The KA-50 in VR is superb!

I have been flying this great sim for many years but this in VR it's just on another level. To be actually sitting in a cockpit so familiar and being able to control it so well is just fantastic.

If you get the opportunity to try it I guarantee it will blow your socks off. It's like a new sim again and I really mean that. It's like the first time you tried it or the first time you tried Track IR but even better.

I installed the HD Black Shark mod and this really enhances the visuals within the pit itself. VR is not as high resolution or crisp as your monitor. I can read all the dials without any problems but that sharpness you get is not there. However, all that pails into insignificance because sitting there in that huge cockpit and it is big is simply simulation heaven.

Yup the immersion is superb. I wouldn't want to go back to using a monitor :)

I completely agree. As soon as I sat i the cockpit again with the rift on I had trouble wiping that big grin off my face. Love it

I've been sitting on the fence with regards to VR. But maybe you'll enlighten me;

You've already answered one question; seems like the dials are readable now. Last I heard (A year and a half ago). That's a downside to VR.

Second question; which VR model did you get ?

Price ?

Third; I always got the nagging feeling that nobody 'lasts' long in VR. As in it's easier to sap the strength out of you. You'll get tired faster in VR. I've yet to see a livestreamer on VR that actually lasts more than an hour. How's that for you ?

Last; no indication of motion sickness ?

You've already answered one question; seems like the dials are readable now. Last I heard (A year and a half ago). That's a downside to VR.

Personally I run with Pixel Density at 2.5 (maximum). That improves readability a lot, but it also requires a very beefy PC (2.5x more pixels horizontally and 2.5 more pixels vertically = 6.25x the processing power needed to run: so every scene gets rendered at 5,450 x 3,000 resolution and then downsized to the headset's native resolution).

Other than that, Ricardo's HD cockpit improves readability even further :-)

Second question; which VR model did you get ?

Price ?

Oculus Rift CV1, and I paid € 699 for mine. Completely worth it!

Third; I always got the nagging feeling that nobody 'lasts' long in VR. As in it's easier to sap the strength out of you. You'll get tired faster in VR. I've yet to see a livestreamer on VR that actually lasts more than an hour. How's that for you ?

I livestream in VR every day. I don't get tired at all, well not more than usual ;-) (link to my channel in my signature)

Last; no indication of motion sickness ?

Not in the slightest, but some people do suffer from it. If you want to be sure it will work for you, I'd recommend testing one at a retailer or a friend's.

Hope this helped!

^yup that helps.

At least the only reason I'm on the fence now is the huge price tag.

Last question; how easy was it to set up ?

Last question; how easy was it to set up ?

Yes, very much so. You only need to install Oculus Home, and the setup-process takes your proverbial hand and guides you all the way through :) A toddler could do it.

I agree with what Elysian Angel said.

On motion sickness, I got it when I first got my rift. I jumped straight into the F15 and started doing barrel rolls and loops and all sorts of spins while giggling like a child and then it hit me. It was exactly like being on a roller coaster. I didn't vomit or anything but I wasn't feeling to good.

Now I don't get any of those effects. If I have a week away from VR and I go back in a sim I get very mild motion sickness but this all passes quickly for me.

started doing barrel rolls and loops and all sorts of spins while giggling like a child and then it hit me

I'd recommend being careful at first: I started by looking around, flying inverted, and diving into canyons. VR makes your brain believe you really are in a cockpit, so the experience can be a tad scary depending on what you do :pilotfly:

^yup that helps.

 

At least the only reason I'm on the fence now is the huge price tag.

 

 

Last question; how easy was it to set up ?

The Oculus Rift is actually hugely discounted right now:

https://www.oculus.com/blog/rift-touch-399-for-a-limited-time-summer-of-rifts-best-deal-yet/

As for my experience... The Rift is 100% useable for DCS in my experience. I mean that in the most positive way.

The biggest concern that I had with VR before I bought the Rift, is that the resolution is so much lower than the 4k screen I got used to. Yes, it's a significant drop in clarity, but with a pixel density of 1.7+ the dials are all readable and the feeling of sitting in the cockpit in 3d trumps any advantage in clarity that I had with the monitor.

