Community Question | Who Here Uses VR, And Why?

[Paul Jeffrey]

Sim racing is far more than just the simulations themselves - a long, wide and varied array of hardware can be used to enhance your experience, and one such device is VR - but who here uses it on a regular basis?

VR - otherwise known as Virtual Reality, brings with it the ability to place a driver right into the heart of a virtual racing cockpit. Adding an immersive 3D experience to the driving aspect of sim racing, the technology and immersion are no doubt impressive - but can come with a cost - namely loss of visual performance, high PC horsepower demand and the (potential) discomfort of wearing a headset for prolonged periods of time.

As with much in life, one has to weigh up the pros and cons and VR is no different. With that said, I'd love to know how many of us here at RaceDepartment regularly use their VR headsets when sim racing, and the reasons why they prefer it (or not) over traditional screens.

Fire away in the comments section and poll!

 

[Mekonrider]

First experience of VR was Drive club and it made me feel sick. Tried GT Sport and eventually got used to it. Upgraded the PC and used the PSVR headset and Ivry and have been nonstop in VR ever since. Can't go back to flatscreen.

 

[FS4A]

Used it a lot at first but i find myself using my projector more and more lately

 

[Jason Chamberlain]

Question for VR users. How you press buttons on your real steering wheel during racing? Adjusting pit strategy?

I only use the buttons on my wheel (TM Leather Wheel). I don't have that many buttons to choose from, but it's pretty easy in that I can just feel where they are. I don't think I could do a button box though.

 

[Johannes Steiger]

Feels so right ESPECIALLY then!!!! (Just kidding)

Like I said, just "from time to time"

 

[DirkW]

I use it via Link cable, i tried via wireless but my router appears to be too slow.

I have only experienced lag (ever so slightly) a couple of times, mostly its a joyful experience.

I have edited the new Debug Tool, to increase bit rate and res, plus focus and super sampling, the end result it literally night and day from the CV1 which i was using.

I am running a 1080 (not the ti version).

PS my computer isnt good enough to run ACC properly i have found in VR, so i am using AMS2 in VR nearly exclusively.

Hm we tried all this, maybe should try once more. Anyway, I will receive a Wifi6 router tomorrow specifically for this reason, will see what happens.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Still haven't tried VR myself (ever!). One day

 

[alfye20]

Still haven't tried VR myself (ever!). One day

PSVR is an eyes opener and a great value for non-sim games, try It if You can
Then i jumped to SteamVR with Lenovo headset and found the rough edges of PC-VR, then when all the system up to task i found myself more time with the headset flipped than other thing because i dont tollerate overlays following my head and floating, i Lost the peripheal vision and gadgets like buttonboxes RPM leds, telemetry monitor... and the worst thing is that i cannot tollerate a headcap for along period so headset is like an strange object in my body.

 

[testdriver77]

VR is for some games mandatory imo. The immersion is awesome.
Its hard meanwhile to drive without VR but some games dont need it. Forza Horizon 4 is for my typical controller game. The truck games like ETS2 and ATS are predestinated for VR.
Dirt Rally 2.0 has not so good implementation.
Basically u can mount 10 screens but it will never be the same as VR.
Using Rift S so far but in clos future i will change it against other VR with better resolution.

 

[Daniel R.]

I use VR all the time.
I can't drive with screen since then.
I do it because of imersion and real 3dimensional view.

 

[Jan Larsen]

Tried it, dont use it for these reasons:

- Expensive for the good headsets.
- Skyhigh hardware requirements.
- Poor lens quality/poor resolutions.
- Uncomfortable headsets for longer sessions.
- Poor support in many games (getting better though).

 

[Jason Chamberlain]

Dirt Rally 2.0 has not so good implementation.

Really? It seems very slick to me. What do you think is wrong with it? It runs well and you can navigate the menus in VR.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Question for VR users. How you press buttons on your real steering wheel during racing? Adjusting pit strategy?

