General VR discussion thread

[Aikouka]

It's nice to get to use it. The bad side is, it's blurry; I don't know how much is my eyesight, and how much is the device. But words are hard to read. Some controls are unintuitive also; pressed a button, and a Windows menu popped up in the game, hard to get rid of at first. But, we'll see how it goes. I'm glad there isn't screendoor.

Are you looking around with your eyes or your head? VR HMDs have one large drawback: the sweet spot. Essentially, the center of the lens is the most clear, and as you move outward, it becomes fuzzy. Some HMDs have worse (smaller) sweet spots than others, which can become a bit of a drawback.

Also, as mentioned, wearing glasses/contacts does help too. I use specific lenses that are tuned to my prescription in my Vive.

 

[Craig234]

Do you normally wear glasses or contacts? If so maybe that's why it could be blurry. I always have to wear my contacts when using VR or everything is not clear as it should be. I know there was a Windows update to windows mixed reality lately that should have fixed some of the blurriness.

Ya, glasses and I don't want to wear contacts. Only after buying it did I see it said not to wear glasses, I'd seen VR discussions about wearing glasses.

 

[Craig234]

LOL, you know what helped a little? It came with plastic over the lenses I hadn't taken off. Taking that off, it looks a bit better, but is still blurry.

For what it's worth, I widened the headset and looked with my (reading) glasses on, and it's far blurrier, horrible.

 

[Craig234]

Are you looking around with your eyes or your head? VR HMDs have one large drawback: the sweet spot. Essentially, the center of the lens is the most clear, and as you move outward, it becomes fuzzy. Some HMDs have worse (smaller) sweet spots than others, which can become a bit of a drawback.

Also, as mentioned, wearing glasses/contacts does help too. I use specific lenses that are tuned to my prescription in my Vive.

I haven't noticed the sweet spot, but I think the blurriness is all over.

I mentioned above reading glasses make it horrible. Maybe the prescription headset lenses would help if they're an option (not sure whether to get the reading or distance prescription).

 

[sze5003]

I haven't noticed the sweet spot, but I think the blurriness is all over.

I mentioned above reading glasses make it horrible. Maybe the prescription headset lenses would help if they're an option (not sure whether to get the reading or distance prescription).

Reading lenses won't help. The prescription lenses is what you want as that's what you would use outside the headset anyway. VrOpticion sells them and a few other sites.

One thing with me when I had the original Odyssey, I really had to play around with how it sat on my head to get the right sweet spot where things were clear. Sometimes you have to move it up higher on your head or lower, tighten it more on your face, etc. Once you find the spot where you can see clearly you tighten it like that on your head and it should stay for next time.

Also the Odyssey has an ipd wheel. What this does is move the lenses closer or further away from each other. So position the headset on your head where you want it and then spin that wheel to move the lenses closer or further until it gets clearer.

 

[Craig234]

Reading lenses won't help. The prescription lenses is what you want as that's what you would use outside the headset anyway. VrOpticion sells them and a few other sites.

When I said reading glasses, I'm talking about prescription - different prescriptions for reading and distance.

 

[Aikouka]

When I said reading glasses, I'm talking about prescription - different prescriptions for reading and distance.

It may seem odd because the lenses are really close to your face, but you need to use glasses for distance not reading.

 

[sze5003]

It may seem odd because the lenses are really close to your face, but you need to use glasses for distance not reading.

Yea that's what I should have said. I'm nearsighted so I have to use my contact lense inserts to have 100% clear images. I'm debating on ordering some for my reverb or waiting until I renew my contact lense prescription to see if the prescription changed so I don't have to pay for lense inserts twice as they are like $70.

 

[clamum]

After not calling yesterday, they called today. The person wanted me to re-install Steam, I said no. He wanted me to install the latest optional feature patch to Windows, which he said would take about an hour and a half, I said no. Then finally he put me on hold a while and found a Windows Mixed Reality installation/setup program to run, and that solved it.

It's nice to get to use it. The bad side is, it's blurry; I don't know how much is my eyesight, and how much is the device. But words are hard to read. Some controls are unintuitive also; pressed a button, and a Windows menu popped up in the game, hard to get rid of at first. But, we'll see how it goes. I'm glad there isn't screendoor.

Glad to hear you got it going!

I have the original Vive, as I mentioned, and unless text is right in the center it's quite blurry. It makes games like Elite Dangerous not nearly as good as it could be cause of all the text in game (on your ship's computers).

I wear glasses but for distance seeing; my eyesight up close is quite good.

I believe someone did post in this thread a few pages back or so a company that makes inserts for headsets for those that need glasses, so you can get your prescription without actually wearing glasses with the headset.

