What do you 'mainly' play your PC sims on?

[ThugUK]

Just a fun poll, but may also come in handy later as a reference guide if everyone participates.

Due to the recent announcement that ACC is to officially support triples and someone mentioning that it will please a very small amount of people (which was also mentioned a while back regarding VR too) I would like to know what people sim race on.

This is multiple choice (2 choices) as I understand that not all games support all formats.

I have not included 2 screens as people using 2 will most likely play on one and have the other for information etc. Same goes for 4 screens, they will play on 3 and have the other for information.

If you have triples but sometimes only use the middle one due to the game not supporting all 3 then please pick triples and not triples plus monitor. The same if your middle monitor is an ultra wide, plus 2 smaller on the outside.

For transparency I mainly use VR, but have just bought an ultra wide for the odd game that doesn't support it.

So go on cast your vote.

 

[Jasje]

I wish I could use VR, but motion sickness kills that option for me.
Would need a motion rig in addition then I reckon...
But not really fond of any appliances which shut me off from reality completely. Even headphones is kind of non-natural for me.

If you have a decent PC and can maintain stable FPS you should definitely try it again.
Really loving VR on my Valve Index

 

[maelstrom]

If you have a decent PC and can maintain stable FPS you should definitely try it again.

For most people who have problems with motion sickness in VR, the framerate is not the main problem - it's the disconnect between what they see and what the inner ear tells the brain.

 

[DrRob]

For most people who have problems with motion sickness in VR, the framerate is not the main problem - it's the disconnect between what they see and what the inner ear tells the brain.

Exactly that. Don't have the best sense of balance to start with...

 

[RCHeliguy]

Exactly that. Don't have the best sense of balance to start with...

I started in VR without motion and got over it, BUT it took 5 days playing for 20-30 minutes until I started to feel uncomfortable each day and then one day, no issues.

I put myself though that because I had a number of people tell me that I would eventually get my "VR Legs" with repeated exposure. Ginger pills helped me a bit during that time.

I've found people fit into 3 general categories with regard to VR nausea issues based on having about 20 different people on my rig.

1. Just Immune. My son has never had issue with or without motion.
2. No issues with motion & tactile. People almost always got nausea playing Dirt Rally in VR until I got motion. The same people who came by and got sick after 5 minutes of Dirt Rally come back 6 month later and with the NLRv3, no issues at all even after 20 minutes or so.
3. With tactile and motion still a tiny bit. I had someone try VR out for the first time with my current motion and tactile and after about half an hour he started to feel " a little" and stopped. My guess is he would be desensitized after a short while, but he also played longer than most people did their first time.

I will add one note to that. After getting my NLRv3 I also upgraded my computer from an old i5-4960K to an i9-9900K and everything felt more connected. The control inputs felt instantaneous and the frame rates were smooth. I'm not saying you need an i9. There is a huge gulf between the performance of those CPU's, but somewhere there is a threshold where games play better.

BTW Once I got over Dirt Rally I tried a Space fighter game called Eve Valkyrie which also allowed you to spin in space. I got a bit uncomfortable the first time and then was fine after that. So I guess it required just a bit more desensitization. I don't use motion for that game. Motion works well for atmospheric flight, but space flight is something completely different and I didn't like it at all.

I'm sure the thought of "earning" your VR Legs doesn't sound like fun. In my case I thought it was worth it because I liked things in VR so much better. Also notice that it took me about 20+ minutes to get queasy initially. Some people only took 5 minutes, so this is obviously very specific to the individual.

 

[maelstrom]

I've found people fit into 3 general categories with regard to VR nausea issues based on having about 20 different people on my rig.

1. Just Immune. My son has never had issue with or without motion.
2. No issues with motion & tactile. People almost always got nausea playing Dirt Rally in VR until I got motion. The same people who came by and got sick after 5 minutes of Dirt Rally come back 6 month later and with the NLRv3, no issues at all even after 20 minutes or so.
3. With tactile and motion still a tiny bit. I had someone try VR out for the first time with my current motion and tactile and after about half an hour he started to feel " a little" and stopped. My guess is he would be desensitized after a short while, but he also played longer than most people did their first time.

