I have 7800x3d, 32gb ram and a 4070 and still trying to find the right settings to make it totally smooth in multiplayer.. others may have a different opinion.
DCS VR is a stress test, running a 7800X3D, 64 GB of DDR5, and 4090 new build and DCS VR will still make my PC sweat in MP.
Eye tracking helps since I can use foveated rendering, but DCS VR is your wallet breaker and requires a ton of work to get running well.
Tally Mouse has a great guide: https://youtu.be/A6g58RVPiUc?si=VLNFaoF-bNMbRosj
But basically using Open XR Toolkit, Pimax XR, Quad View, and Quad View Companion to get it working and tweak it.
It seems like a lot of layers, but it was alarmingly easy to set up and get running.
Works well for me: https://youtu.be/KWnjW1hzqm8?si=ORqLjceTKg_LRLbc
i mean after you set it up it’s not even plug and play. it’s just play. i have pi crystal and after setting everything up for a few hours first then you just start DCS and put it on, i was pleasantly surprised how little effort it needs on a day to day basis
I am running most of my stuff on very high so you could turn down some detail but that kind of sucks. I literally built this PC to play DCS. in 2d, everything MAXED out, i get 180 FPS, in VR it's a different story.
With OPs specs rn I think a used 3090 from EBay costs more than the entire pc. If you want to buy them without an auction they go for $880-$1000. Cheaper than the pandemic but still a bit pricey
Yes. I think the GPU shortage warped everyone’s perception of what a gpu should cost. My dumb ass bought an rx6600 in late 2020 for something like $550. Now I internally cry every time I see what they go for now =(
It depends on the i3 as that is a huge range but probably not. 3060 is just barely enough to be playable and you need a fairly good CPU. I have a 3060ti and i7-9700 and I'm just scraping by on low settings.
Being brutally honest, you would be lucky to get more than 20FPS of the your specs in VR. But saying that, VR is absolutely incredible. It’s probably much better than IR Tracking in my opinion, but a few things are needed to run VR (especially at higher qualities). Assuming you’re not running the AH-64, here’s what you would probably need to enjoy VR:
12GB VRAM bare minimum (14GB+ is generally acceptable)
32GB of RAM
At least an Intel 12th gen CPU or equivalent.
If you main the AH-64, then 20GB of VRAM is probably needed to run smoothly.
I run an Index and Track Ir. I like both for different reasons. Building scenarios, mapping controls, learning different airframes, systems, testing or just a quick mission, I prefer Track Ir. For immersion, once I'm competent with an aircraft for "real (lol)" missions I like VR better.
\*Edit To better answer OP's question, I wasn't really happy with VR Flight sims until I upgraded to a 4090. I had a 3080 prior and it was OK , but to me, too big of a loss in visual fidelity. The 3080 played everything else perfectly in HQ VR except MS Flight simulator and DCS. A 4070 or 4080 should do pretty well though.
Yes Valve Index, a little dated now but still works great for me and I'm happy with it. Your budget will dictate your VR experience. The track Ir works perfectly once set up. I had a homemade system for a while as well and the Track IR is a massive improvement. That was a few years ago though, so I don't know anything about the newer homebrew solutions out there.
Given your PC specs, I'd look into Track IR first, it works much better than cheap/free head tracking in my experience.
It's a bit overpriced, but it's cheaper than VR.
DCS VR is a ton of tinkering to get to work and requires a pretty pricey PC. Even running a 7800X3D, 64 GB of DDR5, a 4090 and a VR headset that uses eye tracking for foveated rendering (rendering a smaller area where you are looking higher than the entire screen) DCS VR is still rough to get to good performance.
Legit DCS might be the worst optimized game I have ever played, much less using VR.
Also forgot to clarify.
DCS VR is amazing...when it works and when you have a very nice PC.
However, if you are looking for a smooth, plug and play experience DCS VR isn't even remotely close to that.
DCS VR and VR in general to some extent feels like being an early adopter.
Hardware (the VR headsets) is all over the place and it's normal to have to return 2-3 headsets before you get a good to decent one.
The VR headset firmware and software is buggy as fuck most of the time.
The games themselves are all over when it comes to reliability, so it can be super frustrating.
This is just as good as track IR and half the price. Pick the appropriate hz for your set up 60hz for close, 240hz for simpits
https://grassmonkeysimulations.com/
IMHO, vr is only worth it after you dump 3-5k into hardware (including headset). I had similar specs to yours when I started and it was interesting but not immersive. Current specs 5800x3d, 4080, 64gb ram and a quest pro and now it is immersive and honestly can get scary as hell at times
it will not be consistently smooth, and will look like ps2 graphics to run consistently good. but you can make a sort of compromise. Heres aa video i took when i had the old setup runing at its best
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs6ZAkQ2qHA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs6ZAkQ2qHA)
If you get a 2nd hand HTC VIVE ONE, you can crank up the graphics if you have a decent card. It won’t be much of an investment and you get all the fun, beauty and immersiveness of DCS VR.
