Frontier reveals Elite: Dangerous VR minimum system specs

[HEXUS]

Plus: DICE is building a VR development team, and Google launches Cardboard Camera app.

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[SciFi]

It's worth noting that ED currently only supports the 0.5 SDK (you can get it working with 0.6 though).

Also of note os that the VIVE / Steam VR is supported in the Horizons Beta while the Oculus has not seen an update for most of year

[cptwhite_uk]

I think Frontier are being overly cautious with the specifications. It's only a 1920x1200 resolution both the Rift and Vive are using. With all the bells and whistles turned up (no AA) I'm pulling way above 100fps @ 1440p on my GTX970 (more like 130-140fps, but comfortably above the the baseline 92fps for the Rift at all times, and that's pushing 60% more pixels per frame as well). I'd expect around 170-200fps at the resolution the Rift/Vive are using, factor in some AA and I suspect I'd still be well north of 100fps.

Can't really see a GTX980 being baseline for Elite. Not sure about planetary landing however, probably more taxing but you can always lower quality settings and remove AA to give any necessary boost if needed.

[zaph0d]

Ah but Cptwhite_uk, you have to remember that it's not just 1920x1200, you've got to factor in that it's effectively rendering 2 960*1200 frames from different perspectives.
It's got to calculate all the shadows, lights, fog, depth-of-field etc etc twice.
So yes it's 56% less pixels but it's also twice the back-end complexity.
Playing at 1920x1200 in vr is probably about the same as 2560x1440 out of vr, performance wise at least.

[cptwhite_uk]

Hadn't really thought of it like that Zaphod, but seems obvious now you mention it! Still an overclocked GTX970 is akin to a stock GTX980 anyway

[SciFi]

Ah but Cptwhite_uk, you have to remember that it's not just 1920x1200, you've got to factor in that it's effectively rendering 2 960*1200 frames from different perspectives.
It's got to calculate all the shadows, lights, fog, depth-of-field etc etc twice.
So yes it's 56% less pixels but it's also twice the back-end complexity.
Playing at 1920x1200 in vr is probably about the same as 2560x1440 out of vr, performance wise at least.

Aye, this is what all these new techniques that NVIDIA and co are doing is all about.. Where they only render the area actually visible to each eye rather than the whole scene and then only the centre at high fidelity etc.

I think it's going to be exponential once the various CV's hit the shelves. The more people that have them the more efficient the GPU guys will want to be so they can claim the crown and so more people will buy... rinse repeat.

It's going to be like the early days of 3D cards all over again IMHO

[Ironbuket]

New VR cardboard camera? That ap came out months ago?

[Spud1]

I'll stick with my DKII for the moment then

Happily able to play elite on that with a couple of ageing 3ghz Gainestown CPUs and a GTX960. I am pushing the boundaries there though so I can easily see why they will be suggesting a GTX980 for the full experience on a consumer rift, the step up in resolution is huge. I have already resolved to buy a new PC when that comes out, as much as it pains me