Latest Beta Release of the VR mod

[blue_max]

Well, I figured it would be easier to locate the most recent version of the VR mod if we had a dedicated thread for that.

[EDIT: Get the latest beta from the Downloads page]

To use this update, you'll need to install the latest effects (from the Download page) and then you'll need to expand the files in this update into the XWA folder.

Then you'll need to open VRParams.cfg and set "VR_Mode" to "SteamVR" (or "DirectSBS") and in CockpitLook.cfg you need to make sure "tracker_type" is set to "SteamVR" (or "FreePIE", for the DirectSBS mode).

Any questions or requests for help should go on their own topics in this subforum. Let's try to keep this thread clean so that the updates are easier to locate, thank you!

This is the last beta update I'll issue using the current execution model. I'll be merging the performance improvements made by m0rgg so that they are part of the next official release.

[blue_max]

Thanks to ForceFlow, the latest update can also be downloaded directly from the Downloads page!

In the update from July 17 2020, the following has been fixed:

* The Reticle and HUD are no longer squashed in VR.
* Placement of sun flares should be correct.
* Ctrl+Left/Right arrow change the size of the reticle. The reticle's size can also be controlled from VRParams.cfg.
* The speed effect is now disabled on the fly-by camera.
* The position of the active cockpit cursor in SteamVR mode was not obeying the settings from Active_Cockpit.cfg. You should be able to place the cursor wherever you want now. Just change the values of "cursor_origin_init_x" and "cursor_origin_init_y", save Active_Cockpit.cfg and press Ctrl+Alt+L to reapply the settings.
* Various minor bug fixes.

[aaadmiral]

hey I just tried this out and can report the aiming reticle is all good for me now! were there other potential fixes? for some reason it 'felt' a bit better for me in my brief test, but I didn't have the performance graph on. I did actually also lower the "CockpitLook.cfg positional_x/y/z_multiplier" to 1.8 as someone else had mentioned seemed a bit better than 2.0 so maybe that was it..

edit oops posted this without seeing the updated post above!

[blue_max]

There are no performance improvements in this version. However, that's going to be the focus for the next preview!

[blue_max]

Update: I just uploaded a new beta release dated July 21, 2020. It has all the improvements from m0rgg's branch plus a few of my own for 2D content. It can also be downloaded from this link:

[EDIT: Get the latest beta from the Downloads page]

[blue_max]

Update: Latest release from July 22. In this release I've improved the readability of the text displayed in the HUD, made some changes to the cockpit look hook so that the default scale for positional tracking is 1.666 and added a new setting to invert the joystick throttle. If you'd like to invert the throttle, just add the following to DDraw.cfg:

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InvertThrottle = 1

[blue_max]

Update: Latest release from July 31. In this release:

1. Head tracking has been enabled while in the hangar. Some distortion may be visible around the edges of the screen.
2. Added new settings to VRParams.cfg to help configure SteamVR's mirror window:

Code: Select all

; Set the following value to something greater than 0 to override the aspect
; ratio that is computed automatically by ddraw with your own setting.
steamvr_mirror_aspect_ratio = 0.0

; You can change the zoom in the mirror window with the following setting.
; Values lower than 1 will magnify the image, values greater than 1 will shrink
; the image. The default is 0.7
steamvr_mirror_window_scale = 0.7

[blue_max]

Update: Beta release from August 6. In this release:

* Fixed hangar mouse look when TrackIR is enabled: it is now possible to look around the hangar with the mouse even when TrackIR is enabled.
* POV offsets can now be applied even when VR is off. Just add "force_apply_custom_POVs = 1" to POVOffsets.cfg.

This release is probably going to become 1.1.4.0 soon. Just need a bit more testing.

[Bman]

Hi Blue Max, I just downloaded v1.1.4.0. So on the DL page, there's no need for us to install the 8/06/20 Beta .zip on top of verion 1.1.4.0, correct? Thanks for all these new great features.

[blue_max]

Hi Blue Max, I just downloaded v1.1.4.0. So on the DL page, there's no need for us to install the 8/06/20 Beta .zip on top of verion 1.1.4.0, correct? Thanks for all these new great features.

Correct, at this moment (Aug 17, 2020) there are no betas for 1.1.4.0. But there will be soon!

[Bman]

Thanks. I see Jeremy just released new ddraw ver. d3d11.1.3.11. That will make your version 1.1.4.1 ?

[Ace Antilles]

Thanks. I see Jeremy just released new ddraw ver. d3d11.1.3.11. That will make your version 1.1.4.1 ?

An updated Effects DDraw hasn't been released yet.
Jeremys DDraw mostly added things already in the Effects version

[blue_max]

Thanks. I see Jeremy just released new ddraw ver. d3d11.1.3.11. That will make your version 1.1.4.1 ?

I already merged those changes into my branch. My branch also contains improvements to the text renderer by MamiyaOtaru to make it much much faster. That'll be the first beta release after 1.1.4. I'm just testing them now -- when the weather allows.

[blue_max]

Update: The first beta after release 1.1.4. In this release:

* The 2D font rendering performance has been improved by Jason Winzenried (MamiyaOtaru). The text rendering with fonts is now almost as fast as the regular text rendering.
* The latest changes from Jeremy's ddraw have been merged. This is now on par with d3d11.1.3.11. This version has performance improvements to the text, 2D brackets and radar.
* The FOV can now be adjusted with the usual hotkeys (Ctrl+Shift+Alt + Right/Left Arrow Keys). This was previously broken in 1.1.4.
* Support for holographic DC displays.