 

[Craig234]

Glad to hear you got it going!

Thanks.

I believe someone did post in this thread a few pages back or so a company that makes inserts for headsets for those that need glasses, so you can get your prescription without actually wearing glasses with the headset.

Ya, I'm interested in those; I was saying, I'm not sure whether to use the reading or distance prescriptions. I was surprised that wearing my reading glasses made it a lot worse.

 

[Craig234]

It may seem odd because the lenses are really close to your face, but you need to use glasses for distance not reading.

Ok, thanks... that is weird.

 

[Aikouka]

Goodness... I didn't realize how much the Oculus Quest community really wants old Vive Deluxe Audio Straps, but they're going for a pretty decent amount -- even used -- on eBay. I was half tempted to print a mod to use mine on the Quest, but the straps don't bother me that much. 😛 (The lack of dedicated audio is a bit annoying, but earbuds are simple enough.)

 

[Craig234]

Are any of these bargain price games worth getting?

Fanatical

www.fanatical.com

 

[Aikouka]

I finally got a chance to try out my Oculus Link cable last night. It got delayed heavily because I decided to do some case upgrades that also turned into a complete water cooling overhaul. On a side note, it seems that every time I dive into water cooling, I always have this deep sense of regret and wish that I had just gone with air. 😛

But I digress... so the case that I upgraded to is the Lian Li O11 Dynamic. I use an XL variant on my main computer, but in regard to the Link cable, I was plugging it into the smaller version. The biggest problem that I noticed is that the active cable is just too heavy for a front-mounted Type-C port. You have to be a bit careful as it's fairly easy to dislodge the connector, and while it will appear plugged in, the cable will not be functional. My next plan is to try the connector on the motherboard's Type-C port to see if the issue is with the case's port just being too loose.

As for its performance, my first attempt had some major issues. I'm not really sure what was the problem, but I was running at an extremely low refresh rate and turning my head would lead to a black screen prior to the image finally showing up. After messing with the unit for a bit, which involved upgrading to the beta Oculus software and then downgrading back to the release software and reseating the cable, everything seemed to work fine. I decided to try out Space Pirate Trainer since I don't have Beat Saber on the Oculus PC store, and it worked fine. Although, at first, it seemed like I could feel the slight latency/sluggishness of having the content streamed to the headset; however, that went away pretty quickly.

Overall, it was a good experience once everything was working correctly. My biggest complaint would be that the PC-end of the cable should be Type-A and not Type-C.

 

[Genx87]

Got an Occulus Rift S for christmas. I also think it is blurry. Neat technology though. Flying IL-2 missions is crazy. I feel the sensation of movement even though I am sitting in a chair.

 

[BunLengthHotDog]

.....
As for its performance, my first attempt had some major issues....

If you open up Task Manager, head to the "Details" tab, you can right click on "OVRServer_x64.exe" then set the priority to "Real Time". This helps immensely with performance issues, particularly graphics tearing / skipping. Oculus released a system tray tool that can save this setting permanently if you run the tray tool as a service (on boot, requires admin rights)...or you can do this any time you start up the Oculus app.

 

[Aikouka]

If you open up Task Manager, head to the "Details" tab, you can right click on "OVRServer_x64.exe" then set the priority to "Real Time". This helps immensely with performance issues, particularly graphics tearing / skipping. Oculus released a system tray tool that can save this setting permanently if you run the tray tool as a service (on boot, requires admin rights)...or you can do this any time you start up the Oculus app.

I might give this a try to see what it does. I'm not 100% sure if it I need it, because I really only had a major issue on my first attempt, and that was only when I tried the official Oculus Link cable. (I had used a standard 10-foot USB 3.0 cable before that.) Although, I get the feeling that the performance issues that I was having may not be the same as the ones that setting is meant to fix. Mine were so bad that I'd turn my head, and it took seconds for the visuals to render in that area (it was black until that point.)

My assumption is that it had something to do with the cable not seating properly. The O11 Dynamic puts the Type-C port on the front rather than some cases that have it on the top. So, all the weight from the cable is pulling down on it, and the connection isn't really all that tight to begin with. That's why I wish they would've used Type A on the PC-side of the connection.

All in all, I'm curious if it might help with how I eventually got Oculus Link to work fine, but it just felt... slightly off. Maybe I'll also try one of my normal, passive USB 3 cables again to see if it feels a bit different. I've got an Amazon Basics one and an Anker one.

