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

January 31, 2024

17 hours ago, Patricks said:

No idea of your equipment but a large percentage of VR users have switched to running IL-2 in OpenXR (vs. OpenVR - SteamVR) and seen performance gains. Add to that XRNS (XRNeckSafer) has more features and generally works much better\smoother than VRNS.. It's really just a matter of renaming (to be able to easily swap back) the existing OpenVR compatible opervr_api.dll in the x:\IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles\bin\game folder and dropping in the OpenXR compatible opervr_api.dll version. Done.

You can download the OpenXR version of "openvr_api.dll" here (32 or 64 bit depending on your system) - under Per-game installation - https://gitlab.com/znixian/OpenOVR/-/tree/openxr/ and save it.

You can download XRNS Beta5a from here - https://gitlab.com/NobiWan/xrnecksafer (scroll down until you see the "Download link: XRNecksaferBeta5a.msi"

is it always necessary to overwrite the DLL with the openxr version?

I downloaded open composite and openxr toolkit and was able to run IL2 in Openxr and bypass SteamVR without overwriting the DLL. Am I missing out on some kind of functionality or performance by not doing so? Thanks.

January 31, 2024

5 hours ago, c19580 said:

is it always necessary to overwrite the DLL with the openxr version?

I downloaded open composite and openxr toolkit and was able to run IL2 in Openxr and bypass SteamVR without overwriting the DLL. Am I missing out on some kind of functionality or performance by not doing so? Thanks.

No, functionality is the same but that switcher app stopped working for me back when I still had my G2. I'm not sure, but I believe the OpenComposite Switcher App does just that (saves original, drops in OpenXR version), but I prefer the one-and-done "Per Game" installation as I have 0 intention of ever using SteamVR in IL-2. Even so, I always save the original (Steam\OpenVR) version of opervr_api.dll by renaming it orig_opervr_api.dll before pasteing the OpenXR version in.

Edited January 31, 2024 by Patricks

February 2, 2024

On 1/31/2024 at 4:12 AM, Patricks said:

No, functionality is the same but that switcher app stopped working for me back when I still had my G2. I'm not sure, but I believe the OpenComposite Switcher App does just that (saves original, drops in OpenXR version), but I prefer the one-and-done "Per Game" installation as I have 0 intention of ever using SteamVR in IL-2. Even so, I always save the original (Steam\OpenVR) version of opervr_api.dll by renaming it orig_opervr_api.dll before pasteing the OpenXR version in.

thanks!

i recently switched from SteamVR to OpenXR and I must not yet have it dialed in correctly because it looks worse and not noticing a performance improvement, which is the opposite to what most people report.

i have a Quest 3, 4090 /13900k. Any settings you’d recommend I try in OpenXR Toolkit, il2 settings, NVidia control panel and Quest settings?

There are so many permutations across those 4 settings sources that I must be doing something wrong creating issues… for example, do I leave the resolution at 1.0X in the quest settings and only adjust in OXR toolkit? Do I use the NIS, CAS and at what percentage? Should the IL2 setting be left at blurred or sharpen and then adjust in OXR toolkit?

thanks!!

Edited February 2, 2024 by c19580

February 2, 2024

It's a mine field. I set any occulus or other settings can find to 1.0 and make alterations in XR toolkit only. I do use occulus tool tray too. Also, I follow OG Iceman settings from YouTube for nvidia control panel. That's it, and I'm happy with that on my 1080ti and 7th gen CPU with Quest 3

Edited February 2, 2024 by Argosafe

May 17, 2024

@OG__Iceman_VR
Hi. Thanks for your ongoing work on this topic of IL-2 and VR. From your video on the G2 (I believe 1 year ago), it looked like you had 90fps after your settings via Nvidia control panel plus OpenXR toolkit. You also indicated your have a 4080 and running at 100% resolution thru the Companion app that you showed.

I have a 4090 plus 14900 cpu, running at 90% resolution in Companion app (this was needed for me to get stable 90fps in DCS). I get stable 60fps in IL-2.

