Rift S w/ Elite - impressions & questions

[encrypted]

Well, got myself Rift S on Black Friday sale, waited quite a number of years before finally pulling a trigger - knew pretty much about all VR problems and shortcomings so didn't have a rush about it.

Now, ED was one of primary reasons of trying VR, obviously. I stopped playing a game regularly quite a time ago and had my years of excitement + disappointment passed, now simply hang up on forums, checking when and how all of that will end. Anyway. This is not about ED in general it's about VR. VR + ED.

I have 32GB AMD Ryzen 1700 system w/ 2070 super (planning to change a CPU probably next year, we'll see).

Everyone knows about VR pros for ED, so it was really interesting to see w/ my own eyes. Yes, it is interesting and 'wow'-moment is quite there, but unfortunately, not for long (for me). However this post is not about how bad VR is, it's quite opposite - and I hope with some answers to this post I can make my VR experience better.

1) I can't quite get everything in focus. Everything is slightly out of focus, I can't say if it's my personal problem or some kind of thing I've missed. I have IPD of 67 I think (according to program) and have it set up as such in Oculus Software.

In other games this 'out of focus' thing is not a large problem, obviously, but in ED with a bunch of relatively small text it's quite noticeable and sucks balls, quite honest. Any advise of how can I improve that?

I especially hate out of focus feeling because all my life I've had nearsightedness (got LASIK operation on eyes done in 2007) and hate to feel those things again.

2) A lot of stuff in VR (as in ED in general) feels like placeholders. Some menus, galaxy map, etc. Just feels 'bolted-in' - and with a way game exists since 2014 I don't feel like FD will do anything about it, most likely. Even in cockpits, VR menus in Eagle feels perfect, in some other ships it feels completely bolted-in. Station menu is ok (however you can't ignore non-linear curvature of it, especially when you start to compare to other games, like Lone Echo, for instance) but some other menus are simply 'rectangular shape in 3rd floating around in a random place'.

3) Some objects in VR make no sense and feel like scale is completely off. Stars are quite small, for example. Just an orange glowing ball, not a massive thing that is supposed to make you feel pathetic and tiny.

4) Crazy anti-aliasing issues. I know it can't be eliminated completely, but that is ED engine problem. Other games in VR are way, way better in this regard. I've read a lot on how possibly tone it down to minimum, but as I can understand it can't be absolutely avoided?

5) VR overall feels like it's a experience, but it's not quite there yet quality-wise, comparing to regular monitor gaming. As everyone agrees it's probably few years out still. I can't say for myself if I want to keep VR for playing some immersive, fun, but kinda 'childish' style games, like arena fighting, beatsaber, some cartoonish quests, etc. If I'd be younger I'd be absolutely in awe (I'm 38) - and I am quite frankly, but I'm not just too sure I'll use VR regularly in order to justify a purchase.

Do you play VR regularly? Can you live without VR?

What are you feelings about it?

Do you have ED experience in VR similar to mine or you'd better keep with 2D version?

 

[Wildcat67]

Hi there. Is the blurriness you mentioned just the headset resolution, or more an issue of IPD (mine is also 67mm, but I haven't tried the Rift S). I only play ED in VR now. I particularly enjoy the combat, especially in an asteroid field

 

[Maolagin]

1) I can't quite get everything in focus. Everything is slightly out of focus, I can't say if it's my personal problem or some kind of thing I've missed. I have IPD of 67 I think (according to program) and have it set up as such in Oculus Software.

This sounds like a fit issue to me. Especially since you mentioned you've had LASIK done, so your eyes might have a reduced compensation range. Since there isn't a focus adjust on the Rift S, you have to get the lenses just the right distance from your eyes. Keep playing with the size adjustment - you might just need to get the headset a little more tightly onto your face.

 

[Old Duck]

Mentioned above, but the Rift (like PSVR) is very finicky when it comes to where it sits on your face. I usually close one eye and see if the image is in focus, and then the other eye, moving the headset around on my face very slightly until both eyes are focused.

You should be able to tell the difference between the more limited resolution and blurriness based on out-of-focus by looking at UI text.

Here are my own impressions, some of which mirror yours:

First Impressions of ED in VR

Things I like: Headlook – Probably my favorite feature of VR is being able to look around! I’ve been missing the gyroscopic headlook available on PS4, but true headlook (you see where head is pointing) is extremely immersive. I told my wife that VR will be much better for my neck since I’ll be...

forums.frontier.co.uk

 

[encrypted]

I've also heard there are some attachments like faceplates you can change, maybe these will make a difference?

