Good fix for me (lag / stuttering, etc) w/ Virtual Desktop - I think this will help many others

[dopamineoverload]

I posted this on Reddit about a week ago:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BladeAndSorcery/comments/pefbsz/finally_got_good_solid_fps_smooth_gameplay/

Here's the text:

I was reading a ton of Reddit threads earlier. Someone mentioned that in Virtual Desktop, they found that Medium Graphics at 80 bitrate looked about the same as High Graphics at only 32 bitrate, but most importantly-- lower latency.

I tried B&S using the High thing, at bitrate 32. Played great and didn't look too bad. Even 1v5 battles (mostly in Arena, to be safe).

I upped it to 45 bitrate to make the graphics look a little better... they looked good even at 32 but the slight increase was nicer. Latency was between 27 and 43 most of the time... hovering in the mid-to-upper 30s. That was dope.

Did 1v2 and 1v1 at the Market, and had some good gameplay. FPS never dropped below 62 I don't think (I have it set to 90fps, and 90hz, with my Quest 2).

Switched over to Surv1v3... FPS didn't perform as well over there, sadly (occasional drops to 28 and latency spikes for some reason-- all the way up to 93ms). Still looked good, though. Some stutters and a tiny bit of lag, but looked damn good.

Back over to B&S, with bitrate 48 (trying to keep the "by 4" multiplier)... 1v5... I did Endless... it kept up the whole time. I didn't do any spells.. just melee and some people throwing lightning and fireballs, but it kept up. Never dropped below 50fps and felt GREAT.

SSW: off (I usually keep it off)
Video Buffering: off (except during Surv1v3, and the last B&S battle)

Crazy how High Graphics and a low bitrate keep the FPS up, the latency down, but also look good enough! I could not find any info about this at all, until tonight. I always kept my bitrate 80 or above. Someone also mentioned that the latency drastically increases once you pass 80 on the bitrate (and you get FPS issues with the higher bitrate). I didn't think in a million years a bitrate below 50 would work while looking good, but it did. Might try to push my luck and do 64 bitrate later today.

I hope it helps others. Definitely worked WELL for me. I should also say I did the tweaks that Baron always recommends:
MSAA off
Low Physics
Persistent bodies and weapons to 1
Graphics multiplier default at 1.00

Game looked great (although a little too bright-- could be my need to lower the Gamma down from 1.00)... played very smooth, though. Slo-mo was great and fun, and regular speed was a blast.

I know this has got to help some others out there!

My specs:
i7 4790 3.6ghz (not overclocked)
32GB ram
SSD 1tb system drive, and another SSD 1tb for storage/games
Windows 10, latest updates
GTX 1660 Super (latest driver from 8/10/2021)

[dopamineoverload]

Well, following up.... it isn't really working anymore. I can't seem to launch the game in Oculus VR mode, even when I force it to launch that way. Have no idea what's up. Oculus mode definitely worked better than Steam VR mode, at least for me, with my Quest 2.

Hmm......... the plot thickens yet again.......

[The Baron]

Do you have Oculus software running before you launch the game on Steam?

So this should be it:
- Launch Oculus software
- Launch Steam (not steamvr though)
- Launch the game
- Popup says 'play in steamvr' or 'play B&S'
- Choose 'play in B&S' (this is oculus mode)

It might say "this is a vr game" warning when you pick that, but dont worry about that warning. It is just because it is expecting you to play via steamvr.

[dopamineoverload]

Ah ok, thanks so much Baron!

[dopamineoverload]

Hi Baron! I followed your instructions but no matter what, it launches in Steam mode / Steam VR (pressing the left flat button on Quest 2 controller shows the Steam menu).

I cannot figure out how to get it to launch in Oculus mode. Even when I click "Launch in Oculus Mode" from the menu (via Virtual Desktop, my PC's main display)... launches in Steam VR, EVERY time. How do I disable that? Thanks!

[dopamineoverload]

My newest findings! I'm absolutely certain this will help a ton of Quest 2 users out there!

https://steamcommunity.com/app/629730/discussions/2/2960543553710038356/

[Smart Glasses Hub]

As an avid VR user, I've encountered my fair share of lagging issues with Virtual Desktop, especially when using Oculus Quest 2. Here's a summary of solutions I've discovered:

-Use Performance Overlay: Helps identify where the bottleneck is occurring—game rendering, network communication, video encoding/decoding.
-Ethernet Cable Connection: Connecting your PC to the router with an Ethernet cable can significantly reduce latency.
-Dedicated 5GHz WiFi for Quest: A separate 5GHz network for your headset ensures minimal interference and optimal performance.
-Proximity to Router: For a stable connection, play close to the router, ideally in the same room.
-Router Settings Optimization: Adjust network mode, channel width, and disable features like Smart Connect and QoS for better performance.
-Virtual Desktop Settings Adjustments: Tweak codec, VR graphics quality, frame rate, and bitrate to find the sweet spot for your setup.
-Disable Problematic Addons and Overlays: Such as SteamVR OpenVR Input Emulator and Nvidia’s in-game overlay.
-Windows Xbox Game Bar Deactivation: Known to hog resources, turning it off can free up your system for better VR performance.
-Software and Driver Updates: Keeping everything up-to-date, including Oculus firmware, GPU drivers, and Windows, can resolve many issues.
-Comparative Testing with Oculus Link: If Oculus Link performs well and Virtual Desktop doesn't, it points towards network-related issues rather than your PC’s capabilities.
-Dedicated Router for Virtual Desktop: Investing in a high-quality router can be a game-changer for wireless VR gaming.

Each of these steps has its own nuances, so you can check my article for more detail, and sometimes a combination of several adjustments is necessary to achieve the best results.

Read here: https://smartglasseshub.com/fix-virtual-desktop-lagging-issues/

[Amelia]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.