VPX VR Performance issues on my PC

[RDTAYLOR]

Hi All,

 

I have recently entered the world of VPX VR, and generally loving it.

 

I have a new PC driving a Quest 3 via a link cable using SteamVR.

 

I have been able to play many of my old favourite (mainly late 70s-Mid 80s) tables  in VR via VPX GL x64 (I have the latest release 10.8 version installed).

 

I have also configured and run VPX VR Launcher successfully.

 

I went the standalone software route, and did not use Baller Installer to get setup. I have no cabinet, but a home made controller using a Pinscape board.

 

I will only be playing in VR.

 

The machine specs:

OS: Windows 11

CPU: Intel i5 14400 Raptor Lake

RAM: 32Gb DDR5

GPU: MSI NVidia Geforce RTX 4060 8Gb

System disk: 1Tb Seagate Firecuda SSD

 

Software is installed on C drive, tables are loaded off a secondary SSD drive.

 

The PC is pretty clean. I have uninstalled excess bloat off it.

 

I am having a couple of issues.

 

1. I cannot seem to get crisp fluid gameplay reliably. Sometimes it will run nicely in VR. Most of the time I'm getting very jerky video, often along with choppy audio. It SEEMS to me to be when I'm moving my head with the HMD on, but not always. I've given up trying to discern a specific pattern.

 

I've tried many different permutations of Video/Graphics options.

 

I'm tearing my hair out trying to figure out why this machine is not running smoothly.

 

I helped a friend setup VPX 10.8 on an ageing machine using an old HTC Vive HMD, and his machine seems to be running much more smoothly than mine.

 

There's got to be something on mine which is affecting performance, but I'm struggling to find out what it is.

 

2. The other issue I have is that I cannot seem to get OpenComposite working on my PC. I was looking into this as it supposedly performs better than SteamVR for VPX VR. Based on my research, it should be as simple as replacing the DLLs with the OpenComposite equivalents. Is that so? I cannot seem to get it running after copying the new DLLs, and have ended up reverting to the originals, and going back to SteamVR.

 

Can anyone (Studly perhaps?) offer any suggestions for pinning down the cuplrit for bad performance, and or assist in getting OpenComposite running, please?

 

...before I go completely nuts...

 

cheers

Robert

[RDTAYLOR]

Okay...I used the Nvidia Control Panel and set it to "Use my preference, with an emphasis on PERFORMANCE", and it is much better, but still a little glitchy. (I was sure I had tried this previously, and it didn't seem to make much difference).

[Spacegoogie]

I'm pretty new to VR as well. Went from full 4 screen cab to VR only pincab, as I always say now I will never go back to 2D pinball lol.

 

That's my baby >

 

 

 

 

 

So My system is definitely older than yours. i7 (2020),  DDR4 32gb, 2tb Nvme,  and a 3060 RTX.

 

I recently went up to the Q3's highest resolution and 72hz and not only does it look beautiful but I get no stutter.

 

What I would do as I did, Turn all settings down and work your way back up testing each setting at a time.

Make sure you fully close VPX after changes.

Turn down the setting in the Q3 app make sure your not maxed out on FPS with highest resolution. 

 

Other things, I have 3 different charge and play cables two that are 16ft and a 20ft  (just got yesterday).

ALL cables are NOT the same. Some say they do this and others say they do that when some do and some do not.

 

Also, try disconnecting extra USB devices. I had a lot and notice  improvements when disconnecting some.

 

I'm also running Windows 11 Lite (Tiny11) being using for sometime and could never us a fully bloated down ver of windows again never had an issue or error.

 

Also I'm using OpenCompsite. Using and setting up is easy and should be straightforward.

I hate using Steam VR, In my option this is  way better. Never had an issue or error and no more steam VR.

 

Also make sure you are unblocking all your downloads.

 

Just some Ideas to hope maybe help you out. 

I know when I have issues like this I really look forward to any advice  I can suck up and enlighten myself with.

A lot of really helpful people out there.

 

Good Luck!🍻

Space

 

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2025 by Spacegoogie
left some stuff out.

[RDTAYLOR]

Thanks mate...

 

So, what was the actual process to get OpenComposite up and running?

 

I'll check to make sure the DLLs are unblocked when I try again tonight...

 

cheers

Robert

[Spacegoogie]

19 minutes ago, RDTAYLOR said:

Thanks mate...

 

So, what was the actual process to get OpenComposite up and running?

 

I'll check to make sure the DLLs are unblocked when I try again tonight...