Here are my own impressions, some of which mirror yours:

Yes, I've read it

 

[Slowfiddler]

3) Some objects in VR make no sense and feel like scale is completely off. Stars are quite small, for example. Just an orange glowing ball, not a massive thing that is supposed to make you feel pathetic and tiny.

I think stars and planets look small because the ship is moving so fast in SC. When I am mining in a ring the gas giant in the background looks enormous. Again I think this is due to relative speed. Have you tried landing on a planet yet? I have just this evening parked on top of a central peak in a large crater and the view is absolutely epic.

4) Crazy anti-aliasing issues. I know it can't be eliminated completely, but that is ED engine problem. Other games in VR are way, way better in this regard. I've read a lot on how possibly tone it down to minimum, but as I can understand it can't be absolutely avoided?

Try setting Oculus supersampling to 1.6 or higher. I have it set a 2.0. Very slightly jerky in busy stations but otherwise smooth and everything is very clear.

Do you play VR regularly? Can you live without VR?

Yes. No.

What are you feelings about it?

It is wonderful.

 

[encrypted]

Try setting Oculus supersampling to 1.6 or higher. I have it set a 2.0. Very slightly jerky in busy stations but otherwise smooth and everything is very clear.

Is that a setting in oculus app somewhere or ED own setting for HMD supersampling?

Do you start with VR high/ultra and then set this setting manually or ... ?

 

[Slowfiddler]

Is that a setting in oculus app somewhere or ED own setting for HMD supersampling?

It is an Oculus setting. You can use a third-party utility called Oculus Tray Tool or, as I do, use Oculus' own debug tool to set it. The debug tool is here:

C:\Program Files\Oculus\Support\oculus-diagnostics\OculusDebugTool.exe

These are my ED settings:

 

[encrypted]

It is an Oculus setting. You can use a third-party utility called Oculus Tray Tool or, as I do, use Oculus' own debug tool to set it. The debug tool is here:

Thanks a lot for this, was able to download this profiler tool, chosen VR High, then opened Oculus typed 2.0, launched ED, figured it's almost a slideshow. Went back to debug tool, typed 1.6 seemed ok for some seconds, then suddenly jumped to 10-12 fps per second as per performance tool display from oculus. Restarted computer. Launched ED, spawned in space. Showed 80 fps.

Then jumped to a station, 40 fps exacly, which dropped to 35 ftps when inside the station. When I open any menu, it drops to 10-12 fps, then goes back to exactly 35.

I don't think that is right.

 

[Darth Wonko]

So, which VR hardware do you guys generally recommend?

I've been reading up, but this is the first time I've heard of things like:

Since there isn't a focus adjust on the Rift S

Which device do most people report the most success with this game?

 

[BigDuke6ixx]

Oh dear, another lukewarm arrives in the VR forum. The thrill wore off did it? Sell it then and go back to a pixie window.

 

[BigDuke6ixx]

So, which VR hardware do you guys generally recommend?

I've been reading up, but this is the first time I've heard of things like:


Which device do most people report the most success with this game?

he hasn’t got his eyes over the sweet spot is all. Focus is only an issue if you are short sighted in which case you’ll need corrective lenses.

 

[Old Duck]

So, which VR hardware do you guys generally recommend?

Which device do most people report the most success with this game?

I'm using the Rift S with good success. My only complaint is the Fresnel lens flare / "god rays", but from what I've read, most VR headsets suffer from this to some extent.

I definitely recommend a VR that doesn't require external cameras / sensors. The tracking on my Rift S is both superb and very simple.

 

[Slowfiddler]

Then jumped to a station, 40 fps exacly, which dropped to 35 ftps when inside the station. When I open any menu, it drops to 10-12 fps, then goes back to exactly 35.

I don't think that is right

What are your PC specs?

 

[encrypted]

What are your PC specs?

Ryzen 1700, 32GB Memory, 2070 Super

 

[Slowfiddler]

Pretty good then. It could be that your settings are just a bit high. 80fps outside stations is fine, 35 inside is probably better than I get (I7 2600, GTX 1080Ti). Personally I consider a steady 30fps perfectly acceptable.

Bear in mind there is a difference between the headset tracking fps and the application rendering fps. I use VR in XPlane as well and that can easily become a slideshow unless the settings are tweaked. However it is a slideshow that you can smoothly headtrack around. It is a bit hard to explain. Low fps on headtracking is what causes the motion sickness people experience and the ASW thing helps to mitigate that by interpolating the image quickly between frames. IMO the technology of consumer VR is very clever indeed.

