I just updated my OpenXR, have latest preview selected ON, but am not seeing that Custom render scale slider…
Nevermind…got it updated!
So with the new version of OpenXR installed…tried again the 60 Custom Render Scale and reprojection on and thought I had hit the Holy Grail for a bit. On acceleration on takeoff things were way more noticeably smoother…silky smooth. Once I was airborne though (in the area of OG20/Fairways Airport)…the little lags were back…maybe tree and object density. I hadn’t messed with any other settings, so there are gains to be made there for sure. And I hadn’t fussed with the NVidia control panel yet either… I’ll have to check to see what my in-game Render Scaling was too… So many choices…
I’m a bit puzzled about OpenXR and SteamVR…
I would like to try out OpenXR, to see if it is any smoother than SteamVR, as I keep seeing that mentioned.
But, when I set OpenXR as the default VR runtime, MSFS says no headset detected, and SteamVR complains that it is not default runtime. (which it is not, of course)
So it looks like Index is SteamVR only, or is there a trick to it?
If you put the Custom Resolution in the OpenXR tools to 60% then you do need to put the sim’s Render Scale to 110% with TAA, otherwise you don’t get really get what’s intended. Why you can probably run the other settings higher, the ones I posted will make things run smoother.
Yep, the Microsoft WMR OpenXR bits are purely for WMR devices. The way to think of it is that the only reason WMR headsets like the Odyssey and Reverb could use the SteamVR API was that the app ‘WMR for SteamVR’ essentially ‘fakes’ that they are true SteamVR (nee OpenVR) devices, like the Index.
OpenXR is a common VR API, where each platform vendor supplies an implementation. The advantage is the game developer just has to use the one API now. Here’s the marketing slide:
On the right of the diagram you can see all the games developers can now use a single ‘Application Interface’, so that’s good. Beneath that each VR platform vendor supplies a ‘Device Plugin Interface’ for their runtime, so we get one from Valve, Oculus and Microsoft. Beneath that is the underlying device drives of the headset vendors.
So the only thing to remember on the above diagram is that the ‘Windows Mixed Reality’ (WMR) logo also has a compatibility app to ‘fake’ being a ‘SteamVR’ device, hence why things like DCS and IL-2 that only supported either Oculus or SteamVR could be used on WMR (via the SteamVR fake out). It’s also why we can switch between the Valve OpenXR runtime and the Microsoft OpenXR runtime (because WMR can fake being a SteamVR device).
OpenXR hopefully will help VR adoption, as just the one API now. MSFS is pretty much the only OpenXR title out there, so we’ll have to see if other sims bother to change over (they don’t need to of course, the old stuff isn’t going anyway).
Excellent graphic, which makes things a lot clearly. I hadn’t comprehended that there was a device plugin in addition to the API. Mr. fearlessfrog, didn’t you say that a migration from SteamVR to OpenXR wouldn’t be a major undertaking? I guess when resources are thin, that any migration might take some time, regardless of the needed effort.
The Windows Store update is pretty rough, it will only do it once unless you prompt it. At a Start prompt in Windows, go ‘Store’ and then when it opens hit the ‘…’ in the top right and go ‘Downloads and updates’ and then ‘Get Updates’, that’ll unplug it.
The API is about 90% the same, the only real difference is in setting up the initial scene stuff. The API is managed by the Khronos Group, so not held by one single evil empire (it’s more a series of evil empires propping it up) and unlike Vulkan, the OpenXR isn’t really a paradigm shift.
I would expect X-Plane to move to it, as they are pretty good about open platforms. For DCS, it’ll really depend on if the old SteamVR (technically called OpenVR) starts to receive less fixes now, as in Valve spends time on making their OpenXR implementation better rather than both OpenVR and OpenXR - if that starts to become the case then maybe that’ll prompt Eagle Dynamics, 1CGS to take a look. Oculus is pretty much out of the PC game, so not sure what’ll happen on that side.
One new ‘feature’ purely in the OpenXR WMR platform runtime is the 30 fps Motion Reprojection option (rather than the 45/90 like now), and as you’ve probably witnessed already 
is pretty much needed purely for the only OpenXR title out there, boss GPU hog MSFS.
The existing API’s aren’t going anyway, so it’s sort of like DirectX11 vs DirectX12, if it works then don’t mess with it but if you’re starting something new then maybe look for the highest number.
They’re gonna make us get rid of the headphone jack next aren’t they?
My rig is quite similar to OP’s.
AMD 5900x, 1080ti, HP Reverb G1.
Is it possible to see the mcdu clealy without leaning to it? I am already using taa 100% and openxr ss 100%. But it seems not helpful.
FWIW I really really like being able to duck into and out of VR by pressing CTRL-TAB. That is a neat feature.
I’m inclined to agree… Not such a bad idea after all.
But what about that tab VR menu? When I select camera-external, I can’t go back to cockpit view…
Welcome to Mudspike!
I don’t have that particular headset but I am pretty sure that it is not possible to get the smaller stuff clear without leaning in. Not with current hardware.
It’s raw. Young. Will get better. But it’s shapin’ up to be real good imo.
Are you saying you have the same problem?
Worse, I had a fuel menu that would not go the fok away. It took no small amount of alt-tabbing, switching out of- and back into VR until I had that sorted. Typical just-released PC jank. Comes with the territory I reckon.
You can reset the naughty panel, it seems to clear it. Info here - My VR Settings & Tips - #2 by fearlessfrog
The MCDU I do lean in a little when I’m tapping stuff, but the primary displays are clear for me. It also sort of depends on if you get the sweet spot for the G1 lined up nice as well.
You can get it a little clearer by disabling reprojection in the OpenXR dev tool, although then you don’t get reprojection, so a trade off.
I’ve been able to jump to external and back in with HOTAS buttons that I mapped. But if not mapped, hit Tab to get the MSFS menu bar at the top. Then you should be able to select whatever view you like if memory serves.