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Using the Oculus Quest for DCS

A guide for setting up and optimizing the Oculus Quest for Windows and DCS

Prerequisites

First of all, you need a good USB 3.1 cable, or the official Oculus Link cable to connect to your

PC. (Oculus claims that the enclosed charger cable *is not* suitable for Link)

Secondly, you need a compatible USB 3.1 port in your PC. Check Oculus’ website to find which

ones are not. Possibly you can buy a USB 3.1 expansion card and use that.

Plug your Link cable into the PC, but do not connect it to your Quest yet.

I recommend fixing the cable somehow to the Quest head straps to prevent it from pulling or

bending the USB socket in the headset.

Setting up Link in Windows

To set up Link, first you need to download Oculus software and install it.

Then you need to log into your account.

Connecting to the Quest

Start up your Oculus Quest first, and setup Guardian so you have plenty of space to move

around. A reasonably well lit room is necessary here.

Use the Oculus button on the right controller to center the view.

Now connect the Link cable to the Quest.

If everything works, you will get a number of dialogs asking you two things:

1. “A device wants to connect”, the options are Deny or Allow access.

It’s not important what you choose here, I choose Allow so I can access screenshots

from the Quest itself from Windows.

2. “Connect Oculus Link”, the options are Not Now or Enable.

Here I choose Not Now, because you get a button to connect once it is working.

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After this your Quest home menu comes up again, this time with an Enable Link (Beta) button.

Press that button to enable Link.

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If everything works, you should get a new Oculus Dashboard window, this time the one for PC.

It will start in Explore view.

(If it doesn’t work, see next section.)

This Dashboard has another tool bar at the bottom, with different options

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Setting up the Oculus PC software for Quest

In the Oculus in Windows software, go into Devices.

There you can see the device status:

First time you do this there will be a setup guide to set up your headset.

Follow the guide.

If everything works, all items should be green, like here.

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If you click the arrow next to Quest and Touch there is a page with different settings;

Link to test your USB connection if you have trouble

Link to redo the Device setup, if it doesn’t work right

Audio settings

Regarding audio, I recommend setting it as shown, that makes the least problems:

1. Enable Hear VR Audio from Computer

2. Enable Hear Computer Audio in VR

Troubleshooting

In general, if you get black screen on starting Link, your cable or USB port is not compatible.

Check on Oculus’ page and/or Google for solutions

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Working in Windows

On the Oculus PC Dashboard tool bar there’s a Desktop button.

By pushing that, you can get into your Windows Desktop, in VR.

If you have more monitors, you can choose which one to show, like seen here:

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In Windows you can use your controller a as mouse:

Point to something, and your trigger works as left mouse button.

Long click means right click.

You can double click, single click, or single click and hold as usual.

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Setting up the Oculus PC software for DCS/games

In the Oculus software, now go into Settings, and set the following options:

1. Enable Unknown Sources to be able to run non-Oculus games

2. Disable Automatically Launch Oculus Home. It is a virtual room that tends to eat

resources, and be difficult to get out of/shut down.

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Starting up DCS

For starting up DCS. I recommend using the Windows Desktop in VR and go from there.

I use an icon on the desktop , that’s the easiest, but you can probably also use the start menu.

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Note 1:

I have tried starting up from the Oculus PC Dashboard menu shortcut, but for some reason it

shuts DCS down immediately as soon as you get into DCS start menu(!)

So I do not recommend using the Oculus menu shortcuts.

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Note 2:

Do not push the Home button on the Oculus PC Dashboard toolbar.

It starts up the virtual Oculus Home, and it’s a resource hog and difficult to both get out of and to

shut down. So it is best not to start it at all.

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Setting up DCS to use VR

In DCS, go into Settings and go into the VR page.

Set Enable Virtual Reality Headset there.

I recommend also to enable Use Mouse, Use Hand Controllers and Use Built-in Audio Device

Click OK, then DCS restarts in VR mode.

