Just received the Meta Quest 3 today and need a bit of help from Meta Quest2 owners who have figured out how to play Steam Games?

[Blitzen]

At present  getting it to link with my PC...It takes a bit of doing.I haven't gotten it to really done anything game related yet , but the set up performance is impressive. I wonder if someone knows how to get it to plat the Steam Games like Great Battles- is it possible ? Is it easy? How?

[Alonzo]

If you're not trying to do anything clever (like bypassing SteamVR) you can just fire up Oculus Link or Air Link (depending on whether you're using wireless or cable to connect to your PC), get connected to your Windows desktop, then run SteamVR.

 

Here's the official page on Air Link: https://www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/headsets-and-accessories/oculus-link/connect-with-air-link/

 

And here's one on running SteamVR games: https://www.dexerto.com/tech/how-to-run-steam-games-on-oculus-quest-2-2191420/

 

[Arioch_RN]

In the Oculus desktop software, ensure that “Unknown Sources” is enabled in the Settings/General options ?

[Blitzen]

11 hours ago, Arioch_RN said:

In the Oculus desktop software, ensure that “Unknown Sources” is enabled in the Settings/General options ?

Done...now all I have to do is somehow connect with Windows desktop to start -can you help? ( its probably easier than I think huh?)

Other than the main reason I bought it to play GB without a cable , it really seems to work well, after a prolonged setup for an oldster like me!

[Arioch_RN]

46 minutes ago, Blitzen said:

Done...now all I have to do is somehow connect with Windows desktop to start -can you help? ( its probably easier than I think huh?)

Aye - in your Quest 3 look at the bottom menu bar and click/touch the bit where you can see the time/signal/battery.

 

This will bring up a menu page where you should see the Link option on the right - select this and click AirLink in the top right. You should now be able to pair with your PC (there should be a code you have to check first time).

 

Once the Oculus menu starts up you can select the desktop view on the menu bar, it is towards the right hand side.

 

If you want sound through the headset, remember to change to Oculus Headphones in the sound options of Windows (I keep forgetting to do this ?).

[Blitzen]

26 minutes ago, Arioch_RN said:

Aye - in your Quest 3 look at the bottom menu bar and click/touch the bit where you can see the time/signal/battery.

 

This will bring up a menu page where you should see the Link option on the right - select this and click AirLink in the top right. You should now be able to pair with your PC (there should be a code you have to check first time).

 

Once the Oculus menu starts up you can select the desktop view on the menu bar, it is towards the right hand side.

 

If you want sound through the headset, remember to change to Oculus Headphones in the sound options of Windows (I keep forgetting to do this ?).

I'm all linked ( at least I think I am.) I just don't know how to start Stem and then choose GB or Clod to now play using the new Quest3. Is it obvious when I have the headset on? Obviously I haven't tried it yet, but spent most of the morning setting up the wireless link between the PC and headset....

[Benoitgg]

You can buy Virtual desktop too : many youtubers say the settings are more efficient..  and they truely are !

[Arioch_RN]

It should be easy once you’re Linked to your PC, you can bring up a desktop view in your headset - it’s on the menu bar towards the right.

 

Then you can launch Steam and iL-2 - I use the stand-alone launcher but I should imagine it’s something similar with Steam - there is an option in iL-2 to launch inVR mode.

[Blitzen]

I am almost there- I can now get desktop.hit Steam...then hit GB.It starts but only on a small floating screen in front of me and upside downand its inside the hanger but the usual menu is not to be seen.In fact the screen stays stationary-no play is possible.I really want this to work , but progress is slow.

BTW- everything worked great in Reverb2 which I've kept as back up if I can't make this do as advertised!

( Could it be leaving the ReverbG2 hooked up it causing some part of my problem? )

Edited October 16, 2023 by Blitzen

[Blitzen]

OMG! Disconnecting the Reverb made everything snap into place-I'm keeping this baby!!! Many thanks for your advice..Now is there any way to make my boundary "fence disappear during game play ? Obviously I'll have to get a new head strap with extra battery power, won't I? Any inexpensive suggestions?

Anyone want a perfectly good Reverb G2 and a lot of cables that go along with it??

Edited October 17, 2023 by Blitzen

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

6 hours ago, Blitzen said:

Now is there any way to make my boundary "fence disappear

There is an option in the application to make its less agressive or turn off completely in passthrough mode.

For  strap wait for Q3 bobovr M3 pro or Kiwi battery comfort head strap.

[Alonzo]

15 hours ago, Blitzen said:

OMG! Disconnecting the Reverb made everything snap into place-I'm keeping this baby!

 

It's definitely worth spending the extra $20 on Virtual Desktop in the Quest store -- it's MUCH better than Oculus Air Link, you will get a clearer picture and more tuning options. When using Air Link the Q3 looked worse than my Reverb G2, when using Virtual Desktop it looks significantly better.

(Also check for several years worth of random VR optimization mods, like the FSR upscaler and things like that. I had several things that I needed to remove or reconfigure).

