VR- Pimax: Parallel Projections or not?

[Snake122]

Just throwing it out there. Pimax users have an extra setting over most VR headsets in PiTool>Settings>Games
Check box of “Compatible with parallel projections (Need restart SteamVR)”

This unchecked is normally what you want to use, the SteamVR 100% resolution per eye of the Pimax 8K X is then 5120x3160. However in BMS this setting to me makes a more natural cockpit sitting position and FOV, but you have a noticeable one eye only HUD (fine with both eyes open right eye dominance here, but noticeable if I shut my right eye). You’ll also notice the exit menu, radio subtitles, and FPS overlay are doubled into both eyes. Overall though I think the visual comfort and performance, this is probably what you are going to want to use despite the double overlay issues.

You can check the “Compatible with parallel projections (Need restart SteamVR)” but your FOV is very small and you are sitting very close to the ICP. Also your HMCS seems to be a little more off right eye line and can be hard to focus on, but the HUD works well with either eye shut. The screen overlays like FPS and exit menu are single. But the real deal break of this is the 100% Steam VR resolution increase to 8336x3948, it kills performance and turning the number down to a closer to before of 5272x2496 (40%) is a noticeable quality loss.

[Bad Boy]

Same here

[Snake122]

Now that I’m not just testing and actually flying some, Pimax unchecking “Compatible with parallel projections” which runs at the lower (not ridiculous resolution) having the HUD and screen overlays not collimated is a big issue! I even have mouse cursor errors of a very large distance since that isn’t collimated properly either (which shouldn’t be to infinity obviously) Same issue with HMCS, the symbology is way off of where the actual radar boresight would be at and where the lock box shows up once a lock is established

Checking “Compatible with parallel projections” was the way to go in my pre-4.37 experiments, but it is a performance hit and the FOV/Seat position is way off as mentioned. Neither seems a good option right now.

@Bad-Boy said in VR- Pimax: Parallel Projections or not?:

Same here

To frachy’s hope or my observations? With other commitments, I’m about to run out of testing time for probably at least a few days. Curious what other Pimax users are experiencing. Ambush on the Falcon Lounge discord is also using one but I don’t get on there as much and issues are easier to get lost in the cacophony of chat style posts.

[Snake122]

I have a couple of pics using set g_nVRRepeaterMode 2 that chihirobelmo suggested on Discord with the Reverb G2 issue. I unfortunately can’t post them here because even after converting to JPG they are still over the attachment limit. I’ll see what I can do with them later taking them down a little more in quality. But to give an idea of how much offset there is without parallel projections checked, if I put my mouse cursor on the fuel flow gauge, I am actually pressing the ICP Time or Crus buttons.

Also I’ve developed a crash going back to checking parallel projections now…

[Bad Boy]

@Snake122 said in VR- Pimax: Parallel Projections or not?:

Just throwing it out there. Pimax users have an extra setting over most VR headsets in PiTool>Settings>Games
Check box of “Compatible with parallel projections (Need restart SteamVR)”

This unchecked is normally what you want to use, the SteamVR 100% resolution per eye of the Pimax 8K X is then 5120x3160. However in BMS this setting to me makes a more natural cockpit sitting position and FOV, but you have a noticeable one eye only HUD (fine with both eyes open right eye dominance here, but noticeable if I shut my right eye). You’ll also notice the exit menu, radio subtitles, and FPS overlay are doubled into both eyes. Overall though I think the visual comfort and performance, this is probably what you are going to want to use despite the double overlay issues.

You can check the “Compatible with parallel projections (Need restart SteamVR)” but your FOV is very small and you are sitting very close to the ICP. Also your HMCS seems to be a little more off right eye line and can be hard to focus on, but the HUD works well with either eye shut. The screen overlays like FPS and exit menu are single. But the real deal break of this is the 100% Steam VR resolution increase to 8336x3948, it kills performance and turning the number down to a closer to before of 5272x2496 (40%) is a noticeable quality loss.

Ok i solved this issue on my side :

• Be sure to restore the default settings in PiTool>Settings>Games
  So “Compatible with parallel projections (Need restart SteamVR)” should be (must be) ticked/enabled by default

• Restart your Pimax

• Be sure to let the “Resolution Rendering” by default to “Auto” in the SteamVR settings

• And the most important : be sure to set the Antialasing Samples to “1” and Quality to “0” and “Vertical Sync” must be disabled in the BMS Graphics Setup

Enjoy

SteamVR parameter :

BMS Graphics Setup :

[Snake122]

@Bad-Boy thanks!!! I’ll give that a try but won’t be able to until at least tomorrow with the holiday today.

