Cheeky Foveated DLSS

[Dash,Polder]

https://github.com/ClarkCheekyKent/CheekyFoveatedDLSS

And yes it works, here's the proof.

You can use it without any other third party app, no need for reshade or any other adapter, unfortunately it will not pass integrity checks for multiplayer.  Maybe the team might provide an exemption on this one because it actually works pretty good out of the box, took a few minutes to tinker and set.  Oh, also this is jacked up to 90hz which I couldn't run at all before worth squat.  Cranking out just over 21 million pixels, can use a little adjustment down and I think it'll hold 90 FPS over most of the map.

The sight picture is recorded directly off the right eye lens using Pimax EVO, the recorded image is a bit more and less than what the eye actually sees. the left side overlaps about a third of the way with the left eyes view, also the visuals in set include more of the bottom.  In the actual eye view the red circle will be more or less centered in each lens.

Used the direct openXR install method, since I'm running openXR.

[Dash,Polder]

If you get a bunch of green discolored lines, change the preset and it'll snap back to clear, than you can change them back.  I gets wonky that way once in a while when you change settings.

[BlitzPig_EL]

Is there any benefit to using DLSS on a regular monitor?

[Dash,Polder]

No, you wouldn't like it, it's not the same as when you are moving with the headset and your eyes are always in the center, than you really don't see the outer ring of smeared low resolution, in VR it stays in your peripheral vision which doesn't see anything sharp any way.   So in VR it's not very noticeable and if we had eye tracking one would rarely ever see it or notice, that sharpened box would follow the eye movements, so it would be difficult to ever see it.

I hope they implement this for multiplayer, since it already works, it's a valid solution for many VR users for some real gains.  

But DLSS itself, definitely yes, you might get a higher quality image and gains if you have a later NVIDIA GPU that can benefit from it.  This foviated ability is used in conjunction with DLSS games, it isn't DLSS itself.  Meant for VR users, not monitors, but the same is not true for DLSS itself, it's can benefit both types of user.  Two different things going on here if that clears it up.  This isn't DLSS itself, just piggy backs on it.

Edited September 28 by Dash,Polder

[Panzerlang]

Holy crap Polder! Absolutely transformed the game. My FPS is up from mid 40s to low 60s but, more significantly, almost every trace of stuttering and ghosting is gone.

[Panzerlang]

I should add, I've run it out of the box. F8 brings up its menu in-flight but I saw no need to monkey with any of the settings. 🙂

[Dash,Polder]

The only file that breaks integrity is the dxgi.dll that you place in folder with the il2series.exe, so to deactivate it for multiplayer make an extra folder and drag it into it so it isn't seen, and your back to square one with multiplay and a stock game.  

All the developer need do is make an exemption on the file integrity checker for this dxgi.dll file and we have working foviated rendering.  Not one file in the game itself gets replaced, can't see how this is cheating.   

 

Update- the latest version now has an alternate file named version.dll, use that one instead of dxgi.dll and you can enter injector restricted multiplayer servers fine.    

Edited October 2 by Dash,Polder

[Oigan]

Вот если б кто выложил видео как всё это сделать...🤗

[GiftGruen]

I also am to stupid to make it work, trying right now ....

[Varibraun]

On 9/28/2026 at 4:00 PM, Dash,Polder said:

And yes it works, here's the proof.

Is it still working with 1.004?  If so, I will see if I can figure it out too.  Thanks @Dash, Polder!

[Dash,Polder]

Yes, should clarify it has two separate functions, Foveated is a distinct function and the DLSS part is for tuning 5.0 which will come in handy soon for the 40 series cards. 

Should already work with 50 series.  Might work with the hack, but I'm waiting for the official DLSS 5 activation having a 4090.  Any day now, they announced 40 series this fall.

Oh, and the red circle is only there with a switch for testing purposes.  There is a slider to shape the Foveated region from square to circle and everything in between.  You can also move the region up and down.  Highly customizable, this guy did a really great job.

[Husar]

I can't get eye tracking to work with VD and Quest Pro — it says "no valid eye-tracking signal." Any idea what could be causing this?

[Panzerlang]

Cheeky Foveated DLSS, does it make use of actual eye movement too or is it fixed foveation?

 

 

Cheeky Foveated DLSS supports both actual eye movement (Dynamic Foveated Rendering) and Fixed Foveated Rendering.

While the mod originally started as a fixed foveation solution—upscaling only a configurable, static center region of the screen—it has since evolved to include native eye-tracking support. [1, 2]

How the two modes work within the mod:

• Dynamic Eye-Tracking Mode: If you own a VR headset equipped with eye-tracking hardware (and use compatible runtimes like OpenXR), the mod dynamically shifts the high-resolution DLSS upscaled "sweet spot" to follow your real-time eye movements. Recent updates (v0.5.4+) even feature specialized settings like "Gaze hold on signal loss" to keep the upscaled region stable when you blink. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Fixed Foveation Mode: If your VR headset does not have eye-tracking capabilities (like a standard Meta Quest), or if you choose to use it on a flat-screen monitor, it locks the sharp, upscaled region strictly to the center of the screen while leaving your peripheral vision at a lower resolution. [1, 2, 3, 4]

If you are setting up the mod, let me know what VR headset model you are using and which game you are trying to run. I can let you know if your hardware supports the eye-tracking mode or help you configure the center-fixed boundaries!

