BoX and VR Current State

[No.401_Wolverine]

I finally set up my VR equipment again (since I'm testing it before we take it to my wife's Christmas party) and decided to give BoX a go in its current implementation. I had tried it before when it was first integrated into the program in its earliest basic state and wasn't impressed. Head tracking was bad and jerky, frames weren't great, etc., etc. I can very easily say that BoX VR is so far the best VR flight sim I've tried. It's incredible.

I've got everything pretty much maxed out in BoX and flipping to VR I didn't change a thing. It still was rock solid. I dropped a few frames near the ground, but the system seemed to drop frames in just fine to keep things from getting nauseous. Taking a Spitfire in BoX through the clouds after a bunch of 109s and then over the Kuban hills and rivers to the coast was simply jaw dropping.

It beats DCS easily for contact spotting, viewing the indicators, etc. The fact that there's a game to play in there as well really helps.

Probably the only thing now that would keep me from switching to VR is the chair/neck thing. I seriously need a chair that is bolted to the floor and includes straps. Without those, checking six with the headset on is very straining. Flying with SA becomes a workout.

Seriously though, if you'd tried VR and found it lacking BoX really did make it work well. If you don't have a headset yet, I might say wait until the next gen versions with better res. If you do have one sitting at home unplugged after getting bored with it, and you never tried BoX (or tried it early on), I'd plug it in again and check it out.

[Admin (Dietrich)]

Thanks for the feedback on this.

I had heard that VR was good with BoX. However, the thing that really caught my attention was the announcement of the Flying Circus (= Rise of Flight v2 in the BoX engine).

What are the best VR headsets for this? Still Rift? And are their any new VR headsets on the horizon at all?

[EAF79_OD_]

The only drawback I find with BoX is that it uses SteamVR, which I find clunky and quite annoying. When there is a lag spike, or you bring up the map you can sometimes get the grey Steam screen showing the Rift sensors etc, before the map comes up.
Tracking wise though, it's great. Visbility is good. Aircraft ID is fine. Spotting Ground targets is fine. I won't play BoX any other way.

[Admin (Dietrich)]

The only drawback I find with BoX is that it uses SteamVR, which I find clunky and quite annoying. When there is a lag spike, or you bring up the map you can sometimes get the grey Steam screen showing the Rift sensors etc, before the map comes up.

I get the lag-spike on the map too, and I don't use VR (yet).

[EAF79_OD_]

It has got better, it used to be that it was very hit and miss as to whether you could open the map in VR. It works 99% of the time now, so I really don't have many complaints about VR in BoX. I think it would be ambitious for TFS to achieve the same in Cliffs.

[No.401_Wolverine]

It has got better, it used to be that it was very hit and miss as to whether you could open the map in VR. It works 99% of the time now, so I really don't have many complaints about VR in BoX. I think it would be ambitious for TFS to achieve the same in Cliffs.

All the cockpits would have to be redone so I doubt it'll happen. You can see in many of the CloD cockpits a lot of 2d for 3d effects that would just not work in a VR setting. If they add VR, it'll be as a curiosity for those who are desperate for it and not a comprehensive implementation.

[Admin (Philstyle)]

Speaking of cockpits, I had forgotten or not realised how dated the CloD pits are... many of the in cockpit text is unreadable the resolution is so poor

[6./ZG76_Archie]

Just got my Rift, the first time you sit in a plane in VR in BoX is simply jaw dropping. I haven't flown light aircraft for quite a while now and this is as close to that feeling of flight as I have ever got on a computer. I had great fun in an I-16, and then the P 40 flying around low level through the trees and down rivers.
I think it will be just perfect for Flying Circus.

[Admin (Dietrich)]

I think it will be just perfect for Flying Circus.

Exactly.

WWI aviation is more quirky, personal and visceral. The cockpits are a lot more "3D" with levers, struts and gauges in a variety of odd locations. VR and WWI will be a perfect combination.

And the cockpits in RoF are already very good. Take a look at this example and imagine it in full 3D.


Reference (incl. images of other RoF-cockpits): https://riseofflight.com/forum/topic/30 ... ordinaire/


I really hope they do a good job of porting them over to FCv1.

[19RAF MJDixon]

I've thought that hand tracking would work well with a WWI flight sim due to how manual and, well, 'hands on' things are, for example having to stand up and physically reload a lewis gun, or operate the camera from the rear seat in a photo recon aircraft, throwing hand held bombs/grenades etc.

WWI VR brick throwing aerial duels are surely the way forward.