VR tips and tricks - Improving your VR experience! -Updated 9th/Dec/2020

[41Sqn_Skipper]

43 minutes ago, SCG_Fenris_Wolf said:

Updated first post. Suggestions are welcome to add to this knowledge base

 

Did disabling PreallocateVirtualMonitors really improve performance for you?

 

Suggestions for improvement:

- add explanation how to switch from 90Hz to 60Hz mode (In settings of mixed reality portal)

- is enabeling half-res mode in mixed reality portal working when using steamvr? (That is switching from quality to performance resolution in mixed reality portal. It doesn't have any effect for me)

- explanation how to enable motion smoothing (45 fps mode) in SteamVR (must be enabled in dashboard within SteamVR room)

- explain how to set "per application video settings" for stand-alone il2 (il2 must be running while opening the SteamVR settings to be listed there)

Edited December 9, 2020 by 41Sqn_Skipper

[dburne]

17 minutes ago, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

 

Did disabling PreallocateVirtualMonitors really improve performance for you?

 

Suggestions for improvement:

- add explanation how to switch from 90Hz to 60Hz mode (In settings of mixed reality portal)

- is enabeling half-res mode in mixed reality portal working when using steamvr? (That is switching from quality to performance resolution in mixed reality portal. It doesn't have any effect for me)

- explanation how to enable motion smoothing (45 fps mode) in SteamVR (must be enabled in dashboard within SteamVR room)

- explain how to set "per application video settings" for stand-alone il2 (il2 must be running while opening the SteamVR settings to be listed there)

 

For non Steam IL-2, you can add it to your Steam Library so it will be showing in there without the game running.

Have to add it both to Steam and then to Steam VR.

Just be careful it may ask if you wish to merge it with Steam version of the game, you would not want that.

[41Sqn_Skipper]

36 minutes ago, dburne said:

Have to add it both to Steam and then to Steam VR.

How do you add it to steam vr?

[dburne]

5 minutes ago, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

How do you add it to steam vr?

 

Don't remember off top of my head, it is in there somewhere. I will try and have a look a little later.

[Charlo-VRde]

37 minutes ago, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

How do you add it to steam vr?

 

I found out the solution from an old Reddit thread just now. After adding a non-Steam game to your Steam library, go to it and right-click on it in your Steam library. Choose "Properties" and you will see the option to add it to your VR library.

[SCG_Fenris_Wolf]

7 hours ago, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

 

1) Did disabling PreallocateVirtualMonitors really improve performance for you?

 

Suggestions for improvement:

2) add explanation how to switch from 90Hz to 60Hz mode (In settings of mixed reality portal)

3) is enabeling half-res mode in mixed reality portal working when using steamvr? (That is switching from quality to performance resolution in mixed reality portal. It doesn't have any effect for me)

4) explanation how to enable motion smoothing (45 fps mode) in SteamVR (must be enabled in dashboard within SteamVR room)

(answered by chiliwili69) explain how to set "per application video settings" for stand-alone il2 (il2 must be running while opening the SteamVR settings to be listed there)

1) I have multiple monitors, which were all duplicated, so the answer for you may be "depends on your setup". It has other benefits it fixes as well.

2) I do not recommend 60Hz, for it considerably impacts gunnery and spotting negatively. The latter especially above forests.

3) The quality setting in Mixed Reality Portal refers only to the Mixed Reality environment (Cliffhouse, etc.), it won't affect SteamVR.

4) I do not recommend motion smoothing, it leads to artifacts: Double planes, and the sun warps and flashes along bars, and aircraft quickly vanish and re-appear above forests. So it impacts spotting negatively.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by SCG_Fenris_Wolf

[Blitzen]

Please work out all the installation and set up kinks in the next 2 weeks...because:

Hi James,

 

Your order is on track.

 

We are going to be receiving shipments from hp in a consistent schedule starting next week.

 

I believe your order should ship out in 2 weeks if my estimate is correct.

 

YAY! Now for that AMD 6800 Graphics card ...

[dburne]

1 minute ago, Blitzen said:

Please work out all the installation and set up kinks in the next 2 weeks...because:

Hi James,

 

Your order is on track.

 

We are going to be receiving shipments from hp in a consistent schedule starting next week.

 

I believe your order should ship out in 2 weeks if my estimate is correct.

 

YAY! Now for that AMD 6800 Graphics card ...

 

 

 

Yay - you are in for a treat!

[Blitzen]

12 minutes ago, dburne said:

 

 

 

Yay - you are in for a treat!

I think I may have to be patient for that 6800 AMD ( or 3070) card....sigh....