So, I'm really wondering if there is a setting either IN-GAME or somewhere else that may be keeping me from getting 90fps.

Appreciate any thoughts.

keith

July 12, 2024

I started playing IL2 VR now on Quest 2, and when looking in direction to the sun, it just cover EVERYTHING in my view. Its not like "Uh, the sun is overpowered", it is "The sun is making it unplayable to me". Anyone got this?

July 12, 2024

The sun effect is in correlation to fov. In pimax 8kx with large fov is much bigger than quest 2. be happy.

July 12, 2024

With my new 4070 Super I spent the obligatory hours going round in circles until I found what worked for my new card (running with a i5 8600k).

I really like using CAS at low percents - 30-40% - to make the view nice while running 100% resolution in the G2 with no AA or other 'sharpening'.

CAS seems to look much better than upscaling with NIS or FSR and then adding AA.

July 13, 2024

19 hours ago, DRosa said:

I started playing IL2 VR now on Quest 2, and when looking in direction to the sun, it just cover EVERYTHING in my view. Its not like "Uh, the sun is overpowered", it is "The sun is making it unplayable to me". Anyone got this?

Turn off the bloom in config file and make it read only.

July 15, 2024

Despite reading all this, watching a bunch of videos, and extensively tweaking my settings, my HP Reverb G2 + GTX 4070 Super is giving me good fps and detail but absolutely awful spotting. I played IL2 and IL2 1946 for 15 years (using TrackIR) and it wasn't this bad.

Is there anything that can be done to improve the visibility of longer range LOD models? They seem to be really bad in both aliasing and contrast vs background.

EDIT: to be more specific, the aircraft camo works so well that spotting aircraft from above is very hard even with zoom. I've been playing around with the contrast, brightness and exposure in Toolkit Overlay but just went back to defaults as they don't seem to help. Has anyone found the magic setting in the Overlay that stops aircraft melting into scenery?

The videos of spotting with gamma, HDR and SSAO were helpful, so I settled on gamma = 0.9, SSAO and HDR off. Is there a consensus on those for G2 users?

EDIT #2: the big fps hits that seem to have most impact on how the aircraft are rendered at low LOD are Shadows and MSAA. In fps terms going between Shadows Med or High gives same hit as MSAA off or 2.

I just ran a replay and screenshotted the results at exact same moment to compare MSAA=2 + Shadows=2 to MSAA=0 + Shadows=3. The aircraft render at over 1km is nearly always better with the first option, so MSAA = 2 seems to be the way to go.

The images are .bmp (to avoid .jpg compression) so I attach them as a zip.

MSAA vs Shadows.zip

Edited July 20, 2024 by Gryphon_VR

July 21, 2024

On 7/15/2024 at 12:54 PM, Gryphon_VR said:

Is there anything that can be done to improve the visibility of longer range LOD models? They seem to be really bad in both aliasing and contrast vs background.

I have been looking for this answer for years and the short version is: No.

Spotting in this game is broken and always has been. The engine is to blame and the engine will not change. It's especially bad on the Stalingrad map but there are some things you can do.

1. For me, I use a BSB VR and found that in OpenXR toolkit running the game at native res and 70% FSR will give me decent graphics and "ok" spotting. I have a beefy computer and can run ultra with native res but the reduction in spotting ability makes the game unplayable. Over the ground in Stalingrad Summer, however, there is nothing that can be done.

2. The dirty secret no one wants to admit to is that you can improve your spotting a lot in VR by lowering your res to 20% (SteamVR or FSR/NIS 20%). This will make the game look like Minecraft, but at the same time contacts over the ground will be much easier to see. I used to run a G2 and the effects were the same. Almost impossible to ID but very easy to spot. IMO this is the number 1 cause of you getting TK'ed online, because the guy has his settings all the way down and can't ID.

3. Stalingrad summer and occasionally winter will cause the aircraft to blend into the terrain. This has nothing to do with the camo, your plane could be any color you want and you still won't be spotted. The online community knows this and abuses the hell out of it by constantly lawn mowing.

