Quest 2 head tracking is much less accurate than standard

[DanSheffo]

Greetings! Just been trying vorpx for the first time with a Quest 2, not having much luck – there’s head tracking, but it’s not working as quest 2 head tracking usually does in other apps (including other PCVR apps – works perfectly in e.g. Half Life Alyx, Google Earth etc, and mods like Outer Wilds). Games tested: portal 2, dishonored (to test two different engines). Various setting changes I’ve read about tried including direct vr scanning (which improves things but doesn’t fix). It’s managing 6DOF tracking, but it’s very “swimmy” – it tilts off to random angles and is like I’m on a boat. I can see the Quest’s guardian boundary is also floating away from its usual locked position, so there may be something that’s stopping the guardian system from working correctly?

I am unsure if this is the expected level of head tracking, or if there’s something I’m doing wrong, and the quest 2 should be able to lock its head tracking in the usual way while using vorpx? Thank you.

[Ralf]

Keep in mind is that native Quest games typically run at full 90FPS while more demanding PC games rendered in stereo 3D often run at lower framerates in vorpX. Even with the frame interpolation vorpX uses to counteract that, tracking feels somewhat snappier at full native 90FPS.

[DanSheffo]

Thanks for the reply. I don’t think it’s a framerate issue – my 3080 system runs Half Life Alyx at 90FPS with no problem, and manages smooth tracking in other demanding PCVR games (e.g. Elite Dangerous). The head tracking is just different to that – much less “locked in” to the reference of the Quest’s usual solid positioning. E.g. it varies the x axis tilt as I try to turn my head left or right.

[Ralf]

Alyx isn’t particularly demanding compared to newer games not made for VR. More demanding PC games will still run with less FPS, with G3D typically at slightly less than half the FPS you get when running them at your monitor. vorpX has to render everything twice (once for each eye), which alone costs about half the frame rate. Also the increased FOV compared to playing on a monitor can cost frame rate. And on top of all that there is another small performance decrease (about 10%) for rendering to the headset.

So if e.g. a game runs with 100fps on your monitor, with Geometry 3D enabled in vorpX the same game will maybe run at 40fps or so.

to enhance performance consider reducing graphics details and/or switching to Z3D.

[DanSheffo]

Cheers for the reply. For portal 2, it’s not a demand issue – performance indicator even on 120hz at maxed out resolution gives 60-80% performance headroom on my system and doesn’t drop any frames. Closer to 90% if I drop everything to mins (72hz, lowest resolution).

Actually, maxing everything out makes things seem a bit smoother. I’ve discovered if I move my head slowly, the tracking mostly keeps up and portal 2 is playable (the main reason I got vorpx). Now I’ve figured out a way to manage it, it’s an absolute delight starting from the beginning – thank you for Vorpx, it’s ace.

[Author]

Posts