Guides How to launch without SteamVR (Performance Increase)

[thinoreos]

thinoreos updated How to launch without SteamVR (Performance Increase) with a new update entry:

Added example images to post

Added images of examples of paths and links

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[thinoreos]

With QUEST2, it seems that STEAMVR can be bypassed without any modification.
Only when starting VAM from PC for the first time, STEAMVR will be started automatically. Afterwards, the VAM can be found in the resource library of QUEST2, and the VAM can be launched directly from the resource library without additionally launching STEAMVR.

What do you mean by resource library of Quest 2?

 

[thinoreos]

It worked with openxr toolkit as well. But does anyone know how to fix stick drift that did not exist with SteamVR

What kind of stick drift exactly? Can you post examples?

 

[Voithe]

Using openvr fsr or the vr perf kit, based on my tests, is not worth the performance boost for VAM. For other games yes, but because you are launching both Oculus and SteamVR to get it to work, you already lose a lot of performance. I also ran into a lot of issues with the controls because it somehow disables it if you launch without Oculus, and had to use third party plugins just to get it to work. So I have not found a way to make it work without workarounds, if anyone else has do let us know.

Hi Thino! After about 4-5 years using VR on my Quest 2, i think i'm starting to understand something of this world. This thing you said is wrong. The performance boost gained using vrperfkit_v0.3 is very impressive and no, you don't need Stem VR to use it.

Now I will try to explain what I have learned so far:

1) Both Steam VR and Oculus Software have a setting to set themself as "Default Open VR environment". This means that every Open VR application will be launched with what was last set as the default Open VR environment (sorry but now I don't remember exactly where these settings are).

2) The rendering resolution scale: This is important to understand. You have THREE (TWO if you don't use Steam VR) places to set this and everyone of them take as INPUT the OUTPUT resolution of the one that is under them in the stack.

If you use a Quest 2, those are in order:

- Render scale in Oculus Software.
- Render scale in Steam VR.
- Render scale in VaM.

Let's say that your device resolution is 1000, this means that if you set render scale to 0.8 in Oculus Software, 0.8 in Steam VR and 1.2 in VaM you will have:

1000 x 0.8 (done by Oculus Software) = 800 -> 800 x 0.8 (done by Steam VR) = 640 -> 640 x 1.2 (done by VaM) = 768

Then... the vrperfkit will take this 768 resolution as the rendering resolution target and will render at a lower resolution to then apply it's upscaling techniques.

Now... here comes the hard bizarre part: If you set the render scale to default In the Oculus Software, it will show you that the slider is set at "1.0". But... this is not real... don't ask me why but to set the render scale to the actual real resolution of the Quest 2, you have to set the slider to the max.



So... here are the steps to have the best results with a Quest 2:

1) Set the Oculus Software as the "Default Open VR environment".
2) In the Oculus Software, set the Resolution Scale to the max.
3) Launch VaM and set it's resolution scale to 1.0.
4) Play a bit to note how VaM run with this settings.
5) Close VaM and install vrperfkit_v0.3 (copy the files in the zip into VaM root folder).
6) Launch VaM and admire the miracle...

NOTES: vrperfkit_v0.3 is not perfect, indeed, it's very buggy atm. Sometime will happen that VaM will crash on launch and... it will also take down the Oculus Software Service and Quest Link. This will take you back to the Quest 2 Home but... you just have to wait for the service to restart, re-enable the Quest Link and try again.

I hope this can help...

Edit: And don't forget to disable ASW (Asynchronous Spacewarp) in the Oculus Debug Tool!! You have to do this every time you launch the Oculus Link.

P.s. Maybe i'll put all of this into a guide...

 

[spitblood08]

It worked with openxr toolkit as well. But does anyone know how to fix stick drift that did not exist with SteamVR

I tried running open composite a few weeks ago, the performance increase was pretty substantial on my 3080 but i had the same issue with the reverb G2. i tried playing with a bunch of settings but theres also no option to setup keybind mappings like steam VR. i ended up going back.

