Will VR Ever Be Added To Odyssey

[robbyp]

And on that steam survey note, I think this explains why Frontier are not really interested in putting much effort into VR:

Back in 2014 VR was going to take over the world (some people said). 10 years later...

 

[Arioch]

And on that steam survey note, I think this explains why Frontier are not really interested in putting much effort into VR:

View attachment 388013
Back in 2014 VR was going to take over the world (some people said). 10 years later...

It varies - up over Christmas, down after everyone goes back to work - but it tends to hover around the 2% mark:

…and 2% of around 132 million users is fairly respectable, I’d say. There are only 3.5% (down 0.24%) of users playing at 4K and I don’t see anyone getting sniffy with them

VR may not have taken over, but it’s definitely here to stay - from my own perspective a VR headset is as an essential piece of kit in the simulation world as HOTAS etc. It’s very rare that I play flatscreen games these days - and then only on handheld devices. When my PC gets flashed up, the goggles go on.

 

[Rat Catcher]

What is the cost to their business by not following through

If there was a significant cost to their business, they would have developed further. Not doing so just might indicate that the number of VR users, both currently and projected, is too low to recoup development cost. (They are a development studio, and like many (even considerably larger) studios are cutting costs across the board - it is hard times globally for many businesses)

 

[Darkfyre99]

That's why, as mentioned several times, pretty much all VR games (that support turning the camera with the controller) offer a stepped rotation option (which is invariably enabled by default). And that's exactly what 100% of VR games that use first-person-shooter movement mechanics use.

I'm well aware of that. I also know that for me at least, the "stepped rotation" option in VR is also nauseating. The only time I’ll use it on those rare instances where I see I’ll need to take advantage of side cover (my VR space is 2m x 3m) and it’s safe enough to close my eyes while I do it.

Leaving turning to your own body physically turning isn't practical because 99.99% of PC VR headsets out there have a cable running from the headset to the PC. Rather obviously you would get entangled in it. (Even the few people who have the cable running to the ceiling instead on the floor would have the problem of the cable eventually having so many twists that it becomes infeasible, or might even break something.)

I have my cable running through the ceiling myself, and since I haven't been blessed with such an abundance of free time, cable twists have never become a problem. Even the few occasions where I've played for several hours, it has never been an obstacle during the game. Afterwards? I just let the headset dangle until it untwists.

If you happen to be one of the rare people who have some kind of wireless headsets that connect to the PC wirelessly, and thus allow you completely free movement unrestrained by any cables, then congrats. Most people don't have such a thing. (Also, turning chairs do also exist. Even here they may be the better solution because you don't run the risk of becoming disoriented and going too much to one side and hitting a wall or something. Sure, most headsets will show you a red graphic or something when you are approaching the limits of the play area, but that distracts from the immersion of the game. You gain something, you lose something.)

Here's the thing: I don't disagree with you that options exist to reduce VR induced motion sickness. It’s just that implementing those options require development resources. It’s nowhere as simple as “flipping a switch,” At the very least, Frontier will need to hire a new VR expert, and redesign the on-foot HUD to function in VR. Frontier got very lucky on that front during development in 2013. And unless they want a vomit inducing onfoot experience for most players, they’ll need to do a lot better than simple seated VR.

As a for-profit public company, any development Frontier does regarding onfoot VR needs to see a return on investment. Of course, there are many types of returns, not all of them financial. But the “quick and dirty” seated onfoot VR conversions (and not so quick like No Man’s Sky) I’ve played, both mods and in-house, have been universally a horrid experience for me. Which is really saying something, given that I’m less sensitive to VRmotion sickness than most. I don’t need to use the teleport function in games like Fallout Four or Fallout Alyx, after all.

Any “quick and dirty” onfoot VR experience will be panned by most players, and I doubt Frontier wants a repeat of the Odyssey release debacle, especially since Odyssey’s reviews still haven’t recovered yet. Why invest all that time, money, and talent for a negative return on investment?

 

[DjVortex]

Going by the latest Steam survey, wireless VR headsets (Quest 2, 3, Pro, and Pico) account for roughly 56% of those in use.

Slightly more than the 0.01% you’ve said it to be

Uh? The Quest headsets connect to a PC via the Link Cable.

Unless you are claiming that ED is available for the headsets natively?

 

[jojon]

The link cable is an option; Sending the images over Wifi is another.

 

[Arioch]

Uh? The Quest headsets connect to a PC via the Link Cable.

Unless you are claiming that ED is available for the headsets natively?

As jojon says, Quest headsets can connect to a PC with AirLink as well as a Link cable - if I’m playing a seated simulator game I connect via cable as it extends battery life, but for stuff like Skyrim/Fallout4/Borderlands2/HL2/HL:A etc. then I go wireless and move freely around my room. I don’t have any visual difference between the two as I’m in the same room as the router and the Quest 3 is the only device on the 5GHz channel.

I haven’t tried Virtual Desktop or the new Steam Link, but those are both wireless connection options as well. VD in particular has a lot of fans.

 

[McNum]

Personally I'd love to have a stereoscopic view on foot. I want to stand behind my Cutter, look up, and go "Whoa, she's huge!"

But honestly, the virtual screen is serviceable for now. My biggest beef with VR in Odyssey is the flickering shadows while flying. Those can actually hurt to look at. Main reason I don't play much these days, to be honest.