Oculus Rift & P3D

[Neo44 0]

I tried an Oculus Rift with P3D. I tried it in P3D itself and also using Flyinside FSX. It was a great experience except to read the displays of the aircraft (PMDG, Majestic) was impossible which was annoying. The text on displays and also next to buttons is very blurry.

I have an I5 3.9 Mhz processor, 8GB RAM, and an RX480 4GB graphics card. I tried to adjust every setting but the readability did not improve.

My own thoughts are that the resolution of the oculus rift is not yet high enough to be able to read the aircraft displays. Is that correct? Does anyone else have the same experience?

[WebMaximus 372]

I don't have any problems reading most of the stuff in the NGX when running FlyInside on the second highest resolution and you kind of get used to it after a while as well.

Sure it would be great with a more sharp picture but to me the immersion of flying the aircraft from inside the cockpit rather than looking at a 2D display makes it all worth it.

To me VR and FlyInside is the biggest step I ever took to experience the sensation of actually flying the aircraft.

[Neo44 0]

Which graphics card do you use?

[WebMaximus 372]

A 980Ti.

If you haven't seen it already there's a dedicated VR sub-forum here at AVSIM where you'll be able to find lots of info which might interest you.

[RoyEP3 0]

On 4/15/2017 at 9:30 AM, WebMaximus said:

A 980Ti.

If you haven't seen it already there's a dedicated VR sub-forum here at AVSIM where you'll be able to find lots of info which might interest you.

Hi.  I have the same graphics card as you, but also have the same blurry instrument panels.  Can you please post your graphics settings for FlyInside?  Thanks.  

[WebMaximus 372]

8 minutes ago, RoyEP3 said:

Hi.  I have the same graphics card as you, but also have the same blurry instrument panels.  Can you please post your graphics settings for FlyInside?  Thanks.  

Here's my complete settings_pro_FlyInside P3D_settings.ini file license keys excluded containing all my settings for FI.

[Loading]
ForceVRMode = 0

[Graphics]
DX11 Adapter = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti \\.\DISPLAY1
DX9 Adapter = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti \\.\DISPLAY1
LockSimulatorFrameRateRift2 = 0
Oculus Target Resolution = 2880 1620
EnableFXAA2 = 0

[Input]
Tap To Recenter = 0
Reset Orientation = 46887 13 vJoy Device:7 46887 20 vJoy Device Button 7 46887 1 0
Center Mouse = 46887 7 UNBOUND 46887 7 Unbound 46887 1 0
Show/Hide Mouse Pointer = 46887 7 UNBOUND 46887 7 Unbound 46887 1 0

[UI]
Show Tooltips = 0
Show Window Border = 1

[Interaction]
Interact = 46887 13 vJoy Device:9 46887 20 vJoy Device Button 9 46887 1 0
InteractKeyApproved = 1

[General]
Show Adapter Selection Screen = 0
Loaded successfully = 1

[Windows]
RearrangeOnConnect = 0
RearrangeOnHMDReset = 0
RearrangeOnDisplay = 0

[Mirror]
Show Both Eyes = 0
Include Distortion = 0

[Zoom]
Toggle Zoom = 46887 5 K:112 46887 6 F1 key 46887 1 0
Zoom Level Adjust = 46887 1 1 46887 39 46887 5 K:113 46887 6 F2 key 46887 1 0  46887 39 46887 5 K:114 46887 6 F3 key 46887 1 0  46887 28 46887 0  46887 0  46887 1 0
Zoom Level = 5

[VirtualDesktop]
DesktopViewEnabled = 0
Enable/Disable Virtual Desktop = 46887 13 vJoy Device:8 46887 20 vJoy Device Button 8 46887 1 0

[Options]
DisablePauseControl = 1

[ColorAdjust]
Saturation = 1
Enabled = 0
DarkLevel = 0
LightLevel = 0

[Magnifier]
Toggle Magnifying Glass = 46887 7 UNBOUND 46887 7 Unbound 46887 1 0

[Sound]
Volume = 0.50
EnableRiftAudio = 0

 

[glider1 90]

The key setting is supersampling. You need to super sample the rift resolution otherwise....yes....it is too blurry. A 1080 card can supersample to an equivalent of 4K resolution which helps quite a bit. A 980Ti is probably best on a supersample of 2K resolution, which is what Webmaximus above has it set to. VR works great for all types of flying but IFR in a big tubeliner is probably the weakest experience.

[WebMaximus 372]

43 minutes ago, glider1 said:

IFR in a big tubeliner is probably the weakest experience.

Fact is I've been doing 99% of my VR flying in the PMDG NGX and I think it has been awesome!

The sensation of being able to actually sit in a "real" 737-800 cockpit while flying online on VATSIM watching all online traffic around you in full size and with ATC and fellow pilots speaking over the radio...truly amazing!

I do understand though that flying in smaller aircraft where you're able to go low and slow and in combination with good scenery is equally amazing or even better!

[AlphaInfinity 13]

This is the same experience I had with the Dk2, great experience but the resolution wasn't high enough to read the displays in any cockpit...

 

Hopefully the next rift has a higher resolution.

[glider1 90]

56 minutes ago, WebMaximus said:

Fact is I've been doing 99% of my VR flying in the PMDG NGX and I think it has been awesome!

