Anyone Running RF2 in VR?

newbert · Dec 7, 2018

....or more specifically WMR? I have a Lenovo Explorer headset that I run with iRacing, PC2, AC and RRE3. Each of those sims require a different sequence of "clicks" in order to get it running in VR for me.

I've been told that RF2 runs great in VR, but I don't know what to try in getting it to run with my headset.

Can anyone help me out with a detailed list of steps to take to run RF2 in VR?

Thanks!

tlsmikey · Dec 7, 2018

newbert said:
....
I've been told that RF2 runs great in VR, but I don't know what to try in getting it to run with my headset.
Thanks!

Uh...whoever told you that is a bold face liar. rF2 is probably the least optimized VR title outside of ACC right now. You can run it in broad daylight, but the graphics and interiors are not up to par with AC, PC2 or iRacing.

To run it, there's a setting page to enable VR when you first launch. I can't comment on the Lenovo in particular. Most folks are running the Samsung or Oculus.

newbert · Dec 7, 2018

Well, Thanks for your thoughts. But, please humor me because I'd like to see/try it for myself.

So can anyone outline the steps needed to try VR with a WMR headset?

Thanks.

Anatoliy Tkachenko · Dec 9, 2018

newbert said:
So can anyone outline the steps needed to try VR with a WMR headset?

I use the same headset. The stepps are as follows.
1. You probably already installed Mixed reality portal, as the installation start automatically after you connect the device to PC.
2. You need to install manually two additional applications from Steam:
a) SteamVR,
b) Windows Mixed reality for SteamVR
Both are necessary. In addition you would probably wish to adjust some settings of SteamVR.
3. Run RF2 launcher, choose Settings (Gear icon on the left), then Video Setings.
4. In Video Settings window first choose your videocard instead of "auto", then find "VR :" section and choose HMD only.
5. Now you could launch singleplayer or multiplayer. It should start in VR.

P.S. Couple of suggestions:
- Before running RF2 in VR assign button on wheel to "VR Center Head Position". Othervise you'll find yourself above the car.
- Do not launch steam VR before RF2. First launch RF2 and it'll launch SteamVR automatically. You could turning on and off SteamVR in the top right corner of Steam client.
- If you got used to use some dashboard like SimHub, consider installing OVRdrop from Steam.

Good luck!

newbert · Dec 9, 2018

Anatoliy, Thank you for taking the time to list the procedure step-by-step for me. It works great! Not the prettiest of sims of course, but we already know that. But the VR functionality certainly is there.

BTW - Do you have the video settings set to "Full Screen", "Windowed" or "Borderless"? The reason I ask is that I had to lower the screen resolution to my system's native resolution. Otherwise, the mouse cursor wouldn't reach the borders of the screen (in VR). It ran fine at higher resolution in VR, but I couldn't Exit because of the mouse's limited reach.

Nice to see that my friend isn't a "bold face liar", eh Mikey?

Anatoliy Tkachenko · Dec 9, 2018

Nice to see this helped.
Regarding the resolution, I never tried to change my native monitor resolution (1920*1200) and I haven't faced the issue with mouth like you described. However I don't have an option to increase the resolution above my monitor's one. As for "Full Screen", "Windowed" or "Borderless", I tried all but haven't noticed any differences, so I now play with Full screen setting.

newbert · Dec 11, 2018

Just an observation. After a day or two of running rF2 in VR, I find that, other than perhaps iRacing, it's probably the most straightforward sim (that I own) to get running in VR....at least for me.

Denis Betty · Dec 12, 2018

There is an alternative to running in Steam VR. https://gitlab.com/znixian/OpenOVR/blob/master/README.md
I'm not sure whether if this is the link to the latest version, but if you get stuck ask, and I'll try to find it. There's lot's of stuff about this on S397 forum. Just be sure to back up your original files before you start.
For me, this makes a BIG improvement to the VR experience in rF2. YMMV OC.

Frankenstein795 · Dec 13, 2018

Denis Betty said:
There is an alternative to running in Steam VR. https://gitlab.com/znixian/OpenOVR/blob/master/README.md
I'm not sure whether if this is the link to the latest version, but if you get stuck ask, and I'll try to find it. There's lot's of stuff about this on S397 forum. Just be sure to back up your original files before you start.
For me, this makes a BIG improvement to the VR experience in rF2. YMMV OC.

As far as I am aware, this only works for the oculus rift.

Denis Betty · Dec 13, 2018

Ah, I think you may be correct. Missed that, sorry.

newbert · Dec 15, 2018

newbert said:
Just an observation. After a day or two of running rF2 in VR, I find that, other than perhaps iRacing, it's probably the most straightforward sim (that I own) to get running in VR....at least for me.

Gotta update my post.

FWIW - When it works in VR, it's great - BUT - It is very finicky. What I meant in my previous post is that the procedure for loading rFactor2 into VR is very straightforward and logical. But, unfortunately, whether it actually works is hit and miss.

The other day it worked great. Today, I've been trying for the last hour and no dice.

VERY frustrating!

EDIT: It looks like the problem might not be rFactor2. I can't even get VR to work with iRacing at the moment (which usually works smooth as silk). It appears to be a problem either with my WMR headset or its driver. I've already wasted 2-1/2 hours on this so I'm giving up for tonight.....

Denis Betty · Dec 15, 2018

PITA, you never get the time back. Half that time, it's a stupid driver update or similar.

Anatoliy Tkachenko · Dec 15, 2018

Denis Betty said:
PITA, you never get the time back. Half that time, it's a stupid driver update or similar.

Agree. Last couple of days 2 updates of win10 plus nvidia drivers occured. After those updates my audiodriver stopped starting with windows. Had to edit the register to fix it. WMR couldn't find position, so I had to setup the position once again.
However apart from those couple of issues my headset works as usual.

newbert · Dec 15, 2018

Anatoliy Tkachenko said:
Agree. Last couple of days 2 updates of win10 plus nvidia drivers occured. After those updates my audiodriver stopped starting with windows. Had to edit the register to fix it. WMR couldn't find position, so I had to setup the position once again.
However apart from those couple of issues my headset works as usual.

Yup - I got at least 1 Windows 10 update in the past or so and I suspect that's the culprit (I don't get automatic nVidea updates - at least not as far as I can tell.)

I had to re-center my WMR as well (in the cliff house). But that didn't solve getting VR to work in either rF2 or iRacing.

Just wondering how to proceed now in trying to get my WMR working again....

Anatoliy Tkachenko · Dec 15, 2018

Sometimes updating videodriver helps. At least if considering that I updated mine yesterday, but you haven't. We could also assume nvidia updated its driver to met the preceding windows update.

newbert · Dec 15, 2018

Anatoliy Tkachenko said:
Sometimes updating videodriver helps. At least if considering that I updated mine yesterday, but you haven't. We could also assume nvidia updated its driver to met the preceding windows update.

Just checked the video driver and Lenovo Explorer driver are both up-to-date. So I fired up rF2 and VR is working again.

While I'm happy about that, I'm not crazy about how it works one day and not the next. (FWIW - iRacing VR is working again too...)