Dark Lab
About the Dark Lab
The Dark Lab is located on the Ground floor of Greencoat Building, in GB_G05.
Opening Hours
Open | Staffed | |
---|---|---|
Weekdays | 08:00–21:00 | 09:00–19:00 |
Saturday | 10:00–17:00 | Unstaffed |
Sunday | Closed | Closed |
Staff
Lieven van Velthoven |
he/him |
Dark Lab Equipment
Virtual Reality
We have a number of VR headsets available to students including access to high spec gaming PCs for use with them where necessary.
Which VR headsets does CCI have?
Using the VIVE Pro 2 Full Kit
We got the VIVE Pro 2 headset and base stations, controllers (HTC Vive Controllers and VALVE INDEX Controllers), and trackers in the lab.
Setup
For the full official tutorial, please refer to: VIVE Pro 2 Setup Video
1. Hardware Connections & Power Check
Before powering on your PC: Ensure all devices are powered and connected
- Headset, controllers, Lighthouse base stations, and the Vive link box should all be connected and displaying a solid green light.
-
Link box connections:
- DisplayPort cable → Graphics card port
- USB 3.0 cable → PC USB port
- Power adapter → Mains socket (requires 9V/1.5A or above)
2. Software Setup
Essential Installations
-
Steam & SteamVR
- Download and install the Steam client.
- Search for and install SteamVR from your Steam library.
-
Room Tracking Configuration
- Open SteamVR > Room Setup
- Base stations should be mounted at a height of at least 2m, positioned diagonally across the play area.
- Controller pairing: Press and hold the system button until the LED flashes blue → complete pairing via the SteamVR interface.
3. Unreal Engine 5 Integration
Initial Project Setup
-
Create a New VR Project
- Template:
Games > Virtual Reality
- Select
Blueprint
andStarter Content
(for quick testing) - Tip: Begin with a simple scene (e.g., an empty template) and gradually increase complexity.
- Template:
-
Enable Key Plugins
- Go to
Edit > Plugins
and enable the following:- OpenXR (recommended for SteamVR compatibility and future-proofing)
- OpenXR Hand Tracking
- OpenXR Vive Tracker (if using external trackers)
- SteamVR (required for the Vive Pro 2)
- Oculus VR (if Oculus headset compatibility is needed)
- VR Expansion Plugin (for advanced interaction features)
- Restart UE5 to apply changes.
- Go to
-
Optimise Project Settings
- Open
Edit > Project Settings
and adjust the following:- Rendering: Enable Forward Rendering and disable Mobile HDR.
-
XR Settings: Tick
Start in VR
and enableMotion Controller Support
.
- Open
These settings improve performance and ensure VR input responsiveness.
4. Testing & Troubleshooting
Launching VR Preview
- Click the dropdown next to the Play button (⚠️ not the default Play mode) and select VR Preview.
- Put on the headset to test real-time scene rendering.
❗ Common Issues & Checks
-
Device Not Detected:
- Confirm cables are securely connected and devices are powered.
- Restart SteamVR or the PC if necessary.
-
Tracking Issues:
- Ensure base stations are unobstructed and correctly positioned.
- Check for reflective surfaces or direct sunlight interfering with the sensors.
-
Performance Lag:
- Lower rendering resolution or disable unnecessary plugins.
- Update graphics drivers and Unreal Engine to the latest stable version.
With these steps completed, your HTC Vive Pro 2 should be ready for Unreal Engine 5.2+
Connecting Vive Trackers to Unreal Engine
For the full official tutorial, please refer to:
1. Get Your Trackers Ready
First things first—make sure each Vive Tracker is turned on and paired through SteamVR. SteamVR Settings > Devices > Pair Controllers > I want to pair a different type of controller.. > HTC Vive Tracker. You’ll know it’s good to go when the LED light is solid green.
- Click the 3 little lines on the top left of the SteamVR desktop dashboard window to open the SETTINGS.
- Then go to Devices, chose pair your contrllers, click on I want to pair a different type of controller, then select HTC Vive Tracker.
- Turn on the Tracker.
2. Set Up the Plugin
- Double-check that SteamVR is running.
- Open Unreal Engine and go to Edit > Plugins.
- Find and enable OpenXR Vive Tracker.
3. Assign Tracker Roles
After pairing your trackers you will need to assign them to the correct body part in SteamVR's Manage Trackers section, Left foot, Right Foot, ect. Its best to do them one at a time and label the tracker in some way so you know which body part is paired with that tacker.
Now let’s tell SteamVR which tracker does what:
- SteamVR Settings > Controllers > Manage Trackers
- Assign the roles like this:
-
Waist →
waist
-
Left Foot →
left_foot
-
Right Foot →
right_foot
-
Waist →
4. Integrate with Unreal Engine
- Open your project’s blueprint.
- Locate the Motion Controller component.
- Add a Live Link component to stream tracker data.
- Make sure the Role matches the SteamVR assignments.
5. Find and Link the Prawn Asset
- Connect the prawn’s motion controllers to the corresponding trackers. You could check here for more details Fixing Live Link XR in Unreal Engine 5.2 and 5.3
- Open the Content Browser.
- Search for prawn, and follow the tutorial video.
6. Test and Calibrate
- Run your project in VR Preview.
- Do some basic movements to check if everything tracks correctly.