VR support 'not at launch' for Odyssey

[Franc Kaos]

Its been said a lot here already, but my bet for why they wont be implementing VR for Odyssey at launch is due to how much dev work would need to be done, and what percent of the playerbase has VR, as well as the playability limitations of it.

It was probably fairly simple to add VR to the current "seated only" game since the camera does not have to move independent of the ship. Its fairly simple. Head movement for looking, and then a joystick + throttle for controls (or a keyboard + mouse). Its not fundamentally different from the main game, the biggest change is how the camera moves.

Now compare this to something like the new Half Life game. Complex motion controls, movement systems, inventory management, etc, all built from the ground up for VR. Now imagine trying to play this without VR. It wont work.

You could literally use the HMD as Mouselook with keyboard & mouse or controller to move with and most of the VR users would be happy. Maybe throw in a teleport option for the faint hearted - not that much extra work. Is Half Life Alyx amazingly well done, yes but pretty sure no one was expecting Fdev to put in that much work (they couldn't even be bothered to fix the missing orbit lines in FSS for gosh' sake).

No VR then... So long, and thanks for all the fish!
(doesn't look like they got fluids in there either, so no water, ammonia or lava worlds, no gas giants)

 

[[VR] optimal_909]

For me it's almost the other way around... No need to buy a VR set for quite a while not that my current hardware could handle one anyways.

Elite and MS Flight Sim are the only games that would make me upgrade my otherwise ageing Rift. None of them will support VR at launch, so I'm staying put as well.

 

[Deleted member 182079]

Elite and MS Flight Sim are the only games that would make me upgrade my otherwise ageing Rift. None of them will support VR at launch, so I'm staying put as well.

All I'm hoping for is that my laptop can still run it ok as it does now. Am already right on the edge when it comes to performance on planet surfaces, so hope the update includes some optimisation tweaks also.

 

[umbabrahattasil]

That's not what was said in the stream. They pretty much said they were in communication with the team and as soon as they know something they would share it. They said it towards the end of the stream.

Here is a community manager post confirming it. https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threa...ssey-announcement.546389/page-66#post-8496071

 

[VR - wickfut]

Here is a community manager post confirming it. https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threa...ssey-announcement.546389/page-66#post-8496071

It says clearly twice that VR is not coming at launch. Nowhere does it say it will get VR.

Is Elite Dangerous: Odyssey coming to VR?

Currently, Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will not be VR-compatible at launch. We’re big fans of VR and we are truly proud of the amazing experience that we currently offer in Elite Dangerous. However, the new gameplay, mechanics and features that will be introduced with Elite Dangerous: Odyssey means that we had to re-examine if we could deliver that same experience without compromise, which, for launch, means Odyssey will not be VR-compatible.

 

[VR Golgot]

Elite Odyssey - will not support VR at launch but it will come soon after.

They didn't seem to state anything about whether VR would come post-launch, let alone a time-frame.

The closest they got was this slightly garbled, possible intimation, from Stephen. (And I'm not throwing shade on the garbledness, it's hard to give accurate answers to an angry mob while playing the game )

[29m35s]

29:21

eliasdanger
:i was just saying on malics stream, i dont know if can even keep playing now knowing there will be no future vr support. what the heck am i working for?

So again, I mean, this is just the beginning right now. We've explained the reason why it won't be there on launch. Obviously especially with VR it's a very difficult... you have to get it really right, because people can get motion sickness and everything else, and all this other stuff. So it may not be there on launch. And we hope that it doesn't upset anybody, we do apologise.

I wouldn't read too much into that final phrasing, and general more optimistic flow. It's not a statement of imminent deployment post launch.

Here's everything else they said regarding VR:

Spoiler: VR comments from the Thursday Stream

[10m37s]

So for you guys asking about VR, we did put a couple of clarifications on the forums for you, but I'm more than happy to share it here as well. So VR is not going to be compatible with Odyssey at launch, but it will stay compatible with the base game and with Horizons. So that's all that we've got to share at the moment regarding VR. But anything that you've been saying, we've heard your feedback, and we've got it all collected. That's just really all we can say for now on that one.

