Will atmospheric worlds only be released with the Odyssey update or will that feature be shared with Horizons?

[Rybodhi]

I currently play ED 100% of the time in VR and I have to say I am a little bit disappointed that Odyssey won't be supported.
What about atmospheric worlds? Will I be able to land on them and fly through them in VR?

How long will Frontier continue to support VR into the future?

With the next generation of Consoles due to be released late this year that would run ED in VR perfectly fine getting rid of VR from the game would be foolish from an economic view point.
Who knows what the long term plan is?

Come on Frontier you can't just drop a trailer like that then keep us hanging for answers!

 

[sgurr]

Whether I can be in a VR cockpit flying through an atmosphere is the main question I have.

I'd really like FD to give a clear answer on that.

 

[Rybodhi]

Yeah.... You would think after dropping a trailer you would organise a full reveal within a week or so? (Answer questions from the community.)
Show us some of the content they have been working on etc etc.

 

[Cyclinguy]

Unless they move a lot of their new Odyssey code into Horizons, I don't see how players running Odyssey will even be able to land on the same planets as players running Horizons. I mean, how would that work? Would Horizons players see a planet rendered using the current system, and Odyssey players see the new rendering features and atmospheric effects? It would be tricky to make the two renders compatible in terms of basic terrain features.

I see the possibilities for Frontier as follows:

1. Create a new set of planets that allow space legs, and use the new rendering tech, and only let Odyssey owners land there. Existing planets can still be accessed, but only via SRV (for everyone, including Odyssey players). So Horizons players can still land on all the currently accessible planets and see Odyssey players in ships and SRVs, but can't land on any of the new ones. Odyssey players get to land on the new planets as well, enjoy the new planetary rendering tech, and run around shooting at each other etc.

or

2. Add some of the Odyssey code to Horizons, so that Horizons owners can land on all the same planets Odyssey owners can land on, but can't run around with them. They'd see the Odyssey players running around shooting at each other, but could only sit in their ship or SRV as now, but they would get the benefit of the new rendering tech, with atmospheres etc.

In option 2, it may be possible to run Horizons in VR and get to enjoy the new planetary tech, but if this means Frontier have to do some work to get the VR to work with the Odyssey players running rings around the Horizons player's SRV, they may have gone with option 1 instead... Also Frontier may not want to give this amount of improvement to planetary renders to Horizons players who haven't actually paid for it.

Separating Horizons players from players of the base game is easier, as only Horizons players can land on planets anyway (which is probably why all engineers are on planetary bases).

If Odyssey is an optional DLC with all players still in the same basic universe, its going to get pretty complicated with players running three different clients with very different abilities. My guess is they'll upgrade the base game to Horizons, at least for the planetary side of things, and probably take up option 2 above, but there's always the very good chance that I'm wrong!

 

[Rybodhi]

Unless they move a lot of their new Odyssey code into Horizons, I don't see how players running Odyssey will even be able to land on the same planets as players running Horizons. I mean, how would that work? Would Horizons players see a planet rendered using the current system, and Odyssey players see the new rendering features and atmospheric effects? It would be tricky to make the two renders compatible in terms of basic terrain features.

I see the possibilities for Frontier as follows:

1. Create a new set of planets that allow space legs, and use the new rendering tech, and only let Odyssey owners land there. Existing planets can still be accessed, but only via SRV (for everyone, including Odyssey players). So Horizons players can still land on all the currently accessible planets and see Odyssey players in ships and SRVs, but can't land on any of the new ones. Odyssey players get to land on the new planets as well, enjoy the new planetary rendering tech, and run around shooting at each other etc.

or

2. Add some of the Odyssey code to Horizons, so that Horizons owners can land on all the same planets Odyssey owners can land on, but can't run around with them. They'd see the Odyssey players running around shooting at each other, but could only sit in their ship or SRV as now, but they would get the benefit of the new rendering tech, with atmospheres etc.

In option 2, it may be possible to run Horizons in VR and get to enjoy the new planetary tech, but if this means Frontier have to do some work to get the VR to work with the Odyssey players running rings around the Horizons player's SRV, they may have gone with option 1 instead... Also Frontier may not want to give this amount of improvement to planetary renders to Horizons players who haven't actually paid for it.