OG Crystal

 

Since you are using the Pimax Crystal OG (the original 2023 version with built-in Tobii eye tracking), you can take full advantage of Dynamic Foveated Rendering (DFR) using the Cheeky Foveated DLSS mod! [1, 2, 3, 4]

While headsets like the cheaper Crystal Light are physically limited to fixed foveated rendering because they lack eye tracking, your Crystal OG features hardware-level eye tracking which the mod natively supports. [1, 2, 3]

How to set it up for your Crystal OG

To make the DLSS "sweet spot" follow your actual eye movements with this mod, ensure your software stack is configured correctly:

1. Enable Eye Tracking in Pimax Play: Ensure eye tracking is switched on and that you have run the calibration step inside the Pimax client. [1]
2. Use OpenXR or LibOVR: Cheeky Foveated DLSS uses OpenXR runtimes and LibOVR (Oculus/Pimax native sessions) to grab your gaze data. Make sure your game is running through PimaxXR (OpenXR) rather than SteamVR when possible to keep latency minimal. [1, 2, 3]
3. Check the Mod Version: Make sure you are using v0.5.3 or newer. These updates explicitly fixed OpenXR capability detection and added optimized support to latch directly onto Pimax eye-tracking data packets. [1]

Once running, the mod will restrict the heavy DLSS upscaling overhead strictly to the area of the lens where your eyes are focused, dropping peripheral resolutions to net you a massive 20% to 30%+ frame rate uplift without a visible drop in clarity. [1, 2, 3]

Which game or simulator (like DCS World, MSFS, or a UEVR-modded title) are you setting this up for? I can give you the optimal foveation ring settings to prevent any peripheral flickering!

IL2 Korea

 

IL-2 Series: Korea is a perfect candidate for the Cheeky Foveated DLSS mod! Because IL-2 Korea utilizes a modern DirectX 12 and OpenXR engine with native DLSS support, it integrates exceptionally well with the mod. [1]

Even better, the game natively lacks Quad Views DFR support, meaning Cheeky Foveated DLSS is one of the absolute best ways to recover massive performance on your Pimax Crystal OG. [1, 2]

Users running the mod in IL-2 Korea have reported jumping from struggling mid-40 FPS up to a locked 60–90 FPS depending on your GPU. However, flight sims have very specific visual needs (like spotting distant plane dots). [1, 2]

Optimal Settings for IL-2 Korea & Pimax Crystal

1. Prioritize Native OpenXR: Ensure the game is bypassing SteamVR and launching directly via Pimax Play OpenXR / PimaxXR. [1]
2. Beware the Multiplayer Anti-Cheat: Note that using any third-party DLL injection/mod like Cheeky Foveated DLSS or ReShade will fail integrity checks for official multiplayer servers. If you intend to play online, you will have to temporarily disable it. For single-player campaigns, it is completely fine. [1, 2]
3. Foveation Ring Tuning: Because IL-2 Korea requires you to look for tiny pixels (enemy aircraft) in your peripheral vision, do not make the foveated inner ring too small.
   • Set your Inner Ring (Sharp Scale) to at least 0.55 to 0.65. This ensures your immediate field of view remains razor-sharp for instrument reading and tracking targets.
   • Set the outer ring to use DLSS Balanced or Performance. [1]
4. Fixing Game-Specific Shimmering: If you experience flickering or shimmering in the clouds or cockpit shadows around the foveated boundary line, slightly increase the Ring Blur / Blend Radius in the Cheeky menu (accessed via the ReShade overlay). This softens the transition line between the full-res center and the lower-res outer edges.
5. In-Game DLSS Settings: In the IL-2 Korea graphics menu, set the game’s built-in DLSS to Quality or Balanced. The game defaults to DLSS Preset M, which is incredibly effective at eliminating the "ghosting trails" behind fast-moving aircraft in VR. [1, 2]

[Panzerlang]

56 minutes ago, Husar said:

I can't get eye tracking to work with VD and Quest Pro — it says "no valid eye-tracking signal." Any idea what could be causing this?

does it work with cheeky?

 

Yes, it does work natively with Cheeky Foveated DLSS! [1]

As of recent updates (v0.5.0+), the mod features robust OpenXR eye-tracking support. If you use a Quest Pro to play IL-2 Korea, you don't even need third-party layout injectors like ReShade anymore. The mod can run standalone and tap straight into your Quest Pro's eye tracking data. [1, 2]

In the Cheeky overlay menu (accessed via F8 in-game), you just need to change your Foveation Center from "Auto/Fixed" to "Runtime Gaze". [1]

The Catch: Virtual Desktop vs. Meta Link

How well it "just works" depends entirely on your streaming software:

• Virtual Desktop (Easiest): This is the most seamless method for the Quest Pro. In the Virtual Desktop PC streamer app settings, check the box for "Forward Tracking Data to PC". Virtual Desktop passes the eye data directly through its OpenXR runtime, and Cheeky Foveated DLSS will immediately pick up your gaze. [1]
• Meta Link / AirLink (Requires OpenXR Toolkit): If you are using a standard Link cable or AirLink, Meta's PC runtime handles eye tracking strictly through their proprietary Oculus SDK. To make Cheeky see it, you will likely need to toggle "Eye Tracking over Oculus Link" in the Meta PC App's Beta settings, or use the OpenXR Toolkit / OpenComposite to properly translate the data so the mod can read it.

