Using VR Headset with X-Plane

Question

Is is possible to use a VR headset with X-Plane?  If yes, does it matter with VR headset I use?  Can I use X-Plane 10 or do I need to upgrade to X-Plane 11?

Answer 1

We are currently working to include VR support in a future update of X-Plane11

Comments

That would be awesome. I think I am not the only one who still uses X-Plane 10 with Flyinside because of performance (I get 30-50 FPS while with X11 I get 35FPS without VR).

X-Plane in VR is fantastic, glass cockpits and small gauges require you to lean towards them to read but this is really small price to pay.

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Hello, can you disclose more information about a VR update?

i.e. an estimated release date and if the support will be implemented through OpenVR or not... thank you !!!

 

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I really am not able to comment on an estimated date.   Obviously we're working to get VR out in an update as soon as possible.

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When we say "VR", I'd like that to mean, seeing, hearing AND touching.

Leap Motion's sensor added to Oculus Rift (or other equivalent) goes a long way.

I think the Leap sensor is great for switches, knobs and sliders.  Not so hot for flight controls and throttles, collective pitch or thrust vectoring.

If Laminar would like to plus it, have some way of lining up our physical flight controls (sticks, pedals, yokes, quadrants, etc.) with what we see in the cockpit.  It's not too bad having those visually disconnected, but it would really sell it if we could line them up.  Maybe that's more on our own placement of those things in space than it is something for Laminar to deal with.

You said XP11 would mark the beginning of more frequent updates.  I hope you meant it and that native VR (with Leap Motion) is just around the corner.

(I'm a FlyInside user right now, but it is not fully supporting XP11 with views and menus.)

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rccDave I get what you mean but it would be wiser to just start with an Oculus Rift / HTC Vive support for now. The more features you add and the harder it is for the devs to have them run smoothly.

If things get too hard and complicated they might just drop the ball altogether and we don't want that.

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No worries.  I'm sure Laminar is very used to prioritizing the life cycle plan against demand and development challenges / resources.

I'd rather put it on the table and let them decide.  Who knows, maybe it would be an easy win for them.

But yes... at LEAST Rift and Vive.

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Yes, of course they need to focus on simply getting in good native VR support to start with.  

 

As far as what you say here about lining things up, I have experience in this.  It is indeed our job to locate our controls to match up to the simulated aircraft.  What we need is a way to lock the VR world to our aircraft so the view doesn't drift and wind up out of alignment some time after we got it all set.  This is currently the problem, especially with a Motion Simulator!

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Trip,

Very glad to hear it.  Thank you so much for weighing in on the thread.

I hope the mystery date is sooner rather than later.