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Valve Introduces New HTC Vive Controllers: Knuckles

Valve Introduces New HTC Vive Controllers: Knuckles

According to most everyone that has used (and developed on) virtual reality headsets, the HTC Vive is really the frontrunner. If you’re looking for an immersive experience with fantastic graphics and really intuitive controls, you just can’t go wrong with the Vive. The price is the biggest stumbling point of course, but as these technologies become more commonplace, the price should drop with it.

Valve is introducing even more reason to have an HTC Vive if you don’t already. The current Vive controllers are a bit bigger than its competitors, but they still manage to feel really natural. There’s just one thing stopping them from being totally immersive. That’s the fact that you have to push a button to open and close your hands. I’ve experienced some games where to open a doorknob you push the trigger button to close your hand around it and then have to time the release correctly with the movement of your hand to swing it open.

Apparently, a new controller Valve has created for the Vive will eliminate small awkwardness like this. The hilariously named controller, “Knuckles,” is being shipped out to developers in kits for them to play around with it. It will have three hours of battery life and takes an hour to charge via a USB micro-B connector. SteamVR Home is apparently a great way to test the Knuckles controller. The biggest change between this set of controllers from the Vive’s first set is finger-tracking. This technology already existed in the Oculus Touch controllers, however, the Knuckles expand on it further.

Sticking with the door opening example, with the Knuckles controllers you’ll simply have to close your hands over the grip to hold the doorknob. And you’ll open your hand like you normally would to release the doorknob once you open the door. There are other silly examples offered up like the ability with Knuckles to flash the horns symbol at other people in game easily now.

It may seem like a simple thing, but the addition of an extra set of controllers to Vive really pushes it ahead of its competitors. Now you’ll have even more options that you did before, and finger-tracking seems like a super fun and potentially extremely immersive technology.

Source: Games Industry.biz

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