG11_ATLAN_VR]

 

[coconut]

Can we get an option in the launcher to enable/disable VR? I want to use VR when playing, but not when testing missions. Or maybe a command-line option, so that I can make a short-cut "start without VR".

[71st_AH_Mastiff]

maybe set the FOV to 110 degrees and call it even?

 

remove the head bang sound, low speeds, allow head movement outside open window?

 

when speeds increase above 115 mph, cause head to gradually move back into the cockpit?

 

I know at above speeds on my moto at 115 mph, it's hard to keep your head up above the fairing. unless you have a superman neck.

[SG1_Zveroboi]

Great news! I was waiting for him to decide to buy the collector's version

Buying IL2 BOS in 3, 2, 1 ...

[HelldiversYonaps]

No, my fps is fine, around 90. But randomly kicking gray screen in game and in hangar, it is some tracking problem.

I have my tracker less than 1m maby that is a problem. Is it possible to add second tracker to Oculus, as when i want to look behind I also get gray screen,

 

Iside the VR world is amazing!...

[C6_lefuneste]

Regarding my problem with OSVR HDK2 (and not oculus DK2...) I had the following lines in startup.cfg:

 

    or_enable = 1
    or_height = 1920
    or_hud_rad = 1.50000
    or_hud_size = 0.75000
    or_ipd = 0.06300
    or_width = 3456

 

I did not understand the values _height and width. They did not match the HDK2 resolution (2160x1200).  I tried to change them, but it does nothing and they went  back to their values...

Do you have the same lines ? Are they the same for Rift or Vive ?

[Sneaksie]

2.009c hotfix

 

- 'Collapsed HUD' issue fixed

Can we get an option in the launcher to enable/disable VR? I want to use VR when playing, but not when testing missions. Or maybe a command-line option, so that I can make a short-cut "start without VR".

 

You can use this command line option to turn VR off:

 

IL-2.exe or_enable=0

 

and this to turn it on ( the second parameter turns on exclusive input so the game won't lose focus if it runs in window mode):

 

IL-2.exe or_enable=1;exclusive=1

[coconut]

Regarding my problem with OSVR HDK2 (and not oculus DK2...) I had the following lines in startup.cfg:

 

    or_enable = 1

    or_height = 1920

    or_hud_rad = 1.50000

    or_hud_size = 0.75000

    or_ipd = 0.06300

    or_width = 3456

 

I did not understand the values _height and width. They did not match the HDK2 resolution (2160x1200).  I tried to change them, but it does nothing and they went  back to their values...

Do you have the same lines ? Are they the same for Rift or Vive ?

 

With an oculus rift I get this:

	or_enable = 1
	or_height = 2064
	or_hud_rad = 1.0000
	or_hud_size = 0.9
	or_ipd = 0.06436
	or_lens_offs = 1.00000
	or_width = 1744

I changed the or_hud_rad and or_hud_size to make it larger, which makes the text in the menus and the map easier to read.

or_ipd, or_height and or_width get overwritten. Maybe they are retrieved from the VR runtime and stored there. I tried changing or_height and or_width, but this had no visible effect. And then they got overwritten by the game.

 

 

You can use this command line option to turn VR off: IL-2.exe or_enable=0 and this to turn it on ( the second parameter turns on exclusive input so the game won't lose focus if it runs in window mode): IL-2.exe or_enable=1;exclusive=1

 

Thanks a lot!

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

I didn't even know the devs were working on VR till I got the mail about this patch today. I have never played BoX in VR but planning to next week when I get my 1080Ti. I played a bit of DCS on my Vive, how does this compare?  

Depends on your set up, for me BOS runs a little better. DCS is a little jerky even on low settings, playable in the Vive still. 

[Bearfoot]

Hello,

 

Some thoughts on idea to remove link between in-canopy head camera movement limits in VR and "External Views" option.

 

Let's look to the future a bit in case if we will do this. 

 

 

- Ok, we have removed VR in-cockpit head camera moving restriction link to "external views" option.

 

- After a week (or may be a day) after releasing this - hardcore multiplayer 2D-monitors community will complain that VR customers have no limits in looking backward and downward as monitor users have - you may to lay VR helmet down on the floor and look on your monitor what is happeingng below your airplane belly. Or you may stand up and look behind what is happening behind and below your plane tail, while it's impossible in reality and on monitor. Or you may move aside of canopy and look forward-below your plane nose. Or you even able to move view outside the closed tank armour. And so on.

 

- After two weeks (or may be in two days) after releasing this - hardcore multiplayer 2D-monitors community will complain that Developers got to add an option to not allow VR customers to connect to hardcore servers, where external views are locked. "Or we will quit!" - they will say. And again we will be "opened to community" and we will add this "lock for ability of VR users to connect to hardcore servers" to Multiplayer

 

- After three weeks (or may be in three days) VR customers will complain again - "Why we can't play on hardcore multiplayer servers with our lovely VR?". "Remove this restroction too or we will quit!" - they will say.

