How to set up and use a VR headset in BeamNG.drive

This article is part of Virtual Reality.

Can I use my VR headset in BeamNG.drive?

If your headset is compatible with PC and OpenXR, chances are it should work. For example:

• Meta Quest, Quest 2, Quest 2 Pro, Quest3
• Oculus Rift, Rift S
• Valve Index
• HTC Vive
• HP Reverb G2
• etc

The hardware requirements are high, specially on the GPU side. We recommend 10GB of VRAM, but 8GB VRAM might work depending on maps, vehicles and settings.

How do I use VR?

Unbox your VR headset and configure it. This typically involves:

1. Installing/updating any available manufacturer software and firmware.
2. Choose a default OpenXR runtime ( more information here).
3. Ensuring a connection to your PC is stablished and working.

If unsure how to use your VR headset with a PC, please search and read its instructions manual, or otherwise contact its manufacturer for support.

Once the headset can be used in your computer:

1. Start BeamNG > Options > Display > VR > Toggle ON

Can I use VR controllers?

VR controllers can be used to operate triggers in vehicle, such as door handles, trailer switches, etc (other VR controller interactions, such as menus, grabbing steering wheel, etc are not supported).

If you don’t want to see the VR controllers, you can hide them in Options > Display > VR > Use VR controllers.

Tips

All headsets

• Ensure you have installed your headset’s software and drivers (check the instructions included with your headset, or search the manufacturer’s website).

• Ensure you have chosen a default OpenXR runtime in your computer ( more information here).

• Third party VR / Vulkan software could negatively affect framerate, crash to desktop, lead to visual artifacts, etc. If you have issues, try disabling or uninstalling them. Some examples that have created problems:

• Reshade (for some users it will break VR, please uninstall and/or disable the OpenXR VR layers added by reshade)

• OBS recorder (it injects a Vulkan layer which can increase VRAM use)

• OXR Toolkit (some old versions are known to crash)

• VorpX (could result in a wrong head positioning)

• LIV First Person Stabilizer (the image freezes when enabling VR)

• etc.

Valve Index

• Some people report a crash while driving after a few seconds or minutes. As a workaround while we investigate this crash, please choose Options > Graphics > Lighting > Lowest.

WMR headsets

• Microsoft Windows Mixed Reality only supports Microsoft ‘Direct3D’ graphics. BeamNG.drive uses the cross-platform ‘Vulkan’ graphics for VR, so it’s not compatible with WMR. As a workaround, you’ll need WMR-to-Vulkan compatibility software, such as SteamVR or OpenXR-Vk-D3D12 ( more information here).

Quest headsets

• Ensure your software is up to date. If you have issues with Link, please follow Meta’s own troubleshooting procedure.

• You need to choose which OpenXR runtime to use by default. Some may provide large framerate improvements over others ( more information here).

• The right eye might stutter when connected via Link cable. Possible workarounds:

  • Disable ‘G-sync for windowed mode’ in Nvidia Control Panel
  • Or try a wireless connection
  • Or set ASW to Off or Forced (not recommended, specially if you don’t know what ASW is)

Pico headsets

• You need to choose which OpenXR runtime to use by default. Some may provide large framerate improvements over others ( more information here).

• If you experience crashes or errors and VirtualDesktop is installed, try uninstalling VirtualDesktop, then uninstalling StreamingAssistant, then installing StreamingAssistant and using it.

Pimax headsets

• You need to choose which OpenXR runtime to use by default. Some may provide large framerate improvements over others ( more information here).

• If you experience crashes and are using a Pimax-OpenXR version older than September 2023, please update it.

Varjo headsets

• You need to choose which OpenXR runtime to use by default. Some may provide large framerate improvements over others ( more information here).

• If you experience either a grey image in both eyes, or a crash to desktop, then please update BeamNG software and Varjo software to their most recent versions.