Valve Adds Foveated Rendering to Half-Life: Alyx on PC
The new feature does not require a Steam Frame headset
Half-Life: Alyx has received an update introducing foveated rendering support on PC. Previously, this technology was available only when running the game independently on the Steam Frame, but now owners of other VR headsets with compatible computer hardware can also use it.
Foveated rendering reduces the load on the graphics card by varying the rendering quality across different areas of the image. High detail is maintained in the priority region, while it is reduced in the periphery.
Valve recommends using the feature alongside eye tracking. In this mode, the area of highest rendering quality moves following the player's gaze. Without eye tracking, the setting can still be enabled, but the high-detail area will not follow the direction of the gaze.
The toggle has been added to the advanced performance settings. For DirectX, support is claimed for Nvidia GeForce GTX 16-series, RTX 20-series, and newer models. On compatible AMD graphics cards, launching via Vulkan with the "-vulkan" parameter is required.
The developers have also published a guide for setting up eye tracking on different headsets. The connection process depends on the device: some models may require additional software.
Valve does not provide exact FPS improvement figures. The effect will depend on the graphics card, headset resolution, and in-game settings.
The patch also fixes several rendering glitches in Steam Workshop materials and corrects the unlocking of the Gnome Alone achievement.
Half-Life: Alyx was released in March 2020. The new feature continues a series of technical improvements that began in September with an update for the Steam Frame.
