Automatic FPS management for VR apps

[gamer101]

We all understand the need to maintain 90fps in VR.

Now, computers are supposed to "think" for us, yet we are being asked to set options and to manage performance ourselves.

There is an app for good old Flight Simulator X that manages graphics options "on the fly" to achieve the framerate that you request. You specify a minimum framerate that must be maintained and the app tweaks settings to maintain or exceed that threshold framerate "as you fly". Graphics options go up and down automatically depending on the scenery you fly over etc. It's seemless and barely noticeable. Everything is done to maintain that framerate.

Something like this in ED could mean maximum visual quality in space battles, but see the settings lowered slightly (to a user set limit) for stations and on planets in order to guarantee a 90fps rate for your whole flight. Changes to graphic settings (within user definable limits) could be fully automated.

It works well in FSX.

(as does Asynchronous Timewarp).

Two techniques to help ensure acceptable framerates and reduce the reliance on the absolute max spec PC (and broaden the VR user base).

These two features should be made available as options for the user.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[SLeeC]

This sounds like a good idea for the Level of Detail of the simulation, but i would like more control over some basics in-game for brightness/contrast/gamma and ipd .. like vorpx type control! etc etc because people want different things for basic comfort without jumping through hoops to do so.

 

[ghcannon]

Unfortunately it's way easier said than done. I won't get into the technicalities of it but suffice to say, FD will need to refactor a huge lot of their piping to have that possible to happen with even some of their graphical options.

As for others, especially ones that require a shader variant compilation - it won't happen ever.
What's more - it's not even happening in any other game.

 

[CMDR Rison]

Even if this is not yet implemented in any games, I do think automatic fps management should be seen as the future for VR gaming as the frame rate will never not be an issue.
As our computers get more and more powerful, games will continue to push the envelope.

 

[Spork]

UE4 can maintain fps by dynamically changing the render target resolution on the fly. With that method it doesn't change detail settings, things would just become pixelated in areas where your frame rate would normally drop. FD could do it as well by having an "automatic" setting for the HMD quality slider.

There's a demo of the automated scaling here, though it was made for DK1.
http://www.theriftarcade.com/ue4-sci-fi-hallway/

The first 5 mins here show what the effect of it is, though you could also see it by adjusting the slider in Elite.
[video=youtube;2aVJWIrvunM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aVJWIrvunM[/video]

 

[Tucker Dale]

UE4 can maintain fps by dynamically changing the render target resolution on the fly. With that method it doesn't change detail settings, things would just become pixelated in areas where your frame rate would normally drop. FD could do it as well by having an "automatic" setting for the HMD quality slider.

I'm sure this is something they are working on right now.

 

[Deleted member 110140]

HDM Quality slider bindable to controls, that would be great. Perhaps a separate axis on your HOTAS to use for that. See any judder? Just dial that quality a few notches down.

 

[gamer101]

Yes yes, the more ideas the better.