When can I use my VR Touch controllers?

[Delilaha]

I've just reinstalled the game and also dusted off the Rift after a time away from gaming - Keen to get flying again

I've also been looking at the VR cockpit - Looks really cool, but also seems focused around Steam VR and the Vive. It seems there have been good (historic ) reasons not to use Steam VR (which this extension seems to rely on) - Does anyone know if there are still issues with Steam VR and the Rift? Advice on setup if not?

I have also so far failed to find posts by anyone that's tried this VR Cockpit overlay with a Rift and the Rift controllers. Did you (or anyone else) already get this working and give it a go?

Cheers,
Metkis

I have not had a chance to work on this at all yet, other than some basic research.

 

[sewerratuk]

Have you seen or tried VTOL VR? Having the Touch controllers just resting on my thighs whenever I go HOTAS gives a surprising amount of fidelity.

Damn, now I have an urge to spend some cash. How easy access is it?

 

[Arioch]

Damn, now I have an urge to spend some cash. How easy access is it?

It’s not the sort of complexity I’d associate with DCS, but maybe halfway there

There are start-up procedures to follow and you have to get used to the MFDs, but you can get in the air pretty quickly and I’m finding it lots of fun. Fan made missions and new islands are starting to pop up, and I’m going to have a bash at some S&R stuff. I’ve not regretted the purchase.

 

[JensSchmidt]

I'm curious if anyone knows where I can find out what the ED plans are for enabling VR touch controllers?

I've been wanting needing this since I played the game for the first time in VR.

Physical HOTAS in VR​

Positives aspects​

• Superb tactile feel
• Superb precision

Negative aspects​

• Costly (money)
• Costly (space)
• Costly (time) Take HOTAS out, put HOTAS away
• Costly (annoyance) Take HOTAS out, put HOTAS away

VIRTUAL COCKPIT​

Positives aspects​

• Virtual buttons, switches, etc. removes the need to peek out of VR at your 20th century keyboard in your boring, non sci-fi room, murdering your suspension of disbelief
• More immersion (see previous point)
• Virtual buttons, switches, etc. makes better use of VR possibilities > Elite stands out more as a VR must have > more players > more money > continued development
• Fresh design possibilities to individualize each company's cockpits, giving them unique function and appeal (from robust factory buttons & switches to sleek, holographic ones from the most exclusive ship brands)
• It would make Elite more accessible as a VR game > more players > more money > continued development
• No extra money investment for the player
• No extra space investment for the player
• If you have HOTAS you do not have to use the virtual cockpit, just like you don't use the mouse & keyboard or gamepad support

Negative aspects​

• Precision
• Not as easy to implement as other interfaces

 

[CylonSurfer]

I've been wanting needing this since I played the game for the first time in VR.

Physical HOTAS in VR​

Positives aspects​

• Superb tactile feel
• Superb precision

Negative aspects​

• Costly (money) As cheap as $40 - Hardly costly devices if you go low end / mid end.
• Costly (space) Honestly? You have rent storage to store your gaming pheripherials?
• Costly (time) Take HOTAS out, put HOTAS away - Really, plugging in a USB cable takes that much time?
• Costly (annoyance) Take HOTAS out, put HOTAS away - You must get annoyed very easily! People do this kind of thing with wheels, hotas, gun stocks, pedals and all manor of accessories in order to maximise their enjoy and immersion with both pancake and VR games. Besides, isn't this just a repeat of your 'Costly (Time)' con?

