Help using gamepad on VR

[quackinthebush]

I'm pretty frustrated trying to find the magic combination of settings to allow me to use a gamepad (xbox one controller) on VR. I can use it just playing the Non-VR mode on Steam, but when I switch to VR, no dice. Ironically I did have it working at one point, and I have no idea why, but I can't get it functioning again.

I've tried various Steam settings, like disabling or enabling Xbox Controller Configuration, Disabling, Enabling, and using Default Steam Controller settings within the Steam Elite Dangerous settings. When the game loads up in VR, the little steam toaster notification says that Official Elite Bindings for the xbox controller are loaded, yet input does nothing and under the game control settings, Gamepad isn't even listed as an option, nor my existing custom bindings.

My SteamVR widget shows both the HMD and controller are connected and active. I can use the controller in SteamVR and Windows MR homes. I can use the controller in the non-VR ED. But as soon as the game loads in VR nothing works except keyboard and mouse.

Anyone else out there using a gamepad in VR succesfully?

I'm running Odyssey, using a HP Reverb G2. Xbox One controller.

Cheers

 

[Dragsham]

Assuming you've selected the controller ingame options settings?
Idk mine ingame I think is custom.
Ignore if rambling I'm old

 

[quackinthebush]

Ok finally figured this out. There are many dark corners of the steam interface where controller configuration can be screwed up. In this case, it was the Properties menu of the SteamVR app from within Steam library itself, which can only be seen when you allow it to show software in addition to games. For some reason, steam controller input had been disabled there.

I'm new to VR and having a blast, but the glitchiness and inconsistent functionality reminds me of the early days of PC gaming, they really haven't sorted things out yet (VR in general).

 

[Dragsham]

No VR isn't 100% yet but its still way better than pancake. Especially combat, mapping etc

 

[BigDuke6ixx]

Ok finally figured this out. There are many dark corners of the steam interface where controller configuration can be screwed up. In this case, it was the Properties menu of the SteamVR app from within Steam library itself, which can only be seen when you allow it to show software in addition to games. For some reason, steam controller input had been disabled there.

I'm new to VR and having a blast, but the glitchiness and inconsistent functionality reminds me of the early days of PC gaming, they really haven't sorted things out yet (VR in general).

VR IS sorted it’s just that Froniter are rubbish at VR support. Go look at VTOL to see how it should be done and has been done by many other developers. To say VR is like the early days of PC gaming is just plain wrong.

 

[Frank]

I use the xbox gamepad for VR all the time. But I don't use Steam so there may be an added level of complexity there

One thing you have to watch is that your bindings are messed up if you swap from Odyssey back to Horizons. I switch between them all the time seeing as Horizons runs a lot smoother for VR


So once you get your bindings sorted you should save them...

c:\Users\yourname\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings You then backup the file Custom. binds, or re-name it. You can call the file anything.

 

[quackinthebush]

VR IS sorted it’s just that Froniter are rubbish at VR support. Go look at VTOL to see how it should be done and has been done by many other developers. To say VR is like the early days of PC gaming is just plain wrong.

I'm playing MSFS 2020, Half Life Alyx, the Aliens game from 2013 with the VR mod, Dirt Rally 2.0, and Subnautica, and each have a myriad of issues getting to work consistently, although the worst performance wise is far and away ED Odyssey. For example, every time I start up HL, I'm 8ft tall and can't fit through doorways, so I have to recalibrate. MSFS crashes randomly, and occasionally I start drifting around in the cockpit. Aliens has had all sorts of binding issues. So no, I'm not wrong. If I'm struggling, I'm sure there are many others too.

 

[DrinkyBird]

I'm playing MSFS 2020, Half Life Alyx, the Aliens game from 2013 with the VR mod, Dirt Rally 2.0, and Subnautica, and each have a myriad of issues getting to work consistently, although the worst performance wise is far and away ED Odyssey. For example, every time I start up HL, I'm 8ft tall and can't fit through doorways, so I have to recalibrate. MSFS crashes randomly, and occasionally I start drifting around in the cockpit. Aliens has had all sorts of binding issues. So no, I'm not wrong. If I'm struggling, I'm sure there are many others too.

I‘ve been replaying HLA recently and just yesterday did I hit a level transition that somehow broke the game, SteamVR, and Oculus simultaneously. Had to kill them all via task manager as none of them would exit normally. I don’t play ED in VR because of the jank it has of its own, and the fact that I alt-tab a lot when playing, and usually watch something on the side…
VR can be cool when it works but there’s a lot of jank to get through before it does.

 

[quackinthebush]

I‘ve been replaying HLA recently and just yesterday did I hit a level transition that somehow broke the game, SteamVR, and Oculus simultaneously. Had to kill them all via task manager as none of them would exit normally. I don’t play ED in VR because of the jank it has of its own, and the fact that I alt-tab a lot when playing, and usually watch something on the side…
VR can be cool when it works but there’s a lot of jank to get through before it does.

