How to Setup VR Cloud Gaming
You no longer need to own a VR-ready Gaming PC to enjoy PC VR! It is completely possible to enjoy high quality PC VR Gaming with just a basic computer and an Oculus Go headset. VR Cloud Gaming makes it all possible. Continue reading to learn how to set it all up.
What is Cloud Gaming?
With Cloud Gaming, a super computer across the internet is doing all of the heavy lifting for your Gaming Experience. All you need to do is subscribe to a Cloud Gaming service of your choice (we use Paperspace), install your games, setup your VR Software, and stream PC VR Games to your Headset.
Overview
I’ll start by being very straight forward about what to expect from this process. VR Cloud Gaming is still in it’s very early stages and it’s not a plug & play experience. You’ll need to purchase some extra hardware to make the whole thing possible. With that said, it can still be a very good experience.
If you’re willing to invest a little bit of time and money into this project, you can absolutely enjoy VR Gaming without owning a Gaming PC. And it’s going to cost a lot less than purchasing a VR-capable computer.
Here’s a quick look at how the whole thing works. You start by setting up a Cloud Gaming server (we use a P5000 server from Paperspace). From there you will setup a free VPN Network from ZeroTier and you’ll install the ZeroTier VPN client on your Cloud Gaming server. Finish your Cloud Gaming server setup by installing ALVR server software and Steam VR. Next you’ll need to add a second router to your home network. The second router is going to act as a VPN bridge to connect your Oculus Go headset to the Paperspace server over the internet. After setting up your VPN Router, use your Smartphone to complete the initial setup of the Oculus Go. Connect the Oculus Go to your computer and sideload the ALVR App to it. Connect the Oculus Go to your VPN Router over Wifi. The Oculus Go will detect the Paperspace Server and connect to it. You’ll then be able to install and play any VR Game that supports a gamepad.
We will cover each of these steps in detail below.
Limitations
As we mentioned earlier, VR Cloud Gaming is still in its infancy. There are a few things to be aware of before you commit to this project.
- ALVR does not stream game sound to your Oculus Speakers
- ALVR does not support connecting your Gamepad directly to the Oculus Go
- You should have 10+ Mbps of Internet Upload Speed at home (30 Mbps is recommended)
VR Cloud Gaming is powered by the ALVR App. The developer of this App plans to add Sound Streaming (now implemented) and Gamepad support at some point in the future (so these limitations should change). For right now, you’ll need to use a basic computer as a workaround for these issues. You can connect Headphones and a Gamepad to your home computer and then connect that computer to your Cloud Server through Parsec. As long as your Gamepad and Headphones are wireless, you should be able to step away from the computer while you play VR Games.
The Hardware
To enjoy Cloud VR Gaming, you’ll need some hardware. Each piece of equipment performs a role in your VR experience.
- A basic PC that can run Parsec
- An Oculus Go VR Headset (Amazon Link)
- An OpenWRT-compatible 2nd Router ( we use the Netgear R6100)
- An iPhone or Android Phone (used to setup the Oculus Go)
- A Game Controller (we use the Xbox One S Bluetooth Controller)
- (Optional) A set of good Headphones (we like the Insignia NS-CAHBTOE01)
The Software
Tutorials
Complete the following Tutorials in order:
Originally published at Flickstiq.