I use my thumbs and index fingers.

 

[testdriver77]

Really? It seems very slick to me. What do you think is wrong with it? It runs well and you can navigate the menus in VR.

Imo the graphic quality is in comparison to AC1 far away from perfomant condition.
The tracking itself is ok.
Perfomance is not so good in DR2

 

[Dave Thayer]

I use VR all the time and enjoy the immersion of actually feeling like I am in the cockpit of a F! open wheel car and the Track graphics viewed is
really brought out better. Sure the Quality may not be as good a a 4k monitor yet, but each year the VR headsets are getting better.
I currently have the Rift S and planning to get the HP Reverb G2 when readily available for even better quality.

Yes, VR is a premium device far as cost, but once you use a VR headset and dont get any sickness from them is well worth the cost.

 

[Equipe Matra]

My first headset (Reverb G2) should arrive somewhere next week (Reverb G2 early pre-order)

 

[MarcG]

Question for VR users. How you press buttons on your real steering wheel during racing? Adjusting pit strategy?

Muscle Memory, after a while it becomes natural. I have not only Buttons on my Wheel but 2 separate button boxes and a separate gear shifter plus a USB Numpad. All Pit Strategies are done via the Wheel Buttons/D-Pad.
Muscle memory is essentially what real drivers use to get around the race track and we all do the same, take two tracks from different Devs, you'll drive one all week then jump into the other one and turn in slightly earlier because their "version" of the track is slightly different (not counting laser scanned tracks here), that's Muscle Memory telling you where to turn.

Remember that Blind folk can walk around their house, do their washing, make a cuppa tea, all through memory of where objects are. We simply replicate that with touch & feel.

 

[Elaphe]

One of the things I enjoy the most from simulators and from Assetto Corsa in particular is the fact that I can drive many different cars. When I say drive I mean, not only feeling the physics, the behaviour of the car, the force feedback, the control, the speed, the acceleration, the sound... but also being IN the car. With VR you can see the car's interior, its steering wheel, the gear lever, everything. That contributes a lot to increase the inmersion in the simulation, which is already per se much higher than with a monitor or with tripple monitors.

 

[Jugulador]

It's currently showing that 31.3% of the voters haven't tried it.
Wow!!!!!
You don't know what you are missing folks .
If you can, try it ASAP!!!

VR + Sim Racing (as well as flight sims) are an amazing combo if you have a capable PC and a capable stomach.

A motion rig or seat mover can help with VR motion sickness, but that's a whole other ball game.

Maybe people know what they are missing but simply have no money, because on their country, a VR set costs more than five months of house rent.

Should have an "I tried, like, but can't afford" option.

 

[sdether]

I used to own a Force Dynamics 301 motion platform for my business and when I liquidated that I stopped sim racing for over 10 years, because a flat monitor without motion was just not giving me enough immersion to find it enjoyable. 2 years ago I tried VR and it was a game changer. More immersive than even the motion rig and I now spend 10-20 hours a week racing in VR.

It did take me about 2 months to acclimate to being able to stay in VR for long periods of time without getting sick. Initially could only do 10 minutes at a time. Had to make sure I didn't go into reverse and close my eyes anytime I lost control. I.e. any motion that was not in the normal line of traction induced nausea.

Now I can spend hours in VR, drift sideways, roll the car, whatever. It all just feels real and natural and I'm never going back to screens.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Maybe people know what they are missing but simply have no money, because on their country, a VR set costs more than five months of house rent.

Should have an "I tried, like, but can't afford" option.

But isn't monitor setup even more expensive?
My last single monitor for non racing gaming ran me $1500.
If you do 49" ultrawide or triple it will be the same if not more.
Odyssey+ on sale is like $250. And latest and greatest HP Reverb G2 is $599.
Unless you account the expense for PC, that will be the same VR or monitor setup if you are interested in visual fidelity.