No VR at all was never on the table
Actually, it was... Here's a couple of quotes from the announcement thread of Odyssey.
Is Elite Dangerous: Odyssey coming to VR?
Currently, Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will not be VR-compatible at launch
Just to add to this, VR will still be compatible with the base game and Horizons!
Let's just be thankful that we are actually getting VR at all in Odyssey. I am sure FD will finish the foot VR when they are ready.
It took a lot of effort on both parts, we kicked up a stink, they listened, and we got some VR, but ever since the announcement of virtual flatscreen, my sig has been:
"THANK YOU FOR ADDING VR TO ODYSSEY!!!
But be advised - we will want proper VR 3D Head-look not virtual flatscreen in the future..."
Work they have already done. How do we know this? Because they told us the outcome of the testing they performed - the conclusion of which was to leave out VR (for now).
Got any quotes on that? Way I'm looking at it is the work they've already done was the VR headlook in the cockpit.
I’d give it a go in a shot, but I’d probably not give much feedback regarding nausea seeing as I’ve got pretty solid VR legs.
If you can play SubnauticaVR or the Alien: Isolation VR mod, then I reckon you’d be set for the type of minimal implementation you’re after.
I’d be super happy if it could be enabled - even if by an ini file change, so there’s no chance of doing it by accident and then complaining when there’s bile streams coming down the nostrils
I could live with an ini hack as well, that could even be made into a tweak covered by Dr. Kaii's gui tool for graphical tweaks ? But I don't see why we can't use code that is already in the game and make it optional. Hell there could even be a couple of warning screens to click through to confirm you are aware this might make some players nauseous, bt you confirm you think you'll be ok and want to proceed at your own risk.
Ah yes cut copy and paste development.
Sounds like that will not cause any issues at all.
It's not like they haven't done copy-pasta before, and the VR implementation was reckoned to be a copy pasta of Oculus demo code, so maybe a little more wouldn't hurt...
Armchair devs are the best devs
I don't, and never have professed to be a master of any particular programming language, but I have worked with systems all my life, and have had overall engineering responsibility for multiple oil rigs, comprising numerous mechanical and electrical systems, often with computer control systems. I've had a hand in the modification of the control system for what was at the time of its construction the most biggest and most complex hydraulic system in the world. So while I have zero years games development experience, I've got a very good multidiscipline engineering mindset, and have been project management on projects of which only part of the scope was the software engineering, ergo this armchair dev is pretty confident that his industrial experience has given him a transferrable skillset that entitles him to make some reasonably well educated guestimates on this topic.
It was one of the main reasons stated. I have quite vivid memories of Stephen saying something to the effect of ”we don’t want people vomiting in their headsets”
That was in one of the streams last year.
I think companies believe VR has to use motion controllers. VR and motion controllers are two separate entities and should be treated as such.
The two Oculus dev kits didn't have motion controllers and neither did the first release of the Rift, as that came with an xbox controller. They're still VR.
I don't play NMS in VR due to them not allowing xbox controller play. I do play Skyrim VR a lot because they do allow it, it's the same as playing the 2d game. I would like VR in Odyssey with a controller. I don't need to have to wave my arms about to simulate pressing buttons or aiming.
Golgot and myself tussled a lot on this point, he seems to think VR needed hand controls, I see hand controllers as being another layer of software and another annoying peripeheral to switch between. It's bad enough changing my hands from the sticks to the keyboard for chat, it'd be even worse with hand controllers. And if they made it roomscale, I can guarantee I'd miss the pilots seat and headbut my desk, assuming I hadn't broken my 65 inch "monitor's" screen.
Having taken delivery of a Quest 2, the experience I have had of the motion controllers suggests, to me at least, that a player using them with a headlook device would be at a significant advantage compared to a player using more conventional controls while on foot.
I've never mentioned hand controllers, I'm actually opposed to them as you probably seen when moderating some of the VR threads in which me and golgot bounced our opinions off each other. Hand controls to make "Elite: Alyx" would be a whole different game, and not worth the monumental increase in development work to make that final step in VR expereince.
Personally, I wouldn’t like to go up against a m&kb player while using motion controllers, and I consider myself a decent shot in real life.
The upcoming slightly enhanced version of System Shock 2 should be interesting with respect to this - apparently VR & flatscreen players will be able to play multiplayer against each other.
Mate, I shredded my son when he was using XB1 controller on PC, and I KBAM, when he switched to KBAM, well, he's the man of the house for online gaming now...
Oh hell yeah, I'd totally welcome this
I think what you're suggesting (switching on the native VR view for the otherwise 2D-designed EDO gameplay) would indeed be relatively 'easy' for FDev. And also essentially unmarketable, as you say
. But as a relatively obscure option, for us EDVR hardcore, it would be super welcome. Just to be able to take in the ship scale from on foot, pick up missions from NPCs, go salvaging in a darkened wreck by helmet light, or whatever. Even in that very rough form.
It's worth noting that it would almost certainly be a horrible experience for many players though
. Even for those with their 'VR legs' regarding nausea. There's likely be UI plastered super close to your face potentially, heavier use of speedy yaw turns than even in standard mods etc, with view tied to the gun hand / reticule. Performance probably in the bin. It'd be rough...
But I'd still take that over no VR for now
Cheers mate, I know we don't see eye to eye on hand controllers, but I'm glad to have your support on this topic.
Zac clarified that their initial position of 'No VR in EDO' meant: 'All Odyssey content is not VR compatible'. No flying under blue skies in VR etc.
That is no longer the case. We'll now get
some VR access to EDO content.
A lot of useful comments referenced in there, very informative bud
More people use VR than use HOTAS. If either feature suddenly isn't supported then it's not going to look good for FD.
VR users are 2% and rising each year (I think it's doubling each year, or there abouts).
We are ~2% of steam users, well we were two years ago, but as you say a lot of headsets have been sold since then. However, Elite is a game that was such a posterboy for VR that I think there is a higher percentage of VR users in this game in particular than there is in the games industry as a whole, although I don't know what that stat would be.
no idea where you got your numbers from but it would have to get substantially higher than that. like, a few million sales on consoles ... that fish pond alone kept them busy for over a year.
even then, if there was actually any financial interest ... there's still the technical challenge. a cheap crappy hack will not work on foot, doing it right will mean ... actually building it for vr. i can't help but admire the unbreakable faith of anyone who sincerely hopes for this happening anytime soon (and i'm measuring in years).
The original VR was added to Elite in Alpha by one guy in one day, the VR headlook in the cockpit. I'd live with that same level of integration for the on foot, I don't need a full on built for VR Elite:Alyx type game.
![[VR] Orodruin](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/237/237188.jpg?1614840532){kind=avatar}
![[VR] Mad Mike](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/27/27910.jpg?1553527108){kind=avatar}
