Just tried AC in VR

@Skybird
If there were no nose gap fogging would be predominant - anyone who has ever done some sort of chemistry lab with splash goggles would agree, as perspiration is the main reason for fogging in this application. I have been using my CV1 for a few months now, and have very very very rarely had any fogging. I have never ever had the experience of "graphics are ruined". There are many people who use CV1 for endurance races. Those people might be better sources to know how comfortable they feel in long sessions.

VRCover for the CV1 IMHO is pretty useless. The texture of the fabric is not really comfortable, and the extra bit of fabric always blocks the optic sensor on top of the CV1, which makes it think that you have put the HMD on, and makes the screen inside the CV1 stay on. You don't really need many accessories for the CV1 from my experience. The only add-on that I have now is a 3D printed prescription lenses adapter.

As for glasses, there have been only one or two cases when my friend's glasses had think strong big plastic frames and couldn't fit inside the CV1. At first most of the friends said the glasses is troublesome, but after trying out a few games a few minutes, all of them became very good at putting it on and finding the sweet spot of focus.

 

I just got foggy lenses on winter (and winter is coming...) because I got the rig in a cold room and with cold lenses this just happens.
I solved by using an hot air blower for 5/10 seconds before wearing the rift

 

I get some blur no matter how I have it set, but it's usually only with stuff off in the distance so it's not really an issue.

 

I have found the rift to be quite blurry. All the lines are perfectly smooth when you look at the details but there's just a general 'hologram' vibe to the whole experience. It must be different too for each person as we all have a wide range of vision strengths.

 

I want to share some of my experience with VR in AC.
I've tested AC with Oculus and HTC Vive before. And I've made a decision that pixel grid size is not acceptable for me and I'll stay with monitor. And now I've finally received my Pimax 4K device, so here are some thoughts and info + benchmarks.

Thoughts and feelings about Pimax 4K in AC:
Pixel grid is far more better than Oculus or Vive. It's really playable now! You can see text, apexes, obstacles, etc. And picture in general looks - WOW!
Head tracking (gyroscope only) ofc is worst that in Vive or Oculus but it's good enough for simracing. I'am recentering my view only once for 4-5 laps. And it looses it's calibration not in some "disaster" way. It's about few degrees miss.
Focus are not perfect. Using my headset for 3 days and still can't find ideal focus. It's absolutely playable, but no perfect. And it steals your attention time to time, when you are not fighting in a race )))
Screens inside the VR headset are pretty slow. You can easily look at motion blur of dark objects around colorful ones, if you rotate your head to quickly.
Motion sickness comes far later than in Oculus/Vive. Or maybe I've become older and more adaptive
Overal score as for me: Pimax - 4/5. Oculus and Vive i'd say around 3/5.

My benchmark investigation
I run next config:
CPU: AMD FX-6300 overclocked to 4.2 Ghz
RAM: 8 Gb 1600
GPU: MSI GTX 1070 Gaming X

Pixel density in oculus.cfg file - 1.5

First of all I wanted to understand isn't my CPU kind of a bottleneck for such GPU. So I've made different tests:

Test 1 - Monitor only / 1920x1080 resolution + Medium graphics quality with post processing effects OFF (turning them off increases FPS dramatically), that I usually use for Pimax and online racing.

AC VERSION: 1.15.2 (x64)
POINTS: 26119
FPS: AVG=178 MIN=79 MAX=236 VARIANCE=9 CPU=88%

LOADING TIME: 35s
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (1920x1080)
OS-Version: 6.2.9200 () 0x100-0x1
CPU CORES: 6
FULLSCREEN: ON
AA:4X AF:8X SHDW:2048 BLUR:0
WORLD DETAIL: 4 SMOKE:2
PP: QLT:0 HDR:0 FXAA:0 GLR:0 DOF:1 RAYS:0 HEAT:0


Test 2 - Monitor only / 1920x1080 resolution + all graphics MAXED out.