[blue_max]

Update (Oct 2, 2020): I've added new DC elements. Several text areas can now be captured and placed inside the cockpit -- or they can be placed floating around inside the cockpit:

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SHIELDS_FRONT_SRC -- Front shields numeric percentage
SHIELDS_BACK_SRC -- Front shields numeric percentage
TEXT_RADIO_SRC
TEXT_SYSTEM_SRC
TEXT_CMD_SRC
TARGETED_OBJ_NAME_SRC
TARGETED_OBJ_SHD_SRC
TARGETED_OBJ_HULL_SRC
TARGETED_OBJ_CARGO_SRC
TARGETED_OBJ_SYS_SRC
TARGETED_OBJ_DIST_SRC
TARGETED_OBJ_SUBCMP_SRC

To make a DC element fully transparent, just add the following to its section in the DC file:

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transparent = 1

To make textures holographic, just add the following to its section:

Code: Select all

hologram = 1

Only rectangular holograms are supported at the moment. Holograms can be turned ON and OFF with Ctrl+Shift+T

To make a holographic texture noisy, add:

Code: Select all

hologram = 1
noisy_hologram = 1

The MissileBoat has two warhead launchers and the text overflows its box a bit. I've added code to fix the placement of the text. To enable the fix, add the following anywhere in the DC file:

Code: Select all

fix_missles_countermeasures_text = 1

[m0rgg]

Hello all!

I started to play the XWA campaign in VR and quickly realized that on missions when the performance drops due to many objects/polygons on screen, the VR tracking was really bad.

I looked back at the code and realized that while improving performance, the changes I did introduced some tracking inconsistency between the CockpitLook hook and the ddraw.dll that might have been behind the "jumpiness" of game world objects (compared to the HUD that was completely stable).

So I spent some time trying to fix that and I think I have made some improvements. Before sending the changes to blue_max for merging, I would like someone else to test and verify that there is indeed an improvement. And that I didn't break anything else

You can find the compiled DLLs here:
https://github.com/morallo/xwa_ddraw_d3 ... ment_test1

Just drop them in your XWA folder with a recent Beta version from blue_max and SteamVR configured, and let me know what you think!

Thanks,
m0rgg

[Cybrnite]

Hello all!

I started to play the XWA campaign in VR and quickly realized that on missions when the performance drops due to many objects/polygons on screen, the VR tracking was really bad.

I looked back at the code and realized that while improving performance, the changes I did introduced some tracking inconsistency between the CockpitLook hook and the ddraw.dll that might have been behind the "jumpiness" of game world objects (compared to the HUD that was completely stable).

So I spent some time trying to fix that and I think I have made some improvements. Before sending the changes to blue_max for merging, I would like someone else to test and verify that there is indeed an improvement. And that I didn't break anything else

You can find the compiled DLLs here:
https://github.com/morallo/xwa_ddraw_d3 ... ment_test1

Just drop them in your XWA folder with a recent Beta version from blue_max and SteamVR configured, and let me know what you think!

Thanks,
m0rgg

Hi M0rgg
Reasonably new to the VR XWA - so far pretty awesome! - but still not as smooth as I think I could get it.
Using a Quest 2 on Steam VR
I applied lots of config mods before the recent Mega Update, but as there are so many posts, it get's slightly - actually, very - confusing to know which to apply and which have been included in the new mega-update
Are the mods you recommend in addition to the mega-update?
I think it would be beneficial to have a new "Mega-Update VR Assist Thread" to alleviate some of the confusion for 'noobies' like me
Look forward t your comments

[m0rgg]

Hi,

You can apply my beta DLL just after installing the megapatch, but it's only recommended for testing SteamVR tracking consistency. It has not been tested and it may not work properly with other VR modes.

Once some more people confirm there is an improvement, I will work on a more stable implementation to be released officially by blue_max.

Looking forward to your feedback!

[Cybrnite]

Hi again
I just tried the ddraw.dll & Hook-CockpitLook.dll, but I suspect I need to do more and actually read the 'readme' file properly!
Headtracking was inverted in the hanger - flying was OK, but after been wiped out I came back in the med-shuttle upside-down from a certain point of view...

I'll be back

[m0rgg]

That may be my fault!

The upside-down issue already happened in the Concourse and I fixed it. But I only tested in skirmish mode, not the hangar, so it's most probably the same issue.

Thanks for the feedback, I will fix it

[Cybrnite]

That may be my fault!

The upside-down issue already happened in the Concourse and I fixed it. But I only tested in skirmish mode, not the hangar, so it's most probably the same issue.

Thanks for the feedback, I will fix it

Thanks for quick response...
There are three files in the download page - do I need all three, or just the first? - sorry to be so thick; I used to write code many years ago,but if you don't use it, you lose it

[m0rgg]

Only the first one. No need for the source code.

[Cybrnite]

That may be my fault!

The upside-down issue already happened in the Concourse and I fixed it. But I only tested in skirmish mode, not the hangar, so it's most probably the same issue.

Thanks for the feedback, I will fix it

Just let me clarify when I said head-tracking was inverted in the hanger before launch - I was the right-way-up in the hanger/cockpit, but when I turned right, the camera moved left and visa-versa. I was only upside-down when I flew back in the med shuttle

Hope that helps

[Cybrnite]

Only the first one. No need for the source code.

That makes things easier
Let me know when you've fixed it and I will try again and report back
If you can advise any other tips for smoother VR that would be great
Appreciate your assistance

Cybrnite

[Cybrnite]

OK, Flown a couple of missions (A-wing & Otana):
Hanger (outgoing) - total mess
After Launch: really good; smooth and playable even when multiple bogey's on screen!
Back to hanger and go to 'debriefing': screen shaking like crazy, same with concourse; but hitting [esc] twice brings concourse back to normal

Hope that helps

Cybrnite