TALES FROM THE RIFT

Update: 18 July 2016

If you are trying to play ILMxLAB Trials on Tatooine on Steam, and SteamVR can’t detect your Razer Hydra controllers, then make sure you update to the latest OpenVR driver:

https://github.com/betavr/steamvr_driver_hydra/releases/tag/v1.0.1.15

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On the 18th of April 2016 Valve did something amazing: they released OpenVR driver source code for the old Sixsense Razer Hydra motion-tracked controllers. Wow. Wow. Why the Wows? Because if you own an Oculus Rift and a Razer Hydra – you can now play virtually any VIVE VR title on SteamVR ! The Razer Hydra controllers (shown below) have buttons that actually map quite naturally to the VIVE controllers that you don’t miss out on any functionality.

In one respect this is even better then Oculus Touch – because you immediately have access to a large catalog of games on SteamVR (and navigating SteamVR itself) using motion controllers.

I know many early Oculus Rift backers, developers and enthusiasts bought up the Razer Hydra’s when they were on sale (like myself) so if that is you – now is the time to dust them off and plug them back in.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have one, you may find one on ebay or craigslist.

Here’s how the buttons map to the Razer Hydra:

Install support for Razer Hydra

Valve have released the source code at OpenVR Driver for Razer Hydra using Sixense SDK which requires compilation with Visual Studio. To make it easier for everyone, user betavr has a compiled version available.

Here are the installation steps:

1. Install Steam (if you don’t already have it)
2. Within Steam install the SteamVR tool.
   or, go to Library, Filter on “Tools”, and search for SteamVR, then right click and install it:
   
3. Within Steam, install the”Sixense SDK for the Razer Hydra” tool.
   or, go to Library, filter on “Tools”, and search for Sixense, then right click and install it:
   
4. Now download the latest Razer Hydra compiled driver from https://github.com/betavr/steamvr_driver_hydra/releases.
   (I downloaded steamvr_hydra_driver_v1.0.1.2.zip) then unzip it and run the installer.
5. Now, plug-in your Razer Hydra and it should flash green and you are ready!
   

Setup your Razer Hydra in SteamVR

https://github.com/ValveSoftware/driver_hydra

1. Launch Steam
2. Launch SteamVR – Library -> SteamVR -> SteamVR (or directly double click your SteamVR shortcut)
3. Run the Room Setup from the popup menu:
   
4. Make a decision about Room Scale or Standing only modes:
   

Standing Mode

Firstly, the wizard will make sure it can detect your Oculus Rift:

Next, calibrate the center of your space: hold your headset in the central location and press “Calibrate Center”:

 

Next, locate the floor, using the headset again, measure the distance to the floor.
Since most desks are 76cm high, I entered 76cm and held by Oculus Rift at desk height:

And that’s it, you are done:

Room-scale Mode

If you prefer the full room scale experience (including chaperone boundary walls), then firstly clear some space:

 

Calibrate the center of your space by pointing a controller at the monitor and pressing the trigger:
Note: The wizard seems to get the direction reversed with the Razer Hydra – but I’ll show you how to correct that in a later step.

 

 

Locate the floor by putting both controller on the ground:

 

Measure your space:

 

Hold the trigger on one of the Razer Hydra controllers and walk around the perimeter of your space:
Note: The cable length of the Razer Hydra controllers are just long enough to measure the smallest space permitted. So make sure you walk as far as you can with the cable fully stretched out.

 

Here is my space. But note the forward arrow is facing the wrong way. Hit Edit:

And press FLIP to reverse the direction:
(or if you forgot this step, just turn the Hyrda base station 180 degrees around)

You are ready !

 

Play the tutorial

If it doesn’t auto start, run the tutorial from the SteamVR popup menu:

To start press continue:

Now put on your Oculus Rift and pick up the Razer Hydra motion controllers.
If you see the Oculus Health & Safety Warning, look at the text to dismiss it:

Now look at your controllers. If they are not aligned correctly, hold them up at shoulder height (one on each side of your face) and press the center button (tall skinny) on both controllers to reset the calibration.

Now, look around at the demo room. As you look around the furniture will disappear:

Leaving you ready to be led through the tutorial:

Firstly, you’ll be shown the trigger (that is the same on the Razer Hydra)

Next the grip buttons (on the Razer Hydra that is the bumper button on the front above the trigger button):

Next, the track pad. (This is the joystick on the Razer Hydra):

 

And pressing the trackpad (on the Razer Hydra press the joystick down):

Next the menu button (on the Razer Hydra that is Button 4):

Finally the system button to access the SteamVR dashboard (on the Razer Hydra that is the central tall skinny button):

Then have lots of fun blowing up balloons and then blowing up balloons.

Play Games

I recommend the following titles you can find in Steam:

• The Lab (free)
• Cloudlands: VR Minigolf (demo)
• Budget Cuts (demo)
• The Brookhaven Experiment (demo)
• Tilt brush
• Hover junkers
• IKEA VR Experience (free)