Reverb G2 user here. I’ve read about people using controllers for VR interactions instead of a mouse.
For some reasons I have always dodged using controllers but after reading about them in the forums I got quite intrigued.
Are there any benefits for using a controller? I still have the impression that they may be clunky and impractical to use as I imagine myself having to switch between the VR controller for things like autopilot dialing and having to use the mouse for finer input e.g. FMS, Navigraph charts, etc.
Using the Reverb controllers instead of a mouse increases immersion because you have to move your arm towards a knob and rotate. However, when using a yoke or joystick, you can only use a controller in one hand and might have to put it down because you want to interact with your throttle quadrant. This is much easier to achieve with a mouse because you only use it when you really need it. Grabbing a controller without pushing it away or off the table is another challenge. I also found rotation knobs really finicky. Long story short, it adds to the immersion but is awkward to manage. I gave up and hope for proper hand tracking with the upcoming Pimax Crystal. That would be the best of all worlds, i.e. when you can tweak knobs in the cockpit with your hand and still easily reach for the throttle or switches on your hardware.
One other benefit is that you can interact with WMR directly from inside MSFS and position a web browser window. This is only possible with the controllers.
Personally, I much rather use a mouse and proper peripherals over controllers. I find pointing and shooting much less accuarte than using a mouse. For all primary flight functions I use a throttle, joystick/yoke and pedals. I never use VR controllers inside MSFS.
Consider some knob/button boxes or MIDI controllers as your input devices. For a small GA plane you don’t need many of them, to fly without a mouse or VR controllers.
I also never use the Q2 VR controllers; I use FSUIPC7, it is very versatile e.g. I have a Thrustmaster Airbus sidestick and throttle quadrant only. The sidestick has 16 buttons and 8 position hat-switch position, and with FSUIPC7 I have defined 4 functions to each switch, so I have 64 push buttons and 32 hat switch positions available, so a total combination of 96 buttons and/or rotary functions available - enough to control MCP, flaps, gear, radios and other functions so not need to use the Q2 hand controllers when flying in VR, for the odd other function I use the mouse. Currently I am looking into extending the above, so once done I have a multiple of 96 buttons available (192 or more buttons/functions). In addition, multiple functions also can be defined to one button with a macro script, so endless possibilities. I fly GA airplanes with this set up as well as PMDG 737-800, without problem or VR controller as using the VR controllers is a VR immersion breaker for me.
I haven’t tried the Reverb controllers recently, but they used to immediately crash the sim every time I tried to power them up.
I used to use them in X-plane VR for all the switches and knobs but, to be honest (partly because the VR mouse was, and I think still is, simply dreadful) and they worked fine…but using the much better VR mouse in MSFS has been a delight! The biggest problem I found with using the controllers in X-plane was picking them up again when I went from periods of time flying with the HOTAS controls to needing to toggle a switch or rotate a knob.
Asobo has been totally unable to make a usable VR controller implementation into MSFS for almost 4 years. I can’t fly the B737 in MSFS, because I really dislike the mouse in a VR sim and the G2 controllers does not work properly - if at all. I really want to know, why could the X-plane team make it and Asobo couldn’t.
On Boeing 737 with Quest 2 controller it is difficult to use some knobs and switches, with the mouse is better but I have to perform a very little hand movement with the mouse
I’ll stop using the mouse to control the instruments when we get a proper hand recognition in VR.
Using the controllers is way too cumbersome for now. I don’t have time to release my joystick/quadrant controls to grab a controller to push a button. Might be possible in the cruise or pre-flight phase of a liner, yes, but when flying something else, forget about it.
Releasing the quadrant to grab my mouse which sits right next to it is good for me right now. Doing the same to grab a controller is not.
It takes some getting used to (and remapping the default awful profile/assignments), but to me it is way more intuitive and immersive than using a mouse. I only fly in VR with controllers, everything from the DA40 up to the Fenix and WT Boeings.
Usually have the controllers resting on my lap, if I need to interact with anything not bound to the yoke/throttle I quickly grab one of the controllers and am able to naturally look/move my hand to the switch in the virtual cockpit. Whenever possible I go for “direct” touch, but sometimes the physical stuff is in the way and I have to use the “lightsaber” mode (whatever it’s called).
For me personally the only thing better I could imagine is direct finger/hand recognition, although that would have to be 100% accurate.
I fly with VR controllers for operating cockpit switches and buttons only, and I could never go back to using a mouse.
Then again I don’t use my WMR HMDs for MSFS ( I hate WMR tracking)
I prefer Oculus VR Controllers for MSFS.
Once you get the hang of things they work pretty well as second nature, could MS/Asobo use some overall improvements?
Of course, hand tracking would be cool to have one day!
Here’s a full flight operating all the cockpit switches and buttons with VR controllers
Just one of the reasons I hate VTOL VR on Steam. Why they cannot properly implement flight sticks is beyond me. Why VTOL VR fanboys seem to defend this is also beyond me, lol!
