I’ve spent time on this and there’s some good guides such as DCS VR Settings & Optimization Guide (2023, Patch 2.8) - GamersByNight for the settings within DCS. I suggest that you read it and perhaps STOP after section 2. The control panel stuff is not of major benefit and could worsen things. It’s a bit of a rabbit-hole. Also cinsider skipping reshade. The benefits are almost always outweighed by the performance hits or can be acheived by more efficient means, and can cause crashes, problems with motion smoothing. Add it as a last step at the very least.
Keep Pixel Density to 1.0 in DCS.
Keep Render Resolution 1.0 in Pitool
Here’s the terrible secret. There is no BEST settings for DCS and an 8KX. It depends on your system, the map you’re on, and whether you’re in multiplayer. But there’s some “always good” things and some goals.
Basically I use all settings Maxxed in DCS with exception of motion blur (off) and MSAA (off or 2x if I can get away with it. SMAA doesn’t seem to affect VR for me. I also turn terrain objects to flat shadows, but not sure it matters.
I use 75 hz mode in HMD as 60hz flickers and 90 hz blanks out occasionally (I have the old revision of the 8KX)
I think this is OK at 75hz for two reasons:
90 hz requires 45 fps (and you’re not getting 90 fps all day unless you turn the settings and resolution to Index/Vive level of crap)
75hz mode has 37.5 fps is the goal, which although slightly stuttery, its suprisingly easy to achieve. Frame pacing is the most important thing.
60hz, even if it doesn’t flicker in your HMD it will look stuttery and you should be able to make the leap from 30 to 37.5 fps.
If running 75hz. Aim for 37.5 FPS “all day” through a flight OR go to a much lower resolution to get 75fps all day (very difficult).
Most demanding: Marianas map. I have to run at a 75% FSR at 1/2 compulsive smoothing AND motion smoothing off. It’s a terrible map.
Syria
Caucasus
Nevada least demanding. I can get 75ps all day with 100% resolution unless I fly downtown Vegas.
As for motion smoothing, It is difficult to use with Pitool .275 and .277 as these versions now keep the lower refresh rates on for longer periods (this is to reduce how often it switches modes, which also has a frame jump and is annoying). Unfortunately that means that if you can get say 43 fps in unrestricted mode, turning on motion smoothing will only give 25fps with 3x motion smoothing much of the time as there’s significant overhead for motion smoothing. 3x motion smoothing looks like crap to me on 75hz mode, but if you run 90hz maybe it looks better - I don’t know. So I generally rather use 1/2 compulsive mode alone rather than motion smoothing. With motion smoothing it looks better then rolling. (mountains won’t ghost when rolling), but the hit to performance is generally for me not worth it. I personally have to hit 50fps all day to switch to a motion smoothing of 37.5. It’s a personal preference and should be, like MSAA one of those things you choose based on how much overhead you have on a given map and what your preferences are.
But here’s the part I might be able to provide benefit for most every situation:
OpenXR + PimaxXR provides ~5% boost by ditching SteamVR (for me, not sure about others) alternatively you can use fholgers VRPerfkit for the following two if you opt out
FFR in OpenXRToolkit (Performance Wide), [not ffr in pitool] provides ~5-10% boost.
Overclocking the CPU/GPU provides ~5-10% boost.
FSR get’s me the rest of the way. Generally I can’t tell much difference between FSR 80% and 100%, but it is big difference in frame rate.
DCS is about pushing the envelope in game and out of game, so as much as these things don’t make a HUGE difference, they do add up to ensure I get a smooth frame rate at an acceptable resolution and maybe more importantly I’m not muddying the waters with Control panel settings, messed up resolutions in Pitool or SteamVR.
Some day it will be locked 90 fps with everything beautifully super-sampled on a Pimax REALITY HMD, but until then, keep the goals of smooth frames, based on map, with as much resolution as the FSR can keep above that point where it looks terrible ~60-70%.
