AMS1 working in VR

Is this still available for download as the link doesn't appear to do anything.

 

It works for me though I have to the browser's song and dance about "malicious downloads".

 

On the money mate. Cheers!

Edit - Had to right click on the link and then choose to 'Keep' file.

 

---HIGH CPU USAGE----
I had plenty of CPU and GPU room earlier. After a while, I visited this game again I noticed in fpsvr that GPU(2070) is still ok but CPU(5900x) is always running at full capacity(11ms+) and has no room ...making it trip to half framerate. After playing for a while, steamvr crashes with an error. I am using quest 2 with a link cable.
I thought a good cpu is what old sims crave more than a GPU and 5900x should be plenty enough to handle it. AMS looks so crisp even on med settings that I really want to play this rather than modern blurry titles(other than AC).

EDIT1 - I opted for steamvr beta and tried a race against 9 AI. Steamvr did not crash but fps were half(45) even when I have a car or two insights. When the sun goes down the framerate even gets below 45.I can play fluid 90 only during solo time trials and daytime.
Are graphics settings in AMS affect CPU timings and what are the general suggested settings?

 

I have the same problem (Ryzen 7 5800x and 3080 GPU). It seems a software problem, but I couldn't solve it yet. Let me know if you get any advance.

 

I had a similar problem with high CPU, but it mostly manifested itself when going over kerbs. After checking out some of the vids Niels made on his setup, I realised that I had not followed his advice to reduce the FFB rate. The two settings I copied were as follows:

Documents / Automobilista / [USER] / Controller.ini
FFB Effects Level="1"
FFB Skip Updates="7"

Doing this resolved my issue and got me back to 90fps. I think maybe only the second one is required, but I haven't had time to experiment as of yet.

 

My FFB skip updates was set at 3.
FFB Skip Updates="3" // Some drivers can't handle a quick FFB update rate so use this parameter to skip the given number of updates (0=full, 1=half, 2=one-third, 3=one-quarter, etc.)
I tried 0 to 7 but none of these made any difference. CPU timing when running solo was always 8ms+ and occasionally trips 11ms on a clear day. GPU settings low to high presets make not much difference.
The only thing that I noticed was that even with single AI cars up close, the CPU crosses 11.
This game is a hidden gem for me. Fantastic force feedback and decent graphics. Sadly it is another hot lap simulator in my library. Is there anyone using 5000 series CPU able to race full grid in VR? In Assetto Corsa my CPU is always below threshold even on a full grid and is limited by GPU. Hard to believe a modern CPU can't handle this 6-year-old game.

 

I'm using a less powerful 5600X and I have been running races with 9 other AI cars without noticeable frame loss. I'll crank it up and see where the threshold is for me. I haven't paid close attention to the CPU frame time, but I'll check next time I am on.

I'm happy to share my setting files if you want?

 

Please. That will be helpful and might save me from hours of tinkering.

I am using quest 2 and wonder if its steamvr running on top of oculus client issue. Raceroom turned really smooth and playable after I skipped steamvr using opencomposite.

 

I have zipped up my two setting files that I think are relevant. Let me know if you need others and I can sort them out.

I did another test with a larger grid of 25 AI cars. For reference, just about all my racing so far has been at Donington National in the Ultima Race class. 25 is the most it would let me select, so I think that is the limit of the class as I am pretty sure the circuit has 38 spaces.

I started at the back and just followed the field around for a lap. Everything was fine until I got to Goddards at which point it started to stutter until back on the main straight, but fpsVR was still reporting frame times of less than 11ms for both GPU and CPU, so I don't quite know what was happening there and need to investigate a bit more. What are you using to measure system performance?

Here was the final report from fpsVR (I just jumped on and did one lap):

fpsVR Report:
App: AMS HMD: HP Reverb VR Headset VR1000-2xxx0 (90.020 Hz, IPD 63.3)
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (30.0.14.7141, Tavg 65.9, Tmax 72)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-Core Processor (Tavg 62.5, Tmax 74)

Delivered fps: 88 Duration: 1.8min. Headset was active: 100%
GPU Frametimes:
Median: 4.2 ms
99th percentile: 6.5 ms
99.9th percentile: 7.4 ms
frametime <11.1ms(vsync): 100%
CPU frametime:
Median: 5.6 ms
99th percentile: 8.8 ms
99.9th percentile: 10 ms
frametime <11.1ms(vsync): 100%

Reprojection Ratio: 2.3%
Compositor Frames Dropped: 1 or 0.0%
Max. SteamVR SS during the session: 140%
Render resolution per eye: 2612x2556(by SteamVR settings, Max. during the session)
HMD driver recommended resolution (default for SteamVR at 100%): 2208x2160)

 