You missed out a fourth category: Those who get nauseous after a few minutes of VR driving/flying and feel ill for quite some time afterwards - me! I'm retired and life's too short to spend money on something I know will make me feel sick in the hope that eventually it won't.

 

[Bob Gnarley]

"What do you 'mainly' play your PC sims on?"

Play? PLAY? How very dare you Sir!

I am an adult and mature person and I "race" on a simulation rig! Next you will be calling them games! I've never been so outraged!

Only joking, as this is RD I felt obliged to rant about something!

Triples here - voted.

 

[ThugUK]

BTW Once I got over Dirt Rally I tried a Space fighter game called Eve Valkyrie which also allowed you to spin in space. I got a bit uncomfortable the first time and then was fine after that. So I guess it required just a bit more desensitization. I don't use motion for that game. Motion works well for atmospheric flight, but space flight is something completely different and I didn't like it at all.

I'm sure the thought of "earning" your VR Legs doesn't sound like fun. In my case I thought it was worth it because I liked things in VR so much better. Also notice that it took me about 20+ minutes to get queasy initially. Some people only took 5 minutes, so this is obviously very specific to the individual.

Its funny, Eve Valkyrie was the first VR experience I had and never even felt a tingle of nausea.
The same with all driving games (AC, ACC, Dirt 1 and 2, etc), not a whiff.

However, put me in a First Person game like Adrift or Onward and I am ready to puke after only 2 or 3 minutes.

"What do you 'mainly' play your PC sims on?"

Play? PLAY? How very dare you Sir!

I am an adult and mature person and I "race" on a simulation rig! Next you will be calling them games! I've never been so outraged!

Only joking, as this is RD I felt obliged to rant about something!

Triples here - voted.

I put 'play' as in 'games' because some people still have iRacing.

*INCOMING* (runs for cover).

 

[RCHeliguy]

I was absolutely not a gamer about 2 years ago as in I played NO video games of any type.
VR was the only reason I started to play video games, period.
So if I couldn't sim in VR, I wouldn't sim, but I would still be playing other games in VR.

YMMV, but for me VR was a "game changer"

 

[SteveCac]

PS player too, haven't the room for anything other than the TV.

 

[JoelGL]

VR for a while, but for some months been back to either 23" triples or 32" single monitor. In my case, heat and humidity have been the limiting factors for VR.

 

[ThugUK]

Thought I would bump this to try and get a few more respondents.

 

[TheNatural]

I'm someone who's currently putting together a proper sim setup and I've been on the fence about VR for a while. haveI owned a vive in the past and played stuff like Elite Dangerous and Star citizen, but the ships in those games don't bounce around like a car would, I have always imagined that without motion the disconnect between my body and what I am seeing would be problematic over time.

I'm currently using a 43in TV on the GT Omega ART stand (4k and only 11ms on game mode for 00 euro, not sure why people don't go for the as a viable option). I'm not sure what to upgrade to.

 

[GuitarTech]

Take the plunge and buy a Rift S. You won't regret it. Once you've got used to VR, there's no going back to a monitor.

 

[TheNatural]

I can't really justify spending anything on hardware that's not the valve at this point. Unless I've been misled it's the only headset out there that is really a step up from the vive I used to own and sold (but unfortunately never used with sim racing).

 

[RCHeliguy]

@TheTheNatur
My experience with VR was without motion for the first year using a Rift. I added transducers to it which gave me a sense of road texture and the only time I felt a disconnect was in Dirt Rally landing after going airborne.

It did take me 5 days to get my VR legs. Granted I was only playing Dirt Rally which is probably the MOST nausea inducing sim racing title out there.

Since then I've added motion and I love it. I was OK without it, but now that I'm used to it, I would never want to be without it.

That said I don't think motion is a requirement for VR. You can get immersed without it. It's just something nice to have.

A number of guys I know from an iRacing forum said they saw a jump in their personal improvement after they could look into corners in VR.

 

[Botmeister]

I tested and don't like VR for a few reasons. Currently on a single 49" TV but triples 32" coming soon. Letting my eyes get used to VR, to me is not a valid argument. I base my opinion on pro's and con's in the technique and equipment. Comfort and durability are more important to me.