4. Aircraft simply don't render outside of 10km in VR in most cases. The funny thing is they are there, you just can't see them with the zoom setting we have. You can test this for yourself, use the zoom function of the OpenXR overlay while flying near an airfield, set it to 30x and you will see the planes on the ground clear as day. Go back to 1x with in-game zoom and hocus pocus, they disappear.

5. Find a setting that works for you and stick with it, stop playing the settings game and start playing IL-2, no matter what you do it won't get better but you, as well, can exploit the abysmal failure that is known as spotting in this game, here's how:

Do what 90% of the players do, circle your objective and look for tracer rounds, dive in then gtfo.
Use the sun to spot planes, when the sun is shining directly between your aircraft and your target it will make it appear larger than normal and very easy to spot. Tunnel vision on the aircraft, do not take your eyes off of it for even 1 second. This is terrible for SA, but you have to work with what you've been given.
Make a conscious effort to understand that you are not going to see anything outside 10km, which means that if you climb to 3km your effective spotting range is 7km horizontally over the ground. Patrol over predicted enemy flight paths while doing S turns, most of the time the only planes I can effectively spot are the ones right below me.
If you do happen to play on Stalingrad, and the front is near the river, planes can be very easily spotted over the blue of the water. Go there and keep the sun behind the area you are patrolling.
Get your shadows up to ultra or as high as possible, I can't even tell you the number of times I have spotted a shadow before the actual aircraft which is usually just above but completely invisible. Find the shadow, find the sun, do a quick calculation on where the plane should be then point your nose there. Worst comes to worst, dive onto the shadow and look up as planes over the horizon are easy to see.

I'm sorry for what you are going through, I have been there, tried every graphic setting, read every forum post and watched every YouTube video and there is no magic settings for spotting except the 20% res (which is not a solution because it looks like crap). I used to spend more time tweaking settings than playing. It has to stop, go through one more round of tweaking then just play the game. I understand your frustration but the best solution is to adapt or not play at all.

Edited July 21, 2024 by =WoVi=Defbond

November 19, 2024

Spotting works well for me... With my old 9900k and 2080Ti, Quest 3, graphics on ultra in the game, without openxr, only with Steam. Around 4000x2000 in Okulus with 72 Hz and around 2000x2000 in Steam. It runs very smoothly and I get around 70fps. I spot at over 6K, against the blue sky. If the dot disappears into the ground graphic at a distance of around 1000m, I can still see it. You can't use the zoom, though, because the dot gets smaller and the ground graphic gets closer. I only zoom for navigation.

November 19, 2024

On 7/20/2024 at 7:06 PM, =WoVi=Defbond said:

I have been looking for this answer for years and the short version is: No.

Spotting in this game is broken and always has been. The engine is to blame and the engine will not change. It's especially bad on the Stalingrad map but there are some things you can do.

1. For me, I use a BSB VR and found that in OpenXR toolkit running the game at native res and 70% FSR will give me decent graphics and "ok" spotting. I have a beefy computer and can run ultra with native res but the reduction in spotting ability makes the game unplayable. Over the ground in Stalingrad Summer, however, there is nothing that can be done.

2. The dirty secret no one wants to admit to is that you can improve your spotting a lot in VR by lowering your res to 20% (SteamVR or FSR/NIS 20%). This will make the game look like Minecraft, but at the same time contacts over the ground will be much easier to see. I used to run a G2 and the effects were the same. Almost impossible to ID but very easy to spot. IMO this is the number 1 cause of you getting TK'ed online, because the guy has his settings all the way down and can't ID.

3. Stalingrad summer and occasionally winter will cause the aircraft to blend into the terrain. This has nothing to do with the camo, your plane could be any color you want and you still won't be spotted. The online community knows this and abuses the hell out of it by constantly lawn mowing.

4. Aircraft simply don't render outside of 10km in VR in most cases. The funny thing is they are there, you just can't see them with the zoom setting we have. You can test this for yourself, use the zoom function of the OpenXR overlay while flying near an airfield, set it to 30x and you will see the planes on the ground clear as day. Go back to 1x with in-game zoom and hocus pocus, they disappear.