But when you get through the jank, it's pretty mind blowing. That first session of HL, totally new experience with gaming.

 

[DrinkyBird]

But when you get through the jank, it's pretty mind blowing. That first session of HL, totally new experience with gaming.

HLA is basically the main reason I got VR in the first place - being a huge Half-Life fan for most of my life I had to play it at some point. It’s definitely an amazing game but I still wish that if HL3 ever happens, that it isn’t a VR game - sometimes getting VR working ends up being more work than I end up having fun.
I do have some other VR games I bought a while ago but couldn’t get around to, but I have some free time over the coming weeks so I’ll actually check them out then… once this horrible heatwave is over…

 

[Frank]

I'm playing MSFS 2020, Half Life Alyx, the Aliens game from 2013 with the VR mod, Dirt Rally 2.0, and Subnautica, and each have a myriad of issues getting to work consistently, although the worst performance wise is far and away ED Odyssey. For example, every time I start up HL, I'm 8ft tall and can't fit through doorways, so I have to recalibrate. MSFS crashes randomly, and occasionally I start drifting around in the cockpit. Aliens has had all sorts of binding issues. So no, I'm not wrong. If I'm struggling, I'm sure there are many others too.

I've got an HP Reverb G2 as well. I used to own a CV1. Most of the jank is caused by WMR

Playing VR using the software from Oculus/Meta/Trust-us-we're-not-Facebook-anymore is a much more pleasant experience. But I'll endure the jank to get away from the Lawnmower Man, Mark Zuckerberg

 

[BigDuke6ixx]

I'm playing MSFS 2020, Half Life Alyx, the Aliens game from 2013 with the VR mod, Dirt Rally 2.0, and Subnautica, and each have a myriad of issues getting to work consistently, although the worst performance wise is far and away ED Odyssey. For example, every time I start up HL, I'm 8ft tall and can't fit through doorways, so I have to recalibrate. MSFS crashes randomly, and occasionally I start drifting around in the cockpit. Aliens has had all sorts of binding issues. So no, I'm not wrong. If I'm struggling, I'm sure there are many others too.

Last time I checked, FS2000 only had beta VR support. Then you go on about a 2013 game that needs a VR mod to work. Yeah, you’re wrong. A phrase you need to look up, ‘native VR support’.

 

[quackinthebush]

Last time I checked, FS2000 only had beta VR support. Then you go on about a 2013 game that needs a VR mod to work. Yeah, you’re wrong. A phrase you need to look up, ‘native VR support’.

Dude I don't know what you're going on about unless you're just trying to be a big Johnson. MSFS 2020 VR is very much not beta anymore. HL Alyx is a VR only game. Anyways this discussion with you is pointless and irrelevant, I've figured out the binding problem, go find another post to troll.

 

[Sascha2210]

I'd like to revisit this topic, because I recently got a PICO 4 and I'm also having problems using the controller in Elite Dangerous.

Even if the controller is shown active in SteamVR and I have also checked in the settings that it responds to the buttons, then it does not respond in Elite Dangerous in most cases. Very rarely it worked, but I don't know why.

I have already tested different controllers (PS4 and Nvidia Shield) both wired and wireless. Furthermore I had Steam completely reinstalled.

Also I have tried all three controller configurations in the settings in the SteamVR app via the library without success?

Does anyone else perhaps have a tip.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Arioch]

I'd like to revisit this topic, because I recently got a PICO 4 and I'm also having problems using the controller in Elite Dangerous.

Even if the controller is shown active in SteamVR and I have also checked in the settings that it responds to the buttons, then it does not respond in Elite Dangerous in most cases. Very rarely it worked, but I don't know why.

I have already tested different controllers (PS4 and Nvidia Shield) both wired and wireless. Furthermore I had Steam completely reinstalled.

Also I have tried all three controller configurations in the settings in the SteamVR app via the library without success?

Does anyone else perhaps have a tip.

Thanks a lot!

If the Elite Dangerous isn’t the primary window then your controller will not work. The only time my wireless pad hasn’t worked is when something has taken focus away from Elite - clicking the ED window has always solved the issue.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

Something like EDRunner or AHK Joystick Focus can help with the focus issue. Both programs monitor game device input and bring the ED window to the foreground if needed. I use the latter because EDRunner stopped working for me for some reason. You don't need AHK installed, there is a compiled download of the script available.

 

[Sascha2210]

Wow, thanks a lot for the hints, that exactly was the problem. I was already so frustrated as I tried it for hours with all possible settings.

Maybe a quick other question for the VR experts. Can I turn it off in VR that the GUI automatically opens when I move my head left, right or down as sometimes I just want to look around while flying,

 

[Crank Larson]

Maybe a quick other question for the VR experts. Can I turn it off in VR that the GUI automatically opens when I move my head left, right or down as sometimes I just want to look around while flying,

Yes. It's in control options somewhere.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

It is under Controls - Ship Controls - Mode Switches. There you can set how the game reacts to you looking in the panel directions.