Half-Life: Alyx

[Eraser]

But such gameplay design choices are the results of the choice for VR, not the other way around.

I've been waiting 12 years for a new Half-Life game. Finally Valve gets around to making one (albeit not HL3/Ep3) and I can't play it because it's released for a platform owned by like 5 people in the whole world.
And I get Valve games have always been about pushing hardware and design, but there's always been the option of playing it on lesser hardware on lower resolutions, graphics quality settings or framerates.
Additionally, VR is not just an evolution in the sense of faster GPU's or more memory, it's a completely new thing that may not easily slot into people's gaming habits.

Don't get me wrong, I think VR is awesome and it's great to see an AAA-title being developed for it, I just hate the fact that I can't play it.

[SOAPboy]

But such gameplay design choices are the results of the choice for VR, not the other way around.

I've been waiting 12 years for a new Half-Life game. Finally Valve gets around to making one (albeit not HL3/Ep3) and I can't play it because it's released for a platform owned by like 5 people in the whole world.
And I get Valve games have always been about pushing hardware and design, but there's always been the option of playing it on lesser hardware on lower resolutions, graphics quality settings or framerates.
Additionally, VR is not just an evolution in the sense of faster GPU's or more memory, it's a completely new thing that may not easily slot into people's gaming habits.

Don't get me wrong, I think VR is awesome and it's great to see an AAA-title being developed for it, I just hate the fact that I can't play it.

This is old man logic.

This is the same bullshit with the last half life. OH NO IM GONNA HAVE TO UPGRADE MAH PCCCCC

you guys dont bat a fucking eye at dropping 400+ on a video card. Whats the deal with a headset? Or 600+ on monitors and such. The whiny salt and crying about having to buy something to play a game is fucking hilarious coming from PC gamers. 1500$ video card, but oh god spending 349.99 on a VR headset. :olo:

Oh right. Old man logic.

Get out of here nerd.

It kinda looks like VR is mandatory to be able to actually make use of the game mechanics. I'm not sure how it'd work with a controller to be able to move items on a shelf like that.

Some games have done the cross play shit. Serious Sam for example has pancake/vr mode so you can play with flat friends. The way it ends up working though, is it makes the game like mouse and keyboard, so your guns stuck to your headset n shit and you no longer can hold 2 guns at the same time.

Basically they rip out VR features, replace them with the flat variant, then bind buttons for VR users. Its really jank and feels like shit.

I know it's probably misplaced, but I do feel a bit betrayed knowing that I can't play this due to not having a VR set.

Don't. Headsets aint super expensive anymore.

Half Life 2 looked like a glorified tech demo too. But ya know.
https://twitter.com/geoffkeighley/statu ... 70881?s=20

Theres tons of VR content that isnt trash. Pistol Whip, Synth Riders, Pavlov, Onward, Stormland, ETC. Sorry its all PCVR. Sony just don't give enough of a shit yet.

Tetris effect is amazing though. I assume you have it if you've had PSVR that long. God that games so good.

Already replied kinda above but you know theres a bunch of stuff out there ya? I have 2100 games in viveport alone. I get theres a lot of crap but seriously the list of GOOD quality vr content is pretty long these days. Sairento still holds up, its been updated, its like a new game really. The VR side for Hellblade is REALLY well done. Eye of the Temple is coming soon, its basically indiana jones VR, which is rad. Blasters of the Universe is a ton of fun. Compound is a really cool retro VR roguelite shooter. Lots of fun. Contractors for your COD itch. Creed is good if you want a semi arcade boxing feel. Thrill of the fight if you want a more wear your ass out boxing experience. I really enjoyed In Death, Its kinda roguelite bow game thing. Pokerstars is a hoot if you like poker. All of the serious sam games are good/fun. Touring Karts is dope AF if you're into mario kart. Stormland for that grind/story game. Lone echo, story space game, very cool. Moss for your side scroller kinda more platformy shit, and its good. Five Night at Freddys is a thing now. Its insane. 100% recommend.

VR gets a bad rap and people say theres no content, But theres tons of really good content. People just want AAA after AAA title and the industry has shown AAA companies do shit ports of otherwise ok/decent games.

Yeah. I wrote a book. Wanna fite bout it?