The sensation of being able to actually sit in a "real" 737-800 cockpit while flying online on VATSIM watching all online traffic around you in full size and with ATC and fellow pilots speaking over the radio...truly amazing!

I do understand though that flying in smaller aircraft where you're able to go low and slow and in combination with good scenery is equally amazing or even better!

You're right WebMaximus. I fly the Phenom 100 in VR which has a lot of tiny details on the glass cockpit and when I think about it, the resolution hasn't been a problem at all and the experience of flying in a full size cockpit is a game changer. Instead of being on VATSIM, I've been using PF3+MCE which is ideal because of the voice commands you can give to your crew, ATC and for controlling the sim.

[pegruder 65]

Agreed - due to the limitations of the rift displays it can be tough to read.  As others have said, supersampling most certainly helps but its not perfect.  For everything else, there is the quick zoom feature built right into FI.  I certainly can't wait for 4k per eye (at least) on a HMD, and from what I've read that isn't even the sweet spot.  Im sure itll at least help though.  As others have said no matter what the VR flight experience is certainly the most immersive yet.  I can't wait for FI to release on P3d v4.

[twojastara 85]

I was hesitating to buy Oculus, because I was reading reviews regarding low resolution. But when I finally bought it one month ago, it turned out that it is not so bad. Yes, it is blurry, and if you are one of those people who cannot live without crisp, 4k 60fps video, then it is not for you. But...

1. As everyone else commented here - experience in VR is truly amazing. Once I have tasted it, I have never done a single flight without VR.
2. You can fix resolution a little bit using FlyInside, or OculusTrayTool for P3D v4.
3. Resolution is not SO bad. You cannot read everything while at your virtual sit, but once you lean in, you can read 95% of labels. With GA A2A planes I can read ALL six-pack labels just sitting straight. The problem is with some other displays. For example, it is very hard to read airport labels in maps for PMDG planes.
4. Some people say that you need 90 fps but I disagree. Of course, it would be great to fly in such conditions, but it is the same as with FPS on regular, desktop monitors. Some people need at least 60fps, while others are fine with 30fps etc. I was flying with 25 fps in FlyInside and it was jerky, but fine to me. I got used to it.
5. Cockpit sizes! The first time I have sit down insinde P51 I felt so... tiny! Cockpit proved to be SO small and the wings span is so large!
6. If you want a truly amazing experience, try DCS and take a flight in P51 over Nevada map. It will blow your mind :).

Of course, this is just my opinion. But in my case, all those negative comments about resolution weren't true. Yes, it is blurry, it is not perfect, it could be better, but I think that Oculus Rift CV1 is a great, first step for VR.

[glider1 90]

48 minutes ago, twojastara said:

I was hesitating to buy Oculus, because I was reading reviews regarding low resolution. But when I finally bought it one month ago, it turned out that it is not so bad. Yes, it is blurry, and if you are one of those people who cannot live without crisp, 4k 60fps video, then it is not for you. But...

1. As everyone else commented here - experience in VR is truly amazing. Once I have tasted it, I have never done a single flight without VR.
2. You can fix resolution a little bit using FlyInside, or OculusTrayTool for P3D v4.
3. Resolution is not SO bad. You cannot read everything while at your virtual sit, but once you lean in, you can read 95% of labels. With GA A2A planes I can read ALL six-pack labels just sitting straight. The problem is with some other displays. For example, it is very hard to read airport labels in maps for PMDG planes.
4. Some people say that you need 90 fps but I disagree. Of course, it would be great to fly in such conditions, but it is the same as with FPS on regular, desktop monitors. Some people need at least 60fps, while others are fine with 30fps etc. I was flying with 25 fps in FlyInside and it was jerky, but fine to me. I got used to it.
5. Cockpit sizes! The first time I have sit down insinde P51 I felt so... tiny! Cockpit proved to be SO small and the wings span is so large!
6. If you want a truly amazing experience, try DCS and take a flight in P51 over Nevada map. It will blow your mind :).

Of course, this is just my opinion. But in my case, all those negative comments about resolution weren't true. Yes, it is blurry, it is not perfect, it could be better, but I think that Oculus Rift CV1 is a great, first step for VR.

Spot on.

I actually think they got the resolution of Rift CV1 perfect from a design point of view. The resolution is low enough so that low end graphics cards can play VR designed games (but not flight sim), and the flightsimmers like us just need to supersample.

If they would have made the CV1 any higher res, it would have been uneconomic AND still too low res for the flight sim crowd used to 4K monitors.

So they picked the resolution for CV1 perfectly. Plus one to the designers. I would say CV1 Rift is near perfect design concept. Only problem for me is that the goggle fog up and it takes a few minutes to clear! I hear the Pimax 4K has little grooves in the lens to minimize fog.

EDIT: The P3Dv4 VR implementation problem is that Lockheed haven't provided a supersampling option in the graphics menus for VR!

 

[swiesma 625]

Same experience here.

 

Immersion is great! But sharpness - not so much. So I returned the Oculus. It's 800€ here at that's too much for what you get.

[carlito777 712]

34 minutes ago, swiesma said:

It's 800€ here at that's too much for what you get.

It's currently at 449€ incl. the Touch controllers because of the "Summer of Rift" promotion.