First Look at Valve’s New VR Controller Prototype

This is just the nature of early-adopter technology. Remember how fast the smartphone market evolved, with new features and improvements every couple of months for the first few years? Same deal here, only odds are it will take even longer for things to stabilize.

Not to mention all the belittling and dismissiveness whenever somebody suggested that the capacitive finger detection was a usefully immersive feature…

The current Vive controllers are fantastic. I have not tried the Touch controllers, but I don’t really care anyway. Those prototypes are obviously nowhere near finished, so I am glad that the Vive came with polished motion controllers, instead of early prototypes or just an Xbox controller. Some people just never are satisfied. You are freaking out a little too much.

I think the reason why they use the lighthouse system is that…they can design additional controller whenever they want.

I foresee a rifle-shape of controller in the future

The point behind Lighthouse and the sensors is that it that there is going to be a lot of different controller options. These seem similar to Touch and it makes sense to make them a priority so that they can benefit from Touch development but they aren’t going to make the wands obsolete. In a year there are going to be a lot of different lighthouse controllers.

This may possibly be the saltiest way of interpreting this announcement possible. I’ve interpreted this as, look, we’re improving the controllers like we said we would. You can use them, or you can not. There will be plenty more from other companies you can buy as well. Period.

I’ve been using the Vive since April. I have long thought the Touch was the better design. However, I can honestly say that very few experiences in the Vive make me miss the ergonomics of the Touch. As the article mentions, lobbing a grenade take s a little bit of thinking. Also, I can tell you that my Vive controllers have saved me from injury on more than one occasion when I otherwise would have punched something. I also can see a situation where I am glad to have both types of controllers. Perhaps even using a vive wand in one hand and a wraparound in another, who knows. I always expected to eventually be buying all manner of tracked peripherals to extend the functionality and ergonomics.

Though we bitch and moan about prices, the fact is VR is expensive and is going to be for a long time.

As a last note. In watching the juggling videos on Twitter I think Valve may be leapfrogging a little in that these prototypes with the way that clamp on the head may be a step up from the Touch. The Touch has better ergonomics than vive wands, being that they are closer to the center of your hand, but you still have to grip them partially at all times like the vive. If you let go and point your hands down they will slip off. The new Valve prototype looks like its the next best thing to a glove, staying on regardless unless you shake really hard. I would have loved to have that during the debate in AltSpace, I didn’t want to put my contollers down but having them hanging from my wrists was annoying.

People wanted motion controls for VR so they got it. Rather there have been no options for VR? Theres always going to be advancement on designs and functionality especially in early stages and youre going to have to pay up if you want the latest just like anything else.

Im actually really happy about these controllers. I was undecided about vive and oculus because i liked and disliked things on each. I liked the lighter weight on oculus headset. i liked the touch controllers better than vive wands. I like the trackpads on the vive wands better than joystick. i liked the tracking system for vive better. I generally like valve better than facebook.

So what i really want is a headset as light or lighter than oculus, better controller with steam trackpads(the one in this article looks nice), lighthouse tracking and hopefully a higher fov. That will be the headset i buy. A plus would be wireless streaming from my computer to the hmd. So looks like ill be waiting for vive 2.0 maybe.

Got a little off track there of what was being talked about.. oh well.

This will be only the first of many input devices that will come out over the next few years. Why do you think they opened up the tracking to 3rd parties? You will be seeing guns, swords, tennis rackets, feet controllers etc. It will be an entire new spectrum of controller devices all using Valve’s laser tech. Think of it as Oculus being Apple with a closed, controlled ecosystem, providing good overall experience and then Vive as Android, open for everyone to custom-tailor their experience. I think both approaches are good and they can co-exist well together since they both provide users with what they prefer to spend their money on – the only winner in the end is the consumer ;)

whine some more my child.

I would buy them if they came out tomorrow.

its almost like youve never experienced revolutionary new and expensive technology being brought to market before.

When it comes to Vive/Oculus, if you don’t realize you’re essentially buying prototypes of everything at this point, you probably shouldn’t be buying anything it all.

I don’t have to buy anything… I am perfectly happy with my current Vive controllers… This is just one of countless options coming! And it’s nice to have options! Like Valve has already said… About 300 companies have registered to use their tracking tech… If rather have a ton of options to choose from than just one! Rushed or not it works great and we have had the pleasure of tracked controller for months now… Oculus is just getting out if the gate… Mark my words it will be Oculus playing catchup again for round two!

Sounds like you are letting the haters get to you. No one had even negatively mentioned the lack of controllers at Rift launch prior to your comments.

Though I would almost argue that its more half baked to sell a VR experience without motion controllers.

Also:
Just as an example: Should Nvidia be giving out free graphics cards when they start selling non-reference model cards?

You buy what you buy, simple as that. And no one is forcing consumers to buy the Vive with the wand controllers, and no one is forcing them to “buy ANOTHER pair of controllers for what $200.”

We’ve already got one, scroll up.

Turn around? Do you happen to know the release date of these “prototype” controls? The VIVE wands are hardly a stand-in. I am perfectly satisfied, neigh, thrilled if a new controller is released 1 year or so after the VIVE’s release date. Remember, these are NOT consoles. Quite frankly I want to see a more robust controller ecosystem. Of course, I know that this post won’t do anything to deter your rampage, but hey; I wanted to toss my 2 cents in the ring. DISCLAIMER: I own both a VIVE and RIFT and love them both.

Who is pushing a new controller?? Dude do I really have to explain to you what a prototype is?

I know some people stand by their purchase and believe everything else is inferior. But your severely uneducated and bias comments bring that to a whole new low.

I actually prefer the touchpads since you don’t have to re-find the stick after everytime you take your finger off it.

Nah they only need to track the middle finger.