But I would say in general, long term finding a way to not have to have it checked is important. For SteamVR 8k X 100% that’s almost 33 million pixels of resolution per eye (practically 8k, but each eye, each frame) compared to just over 16 million without it checked. At least in the past in DCS and quick looks in BMS 4.37, the percentages in SteamVR seemed to be comparable in quality between the two options 100% checked vs unchecked looks about the same. You can’t just lower the checked parallel projections mode down to the unchecked resolution and not see a large quality drop.

[Bad Boy]

@Snake122 said in VR- Pimax: Parallel Projections or not?:

@Bad-Boy thanks!!! I’ll give that a try but won’t be able to until at least tomorrow with the holiday today.

But I would say in general, long term finding a way to not have to have it checked is important. For SteamVR 8k X 100% that’s almost 33 million pixels of resolution per eye (practically 8k, but each eye, each frame) compared to just over 16 million without it checked. At least in the past in DCS and quick looks in BMS 4.37, the percentages in SteamVR seemed to be comparable in quality between the two options 100% checked vs unchecked looks about the same. You can’t just lower the checked parallel projections mode down to the unchecked resolution and not see a large quality drop.

Got 80 fps in TE and 60 fps in Campaign here with the option “parallel projections” checked in PiTool

[Snake122]

@Bad-Boy good to hear, I was seeing some frame rates in the 40s with my system in Instant Action with it checked and 100% but that’s been no optimization, just been trying to figure out this issue.

[Snake122]

@frachy said in VR- Pimax: Parallel Projections or not?:

@Bad-Boy The solution is temporary actually.

1. 8kx is at best image quality when set to 200% supersampling (SS) (need edit steamvr.vrsettings), At 100% 8kx’s image quality is about half of its capability. And when set to 200% SS, with the high pixels of parallel projections (PP), the BMS will run out of 3080’s 12G VRAM, make the game runs very slowly.

2. Not everyone has a 3080ti or 3090, without the need of PP, more ppl can play bms vr with pimax HMDs.

3. Cockpit scale and FOV with parallel projections checked on is still off (too close to ICP, narrow FOV) as reported by @MandolinHarm although they are apparently working on a general fix for this in 4.37u1 possibly.

[Snake122]

@Korbi I saw your post in the collimated HUD thread, want to tag you here so you could see the parallel projections settings pros and cons. Checking the box should get rid of your current issues with a trade off.

Also after flying alittle more in VR last night, I agree with @frachy that checking parallel projections causes a pretty big hit in FPS even with the Steam resolution in auto.

[Korbi]

@Snake122 Hi Snake, I tried to tick the Box. Thats no option for me, it looks like a flat 2D image then.
Thank you for the headsup

[Snake122]

@Korbi thanks the reply, trying to bring all the Pimax guys together since we are probably one of the lesser used headsets

[koskar12]

Hi guys, I am 8KX user, and pretty much I agree with you. The trade off of PP is a significant FPS hit. I hope that the Devs will come up with an improvement for VR overall.

[atcgoalie]

Hi guys, I was asked in another thread to post my settings here. Disclaimer up front, I have not checked any FPS counters. I’ve tried with and without PP checked. The PP unchecked, I have a problem in which the mouse cursor will not line up with any of the objects (same issue snake122 mention towards that top of the post). With PP checked this isn’t an issue.

The biggest issue that I’m having is that I can’t seem to get an radio calls through the headset. I hear other sounds but not radio. It seems that the 7.1 setting that pimax requires is causing weird spatial sound problems. I’ve posted this in another thread. I will probably end up having to use headphones for now.

[gianlu320]

Hello guys

I just installed 4.37 u4
I am using a Pimax 8kx headset.
With parallel reprojection on everything is fine but I get some performance hit.
With parallel reprojection off the cockpit has no problems but in external views I have double vision.
Anybody seeing the same?
Seems weird that in cockpit everything is fine.

[koskar12]

@gianlu320 Yes I experienced the same. I hope that it will be fixed in the future.

[Kiwi]

@koskar12 Yup similar issues. I use 2080 TI with Pimax8KX. I could crank up the resolution much higher with Parallel Projections turned off, but doing so results in the HMCS being placed far to the right instead of where it “should be” in the center of where I look.