VIRTUAL COCKPIT​

Positives aspects​

• Virtual buttons, switches, etc. removes the need to peek out of VR at your 20th century keyboard in your boring, non sci-fi room, murdering your suspension of disbelief Issue resolved by the use of HOTAS or any other game pad.
• More immersion (see previous point) - Subjective but I'll give that to you.
• Virtual buttons, switches, etc. makes better use of VR possibilities > Elite stands out more as a VR must have > more players > more money > continued development - This isn't a pro for the control type. Just a fantasy of what you think may happen if Elite supported motion control.
• Fresh design possibilities to individualize each company's cockpits, giving them unique function and appeal (from robust factory buttons & switches to sleek, holographic ones from the most exclusive ship brands) Nothing about HOTAS use would prevent FDEV from individualizing cockpits.
• It would make Elite more accessible as a VR game > more players > more money > continued development You are repeating yourself to make this 'Pro' list larger
• No extra money investment for the player - depends on the HMD, Index controllers are more expensive than a HOTAS in many cases. The game doesn't require any additional controllers any way, you can use keyboard, mouse, touch, joystick, gamepad, etc as standard.
• No extra space investment for the player
• If you have HOTAS you do not have to use the virtual cockpit, just like you don't use the mouse & keyboard or gamepad support - I don't see how this is on a 'pro' list, its just an observation. Hardly a 'Pro' for anything.

Negative aspects​

• Precision
• Not as easy to implement as other interfaces

After stripping this out to the valid points and adding a few missed items results in:

Physical HOTAS in VR

Positives aspects

• Superb tactile feel
• Superb precision
• Immersive when matched with in game controls (subjective)
• Depending on model, lots of buttons / axis to bind to.

Negative aspects

• Can be difficult to store for some people with very small living spaces
• May take more than 10 seconds to setup.

VIRTUAL COCKPIT

Positives aspects

• May provide a higher degree of immersion for some.
• No storage issues for those with small living spaces.

Negative aspects​

• Lack of precision
• Lack of tactile feedback
• More likely to cause hand / arm fatigue.

Loved the "Spin" you added in your OP though!

 

[JensSchmidt]

After stripping this out to the valid points and adding a few missed items results in:

Physical HOTAS in VR

Positives aspects

• Superb tactile feel
• Superb precision
• Immersive when matched with in game controls (subjective)
• Depending on model, lots of buttons / axis to bind to.

Negative aspects

• Can be difficult to store for some people with very small living spaces
• May take more than 10 seconds to setup.

VIRTUAL COCKPIT

Positives aspects

• May provide a higher degree of immersion for some.
• No storage issues for those with small living spaces.

Negative aspects​

• Lack of precision
• Lack of tactile feedback
• More likely to cause hand / arm fatigue.

Loved the "Spin" you added in your OP though!

Hahaha, thanks for your own spin
Joking aside though, the fact that your choice of input is already implemented just please join the dark side and support VC for us who want that way of playing. Another choice of interface enables more people to play, win win

The games I have seen that employ VC to date are; VTOL VR and Vox Machinae and I can't wait to test No Mans Sky VR too, it will be very interesting to see how they have implemented VC.

Cheers

edit: changed the command to a plea

 

[CylonSurfer]

I have no issues with FDEV adding motion control support. Personally, I have my doubts that they ever will, after all the developers primary focus are the 2D players. They make up a vastly larger portion of the Elite Dangerous player base and for most part, content and features developed with 2D players in mind will work with very little effort in VR. The same cannot be said for content / features developed for VR, content such as motion control support would offer nothing to the 2D player base and very likely recieve a massive backlash from those who have been waiting for years for features such as landable atmospherics and space legs.

Another choice of interface enables more people to play, win win

The thing is, that isn't true at all. Elite Dangerous already supports a control scheme which is a requirment for even the most basic operation of a computer - Keyboard and Mouse. Adding motion control support will not enable more people to play the game, every user with a VR HMD will have a Keyboard and Mouse and although you may think it, not all VR HMD owners will have motion controls.

The games I have seen that employ VC to date are; VTOL VR and Vox Machinae and I can't wait to test No Mans Sky VR too, it will be very interesting to see how they have implemented VC.

I'm also looking forward to checking out No Mans Sky, in particular how they will handle the player going from 'standing room scale' game play to 'seated piloting' game play....