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Note:

The Oculus hand controllers have some useful key binds set up as default in DCS:

Both controllers are set up to use as mouse pointer and switch/dial manipulator:

Middle finger button: Lights a “laser”/mouse pointer to point at switches/dials

Trigger button: Works as Left mouse button

Hat switch:

o Forward: Works as Right mouse button

o Rearward: Works as Left mouse button

o Left and right: Works as mouse wheel (turns dials and handles)

Left controller buttons:

Y button: Center view

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X button: Esc/DCS Menu

Right controller buttons:

B button: No function

A button: VR Zoom

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Now you should have all the essential things in place.

Now to the tweaking.

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Tweaking the Oculus Quest for Windows and DCS

First some recommendations:

To get the best visual quality from the Quest headset, there are some things you should do:

1. Adjust the IPD button to the lower left so that everything is as sharp as possible.

2. Make sure to adjust the headset up and down on your face until everything is as sharp

as possible, in as wide an area as possible.

For DCS I also recommend to get an audio headset to plug in to the Quest VR headset.

It has two headset plugs, one in each side.

You can use the built-in speakers, but headset is better.

Disclaimer:

I made this tweaking guide to show some ways to get better graphics out of the Oculus Quest.

It is not aimed at getting the highest possible frame rates.

It is aimed at increasing graphics as high as possible, while still trying to retain acceptable frame

rates for smooth gameplay.

Test it, and find the settings that fit your own balance between gameplay and graphics.

Software and settings for Windows

To setup better resolution in Quest Link, you can use Oculus Debug Tool (ODT).

However, this tool cannot retain Pixel Density settings between reboots, so instead I

recommend installing the third-party Oculus Tray Tool (OTT), which sets up the parameters you

want at boot-up.

Link to OTT can be found at the bottom.

This guide is based on Oculus software v. 17 and OTT v. 0.86.5.0, functions and settings may

change later.

I use DCS stand alone, but settings and improvements in Quest works everywhere in Windows

and thus also in Steam and other games.

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Oculus PC Dashboard settings for Graphics

On the Oculus Dashboard press the Settings button

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Then choose Graphics

I recommend setting it up as shown above:

1. Disable Automatically adjust graphics settings

(this one could otherwise revert your other settings)

2. Disable Anti-aliasing

(this one is important: If enabled, it improves sharpness of text, but it removes sharpness

from DCS, and reduces performance)

3. Enable High-quality Panel Rendering

(this one is a personal preference, it makes the Dashboard tool bar look better, and does

not cost performance in games)

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Oculus Tray Tool settings

In Oculus Tray Tool you can set up the following, among others:

1. Default Super Sampling (SS), same as Pixel Density (PD), a sort of Super Sampling AA

Set a number from 1.x and up.

2. Distortion Curvature, a sort of compression/sweet spot sharpness function

The options are High, or Low, with Low giving the best picture/biggest sweet spot.

3. Encode Resolution, sets resolution that is sent to the headset and works in connection

with SS/PD

Set the wanted horizontal resolution

You can also set the following options:

4. Default ASW Mode, Asynchronous Warp, a sort of Oculus VR Vsync

Set it to Auto, 30 fps, 36 fps, 45 fps etc

5. Adaptive GPU Scaling, a system that scales graphics to the performance of your GPU

Set to On or Off

First go into the Quest Link page:

Here you can use presets to set recommended Distortion Curvature and Encode Resolution

according to your GPU. The preset will also recommend a SS (Default Super Sampling or PD)

setting, but you need to set that elsewhere.

You can also enter settings manually if you want, overruling the presets.

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Secondly go into the Game Settings page:

Here you can set Default Super Sampling, Default ASW Mode, Adaptive GPU Scaling, and

more.

You can also set Mirror FOV Multiplier, which sets the size of the VR mirror on your monitor.

Set Default Super Sampling to the recommended value, and ASW to your liking.