• Don't like screens that close to me eyes. I work on monitors all day, correct FOV already makes my screen(s) at home come very close and I think that's enough.
• Like to race for several hours. VR makes me way more tired, because there is zero natural light coming into my eyes. As soon as you take off the VR set, your eyes need to adjust longer than from screens. I'm sure you'll get used to it, but the longer the session, the more rest your eyes need afterwards. Screens can be intense too, but then you still have natural light coming in. That's important to me. I think it's important to all humans, but I'll stick to what's important to me.
• When using a screen I can regularly look through a window, to adjust focus for my eyes. And I really do this regularly.
• Don't like wearing headsets (of any kind). Audio comes from the 5.1 AVR and communication goes through a Plantronics BT mono headset. Damn that voyager 5200 has some awesome noise reduction filters, incredible. And I can't feel that I'm wearing it, simply wonderful equipment (to me).
• Peripheral vision is better with triples and that's a fact. With VR you always need to turn your entire neck to watch to the sides, instead of just moving your eyes. With triples the natural 178 degrees viewing angle of your eyes, makes you see things on the side whilst still focusing on the road in front of you.
  • VR, though, gives the opportunity to really look into a corner, which is way better than on screens.
  • But in VR you have no idea what's happening on the right when your neck is facing left.
  • And there are solutions for screen like IRtracking and settings in the sim software to let the camera move while going into the corner.
• Like to race for several hours. But i also get up and walk around the house in between sessions/stints. With my setup I'm able to stand up any time, without having to worry about any cables. And I'm able to keep talking with that mono headset, in and around the house.
• Apps. They give me information. They suck in VR. Again you'll need to move your neck to be able to see apps, because most VR users put them to the sides otherwise there in the way.
• Last but not least: often there's a beer (or any beverage) on a table near my rig. I can easily grab it because of that same natural peripheral vision. No experience but I assume drinking and VR is a no-go with all that expensive equipment.

Personally, I think racing on the long run is better with (a) screen(s). And since VR is incredibly cpu/gpu demanding, VR to me has more con's than pro's now. I'm curious, though, what the next generation of VR devices will bring. I assume going wireless is a top priority for a lot of users. But that comes at a price for performance.

And immersion only, is not an argument to me. Immersion comes with many parts of my sim rig. Of course being able to be part of the world you're racing in, is simply wonderful. It cannot get any better than that. I accepted to go without that in favor of other arguments.

 

[Speckle]

VR all the way for me. So immersive, so much better than a flat screen for depth perception!

 

[RCHeliguy]

@Bomeister
I think that there are some compelling reasons for triple screens and I agree that PC requirements are stiff for VR and for endurance races, being focused at about 6 feet in front of you for hours on end could become an issue for some. This is a personal preference thing as well.

As to some of your issues.
I have a cup holder built into my button box that is very easy to reach and I use a camelbak bite tube water bottle so I can't spill accidentally, but I can put a can of pop or beer as the case may be in there. I've had a coke can in there before.

I'm running a Valve Index and the off ear speakers are excellent. They have great range and don't touch your ears.

The Index is extremely comfortable at least to me and I haven't experienced any fatigue or issues after wearing it for extended periods of time.

However I do understand the idea of having varied focal points for good eye health. For years I have worked with 3 monitors at my desk and I have them at different distances from me and I do look out the window periodically just so that my eyes are not always focused in the same place. Oculus was working on a headset that would have different focal lengths, but never released it. I think something like that will be helpful eventually.

There is no perfect setup. In my case, I have a mobile rig that I roll into the center of my VR roomscale area. For me triple screens is too bulky and not an option. We each have our real life constraints.

 

[sp65]

I use a triple 27 "+34" +27 "and for me it's the closest thing to my car irl with the same peripheral vision, I specify that I use RF2 which recognizes my 34" and my27 " without deformation.
I do not use a radar or anything else that I will not have in my own IRL car, it is useless because my peripheral vision is enough to see that a car is trying to overtake me while I am looking ahead.

 

[odiopower]

Are you running Nvidia or AMD? @sp65