VR and UI problems.

[Majorai]

Hi all,

I've got what feels like a major issue with VR. I recognize that VR is unsupported and experimental, but I thought I'd post here just incase someone has come across this issue, and has managed to fix it.

The issue is each time I start the sim, I cannot choose any options as all of them have a black box covering them. No matter what keys I press I cannot get past the pilot selection menu.

I've tried deleting the vrsetup.txt file, and changing some of the values, and then going back to what it should be etc, all to no avail.

It could be that I'm missing something blatantly obvious, so apologies if that is the case!

Regards

Majorai

________________________________________________________________________________

Merged from other pending thread:

I've put a screenshot of the issue HERE...

[Vice]

Hello and welcome. That doesn't sound like anything I've heard of before with VR. So perhaps something new has broken yet again on the API/driver side of things or some other external factor is impacting how VR is operating on your setup. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of information to go on. For reference, what VR device are you using? I'd also be interesting in analyzing a screenshot of what it is you see.

Edit: just noted the screenshot you posted in your other pending thread on the same topic. It looks like the text is simply not rendering at all for some reason. More information about your system/VR configuration and any custom files/parameters (particularly text/font related) you may be employing might also help.

[Majorai]

Hi Vice, thanks for the swift reply. I'm using an Oculus rift CV1, and my specs are:
i7 8700k
Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming Mobo
Gigabyte GTX 1080ti
32GB of Corsair RAM

The only extra file I'm using is the vrsetup.txt file (it is set up as it was downloaded from this forum).

I'm not aware of any font changes though.

Thanks,
Majorai

[Vice]

What does the game look like in a non-VR screen mode? Does the text display there? If there is no difference, then there must be something preventing the game from loading its required text data regardless of VR status. If there is a difference between the two screen modes, then something must be preventing the game from either loading the text data from the text.dat file in the install folder, building the text image content in memory, or rendering the text to its surface in the game. The latter might involve anything from something blocking the game's access to such data or interfering with its needed display operations.

A few initial steps to troubleshoot would be to verify the text.dat file is present in the game's install folder and that it contains valid data (you can open it in any text editor for viewing). Try default settings with the CV1 to rule out any kind of custom/non-default conditions that might apply. Compare the VR screen mode to a standard display mode to see if text behavior changes at all.

[Majorai]

Thanks Vice for all this, I'll go and do these various tests and report back ASAP.

[Majorai]

Ok, very quickly, all files verified and with no edits:
Non-vr works fine: HERE
Vr, same issue.

The text.dat file looks normal, I can upload a copy if you need?

I'll do more testing later this evening.

Regards,
Majorai

[Vice]

No need to send the file. That test confirms that the needed data is there. It also confirms that there isn't likely something else (ie security related) interfering with the game's ability to load that data. So it narrows the problem down to something either interfering with the game building image content for the text data in memory and/or interfering with the game's ability to render the text data to its render surface. The last time I recall something like that occurring was way back in DirectX 7 days related to anti-aliasing on certain systems using certain display devices/drivers. It's not likely related to that cause, but it might indicate something on the display side of the equation. Perhaps there are particular display settings within the array of available options for the CV1 that might have an effect. I don't know what those would be or how/why they would block rendering to the text surface, but it might provide a few more things to try.

[Majorai]

Thanks Vice, I will have a look at ways I can individually identify display settings, and their effect(s) on EL. Might take a while so I'll probably get onto that tomorrow.

Thanks again for all your help,

Majorai

[Vice]

Ok, sounds good. Certainly has me curious It might also be a good idea to update the display driver for your 1080 if it isn't already the latest. I'd also be interested in learning what settings you have applied in the game's Options menu, just for reference.

[Majorai]

Ok, still no dice

New graphics drivers, closing all unnecessary programs, disconnecting all USB devices (bar CV1, KB and mouse), or a mix of them and I'm getting no where, no errors etc.

Completely stumped now.

[Vice]

Me too, there doesn't appear to be any reason something like that would happen. Perhaps other CV1 owners can report their results/advice. For reference, what are the various graphics settings you are using in the game's Options? And have you tried changing any of those to gauge results?

[Majorai]

Hi Vice, I'll note down my settings soon, but just to settle my brain is line 2 of the text.dat file supposed to say:

Code: Select all

2=3D Video Error! Unable to set required video properties. Reinstalling or updating video drivers may fix the problem.

[Vice]

Yes.

[Majorai]

Here are my current settings, as of my last attempt.

[Vice]

As an additional test to try, turn off Antialiasing and Shadows completely. Then exit the game and restart it to test for changes. Probably won't impact anything, but with a quick check.

[matchbox2022]

Probably the first thing you tried, but are you using any modded text file or try removing vrsetup.txt to see what happens?

[Majorai]

I'll try testing with/without AA and Shadows.
I've tried testing without the vrsetup.txt file, to no avail.

I'm not aware of using a modded text file, I've verified the cache so many times, I would have thought it was standard?

Is there any entry in the text file I can alter?

Thanks again,
Majorai

[Vice]

There isn't likely anything wrong with the game files nor are there settings in the vrsetup.txt file that would likely impact the issue. So verifying cache and changing vr text file settings probably won't have an effect. Since the text layer itself won't render, it's likely some kind of a video/display issue, which could be related to a driver, API, or incompatibility with certain parameters/operations between them. On the game side of things, all that can feasibly be done is to try different settings. If the cause is external, which it's sounding more and more like it could be, then outside settings/factors would need to be evaluated/tested. Opting into the SteamVR beta might be another option to try, just to see if it might have changed anything with how it interfaces with the CV1. You can opt out when finished if it doesn't change anything.

Another step to try is changing the Effects Detail in the game to 'Very High' to see if there might be an issue with camera indexes.

[Vice]

Just finished an extensive series of tests with the Vive and at least with that HMD, everything works well on a variety of in-game detail settings and selective operating conditions. So it must be something specific to the CV1 and its related driver/software, possibly linked to specific settings/options (either in-game or outside the game perhaps).

[Majorai]

Hi again, sorry for the delay. I've tried highest settings with and without shadows/AA, no change.

Could it be a setting within SteamVR itself?

[Vice]

Possibly, although I'm not sure what it could be. Are you running default values in SteamVR?

[Majorai]

Possibly, although I'm not sure what it could be. Are you running default values in SteamVR?

Yes, all defaults, and I've reinstalled it a couple of times as well.

Is EL steam only? Is there some way of bypassing steam, yet still using OpenVR? I'm guessing you can't run it through Oculus Home.

[Vice]

As far as I know, SteamVR has to be active in order for the VR system to be detected and enabled as it is dependent on that API.