I have flown several hundred MSFS hours with the XBox controller, mouse and a very few keyboard commands. I enjoy those controls and I plan to continue with those in the future.
I have worn a couple VR devices to play a few simple games in the past but know nothing about them.
The first dumb questions:
Does the mouse cursor still appear in the VR device “screen” and work the same as on the laptop/monitor screen?
How do you see/find the necessary keyboard keys when wearing a VR?
I sometimes need to both zoom in and lean toward my screen to see small “stuff” in the cockpit. Does zoom and leaning forward work in VR?
When on a long flight with no scenery (dark, water, desert, etc.) I often open additional windows and use the laptop to do other things; check flight charts, email, read news, research the area I’m flying, etc. I also often like to sit back and enjoy what’s going on in the real world around me and just glance back at MSFS occasionally to see it all is well with the flight. Is that a pain with VR?
*Yes. The mouse works in VR pretty much the same way as it works in flat screen as far as cockpit interaction is concerned.
*You will want to reduce the number of keystrokes you need to a bare minimum. I use the keyboard only for cockpit positioning, settings bar, outside view toggle, and a few other things bound to keys that can easily be found by touch, and that are sim-related rather than flight-related. I use a joystick, along with yoke, throttle quadrant and rudder pedals. Those can all be programmed and used without being able to see them. Muscle memory, you know. I’m sure your XBox controls will do the same for you.
*Yes, you will do what real pilots do–you lean forward it you need to see things more clearly. (In most default planes you can also click and hold the right mouse button to move the instrument panels closer to your eyes.)
*I have not found that to be possible, When you’re in the VR cockpit you are there alone. You can’t bring a phone, tablet, computer screen, or even paper maps. The only way you can react to the outside world visually is to remove the headset. Some headsets (WMR, for example) do allow you to bring an open browser window into the VR environment but in a flight sim it’s hard to manage, resize, interact with etc. It’s really more bother than it’s worth. There are also 3rd-party apps that enable you to use maps and charts in VR. They can be quite useful but take some effort to get them set up.
That said, if you want the most realistic experience possible in a flight sim, VR can’t be beat.
I’m an absolute convert to VR in MSFS and can’t bring myself to fly in 2D any more. @SamuraiSax covers it pretty thoroughly and I agree with all the points made above. A couple of things I’d add to expand…
I find the mouse cursor pretty easy to use in VR (although some people don’t like it much), I control most everything other than primary flight controls with the virtual cockpit and mouse. I don’t even use many of my controller buttons … I have elevator trim configured on the joystick and the ‘recenter VR view’ to the trigger. That’s about it.
I don’t use the keyboard at all during flight except to switch in and out of VR. I assigned the space bar to do that so it’s easy to find. (and a tip here - if you do start using VR, it’s useful to set up a VR specific keyboard and mouse config).
Using other apps in VR is still a bit of a problem. There are a few custom panels coming along, but it’s pretty difficult to do non FS stuff in VR when running FS as well. That said, you can of course use music and audio book apps pretty easily. On the longer flights I do - I use Audible and it works great.
EDIT: If you can get the chance to try a VR headset before you buy - do so. I found using VR easy, no issues with vertigo and the Reverb G2 is pretty comfortable for me. Some folks have found they just can’t get on with wearing a headset, and some find the inevitable compromises in graphics just too much. Pretty bad to find that you hate VR after spending a boatload on a headset.
Thanks ClayishCoast9 and SamuraiSax. I now feel more comfortable knowing the VR operates much like the non-VR.
I’m a MSFS player who uses a laptop so I have portability and can enjoy the program in different locations. I want to simultaneously to be able to stay a part of the real life around me while still playing pilot. I think I can still be immersed in VR sometimes.
The Reverb G2 is the product I am leaning to if I buy a VR. (I have read that many other devices are part of Google and I don’t want to be part of that.) I would like to try one for a couple weeks to see if I like it. I did have some problems playing one VR game when I tried it. Also, I like cool and well ventilated environments. Things like masks and big cushioned headphones bother me after a short time wearing them. (Maybe that makes me a hot head.) So, I’d like to see how much airflow I could get wearing a VR headset.
This may be an issue for you - VR headsets are close fitting to block out the light (The G2 likes to be used in a fairly well lit environment because the motion tracking is done by the onboard cameras ‘seeing’ the change in the view as your head moves … if that makes sense). They also tend to get fairly warm over a period of time. On the other hand, I find the off-ear headphones are brilliant.
The Reverb G2 is generally thought the best consumer headset currently available - but it does need some horsepower to drive it. I run mine off of a custom build PC with i7 9700 + RTX2080Ti (I would probably call that an ‘upper middle class’ PC these days ) and it runs well in MSFS on mostly high settings. Much less than this and you’re starting to turn graphics settings down quite a bit to get performance … but apparently folks still get acceptable results. If you can find someone who can lend you a headset - or even just get to use one for a reasonable time, you will probably tell quite quickly if you can get away with it or not.