Well, I tried to find the threshold at which point the stuttering started, but I actually found it was still very slightly perceptible even down to 10 AI cars and only became imperceptible at 9.... which by happy coincidence was what I was originally running. It's really odd though as the frame time isn't showing orange in fpsVR which it usually does when frames are missed, so I suspect something else is going on. I fired up GTR2 and stuck 29 AI at it's version of Donington to see if it was a problem with the way the VR is implemented, but it ran smooth as butter never going over 4.9ms. I'm going away for a week, but I'll pick this back up when I get back

 

@RaceRider
check out the VR guide here for AMS1 that will help to lower the CPU impact.
VR Guide & Tipps

I have the same CPU as you and I can run it pretty stable at 80fps with a few cars around. But sometimes it depends on the content you use for race. Some are better optimized than others.

 

Thanks, this is very helpful. I recently changed my wheel for a DD and apparently, that created some type of incompatibility. It seems it's working normal again after following these suggestions.

 

@Retrolux
Thank you. It helped me get running some decent daytime racing with 10+ AI, although it still drops below 90 occasionally and night racing is impossible. Shadows have the most impactful on my end. The lowest settings make everything pop on/off so I settled with med on most settings and set AA to 1.3X.
Basically, even some of the graphics load is taken by CPU in AMS, and that too using a single core. Maybe I was expecting too much thinking if Assetto Corsa can run nice and easy, AMS being an old title will run much easier and in high quality. But VR doesn't care. It will take a heavy toll, no matter who is passing through.

I have two more doubts as I continue.
1. Native VR Hud in AMS is surprisingly looking fine compared to when I tried a few months back, I remember testing Simhub as a suggested alternative. I can use crewchiefVR.ini to push this hud a little front and back. But how do I resize the HUD? It is like a big 100" screen up in my face compared to the normal size monitor feel in other VR titles. I tried changing main resolution but saw no change. And what is DynHUD?

2. I have SHH shifter but once put in 4th gear, steamVR presents me with a pause menu. A quick google search shows the issue being talked about. https://www.reddit.com/r/simracing/comments/de77bi/how_to_disable_controller_in_steam_vr/
I tried disabling all controller inputs in steam settings but no success. @GeekyDeaks You also have the SHH shifter mentioned in your signature. Have you seen any similar issues?

 

Fortunately, I haven't had that problem occur. I don't recall ever disabling controllers in SteamVR, so I'll look and see how things are configured when I am back home this weekend. Does it occur only in AMS1 for you? Also, if it's gear 4, does it occur in both the sequential and H switch position? Gears 3 and 4 should report back as different buttons depending on the position which might be a workaround.

 

Turning off mirrors on might also help on performance, AMS render mirrors in all cars and not just the driver car and it can have a HUGE impact on frame rate.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I didn't realise this and it was definitely worth a shot, but unfortunately, it didn't make any difference on my reference combo (19 AI / Ultima / Donington Nat). It's really odd though as fpsVR is not reporting a frame time of more than 11.1ms for either GPU or CPU when the stuttering occurs for me (only noticeable at the final chicane). I'm going to have a dig for other diags I can report, but if you have any suggestions they would be very welcome!

One other thing I did try to completely rule out brute force rendering was to reduce resolution in steam VR from 2500x2500 per eye to about 1200x1200 per eye. That also made no difference, but it was really interesting to see how much better your mod handled the sampling compared to other titles

 

Ok, did two more tests whilst I had time and kept the res at 2500x2500 per eye, but turned off mirrors and reduced the number of visible cars to 6. Still stuttered at the chicane. Then reduced the AI from 19 to 9, no noticeable stuttering. That seems to suggest it's not a rendering issue and I might be looking in the wrong place

 

Thank you @GeekyDeaks for the tip. The SHH shifter was in SEQ mode but I was using it as an H shifter. That mixed mode never made any issue to notice while driving in any sim until I started using steamvr. Switching button to the H pattern fixed everything.

 

I know this is a long shot, but I'm making a cheeky request here.
A while back, Frank Alexandre kindly posted some modded drivers' arms for use in VR on some of the AMS1 cars. I've tried unsuccessfully to make some for the other cars but I am unable due to my limited ability with editing mas files.
Is there anyone out there, still into AMS1, who might be able to knock up some more of these improved driver arms for other cars, such as Formula Trainer, Marcas, MetalMoro, MCR Sports 2000, in fact any that haven't already been done in this forum.
Frank made arms for F301, F309, Stock Car 2015 & 2017, Formula Classic, Mini Challenge, Formula Vee, and Montana, so any others would be much appreciated for me and, I'm sure for any other VR users.
(either that or a direct message giving me a rundown on how to do it for myself)
Many thanks for reading