5. Find a setting that works for you and stick with it, stop playing the settings game and start playing IL-2, no matter what you do it won't get better but you, as well, can exploit the abysmal failure that is known as spotting in this game, here's how:

Do what 90% of the players do, circle your objective and look for tracer rounds, dive in then gtfo.

Use the sun to spot planes, when the sun is shining directly between your aircraft and your target it will make it appear larger than normal and very easy to spot. Tunnel vision on the aircraft, do not take your eyes off of it for even 1 second. This is terrible for SA, but you have to work with what you've been given.

Make a conscious effort to understand that you are not going to see anything outside 10km, which means that if you climb to 3km your effective spotting range is 7km horizontally over the ground. Patrol over predicted enemy flight paths while doing S turns, most of the time the only planes I can effectively spot are the ones right below me.

If you do happen to play on Stalingrad, and the front is near the river, planes can be very easily spotted over the blue of the water. Go there and keep the sun behind the area you are patrolling.

Get your shadows up to ultra or as high as possible, I can't even tell you the number of times I have spotted a shadow before the actual aircraft which is usually just above but completely invisible. Find the shadow, find the sun, do a quick calculation on where the plane should be then point your nose there. Worst comes to worst, dive onto the shadow and look up as planes over the horizon are easy to see.

I'm sorry for what you are going through, I have been there, tried every graphic setting, read every forum post and watched every YouTube video and there is no magic settings for spotting except the 20% res (which is not a solution because it looks like crap). I used to spend more time tweaking settings than playing. It has to stop, go through one more round of tweaking then just play the game. I understand your frustration but the best solution is to adapt or not play at all.

I agree!

I’ve had to come to terms that my spotting is terrible and just play the game.

There’s an inverse relationship between graphics / resolution and spotting in VR.

When I went from the Q3 with worse resolution to the Crystal Light with better resolution, spotting worsened significantly but ID’ing improved.

I used to be able to spot little blobs or aircraft at a greater distance (I think) and certainly better against the ground with the Q3. With the Crystal Light, the aircraft are much higher visual quality but I can never see them. I even lose aircraft I’m hunting if I look away for a mircrosecond… they just blend into the background and gone…

November 19, 2024

33 minutes ago, c19580 said:

I agree!

I’ve had to come to terms that my spotting is terrible and just play the game.

There’s an inverse relationship between graphics / resolution and spotting in VR.

When I went from the Q3 with worse resolution to the Crystal Light with better resolution, spotting worsened significantly but ID’ing improved.

I used to be able to spot little blobs or aircraft at a greater distance (I think) and certainly better against the ground with the Q3. With the Crystal Light, the aircraft are much higher visual quality but I can never see them. I even lose aircraft I’m hunting if I look away for a mircrosecond… they just blend into the background and gone…

Agreed 👍 that's why for now i am stuck with G2 until the end of its life rather than going to a better resolution vr headset like Crystal...

November 19, 2024

Do 2D monitor players also have the same 10 km spotting / rendering issue? Or do they have a massive advantage over VR players?

November 19, 2024

Hey, Spotting is better in VR, I see it over 6K. The zoom can only be used below about 500m. Above about 500m the dot becomes smaller and only the ground graphics come closer. Identifying whether friend or foe above about 1K is worse in VR. I only use the zoom for navigation. For me it is much more realistic without zoom.

Edited November 19, 2024 by I./JG68_Sperber

November 19, 2024

3 hours ago, c19580 said:

Do 2D monitor players also have the same 10 km spotting / rendering issue? Or do they have a massive advantage over VR players?

Spotting on big monitor is better vs VR , 10 km is not a problem, more also. Big issue is about clouds which do obscure planes when they are in background. Without clocking device you can fly on clouds base and enemy in multiplayer will have hard time to spot you .