AC VERSION: 1.15.2 (x64)
POINTS: 17765
FPS: AVG=121 MIN=14 MAX=173 VARIANCE=11 CPU=75%

LOADING TIME: 23s
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (1920x1080)
OS-Version: 6.2.9200 () 0x100-0x1
CPU CORES: 6
FULLSCREEN: ON
AA:4X AF:8X SHDW:4096 BLUR:0
WORLD DETAIL: 5 SMOKE:4
PP: QLT:5 HDR:1 FXAA:1 GLR:5 DOF:5 RAYS:1 HEAT:1

*** We can admit that increasing load to GPU - CPU loads less... Stay in touch to see more.

Test 3 - Pimax 4K with pixel density 1.5 + all graphics MAXED out.

AC VERSION: 1.15.2 (x64)
POINTS: 5141
FPS: AVG=35 MIN=29 MAX=39 VARIANCE=0 CPU=29% -

LOADING TIME: 36s
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (1920x1080)
OS-Version: 6.2.9200 () 0x100-0x1
CPU CORES: 6
FULLSCREEN: ON
AA:4X AF:8X SHDW:4096 BLUR:0
WORLD DETAIL: 5 SMOKE:4
PP: QLT:5 HDR:1 FXAA:1 GLR:5 DOF:5 RAYS:1 HEAT:0


Test 4 - Pimax 4K with pixel density 1.5 + Medium graphics quality. Important note: If you turn off post-processing effects completely - Benchmark will always crash after cars start from the grid. So effects are turned on, but lowered as possible.

AC VERSION: 1.15.2 (x64)
POINTS: 8233
FPS: AVG=56 MIN=40 MAX=62 VARIANCE=0 CPU=39%

LOADING TIME: 23s
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (1920x1080)
OS-Version: 6.2.9200 () 0x100-0x1
CPU CORES: 6
FULLSCREEN: ON
AA:2X AF:8X SHDW:1024 BLUR:0
WORLD DETAIL: 4 SMOKE:2
PP: QLT:0 HDR:1 FXAA:0 GLR:0 DOF:0 RAYS:0 HEAT:0

Test 5 - Pimax 4K same as test 4, but with pixel density set to 2.0

AC VERSION: 1.15.2 (x64)
POINTS: 5690
FPS: AVG=38 MIN=29 MAX=42 VARIANCE=0 CPU=26%

LOADING TIME: 23s
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (1920x1080)
OS-Version: 6.2.9200 () 0x100-0x1
CPU CORES: 6
FULLSCREEN: ON
AA:2X AF:8X SHDW:1024 BLUR:0
WORLD DETAIL: 4 SMOKE:2
PP: QLT:0 HDR:1 FXAA:0 GLR:0 DOF:0 RAYS:0 HEAT:0

And CPU usage graphic:


As a conclusion: FX-6300 are more than enough if you want to play AC in VR

 

Found this bundle at really good price:
https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/7cudli/combo_desktop_vr_headset_hp_build_ryzen_1400/

HP Pavilion Power Desktop 580-131 + HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset with Motion Controllers $349

Description
• Save $149 • Desktop PC (no monitor) • AMD Ryzen 5 1400 • 8GB memory/1TB HDD • VR-ready AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics • Includes HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset with Motion Controllers

 

Hey John, what PPD setting do you use? Also, that "hologram" feel could be the chromatic aberration, which looks much better turned off.

 

Hi, I have no idea what Chromatic aberration is. PPd I Know as SS and I have this set to 1.6 in both the Assetto file and tray tools.

 

@Boundless thank you for the review. Just a few questions.
You wrote “ I'am recentering my view only once for 4-5 laps. And it looses it's calibration not in some "disaster" way. It's about few degrees miss.”
This seems like a lot, to me, I never have to recentre with my DK2, during a session. That would bother me a lot.

When you write “I can’t find ideal focus” what are you talking about? Their is no “focus” adjustment in VR.

