VR - disorienting?

[Nick Hill]

So, I finally tried out VR tonight (Rift, based on sim racing specific advice)...highly unoriginal comment incoming in 5, 4, 3, 2...

It was even better than I expected!

And, pleased to report I didn't experience any nausea, eye strain, etc. Not to say that couldn't happen in a longer play session, but it felt very comfortable and natural (albeit it a little "trippy" like we used to say in HS) right off the bat.

That said, I'm still not ready to pull the trigger - I would be getting this exclusively for sim racing, but there is something I still can't get through my thick skull about how well this really works for sim racing. Full disclosure, this is far from the first time I've asked this, but I've never gotten an answer that "clicks" for me (probably because it's hard to put into words).

So, the part that troubles me. We are all well aware that, for the 99.999% of us without motion rigs, we are playing these sims without the vital seat of the pants G forces...so we have to rely on our other senses to compensate - namely, sound, feel (FFB), and sight.

Obviously, VR is going to seriously change the "sight" sense for you. It is readily apparent to me that VR is going to increase immersion ten fold, as I'm going to feel as though I'm totally ensconced in the vehicles cockpit instead of sitting in my basement with my cat!

But it's of course more than just immersion...I feel as though I've trained my eyeballs to interpret what the road is doing relative to the car (and vice versa). I feel as though a big part of this is based on my car interior and the edges of my monitor being static with each other. If I perceive the road is getting a little crooked relative to the fixed reference points of my monitor edges/car interior details...well, I must be sliding a bit, right?

Tell me, VR wizards - how does this work in VR? I feel like my instinct is with a VR helmet on, I can move my head with total freedom - left, right, up, down, tilt, rotate, etc. Have I now not completely lost my ability to visually perceive the attitude of the track relative to the car? Is this line of thinking totally nuts? I realize VR is in a totally different ballpark than TrackIR, but if I dusted off my TrackIR, would I at least get an inkling of what the VR experience would be?

 

[FeltHat]

I realize VR is in a totally different ballpark than TrackIR, but if I dusted off my TrackIR, would I at least get an inkling of what the VR experience would be?

no

your problem is artificial, u created it, dont worry- its gonna be ok
In VR you are IN the car, it will feel natural after some time

 

[Jeremy Ford]

Nick you're right. I run a monitor and VR. With a monitor you use different visual cues to make up for the lack of 3D and the static camera. But one thing everyone forgets to mention when talking about VR sim racing, never mind the extra immersion; it's simply more realistic and natural. The 3D gives you proper depth perception and you naturally use these instincts. There's no tricks needed like with a monitor.

 

[signman]

I've used expensive triple's and now VR.

I have raced car's and single seater..VR is heap's better for me.
Try it yourself as we are all different.

Plus and minus for both but for me VR is a winner..MUCH more like the real thing.
Also consider tactile as a cheaper option to motion.

 

[Nick Hill]

Screw it - ordered. Got a good deal because I bought one without the touch controllers (I'm assuming that outside of sim racing and flight sims, the controllers are must-haves, so everyone wants the bundle).

 

[FeltHat]

they are awesome, cannot recommend them enough, but true, if u stick to sims u dont need em

 

[Terry Rock]

VR is the cat's meow to simracing.
The resolution...though not as sharp as it could be, is not restricting or even a distraction for that matter.
I'll keep my TrackIR for flight sims, where you need to look far and over large sections of territory.
It's great for that purpose.

 

[Furnace Inferno]

Screw it - ordered. Got a good deal because I bought one without the touch controllers (I'm assuming that outside of sim racing and flight sims, the controllers are must-haves, so everyone wants the bundle).

Yes, good man, you will not be disappointed if you already tried and didn't care about the lower perceived resolution.

Honestly I always hated the look to apex type cameras because I could never tell if my car was turning or the camera was just moving so I'd end up not turning enough constantly. VR though is completely different, you know exactly where the car is at all times just like a real car because you are in it rather than looking at a static screen with the camera shifting left/right in front of you. It's nothing like track IR and more like if you were sat inside a 360 degree screen that you can just look around any point.

I bought it for VR sims but I tried the free games and if you are into normal games they are actually great, a real evolution of gaming IMO like the jump from 2D to 3D to the point when I finish my steam backlog I will mostly game in VR going forward, the added depth perception is just too much to give up now and is so natural. People complain about certain locomotion types and controllers but it's infinitely better than the early 3D console games which control wise just flat out sucked with one joystick, we learned to deal with it but honestly greats like Goldeneye were awful for movement/aiming.

