Hi Creators,
We’re excited to share a major update following the release of the Gamepad Emulator beta!
With this update, the Controls Emulator now supports VR, making development easier and more accessible. No more hassle with connecting or wearing a VR headset just to test your games — you can now handle it all directly in Studio, completely gear-free… though you should still test with real headsets to ensure full compatibility.
Enabling the beta
To start using the VR Emulator in Studio Beta, follow these steps:
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Open Studio and navigate to the “File” menu.
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Click on “Beta Features.”
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Enable the “VR Emulator” studio beta by checking the corresponding checkbox and pressing Save.
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Restart Studio if prompted.
Features
Interactive VR Controller Plugin
The VR Emulator features a fully interactive gamepad blueprint, similar to our Gamepad Emulator. You can select from Quest 2 and Quest 3 controllers as well as the different gamepad controllers (PS4, PS5, Xbox, Generic). Once selected, you can interact with the thumbsticks, triggers, and buttons to simulate real inputs.
Mouse and Keyboard Emulation
Control the six degrees of freedom for both the headset and controllers using a combination of mouse movements and keyboard shortcuts. For a detailed breakdown of movement and rotation controls, simply hover over the tooltip. To enable or disable mouse emulation, use the keyboard shortcut Alt + 1 (Option + 1 on Mac) .
Controller Selection
Use the toolbar to switch between the left controller, right controller, and headset, to control its rotation and position. To quickly switch between controllers, use the keyboard shortcuts Shift + Left/Right.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Custom keyboard mappings for controller buttons are available, similar to the customization options for Gamepad Emulator.
Best practices
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Keep in mind that Quest 2 and Quest 3 virtual controllers won’t be displayed in the plugin when you’re emulating with non-VR devices.
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Default mappings are provided for the six degrees of freedom (rotation and movement) for both the controllers and headset. Hover over the ? icon for more details.
How to get started
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Enable the VR Emulator in Beta Features.
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Go to the Test tab in Studio.
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Under the Emulation section, select Device.
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Select Quest 2 or Quest 3 from the Device Emulator dropdown.
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The corresponding virtual controller will open automatically.
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Press Play to start testing your game in VR.
In the Next Gen Studio UI (currently in Beta):
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Enable the VR Emulator in Beta Features.
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Go to View > Device in the menu system (on Mac, these will be in the MacOS menu bar)
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Select Quest 2 or Quest 3 from the Device Emulator dropdown.
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The corresponding virtual controller will open automatically.
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To open the virtual controller manually, go to the Script tab and select Controller.
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Press Play to start testing your game in VR.
Looking to the future
We’re actively working on expanding the keyboard mapping customization options, which will enable custom mappings for all six degrees of freedom and introduce shortcuts with modifier keys for even greater flexibility.
We’re looking forward to seeing what kinds of VR games you’ll make with the help of VR Emulator! Please share any feedback as we continue to enhance these tools!
Special thanks to the team that helped bring the VR Emulator to life! @idevride, @notchickennnnn, @sanslumiere, @spatialCompute, @reverenddoak, @bezzie_boi, @ignotuscaligo, @Rusi_002, @MoonRocketApollo, @worldsynth, @montximontxi, @yohooyohoo, @ZenoAjahChi, @LittleGreenBrick & @DodgerJavi, @Bluff_006, @LittleGreenBrick, @adotout and many more!
Happy developing!