If you hook it up and want to make sure it's working, you can turn on the "Red Alignment Border" inside the Cheeky DLSS menu. It will draw a red box around your focus area—if that red box moves when you look around, your Quest Pro eye tracking is successfully talking to the mod! [1]

 

[Husar]

@Panzerlang thanks for video, it's seams that I have everything right but still no eye tracking, eye tracking does work, I see that VD is using eye foveated streaming.

[Dash,Polder]

Hope they allow the IC filter to let this one through, this is a tremendous boost for us VR pilots.  Exactly whats needed to reach some maximum potential at high res.

 

It passes now, use the version.dll, not the dxgi.dll.  

Edited October 2 by Dash,Polder

[Jade_Monkey]

Seems like I got the basics working. 

Any word on the differences between NR and SR tabs?

[Panzerlang]

2 hours ago, Husar said:

@Panzerlang thanks for video, it's seams that I have everything right but still no eye tracking, eye tracking does work, I see that VD is using eye foveated streaming.

I've just spent the entire morning on this and it looks like a bug (experimental). Eye tracking is not working reliably currently, so it's center-fixed for now. Clark's aware of the issue so...waiting. Lol.

1 hour ago, Jade_Monkey said:

Seems like I got the basics working. 

Any word on the differences between NR and SR tabs?

Ignore NR, that's neural rendering. Maybe for DLSS5.

[Husar]

6 hours ago, Jade_Monkey said:

Any word on the differences between NR and SR tabs?

I tested DLSS-NR (it requires two additional files that aren’t supplied by Cheeky). My FPS dropped by around 30%, and the only noticeable difference is the lighting. Nothing fancy, just a huge performance hit for very little visual benefit. Waste of time IMO.

[Varibraun]

10 hours ago, Panzerlang said:

Eye tracking is not working reliably currently,

Very early attempts last night: Chat-GPT and I couldn't get eye tracking working either (Pimax Dream Air/5090), but the Fixed Foveation is still bringing more FPS for me with no downside that I have initially seen (I am mostly SP).  I look forward to experimenting more with it over the next few days. 

Thanks to everyone here for making us aware of this mod - as @Dash,Polder said, it could be a real shot in the arm for Korea VR.  If so, maybe @LukeFF can talk to the devs about bringing back our higher graphics options in the next update.

[GiftGruen]

Got it running now and … gosh!! this tool is an absolute Gamechanger !

While I am not so a big fan of DLSS, in combination with this tools the performance gain is so great and the overall fluidness so astonishing that I take the somewhat soft DLSS aliasing and am simply happy.

Absolutely astonishing !

And I ( still ) use fixed FVR area instead of eyetracking, also didnt try different options, just more or less OOTB.

Thanks guys!!

[Panzerlang]

My vid with it running.
 

The garbled narration does clear up quite soon, no idea what caused it.

Edited October 1 by Panzerlang

[YoYo]

1 hour ago, GiftGruen said:

Got it running now and … gosh!! this tool is an absolute Gamechanger !

While I am not so a big fan of DLSS, in combination with this tools the performance gain is so great and the overall fluidness so astonishing that I take the somewhat soft DLSS aliasing and am simply happy.

Absolutely astonishing !

And I ( still ) use fixed FVR area instead of eyetracking, also didnt try different options, just more or less OOTB.

Thanks guys!!

What about ghosting of DLSS?

[Clyde1]

12 hours ago, Varibraun said:

Very early attempts last night: Chat-GPT and I couldn't get eye tracking working either (Pimax Dream Air/5090), but the Fixed Foveation is still bringing more FPS for me with no downside that I have initially seen (I am mostly SP).  I look forward to experimenting more with it over the next few days. 

Thanks to everyone here for making us aware of this mod - as @Dash,Polder said, it could be a real shot in the arm for Korea VR.  If so, maybe @LukeFF can talk to the devs about bringing back our higher graphics options in the next update.

 

Eye tracking is working for me in Korea with Cheekyfoveated on my pimax super. Its only working in openvr with steamvr as the openxr client. Im using it along with Sboy3 as well.

 

[GiftGruen]

7 hours ago, YoYo said:

What about ghosting of DLSS?

No issue, there was no ghosting using Preset L.

I was at Pimax 70% with MSAAx2 until yesterday.   DLSS Preset-L with DLSS-Quality on "50% inner Cheeky-circle" ( and DLSS-Performance out of the circle ) easily allowed me to do Pimax 85% without any drops in fps. 

As soon I find some time I will try out Pimax 100% and Preset M and also EyeTracking. This Tool opens new worlds for the 'settings game'.