Word if warning though, the more immersed you get the more you want. I just added a buttkicker with simvibe which is awesome but now I really want a motion rig to complete the package!

 

[Nick Hill]

Day 2 of VR...no way am I ever going back!

Yeah, I'm one of those guys now! But I'm going to try very hard not to be one of the people who chimes in on every patch notes thread for a non-VR sim just so they can say "looks good, but no VR, so I won't be playing it!"

It. Is. Freaking. AMAZING.

Oh yeah, definitely a big graphics fidelity drop. Definitely 100% a try before you buy situation to make sure the trade off is worth it to you and you can be absolutely assured we are probably only a very short time out from the 2nd gen of VR headsets which will no doubt be better optimized, not to mention the software and GPUs will be better suited for VR as well.

In other words, I think "wait" is a perfectly reasonable decision to make...but if you can afford to take the flyer AND can live with the fidelity loss AND you're not prone to motion sickness, my recommendation is DO IT!

After only two days, I can tell you my fears of it being disorienting or unnatural are already nothing short of hilarious to me. Looking at a flat representation of a 3d world is what's unnatural! It took me all of about 2/3s of my first lap to realize how true that is.

I've only tried R3E and AC so far (PC2 is on my list, but just no time). I still love AC and it's by no means a bad VR experience, but for my personal tastes R3E is just perfect. Super easy to setup and then, of course most importantly, the total feel of the experience just "clicked" for me. AC does look frickin' amazing though - even with the reduced fidelity, it's a pretty breathtakingly immersive experience. The lighting in particular is uncannily good.

Now I am going to be anxiously awaiting AMS VR support! (Hope it comes someday!)

 

[signman]

Told you so

 

[FeltHat]

awaiting AMS VR support! (Hope it comes someday!)

lol, nope
(better wait for reiza18)

 

[MegamanAT]

next step should be simvibe or motion simulator. 2 buttkickers under your ass really and it feels much better and even more realistic. I can't even play without them anymore.

 

[Nick Hill]

next step should be simvibe or motion simulator. 2 buttkickers under your ass really and it feels much better and even more realistic. I can't even play without them anymore.

How so? Do buttkickers actually help your sensation of what the car is doing, or is it strictly an immersion thing?

 

[Furnace Inferno]

How so? Do buttkickers actually help your sensation of what the car is doing, or is it strictly an immersion thing?

Both and it's very configurable, all the fake FFB effects that you wouldn't feel through the wheel go to the buttkicker and your seat like real life instead basically

 

[G2Jason]

I only have a AMD RX 480 8gb (i5 7600k) . . . Will that be enough to satisfy my VR craving? . I was totally fine with Dirt Rally on PSVR graphics. Thanks!

 

[MegamanAT]

Probably yes. If you did not have problems with psvr, than I would not expect problems on pc. In general, you will not reach the ideal 90 fps with an 480, but the psvr can't to the either. It's mostly about motion sickness. I became sick fastly, when running on aws 45 and therefore bought a gtx 1080 to get constantly min. 90 fps. But since you are fine with the psvr, should also be fine with a rift.

 

[FeltHat]

Hmmm im perfectly fine with 45fps aws, running gtx1070 so as u can see your reaction is a lottery Is ur rig fine for vr? Did u check it with this lil vr ready tool provided by hmd manufacturers?

 

[Terry Rock]

Hmmm im perfectly fine with 45fps aws, running gtx1070 so as u can see your reaction is a lottery Is ur rig fine for vr? Did u check it with this lil vr ready tool provided by hmd manufacturers?

What CPU are you running with your GTX1070?
Do you have PP turned off in game?
Reason I ask is because I too, run a 1070 and though I have ASW set to auto, it always maintains the upper limit.

 

[FeltHat]

What CPU are you running with your GTX1070?
Do you have PP turned off in game?
Reason I ask is because I too, run a 1070 and though I have ASW set to auto, it always maintains the upper limit.

i have i5 4690k oc 4,4ghz
what i meant is that even with aws its all fine for me- in different titles with different settings

 

[Cote Dazur]

Day 2 of VR...no way am I ever going back!
Yeah, I'm one of those guys now! But I'm going to try very hard not to be one of the people who chimes in on every patch notes thread for a non-VR sim just so they can say "looks good, but no VR, so I won't be playing it!"
Now I am going to be anxiously awaiting AMS VR support! (Hope it comes someday!)

Welcome to the VR family, which is growing fast.
So, anxiously waiting for AMS to support VR but not going to shime in to say so, give your self a break, it as only been 2 days.
VR is too good not to want to share it and shout about it.