Knuckles EV2: Quick Start

Learn how to set up and start using your Knuckles EV2 Dev Kit.

Knuckles EV2 Developer Kit

Hello! If you or your company received a Knuckles EV2 developer kit from Valve, this guide will help you get started.

If you're a developer interested in participating in the developer kit program, you can apply on the Steam Partner page. Log in, and look for "VR Developer Kit Request" along the right side of the page.

Knuckles EV2 are currently best supported in the SteamVR Beta branch. To opt into SteamVR Beta, open your Steam client and find SteamVR under Library > Tools. Right click SteamVR, select Properties, and select 'beta' from the drop down under the Betas tab.

Overview

Before we get started, here's an overview of the updated controller. Quite a bit has changed - for a rundown of these changes in detail, please see the Knuckles EV2 What's New guide.

Please do not attempt to disassemble or tamper with Knuckles EV2 prototype units.

Pair and Update

Once you are opted into SteamVR beta, double click on SteamVR to start it up.

Pair Controllers

In SteamVR Status, right click on the controller icon and select 'Pair Controller' to start the pairing wizard. Ignore the Vive controller instructions. Turn on your controller with the System Button, then press and hold the System Button and B Button to enter pairing mode (see the image below). Repeat this process with your other controller.

Knuckles Driver

If you've never used Knuckles before, you will be prompted to install the Knuckles Driver. Do this.

Update Firmware

SteamVR will probably tell you that your controllers require a firmware update. You should update the firmware. Use the included USB-C cables.

Put it on

To put on the Knuckles controller, grip the handle with your thumb on the Track Button and your finger on the Trigger. The strap should lay flat on the back of your hand. Pull the drawstring to tighten. It should be tight enough to make an open handed throwing motion.

Your thumb should be able to reach all the inputs.

Make it fit

If you find you are unable to reach all the inputs comfortably, try adjusting the strap location. Knuckles EV2 has a new strap adjustment mechanism which allows it to fit on a wider range of hands.

To adjust the strap, first take off the controller. Hold the top of the strap, and push it in, toward the input surface. Once pushed in, move the strap forward or backward, around the input surface. There are four positions to choose from.

What's the right strap location?

The main constraint determining the best fit is the length of your thumb - see below for a general rule of thumb (haha). There are other factors, so try different strap positions to see what feels the best for your hand.

LED States

Green = Good to go
Blue = Not Connected
Blinking Blue = Pairing Mode
Slow Blinking Red = Low Battery
Fast Blinking Red = Something's Wrong

While plugged in:

Green = Fully Charged
Orange = Charging

Try some content

As of this post, there is only one piece of content that takes advantage of all the features of Knuckles EV2, and that is Moondust. This content was created while we were developing Knuckles EV2. It's been crucial to testing and vetting our ideas, and has proven to be a great way to introduce new users to these controllers.

Knuckles EV2 developers, you can add the Moondust Demo to your Library here.[http//steam] Look for SteamVR Knuckles Tech Demos in Library > Games.

Take a look and try things out - features specific to Knuckles EV2 are highlighted and demonstrated with this content.

• Crush rocks using the new force sensor
  
• Drive moon buggies using the new thumbstick
  
• Piece together a space station with your fingertips
  
• Prime grenades with a squeeze
  
• Throw objects naturally using a combination of force sensors and cap sense

To learn more about Moondust and what the developers learned while creating it, visit this guide.

In addition, you should try your other favorite games in VR. Some will work right off the bat, and some may require some tweaking. With the update to SteamVR Input, you can go in and adjust the button configurations for Knuckles. Don't forget to share your configs on the workshop!

As for your own content, please update to the new SteamVR Input system - this will make editing bindings across all current and future controllers (including Knuckles) that much easier. For details, view our OpenVR SDK 1.0.15[github.com] page and the documentation[github.com] to see how to enable native support in their applications.

Knuckles EV2 Documentation

Use these guides to get started with the Knuckles EV2 Dev Kit and learn about its capabilities.

• Knuckles EV2: What's New - Learn all about the new features of Knuckles EV2.
  
  
• Moondust: Creating Content for Knuckles EV2 - Developer notes and lessons learned from creating content for Knuckles EV2.
  
  
• Throwing Mechanics with Knuckles EV2 - Learn how we came up with the algorithm for throwing using both the cap sense and force sensor features of Knuckles EV2.
  
  
• Knuckles, Unity, and SteamVR Input - A tutorial from one of the developers of Moondust on how to use the Unity plugin with SteamVR Input. (We have also been working with Unreal to update their SteamVR plugin to the new input system. Stay tuned for more news)