SteamVR Legacy Bindings "Pretend to be this type of controller" not working as expected.

[fix]

We know SteamVR games without native Index controller support are pretending to be a Vive wand in games. This is fine for some simple games, but more controller-complex games like Skyrim VR and Fallout 4 VR are a nightmare to use on the tiny trackpads. I tried the "Rebinding "Legacy" games for new controllers" guide but that runs into a limit with directional joystick modifiers, such as "click to run, up to jump, down to sneak" which is available with the Rift.

With that, I decided to explore the option under SteamVR menu -> Devices -> Controller Settings -> Choose Game -> Edit Legacy Actions -> Pretend To Be This Type of Controller and chose Oculus Touch. I was able to get all the Rift mappings to match the Index controllers (mapping AB/XY to Left AB/Right AB, etc) but the game still detects it as a Vive wand and gives user prompts as a Vive wand - but almost none of the controls actually WORK. Does that button even do anything? Is there a guide to using it?

[fix]

Submitting in proper bug report format:

ISSUE
SteamVR Legacy Bindings "Pretend to be this type of controller" not working as expected.

OS
Windows 10

STEPS
From SteamVR Menu:

1. Devices
   
2. Controller Settings
   
3. [Choose game, e.g. Fallout 4 VR]
   
4. Edit Legacy Actions
   
5. Pretend To Be This Type Of Controller
   
6. Choose Oculus Touch
   
7. Return to mapping, create map identical to Oculus Touch
   
8. Load game [Fallout 4 VR]

RESULTS
Game still recognizes controller as Vive wands. Controls not matching what custom mapping

EXPECTED
Game recognizes controller as Oculus Touch and mappings of buttons/sticks/grips/triggers function properly in game.

[Cylon Surfer]

Would like to confirm this bug and also add that it makes the game unplayable with Index controllers. Can this please be looked into.

[fix]

Bug still present in 1.7.14

[Blazey]

Requesting an update on this bug report from 18 August, please. Fallout 4 VR is still unplayable with Index controllers

[Cylon Surfer]

This bug is still present in both the current and beta versions of SteamVR and the game is still unplayable as a result. Can this please be looked into.

[Blazey]

Is there any update on this? Can Index users expect to be able to play Fallout 4 VR soon?

[Cixelsid]

Key remapping/binding in general doesn't really seem to work at all. Interface also buggy as hell and extremely unintuitive.This is not good Valve. You have to be better.

[Cylon Surfer]

Bug still present in latest release.

If I select 'Oculus Touch' as my desired emulation type, configure all of my binds then launch fallout 4 vr, the game still sees my controller type as 'Vive Wands' and not the emulation type I chose. Worse still, the controllers do not work.

Can this please be looked into?

[LimbaZero]

Few notes for new users: Controller selection is for what controller you are using. You map used controls for that how you want it to behave. Example you can have different bindings for index and wands.

[Cylon Surfer]

@LimbaZero. We're talking about two different things here. We're specifically talking about the option which allows you to choose which type of controller you want to emulate, not the option for which type of controller you are using.

[ApeFe]

Issue still present, please address. Please let us emulate rift controllers as emulating of vive wands is unplayable in some games due to small trackpad.

[Mr.FuzzyMuscles]

Seriously, both Bethesda and Valve are just ignoring this issue and moving along, ie ignoring their customers. I bought the VR version of the damned game to play it in VR. Fallout 4VR is UNPLAYABLE with the Index controllers. Gauging from the number of posts referencing this issue, there is no doubt they are fully aware of this issue prior to and after the sales. That is, Bethesda has knowingly and intentionally engaged in fraudulent sales practices with a large number of its customers with no intention to make reparations in defrauding its customers. Additionally, Bethesda has woefully ignored repeated attempts and pleas by its customers for a provided solution. With the amount of elapsed time thus far, Bethesda's stance is clear: That it has no intention of providing remedial action.

Bearing the aforementioned in mind, Bethesda continues to retain the illegitimate profits accrued from their customers. This is clearly scam territory and should be addressed and dealt with accordingly. I seriously doubt the want a class-action on their hands for failure to fix some controller assignments. Now, that would just be silly.

[fix]

I won't go so far as to call it a scam, @xandor - I got hundreds of hours of playtime in with Skyrim VR and Fallout 4 VR before I upgraded to Index. I purchased both before Index was a thing and Bethesda never advertised Index controllers were compatible. Their official game site for Fallout 4 only says "HTC Vive."

However, it's extremely disingenuous for both games to advertise compatibility with Index on their store pages when in fact they are not playable without purchasing different tracked motion controllers than are included with Index. This is primarily a Bethesda problem and they haven't released patches in Fallout 4 VR and Skyrim VR in over 500 days. Valve, however, CAN fix it for their customers without Bethesda's help by simply fixing this bug above.

It's really up to Betheda to fix Valve Index mappings, but the responsibility of Valve to fix this bug in their software for current and future Index owners OR to update Steam store pages to remove Index compatibility tags on games unplayable on Index controllers.

Let's keep focus though: This bug will fix Index compatibility on a LOT of games that are playable on Rift controllers but unplayable on Index controllers. In games without native Index support, SteamVR presents Index controllers as Vive wands to those titles making them difficult or impossible to play. For that reason, I cannot recommend the Index kit to anyone looking to buy a VR experience.

[fix]

Warning: Pretty technical stuff follows - and a workaround!

Reddit user fholger just posted an in-depth analysis as well as a fork that overcomes Falout's deficiency and posted it here: https://old.reddit.com/r/fo4vr/comments/dqlx34/i_managed_to_trick_the_game_into_treating_the/

It seems that "pretend to be this type of controller" does not account for Fallout (and Skyrim) querying the TRACKING SYSTEM to set controller types and input mapping. This is apparently Bethesda not obeying API conventions for identifying input systems.

Now that the root cause has been identified, can Valve implement the modified controller identification hooks into the "pretend to be this type of controller" feature?

SO much thanks go to fholger on reddit+github for identifying this and hacking a workaround.

[Destroy]

Remapping of controls for many games needs fixing, so bump.