[Blitzen]

Would love to get ihe Virtual Desktop.I'm finding the images in game play considerably darker than previous and not quite as defined either ( I'm not sure if there is any way to adjust these values through Quest3?) Just purchased the Virtual Desktop app but it hasn't shown up anywhere as an install or Exe.?

BTW: Headset does work well with Steam/CloD , but need to connect with Steam VR first, and  seems to work well by passing Steam/GB using Open Composite to speed FPS a bit.

Thanks again everyone!

Edited October 17, 2023 by Blitzen

[giftgruen]

1 hour ago, Alonzo said:

It's definitely worth spending the extra $20 on Virtual Desktop in the Quest store -- it's MUCH better than Oculus Air Link, you will get a clearer picture and more tuning options. When using Air Link the Q3 looked worse than my Reverb G2, when using Virtual Desktop it looks significantly better.

 

I have no Q3 but A Quest Pro.

There, Airlink works better than VirtualDesktop for me.

 

What you should do: Use OculusDebugTool and/or OculusTrayTool to adjust some settings.

For Q2 and QPro you find quite a lot info about in the Web.

 

Without finetuning, the QuestPro didn't manage Il2 in a good way. With finetuning, I am quite happy.

Maybe also the Q3 needs some 'fiddle around' here because PCVR is not so much in Metas focus.

 

just my 5 cents

 

 

[Blitzen]

Where in the tool tray is it- I must have missed it?

[giftgruen]

Well - if you google for OculusTrayTool ( = OTT) or OculusDebugTool ( = ODT) then you'll find a DownLoad-Link and the additional infos you need for finetuning.

Each VR Headset needs some fiddling to work as its best, cause no-one knows what your PC is like. 

[Blitzen]

i got everything..This is a rather steep learning curve, but I now have Virtual Desktop up and hopefully working. I did see that there was a tab for lightening the VR on one of the regular Oculus Beta Quest menus and perhaps this will help with the extreme contrast  of dark in game play?

[Alonzo]

7 hours ago, giftgruen said:

I have no Q3 but A Quest Pro.

There, Airlink works better than VirtualDesktop for me.

 

What you should do: Use OculusDebugTool and/or OculusTrayTool to adjust some settings.

For Q2 and QPro you find quite a lot info about in the Web.

 

There are a lot of moving parts, so I definitely concede there could be a way to improve the Air Link quality. I did mess with Oculus Debug Tool and others. But given that I've spent $650 on a headset, $100 on a router, $thousands on Virpil gear, a monster PC, and a 4080, I'm happy to spend the $20 on Virtual Desktop and get a quality piece of software with lots of options and a lively support Discord to back it up.

[Blitzen]

I like it but I can't seem to get away from dramatic contrast with all shadow areas going almost completely black in both GB and CloD. Its really unrealistic and quite distracting. I have a bit more flicker in landscapes as well from certain angles..any ideas?

Edited October 18, 2023 by Blitzen

[giftgruen]

4 hours ago, Alonzo said:

 

There are a lot of moving parts, so I definitely concede there could be a way to improve the Air Link quality. I did mess with Oculus Debug Tool and others. But given that I've spent $650 on a headset, $100 on a router, $thousands on Virpil gear, a monster PC, and a 4080, I'm happy to spend the $20 on Virtual Desktop and get a quality piece of software with lots of options and a lively support Discord to back it up.

 

Sure - it's not the 20 bucks - I also own and tried VD and think it's a pretty good software.

However - in the end I have better results for my QuestPro with OTT and Airlink.  ( btw - also a 4080 and in my case a VKB setup ) 

4 hours ago, Blitzen said:

I like it but I can't seem to get away from dramatic contrast with all shadow areas going almost completely black in both GB and CloD. Its really unrealistic and quite distracting. I have a bit more flicker in landscapes as well from certain angles..any ideas?

 

What settings do you try at the moment ?

For my experience, Oculus Sharpening filter is quite aggressive, so Sharpening in Oculus PLUS Sharpening in IL2 settings could be too much.

Also I prefer MSAAx4 ( and therefore lower supersampling to have decent framerates ) and go without any ASW because I dont like to have Ghosting.

You could also adjust gamma correction ( I use 0.8 ).

 

I use Supersampling purely by Quest Software and set the Steam Resolution to 100% ( the supersamping rates multiply ! )

 

OTT enables to tune up the bitrate up to 450 for Airlink and setting the decoding algorithm to H.264 which also helps.

( However - I know that the Q3 supports a new encoding algoritm, as far as I know ? So maybe H.264 is outdated with the Q3 )

I use an extra  Wifi 6E router dedicated for my QuestPro. This way I can't see a difference any more between AirLink and cable.

 

Maybe pst your settings here and we could give hints. Without knowing your settings, it's difficult ..

 

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by giftgruen

[Arioch_RN]

4 hours ago, Blitzen said:

I like it but I can't seem to get away from dramatic contrast with all shadow areas going almost completely black in both GB and CloD.

Check your game settings - having SSAO enabled gave me really dark shadows, with it enabled the cockpits in FC were almost unreadable unless in direct sunlight.

