DovaVR Locomotion

 

DovaVR Locomotion, from a modder called (fittingly) DovaVR, lets you get around Skyrim by swinging your arms instead of tilting a thumbstick. It’s a pure SKSE mod, so there’s no separate software to install, and it plays nicely with VRIK, HIGGS, and all of the combat and magic mods. Just don’t run it alongside another locomotion mod.

Turning it on

DovaVR Locomotion is optional and disabled by default. Enable it in MO2’s OPTIONAL Mods → Immersion section (see Onboarding). You’ll find its options in an MCM.

Walk this way

To start walking, hold both arms behind your back for a moment (or tap your activation button, if you set one in the MCM), then swing your arms at your sides as if you were walking. How hard you swing sets your pace: gentle swings walk, brisk swings jog, etc. There’s no big speed boost until you’re officially sprinting.

After about a second and a half, the mod locks onto your rhythm (its “cadence detection”). To stop, touch the thumbstick. To walk backwards, hold both arms behind you.

When walking (not sprinting), DovaVR automatically slows you down a bit when you make sharp turns, which makes it possible to navigate stairs and tight corners without bumping into a wall.

Swimming

In water, move your arms to swim, and the stroke you use sets your speed.

  • Crawl (alternating arms) is efficient but slower (~75% speed).
  • Breaststroke (slow, synchronized arms) is a little quicker (~85%).
  • Butterfly (faster synchronized arms) is the fastest option (full speed).

Riding

On horseback, use your controllers like you’re holding a set of reins.

  • Make short whip motions (down-up-down) to speed up. Whip again to go faster still.
  • Point your controller where you want to go, then raise your hand above your chest to lock in that direction.
  • Mimic pulling the reins (lower both arms down and back) to slow down. Hold them there for about a second and a half to come to a full stop. Touching the thumbstick stops you too, just as it does when walking.

MCM options

DovaVR has loads of options if you really want to fine-tune the experience. I’ve only personally fiddled with a few of these. Be sure to check out the Nexus page for the full scoop.

  • Sensitivity Preset (Low / Medium / High) is the place to start if movement feels too fast or too slow. There’s also a Speed Multiplier for finer control.
  • Direction Mode decides which way is forward. Shoulders lets you look around freely while walking the way your body faces, while HMD sends you in the direction you’re looking.
  • The Natural Sprint settings control when a walking turns into a run and a sprint, as well as how much of a boost sprinting provides.
  • Button Activation lets you start moving with a tap of a VR button instead of the arms-behind-the-back gesture. Holds are ignored to avoid interfering with other things.
  • Walking, swimming, and riding can be toggled on or off separately.
  • Fine Tuning (Shoulders mode only) adds small head-based corrections to make setting your direction more precise.

Don't overdo it

The mod works best when you don’t exaggerate. Natural, steady arm swings read better than big erratic ones, and small movements are plenty in tight spaces. To deal with turns and stairs, look where you want to go and let the auto-slowdown handle it.

For where DovaVR fits among MGO’s other ways of getting around, see the Movement page.