With virtual reality, games have become even more immersive than before. Whereas consoles and PCs tend to focus on making the game look good, virtual reality makes the experience even more engaging.
Most gamers have years of experience playing games using a keyboard and a gamepad or a controller. So, as a gamer, have you ever wondered whether you could play games in VR using just a keyboard and a gamepad?
Let’s take a closer look at how you can do that.
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How to Use Mouse and Keyboard in Steam VR?
If you want to use your computer and its peripherals (such as a keyboard and a monitor) with an Oculus Rift headset, you first must connect them together using a USB cable. Here’s how to do so.
- First, go to the Oculus Quest set. You can access it by pressing the button on the right-hand corner of the headset. Then, look for the section labeled “Experimental Features.”
- You need to go into the experimental features section. Once there, look for the option to pair your Bluetooth device.
- After selecting the Bluetooth pairing option, tap on the connect/pair icon to begin connecting your devices.
- Make sure that your phone is also turned on so that it can be paired with your Oculus Rift headset. You should also have your hand tracking turned on.
- You can find it by going into the general settings of the main screen.
- After doing these steps, your device should appear on the menu of your Quest 2. It will look like a ghostly image rendered above the main Oculus menu.
- From the list of available Bluetooth device options, select one.
- If none of these steps works for you, try resetting the experimental features back to their defaults and trying again. Restarting the Oculus Quest 2 can also help in this regard.
Can I Use Keyboard And Mouse In VR?
With the latest Oculus Rift S headset, the Oculus Quest 2 (which supports wireless and wired connections), you can use a keyboard, mouse, and gamepad. However, it is recommended that if you want to use a wireless mouse and keyboard, you use the Logitech G400s.
The VR experience has greatly improved in the past few years. You don’t need any special hardware to navigate the pseudo-reality. Let’s take a look at how you can also control your computer using your keyboards and mice.
Can You Type In VR?
VR has completely revolutionalized the possibilities of a deep gaming experience. However, it is still quite lackluster when it comes to typing. It is both slow and excruciating and also utterly pointless and frustrating!
Virtual Reality Interface
Typewriters aren’t sophisticated enough to be used in VR. However, VR users can type by using the VR interfaces. This allows them to type on a virtual keyboard.
Controller
With the VR interface, you can only use the controllers as a laser pointer to point at letters on the screen. You operate them just like how games are played on VR headsets.
Drawbacks
It may be frustrating at first, but once you get used to it, it becomes quite efficient. However, it has some drawbacks, which make it less than ideal.
Ready to dive into the world of virtual reality? Our step-by-step tutorial on setting up your VR headset will guide you through the process.
Can You Use Keyboard And Mouse In VR?
First off, the Oculus Go, Gear VR, and Rift S don’t support keyboards and mice. If you already own one of these devices, you should consider upgrading to the newest version.
It’s not expensive, so it shouldn’t cost too much if you want to type in VR.
Update
With the latest version of the Oculus Quest software (v28), you can now use both keyboard and mouse input devices.
Which Keyboards Are Compatible With Oculus Rift?
The best thing about the new experimental features is that the Oculus Quest2 supports all Bluetooth-supported devices. However, not every keyboard can take advantage of all the new features offered by the Quest 2.
You need to know that this feature is only compatible with Oculus Quest 2. If you have an older version of the Quest, you won’t be able to use this feature.
Bluetooth Keyboard
You may already know that your Bluetooth keyboard is likely to work with the Oculus Rift headset. However, we highly suggest that you use the Logitech K830 if you want the best typing experience.
With most Bluetooth keyboards, you won’t be able to view your computer screen when using the VR headset. It’s important to note that although you can use the mouse, it will not be as effective as you thought.
Logitech K380
However, the Logitech K380 keyboard is the only one on the current VR keyboards that will actually appear inside your VR headset. It shows your keys being detected in real-time as you type.
It not only makes your hands look cool, but it also allows you to use your fingers as a touchpad without needing an additional mouse.
Virtual reality technology has come a long way in recent years, and you can read about some of the latest developments in our blog post on the subject.
Should You Use Keyboard and Mouse With VR?
If you know exactly where all the keys are, then using a VR headset with a keyboard attached to it wouldn’t be too difficult. However, when you’re playing games, using a VR headset with both a keyboard and a gamepad attached to it may not be the best choice.
Full Motion
You’ll be unable to move your whole body when seated, so you’ll be forced to use the cursor keys instead of using the keyboard. However, why is that a problem for you?
Nauseous
When you use VR, it tricks your brain into thinking that it’s seeing real-life 3D objects. However, if you move your mouse, then your eyes won’t move, but your brain will receive different visual inputs.
And that will confuse you because it isn’t normal for your head to be moving when your eyes aren’t. You’ll get a sick feeling.
We aren’t saying everyone who uses a mouse and keyboard with VR will get motion sickness. But most people will. So, we recommend standing up, putting on your VR headset, and using VR controllers.
Conclusion
VR is exciting and innovative. However, it is so different from traditional ways of playing games that some of our old game habits need to be adapted to fully take advantage of this new medium. We know that you’re accustomed to using your mouse and keyboards.
However, with some practice, you’ll also enjoy using the VR controller.
Feel free to leave comments if you have any questions.
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