ANNOUNCEMENT Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Announcement

[moogleslam]

Hi Alec,

We’re still reading everything, rest assured!

We don’t have any more details at the moment on how that split would work yet, however we’ve heard the questions and the feedback. We’ll be sharing more information closer to release.

To reiterate (it’s a long thread, things easily get lost!) you will still be able to play the base game and Horizons with VR, that isn’t changing.

Cheers,

Tim

Hi Tim,

If you're reading things, can you acknowledge that you've seen the outrage at the VR decision? Do you now think not including it at release was the wrong decision? With release still 8-12 months away, why not include it? You have time.

Thanks

 

[scholesey]

From my point of view they have done the best they can to convey their intent to support VR.

I don't agree they have, "at launch" can basically mean anything they want, it's anything but conveying intent.

 

[VR StarLightPL]

"at launch" means when the game is sold, not when you launch the executable. Why do we think that this means that the launcher (akin to horizons) will prevent VR in the main game loop?

Heh I think it's the first time someone interpreted it like so, and I've been here for the most part of the 200 pages. Of course they meant at release, and there's couple of things backing up VR players stance:

1. The original announcement stating Odyssey won't be compatible with VR at laun premiere ;-)
2. A follow-up stating "VR will remain compatible with the base game and horizons", reiterated a couple of times.
3. Media are already covering that: https://uploadvr.com/elite-dangerous-odyssey-wont-have-vr-support-at-launch/ and quote:

   In a follow up email we confirmed that VR support is still an open possibility sometime after launch, “with no defined date,” according to the company.

So, slim chance of that happening. Everytime I heard the phrase "with no defined date" in corporate meetings it would always mean "we're not doing it". Unless they reeeally underestimated the desire for space legs being enough to ditch VR.

 

[[VR] optimal_909]

Hi Tim,

If you're reading things, can you acknowledge that you've seen the outrage at the VR decision? Do you now think not including it at release was the wrong decision? With release still 8-12 months away, why not include it? You have time.

Thanks

I'm pretty sure they registered it. As the most important message, I think it was made clear that most VR players are ready to accept compromises and would still pay for Odyssey.

 

[Mengy]

So according to Tim they must be seeing all the questions about whether or not ship interiors will be part of Odyssey. I do hope they plan to answer that question sooner rather than later.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

[*]Media are already covering that: https://uploadvr.com/elite-dangerous-odyssey-wont-have-vr-support-at-launch/ and quote:

In a follow up email we confirmed that VR support is still an open possibility sometime after launch, “with no defined date,” according to the company.

Woah! VR support in PG and solo confirmed..... Yes! . (or is that VR is possible but open only...noooooo!)

 

[sgurr]

...

Started to type a reply but it will take too long to unpick so I'm going stop there.

 

[aRJay]

Hi Tim,

If you're reading things, can you acknowledge that you've seen the outrage at the VR decision? Do you now think not including it at release was the wrong decision? With release still 8-12 months away, why not include it? You have time.

Thanks

Possibly they don’t have the time (7-10 months actually), after all they have been working on the New Era for much longer than that already.
Remember we don’t know what is so bad with VR in Odyssey that they won’t include it at launch.

 

[nrage]

If I was you I would assume that launching Odyssey from the launcher will not be possible in VR. That's what I am doing until I know otherwise.

Fair enough. I still don't think they have stated this explicitly, but I can see why people are taking it this way.

 

[nrage]

I don't agree they have, "at launch" can basically mean anything they want, it's anything but conveying intent.

Fair enough.

 

[nrage]

Heh I think it's the first time someone interpreted it like so, and I've been here for the most part of the 200 pages. Of course they meant at release, and there's couple of things backing up VR players stance:

I was here from the first, and this was how I read it. I haven't had time to read the whole thread, however.

I'm also a VR player, so I guess I'm the exception to your rule

1. The original announcement stating Odyssey won't be compatible with VR at laun premiere ;-)
2. A follow-up stating "VR will remain compatible with the base game and horizons", reiterated a couple of times.
3. Media are already covering that: https://uploadvr.com/elite-dangerous-odyssey-wont-have-vr-support-at-launch/ and quote:

None of that is explicit enough, to rule out my interpretation, but I will concede I may be in a minority here especially if everyone is complaining about it and Frontier havent clarified further. It would be nice to see it stayed explicitly, however perhaps it's not fully decided, yet.

I doubt Frontier want to ditch VR, as annoying players for no reason is non-sensical.

Most likely it's technical, or the fact that PvP FPS doesn't really seem a good fit for VR, in my experience.

 

[nrage]

Started to type a reply but it will take too long to unpick so I'm going stop there.

No worries, I think we're talking past each other

 

[CMDR Slee Piboi]

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will not be VR-compatible at launch.