[Blitzen]

9 hours ago, Arioch_RN said:

Check your game settings - having SSAO enabled gave me really dark shadows, with it enabled the cockpits in FC were almost unreadable unless in direct sunlight.

I've tried it both ways )SSAQ on and off ,)but seem to have the same problem in both sims.I bought the latest version of Desktop and it seems to be up and working.I thought by using it I might be able to affect the major problem I am having with the new Quest 3 headset that is in game play with my two favorite flight sims Great Battles and Cliffs of Dover. The problem is that with the Quest 3 the contrast with the image is extreme.The medium an shadow areas go to black instead of gradual darkening shades. This as you might guess is extremely distracting. I had hoped that there might be a utility within Quest 3or the newly installed Desktop that I could use to adjust this problem , but so far I have had no luck. If I can’t fix this I’ll have to return the Beta Quest3 . I’d rather not do this as I do really like the Quest3

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

OXR Toolkit will give you options to play with the contrast, brightness, shadows, etc., and changing which codec you use affects the colors as well. You have to be using open composite for the OXR toolkit to work.

[Blitzen]

2 minutes ago, =MERCS=JenkemJunkie said:

OXR Toolkit will give you options to play with the contrast, brightness, shadows, etc., and changing which codec you use affects the colors as well. You have to be using open composite for the OXR toolkit to work.

I have that on my desktop, my real desktop ,downloaded some time ago but have no idea on how I should use it...there must be a readme somewhere?

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/

[Blitzen]

...also I note that to start the utility in game I hit Crtl/F2-is there anyway to change this as I am currently using that keystroke for one of my" Aircraft Views"?

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

Yeah, one of the pictures near the bottom in the link shows how to customize them.

[Blitzen]

17 minutes ago, =MERCS=JenkemJunkie said:

Yeah, one of the pictures near the bottom in the link shows how to customize them.

I figured out all the "directional" ones but must be blind because I can't find one for in-game start,

If I ever get all of this up and running with the sims, which of the options would be best to change the color/contrast contrast problem I am having?

Edited October 18, 2023 by Blitzen

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

The down key doubles as the in-game start key. I would guess playing with the contrast, brightness, shadow and highlight options would be best, but there's only 8ish options I think, so play with all of them, and see what you like.

[Blitzen]

2 hours ago, =MERCS=JenkemJunkie said:

The down key doubles as the in-game start key. I would guess playing with the contrast, brightness, shadow and highlight options would be best, but there's only 8ish options I think, so play with all of them, and see what you like.

Well, everything is set up keys chosen, games chosen in application box, but in game nothing shows up!?This is frustrating because last week it would show up but I didn't know how to make choices - now I do and in game this nifty utility is absent without leave? I hope its not another case of having to turn off my Webroot protection at some point? What could be the problem...soooo close....

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

Are you using link or VD? You might not be launching in the open composite runtime.

[Blitzen]

I'm missing something- I downloaded it to my desktop ( its an icon there,) .In game I am hitting the button which should start it.To my knowledge I am not using a link(?) or a VD(?)?

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

Link is the default oculus method of connecting the headset to your computer that comes with the headset.

You also need to be running open composite instead of steamvr. This guide from the same site shows how to set it up.

https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/opencomposite.html

The system wide method will work for link. You have to use the per-game method for VD.

[Blitzen]

I Have had Open Composite for sometime now and used it with RecerbG2 successfully, but it never worked with CloD. If I now try to use it with desk icon I get this:

Game refuses to start with it.

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

Try the per-game method from that link for IL2, the file you replace is in \IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\bin\game, and make sure you switch the switcher back to SteamVR when you use this method.

[Blitzen]

47 minutes ago, =MERCS=JenkemJunkie said:

Try the per-game method from that link for IL2, the file you replace is in \IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\bin\game, and make sure you switch the switcher back to SteamVR when you use this method.

Did that a long time ago.....Its on my desktop. Its the one I've been trying to use with no luck.The only way I can start the sim is with SteamVR.

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

Are you using virtual desktop to connect your headset?

[Blitzen]

32 minutes ago, =MERCS=JenkemJunkie said:

Are you using virtual desktop to connect your headset?

Yes- but so far sim will only load if I use Steam VR.

[Blitzen]

If I go back and try to use the ReverbG2 and try to use Open Composite like I used to do I get the same message , and no sound ( I assume because the Beta 3 is now the sound of choice.

Here's what I have installed in the last two days:

Oculus

OpenXR for mixed Reality

Oculus Tray Tool 

Virtual Desktop Streamer

There were all called for during install .

 

[=MERCS=JenkemJunkie]

Open composite won't work in the vanilla Virtual Desktop. You have to either use the default oculus link method that came with the headset or download the open composite in VD beta that's pinned in the OXR Toolkit discord in the oculus-technical channel. The instructions to use the beta are in the pin.

I don't know why your reverb wouldn't work though. I have the reverb, oculus and VD stuff all installed at the same time on my computer and I can change in between them no problem. If you use the system wide install for your reverb, that should force open composite over anything else you've been playing with.