[41Sqn_Skipper]

19 hours ago, SCG_Fenris_Wolf said:

2) I do not recommend 60Hz, for it considerably impacts gunnery and spotting negatively. The latter especially above forests.

 

Is it better to use 90Hz mode instead and accept fps between 60-90 fps?

[SCG_Fenris_Wolf]

18 hours ago, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

 

Is it better to use 90Hz mode instead and accept fps between 60-90 fps?

I'd lower the settings until I could keep a steady 90Hz! 

[41Sqn_Skipper]

49 minutes ago, SCG_Fenris_Wolf said:

I'd lower the settings until I could keep a steady 90Hz! 

 

It's to ugly unfortunately (e.g. cloud quality low) or I have to drop to 50% resolution, which also bad.

Edited December 11, 2020 by 41Sqn_Skipper

[enyak]

I have tested settings today but have find it challenging to find a good compromise for the G2 on a 3090 to get 90Hz with good clarity.

I forgot to say problem is the clouds. As soon as you have light clouds a stable 90fps setting becomes 45fps. Still looks good with motion smoothing but 90fps is heaven for immediate controls feedback.

[Charlo-VRde]

13 minutes ago, enyak said:

I have tested settings today but have find it challenging to find a good compromise for the G2 on a 3090 to get 90Hz with good clarity.

 

I have been enjoying these settings recently with the G2 at 100% in SteamVR with Advanced Supersample Filtering and Motion Smoothing both set to off. I get close to 90 fps in SP 8 x 8 Quick Missions, though oddly the same settings indicate in fpsVR only 45 fps in MP, such as in Combat Box and Finnish Virtual Pilots.

 

[enyak]

4 minutes ago, Charlo-VR said:

 

I have been enjoying these settings recently with the G2 at 100% in SteamVR with Advanced Supersample Filtering and Motion Smoothing both set to off. I get close to 90 fps in SP 8 x 8 Quick Missions, though oddly the same settings indicate in fpsVR only 45 fps in MP, such as in Combat Box and Finnish Virtual Pilots.

 

Thank you, I will give it a try. Can you post both SteamVR SS and the application specific (IL-2) SS Setting used?

 

Also I think the difference in MP may be clouds. Did you also set them in QMB?

Edited December 11, 2020 by enyak

[Charlo-VRde]

@enyakthat's a very good point about clouds, I usually fly in clear skies in Quick Missions. Even at an apparent 45 fps in MP I enjoy the view very much and can spot more easily now than ever before (I had a Quest before this G2 and only started running the G2 at 100% resolution recently).

Edited December 11, 2020 by Charlo-VR
Added name

[Pekka_Rayha]

So it seems like all of you use SteamVR, isn't OpenComposite a thing anymore? I think I'm getting better frames with it. 

[enyak]

7 minutes ago, Pekka_Rayha said:

So it seems like all of you use SteamVR, isn't OpenComposite a thing anymore? I think I'm getting better frames with it. 

 

AFAIK it's Oculus-only, so not suitable for WMR headsets like the G2.

[dburne]

31 minutes ago, enyak said:

 

AFAIK it's Oculus-only, so not suitable for WMR headsets like the G2.

 

Correct. Oculus only.

[Pekka_Rayha]

9 hours ago, enyak said:

 

AFAIK it's Oculus-only, so not suitable for WMR headsets like the G2.

 

9 hours ago, dburne said:

 

Correct. Oculus only.

Ah, okay. I've only had Rift S and Q2 so that explains my ignorance. 

[enyak]

Wow, now I feel dumb. I only just spotted Fenris optimized G2 startup.cfg in the first post and tried it out with the following tweaks:

SteamVR SS: 100% (3164 x 3096)

IL-2 Application SS: 80% (2832 x 2768)

Fenris - startup.cfg: shadows_quality = 2

 

Now I can hold 80% 90fps in a 4vs4 QMB with light clouds with great visual quality. It looks and plays absolutely amazing! I am sure more tweaking will be necessary but it's a really promising base to start off from.

 

UPDATE: Just tried out MP on WoL and I also get 90fps with the current settings. Amazing, I can never go back to 45fps. Fenris, du bist ein Genie!

Edited December 12, 2020 by enyak

[Tball]

Hi all

 

I have a G2 coming in soon. I only own an old 1080, so I have planned to get a new gfx card (if I can get the hold of one).

 

My impressions after reading a lot of forum posts,  is that you need a beefy gfx card that has enough video memory to run a good resolution. A resolution preferably much higher than the G2's display resolution, so the sweet spot is increased as much as possible.

 

Question: Is a 3080 with 10GB memory enough or should I wait for a 3080ti with 20GB memory? Do you know how much memory IL2 uses, if you run with ss: 100%?