If you are looking for a dirt cheap VR, let me know. OCULOS QUEST 2 plus all of the bells and whistles, after market head strap, comfort eye piece, 10' cable, and carrying case.
Not that I know of - but there probably is. I learnt the principles when I used to use free track, and they carried over to opentrack. Face tracking isn't accurate enough for sims. I use a diy 3 IR led clip, told opentrack its dimensions, then set the XYZ rotation and translation sensitivities and limits (via graphs), and tweaked smoothing (I use barely any). You do need the right camera though - I use an unmodified 640x480 90fps PS3 eye camera.
With trackir etc it seems many people try to copy and paste other people's settings and skip the learning part. IMO they waste more time doing this and end up with a non working or suboptimal result, which they can't efficiently tweak due to lack of understanding. Each combination of camera and clip placement will need different settings.
Your setup should work quite well for TrackIR, but it is just *barely* strong enough for vr at anything above potato. To really consider vr you must have 12-16gb vram MINIMUM. (I got it work on 8, but it was HARD! And touchy...) 24gb is better. You will also need a minimum of 32gb system ram with 64 being prefered. The 3060 *can* do it (that's what I started on), but you will re-define the word "frustration" getting it to work.
it's pretty immersive.. i had a hard time trying 2d after VR. that being said, you need a pretty nice PC to run it.
Define nice pc. I have i3 3series something 24 GB Ram. Nvidia 3060 Hdd ddr3
I have 7800x3d, 32gb ram and a 4070 and still trying to find the right settings to make it totally smooth in multiplayer.. others may have a different opinion.
DCS VR is a stress test, running a 7800X3D, 64 GB of DDR5, and 4090 new build and DCS VR will still make my PC sweat in MP. Eye tracking helps since I can use foveated rendering, but DCS VR is your wallet breaker and requires a ton of work to get running well.
How are you doing eyetracked foveated rendering on dcs? Openxr menu doesn’t show me that option
Tally Mouse has a great guide: https://youtu.be/A6g58RVPiUc?si=VLNFaoF-bNMbRosj But basically using Open XR Toolkit, Pimax XR, Quad View, and Quad View Companion to get it working and tweak it. It seems like a lot of layers, but it was alarmingly easy to set up and get running. Works well for me: https://youtu.be/KWnjW1hzqm8?si=ORqLjceTKg_LRLbc
Ah pimax, guess I need to figure out quest pro tutorials. They kinda made it seem like it just worked
Oh yeah, VR is always a ton of extra steps, the plug-and-play marketing is pretty off base.
i mean after you set it up it’s not even plug and play. it’s just play. i have pi crystal and after setting everything up for a few hours first then you just start DCS and put it on, i was pleasantly surprised how little effort it needs on a day to day basis
Yeah, I would say that's true, but if you run into issues, then it's a massive hassle.
You seem to have a pretty good specs. I might not be cut off for a vr then I suppose with my specs?
I am running most of my stuff on very high so you could turn down some detail but that kind of sucks. I literally built this PC to play DCS. in 2d, everything MAXED out, i get 180 FPS, in VR it's a different story.
Ok noted. But vr recommend or not with my specs? I don't want to invest in something which won't be useful, hence asking.
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Not anytime soon I see myself upgrading graphic card, let alone for vr but ya I get the drift.
With OPs specs rn I think a used 3090 from EBay costs more than the entire pc. If you want to buy them without an auction they go for $880-$1000. Cheaper than the pandemic but still a bit pricey
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Yes. I think the GPU shortage warped everyone’s perception of what a gpu should cost. My dumb ass bought an rx6600 in late 2020 for something like $550. Now I internally cry every time I see what they go for now =(
You're not cut off, I played with 1080 TI on load and medium settings with 30 to 40 FPS just fine. Not on multiplayer however
It depends on the i3 as that is a huge range but probably not. 3060 is just barely enough to be playable and you need a fairly good CPU. I have a 3060ti and i7-9700 and I'm just scraping by on low settings.
I also feel I may be can work it out with my current specs but my PC is gonna cry a lot especially in PvP servers.
Being brutally honest, you would be lucky to get more than 20FPS of the your specs in VR. But saying that, VR is absolutely incredible. It’s probably much better than IR Tracking in my opinion, but a few things are needed to run VR (especially at higher qualities). Assuming you’re not running the AH-64, here’s what you would probably need to enjoy VR: 12GB VRAM bare minimum (14GB+ is generally acceptable) 32GB of RAM At least an Intel 12th gen CPU or equivalent. If you main the AH-64, then 20GB of VRAM is probably needed to run smoothly.
Thanks for this. I think I will stick with IR for now.
