How to Fix American Truck Simulator VR feature not working

American Truck Simulator (ATS) is renowned for its immersive VR experience, making players feel genuinely behind the wheel of a massive truck. However, the recent 1.55 update has introduced significant challenges for many VR users, forcing them back to traditional flat-screen gameplay. This shift is primarily due to fundamental changes in how the game handles VR output after this major patch.

Why the VR Feature is Not Working for Many Players After the 1.55 Update

The core reason for these widespread VR issues in ATS version 1.55 stems from SCS Software's decision to integrate a new OpenXR-based VR system, completely replacing the previous beta VR branch. While this move aims to bring benefits like asynchronous loading and performance improvements, it has, unfortunately, led to a host of bugs and compatibility problems. Many existing VR setups and common tools, such as Virtual Desktop and SteamVR, are encountering difficulties adapting to this new OpenXR implementation.Players have reported issues ranging from graphical glitches (light strings flashing, jittering, tearing) to outright crashes to desktop when attempting to launch or play in VR. The transition to OpenXR, while forward-looking, has created friction with established VR environments.

How to Fix VR Issues in American Truck Simulator (ATS)

While a definitive, universal fix might still be pending from SCS Software, users and developers have identified several workarounds that have shown success.

1. Utilize Specific Steam Launch Commands

Many players on Steam have found that specific launch commands can help American Truck Simulator launch correctly in VR, especially when working with OpenXR.Steps to set launch options in Steam:

Open your Steam Library.

Right-click on "American Truck Simulator."

Select "Properties."

In the "General" tab, locate the "Launch Options" textbox.

Add the following command: -openxr -experimental_vr -nointro

• -openxr: Explicitly tells the game to use the OpenXR runtime.
• -experimental_vr: Activates experimental VR features.
• -nointro: Skips the introductory videos, potentially speeding up the launch.

Close the Properties window and start the game.

Note on Oculus headsets: Some users with Oculus headsets have reported success with -oculus as a launch parameter, even if OpenXR is the new default. Experimentation might be needed. If you are using Virtual Desktop, some users found success setting Virtual Desktop to "Auto" instead of "Steam VR only".

2. Consider Rolling Back SteamVR (Specific Issue)

Some players have reported that newer updates to SteamVR itself can cause crashes when ATS uses OpenXR. If you're experiencing immediate crashes upon entering the cab in VR,consider reverting your SteamVR version to an older, more stable branch(e.g., version 2.9.6 has been mentioned by some users as working). Thisis a more advanced troubleshooting step.

3. Adjust In-Game and Config File Settings

Many users have reported that tweaking various graphics settings both in-game and in the config.cfg file can significantly improve VR performance and stability. Look for the config.cfg file in your Documents/American Truck Simulator folder. Some key settings to investigate (use Ctrl+F to find them):

• uset t_ignore_hmd_timing "0": Some users report changing this to "1" helps with "rubberbanding" issues.
• Shadows and Reflections: Lowering these settings is a common recommendation for VR performance.
• Antialiasing: SMAA Ultra or lower is often preferred over TAA, which can cause flickering in VR.
• r_manual_stereo_buffer_scale: Experiment with values between 1.0 and 2.0. Higher values improve sharpness but heavily impact performance.
• t_averaging_window_duration and t_averaging_window_length: Some users suggest setting these to 5x your headset's target FPS (e.g., 450 for a 90Hz headset) or even 0 to fix stutter.
• r_minimal_unfinished_frames: Try setting to 3 to fix stutter.
• r_vsync: Setting to "0" might help, as ATS might try to use your monitor's VSync instead of the headset's.

4. Switch to VR Beta Branches

According to SCS developers, including Komat, critical VR fixes or important updates are often pushed to dedicated VR beta branches first. This allows them to quickly address VR-specific issues without waiting for a full main branch update.

To check if there's a more stable VR beta branch available:

Open Steam Library.

Right-click on "American Truck Simulator."

Select "Properties."

Go to the "Betas" tab.

From the "Beta Participation" dropdown menu, look for branches related to VR, such as oculus-Oculus+OpenVR+OpenXR or any other explicitly named VR beta. Select the desired branch.

Historically, VR users had to wait longer for beta access, but with these dedicatedbranches, they can get involved earlier and potentially find a morestable VR experience than the main game branch offers immediately after a major update.

Given the complexities of VR and the ongoingdevelopment, it's often a process of trial and error with combinationsof these solutions to find what works best for your specific hardwareand software setup. Keeping an eye on the official SCS Software forumsand community discussions (like on Reddit) is also highly recommended,as new solutions often emerge from the player base.

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