I know there's a lot more options on the pc. Personally I would love to play Asgard's Wrath, Vader Immortal, Lone Echo, Robo Recall, etc. So I come from a PSVR experience and I'm obviously limited by that and I can only speak from that perspective. Still, the trailer doesn't do it for me personally. I was far more impressed by the trailer of Asgard's Wrath. But I know you need to experience VR in order to properly judge and after seeing the Final Hours video by Geoff, I have to admit that I'm slowly doing a 180 but I'm not about to spend 1200 euros on a headset nor do I have the room to set something like that up. I've read that it also works on Oculus, which is a lot cheaper and tempting, but I still don't have the room. I can play PSVR from my couch our standing in front of the TV, I don't need anything else. I would love some suggestions though.

WMR is great on super budget. Really. Yeah the controllers are kinda trash but so are vive wands so w/e

Rift S is my go to recommend for people who are new and have a PC and want PCVR primarily. IF you can throw down a grand, Index is going to be the recommend there. And if you can literally light money on fire, Vive Pro + Index controllers + Wireless = Best setup period right now.

I'm a huge fan of the quest too. Only thing is, don't buy it ONLY for a PCVR headset. Yeah its fine, Link works good. But understand its a mobile headset first. Its good, and itll give you the taste you need/want while things are tight in the living room. BUt as soon as you outgrow the space, eh, you'll want to potentially upgrade.

SOAPboy, me personally now, I consider you our Q3W VR resident 'go to'.

Questions LMK. Only been in the VR industry 2 years, but we're 6 headsets deep!

[Whiskey 7]

I know it's probably misplaced, but I do feel a bit betrayed knowing that I can't play this due to not having a VR set.

I join that queue
I'll have to go VR to really play the game. A limited market so you do wonder why the investment in development. Then it is early days of VR gaming and someone has to start or lead I guess...

........... but we're 6 headsets deep!

My statement ".... Q3W VR resident 'go to' " supported.

[Transient]

This is old man logic.

This is the same bullshit with the last half life. OH NO IM GONNA HAVE TO UPGRADE MAH PCCCCC

you guys dont bat a fucking eye at dropping 400+ on a video card. Whats the deal with a headset? Or 600+ on monitors and such. The whiny salt and crying about having to buy something to play a game is fucking hilarious coming from PC gamers. 1500$ video card, but oh god spending 349.99 on a VR headset. :olo:

Oh right. Old man logic.

Get out of here nerd.

Not everyone can (or wants to) adjust their gaming habits to accomodate VR. It's a physical medium, and not everyone wants to work up a sweat when they play a game. A lot of people just want to veg out in a recliner, to sit back and relax, they don't all want to be on the edge of their seat for a long gaming session, flailing their arms around.

You're right about one thing, though, it is old man logic. Then again, the core demographic of users who can afford to drop $400-800 on a VR set and peripherals are definitely not college kids....

[SOAPboy]

This is old man logic.

This is the same bullshit with the last half life. OH NO IM GONNA HAVE TO UPGRADE MAH PCCCCC

you guys dont bat a fucking eye at dropping 400+ on a video card. Whats the deal with a headset? Or 600+ on monitors and such. The whiny salt and crying about having to buy something to play a game is fucking hilarious coming from PC gamers. 1500$ video card, but oh god spending 349.99 on a VR headset. :olo:

Oh right. Old man logic.

Get out of here nerd.

Not everyone can (or wants to) adjust their gaming habits to accomodate VR. It's a physical medium, and not everyone wants to work up a sweat when they play a game. A lot of people just want to veg out in a recliner, to sit back and relax, they don't all want to be on the edge of their seat for a long gaming session, flailing their arms around.

You're right about one thing, though, it is old man logic. Then again, the core demographic of users who can afford to drop $400-800 on a VR set and peripherals are definitely not college kids....

I keep having this space conversation with people and I keep pointing to all kinds of people with basically no space who play VR games just fine. Theres also a professional echo player who plays sitting. Not all VR games require you to stand around and sweat. In fact I recommended a few already that are awesome and are just seated games.

Again you're not thinking about the medium as a whole and are using your lack of experience to guide your judgement here.

One thing you're right about though. Its mostly 18+ crowd. Its getting younger though. A lot younger. Quest + Rift S is allowing that entry level to get lower. Kids not having to hang shit on walls sells that headset.