Edited November 19, 2024 by 1PL-Husar-1Esk

January 7

Sorry for invading your forum 😁 🙄

I have a Vive Cosmos Elite and a 3070ti.

[KEY = graphics]
   3dhud = 0
   adapter = 0
   bloom_enable = 0
   canopy_ref = 0
   desktop_center = 1
   detail_rt_res = 1024
   draw_distance = 0.27400
   far_blocks = 0
   fps_counter = 0
   fps_limit = 0
   full_height = 1024
   full_width = 1280
   fullscreen = 0
   gamma = 0.90000
   grass_distance = 100.00000
   hdr_enable = 1
   land_anisotropy = 2
   land_detail = 2
   land_tex_lods = 0
   max_cache_res = 1
   max_clouds_quality = 2
   mgpu_compatible = 0
   mirrors = 0
   msaa = 0
   multisampling = 0
   or_ca = 0.00000
   or_dummy = 0
   or_enable = 1
   or_height = 3632
   or_hud_rad = 1.50000
   or_hud_size = 0.75000
   or_ipd = 0.06200
   or_render_eye = 1
   or_sipdc = 0.00000
   or_width = 3076
   post_sharpen = 0
   preset = 3
   prop_blur_max_rpm_for_vr = 155
   rescale_target = 1.00000
   shadows_quality = 3
   ssao_enable = 1
   stereo_dof = 5.00000
   vsync = 0
   win_height = 480
   win_width = 640
[END]

And I am absolutely satisfied with this result.

Edited January 7 by FilMit

January 8

I also want to add. Since there are no sound mods, and the sound, unfortunately, can be controversial, for example, on the La-5, the buzzing of a bee is not very believable..

In short, I have 5.1 headphones. Changing this parameter seemed to give a more interesting sound picture 😜

[KEY = sound]
   count = 64
   debug_radio = 0
   interface = 1
   interface_music = 1
   quality = 1
   speedenable = true
   volume = 1.00000
[END]

32 > 64

Edited January 8 by FilMit

January 8

19 hours ago, FilMit said:

Sorry for invading your forum 😁 🙄

I have a Vive Cosmos Elite and a 3070ti.

[KEY = graphics]
   3dhud = 0
   adapter = 0
   bloom_enable = 0
   canopy_ref = 0
   desktop_center = 1
   detail_rt_res = 1024
   draw_distance = 0.27400
   far_blocks = 0
   fps_counter = 0
   fps_limit = 0
   full_height = 1024
   full_width = 1280
   fullscreen = 0
   gamma = 0.90000
   grass_distance = 100.00000
   hdr_enable = 1
   land_anisotropy = 2
   land_detail = 2
   land_tex_lods = 0
   max_cache_res = 1
   max_clouds_quality = 2
   mgpu_compatible = 0
   mirrors = 0
   msaa = 0
   multisampling = 0
   or_ca = 0.00000
   or_dummy = 0
   or_enable = 1
   or_height = 3632
   or_hud_rad = 1.50000
   or_hud_size = 0.75000
   or_ipd = 0.06200
   or_render_eye = 1
   or_sipdc = 0.00000
   or_width = 3076
   post_sharpen = 0
   preset = 3
   prop_blur_max_rpm_for_vr = 155
   rescale_target = 1.00000
   shadows_quality = 3
   ssao_enable = 1
   stereo_dof = 5.00000
   vsync = 0
   win_height = 480
   win_width = 640
[END]

And I am absolutely satisfied with this result.

Is this list heit be usable on a Reverb G2?

January 10

Why not? Try it 👌

July 4

I have another little life hack, I have been using it for a couple of months 😉
The point is that there was a minimum window on the monitor, experimentally found out that it is 10:15. Only the Windows cursor is placed.
This released the resource for my 3070ti, on the inclusion of SSAO and high reflections in the cockpit.

