VR Controllers VS Mouse - IS MOUSE AND KEYBOARD BEAT ?

Using the HTC VIVE we do a simple test to see how precise you can shoot and aim with the tracked motion controllers VS using a keyboard and mouse.

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Additional info

[MixedRealitySimRacing]

I played the multiplayer shooter onward with the Vive and was impressed how quick and precise you can target an enemy, feels incredible naturally. I believe especially for someone that isn´t that much into gaming it´s a lot easier with VR controllers than it would be with mouse and keyboard for him.

[axessdenyd]

I always thought it would be fun to get a professional action shooter (IDPA, IPSC) to play Space Pirate Trainer or something similar

[ReallyVirtual]

This was something I noticed straight away when playing Doom3 VR, much easier to aim and keep your aim on the target when the whole world is going crazy on you! I can only play this game is short spurts of an hour or so - I just find it way too intense. Just wait till you get on the levels with the spiders...

[WhispersOfWind]

Omg, it seems like 'VR controller' is going to outdo the mouse and keyboard as M&K outdid the controller/joystick. This is an interesting development. Nice shooting there (in VR) by the way.

[grvksh]

I have bought a Bluetooth mouse for my lappi, Can anyone tell me if it could be used in VR or I have to buy a VR controller?

[BluffMunkey]

I wonder if there'd be a difference between standing in front of a static wall and shooting for accuracy, and using muscle memory to 'flick shoot' a moving target. Difficult to say I guess as the latter is an online FPS style of shot that probably doesn't translate to VR very well.

[Synwolf]

Whilst standing still, shooting stationary objects.

Watch the Quakecon championships and you'll understand why VR will NEVER break past casual gaming.

[elecjack]

In your example and in a gun range simulation, VR controllers are definitely the most accurate as far as aiming goes. They are the most natural and having your head movements along with your arm independent is very natural and the brain processes it as such. The issue of course is that walking/running has a long way to go with a lot of difficult obstacles to overcome in order to reach an equivalent level of M&KB. I think in time they will come up with new techniques to get around this problem. In the meantime, I think M&KB will still be the king of certain types of games we currently enjoy like FPS. Although seeing some of these backpack laptops makes me wonder what it would be like (if money was no object) to rent out an empty warehouse and design a map for it in VR form with obstacles that people could have a battle in with a much larger space to play. Could potentially bring laser tag to a new level especially if the obstacles exist in VR and has a real world equivalent(like a large foam rock to represent one you are seeing in the VR world for example so you can't simply walk through it). Something I could see becoming a thing as the technology progresses.

[butcherjsy]

Does having a laser pointer make this a fair comparison though?

I want to see an e-sports pro with m&kb vs a pro marksman with Vice controllers!

[wilsonzt]

This looks very promising. I'm curious - how would this work with sniping? With M&KB, you can simply zoom in for enhanced precision. I'm not sure how that would translate to VR.

[BoneRacer]

I am waiting for my pre ordered tpuch controller and a Doom mod for the rift with touch support ✌

[jinxed_jinxed_]

Any driving happening any time soon, Mr Muzzle?

[dragoonsunite]

Short range, VR will win. Long range mouse and keyboard will win. The military has already conducted tests of actual shooters doing comparative shooting using automated platforms controlled with mouse and keyboard vs actual people firing guns, including trained snipers. If in person using real weapons the mouse and keyboard works better at long range, you can rest assured VR will never exceed that accuracy. However, time and time again trained soldiers with guns always outperformed any automated system controlled by people via computers in close range combat (Unless the system WASN'T controlled by people, and allowed to use advanced computing to target acquire and fire by itself, which is why auto-aim bots will always win 'period' in games and ironically in actual warfare as well).

It amazes me people think this is a debate. I have seen a few videos of this type, and it proves to me how weak people are at analytical reasoning. If the keyboard and mouse players did beat someone in VR at CQC, then it's obvious it's because the person is inept with the VR controls, they are poorly implemented, or the K&M player is over-trained.

Well tuned K&M controls, and well tuned VR controls, in combination with well trained VR players and well trained K&M players, the VR player will consistently win at CQC, and consistently lose at long range combat. Period.

[hanknkh]

In most cases, VR wins hands down. All because of one crucial thing. And that is where ur pointing at in reality is exactly where ur pointing at in game. Try pointing at 3 objects around u consecutively. U won't miss. Why? Cuz that's sth thats built into us naturally. Because if u do, there's sth very wrong with u n u need to go see a doctor immediately. It's sth that even a baby can do. while on the other hand mouse may also be fairly easy to use, it's still not as natural as pointing at sth in real life. U still can't tell how much u move the mouse on the mousepad translate to how much your crosshair moves on the screen. It's sth that the pros poured dozens of hours into practicing it so that they can get very familiar with the translation between mouse movement and screen movement. It takes effort. But on the plus side, nth beats the mouse when it comes to turning. U can never turn as quickly as a flick of the wrist. Not with your controller nor your twisting waist. And yes, unlike VR, mouse is stable when ur not moving it. So much so that some flat games implemented artificial shake to the in game guns to mimic reality. Another thing that's more of a con than pro in VR is u only see small portion of the screen because it's so close to your face. And anything that's in your view that ur not looking directly at, u can never notice they are there unless they move. Which is why camping in VR fps is much more effective than doing so in flat version. Sometimes even my friend spotted the enemies for me while watching my gameplay on my monitor cuz he can see my entire view on a tiny screen. And one more thing that m&k players can absolutely stomp VR players is sniper. Sniping in VR is just...trash. But if two platforms were to clash, I still think VR will outperform mouse&keyboard in most cases. And that's coming from a guy who plays PC games for nearly 30 years and VR about 5 years. It's obvious when u play games like doom 3 and left4dead 2 on both platforms and u will notice that u can never beat your own VR score with mouse & keyboard doesn't matter how hard u try.

[singlemale]

Now steam controller vs other console controlls.

[Muckylittleme]

Can you do an update on any OSVR controllers that appear. seems that is one area it is truly lacking.

Keyboard is somewhat irrelevant in this discussion by the way, since you do not use input to move around freely in VR as such. (No seperate movement input).
With mouse & keyboard you can be moving and shooting at the same time quite accurately.
Actually that is one of VR's biggest drawbacks, just moving around gives people motion sickness unless they are kept in a frame of reference such as a cockpit. (obviously we don't walk and run around in cockpits :)

[greysphere]

Aiming with gaze is even more accurate, if you are just trying to optimize aiming...

[jackace]

i heavily doubt mouse and keyboard will ever be beat by VR in terms of accuracy, at least not in current games anyway but as games progress they can be better designed to fully utilize the VR controllers then maybe but as of now and in current games the highest performance always comes from Keyboard and mouse.

[Refreshment]

It's funny to see people claiming "keyboard/mouse" is more accurate than a Gamepad. No, the mouse is the one more accurate. Digital movement with a Keyboard is not more precise and the keyboard as a game controller has considerale ergonomic issues.

[ColeusRattus]

The big advantage ofKB&M vs VR Motion tracking is the ability to move quickly and aim simultaneously. That's much harder in VR. Not impossible, but much harder.