+

In other words, at what point is VR not supported? Is it when you enter glide for an atmospheric world, when you transition to "legs", or when you launch an "Odyssey" version of Elite?

+

We don’t have any more details at the moment on how that split would work yet

Not "no details how that split works", instead "no details on how that split would work". YMMV but to me this reads like a split was definitely not originally planned; You launch Odyssey, you have no VR.

To me it also reads like such a split just might be planned right now. Which would make total sense, as it would've from the beginning -- why lock a well established feature like all the existing, best-in-class vehicular VR out, just because space legs gets added as a feature? I'll eat my hat if the reason isn't at least partially technical (new engine and/or game client codebase not developed with VR as a priority) but likely also due to waning interest in VR at FDev internally (based on the CEO's comments), maybe also lack of VR expertise due to employee turnover.

 

[F4fred]

If Elite went VR only there'd be an equal amount of entitled 2d users rightly demanding 2d be continued. The difference is the VR users would be agreeing with them and not criticizing them for being upset. The "I'm alright Jack" crowd should best keep quiet.

Well I have been there before, games I wanted to play that didn’t run on my hardware. If I thought it was worth it would divvy up for VR. Oh and if there were 2D users they would be wrong to feel entitled, but they would be free to express disappointment or displeasure.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

I was here from the first, and this was how I read it. I haven't had time to read the whole thread, however.

I'm also a VR player, so I guess I'm the exception to your rule


None of that is explicit enough, to rule out my interpretation, but I will concede I may be in a minority here.

I doubt Frontier want to ditch VR, as annoying players for no reason is non-sensical.

Most likely it's technical, or the fact that PvP FPS doesn't really seem a good fit for VR, in my experience.

Would that be the PvP which FD officially stated was a minority activity in ED ? )

Of all the things I really hope that is not why VR got chucked under a bus. I.dont PvP anyway. IF that was the reason just lock it out of open like the high Res screenshots. But that said PvP is so unbalanced in ED with cotrol methods, engineering, multiscreen setups, network monitors, players using macros and scripts.... I really don't think VR should be considered the unfair advantage to not allow it in PVP

 

[VR StarLightPL]

Would that be the PvP which FD officially stated was a minority activity in VR?

Well they might appeal to the demographics liking that activity, which, as Fortnite shows, is a pretty lucrative market. And given Elite's unique setting might be a wad of cash for FDev if pulled right. It's not about me or you mate, it's about hard cash. Competition is nowhere to be seen...

And let's also be clear on one thing: I think both pew pew and Space Legs will be great for the franchise as a whole. Elite needs fresh content, if it's FPS module then why not, Destiny 2 is great mind you - if they can pull this off then go FDev. Bit of an uncharted territory though so we will see how it will work. Or rather I will read how it works, because not buying without VR support.

 

[scholesey]

I was here from the first, and this was how I read it. I haven't had time to read the whole thread, however.

I'm also a VR player, so I guess I'm the exception to your rule


None of that is explicit enough, to rule out my interpretation, but I will concede I may be in a minority here.

I doubt Frontier want to ditch VR, as annoying players for no reason is non-sensical.

Most likely it's technical, or the fact that PvP FPS doesn't really seem a good fit for VR, in my experience.

nrage seems like a pragmatic person, and I agree that VR might not be the best for fast paced FPS action. I think the biggest upset is excluding VR users entirely from Odyssey. If VR is not great for FPS then at least give us the option to find out for ourselves. It's better to be "owned" by the mouse/keyboard comuntiy and have the opportunity to "walk" away and enjoy the other 99% of the game. I think VR users would gratefully accept the limitations that VR (not FD) may impose on FPS play but be very grateful to accept the additions in other areas like landing on these atmosphere planets and standing round with your mates or exploring caves for egineering materials etc. This forum would look much better if it were a keyboard/mouse v VR FPS player rant.

 

[F4fred]

Would that be the PvP which FD officially stated was a minority activity in ED ? )

Of all the things I really hope that is not why VR got chucked under a bus. I.dont PvP anyway. IF that was the reason just lock it out of open like the high Res screenshots. But that said PvP is so unbalanced in ED with cotrol methods, engineering, multiscreen setups, network monitors, players using macros and scripts.... I really don't think VR should be considered the unfair advantage to not allow it in PVP

But if that were the case wouldn’t PvP players be entitled to expect the game continued to support their preferred gameplay?!

 

[VR StarLightPL]

VR might not be the best for fast paced FPS action

All parts of Serious Sam VR disagree with that sentence It is great. Didn't try multiplayer with pancakers but I know it's possible.

 

[[VR] Chris]

Maybe its just that the new effects are 2d .. like the steam in the landing bays... and would just look shyte in VR