What I'm trying to say here, Until you own a headset, and actually play a bunch of shit, opinions don't mean shit. I had no idea what I was getting into with VR. I was skeptical AF and I def did not want to spend $$$ for GPU upgrades. I got STUPID lucky on the summer of rift sale, Ended up starting with a trash GTX 960 as my first card and had a ton of fun. About broke a window, myself a few times, was insane. I never figured it would be as good as it was but then I owned one.

Sitting in an arcade for a bit, Isn't the experience. I've ran a good handful of booths and have multiple friends who own arcades. Unless you "live there" and spend hours inside those headsets on a regular basis, you'll never really get to experience things. You need it in your home to really appreciate it it fully. Theres just some things you can't/won't/want to be able to play in a booth/arcade.

With that said. If someone knows how to demo VR, and has a quest. Expect to be blown the fuck away. And I totally get that some people just wont be into it. Everything isnt for everyone. But even the people who have no interest in actually buying it, or using one in there home, that have had a good demo from someone who knows how to demo, they totally "get it". They may not want one but they are sold and will tell everyone about how neat it is.

Only people I know who really hate VR are people who havent tried it, or had a really really bad experience. Low frame rate, or like, a google cardboard or something dumb.


Can you tell I really like VR?

[Infernis]

WMR is great on super budget. Really. Yeah the controllers are kinda trash but so are vive wands so w/e

Rift S is my go to recommend for people who are new and have a PC and want PCVR primarily. IF you can throw down a grand, Index is going to be the recommend there. And if you can literally light money on fire, Vive Pro + Index controllers + Wireless = Best setup period right now.

I'm a huge fan of the quest too. Only thing is, don't buy it ONLY for a PCVR headset. Yeah its fine, Link works good. But understand its a mobile headset first. Its good, and itll give you the taste you need/want while things are tight in the living room. BUt as soon as you outgrow the space, eh, you'll want to potentially upgrade.

I'm willing to invest in either a Rift/Quest because it's doable price wise and Oculus has several exclusives I'm really interested in. Based on your comments I'm better off with a Rift, the only question that really remains then is what about the space? Because I just want to be able to use it behind my desk, which comes down to about 2 x 2 meters. Are the Oculus touch controllers crap?

[Eraser]

For me price in itself isn't the major factor in not (yet) getting a VR headset. My brother has an Oculus Quest and it's really cool. I also know space mostly isn't an issue either.

What, to me, is pretty obvious about soapboy's attitude compared to mine here is that we're in totally different phases of our lives. I have a full-time job, three kids to take care of and a 5 person household to manage, keep organized and clean and keep everything rolling. There isn't much time for gaming anymore. To spend $500 on a VR set means I spend $500 on something I'll barely use. I can't really justify that to myself.
Why can I justify spending $1100 on a laptop? Well, the laptop is something I need anyway. Something the whole family makes use of. Something I use for many things other than gaming. The added cost of having a decent GPU in there (GTX1060) is negligible.

The other thing is that VR gaming currently is a completely anti-social activity. You literally make yourself deaf and blind to your real world surroundings. You can't properly interact with them anymore. When I'm sitting behind my laptop playing Kerbal Space Program, Hearthstone, MotoGP racing or most of the other games I play these days, I don't shut myself off from my surroundings. I still have conversations with the people around me (my kids or girlfriend) and I'm still very much there. I don't like to socially shut myself off and, with the responsibility towards my children, in many cases I even can't.

So as much as I think VR tech in itself is awesome, really cool, I just don't see myself regularly putting a headset on my head. That's why I don't feel too good about Half-Life 1.5 being a VR only game. I would love for there to be a non-VR version. I'd absolutely play that.

[Eraser]

[lvlshot]https://preview.redd.it/yu160b54ve041.jpg?auto=webp&s=ad42f6e350536a69dd6983c821eae7a25847fee9[/lvlshot]

[SOAPboy]

For me price in itself isn't the major factor in not (yet) getting a VR headset. My brother has an Oculus Quest and it's really cool. I also know space mostly isn't an issue either.

What, to me, is pretty obvious about soapboy's attitude compared to mine here is that we're in totally different phases of our lives. I have a full-time job, three kids to take care of and a 5 person household to manage, keep organized and clean and keep everything rolling. There isn't much time for gaming anymore. To spend $500 on a VR set means I spend $500 on something I'll barely use. I can't really justify that to myself.
Why can I justify spending $1100 on a laptop? Well, the laptop is something I need anyway. Something the whole family makes use of. Something I use for many things other than gaming. The added cost of having a decent GPU in there (GTX1060) is negligible.