 

Btw I'm a VR newbie. So this post is only based on what I have read on these forums.

 

[enyak]

35 minutes ago, Tball said:

Question: Is a 3080 with 10GB memory enough or should I wait for a 3080ti with 20GB memory? Do you know how much memory IL2 uses, if you run with ss: 100%?

 

Btw I'm a VR newbie. So this post is only based on what I have read on these forums.

 

 

fpsVR indicates that IL-2 never uses more than ~9GB VRAM so I think the 3080 will be perfect!

[Tball]

57 minutes ago, enyak said:

 

fpsVR indicates that IL-2 never uses more than ~9GB VRAM so I think the 3080 will be perfect!

Thanks for your feedback.

 

What gfx card are you currently using? If it is 3080, maybe it is only using 9GB because there is only 10GB available?

[enyak]

Just now, Tball said:

Thanks for your feedback.

 

What gfx card are you currently using? If it is 3080, maybe it is only using 9GB because there is only 10GB available?

 

3090, so it shows something like ~8-9/24GB.

2D MSFS also doesn't use more than 7-8GB VRAM, but I don't know about VR yet.

DCS VR now this does use a lot more than 10GB on the higher settings. It's an absolute pig for VRAM.

[Tball]

1 minute ago, enyak said:

 

3090, so it shows something like ~8-9/24GB.

2D MSFS also doesn't use more than 7-8GB VRAM, but I don't know about VR yet.

DCS VR now this does use a lot more than 10GB on the higher settings. It's an absolute pig for VRAM.

Thanks for the info.

 

Much appreciated.

[Charlo-VRde]

@Tball and @enyak, fpsVR may be displaying allocated VRAM and not actual VRAM, which means it is probably showing more VRAM usage than is actually necessary. On my 3090 fpsVR shows 11.5 GBs of VRAM usage, and @chiliwili69 recommended MSI Afterburner to see actual VRAM usage. I haven’t yet tried that as explained at https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/iyl91r/comment/g6dic16?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 

 

[Tball]

@Charlo-VR @enyak I think I'm going to wait for a 3080ti. More future and VR prove.

[41Sqn_Skipper]

16 minutes ago, Tball said:

@Charlo-VR @enyak I think I'm going to wait for a 3080ti. More future and VR prove.

 

While VRAM is not an issue, it seems like even a 3090 is struggeling to get 90fps at 100% render resolution in everything but "best case" scenarios (in other words everything but clear sky). So in every case you need to lower some settings. Which basically means: get what you can afford, nothing will be good enough to max out all settings.

[Tball]

15 hours ago, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

 

While VRAM is not an issue, it seems like even a 3090 is struggeling to get 90fps at 100% render resolution in everything but "best case" scenarios (in other words everything but clear sky). So in every case you need to lower some settings. Which basically means: get what you can afford, nothing will be good enough to max out all settings.

 

Good point. I just don't want to end up spending a lot of money on a gfx card, that might not run something due to lag of video memory. Well its impossible to get a Nvidia card right now anyway ?

[SCG_Fenris_Wolf]

Be advised that RAM isn't equal to RAM.

 

The AMD GPUs have 16GB but can't compete with Team Green beyond 4K. In VR, the Reverb G2 ranges up to 6K at its intended resolution (which does look much better than 50% indeed). When the 6900xt performs worse than the 3080FE you'll know it's aimed at gamers of 2D but without those very high resolutions in mind.

 

 

The 3080ti may come somewhen in late spring of 2021, and if you're lucky you'll get one in summer 2021. Don't get fooled by "leaks" on YouTube, or folks there "benching" the 3080ti. It's clickbait, and thousands fall for it and soak it up. I'm also certain it will sit at 1200€, like the previous 2080ti. And during the first month's may reach higher prices, up to 1400€.

[Tball]

@SCG_Fenris_Wolf thanks for the heads up. Do you think I might as well buy the 3090? After all it is easier to get in my country than 3080.

 

I know people might just try to hype 3080TI up, but I cant get a Nvidia card before January anyway, so might as well just wait and see if 3080TI does indeed get released in January.

[SCG_Fenris_Wolf]

The 3080ti will be just as quick as the 3090 with the same amount of cores but I really doubt two things:

1) Earlier than spring (Aprilesque)

2) Below 1200€ ($1320)

 

People will scalp the hell out of it.

