Team Fortress 2 in VR (Oculus Rift CV1), no warped screen issue

[The Nintendo Patent Lawsuit Fest]

Posting this in several places because info on specific issues like this one is rare on the internet.

tl;dr: So recently, I got an Oculus Rift CV1 and Virtual Reality is quite amazing. I also really wanted to try to play TF2 in VR and while I got it to run, I'm having this issue where each side of the screen remains completely flat instead of warping. Wearing the headset, this causes an effect as if you're viewing the world through a black tube (or alternatively, if you move the screen closer to your face, it makes the 3D look a lot flatter than it should).

TF2 has a command "vr_distortion_enable", but it's already set to "1" and it's not doing anything. No idea why. Was hoping someone else may have had this issue in the past and knows what to do.



Here's the video I uploaded so you can see what I mean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3anVrs5AGUA

This is what it's supposed to look like with distortion, for comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h983BZq4iME


Non-tl;dr version I put in the video description:

This was quite the hassle to get working. Not because it's particularly complicated, but because there's virtually no info online on how to setup TF2 VR for the Consumer Oculus Rift. A lot of people even say that it's not possible.

The main reason why it's seemingly impossible is that TF2 VR was developed for the "Direct Mode", which basically means that in this mode, the VR Headset acts as an extended display. For whatever reason, they removed Direct Mode from the Oculus CV1 drivers. Direct Mode is supported by older Oculus DKs as well as the HTC Vive, so TF2 runs on the HTC in VR without any further setup required.

On the Rift, however, you will need to set up a custom resolution for your main monitor (2160x1200 @90Hz) in your Nvidia/AMD control panel and then get a program that mirrors your monitor's display to your headset with little to no latency. The only program I could find that is capable of doing so is Virtual Desktop (available on Steam), so unless you know of an alternative, that's what you'll need to get. Enable Head Lock, No Delay, and Full SBS, then start TF2 in VR (https://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Oculus_Rift_User_Guide) and you're good to go. You can then adjust the screen output in Virtual Desktop to your liking as well.

The head movement seems a bit off in this video but that's because I was sitting at my desk with my 360° setup behind me in the room. TF2 had no tracking issues inside my 360° setup.

The problem I'm still having is with the screen distortion not working. Normally, you'd see a fish eye effect for both eyes for the surround look, but instead, as you can see, it's completely flat. Unfortunately, I have no idea why this is happening. From the TF2 Wiki:

'vr\_distortion\_enable: controls the warping designed to correct for the warped edges of the Oculus Rift display. "1" is the default value. Setting to "0" gives a side-by-side 3D experience without the lens correction, and may make text somewhat easier to read.'

– That sounds a fair bit like this is the command I'm looking for. But it's already set to "1", and whether I set it to "1" or "0", it's not changing anything. Without the warped image, it looks like you're wearing a black tube on your face that you're viewing the world through. As you can imagine, that's not ideal, it's a perceived lower field of view. I tried launching TF2 with -autoconfig, -default, disabling my autoexec as well as all Nvidia Control Panel settings, but nothing managed to get the distortion effect to show up. Hope anyone out there knows what to do.

[grove]

First question: HOW DID YOU MAKE IT WORK ON CV1?!
Second question: JUST HOW?

[The Nintendo Patent Lawsuit Fest]

I don't know how detailed of an answer you need. I assume you know how to enter TF2's VR mode (as described on its Wiki).


Since the CV1 can't be used as an extended display, the workaround is basically to mirror your main desktop to your headset. That means your desktop needs to be set to the Rift's resolution. Go to your Nvidia or AMD control panel and create a custom resolution of 2160x1200 @90Hz. Now, apply this resolution to your desktop. If you are on the newest version of Windows 10, it appears you have to apply your freshly created desktop resolution in Windows itself, not in your GPU control panel.

To do so, right click on your desktop and select "Display Settings" from the context menu. In the Windows 10 Options menu that appears, scroll down and select your custom resolution, then apply it (if that resolution doesn't show up, try creating another custom resolution of 2160x1200, but with your monitor's native Hz)

After you've done that, you should also scroll down to "Advanced Display Settings" and click on it. Now you will find a window with a list of your monitors. Under your main monitor, there should be an option reading "Change Adapter Settings for Monitor (1/2/3 etc.)". Click on it, and in the window that opens, select the second tab that says "Monitor" and confirm that it is set to 90Hz.


Once you're done with those resolution shenanigans, you need a program that mirrors your screen to your headset as if it was an extended display. I only know of Virtual Desktop on Steam, but perhaps there's free alternatives.