The other thing is that VR gaming currently is a completely anti-social activity. You literally make yourself deaf and blind to your real world surroundings. You can't properly interact with them anymore. When I'm sitting behind my laptop playing Kerbal Space Program, Hearthstone, MotoGP racing or most of the other games I play these days, I don't shut myself off from my surroundings. I still have conversations with the people around me (my kids or girlfriend) and I'm still very much there. I don't like to socially shut myself off and, with the responsibility towards my children, in many cases I even can't.

So as much as I think VR tech in itself is awesome, really cool, I just don't see myself regularly putting a headset on my head. That's why I don't feel too good about Half-Life 1.5 being a VR only game. I would love for there to be a non-VR version. I'd absolutely play that.

Hahaha did you just try to "career/kid" shame me?

Like for real. Am I reading this right? Did you seriously like, yeah. I'm gonna pretend it was an accident and you're not that fucking stupid.


1) When I started VR, I worked a 9 to 5. I also played step dad for a while. Neither of those things change the VR situation.

2) Are your kids all infants? Or do you not let them play games? VR is great with kids.

3) Anti-Social?
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3418 ... _Explodes/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/8681 ... use_Party/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/667800/Loco_Dojo/

Tell me how VR is anti social again? Keeping in mind thats off the top of my head....

And since you for some reason think I sit alone in a house all day. Fun fact, I actually also have people in my home, I have to interact with, while using a VR headset. SHOCK IM NORMAL.



Remember that part where I said, people who don't own VR don't know shit? And probably have bad opinions? Thats you, Right now. You assumed shit. Again. And your opinion is poop.

Sooo please, stop talking about VR like you know shit and its facts. Because its not. You're wrong, and thats ok but you might wanna not ruin it for other people by popping off your bad info.

I'm willing to invest in either a Rift/Quest because it's doable price wise and Oculus has several exclusives I'm really interested in. Based on your comments I'm better off with a Rift, the only question that really remains then is what about the space? Because I just want to be able to use it behind my desk, which comes down to about 2 x 2 meters. Are the Oculus touch controllers crap?

2x2 meters is .5 meters under the "recommended full roomscale size" set by valve. Its fine. You'll have some edge cases you cant do things with (Eye of the temple when it launches for example, has no small room option, and it REQUIRES almost 3m square). Beyond that, good to go!

As far as which is better on space. Meh, Whatever. If you can blow a grand all yolo the index is the nicer headset period. But the rift S is a quality piece of kit. Biggest complaints from people tend to be the headband/welders mask thing. Some people hate it, some are fine with it. Beyond that tracking is super good.

WITH THAT SAID. Lighthouse setups have larger expandable bla bla bla bla. its just way more $$

[Eraser]

I'm not trying to shame anyone. Not sure how you come to that conclusion. But the fact that you did take it that way and your rather aggressive way of responding to me shows me you're acting like a fucking moron that gets insulted when exposed to the fact that the world doesn't work the same way for everyone and that different people have different ways of doing things. Your complete lack of empathy is disturbing and rather telling of someone that's either still relatively young, hasn't had much life experience or is a psychopath.

It's hilarious that you claim to "have played stepdad". No parent would ever claim to "play" being a parent. Shows me you've never had kids that really depended on you and that you never had to move everything over to be there for them. I would move heaven and hell for my kids. If you think you'd get there by "playing stepdad", then jesus, I feel sorry for the kid(s) you pretended to care about.

You also get totally riled up when someone doesn't accept that VR is the second coming of Christ. The amount of importance you put into VR and gaming in general shows you're just a kid yourself. If you can't understand that VR may just not be the thing for everyone then that's on you man, not on everyone else.

[SOAPboy]

I'm not trying to shame anyone. Not sure how you come to that conclusion. But the fact that you did take it that way and your rather aggressive way of responding to me shows me you're acting like a fucking moron that gets insulted when exposed to the fact that the world doesn't work the same way for everyone and that different people have different ways of doing things. Your complete lack of empathy is disturbing and rather telling of someone that's either still relatively young, hasn't had much life experience or is a psychopath.