[20m55s]

20:02
Myr_The_Butt
FrontierDevelopments Malic vr is freaking out on his channel cause he thinks there is gonna be NO vr in oddesey can you clearify that he seems like his blood pressure is high

I can see that some people say that Malic is a bit upset, now we hope that any information that Malic is doing ok. I'm sure he'll be fine. We'll make sure that we reach out to him.

Yeah we'll have a chat with him

[30m36s]

VR will still be compatible with the base game and Horizons.

[41m00s]

40:38
myarch
:I understand that you cannot answer the more specific questions regarding Odyssey and VR right now but just to resister my voice to the issue, please liaise with the devs and get back to us asap. MANY of us are confused at best/hugely disappointed at worst riight now

To answer your question myarch, we have of course seen all of the feedback, and that's why we wanted to make sure that we were sharing what we could, as soon as we could, regarding VR.

And it is something that of course we're in contact with the team all the time. So as soon as we're able to share more information and we have more to share with you about those kind of specifics then naturally that's what we're going to do.

 

[IamMe]

Buy ARX, you won't regret it!

i get yellow stain on my panties.
Never did nor i will, not fan of that stuff, i only have one paintjob and booblehead in all these years.

They actually did, in their own terminology

Their loss if soo, ED being in VR stores on headlines so far, but i get ppl can't go back to pancake as i'm among them.
I backed SC years ago, spent 50$ on it, haven't boot it up since.
Until they add VR support i'll play flight sims and uboat sims as i do now!

I'm still positive about this announcement since i play ED 2h per year but i understand ppl whom ED is primary game being disappointment by lack of VR support!
Hoping for the best!

 

[Frank]

At least Horizons is still keeping VR. I wasn't that bothered about space legs anyway. I will probably download it anyway seeing as I've got an LEP

 

[govny]

So they did so in a language that the rest of us don't understand? Or is it just an assumption in your head?

the second

 

[Lordxenu]

I am in the camp of not buying Odyssey due to VR being dropped but there are a few comments saying it would be easy to add which I think is a bit of an assumption. It's not just about switching mouselook to headlook, VR needs it's own UI to work properly (how many threads in the early days about unreadable text?>), locomotion would need to be worked out properly (motion sickness will be a big issue) and performance will likely be an issue yes most VR players have beefy PC's but that doesnt mean they could run the upgraded graphics of odyssey with no problem.

I'm not annoyed at fdev for dropping it even if I am bummed that the game is over for me for now.

 

[Cpt.Badger]

They actually did, in their own terminology

Indeed, they actually just did that. They also reply with "no definite date post launch for VR support" meaning exactly the same.

I will just write this in capital letters, so the less bright cookies will still get it.

"WE WILL NOT SUPPORT VR ANYMORE, BUT WE WILL ONLY TELL YOU THIS AFTER THE INITIAL POST LAUNCH SALES PERIOD IS OVER SO YOU POOR VR SUCKERS WILL STILL BUY THIS"

 

[CMDR WelshSossy]

Jeez. I've been away form ED for probably about 2 years now, but as a LEP holder I was wondering if this new expansion would entice me back in. Today's Non VR announcement means I DEFINATELY won't be coming back......but to be honestly I'm not surprised.

 

[VR Jay Le Chardon]

there are a few comments saying it would be easy to add which I think is a bit of an assumption

I'm going to have to put my hands up that I am essentially "a glorified spanner monkey" (my own turn of phrase) - however, I deal in multidisciplinary engineering teams, so can liaise with people outside my (clanky) discipline and as a PC enthusiast I have read a lot on VR. So when David Braben, a highly respected individual within the gaming industry and the CEO of the company that makes the game being discussed here, does an interview stating how they were one of the first to implement VR support and how easy it was to do, I and presumably others commenting in these threads were left under the impression that it wasn't a complete rewrite of the game that was required.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NIJ2VVLIxk


I know that is an old interview, but in essence the Steam VR API and the Oculus API haven't changed all that much over the years that have passed since this interview. Why do I think that? Simples, old games without updates still work on current oculus / steam VR.