[Charlo-VRde]

On 12/12/2020 at 7:20 AM, Charlo-VR said:

@Tball and @enyak, fpsVR may be displaying allocated VRAM and not actual VRAM, which means it is probably showing more VRAM usage than is actually necessary. On my 3090 fpsVR shows 11.5 GBs of VRAM usage, and @chiliwili69 recommended MSI Afterburner to see actual VRAM usage. I haven’t yet tried that as explained at https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/iyl91r/comment/g6dic16?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 

 

 

I just spent a couple of hours flying on Flugpark with up to 30 other folk there. I was able to maintain FPS in the high 80s using the settings I posted on the previous page of this thread (though I find it more convenient now to nor run full screen).

 

@chiliwili69 , following the advice in the above link the MSI Afterburner 4.6.3 Beta 2 Build 15840 shows I maxed out at 11.6 Gbs of VRAM "dedicated memory usage" (which I interpret as "allocated" and matches what fpsVR displays for me), but I maxed out at 5.1Gbs of VRAM "dedicated memory usage\process", which I interpret as actual VRAM used by IL2.

[chiliwili69]

7 hours ago, Charlo-VR said:

@chiliwili69 , following the advice in the above link the MSI Afterburner 4.6.3 Beta 2 Build 15840 shows I maxed out at 11.6 Gbs of VRAM "dedicated memory usage" (which I interpret as "allocated" and matches what fpsVR displays for me), but I maxed out at 5.1Gbs of VRAM "dedicated memory usage\process", which I interpret as actual VRAM used by IL2

 

Thanks!  I dind´t try it the MSI Afterburner beta. But yes, this should be the real memory usage of IL-2. I have to try this as well.

It is a big difference going from 11.6 to 5.1. It means then that cards with 10Gb should be more than OK for IL-2 in terms of VRAM.

[HokieRob]

On 12/12/2020 at 3:19 PM, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

 

While VRAM is not an issue, it seems like even a 3090 is struggeling to get 90fps at 100% render resolution in everything but "best case" scenarios (in other words everything but clear sky). So in every case you need to lower some settings. Which basically means: get what you can afford, nothing will be good enough to max out all settings.

Can confirm this. Wife surprised me with an early Christmas gift of a EVGA 3090 FTW3 Ultra this past weekend. Runs fantastic with my i7 8700k (OCd to 5.1ghz), 32gb RAM, and Rift S with most games and programs, but it seem like there's a "wall" in IL2 VR where the program stops using more of the GPU. After cranking up graphics settings, I think my highest GPU utilization was only 65% and only getting 45 fps with 18 AI taxiing and taking off on an airfield. Of course there could be a  CPU bottleneck but I wasn't seeing obvious signs. However, when I turned my settings back down to where I had them for my old 1080t ('High'with most settings in the middle), I was getting the smoothest VR flight experience I ever had, with my lowest FPS only briefly around 77 (Rift S=80 hz refresh) while in a dogfight with 20+ aircraft.

[41Sqn_Skipper]

@SCG_Fenris_Wolf I see you have "Sharpen" filter disabled. Is there any reason for this or just personal preference?

[dburne]

16 minutes ago, HokieRob said:

Can confirm this. Wife surprised me with an early Christmas gift of a EVGA 3090 FTW3 Ultra this past weekend. Runs fantastic with my i7 8700k (OCd to 5.1ghz), 32gb RAM, and Rift S with most games and programs, but it seem like there's a "wall" in IL2 VR where the program stops using more of the GPU. After cranking up graphics settings, I think my highest GPU utilization was only 65% and only getting 45 fps with 18 AI taxiing and taking off on an airfield. Of course there could be a  CPU bottleneck but I wasn't seeing obvious signs. However, when I turned my settings back down to where I had them for my old 1080t ('High'with most settings in the middle), I was getting the smoothest VR flight experience I ever had, with my lowest FPS only briefly around 77 (Rift S=80 hz refresh) while in a dogfight with 20+ aircraft.

 

She is most definitely a keeper.

Great card!

[SCG_Fenris_Wolf]

58 minutes ago, 41Sqn_Skipper said:

@SCG_Fenris_Wolf I see you have "Sharpen" filter disabled. Is there any reason for this or just personal preference?

Makes it incredibly easier to see contacts that are at higher altitude than you.

[brucevdm]

Good day everyone

 

I just received my g2 last week, i am new to vr and also il2, im a former warthunder player with a cheap logitech extreme joystick but have upgraded to vkb rudder and stick now, its still in the box still for about 3months now because i was waiting on all the gear i need to have more fun, still waiting on my custom made GVL224 throttle.

But to come to my question, i am trying to have the best settings for the g2 running at 90FPS, can anyone please assist me? i did all the settings which is on page one of this forum, it looks incredible but still not 90FPS.

My system is as follow, AMD 3700x, 32gig gskill ram, 2080ti, m.2 ssd, 

 

What would be the ideal settings?

 

Looking forward hearing from you guys