Virtual Reality

strykerpsg

strykerpsg

SOH-CM-2023
Hi all!

Been a while since I posted, but life's been good and busy.

Recently bought a Metaquest 3 and would like to ask a few questions.

1. What settings do you recommend?

2. What other VR gear do you use with your VR?

3. Best addons for MSFS in VR?

Thanks all.
 
Welcome to the dark side of the dark side :D
I'm using a PIco 4 VR headset and I'm super happy with it.

Now, to answer your questions:

1- The settings that are fluid enough for you. We can't make recommendations, it all depends on your hardware. I'd keep the Terrain LOD and object LOD quite low at first, and I'd be VERY cautious with the resolution (render scale). Try not to go too high at first.

2- Nothing. I put my headset on my face and then I use my joystick to control the plane, my mouse to click on the instrument, and the keyboad for basic sim commands (pause, escape menu, space for centering the view etc...).

3- All addons are compatible in VR. I'd recommend you to take your time to re-discover the default planes at first, especially the default planes that benefited from enhancements mods. I'm not aware of any plane that doesn't work in VR. When it comes to utility programs, maybe you might want to take a look at the "autoFPS" addon. Be aware that the recent "Lossless frame generation" payware addon doesn't work in VR.
 
Daube said:
Welcome to the dark side of the dark side :D
I'm using a PIco 4 VR headset and I'm super happy with it.

Now, to answer your questions:

1- The settings that are fluid enough for you. We can't make recommendations, it all depends on your hardware. I'd keep the Terrain LOD and object LOD quite low at first, and I'd be VERY cautious with the resolution (render scale). Try not to go too high at first.

2- Nothing. I put my headset on my face and then I use my joystick to control the plane, my mouse to click on the instrument, and the keyboad for basic sim commands (pause, escape menu, space for centering the view etc...).

3- All addons are compatible in VR. I'd recommend you to take your time to re-discover the default planes at first, especially the default planes that benefited from enhancements mods. I'm not aware of any plane that doesn't work in VR. When it comes to utility programs, maybe you might want to take a look at the "autoFPS" addon. Be aware that the recent "Lossless frame generation" payware addon doesn't work in VR.
Click to expand...
Thanks Daube, looking forward to what I've witnessed on YouTube but not had the time for. Good call on settings, since my desktop is on the older side, but a few video cards in SLI I'm hoping will salvage me a bit till I can either get an EGPU or desktop replacement.

I bought the Metaquest 3 because they had a view through capability, however, it takes away from the cockpit (can we still say that? lol) experience.
 
keithb77 said:
Virtual Desktop works very well with the Q3 wireless, with a router ethernet cabled to the PC.
Click to expand...
I'm not familiar with that one. Will look into it tomorrow morning.

I am leaning towards haptic (sp?) gloves, in theory so I can turn all the knobs and switches, then using my HOTAS and pedals for the actual flight. I'm just uncertain as to how realistic the haptic will be versus programming the slew of buttons and switches on the HOTAS.
 
Second the recommendation for Virtual Desktop. You can get better performance/quality/reliability than using the native Quest connection. And there are settings for the Quest 3 that let you improv visual quality.
 
Careful where you buy. For headsets like the Quest or my Pico4, you might have to buy from the headset internal store itself, not from Steam or anywhere else.
So for your Quest 3, it means you'll have to buy it from the Quest Store. If you buy another version from another store, it won't work with your headset.
But this is pretty clearly explained on the Virtual Desktop webpage.
Also, there's a free "client" program to download and install on your computer, it's called the "streamer" and it's mandatory to launch, else the Virtual Desktop app in your headset won't be able to communicate with your computer.
 
When I got my Reverb G2, I spent a lot of time looking up all the optimal settings and tweaking the resolution, referesh rate, and so on using XR Tools and whatever else I could find. Used it happily for 8 months, then the cable died. Got a new cable, which the PC read as a new device and reverted everything to default. Tried it, and the defaults worked just as well as my carefully tweaked settings. That's how I use it now.

The one app I always use with VR is called SmoothFlight, and it dynamically tweaks your detail settings to try to give you the best detail within a range of FPS that you specify. It makes a noticeable difference especially on not-the-best systems like mine. The author has discontinued working on it because MS/Asobo now say they are implementing this themselves, but they have not actually done so. I just hope SmoothFlight keeps working until they do. The good news is, it is now free. https://sites.google.com/view/meeshtrax/smooth-flight-app

For operating the controls, I do not use passthrough and do not touch the keyboard when flying. I have a lot of stuff mapped to my HOTAS and I keep the mouse in front of me to click things in the cockpit. For anything else, I use VoiceAttack to speak verbal commands.

A very handy thing is the all-in-one VR tablet from flightsimulator.me. This has numerous useful apps like Navigraph, Little Navmap, Simbrief and Vatsim integration, descent calculator, METAR, web and pdf viewers, notepad, just all kinds of stuff. Super useful, and the tablet can be resized and moved around in 3d space to a realistic position, so it doesn't break immersion at all.

August
 
I use the Q3 with Virtual Desktop and love it. Watching a movie with VD is like going to IMAX.

I find that the Q3 works well in MSFS using the wireless feature. I did buy an addon head strap with a extra battery. I read where the OEM strap is uncomfortable. I wouldn’t know I never used it.

The only think I don’t like about the Q3 and MSFS is when you take it off in mid flight. If it goes to sleep, I have had times where it freezes or MSFS doesn’t want to work right. I came from the HP G2 and with it I just took it off and laid it aside. When I came back and put it on, it worked.

I have not found any haptic or touch things work well. Supposedly, MSFS has a touchless feature built in. I purchased a LEAP Development device and played around with it, however it never worked to my satisfaction. I have had some little finger rings (PointCTRL) on order for about two years. People say they work, but since I don’t have them, I don’t know.
 
jmig said:
I use the Q3 with Virtual Desktop and love it. Watching a movie with VD is like going to IMAX.

I find that the Q3 works well in MSFS using the wireless feature. I did buy an addon head strap with a extra battery. I read where the OEM strap is uncomfortable. I wouldn’t know I never used it.

The only think I don’t like about the Q3 and MSFS is when you take it off in mid flight. If it goes to sleep, I have had times where it freezes or MSFS doesn’t want to work right. I came from the HP G2 and with it I just took it off and laid it aside. When I came back and put it on, it worked.

I have not found any haptic or touch things work well. Supposedly, MSFS has a touchless feature built in. I purchased a LEAP Development device and played around with it, however it never worked to my satisfaction. I have had some little finger rings (PointCTRL) on order for about two years. People say they work, but since I don’t have them, I don’t know.
Click to expand...
I have been told to try finger rings in a DCS forum, they look novel but they also mentioned a possible backlog of orders.

I bought and downloaded VD but have yet to try it. To those with VD, can you see your HOTAS too or am I still programming switches again?
 
If you go to pass through, you can see them. However, I just peek through the bottom edge of the headset, if I need to find a switch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top