 

[Kaido]

Got my tax return & blew it on an Oculus Quest! Went with the larger 128gb model (they only sell 64gb & 128gb sizes, no memory card port to expand it later). Also got a Link cable, which allows you to hook it up to a PC, just like a Rift, Vive, or Index. Stock is hard to come by, but BHphoto has the Quest right now: ($500 for the 128gb)

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www.bhphotovideo.com

Best Buy has the 16' Link cable: ($80)

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/oculus-link-16-virtual-reality-headset-cable-for-pc-gaming-on-oculus-quest-black/6391780.p?skuId=6391780

There are other, far cheaper cables available, but most of them have pretty mixed reviews, and most are also missing the right-angle plug. As far as resources go, there's an active sub-reddit for the Quest here:

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

SideQuest lets you side-load games & apps:

SideQuest VR apps and games for Meta Quest headsets, PCVR, Early Access, and sideload apps

Welcome to SideQuest, the ultimate VR discovery platform and home to VRs greatest hits, indie gems, sideloadonly and earlyaccess VR content—and much more. SideQuest is also packed with tools and tips to help you get the most out of your VR headset. Install the SideQuest app for the best experience.

sidequestvr.com

Vivecraft is supported via the Link cable:

Vivecraft - Virtual Reality Minecraft for SteamVR

Virtual Reality Minecraft for SteamVR

www.vivecraft.org

Official Link cable setup guide is here:

Getting started with Meta Quest 2

Find out more about getting started with the Meta Horizon app, setting up your Meta Quest 2 and adjusting the fit and feel of your headset.

support.oculus.com

Very curious to see how this compares to my several-year-old Vive setup. I've been wanting a second VR setup at home for multi-player games for awhile now, but also wanted a Quest for mobile use, so this is the best of both worlds. Technically a Rift S is cheaper (starts at $399) & the Vive goes for $499, but I also have to deal with WAF for mounting cameras, so the Quest's inside-out tracking for the living room (my Vive is currently in the basement).

 

[Kaido]

I just got it in tonight, my immediate impressions are:

1. Not nearly as comfortable as my Vive with the Deluxe audio strap
2. Good screen
3. Controllers are super weird at first
4. Kinda glitchy software sometimes, may just be me getting used to it
5. After I got used to the controllers...surprisingly awesome! I like the touch sensors on some of the buttons. So lightweight too!
6. Chaperone is SUPER easy to setup!
7. The controllers are FAR more accurate than I was expecting. Haven't experienced any camera drift like I did with my brother's PSVR.
8. The casting feature to your phone is super nice, especially with kids, so you can help them out with menus & parts of the games. Although it dumps off sometimes & won't pop up on the screen sometimes, so it's not perfect
9. Being wireless is amazingly NICE! Yay for no cable to worry about! I am curious to see what the actual battery life is like tho...

It came with Vader Immortal, super excited to try that! Already played some BeatSaber. Excited to try BigScreen & Virtual Desktop! Also got Netflix, Hulu, etc. I don't like watching Netflix on my Oculus Go because it's a little too pixely for my eyeballs, so I'll see how this compares. I pretty much just use my Go for my VirZoom setup these days (they have an adapter that works on any stationary bike now).

At some point, I'd like to build a house - just a simple one-story design. I didn't want a basement before, because they always leak, but I found a good basement system (Quad-Lock ICF), so it would be pretty cool to put in an unfinished basement with multiple large rooms just for VR for multi-player. With some padded walls made of exercise mats, hahaha! My Link cable should show up in the next day or two, so I'll give it a go on the computer once it arrives.

I know it's a pricey toy at $500 a pop, but taking a step back from when I started this thread 4 years ago (!!!), I think it's absolutely incredible the quality & features you get with a Quest. If the Link cable works well, and if my extended usage goes well, I think the Quest will be my go-to VR recommendation for people...you don't need a gaming computer if you just want to use it stand-alone, but you can also access the full SteamVR library with. Very excited to try out multi-player games like QuiVR!

 

[Kaido]

This guy has a video detailing some nice mods he did on his Quest, including a battery pack & frankensteining a Vive Deluxe Audio Strap onto it:

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I use the party link with my Quest, works fine. I have the PC in the living room setup so that the length is just enough for every game I have played on PC. It is connected to the mobo, as my 2070 super lacks a C port. Will be buying something else for streaming non VR content. Even 4K is not enough to make me want to watch a movie on it at this point.

 

[Aikouka]

1. Not nearly as comfortable as my Vive with the Deluxe audio strap
6. Chaperone is SUPER easy to setup!

Yeah, there's a really big reason why (some) Quest owners are trying to scoop up any Deluxe Audio Straps that are available. I heard that they actually came back in stock a couple weeks ago and lasted for a tiny bit. I still need to 3D print my adapters so I can finally use it.

I also think that Chaperone works quite well, and it's interesting that you can mold it to any shape that you want. I've never done the advanced Room Setup in SteamVR, but at least in the basic setup, you're limited to whatever rectangle it can make out of the shape that you draw.