It's hilarious that you claim to "have played stepdad". No parent would ever claim to "play" being a parent. Shows me you've never had kids that really depended on you and that you never had to move everything over to be there for them. I would move hell and Earth for my kids. If you think you'd get there by "playing stepdad", then jesus, I feel sorry for the kid(s) you pretended to care about.

You also get totally riled up when someone doesn't accept that VR is the second coming of Christ. The amount of importance you put into VR and gaming in general shows you're just a kid yourself. If you can't understand that VR may just not be the thing for everyone then that's on you man, not on everyone else.

Aww you're gonna try to analyze me now. Its not a lack of empathy, its far from that. Its more correcting the ignorance that is your posts about a subject you clearly lack knowledge on. Sorry your excuses continue to be the same nonsense people still spout off. You nailed every single common myth about current gen VR. Its textbook dumb. Maybe its a lack of tolerance to stupidity? Could be. You are leaking a shit ton of it at the moment.


We're gonna talk about the step dad thing? Cool. I definitely cared about the runt. She was a good kid. Shame her mother was such a piece of shit. You're 100% right to feel sorry for her. But now you're getting personal and lashing out. Pretty cute. Like, was that really needed? Nah but you're being a petty child and had to try and flex I guess? I could say the same shit about you. You're trying to actually argue over the internet, with someone, and tell them they couldn't possibly care about someone because they used the term "played stepdad" in a thread, about half life, where you are upset/sad/bummed that its VR only. Are you serious right now? Got any other zingers there bud? :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:


I'm just tired of morons like yourself firing off your dick beaters because you tried a google cardboard or something. Its fitness equipment, its training equipment, its more than you realize, but you keep looking at it from your narrow little scope. Remember here, You're the one basically trashing the thing using your bogus knows jack shit logic, Then getting personal like a child. :olo:

Whatever man. You keep on being toxic timmy. :olo:


Also if you REALLY don't see how your condescending "I have a job, wife, kids" comment came off as fucked up, maybe you should like, idk, work with people more or something.

[seremtan]

well that escalated quickly

[SOAPboy]

well that escalated quickly

I'm over here dying laughing. :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

Between him and the general salt about Half Life has made my week fucking fantastic. :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

[Eraser]

SOAPboy's just angry people don't automatically conform to his narrow world view.

Keep going bruh. It's fascinating to see.
Be careful though, outside of your safe space, someone might say more things you don't like :olo:

[SOAPboy]

SOAPboy's just angry people don't automatically conform to his narrow world view.

Keep going bruh. It's fascinating to see.
Be careful though, outside of your safe space, someone might say more things you don't like :olo:

Says the guy living in a bubble. :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

[Eraser]

Says the guy who deals with the hardships of his life by escaping to a virtual one :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

[SOAPboy]

Says the guy who deals with the hardships of his life by escaping to a virtual one :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

My life is rad af fam :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

Unlike you I don't have a wife and kids to escape so I just enjoy my time in VR :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

EDIT: Gonna sleep. I'll keep laughing in the morning. Please gimme something to laugh to when I get up. :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

[Eraser]

Prefers VR over a wife. Typical virgin nerd priorities. Enjoy crying yourself to sleep :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

[seremtan]

[Transient]

LOL this thread devolved into Q3W from 15 years ago. Keep it up, SOAPboy.

[seremtan]

more like this :olo:

[SOAPboy]

Prefers VR over a wife. Typical virgin nerd priorities. Enjoy crying yourself to sleep :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

What a nice nap.

Oh, Virgin stuff. Cool.

I mean, I'd rather be a virgin than married to some breeder taking dick from the neighborhood. We know those kids aint yours.

:olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

LOL this thread devolved into Q3W from 15 years ago. Keep it up, SOAPboy.

I know, Eraser is cute when hes trying to be personal. :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

[SoM]

:olo:

[Eraser]

I mean, I'd rather be a virgin than married to some breeder taking dick from the neighborhood. We know those kids aint yours.

:olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

Say what now, stepdad? :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

[SOAPboy]

I mean, I'd rather be a virgin than married to some breeder taking dick from the neighborhood. We know those kids aint yours.

:olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

Say what now, stepdad? :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo:

Difference is I wasnt getting cucked :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: :olo: