Here is a simple 3D "virtual joystick" implementation for Unreal Engine VR apps

[lmalave]

Hi All,

I've implemented a simple but very effective 3D "virtual joystick" implementation using Leap Motion with Unreal Engine. Here a video where you can see the virtual joystick in action and how robust and fluid it can be as a practical game controller:

Here is the source code on github (MIT license):

https://github.com/lmalave/leap-virtual-joystick

Would welcome any feedback!

[aldomanetti]

Very Nice!
I like the way it only appears in the interaction zone.
It looks like this zone its far from the hand? or its an illusion? If it not, i recommend put de interaction zone (interface) next to the hand, the starting point at center of leap, if only one hand interacction is needed.
But if you want to use both hands, one to move, another to break things.. I suggest put the interface at the center point of leap but displace it to the left or right (to set more confortable arm/hand position) ..depending on the first who activate.

Hope it help.
Greetings

[lmalave]

Great suggestion about the use of both hands and choosing which hand to activate to use for movement! I was going back and forth with how to handle this myself. For now I just have it set so the left hand is for movement an the right hand is for action. You can see a video of using the right hand for action here:

I was thinking about just making it a configuration setting whether to use the left or right hand for movement, but I like your idea of when the game starts just raising either hand to the activation disk to select that hand to be used for movement.

By the way - when looking through the Oculus the activation disk looks huge, with the idea being that the user can raise their hand where it's most comfortable - it can be close to the body or farther away from the body. Since the Leap has a much wider field of view than the Oculus, it's even possible (with practice) to effectively use the virtual joystick when it is almost out of your field of view.