First Time Setup With Vive?

Kaybe · Apr 23, 2018

Hi folks,

I got an HTC Vive (just in time for the price drop too) and while it seems to be working fine overall, I can't seem to load Elite in VR and I'm hoping I could pick your brain on this.

With the Vive plugged in and working, I load up the game like I normally do. I get a pop up telling me SteamVR is opening, and the SteamVR console shows that it can see my headset. It also shows EliteDangerous.exe in the application options inside the SteamVR options. But Elite still loads on my main monitor. Inside my headset, it just shows me an endless white field with thin parallel lines perpendicular to me and going off into the distance.

Now, I am running this game using the regular downloaded client instead of the Steam downloaded one. One site said that I would need to download the Steam client ... and I'd kinda prefer not to do that. Plus it seems odd given that Elite is actually starting SteamVR and SteamVR sees the application. Is this a requirement? If not, is there some way to load the game into the headset rather than my main screen? A toggle somewhere perhaps?

Thanks!

P.S: Vive has a camera in front of it which would be useful for readjusting the HOTAS positioning when needed. Is there an easy toggle for that?

Globusdiablo · Apr 23, 2018

Kaybe said:
...One site said that I would need to download the Steam client ... and I'd kinda prefer not to do that. Plus it seems odd given that Elite is actually starting SteamVR and SteamVR sees the application. Is this a requirement? If not, is there some way to load the game into the headset rather than my main screen? A toggle somewhere perhaps?...

As I recall, you DO need the SteamVR client.

Re-install and do as the installer tells you to.

You don't have to launch the game through steam, SteamVR is just part of the Vive package.

And there will always be a ghost image on a monitor as far as I know. Not a problem. Turn the monitor off if you want.

TorTorden_VR · Apr 23, 2018

Looks to me the game is not launching in vr mode.
Load steam vr, and in gravid setting set the 3d option to HAD headphones.

TheHavoc · Apr 23, 2018

As TorTorden said, in Elite settings set display to "HMD". Steam is not mandatory for VR in Elite in general - but much recommended: I played Elite with Oculus in the "normal" client for some time, but that installation got broken two times, after that I downloaded and installed the Steam version. Advantage of this is that you can veryify and, if necessary, repair broken installations.

TheHavoc · Apr 23, 2018

deleted - double post

Kaybe · Apr 23, 2018

How does login work on this game from Steam then? Every other Steam game I've played has just auto-logged in as my Steam username. But I'd obviously rather use my current username as I don't want to start over from scratch.

TorTorden_VR · Apr 23, 2018

Kaybe said:
How does login work on this game from Steam then? Every other Steam game I've played has just auto-logged in as my Steam username. But I'd obviously rather use my current username as I don't want to start over from scratch.

It's not necessary to use steam, just steamvr.

Steam just launches the launcher, where you login with your frontier account.
Same thing with the oculus install version.
There is no actual difference.
All versions simply uses the launcher.

So why have to use the steam library instead of desktop shortcut to start the game.

Kaybe · Apr 24, 2018

Ah perfect. I wasn't sure if the Steam loaded game would actually use my current login. Glad to hear it does. I'll go ahead and download the game on Steam overnight sometime. Thanks, everyone!

Kaybe · May 2, 2018

So I loaded up the game in Steam and now it loads into VR like a charm. But the graphics are sh*t!

Even with resolution hiked up in SteamVR for this game, graphics are not at all crisp. In fact, straight lines are 'waving' and elements outside the center of my view streak. It's... not pleasant. Now it's my understanding that Oculus is overall better supported for Elite, but I didn't think the Vive would be this bad.

Any advice from Vive owners others than sell it and get a rift?

Note: brand new computer with an i7 chip and gtx 1070 gpu.

cmdrrdmc · May 2, 2018

Kaybe said:
So I loaded up the game in Steam and now it loads into VR like a charm. But the graphics are sh*t!

Even with resolution hiked up in SteamVR for this game, graphics are not at all crisp. In fact, straight lines are 'waving' and elements outside the center of my view streak. It's... not pleasant. Now it's my understanding that Oculus is overall better supported for Elite, but I didn't think the Vive would be this bad.

Any advice from Vive owners others than sell it and get a rift?

Note: brand new computer with an i7 chip and gtx 1070 gpu.

Honestly, as a Rift owner, the graphics are still sh*t. There are aspects of this game that are just really ugly in VR. The big upside is increased immersion and more of a feeling that you're actually flying a ship. To me, it's worth the trade-off. But I was similarly disappointed when I first tried Elite in VR. There are aspects of the game that bring out the flaws of current gen VR (focusing on distant objects -> blurry mess because of low res, bright elements on dark background -> godrays and SDE).

BurntJello · May 3, 2018

I muddle through with my gtx970. For me, leaving supersampling at 1.00 and turning on anti-aliasing works better for performance.

Not much can be done with how awful the VIVE looks. The distractingly obvious screen-door effect is not going to go away. I've tried cranking up supersampling (got like 5fps lol), sure it wasn't as terrible looking, but it was never good.

My pre-first-gen usb3 won't work with Rift, so I'm stuck with this. It works, but it's ugly.

If you haven't already, download "The Lab" (free on steam). That is as good as it's going to get. Plus it has the super fun archery game.