VR Mask - Different behaviour depending on MSAA on/off, plus quality of life improvement for VR

[Aarnoman]

DCS Version: DCS 2.7.6.13133

 

Brief description of bug: The VR Mask feature is intended to save performance by masking areas of the viewport that will not be visible from the headset. Currently, this masking feature is automatically present when VR is enabled.

However, when MSAA is selected on 2x / 4x, the behaviour is different from MSAA set to off, where a black border rather than a sky coloured gradient is used:

 

 

Expected behaviour: The VR mask colour would be expected to be unchanged regardless of MSAA setting.

 

IMPORTANT: The ideal behaviour would be for the VR mask to be BLACK in colour rather than use a gradient as default behaviour. This is because the VR mask will create a distinct blue tinge at the edge of peripheral vision, which is very distracting.
However, as the users peripheral vision is already black due to the physical VR HMD blocking external light, by having a black VR mask as seen with MSAA on no such off-colour light at the edge of vision is created.

 

Therefore, the expected solution for this bug is to have MSAA off VR mask also use the same black border as seen with MSAA set to 2x/4x, and abandoning the gradient altogether.

 

To reproduce:

1) Start a mission with VR enabled.

2) If MSAA is set to off - the VR mask will be a blue gradient emulating sky/sea - this is not optimal as it will create a distracting shade of blue at the edge of lower peripheral vision, particularly when reprojection occurs.

3) If MSAA is set to either 2x or 4x - note the VR mask is black. This is ideal, as the peripheral vision is already black due to the physical VR device blocking the light. This should be the default behaviour of the VR mask regardless of MSAA setting.

 

Why is this important: While a small change to turn the VR mask to black with MSAA off, it would be a significant quality of life improvement particularly to users with high resolution HMDs (Pimax, Reverb G2). The reason for this is multifactorial:

1) As outlined prior, the gradient mask used with MSAA set to off can create distracting blue tinges in the peripheral vision, which stand out very starkly. This is particularly a problem during times reprojection is used. The degree this affects individual users will vary depending on their specific eye position within the headset, with only a portion of the VR community likely affected.

2) MSAA causes significant frame loss, particularly when running a high resolution HMD. Therefore, it would be ideal to have black VR mask available to all VR users with MSAA set to off, as a portion of the VR community has enabled MSAA as a stop gap solution of having a black VR mask - causing them to have significantly degraded performance.

3) There is no logical reason for VR masks to behave differently for the end user depending on an unrelated graphics setting.

In conclusion, please make a black VR mask available to the end user with MSAA set to off, as is current default behaviour with MSAA set to 2x or 4x. Thank you for considering this significant quality of life improvement for VR users.

[Convexrook]

I have the G2 and in the WMR for SteamVR settings, you can set this to help your periphery with MSAA off. This is how I play.

1. None for SteamVR homebrew headsets as they control Motion smoothing alot better

2.Pimax - I do not own

[Aarnoman]

8 hours ago, Convexrook said:

I have the G2 and in the WMR for SteamVR settings, you can set this to help your periphery with MSAA off. This is how I play.

1. None for SteamVR homebrew headsets as they control Motion smoothing alot better

2.Pimax - I do not own

Interesting, I don't have these options in my WMR for SteamVR settings. Are you running the Beta version of WMR?

[Convexrook]

On 9/25/2021 at 7:16 AM, Aarnoman said:

Interesting, I don't have these options in my WMR for SteamVR settings. Are you running the Beta version of WMR?

Yes, I am also on Win 11 but i had that option since windows 10.

Beta version of WMR for Steam VR is recommended.

You can open that setting from the desktop without starting steam VR.

It is located where WMR for steamVR is Saved.

e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\MixedRealityVRDriver\bin\win64\OpenVRSettingsUX.exe"

 

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Convexrook