I recommend leaving everything else as it is for now.

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Note 1:

Oculus Homeless is a tweak that disables Oculus Home totally, to gain more performance.

Sadly this tweak also disables Quest Link, so do not enable this!

Note 2:

You can set up individual Profiles for each game if you want.

However I experience that Quest and Oculus Service don’t really like on-the-fly changes, so I

recommend you to find one default setting for everything and sticking with it.

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After setting everything up, you can restart Oculus Service from Quest Link, to get the settings

to stick.

I have used the GTX 1080Ti preset, with recommended SS 1.3.

Set yours according to your GPU, and adjust to your liking after testing performance in DCS.

You should notice an immediate improvement in sharpness in Windows.

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For debugging, check in Oculus Debug Tool if the settings have been set:

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Setting up DCS for VR graphics

Setting DCS up for good graphics and performance is, as always, a balance.

You need to set up both the normal graphics page and the VR page to adjust everything to your

liking.

Graphics settings page:

Set everything up here to your liking for performance and eye candy.

I will not go into the options, there are general guides to be found elsewhere.

I will just show my settings for a GTX 1080TI OC for inspiration:

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Note 1:

Monitor resolution, Aspect Ratio and Monitors does not inflict on VR performance.

Note 2:

Vsync does inflict on VR, and risks locking fps to some fraction of your monitor refresh rate, so

disable this for best performance.

However, I have experienced that ASW alone can make some flicker in shadows, and that

Vsync can help removing this.

So I recommend for you to test what works best for you.

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VR settings page:

Pixel Density (Super Sampling) is set up in the VR page and should be used instead of SSAA in

the graphics page.

I use the same Pixel Density here as I set SS in Oculus Tray Tool, this seems to work well in

sharpness and performance.

The VR page now also have a MSAA Mask Size setting, which apparently adjusts the center

area (Sweet Spot) where MSAA is applied, in case you use MSAA.

I have left this at standard, but adjust to your liking.

Summary

With the above settings my PC runs pretty stable at 36 fps, half of Oculus Quest’s max

framerate of 72 fps, on Supercarrier in Tomcat, and online in Gazelle.

My system specs are: GTX 1080TI, i7 9700K, 32 GB 3000MHz RAM, SSD.

36 fps with ASW on is a good minimum goal to go for, for graphics quality/eye candy.

But I experience also that the above settings gives me quite good ability to spot objects from far.

That has been part of my testing process.

I hope it can help you too, to get the best out of your Quest.

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TL;DR:

Basic setup, Quest and DCS

1. Install Oculus software on your PC

2. Connect Quest with Link USB cable and perform setup

3. Start DCS from Windows in VR desktop

4. Set DCS up to run VR

Tweaking for better graphics

1. Install Oculus Tray Tool

2. Set up Distortion Curvature, Encode Resolution, and Default Super Sampling, (SS/PD),

according to your GPU to improve Quest picture over Link.

3. Set Oculus Tray Tool to start with Windows

4. Restart Oculus Service or reboot. Check in Oculus Debug Tool if settings are right

5. Go into VR: Oculus PC Dashboard Settings -> Graphics, and switch Anti-aliasing and

Automatic graphics adjustment off

6. Tweak DCS settings to best graphics/performance. I recommend to set Pixel Density to

same value as Default Super Sampling in Oculus Tray Tool, that seems to work well.

7. Go fly some!

Sources:

Quest Link resolution recommendations from Oculus Forum:

https://forums.oculusvr.com/community/discussion/83561/oculus-link-resolution-with-v12

Oculus Tray Tool description and download links:

https://forums.oculusvr.com/community/discussion/47247/oculus-traytool-supersampling-

profiles-hmd-disconnect-fixes-hopefully/p1

Oculus Tray Tool direct download:

https://bit.ly/2xmsmiL

Oculus Tray Tool User Guide:

http://bit.ly/2PRUMnU