Separating Horizons players from players of the base game is easier, as only Horizons players can land on planets anyway (which is probably why all engineers are on planetary bases).

If Odyssey is an optional DLC with all players still in the same basic universe, its going to get pretty complicated with players running three different clients with very different abilities. My guess is they'll upgrade the base game to Horizons, at least for the planetary side of things, and probably take up option 2 above, but there's always the very good chance that I'm wrong!

They will probably go with the option that is easiest/cheapest to roll out that fits with there long term plan for the game which would probably be option 1. (Maybe 2?)
Hey I appreciate your reply man it is really well thought out, I just wish that Frontier would communicate a little more with the player base.
I always play in VR, I have thought about it and I dont mind logging out/in every time I need to go for walk and having some screen time.
You should really get off the goggles at lest once every two hours or so anyway.

 

[Maggie_Oz]

Yeah.... You would think after dropping a trailer you would organise a full reveal within a week or so? (Answer questions from the community.)
Show us some of the content they have been working on etc etc.

Why? They probably don't even know themselves at the moment. It's months away at best

 

[Cyclinguy]

They will probably go with the option that is easiest/cheapest to roll out that fits with there long term plan for the game which would probably be option 1. (Maybe 2?)
Hey I appreciate your reply man it is really well thought out, I just wish that Frontier would communicate a little more with the player base.
I always play in VR, I have thought about it and I dont mind logging out/in every time I need to go for walk and having some screen time.
You should really get off the goggles at lest once every two hours or so anyway.

Part of me thinks option 1 will win the day, as it would look like making more money (on paper at least).

As for taking off the goggles, I'm ok with that, but it really sucks that I can't enjoy the new planetary tech and atmospheres with the goggles on. That would be the most exciting feature of Odyssesy to me, at least as revealed to us so far.

 

[Rybodhi]

Himmm...

 

[Rybodhi]

Part of me thinks option 1 will win the day, as it would look like making more money (on paper at least).

As for taking off the goggles, I'm ok with that, but it really sucks that I can't enjoy the new planetary tech and atmospheres with the goggles on. That would be the most exciting feature of Odyssesy to me, at least as revealed to us so far.

Yeah that does suck!
I really hope they integrate planetary tech/atmospheres from Odyssey to Horizons for free while charging for Elite Feet only if you fork out for Odyssey.
For the sake of the game I feel they will have to compromise in some way.

 

[Rybodhi]

Why? They probably don't even know themselves at the moment. It's months away at best

They have been working on the New Era (Odyssey) for two years or so now, they will know what they can do and will have set goals envisioning the final product.
So they have two years of material they could show us and could probably answer 90% of our questions at this stage, judging by the forums currently there are plenty of questions.

 

[Faded Glory]

It's highly improbable that anything that comes with Odyssey will be incorporated into the previous games.

For a start, FD want players to buy the new DLC, not give parts of it away for free. There may also be technical issues, it is suggested in the release notes that there's 'new tech' underlying this wizardry. But even if they can get around the second point, the first is I am sure non-negotiable.

 

[Maggie_Oz]

have set goals envisioning the final product.

A set of goals isn't neccessarily what you will achieve though.

 

[GrandAdmiralThrawn]

[...] For a start, FD want players to buy the new DLC, not give parts of it away for free. [...]

Fair enough. But for me, the buying part is not gonna happen if the main feature that I've been waiting for will be made inaccessible (the atmo landings). Knowing myself, I'll probably continue to play Horizons and after a while I'll probably quit out of frustration.

As for the question this thread title is asking: It's more about VR than about the planetary rendering being shared between Odyssey and Horizons. For me, it'll be ok if Horizons gets that content, but that would be a bad move, economically. Just like Faded Glory said: They want us to buy that thing, so there will very likely be no free lunch.

Give me everything but Space Legs with VR. But lock me out of the part that is 2D only. Then I'll buy. Lock me out of VR entirely when playing Odyssey? No money from me for that.

I guess a better question would be: "Will VR players be able to enjoy atmospheric landings using the new planet rendering system via any way at Odyssey's launch? And if no, then when will they, if ever?"