 

[jnTracks]

I play exclusively in rift S, and in fact, I really can’t play non VR games since getting this. They all feel like looking through a small window and the game world, when shown on my 32” monitor.

for your blurry-ness I worry that 67mm is a bit wide for rift S. Since it doesn’t have a physical lens ipd positioning. The ipd on rift s is only changing the relative position of images displayed on the panel to attempt to give a correct scale. But if your eyes are too far outside the middle of the lenses I wonder if it’ll ever be clear. Might be the wrong headset for you.

for settings, that card should be plenty to get a very good image without much slowdown, especially if you don’t mind ASW.
I’ve found many settings can be turned down to speed up performance with very little impact on the perception of visuals in VR.
I wouldn’t mess with supersampling In the oculus debug app since the game has plenty of that control. I would, however, suggest using that app to set the performance overlay so you can see in real time what your performance overhead is as you mess with settings.
sit in a station, at the surface, and turn up/down some things.
on my 1660Ti I can get a super sample of 1.25 with otherwise med/low settings, or use mostly med/high settings with no super sample.
so you should be better than that.
that’s with a i7 7700k.
VR is much more picky about CPU than flat gaming, since the draw call can’t overlap with the GPU. If the CPU isn’t sufficiently overshooting and having plenty of headroom, you will have problems when the GPU gets overloaded and needs to drop to half refresh rate (ASW) since the CPU will then need to do more work to generate the interpolated frames.
so check your performance monitor if GPU and CPU to strike the right balance.

 

[[VR] Frank_G]

No way of playing Elite without VR - once i did the jump, there was no going back. I upgraded from the Rift CV1 to the Rift-S, reciving both on launch day. I find playing Elite with the Rift-S much more convenient, than with the original Rift. I have an IPD of 66 and it is no problem for me to find the right spot to focus. However, it can be a problem, when the HMD does not sit correctly. The focus point is a little limited.

The thing with scale is, that you need something to compare. Being far from a sun or a planet makes it a small ball... Planets suffer less from this, as there true size unfolds, when you go in for a landing. As long, as our ships can´t pass the suns exclusion zone, it will be this way. In some cases, you notice the different sizes of suns, when you go around them for scooping or to align with your jump target. It takes different time to orbit different suns. The ships also feel small, unless you stand in front of them in your SRV. Once we can get out of our virtual seats, scale will become a big factor, not only in VR.

VR being not right there is nothing but true. We are pioneers, we pay huge amounts of money for tech that is not yet fully developed, but we are there from day one. I guess, the next generation of HMDs and graphic hardware will be a huge leap out of that pioneer phase i guess. And with AAA titles being developed exclusively for VR, the market will expand, especially with titles like Halflife: Alyx in the pipeline.

 

[jnTracks]

No way of playing Elite without VR - once i did the jump, there was no going back. I upgraded from the Rift CV1 to the Rift-S, reciving both on launch day. I find playing Elite with the Rift-S much more convenient, than with the original Rift. I have an IPD of 66 and it is no problem for me to find the right spot to focus. However, it can be a problem, when the HMD does not sit correctly. The focus point is a little limited.

The thing with scale is, that you need something to compare. Being far from a sun or a planet makes it a small ball... Planets suffer less from this, as there true size unfolds, when you go in for a landing. As long, as our ships can´t pass the suns exclusion zone, it will be this way. In some cases, you notice the different sizes of suns, when you go around them for scooping or to align with your jump target. It takes different time to orbit different suns. The ships also feel small, unless you stand in front of them in your SRV. Once we can get out of our virtual seats, scale will become a big factor, not only in VR.

VR being not right there is nothing but true. We are pioneers, we pay huge amounts of money for tech that is not yet fully developed, but we are there from day one. I guess, the next generation of HMDs and graphic hardware will be a huge leap out of that pioneer phase i guess. And with AAA titles being developed exclusively for VR, the market will expand, especially with titles like Halflife: Alyx in the pipeline.

This is good to hear that wider IPD can still use rift s. I’m 60.5, but I actually feel better in game (swinging my head in circles and seeing if thing appear to bend) with a setting of 61.5.
I think that’s all the rift s ipd is doing.

 

[VR andysonofbob]

My IPD is 67.5. I do have to make sure it is on my face properly, but once it is there I can use it continuously with no worries. I push the HMD as close to my face as possible to maximise FoV too.

I am enjoying my rift s immensly but love VR anyway. Simply could not play ED (or any other 'sim') any other way.

What do you mean 'oculus settings to 2.0'? Do you mean ED's setting in the graphics menu, HMD quality? If so, set that to 1.5 because 2.0 might be pushing it a bit. That helps makes things a bit sharper.
Jaggies are a swine, esp in stations. People say AA doesn't help but I find putting it on max does help a little.