How to launch without SteamVR (Performance Increase)

[thinoreos]

Link to guide: https://hub.virtamate.com/resources/how-to-launch-without-steamvr-performance-increase.30496/

As of right now (Feb 2023), there are 3 methods I know of to launch in VR without SteamVR. Will go through them quickly to increase your performance.

A) Using Virtual Desktop
If you're using Virtual Desktop, you can skip SteamVR by creating a .bat file.
1. Create a text file anywhere on your PC (right click > New > Text Document)
2. Rename it to "Whatever Name".bat
3. Right click, click Edit
4. Type in: "[path to Virtual Desktop Streamer location]\VirtualDesktop.Streamer.exe" "[Path to Vam main directory]\VaM.exe"
For exmaple, mine looks like this:
"C:\Program Files\Virtual Desktop Streamer\VirtualDesktop.Streamer.exe" "D:\VAM\VaM.exe"
5. Save the file, close it and you're done. Now launch Virtual Desktop through your headset, double click on this and it will launch without SteamVR.
[There is an alternative method of right clicking on Virtual Streamer and Launch Game, but the .bat is much more convenient]

B) Using Oculus
If you have an Oculus/Meta headset, you can launch with Airlink or Link. Copy or create an OpenVR bat file. You can find one already in the VaM folder called VaM (OpenVR).bat.
1. Copy and paste VaM(OpenVR).bat. You can rename it to whatever you like, I call mine VaM(Oculus).bat
2. Right click, click Edit
3. Change -vrmode OpenVR to -vrmode oculus
The final text should be this: START "VaM" VaM.exe -vrmode oculus
4. Save the file, close it and you're done. Now launch Oculus Airlink/Link through your headset, double click on this and it will launch without SteamVR.

C) Using OpenComposite/OpenXR
This one is a bit finicky. It works for some, doesn't work for others. Feel free to experiment.
1. Download OpenComposite: https://gitlab.com/znixian/OpenOVR
2. Follow the install instructions on the website. You might need to replace the openvr_api.dll file, just follow the instructions.
3. Launch OpenComposite. Press Switch to OpenComposite
4. Run VaM.exe. If it works for you, it should launch without SteamVR.

Enjoy! If anyone has other methods feel free to mention them too.
For me personally on a 4090, I am seeing an FPS boost of about +10-20 fps.

 

[soupface27]

If I use vive trackers, I would still need to use steam though?

 

[thinoreos]

If I use vive trackers, I would still need to use steam though?

If you're using a headset & trackers that require Steamvr, then yes you would.

 

[atani]

Hi, @thinoreos

Could you make this thread information into a guide in Resources > Guides? This would increase visibility of the topic as in the forum it will be lost in the ether as time passes.
You could either make a link in the guide to this thread to continue the discussion, or just use the guide's discussion area and remove this thread.
What do you think?

 

[Sequence]

Great

 

[thinoreos]

Hi, @thinoreos

Could you make this thread information into a guide in Resources > Guides? This would increase visibility of the topic as in the forum it will be lost in the ether as time passes.
You could either make a link in the guide to this thread to continue the discussion, or just use the guide's discussion area and remove this thread.
What do you think?

Good idea thanks, will do!

 

[VAMIC]

A) Using Virtual Desktop
If you're using Virtual Desktop, you can skip SteamVR by creating a .bat file.
1. Create a text file anywhere on your PC (right click > New > Text Document)
2. Rename it to "Whatever Name".bat
3. Right click, click Edit
4. Type in: "[path to Virtual Desktop Streamer location]\VirtualDesktop.Streamer.exe" "[Path to Vam main directory]\VaM.exe"
For exmaple, mine looks like this:
"C:\Program Files\Virtual Desktop Streamer\VirtualDesktop.Streamer.exe" "D:\VAM\VaM.exe"
5. Save the file, close it and you're done. Now launch Virtual Desktop through your headset, double click on this and it will launch without SteamVR.
[There is an alternative method of right clicking on Virtual Streamer and Launch Game, but the .bat is much more convenient]

You don't even have to do this. If you're using Virtual Desktop, you can just go to the little tray on the right side of your desktop, right click on the Streamer app and click Launch Game then find VAM and it launches bypassing Steam. This tip which someone casually posted on here changed my VAM life.

 

[meshedvr]

It should be noted that if you just run VaM.exe and you have Oculus software installed it will launch in Oculus native mode and not launch SteamVR. It gives preference to Oculus native. That is why there is no force Oculus mode since VaM.exe already does that by default.

 

[mggyee133]

what is virtual desktop? Is it compatible with Index?

 

[VAMIC]

what is virtual desktop? Is it compatible with Index?

Virtual Desktop is an app to access your PC. They say they support Valve Index here, but not sure how well it works because I have a Quest.

Home | Virtual Desktop

www.vrdesktop.net

 

[WrongTamago]

what is virtual desktop? Is it compatible with Index?

You can't skip SteamVR if you have an Index.

Virtual Desktop allows you to stream PCVR games to a Quest or Pico 4. It can also function as a desktop app so that you can see your desktop windows while in VR. You can use it on an Index, but not for streaming VR games.

Each headset has a runtime that has to be running in order for it to work. For Oculus, it's the Oculus runtime. For WMR, it's the WMR portal. For the Index, it's SteamVR itself.

For Oculus and WMR, SteamVR translates commands (from OpenVR to Oculus or WMR) and sends them to the appropriate runtime. This is an extra layer that has a cost. If you run VaM in Oculus mode, then it's running natively on the Oculus runtime, so it doesn't need translation. For the Index, OpenVR is native to it, so SteamVR just runs it and doesn't need to do any translation.

Using OpenComposite on the Index would also be kind of pointless. It would translate OpenVR to OpenXR, and then it would have to go to SteamVR anyway. So you would just be adding an extra layer.

 

[Zer]

For some reason using the bat file or using the launch game option in virtual desktop does absolutely nothing, no errors or warnings, just nothing. quest 2.
Unfortunate, 10-20 fps sounds like a lot. i have a 4090 too.

 

[Zer]

It works now. The issue was that i had to run VD streamer as an admin. There seems to be more performance in menus, but in scenes it seems to be more or less the same as with steam vr.

 

[VRmatt]

Is there a way to run it with the USB cable for data, and still get the passthrough background, like with Virtual Desktop?

 

[thinoreos]

Is there a way to run it with the USB cable for data, and still get the passthrough background, like with Virtual Desktop?

Possibly only with ALXR, but very complex.

 

[VRmatt]

I'm using the -oculus method, which worked for a long time. But with the latest Meta update, it opens Steam/Link no matter what I do.
I think I may have clicked on the oculus 'set as default OVR runtime' button in the desktop.
Anyone have a suggestion how to set it back?

 

[thinoreos]

I'm using the -oculus method, which worked for a long time. But with the latest Meta update, it opens Steam/Link no matter what I do.
I think I may have clicked on the oculus 'set as default OVR runtime' button in the desktop.
Anyone have a suggestion how to set it back?

2 ways:
1) Meta Quest Link PC app > Settings > General > Set meta quest link as open xr runtime
2) Download xr-picker GUI to switch your runtimes manually