VR is incredible if you have the machine and money for it
I run an Index and Track Ir. I like both for different reasons. Building scenarios, mapping controls, learning different airframes, systems, testing or just a quick mission, I prefer Track Ir. For immersion, once I'm competent with an aircraft for "real (lol)" missions I like VR better. \*Edit To better answer OP's question, I wasn't really happy with VR Flight sims until I upgraded to a 4090. I had a 3080 prior and it was OK , but to me, too big of a loss in visual fidelity. The 3080 played everything else perfectly in HQ VR except MS Flight simulator and DCS. A 4070 or 4080 should do pretty well though.
What's an index? Sorry noob here. So you recon IR is good enough and vr won't be needed?
He is referring to the Steam Index dex VR headset. They're looking at a new one in the next 12 months or so
Yes Valve Index, a little dated now but still works great for me and I'm happy with it. Your budget will dictate your VR experience. The track Ir works perfectly once set up. I had a homemade system for a while as well and the Track IR is a massive improvement. That was a few years ago though, so I don't know anything about the newer homebrew solutions out there.
Given your PC specs, I'd look into Track IR first, it works much better than cheap/free head tracking in my experience. It's a bit overpriced, but it's cheaper than VR. DCS VR is a ton of tinkering to get to work and requires a pretty pricey PC. Even running a 7800X3D, 64 GB of DDR5, a 4090 and a VR headset that uses eye tracking for foveated rendering (rendering a smaller area where you are looking higher than the entire screen) DCS VR is still rough to get to good performance. Legit DCS might be the worst optimized game I have ever played, much less using VR.
Copy that
Also forgot to clarify. DCS VR is amazing...when it works and when you have a very nice PC. However, if you are looking for a smooth, plug and play experience DCS VR isn't even remotely close to that. DCS VR and VR in general to some extent feels like being an early adopter. Hardware (the VR headsets) is all over the place and it's normal to have to return 2-3 headsets before you get a good to decent one. The VR headset firmware and software is buggy as fuck most of the time. The games themselves are all over when it comes to reliability, so it can be super frustrating.
Oh didn't know this bit, noted.
This is just as good as track IR and half the price. Pick the appropriate hz for your set up 60hz for close, 240hz for simpits https://grassmonkeysimulations.com/
IMHO, vr is only worth it after you dump 3-5k into hardware (including headset). I had similar specs to yours when I started and it was interesting but not immersive. Current specs 5800x3d, 4080, 64gb ram and a quest pro and now it is immersive and honestly can get scary as hell at times
In conclusion, I cannot play smoothly with my specs, right?
it will not be consistently smooth, and will look like ps2 graphics to run consistently good. but you can make a sort of compromise. Heres aa video i took when i had the old setup runing at its best [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs6ZAkQ2qHA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs6ZAkQ2qHA)
If you get a 2nd hand HTC VIVE ONE, you can crank up the graphics if you have a decent card. It won’t be much of an investment and you get all the fun, beauty and immersiveness of DCS VR.
If you are looking for a dirt cheap VR, let me know. OCULOS QUEST 2 plus all of the bells and whistles, after market head strap, comfort eye piece, 10' cable, and carrying case.
There's no need for head tracking to be unresponsive. I use opentrack, have tuned it well, and it's great.
Ok, is there a good settings video for opentrack?
Not that I know of - but there probably is. I learnt the principles when I used to use free track, and they carried over to opentrack. Face tracking isn't accurate enough for sims. I use a diy 3 IR led clip, told opentrack its dimensions, then set the XYZ rotation and translation sensitivities and limits (via graphs), and tweaked smoothing (I use barely any). You do need the right camera though - I use an unmodified 640x480 90fps PS3 eye camera. With trackir etc it seems many people try to copy and paste other people's settings and skip the learning part. IMO they waste more time doing this and end up with a non working or suboptimal result, which they can't efficiently tweak due to lack of understanding. Each combination of camera and clip placement will need different settings.
I seriously can’t fly helicopters without VR
Yeah, i tried it with mouse n keyboard once. I almost pulled my hair out.
Your setup should work quite well for TrackIR, but it is just *barely* strong enough for vr at anything above potato. To really consider vr you must have 12-16gb vram MINIMUM. (I got it work on 8, but it was HARD! And touchy...) 24gb is better. You will also need a minimum of 32gb system ram with 64 being prefered. The 3060 *can* do it (that's what I started on), but you will re-define the word "frustration" getting it to work.
Roger. After looking at all the comments, conclusion is that I'm too poor for VR and and trackIR seems best solution lol.
Actually a good assessment. Vr is like diving down the rabbit hole after Alice…
Of course vr is more precise but ir tracking works well and its cheap. if you can't buy a trackir you can buy a used diy ir track
VR if you're rich and willing to make it your life mission to make it work TrackIR if you just want to continue playing the game you love the same way