Quest 2 users (Virtual Desktop or Airlink) - a good fix for low FPS and lag

[dopamineoverload]

I was on an endless search to get better gameplay with this game.

Here are my specs:
i7 4790 3.6ghz (not overclocked)
32GB ram
1TB SSD x2 (system and storage)
Windows 10 - all latest updates/optimized for gaming
GTX 1660 Super

Here's the original text from my Reddit post:

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I've been launching the (Steam-purchased) game via Virtual Desktop for weeks. Which, in turn, launches SteamVR.

Many people have reported low FPS and lag with the game, for many months. Many months. It's because of the stupid SteamVR!

The Baron helped me with trying to launch the game in full Oculus mode, which I never did before. All the times I've played this, over the last month. You'll know you're in full Oculus mode when, if you press the flat button on your left controller, the Steam menu does not show up. If it shows up, you're in SteamVR / OpenVR (which your Virtual Desktop overlay will show, in the Runtime section).

So, I launched the game "in Oculus mode" like this:

I opened the Oculus Desktop App (PC / Windows). Now, since I bought the game from Steam, and not the Oculus Link Store, the game doesn't show up in my Oculus Link Home (via the Link cable, or Airlink).

So, Baron told me to launch the Oculus App, and THEN Steam.... (but be sure to NOT launch SteamVR). So, I then signed into Link, via Airlink. I got to my Oculus Rift Home (the white grid environment), and I selected "Desktop" so I could control my computer (like Virtual Desktop does).

I then clicked "Play" in my Blade and Sorcery library (like I was just sitting at the computer, playing a pancake game), and it gave me the option to launch in Steam mode, or Oculus mode. I launched in Oculus, of course (keep in mind, I've tried launching in Oculus mode before, via Virtual Desktop and SteamVR took it over EVERY time). Now, granted... this was a ton of steps, and kind of a pain in the ass to do. But...

Let me tell you... for the first time ever.... BUTTER-SMOOTH GAMEPLAY. Even at Citadel! Even with "Survive" mode with Knights (eight enemies at once!). I set invincibility on. I set infinite spells on. I loaded my anti-gravity spell in both hands. I made everyone airborne, and knocked them off the bridge with the two-handed spell thing.... and there was no lag. occasional FPS drops (of course) but NO LAG.

Then I imbued a staff... and hit the ground or a side wall, and knocked 4 or 5 of them airborne and over the bridge... over and over. And a few dropped FPS, but nothing that took me out of the game. I'm talking SPELLS (anti-gravity uses a LOT of CPU, as so many of us know).... and I was fighting EIGHT ENEMIES AT ONCE. At Citadel.

No lag, and occasional dropped FPS... but again, it felt GREAT. This was with my Airlink set to 150 bitrate (not maximum, but certainly up there). I knocked it down to bitrate 100... and the dropped frames were less, and the graphics still looked great.

What a huge, insane difference, in gameplay and immersion. And again... eight NPCs... at Citadel. When casting anti-gravity spells non-stop.

The problem so many of us are having is with SteamVR.

Now here's my problem: I want Virtual Desktop, WITHOUT SteamVR. Why? Because Airlink's throwing mechanics don't work! I can't throw daggers, and many others have experienced this, too. You throw them... they end up on the ground, like 99% of the time. With VD, you throw them, they hit someone in the face, if that's where you're aiming... like 100% of the time.

There has got to be a way to launch the game in Oculus Mode, through Virtual Desktop, and bypassing SteamVR entirely. How do we do this? SteamVR is the problem, with this game, and low FPS and lag. It is hands-down the problem.

Call me stupid... (hindsight is 20/20, and so is research). But there IS a way to do it (launching the Oculus version through Virtual Desktop) and it's this:

If you own a Quest 2 and want this game, get it from the Oculus App / Rift Store. DO NOT BUY THE STEAM VERSION. Even if you try launching the Steam version with "-vrmode oculus" and selecting it manually from the Steam library.... it will still run SteamVR.

The Oculus version is much-better optimized, as it uses the Oculus Runtime (not OpenVR). You'll still be able to launch the game from VD (or Airlink if you want), because it will show up in your "OCULUS" section of your Games, not the "STEAM" section.

I bought the Steam version initially... because I'm still new to this. Last night, I bought the Rift version (yes, I bought the game twice).

This is the fix we've all been looking for. Just make sure you're buying the right version of the game, and if you are, then SteamVR will not launch at all.

I hope this helps others. God knows it took me forever to finally get smooth gameplay with this brilliant and fun game.

[Chrono_Hood]

Hmm my airlink runs the game in my quest 2 without steam VR. Not sure what the difference buying it on the oculus store would be if it's working this way for me. I can definitely tell the oculus version runs better than the steam VR one. I only use the steam VR one with my Xbox 360 sensor bar to track my body for some feet tracking (which mostly works and was worth the $50 bucks just to kick people down and stomp heads hehe)