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Frictional Games and Headset Technology? (VR) - Adventurer4Life - 03-11-2016

So, the new VR headsets are about to come out... Steam has the HTC on pre-order and Oculous is supposed to go on sale in the next few months. This bring out a few major questions.

Lets just for the sake of argument, assume that this new HeadSet technology is going to be good. I'd like to avoid the nerd rage going on at the moment about how much it costs or if it is going to be functional at all. Lets just assume it dose work and they people do but it. (I know I will)

Anyway.. a few things come to mind...


(1) Old Frictional Games Compatible?

I think it can not be argued that the Frictional Games so far released even though not designed for VR would make awesome games to play with this type of screen.

The question becomes, can these games be played with the coming VR technology.

Now I know that technically "any" game can be played with this type of screen, the thing is that the VR perspective requires level design attention to scale that is not often used in most games due to various reasons. Many games that are "forced" into VR have really bad immersion breaking things like steps that are waist high. Even though they look fine in game, when you put on the VR system that doorway might be only 1/2 your size but the the railing of the stair case might be as thick as a tree trunk.

I personally would love to play the older games in a VR setting, I think the Frictional style is nearly perfect for this technology, especially the way the interface works with "reaching into the gameworld" to pick up and move objects.

Do you think they will just work, or will they need "updates" form the modding community or Frictional Games themselves?

(2) What dose Frictional Games think of VR

I'm extremely curious as to what Frictional Games thinks of the VR fad that is about to hit. It could be a game changer, or a flash in the pan.. even so.

Is VR something that Frictional Games is looking at?

I would love to hear some thoughts on VR form the FG devs and their ideas of how / if to incorporate this into their next project. Even if it is as simple as making sure there is realworld scale in the gameworld.


RE: Frictional Games and Headset Technology? (VR) - i3670 - 03-11-2016

I don't think the engine can handle it because your interaction movements are connected to your mouse movements, which would be replaced with the Oculus. This'd mean that if you wanna throw something you'll snap your neck.

I guess if they figured out how to implement that horrible interaction mode from Penumbra it might work. The one where you disconnect your mouse from the camera.