I hope I’m not sounding too discouraging. There have been a few recent threads where people have bought a headset and really not enjoyed the experience for one reason or another. Nice thing about MSFS is that you can step in and out of VR pretty easily within a flight (so take off in VR, fly in 2D and land in VR etc.) That’s what I thought I’d do, but I like VR so much, that I never go back into 2D.
i use vr for takeoff and landing, while in the main phase of a flight I am using flat screen so i can take advantage of my logitech panels for setting ap, trim, nv radio, etc. I also have Air manager on androind to project the dials on to a tablet mounted above my yoke,
…a quick stab of Ctrl+Tab is all that is needed to switch between VR/Flat screen
i normally fly GA planes with steam gauges and use traditional VOR navigation, all this new fangled GPS/FMC/CDU stuff is beyond me…
I found that I got a higher more stable framerate using a quest 2 set to the same resolution as the G2, I think the pipeline is more efficient on the Quest 2, it seams to be able to react to changes better due to its better ASW/ATW system that smooths out dropped frames, the only negatives I found using a Quest 2 over a G2 were the black levels and audio but I use my logitech surround surround system anyway, resolution wise they are about on par, there are only 200 pixels less x/y per eye, and the problems, man the problems, so many problems with the g2, tracking, blackouts, faulty cables, release delay, usb incompatibilities, burning out usb ports on motherboards… I got lucky, managed to get a full refund
G2 was a good concept on paper, but HP borked the product
Quest 2 (by Facebook), you can always see out of the gap over your nose by looking down, it helps me with my claustrophobia, don’t write it off because of the stories people say regarding blocked accounts, 99% of blocked accounts were due to false users creating throwaway accounts, you have to register a G2 as well, so your not as anonymous as people think they are…
I had more problems with HP’s G2 than any other product I have bought in my life, if you really want to pay more for less because of the Facbook backing of oculus products, got for an Index…
I’ve had a G2 for a week, and just to put the opposite perspective out there, have had no issues with it - at least so far. For me the experience is incredible - hard to use 2D at all now. I’ve spent a fair bit of time tweaking different settings - I think true of all VR there are so many settings that getting the right balance can take a bit of time.
I’ve not experienced any of the issues @dinkster reports, although you can see threads in here where other report these and other issues too. VR is pretty embryonic technology I guess, so we are at the stage where there are a number of different technologies and approaches and standards are barely appearing. I’ve also seen reports where Steam users of MSFS have suggested that as they must use Steam VR that the WMR drivers for this are not as good as the normal WMR drivers. No idea what is true and what is myth with a lot of this stuff. I’m a Store version of MSFS user and have had zero issues.
I’ve only really experimented with short flights at the moment. I think for longer flights I’d expect to use VR to take off/land and when stuff needs done in the cruise, but the rest of the time have the headset off in 2D mode - I doubt I’d sit with the headset on for 5 hours or something. Switching between the two is really easy, as noted above.
Personally I don’t recall registering the G2 for anything other than warranty - which is pretty standard I guess. The G2 does need a facebook account which I don’t (coincidentally) have, but I guess wouldn’t have been a deal breaker for me.
In the UK right now, both are very hard to come by. Can’t get the Quest 2 at all and the G2 is only available through systemactive.co.uk
the steam driver problem affects both (all) headsets, if you don’t set the OPENXR runtime in steam to use your headsets native OPENXR implementation you get a load of additional processing over head and also your headsets specialized pre-render and re-render functions do not work as they should.
G2’s are on recall for a headset cable upgrade and an audio blackout related fault, quest 2’s are on recall due to some people having a reaction to the glue used to hold the foam on the face guard, plus a version refresh eliminating the 64gb version replacing it with a 128gb version
Useful for folks to know. I don’t have any experience with the Quest and since you need a Facebook account to use it, never will. If you’re not bothered by that, it does sound like a good headset at a very reasonable price (if you can get one at all!)
Presume you mean ‘does not need’. Certainly my G2 doesn’t need one
I have the same experience as @gordongreig - I’ve had no issues with my headset or cable, and since I also have the MS Store version, I’m not using the Steam VR either. I guess I have to put that down to luck…
Longest flight I’ve done is 2.5 hours continuously in VR. I actually find the G2 headset pretty comfortable although like all of them, your face will get very warm with long periods of use.
We also have a Samsung Odyssey+, and I like the idea of OLED screens. Unfortunately, I can’t get that headset on over my glasses at all, so can’t see what it’s like in MSFS (or anything else). VR technology does still have a long way to go I think.
steam vr, it doesnt matter if you have the ms version or the steam version, if you have played any steam vr game and it has set the openxr implementation to steam it will affect all games that use open xr, even games that boot from oculus launcher, its a global setting, I think it gets reset to WMR and Oculus if you go to the settings of either one.
i understand steam vr sets itself the the default openxr implementation on its first run
The Quest 2 front visor can be pushed outwards a bit and isn’t hot ,also wirelessly u can leave laptop in another room although i still need a keyboard and mouse on a long USB lead to operate some controls.
basically so long as you don’t see steam vr pop up when you start vr in msfs you should be ok, if you do see steam vr opening, go in to the settings of steam vr and choose the openxr implementation for your headset type and reboot
Doesn’t pop up for me unless I deliberately run it, so seems OK. I don’t recall a setting for “always use steam vr” or anything similar when I installed it.
Where VR really shines is in aerobatics, combat and shorter VFR. In these scenarios you really won’t have time to look away and the situational awareness that VR brings is a great benefit.
(I do fly with TrackIR in MSFS2020 a fair amount but I honestly can’t fly IL-2 without VR any more…the VR experience in air combat is just amazing.
So, I’d like to see how much airflow I could get wearing a VR headset.
) and it runs well in MSFS on mostly high settings. Much less than this and you’re starting to turn graphics settings down quite a bit to get performance … but apparently folks still get acceptable results. If you can find someone who can lend you a headset - or even just get to use one for a reasonable time, you will probably tell quite quickly if you can get away with it or not.