It came with Vader Immortal, super excited to try that! Already played some BeatSaber. Excited to try BigScreen & Virtual Desktop! Also got Netflix, Hulu, etc. I don't like watching Netflix on my Oculus Go because it's a little too pixely for my eyeballs, so I'll see how this compares. I pretty much just use my Go for my VirZoom setup these days (they have an adapter that works on any stationary bike now).

I didn't get any games with mine, but I did get luck with the Link Cable. Oculus was feeling bad for it being "delayed", and they gave Link Cable buyers a $20 store credit. Something must have been really wonky in their system, because they actually failed to give people the credit. If you asked a CSM, they would've given you one, and then the system would've automatically given you one! It wasn't even just that, but they also messed up and gave Link Cable buyers a free copy of Asgard's Wrath, which was supposed to be free for Rift S buyers only.

At some point, I'd like to build a house - just a simple one-story design. I didn't want a basement before, because they always leak, but I found a good basement system (Quad-Lock ICF), so it would be pretty cool to put in an unfinished basement with multiple large rooms just for VR for multi-player. With some padded walls made of exercise mats, hahaha! My Link cable should show up in the next day or two, so I'll give it a go on the computer once it arrives.

That's something that I've been looking for in a house... a good room for computers, VR, etc. At least one of my largest complaint about newer builds (houses with large square footage tend to get the same number of rooms just much larger) tends to work in my favor in this case.

I think the Quest will be my go-to VR recommendation for people...you don't need a gaming computer if you just want to use it stand-alone, but you can also access the full SteamVR library with.

Unless someone expresses that they want the best VR experience and that money isn't that big of a deal, I'll usually just recommend the Quest. The portability means it can also double as a fun party item. There was even this Squirrel game that I saw for the Quest where one person plays as a defender in VR and anyone else logs in outside (phones, etc.) to fight against the VR person. I haven't tried the game yet, but I figured it might be a good party game that actually includes other people!

 

[Aikouka]

Humble Bundle currently has a VR bundle going on right now, and I have to say... it's a good deal. The packages are currently...

$1 Tier
Cosmic Trip
Smashbox Arena

Beat the Average
Budget Cuts
GORN
Space Pirate Trainer

$15 Tier
Moss
SUPERHOT VR

To be frank, both Moss and SUPERHOT VR are worth more than $7.50 each. I don't know the $1 tier games too well, but GORN, Space Pirate Trainer, and Budget Cuts are rated well. I've played the first two, and I've heard Budget Cuts was good but a little underwhelming compared to what was promised.

 

[Kaido]

PSVR 2 rumors in the news:

Sony could have a new PSVR headset in the works

We already knew that the PS5 would support Sony's PlayStation VR headset. That makes sense: the new console will be backwards compatible with PS4 software, which presumably includes every VR-enabled title. What we didn't know, however, was the future of the PSVR platform and whether Sony would...

www.engadget.com

They've sold 5 million OG units so far, pretty good!

I'd probably consider a PSVR 2 at some point. I'd love an Index (especially for the upcoming Alyx HL game), but I'm using my Vive (now 4 years old) downstairs & my Quest upstairs (and will be adding a gaming PC for the Link cable at some point for multi-player on Steam!).

 

[Aikouka]

I keep noticing this sort of odd behavior with my Vive Pro. If I touch the HMD, the screen goes gray for a second and eventually comes back after maybe a second or two. I’m assuming that the HMD is losing tracking when this happens as I took the HMD off and kept touching it until this happened, and I saw a tracking notice on the SteamVR equipment window.

So, I guess I’m wondering if I just need to adjust/reposition my lighthouses? I switched rooms recently to avoid using a whole bedroom just for VR, and I wonder if my more rectangular play area is not as good. (By the way, it’s kinda lame because the play area borders appear a lot while playing due to the narrow area.)

PSVR 2 rumors in the news:

Sony could have a new PSVR headset in the works

We already knew that the PS5 would support Sony's PlayStation VR headset. That makes sense: the new console will be backwards compatible with PS4 software, which presumably includes every VR-enabled title. What we didn't know, however, was the future of the PSVR platform and whether Sony would...

www.engadget.com

They've sold 5 million OG units so far, pretty good!

I'd probably consider a PSVR 2 at some point. I'd love an Index (especially for the upcoming Alyx HL game), but I'm using my Vive (now 4 years old) downstairs & my Quest upstairs (and will be adding a gaming PC for the Link cable at some point for multi-player on Steam!).

The biggest thing the PSVR 2 would need to do for me is to have far better tracking. If it isn’t at least using inside out, then it will have the same issues as the original.