 

- So in final, everyone will be angry in a month. And only possible compromise in this situation, which allow VR and 2D customers to play together in hardcore multiplayer and don't be angry - is a current solution, when VR and 2D monitor have the same limits in total field of view from cockpit. 

 

So... We hope on community here - we hope that everyone understand that this is no our "evil will" but this is only possible compromise.

 

Thank you for sharing this. Really appreciate the communication!

 

If I may offer an opinion here?

 

(1) As a VR user, I find it exceedingly difficult to turn around enough to properly check 6, let alone take my headset off and place on the floor etc. Maybe if I can pause the game, but almost certainly not if I have to keep hand on stick. Perhaps not all "cheats" will be this extreme, but, even so, it seems that there are a very limited range of situations when it is possible to "cheat" with this, and many of those cases have self-imposed limitations in gains (e.g., it will be so disorienting to do it, that you cannot really do it in the middle of combat, so I can only see doing it when flying straight and level).

 

(2) The "other" sims do not have this restriction in VR, and have had VR for a long time, and while there have been the usual angry, upset, pro/con, whining, etc. in the community, to my knowledge (and I could be wrong), there has been no discussion or issues or complaints about the lack of head restriction causing cheating. At least in DCS. And VR has been out there for looong time. There has been talk of a VR only server on one single thread, but the motivation there was that one VR user felt at a disadvantage due to spotting difficulties and the greater/easier TrackIR FOV. That did not go very far.

 

(3) Either way, by decoupling the head restriction option from external views option, you will give the servers/community a chance to experiment with whatever combination of options best suits them. Through natural selection, the optimum will prevail. That way, we do not need to rely on palantirs

 

Anyway, again, appreciate your discussion of these issues with us.

 

And I've said it before, but will say it again: THANK YOU for a great product that you all (developers) clearly love as much as we (community) do! Thank you for the VR implementation --- one of the absolute best I've seen across the genre. But also thank you for all the work/time/effort you have done before, and thank you for the work you will be doing in the future!  

[Rolling_Thunder]

A competent VR set for the price of a Track IR would be great starting point for new users on this new tech.

Folk will fall over themselves to tell everybody to buy everything Jason and crew develop no matter how much it costs. Even saying they'd pay double the current cost as in their mind it is worth it. VR elevates the game into a sim. It really does. If anyone in the Seattle area, who doesn't have VR and wants to try it out, shoot me a pm. Come over try it out. I guarantee the experience will tip the scales between the cost of a three monitor set up and VR.

I said it before and I'll say it again

VR will sell this game and this game will sell VR

[kendo]

Yes I'm beginning to think my $4.5k USD hard currency may be better spent on a PC upgrade and VR gear rather than a custom Gibson Flying V...

 

Now...that is a dilemma! 

[RustNeverSleeps]

Thank you for sharing this. Really appreciate the communication!

 

If I may offer an opinion here?

 

(1) As a VR user, I find it exceedingly difficult to turn around enough to properly check 6, let alone take my headset off and place on the floor etc. Maybe if I can pause the game, but almost certainly not if I have to keep hand on stick. Perhaps not all "cheats" will be this extreme, but, even so, it seems that there are a very limited range of situations when it is possible to "cheat" with this, and many of those cases have self-imposed limitations in gains (e.g., it will be so disorienting to do it, that you cannot really do it in the middle of combat, so I can only see doing it when flying straight and level).

 

(2) The "other" sims do not have this restriction in VR, and have had VR for a long time, and while there have been the usual angry, upset, pro/con, whining, etc. in the community, to my knowledge (and I could be wrong), there has been no discussion or issues or complaints about the lack of head restriction causing cheating. At least in DCS. And VR has been out there for looong time. There has been talk of a VR only server on one single thread, but the motivation there was that one VR user felt at a disadvantage due to spotting difficulties and the greater/easier TrackIR FOV. That did not go very far.

 

(3) Either way, by decoupling the head restriction option from external views option, you will give the servers/community a chance to experiment with whatever combination of options best suits them. Through natural selection, the optimum will prevail. That way, we do not need to rely on palantirs

 

Anyway, again, appreciate your discussion of these issues with us.

 

And I've said it before, but will say it again: THANK YOU for a great product that you all (developers) clearly love as much as we (community) do! Thank you for the VR implementation --- one of the absolute best I've seen across the genre. But also thank you for all the work/time/effort you have done before, and thank you for the work you will be doing in the future!  

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, i echo this sentiment. Neither DCS or War Thunder have had any complaints about VR users sticking heads out the cockpit.  I think maybe you guys are underestimating the willingness of this community to embrace a new technology. After all there are several disadvantages with VR that the monitor folks don't have to equalize the field. 

 

I'm going on and on about htis issue so I'll stop, but I sure do appreciate the hard work you guys have put into this patch. It's awesome all around.