It's the only way I experience DCS now. It's what TrackIR first did for me 15 years ago.

It's the only way I experience DCS now. It's what TrackIR first did for me 15 years ago.

Same here. I did have a go with just the monitor and man it was just so flat.

Btw I was enjoying the delights of Hamburg and Northern Germany the other week. Quality place. I didn't want to come back to the UK.

I just had to wait for a replacement Rift the last week and I couldn't bring myself to fly without it in that time. It just isn't the same anymore.

I'm glad you enjoyed it here. I take it you were in Hamburg before the G20 chaos :D

I was yes. Family wedding. We then headed south to Hanover then did a meandering tour to the west. Really was fantastic. I lived in Germany for 4 years many moons ago. I love the place.

no going back for me either.

I never experienced the motion sickness, but i see how you could at the beginning with the roll and loops and such. I think keeping the frame rate up helps.. Even if the gauges are a little hard to read, after you get used to it you can tell what they are just from experience, and the VR Zoom.

Good to hear all the feedback on the Rift. I too have been sitting on the fence regarding buying. I love the Shark as well, but have lately just been flying the A10C again. Always good to find ways of getting a better experience of immersion.

Good to hear all the feedback on the Rift. I too have been sitting on the fence regarding buying. I love the Shark as well, but have lately just been flying the A10C again. Always good to find ways of getting a better experience of immersion.

The A10c is equally good. The size of the cockpits always blows me away. VR is pricey and to be honest, it was outside of my normal budget but I did some extra overtime etc to pay for it and I can honestly say I have no regrets at all. It has changed the way I fly in as much as I have way more control. Things like air to air refueling are so much easier when you're sitting in the pit. It's still not easy but it is a more enjoyable challenge now.

Good to hear all the feedback on the Rift. I too have been sitting on the fence regarding buying. I love the Shark as well, but have lately just been flying the A10C again. Always good to find ways of getting a better experience of immersion.

Wait until you get a chance to track a SAM streaking up while flying! It's INSANE in VR.

And the Huey...oh man...what a joy to fly. You will find that flying in VR is sooooo much easier because you get the sensation of speed and height that you cannot get w/o actually flying. Awesome stuff.

One last question;

Was watching this VR livestreamer last night.. There was a discussion on long term damage to the eyesight.

I've been gaming for 20 years now and as of late I do have started being aware of the strain it does on the eyes. So yea I do stop now when I feel the eyes are tired.

Any opinions ?

So yea I do stop now when I feel the eyes are tired.

Any opinions ?

That's always good practice: the health & safety warning on the Rift also clearly states that.

The Helos seem like they were made for VR. Truly amazing.

Just a side note. I fly FSX with VR. I am also am in the middle of getting my PPL and flying in VR makes a huge difference in real life flying.

Just a side note. I fly FSX with VR. I am also am in the middle of getting my PPL and flying in VR makes a huge difference in real life flying.

Nice one and good luck with your PPL. Good to hear VR helps in real life.

I also fly FSX and Prepar 3d in VR. At the moment I use Flyinside in FSX and waiting for them to update Prepar3d v4 then I might take the plunge and get PMDGs 747 after flying the NGX for many years. Bit pricey though.

And every tech comes with a warning no? TV, Walkman, IPAD, mobile phones, cars, airplanes. Dosage makes the poison. If you play with VR HMD on for hours at a time, I'm *sure* it'll strain your eyes. Just like looking at your phone for 4 straight hours.

Any thoughts on going VR for a keyboard/mouse + MS FFB2 pilot? Is a HOTAS setup like the TM warthog kind of a given since you can't see the keyboard anymore?

$400 for the rift right now is very attractive /drool

since you can't see the keyboard anymore?l

Well the Rift does have a small "peek hole" down your nose, which you *can* use to quickly glance at your keyboard or something else, but it's not very convenient.

This makes a proper HOTAS indeed highly advisable and almost mandatory. There are cheaper options available than the TM Warthog though, if you're on a budget.