We would need some clear statements from FDev here.

 

[VR Mr Teatime]

From a technical standpoint if Frontier don't implement VR for a DX Camera on the space legs avatar, then they are not going to have it for the seated avatar either. It doesn't matter what the camera point is attached to (it could be attached to a Thargoid's armpit) - its either enabled for VR in the rendering part of the engine or it is not.

 

[Faded Glory]

Give me everything but Space Legs with VR. But lock me out of the part that is 2D only. Then I'll buy. Lock me out of VR entirely when playing Odyssey? No money from me for that.

I think many of the VR players (myself included) feel much the same. I've never been that interested in space legs, have no desire for ED to become a typical FPS shooter game. As an LEP holder I'll have access to it, but I'd be very surprised if (even were VR supported) the space legs part of Odyssey would be something I'd be doing much if at all.

I guess a better question would be: "Will VR players be able to enjoy atmospheric landings using the new planet rendering system via any way at Odyssey's launch? And if no, then when will they, if ever?"

We would need some clear statements from FDev here.

Again, my suspicion, from what they've said is no. Landings on the new types of planets, assuming that's what they are will be limited to Odyssey, and Odyssey will not support VR at launch. To me, that says not at all, not on the ground and not in the cockpit. Will it be supported later? Only FD can answer that definitively. Personally I think they'd much rather not bother with it, it's not the game they seem to want to make anymore. When the FSS was revealed it was also revealed that the devs didn't know whether it would support VR, and when they determined that it would, it was released very buggy, quite a few of those bugs still present.

It's possible that they will take the negative feedback from the VR crowd to heart, but I think it's fair to say that we are a minority, and with the potential for millions of sales, a few tens of thousands of disgruntled non sales will be easily shrugged off.

And as I said in another post, if we are misreading or misunderstanding the words that the CM's have written on the forum, and that VR will be supported, just not when we are on foot, then that would have been something that I'd expect to have seen clarified by now. The silence suggests (at this point) very strongly that there'll be no 3D setting in the graphics settings if you launch the game with Odyssey.

 

[Rybodhi]

It's the waiting and not knowing that es me off, it is time for Frontier to come back to the player base and explain in detail what direction the games is going in.
Then we can make a informed decision as individuals whether or not we will continue to support Elite Dangerous and move on.

 

[VerticalBlank]

Incidentally X3 Rebirth had live VR / non-VR switching in 2017, just by taking the headset off or putting it on:

Steam Community :: Guide :: X Rebirth VR Edition User Manual

The User Manual for X Rebirth VR Edition. Details gameplay elements, some game concepts, and activities that you can do in the game, and how to find them....

steamcommunity.com

 

[CMDR M Kozak]

It's the waiting and not knowing that es me off, it is time for Frontier to come back to the player base and explain in detail what direction the games is going in.
Then we can make a informed decision as individuals whether or not we will continue to support Elite Dangerous and move on.

Once upon a time we had ED game designers and executive producers posting here with info. Now we only get pre-chewed tidbits presented by a community crew thats so new I cant keep track of who is who and who have quit FDEV again.

Michael Brooks, Sandro Sammarco, Edward Lewis... where are you?

 

[Rybodhi]

Incidentally X3 Rebirth had live VR / non-VR switching in 2017, just by taking the headset off or putting it on:

Steam Community :: Guide :: X Rebirth VR Edition User Manual

The User Manual for X Rebirth VR Edition. Details gameplay elements, some game concepts, and activities that you can do in the game, and how to find them....

steamcommunity.com

What is X3 Rebirth like in VR? Have you played it? If it is possible to have VR in that game then why not ED? (Odyssey.)
Might go watch some reviews.

 

[Rybodhi]

Been thinking about it and I might invest in TrackIR get rid of my HTC Vive and swap out my X52 for my xbox controller.
I want to experience Odyssey so there goes $480AUD for my new set up.
To me I have spent a lot of money so that I can experience Elite Dangerous to its full extent (HTC Vive $900 and X52 $350) and I can hardly believe I am making plans to some what take away from the experience just so that I can play Odyssey.
It's crazy really but hey you gotts do what ya gotts do....