After years of development and many ups and downs along the way, the developers of a virtual reality mod for the original Half-Life 2 announced a public beta that will begin next month.
Half-Life 2: VR has been in development for so long that was originally part of Steam’s Greenlight program in 2017and indeed it has since been worked on by some involved in the project. 2013. The reason for the slow progress is mostly, different alyx, the game is not designed to be played in VR only and so there are many parts that are difficult if not impossible to port to a headset.
However, empowered by the “extremely positive feedback from our private beta testers” in recent weeks, the developers have steeled themselves and now believe it. “that the game in its current state is not only completely complete from start to finish, but it is also very enjoyable to do so.”
As a result, they announced that they will keep it next month. It’s a public beta showing everything that has ever been up and running. Judging by the trailer below – including vehicle parts – there’s a lot:
By now you’ve probably had some questions, especially about movement and vehicles. Here are the answers to the developer’s FAQ:
What movement options are available?
The mod features smooth motion where the direction of motion can be configured to follow your head or one of the two controllers. The rotation can be configured to be straight or at fixed intervals (snap turns).
There is currently no teleporting movement available and it is unclear whether it will be a viable option in the future.
How will you handle vehicle parts? I don’t think I can digest them in VR.
Currently, vehicle rides do indeed require powerful VR stands. However, there are some comfort options to help you get rid of them. A classic motion vignette is available and can be enabled for vehicle rides. As you drive, the borders of your screen become darker, reducing your field of view and reducing the effect of motion sickness. Additionally, you can choose to experience the vehicle rides from a 3rd person camera perspective. In this mode, the camera follows the vehicle at a distance and is not directly exposed to the vehicle’s rapid movements and turns, which will significantly reduce motion sickness. However, it does make controlling vehicles a bit more awkward.
In the future, we may implement an additional mode where the vehicle rides are placed on a virtual 2D screen in front of the user so that everyone has a chance to pass the vehicle sections in the game. This mod will of course be less immersive than existing mods as it will remove any 3D effects from the experience.
This virtual 2D display option looks ideal for anyone with an upset stomach! You can learn more about the project and see what areas they are currently struggling with. on its website.
