HTC's Vive Tracker adds lots of accessories to your VR games

What is the Vive Tracker? If you know about virtual reality and you have a PC, you know about HTC vibe, a year old plus, whole room sensing VR system. Vive trackers are small wireless pucks that act like extra controllers. They're like the Vive control ones, minus the buttons. They **** into separately sold accessories like retro looking NES light guns. Or tennis racquets and ping-pong paddles. Or elastic straps that velcro onto your arms and legs. Live Tracker by itself costs $99 or $150 in a bundle with an accessory and a few steam game downloads. Setting up the Live Tracker isn't easy. It needs to be charged Paired, and you need a dongle and USB cable to snake from your PC, too. But once it's connected, it can be surprisingly fun. The Hyper Blaster light gun can work in games that need guns, like Duck Season. The ping pong paddle and tennis racket work in VR sports And the crazily realistic eleven table tennis. Feeling a real paddle elevates the realism but there aren't any app decks so you can't feel the ball and both of these games can be played with a regular Vibe controller too you don't really need these things but add trackers to your feet with track straps that cost about $15 each And suddenly you could end up with an approximation of a VR body suit. Final Soccer VR does a great example using these, allowing me to make goal kicks with your feet. It's a hoot, but few other games seem to work with them or even know how to use them well. Vive Tracker could indicate where extra VR accessories go from here, but they're also a lot of extra hassle to set up. Which means a bigger cardboard box for your VR stuff. And a greater chance you won't bother using any of it.