Vive without controllers?

[Stripekit]

So I have a computer that can handle a Vive and I would love to get my hands on one but.... my room is REALLY small. The only way I would be able to use it is with a xbox controller or my keyboard. Is that a good option or should I just buy a different headset specifically for xbox style controllers or a keyboard.

[The Maddog]

It's not the headset thats your issue, it will be the game you are playing. It's irrelevant which headset you buy.

If you plan to play games that support a contoller or keyboard, i.e sim racing games/flight sim or platformer style games) then you'll have no issue. Motion controllers are not needed nor used when I play project cars, Elite: Dangerous, Everspace etc All of those are fine. They all are made to work without motion controllers.


If however you want to play a VR game like Arizona Sunshine or The Lab then you simply cant play with anything other than motion controllers. It just wont work and the games can not be made to work with anything other than motion controllers.

There is also a subset of games that use either motion controllers or xbox. Games like Pinball FX 2, Thumper, New Retro Arcade Neon etc. Basically forward facing games that dont require much interaction, just button presses.



The vive, just like every other headset, is nothing more than the the device that lets you see into Virtual worlds. The controllers however are what lets you interact with the world and all of the PC headsets now come with motion controllers by default (except OSVR which has no controller). Oculus long since dropped bundling their headset with an xbox controller in favour of touch....so their is no headset "spesifically" for xbox controllers, just games.



Hopefully that helps. If in doubt, go to the store page of the game you are intrested in and see what the controller support is in the product description. If it only lists input as "tracked motion controllers" then it needs motion controllers. If however it lists gamepad or keyboard and mouse then you're fine.