 

[spitblood08]

What kind of stick drift exactly? Can you post examples?

it basically acts like a busted xbox controller. acts like one of the sticks is being pressed slighly making you drift away from your position. theres zero controller config for open XR so setting deadzones to fix is kind of impossible.

 

[thinoreos]

Hi Thino! After about 4-5 years using VR on my Quest 2, i think i'm starting to understand something of this world. This thing you said is wrong. The performance boost gained using vrperfkit_v0.3 is very impressive and no, you don't need Stem VR to use it.

Now I will try to explain what I have learned so far:

1) Both Steam VR and Oculus Software have a setting to set themself as "Default Open VR environment". This means that every Open VR application will be launched with what was last set as the default Open VR environment (sorry but now I don't remember exactly where these settings are).

2) The rendering resolution scale: This is important to understand. You have THREE (TWO if you don't use Steam VR) places to set this and everyone of them take as INPUT the OUTPUT resolution of the one that is under them in the stack.

If you use a Quest 2, those are in order:

- Render scale in Oculus Software.
- Render scale in Steam VR.
- Render scale in VaM.

Let's say that your device resolution is 1000, this means that if you set render scale to 0.8 in Oculus Software, 0.8 in Steam VR and 1.2 in VaM you will have:

1000 x 0.8 (done by Oculus Software) = 800 -> 800 x 0.8 (done by Steam VR) = 640 -> 640 x 1.2 (done by VaM) = 768

Then... the vrperfkit will take this 768 resolution as the rendering resolution target and will render at a lower resolution to then apply it's upscaling techniques.

Now... here comes the hard bizarre part: If you set the render scale to default In the Oculus Software, it will show you that the slider is set at "1.0". But... this is not real... don't ask me why but to set the render scale to the actual real resolution of the Quest 2, you have to set the slider to the max.



So... here are the steps to have the best results with a Quest 2:

1) Set the Oculus Software as the "Default Open VR environment".
2) In the Oculus Software, set the Resolution Scale to the max.
3) Launch VaM and set it's resolution scale to 1.0.
4) Play a bit to note how VaM run with this settings.
5) Close VaM and install vrperfkit_v0.3 (copy the files in the zip into VaM root folder).
6) Launch VaM and admire the miracle...

NOTES: vrperfkit_v0.3 is not perfect, indeed, it's very buggy atm. Sometime will happen that VaM will crash on launch and... it will also take down the Oculus Software Service and Quest Link. This will take you back to the Quest 2 Home but... you just have to wait for the service to restart, re-enable the Quest Link and try again.

I hope this can help...

Edit: And don't forget to disable ASW (Asynchronous Spacewarp) in the Oculus Debug Tool!! You have to do this every time you launch the Oculus Link.

P.s. Maybe i'll put all of this into a guide...

I was responding to the guy mainly asking about OpenVR FSR. Someone already made a full guide for Vr Perf kit.

 

[thinoreos]

it basically acts like a busted xbox controller. acts like one of the sticks is being pressed slighly making you drift away from your position. theres zero controller config for open XR so setting deadzones to fix is kind of impossible.

That's interesting, is it only on VAM? Have you tested on other games?

 

[geevee]

I'm using ALVR for passthrough, so I guess none of these will work. But why (or how) does SteamVR decrease FPS anyways?

 

[LOKSTED]

That's interesting, is it only on VAM? Have you tested on other games?

I have the same problem and headset as him. This problem doesn't exist in Bonelab

 

[animetiddyenthusiast]

I'm using ALVR for passthrough, so I guess none of these will work. But why (or how) does SteamVR decrease FPS anyways?

