OMSI 2 in VR?! This Is How OpenXR Works in openOMSI!

Does OMSI 2 now have genuine VR support?

With openOMSI, the answer is now: Yes, under Windows there is genuine OpenXR support. The original OMSI 2 itself has of course not thereby received an officially added VR mode retroactively. openOMSI is a newly developed runtime environment that uses existing OMSI content while bringing its own modern rendering technology.

This allows VR rendering to be integrated much more deeply into the simulation than with a simple mirroring of the normal monitor image. openOMSI renders separate perspectives for both eyes and directly transfers the movements of the VR headset to the camera. If, for example, you turn your head toward the left mirror, look to the right into the passenger compartment or check the doors at a stop, your view moves accordingly within the virtual driver’s seat.

This concept fits OMSI particularly well. The simulation already relies heavily on the cockpit perspective, mirrors, instruments, doors and the view of stops and roads. In VR, this driver’s seat gains a genuine sense of space for the first time.

Anyone who wants to try openOMSI for themselves can find the project and the current downloads here:

openOMSI:
https://turbo-devv.github.io/openOMSI/

Downloads:

Releases · openOMSI-Project/openOMSI

OMSI 2 recreated from scratch in Rust, compatible with every map and mod (requires the original OMSI 2) - openOMSI-Project/openOMSI

github.com

What is OpenXR in openOMSI?

OpenXR is a standardized interface for virtual reality systems. Put simply, this means openOMSI does not have to develop a completely separate technical solution for every individual VR headset.

Instead, the engine communicates with the OpenXR runtime of the respective system. What matters, therefore, is less a particular brand name on the headset than whether the VR setup being used provides a functioning OpenXR runtime under Windows.

A fixed list along the lines of “Headset A is guaranteed to work, Headset B is not” would therefore not currently make sense. openOMSI itself relies on the open standard, while drivers, the runtime, graphics card and the specific headset can still influence how smoothly VR mode runs.

For VR operation, openOMSI currently also requires a DirectX 12-capable graphics card. The mode is activated in the launcher and is not switched on automatically at every start.

How does VR work in openOMSI?

After connecting the headset and starting the appropriate OpenXR runtime, VR can be activated in openOMSI’s camera settings. The journey then starts directly in the VR view.

openOMSI now offers several dedicated VR functions for this purpose. These include stereo rendering with head tracking, a spatially displayed Esc menu, the cockpit pointer and a separate image of the headset on the normal monitor.

There are also special VR settings for the display itself. These include, for example, the render resolution per eye and settings for the mirrors. The mirrors are particularly important in OMSI, but can require additional performance in VR. Their refresh rate can therefore be adjusted to reduce the load on the graphics card.

This already shows quite clearly that VR was not simply attached to the existing view as an afterthought. openOMSI treats the mode as a separate part of the rendering architecture.

How do you operate the cockpit in openOMSI VR?

For operating the driver’s seat, openOMSI has a cockpit pointer. It is currently controlled with the mouse and appears within the VR view. This allows switches and other interactive elements in the cockpit to be selected.

Normal keyboard and controller controls remain available in parallel. So anyone who drives OMSI with a steering wheel and pedals does not suddenly have to operate all driving functions exclusively through the VR view.

This makes particular sense in OMSI because many vehicles have very extensive driver’s seats. Depending on the bus, doors, lights, IBIS, matrix, ticket printer, transmission control and numerous other switches all come together.

Nevertheless, the current VR controls should not be confused with a VR game designed entirely around hand tracking. openOMSI enables interaction with the cockpit, but not every vehicle was originally developed for operation with VR technology. Very small buttons or unusual control solutions may therefore still take some getting used to, depending on the bus.

Is there a zoom function in VR?

Yes. In VR mode, openOMSI has its own right-click zoom. This enlarges the view when, for example, small displays, timetable details or instruments are difficult to make out from the normal seating position.

Another right-click returns to the normal perspective. Cockpit operation remains available during this time.

The driver’s position can also be adjusted. This is especially important because the original OMSI cameras were of course not built with modern VR headsets in mind. Depending on the vehicle, it may therefore be necessary to move the virtual seating position somewhat forward, backward or to the side.

Can you switch between VR and a normal monitor?

Yes. openOMSI has dedicated keyboard shortcuts for this.

With Ctrl + Shift + R the VR position can be recentered. With F7 the headset monitor image is switched on or off. F8 switches between VR and desktop display.

This is practical, especially on longer OMSI journeys. Not everyone wants to drive an entire hour-long route permanently with a headset. Anyone who wants to switch to the normal monitor in between does not necessarily have to restart the entire journey.

The keys can also be customized through the control settings.

Which VR headsets work with openOMSI?

openOMSI uses OpenXR. Support therefore depends primarily on whether the respective headset can be operated under Windows with a functioning OpenXR runtime.

There is no binding list of individual headsets, and with a standard such as OpenXR that is not necessarily required. Nevertheless, this does not mean that every conceivable combination has already been tested perfectly.

openOMSI is still under active development. Therefore, stability, display and controls may vary depending on the headset, graphics card, drivers and selected OMSI content.

Anyone who owns a particular VR headset should therefore regard it more as a current feature that can be tried out than as guaranteed plug-and-play support for every hardware configuration.

Does openOMSI require more performance in VR?

Yes, VR can be considerably more demanding than the normal monitor view. Instead of rendering just one perspective, two slightly different images for both eyes have to be calculated. At the same time, the frame rate should remain as stable as possible, because fluctuations can be considerably more unpleasant in a VR headset than on a conventional screen.

With OMSI, the familiar factors are added: large maps, complex buses, extensive scripts, AI traffic, high-resolution textures and multiple mirrors can put additional strain on the hardware.

openOMSI therefore offers various settings for VR rendering. The resolution per eye can be adjusted, and the refresh rate of the bus mirrors can also be reduced. Depending on the system, this can significantly lower GPU load.

Official blanket minimum requirements for VR would currently make little sense, because the difference between a small map with a simple bus and a large community map can be enormous. Added to this is the varying resolution of different VR headsets.

Is openOMSI VR simply an OMSI VR mod?

Not really. The key difference is that OpenXR is directly part of the new engine.

openOMSI therefore does not place an external VR filter over the old OMSI 2 engine. The VR display is created directly within the new renderer. Nevertheless, the existing OMSI content continues to be used: your maps, buses, objects and scripts remain fundamentally the same.

This creates a rather unusual combination. A bus that was originally developed many years ago for a normal monitor can suddenly be experienced from a genuine stereoscopic driver’s perspective. The bus itself of course does not automatically become a modern VR vehicle, but its existing cockpit design gains a completely different spatial effect.

With OMSI in particular, this could change more than one might initially think. Mirrors no longer look like small surfaces on a screen, the distance to the dashboard becomes perceptible in space, and when looking into the passenger compartment, you get a much better sense of how large a bus actually is.

At the same time, openOMSI remains an Early Release. Not every vehicle function necessarily works ideally with VR yet, not every hardware combination will work equally well, and demanding maps can put considerably more strain on performance than normal desktop operation.

The fundamental step has nevertheless been taken: OMSI content can now actually be driven through openOMSI with a natively engine-integrated OpenXR VR display .

Would you drive OMSI in VR permanently, or would you prefer the classic monitor view on longer routes?