VR-mode guide! [Rift DK2]

[Jussi]

1.1.3 Update
As the Oculus Rift support has given us more instability with the main version of the game, we've moved the Rift support to rift_beta branch. For the time being rift_beta version uses 0.4.2 version of the Oculus Rift so it's not guaranteed to work with newer Oculus Rift Runtimes, but people have reported to have been able to successfully run the game with newer Runtimes.

To get the Oculus Rift supported version, follow these steps:

1. In Library, right click Qbeh-1
   
2. Select Properties
   
3. Click Betas tab
   
4. From the dropdown menu select rift_beta
   
5. Steam should start updating the game (if not, restart Steam)

Instructions for Direct HMD Access mode.

1. Navigate to Qbeh-1 folder
   
2. Create a shortcut for Qbeh-1_DirectToRift.exe
   
3. Open Properties of the shortcut
   
4. In Target at the end of the line add: -vr -force-d3d11
   
5. Launch game by double clicking the shortcut

You can also try it without -force-d3d11, but -vr is required for launching the game in VR mode.

Instructions for Extend Desktop mode

1. In Steam open Qbeh-1 Properties
   
2. Set launch option: -vr
   
3. Launch game

How to set launch options:

1. Right click Qbeh-1 in Steam Library
   
2. Click Properties
   
3. Click Set Launch Options...

How to navigate to Qbeh-1 folder:

1. Right click Qbeh-1 in Steam Library
   
2. Click Properties
   
3. Click Local Files tab
   
4. Click Browse Local Files... button

How to create a shortcut in Windows:

1. Right click a file
   
2. Click Create shortcut

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Sharing some of my experiences that helped me to get rid of motion sickness:

- Play "always run" turned off to get more natural moving speed. Use the run-button whenever you need to make a long jump.

- Turn "head bob" on to get more realistic movement. (some people might not prefer this)

- Don't play for too long the first time.

- Remember to take breaks. Even if you don't feel any nausea.

I got some motion sickness+cold sweat after just one level the first time I played the VR mode, but after just a couple of days I could play around 6 levels without getting any nausea or whatsoever.

[grumbab]

Hi Jusii!

Very much enjoying this game on my DK2, although I was wondering if you had any tips for improving the performance. My PC has reasonable spec, but I still get some screen tearing which makes motion sickness worse.

I tried disabling Aero via the Oculus Service Manager, but this just made it worse!

Specifically, I see in your changelog you make reference to the -force-d3d11 tip for unity powered games.
http://www.theriftarcade.com/how-to-fix-the-stuttering-in-unity-powered-games-on-dk2/

Unfortunately, when applying this to the 'Direct to Rift' unity link in the folders, it just loads the game on my monitor, (I'm adding this code into the target ofd a shortcut to the direct to rift icon).

Frustratingly, direct to rift only seems to work for me when I choose 'Direct to Rift' from the steam launch menu. Any thoughts!

Anyway - very much enjoying the game! All the best,

Michael

[grumbab]

Oh, and it's worth mentioning I reduced the graphics settings to low which reduced some, if not all of the juddering problems.

[Zhal]

Have you tried using the -force-d3d11 in Steam's Launch Options? Accessed through game's Properties and clicking Set Launch Options in the opened dialog. I'm not sure how well Steam works with users' own shortcuts.

[grumbab]

Ok...never seen that dialog box before!

Works fantastically - buttery smooth gameplay now and no motion sickness.

Thanks for taking the time to point that out!

[deadering]

For me Direct to Rift mode runs far worse than on extended mode, with constant juddering on direct with lowest graphics, but running fine through extended on highest. Launching it through Steam VR does not work for extended mode, it just has it in the right eye but not he left and the other half is on my regular monitor.

Started cold sweats immediately but I'll try the demo again later. I'll try your option too and let you know what's up.

UPDATE: Runs perfectly in direct to rift mode with "-force-d3d11" added. Thanks!

Just beat the demo and had no side effects! Really cool experience and works great in VR. Very immersive and very calming and interesting, even if it's not hard. Gonna buy it ASAP!

[BOLL]

When I run it in VR, DtR mode judders like maaaad! So running extended. One issue I have is that whenever I enter the options, the game immediately goes into windowed mode at the lowest resolution, and it's a pain to try to get the right resolution again in the super long list! O_o Kind of frustrating, wanted to tweak settings to get it to run better but this break it D:

A suggestions that might be good or bad, I'm finding it tiring to look straight down, which I seem to do fairly often... have there been experiments with a cursor that like... moves down relatively when looking down, vice versa upwards... that makes sense in my head but not sure how well it works in game :P

[Phaedrux]

Sad to see Rift support put on the back burner. Keep up the good work though. One of my favorite rift games by far.

[BOLL]

Hmm... trying everything I can think of, almost. Keep getting crashes with the normal executable, keep getting no VR mode with the Direct mode executable. In direct mode the game just scales to half a screen sometimes, no Rift mode, but is responsive. In extended it opens normally but on my Rift, no stereo vision, and if I click options the game freezes, unfreezes after clicking away dialog box that says it hanged. This means I cannot activate VR mode, and uh... for now I guess I'll wait for Oculus to release a new SDK :P This seems very broken right now. Perhaps I have wonky settings as I've crashed the game so many times, don't know... I have a bunch of crash logs though.

[budwheizzah]

Works well in the DK1... I want to congratulate you for the "tracker rotates body" option. I can say I'm "VR hardened" by now, but I still find FPS look-move controls very unnatural... it's the first time I get to use a fully de-coupled mouse-steer/tracker-look system and it works great, to the point where after one minute I'm not thinking of it. It's natural. Will try DK2 tonight.

Only downside is some moments in this game can demand you bend that neck way over!

[Lexa]

No luck getting the game to run with the DK2 here, with either executable, in windowed or direct mode :(

[JCTrick]

No luck with a DK2 here either. Configured it 8 ways and no luck. Probably due to 0.4.4 Oculus drivers.

[Zhal]

Yeah, if you have newer drivers/runtime, than 0.4.2, it's probably not gonna work.

[2eazy]

I also run 0.4.4 and it is not working. Any chanse of an update to this game to support DK2 on 0.4.4?

[Arco]

I have just ran successfully the game with DK2 and 0.4.4. This is what I did:

- Located the folder of the game inside Steam Library just as the OP specified

- Created a direct access from Qbeh-1_DirectToRift.exe file (Ctrl+Shift+drag the .EXE icon).

- Right click the direct access icon, select properties, and in "target" added at the end "-vr -force-d3d11" (without the quotes).

- Changed the rift display mode to Direct To Rift

- Turn on the rift (when you change from extended to direct mode, it usually turns off)

- Double click the direct access... and voilá!

PS: The first time I ran the game in VR, the resolution was a bit off, as if everything was zoomed in. I simply exited with ALT+F4, and restarted the game. After that, everything is fine.

Oh, and thanks to the devs for making the game available in VR. Very, very enjoyable!!!

[Zhal]

Thanks Arco!

I think I'll rewrite the guide.