 

[Reems]

Jeez. I've been away form ED for probably about 2 years now, but as a LEP holder I was wondering if this new expansion would entice me back in. Today's Non VR announcement means I DEFINATELY won't be coming back......but to be honestly I'm not surprised.

It's not like they care. If you're a LEP holder, they've already got your money.

 

[leeG]

Fly ships in VR, walk around planets in 2-D? Pretty much what I do now.

I’ve never come to terms with the barfmobile in VR so do all my surface work in 2-D.

If Odyssey space legs is basically just a FPS l’ll likely ignore most of it. Not interested in running around going pew-pew. I would like a luxury apartment in my home Orbis station and maybe a beach house on an ELW. Other than that, I’m willing to wait and see what Frontier comes up with.

 

[Tygra]

NMS has it, CIG says it's coming, (I don't really care if you believe them or not.), Elite has it now.

I don't want to loose it from Elite either, and that's the POINT, there's no reason for them not to make a simple statement saying it's not going anyplace to end the debate. If they won't do that, then it's a bad sign for a lot of folks who currently enjoy VR in Elite.

If they are dropping it, then they can't say they won't. Staying in this unknown state for 6+ months is not a good idea. They just need to tell us now to settle it.

And if they are dropping it, it's the most brain dead, disconnected, stupid thing they could ever do to the game, as that fundamentally changes this to a completely different game, might as well go play SC at that point. Won't be much difference then. So, I don't think they will, they can't possibly be that stupid. .... right? Frontier.... RIGHT?

There's an opportunity for them here as well, NMS has VR, SC is working on it, so, they could be innovative and show everyone how to do VR properly with a Space Sim/FPS hybrid that Elite is now becoming, by doing it right, and getting the mechanics right for both Space and FPS, they could raise the bar for VR for everyone... . . . The sad thing is, I don't have enough faith in them to get that right.

I hope they raise the bar, not try to slink under it or walk away from the challenge. What say you Frontier?

Please don't steal my eyes just to give me legs!

I guess we found out.... But now this feels stupid. I have to take off my VR to walk around? Bah... this is dumb. Even NMS doesn't treat me like that with VR.

No Man's Odyssey. This feels like NMS 1.0 all over again. "We Promise X feature"... nope. Walk around and shoot rocks, billions of worlds, and nothing to do but procedural quests. here we go again . . .

I am not buying a ticket for this hype train this time.

 

[777Driver]

Fly ships in VR, walk around planets in 2-D? Pretty much what I do now.

I’ve never come to terms with the barfmobile in VR so do all my surface work in 2-D.

If Odyssey space legs is basically just a FPS l’ll likely ignore most of it. Not interested in running around going pew-pew. I would like a luxury apartment in my home Orbis station and maybe a beach house on an ELW. Other than that, I’m willing to wait and see what Frontier comes up with.

I don't care much for the fps stuff.

As long we get the planetary tech I'm fine with it. No problem using the Xbox controller and doing the fps stuff on the couch using the TV. If they plan to block access to planets completely for VR users, that would be a major blow. Although I have been absorbed by IL2 & Aerofly in VR, DCS too, so I get a good dose of super realistic atmospheric flight.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

It's not like they care. If you're a LEP holder, they've already got your money.

I've been saying this for years.

And it's why I will never, ever buy an all-content pass that covers stuff yet to be announced.

Once you buy such a product, you've just paid to put yourself at the bottom of the list for customers to listen to.

 

[IamMe]

Can anyone recommend some lightweight monitor i can strap to my head until they add VR support!

 

[Deleted member 110222]

Can anyone recommend some lightweight monitor i can strap to my head until they add VR support!

EDTracker. It is quite fun.