Go through the steps to enable TF2's VR mode (-vr in launch options, set "Virtual Reality" to "Enabled" in the video options, restart the game), then launch Virtual Desktop (I'm using these settings for TF2: https://i.imgur.com/NfAvEOG.png). Afterwards, type "vr_activate" in TF2's console. Make TF2's window the top window (Steam VR likes to overlay itself), then use your right Oculus controller to open the Oculus menu panel and click on the Virtual Desktop icon (it needs to be your "current" VR app to be able to stream your desktop to your headset).


That should be it. Any further questions, feel free to ask.

[Sichimus]

Originally posted by Aldi-Rechner-Rechenpower:

I don't know how detailed of an answer you need. I assume you know how to enter TF2's VR mode (as described on its Wiki).


Since the CV1 can't be used as an extended display, the workaround is basically to mirror your main desktop to your headset. That means your desktop needs to be set to the Rift's resolution. Go to your Nvidia or AMD control panel and create a custom resolution of 2160x1200 @90Hz. Now, apply this resolution to your desktop. If you are on the newest version of Windows 10, it appears you have to apply your freshly created desktop resolution in Windows itself, not in your GPU control panel.

To do so, right click on your desktop and select "Display Settings" from the context menu. In the Windows 10 Options menu that appears, scroll down and select your custom resolution, then apply it (if that resolution doesn't show up, try creating another custom resolution of 2160x1200, but with your monitor's native Hz)

After you've done that, you should also scroll down to "Advanced Display Settings" and click on it. Now you will find a window with a list of your monitors. Under your main monitor, there should be an option reading "Change Adapter Settings for Monitor (1/2/3 etc.)". Click on it, and in the window that opens, select the second tab that says "Monitor" and confirm that it is set to 90Hz.


Once you're done with those resolution shenanigans, you need a program that mirrors your screen to your headset as if it was an extended display. I only know of Virtual Desktop on Steam, but perhaps there's free alternatives.

Go through the steps to enable TF2's VR mode (-vr in launch options, set "Virtual Reality" to "Enabled" in the video options, restart the game), then launch Virtual Desktop (I'm using these settings for TF2: https://i.imgur.com/NfAvEOG.png). Afterwards, type "vr_activate" in TF2's console. Make TF2's window the top window (Steam VR likes to overlay itself), then use your right Oculus controller to open the Oculus menu panel and click on the Virtual Desktop icon (it needs to be your "current" VR app to be able to stream your desktop to your headset).


That should be it. Any further questions, feel free to ask.

So you need certain drivers for this to work? This would mean that the HTC has no chance whatsoever correct? I tried before and just got a complete black screen. Sorry for my tech incompetence.

[The Nintendo Patent Lawsuit Fest]

No, you don't need certain drivers... Not sure where you got that from...
The HTC already has an extended display mode, so you don't have to do any of those things except setting your resolution to 2160x1200 @90Hz.

[Sokky]

What I want to know is
How did you even get Virtual Desktop and TF2 running at the same time?
On my PC, SteamVR dictates that only one VR app can run at a time. If you so much as even glance at another SteamVR app (which TF2 technically is considered one by SteamVR) it will close that app in favor of the new app.
So what did you do to keep them both running at the same time?

[The Nintendo Patent Lawsuit Fest]

Originally posted by Sokky:

What I want to know is
How did you even get Virtual Desktop and TF2 running at the same time?
On my PC, SteamVR dictates that only one VR app can run at a time. If you so much as even glance at another SteamVR app (which TF2 technically is considered one by SteamVR) it will close that app in favor of the new app.
So what did you do to keep them both running at the same time?

Start TF2, then start Virtual Desktop, then type "vr_activate" in console. That's how it works on my end, at least.

I uploaded some more gameplay from just know when I went to check if SteamVR had some update preventing two VR games from running at the same time, but doesn't seem like it. It still works

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_ZNUwFvkBg

[ethantube2.0]

will there be on for the vive?

[The Nintendo Patent Lawsuit Fest]

Originally posted by ethantube2.0:

will there be on for the vive?

I don't understand your sentence but if you mean to ask if you can play TF2 on the Vive, then yes. It works out of the box since the Vive supports the extended display mode that TF2 was developed for and it even retains the screen warp effect, so you don't need to do this workaround.

[Swordguy]

Is it possible to do it for free without stupid virtual desktop

[Swordguy]

Also I cant even start tf2 in vr mode