 

For those in the US, Rift+touch bundle for $349 black Friday deal:
https://promotions.newegg.com/nepro/17-7446/#p=1

 

go to your assetto corsa game folder, open the default.ini filter, something like:
..\Steam\steamapps\common\assettocorsa\system\cfg\ppfilters\default.ini

open it in notepad, go to :
[CHROMATIC_ABERRATION]
ENABLED=1

Set the value to = 0, save, close.

 

Has anyone tried VR prescription lenses (for example from https://vr-lens-lab.com/)?

I've ordered my Rift and it should arrive in 1½ week. I do wear glasses and personally Id find it cumbersome to always have to take off my glasses and load them into the headset before I put headset+glasses on...

The prescription lenses seem ideal...I'm probably on the verge of ordering anyway, but it would be great to hear if any of you have any experience from them...

 

I have a buddy that bought those, will ask him

 

Yes, but I am very near sighted and I really couldn't get the vr-lens lenses to fit in the holders as the curvature was too much. I actually don't have any problems with putting the Rift on and off with my glasses on. I just make sure I hold onto a temple piece when I take it off. Be careful not to scratch the Rift lenses with the glasses as you get used to it. I have some scratches but I not really notice them when driving.

 

In Pimax software it's called IPD adjustment. In oculus it's "focus distance adjustment" that you make with slider\wheel on a headset. Maybe I choose a wrong words to describe it, so sorry for that )))
And believe me - recentering a view is not that bothering as you think

 

Yesterday I've made a post with some GTX 1070 benchmarks in VR.
Today I've made same basic tests with GTX 1080 instead.

Test 3 - Pimax 4K with pixel density 1.5 + all graphics MAXED out.

AC VERSION: 1.15.2 (x64)
POINTS: 5997
FPS: AVG=40 MIN=33 MAX=47 VARIANCE=0 CPU=34%

Test 4 - Pimax 4K with pixel density 1.5 + Medium graphics quality. (Mostly I use this setup to play online in VR)

AC VERSION: 1.15.2 (x64)
POINTS: 8796
FPS: AVG=60 MIN=38 MAX=66 VARIANCE=0 CPU=44%

Important note: MIN=38 is kind of a fake. It was holding constant 60 fps during all benchmark. Very good result.

Test 5 - Pimax 4K same as test 4, but with pixel density set to 2.0

AC VERSION: 1.15.2 (x64)
POINTS: 6763
FPS: AVG=46 MIN=33 MAX=50 VARIANCE=0 CPU=32%

Both cards are monsters in their product lines and they are significantly overclocked in stock. GTX 1070 was MSI Gaming X, and GTX 1080 was Palit GameRock.

As we can see GTX1080 is a real deal for VR. Ofc Ti will be even more preferred, but it costs toooo much.

 

@Boundless thank you, I understand now.

 

Many thanks for the insight, now you made me undecided

I thought the curvature is supposed to be outwards, away from the Rift lense?

I havent yet been able to try if my glasses would fit, but from the measurements it seems it will be a tight fit. Hence the VR-lenses seem to be a good option...maybe perhaps. They're 88eu or something, so its like a 5th of the price of the Rift.

 

Tried these frames?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Oculus-Rift...hash=item2127386e38:m:mL9V0BHO6xAgkBgAcBgSkBw (for Lens Lab lenses)

Or these?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Oculus-Rift...327877&hash=item3f84999eb5:g:atAAAOSwPh5ZLd~L (for Zenni lenses)

Or these?

https://vr-lens-lab.com/product/vr-frames-virtual-reality-glasses/ (lens labs lenses)

-----

The RABS lenses by lens-labs are meant to to have curvature pointed towards the eye indeed: outward, as you say. One of their videos explains it.

 

Completely out of the loop regarding VR, and looking for a bit of info.

I've only ever tried it for a measly 3 laps at Spa 24 and despite me feeling quite strange for the first few corners, and i'm also convinced the FOV wasn't setup properly, its sort of made me consider it for myself, possibly this christmas.

First question, is the Oculus Rift the only viable option, or are their other products out or coming out in the near future that may be more suitable?

Secondly, how would a GTX970 perform, would an upgrade be needed to have smooth, decent looking gameplay?