I don't think steam inherently is slower than oculus or anything else, it's mainly that having two API layers adds more latency to the process. In my experience the performance in most games with steamvr for ALXR/ALVR is about the same as I got with a link cable playing with oculus and no steam

 

[evergreen44]

Hi I'm trying method 2 as I'm using oculus quest 2, but everytime try to launch I get the message windows cannot find 'VaM.exe' Make sure you've typed the name correctly , then try again. I have compared what I write is accurate with the image you have posted but I still get this message, any help please on what I'm doing wrong?

 

[thinoreos]

Hi I'm trying method 2 as I'm using oculus quest 2, but everytime try to launch I get the message windows cannot find 'VaM.exe' Make sure you've typed the name correctly , then try again. I have compared what I write is accurate with the image you have posted but I still get this message, any help please on what I'm doing wrong?

That can mean 2 things:
1) Your VAM is in a different folder. Double check to see which drive you installed it on, is it C? D? E? Which subfolder exactly is it in?

or

2) You have some missing installation files. Launch VaM_Updater.exe > Options > Sync/Repair All

 

[thinoreos]

I have the same problem and headset as him. This problem doesn't exist in Bonelab

As mentioned OpenXR can be very finicky, extremely different results for different setups. It's possible that there might be another mod going on in the background causing this. Can check all the possible solutions here or file a bug to them: https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/compat.html

 

[Blaze973]

I followed the steps for Virtual Desktop but it still opens SteamVR, it's the first time i use VD so i'm not sure if im doing it correctly, the official website lets you download a "streamer app" but it doesnt seem to do anything, theres also a Steam Store version but if the whole point is to avoid steam then i dont know how to use that one without SteamVR/

 

[thinoreos]

I followed the steps for Virtual Desktop but it still opens SteamVR, it's the first time i use VD so i'm not sure if im doing it correctly, the official website lets you download a "streamer app" but it doesnt seem to do anything, theres also a Steam Store version but if the whole point is to avoid steam then i dont know how to use that one without SteamVR/

You are not using VD correctly. What headset are you using? I recommend googling how to use VD for that headset first, each headset there's different streamers

 

[Jocks3D]

Afterwards, the VAM can be found in the resource library of QUEST2

@LsRp Where is the resource library?

 

[Jocks3D]

I followed the steps for Virtual Desktop but it still opens SteamVR,

I have the same problem but on an HP Reverb G2. I have the VD desktop app but when trying to launch it within the G2 it will open Steam VR.

It does work on my Quest 2 though.

 

[LsRp]

What do you mean by resource library of Quest 2?

Dashboard of Quest Link

 

[LsRp]

@LsRp Where is the resource library?

Dashboard of Quest Link

 

[thinoreos]

I have the same problem but on an HP Reverb G2. I have the VD desktop app but when trying to launch it within the G2 it will open Steam VR.

It does work on my Quest 2 though.

Are you using the Steam version of the Virtual Desktop on your G2?

 

[thinoreos]

I

Dashboard of Quest Link

I don't get what you mean by that. Do you mean the Oculus game library? Can you post a screenshot?

 

[Jocks3D]

Are you using the Steam version of the Virtual Desktop on your G2?

I purchased Virtual Desktop from inside my Quest 2. As I recall the instructions were to download an app for my PC from the Virtual Desktop website in order to use it with the Quest 2 so that's what I have. It still seems to use Steam though. I can't uninstall Steam because I need it to run my Reverb 2.

 

[thinoreos]

I purchased Virtual Desktop from inside my Quest 2. As I recall the instructions were to download an app for my PC from the Virtual Desktop website in order to use it with the Quest 2 so that's what I have. It still seems to use Steam though. I can't uninstall Steam because I need it to run my Reverb 2.

Yes as stated unfortunately you can't use this with headsets that require SteamVR to work. You can try the 3rd method, but I think it works great with wireless on Quest

 

[VamBlaster]

Note that you use some beneficial features of SteamVR such as upscaling (better image quality) and smooth motion (gives illusion of much higher framerate).