A Guide to PrimaShock’s OpenXR Toolkit Mod

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A Guide to PrimaShock’s OpenXR Toolkit Mod

If you’re a Pimax user looking to squeeze every bit of performance and immersion out of your headset, PrimaShock’s custom OpenXR Toolkit mod is a game-changer. This mod introduces a "3D Depth Boost" and advanced FOV cropping tools that can significantly enhance your frame rates and visual depth.

Note: This file replaces the original OpenXR Toolkit DLL, so please back it up before installing. Results may vary depending on your headset, game, and VR setup.

Step 1: Prerequisites

Before installing the mod, ensure you have the original OpenXR Toolkit version 1.3.2 installed.

  1. Download the OpenXR-Toolkit-v1.3.2.msi file.
  2. Run the installer and follow the prompts to complete the setup.

Step 2: Installing the PrimaShock Mod

Once the base toolkit is installed, follow these steps to apply the modded files:

  1. Download the mod DLL file from the download ZIP file button. Unzip and get the file/s

  2. Locate your installation folder: Usually found at C:\Program Files\OpenXR-Toolkit.

  3. Backup your files: Rename the existing XR_APILAYER_MBUCCHIA_toolkit.dll to something like XR_APILAYER_MBUCCHIA_toolkit.back.

  4. Copy the new DLL: Drag and drop the XR_APILAYER_MBUCCHIA_toolkit.dll from the PrimaShock zip file into the installation folder. If you are using the 3D BOOST + PERFORMANCE CROP mod: also backup the original file and copy the new Shaders file ( postprocess.hlsl ) into: C:\Program Files\OpenXR-Toolkit\Shaders

  5. Update Shaders: Open the shaders folder in the installation directory.

    1. Backup the original shader files.

    2. Copy the contents of the shaders folder from the mod zip file into this directory.

  6. Verify: Open the OpenXR Toolkit Companion App. It should now display "Primal Shock mod".

Important: this mod is experimental and may not behave the same way in every game or headset configuration.

Step 3: Optimizing Your Settings

Launch your VR game and open the OpenXR Toolkit menu (default hotkey: Ctrl + F2).

3D Depth Boost

Navigate to the Appearance tab. Here you can adjust the "3D Depth Boost by PrimalShock" value to enhance the stereo separation and depth perception in your headset.

Performance Cropping (FOV)

To gain a FPS boost, navigate to the System tab to find the Field of View settings:

  1. Set the FOV mode to Advanced.

  1. Enter Native Resolution: Ensure the horizontal and vertical resolution matches your headset's recommended native resolution.

  1. Crop Your View: Adjust the "Up," "Down," "Left," or "Right" values. For example, cutting the upper and lower 65% can result in a significant "Load vs Native" gain, often exceeding 35-50%.

  1. Apply: Hit "Apply Resolution" and restart your VR session to see the performance jump.

Step 4: The "Helmet Effect" for Immersion

If you are a flight or racing sim fan (iRacing, Assetto Corsa), you can use the cropping tool to mimic the look of a racing helmet.

  • Border: Change Sharp to Soft
  • Fade Width: Adjust this to soften the edges of the cropped area so the transition isn't jarring.
  • Corner Style: Change this to Rounded to give the crop a natural helmet-visor shape.

   

Pro Tip: Better Visuals at Same Performance

If you already have enough FPS, you can increase visual quality by Supersampling until your "Pixel Density" returns to 100%. This gives you a much higher resolution in the center of your vision without any extra performance cost.

For more detailed visual walkthroughs, you can watch the full analysis here: 

Martin also shares his impressions of this VR MOD tested on a Dream Air, while giving you his own thoughts why its so phenomenal.


Disclaimer:

The developer does not recommend using SteamVR as the runtime, as it uses an unsigned custom DLL that may break OpenXR VR support in some EAC-protected games.

 

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