[KEY = graphics]
   3dhud = 0
   adapter = 0
   bloom_enable = 0
   canopy_ref = 2
   desktop_center = 1
   detail_rt_res = 1024
   draw_distance = 0.27400
   far_blocks = 1
   fps_counter = 0
   fps_limit = 0
   full_height = 768
   full_width = 1280
   fullscreen = 0
   gamma = 1.00000
   grass_distance = 0.00000
   hdr_enable = 1
   land_anisotropy = 2
   land_detail = 3
   land_tex_lods = 0
   max_cache_res = 1
   max_clouds_quality = 2
   mgpu_compatible = 0
   mirrors = 0
   msaa = 0
   multisampling = 0
   or_ca = 0.00000
   or_dummy = 0
   or_enable = 1
   or_height = 3260
   or_hud_rad = 1.50000
   or_hud_size = 0.75000
   or_ipd = 0.06180
   or_render_eye = 1
   or_sipdc = 0.00000
   or_width = 2764
   post_sharpen = 0
   preset = 3
   prop_blur_max_rpm_for_vr = 155
   rescale_target = 1.00000
   shadows_quality = 4
   ssao_enable = 1
   stereo_dof = 5.00000
   vsync = 0
   win_height = 10
   win_width = 15

Edited July 4 by FilMit

July 15

On 7/4/2025 at 7:16 PM, FilMit said:

I have another little life hack, I have been using it for a couple of months 😉
The point is that there was a minimum window on the monitor, experimentally found out that it is 10:15. Only the Windows cursor is placed.
This released the resource for my 3070ti, on the inclusion of SSAO and high reflections in the cockpit.

[KEY = graphics]
   3dhud = 0
   adapter = 0
   bloom_enable = 0
   canopy_ref = 2
   desktop_center = 1
   detail_rt_res = 1024
   draw_distance = 0.27400
   far_blocks = 1
   fps_counter = 0
   fps_limit = 0
   full_height = 768
   full_width = 1280
   fullscreen = 0
   gamma = 1.00000
   grass_distance = 0.00000
   hdr_enable = 1
   land_anisotropy = 2
   land_detail = 3
   land_tex_lods = 0
   max_cache_res = 1
   max_clouds_quality = 2
   mgpu_compatible = 0
   mirrors = 0
   msaa = 0
   multisampling = 0
   or_ca = 0.00000
   or_dummy = 0
   or_enable = 1
   or_height = 3260
   or_hud_rad = 1.50000
   or_hud_size = 0.75000
   or_ipd = 0.06180
   or_render_eye = 1
   or_sipdc = 0.00000
   or_width = 2764
   post_sharpen = 0
   preset = 3
   prop_blur_max_rpm_for_vr = 155
   rescale_target = 1.00000
   shadows_quality = 4
   ssao_enable = 1
   stereo_dof = 5.00000
   vsync = 0
   win_height = 10
   win_width = 15

Hi,

How do you move yout cursor in this little window ? Mine stays stuck...

Thanks !

July 16

Hello,
The Windows cursor is no longer needed, due to a tiny window.
I do this - I put on a helmet, launch a game from Steam, put a cursor to this scanty window, shake the left mouse button, and the cursor disappears in it.
The game is loaded to its menu, and the cursor is already there.
And being in a helmet, you control a cursor in the game, on the desktop it is no longer there.

July 16

4 hours ago, FilMit said:

Hello,
The Windows cursor is no longer needed, due to a tiny window.
I do this - I put on a helmet, launch a game from Steam, put a cursor to this scanty window, shake the left mouse button, and the cursor disappears in it.
The game is loaded to its menu, and the cursor is already there.
And being in a helmet, you control a cursor in the game, on the desktop it is no longer there.

Thanks ! I will try.

Sign In

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

Recommended Posts

c19580

Patricks

c19580

Argosafe

keithbriscoe99

DRosa

TCW_Brzi_Joe

Gryphon_VR

1PL-Husar-1Esk

Gryphon_VR

=WoVi=Defbond

I./JG68_Sperber

c19580

dgiatr

c19580

I./JG68_Sperber

1PL-Husar-1Esk

FilMit

FilMit

Blitzen

FilMit

FilMit

cmbishop

FilMit

cmbishop

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Browse All

Activity