 

cheers

Robert

Make sure that "OpenXR Runtime" is selected in the Meta Quest Link app settings.

Put the OpenComposit folder in your Program folder. Copy, the  "openvr_api64.dll" and the "openvr_api.dll" from there and drop them into your "C:\vPinball\VisualPinball" folder.

 

Launch opencomposit , make sure opencomposit is set to "opencomposit". 

Launch meta quest link app, connect via Link Cable. Launch vpx GL and it should just open right up.

Good Luck.🍻

[RDTAYLOR]

Thanks again for your help, Space...

 

I was on the right track, just hadn't realised that I now needed to have the Meta Quest link setup before it would all work.

 

OpenComposite has made a huge difference to my performance. Now, it looks fantastic, and is as smooth as butter!

 

There sure is a lot to learn when setting up a VR system, what with the interactions between VPX, vPinMame B2S Server, VPX Launcher, Meta Quest linkup, Opencomposite, SteamVR (if you're still using it), and the myriad different ways that different tables implement VR tables and backglasses.

 

Thanks again for helping out!

[Spacegoogie]

Yes there is a lot to setup, but once it's done you should be good. Glad it's all working out for you. Once you go Opencomposit, you will never go back lol.  I do also have my drive backed up any time i make changes (make sure you do this). 

Ive been at it for a month solid now with my Q3 and going from the 4 screen cab to VR only, and I just finished sitting up Pinup Popper in VR with all working 426 VR tables in VR.

This is the cab I made last month,

Only a few small changes since  I finished the build.  It has all the bells and... lights

I don't play much VR gaf my use is in VPX and the other 5% in a big VR theater watching 3D movies next to my wife as she sleep.

Also  I added a stream Deck, never thought I would need one and now I could never be without one. You should look into this as well.

You can pretty much program to do whatever.

I use it to control my whole VR machine.

 

This is the main screen:

 

 

 

The VR PinBall Launches VPX VR Launcher.

If you press the VR Tables  button it takes me to a few pages of my most played Tables (I think I can have as many as I want to make), all I do is click it and BOOM! I'm playing that table. The Service button is for the Tables.  There is Pinup Popper aunch button that Launches Pinup Popper, a 3 sec delay and then Pinup VR will launch. Game Over is to quit out of your any game or emulator. 

System shutdown turns off the PC. The other black buttons and knobs all do stuff as well, I know the big one is Main Vol up and down.

 

After you click the VR Tables button:

After clicking the Service button:

 

Clicking on the coin door takes you here:

and last, clicking the  door buttons take you to the same buttons you would find on the inside of the door lol.

Obviously 99% of us here love to tinker, build and do shit like this, and these steam decks are just that, another endless tinker toy/tool for your cab. 

Anyway. The only person I have to really share all my pinball adventures with is the Wife, and while she supports my tinkering she is not a big gamer, or pinballer lol so getting to talk about it on here  with other VPX'ers just gets me talking.  

Glad I could help, keep me updated.🍻

Edited February 21, 2025 by Spacegoogie

[RDTAYLOR]

You have an awesome setup, Space!

 

I went the VR route due to space and $$$ constraints. Now it is running well, I'm loving it, but it's a fragile thing - it seems that if you touch the config of something accidentally, you can stuff things up big time.

 

I have SSD USB-C backup drive attached, and have a NAS. As soon as I'm happy things are stable, I will do a full image of the machine.

 

I'm curious why you would need to use the Pinup Popper / Baller for VR? Is there something it gives you that the other software does not?

 

I guess I'm not really interested in movies and shit playing while I'm browsing my tables, etc.

 

I'm more than happy with VPX Launcher, and I like its simplicity.

 

Every time I looked at Baller over the years, I just found the layout confusing. It seemed easier to setup manually to me...

 

I'll post a pic of my controller when it's done. I'm getting some MDF CNC cut over the next few weeks. It will be a lot prettier than my prototype box (I'll post a pic of that beast tomorrow - it's quite ugly, but it works!).

 

cheers

Rob

[Spacegoogie]

I'm using an older Ver of the VPX VR Launcher  program ( can't get the new one working and I like the carousel VR effect on the old one ) but it does not list all my games.

That's why I also use PopperVR, it sees all my tables. Its just like using Pinup but in a VR .  I loved my popper setup.

Here is a video clip of pinup Launcher in VR. You have to launch popper, then launch popperVR. But with the stream deck I just press one button  

 

 

 

 

 🍻