*** Half-Life: Alyx ***

[bazzabear]

Oh. My. Days. (As I think the kids are saying these days.)

I'm not going to post any spoilers - and I'm incredibly grateful that I somehow never found this out by accident in the 5 years it's been out - but I've got further than I ever did previously, and just overheard some conversation and found out 'THE THING'.

Shivers. What a cool link.

 

[something daft already!!]

I just fired this up to make sure my VR was working since the new desk was setup, it's been a number of years since I last played. I had forgotten how fantastic this was in every way. The attention to detail, the graphics, the game play, everything is a masterclass of how VR and general gaming should be done.

 

[Ravenger]

I just fired this up to make sure my VR was working since the new desk was setup, it's been a number of years since I last played. I had forgotten how fantastic this was in every way. The attention to detail, the graphics, the game play, everything is a masterclass of how VR and general gaming should be done.

Apart from the guns being glued to your hand so you can't swap hands, and there being no melee, and the game obviously being designed for teleport originally.

It is an amazing game though, but not the best example of how to do VR interactions. What it gets right it gets very right, but it omits some stuff that other games do very well.

 

[Devious]

I started chapter 10 in match put it down and im struggling to motivate myself to finish it. I really enjoyed it at tge beginning and when it kept introducing new ideas but I don't really enjoy the combat which obviously is getting more nearer the end

I dobt think VR is for my old head and will sell ny Quest3 once I finish Alyx so need to get it finished.

 

[Rob_B]

Such a good game. Only ever played on a Quest1 so I'm probably missing out but I may just have to dip into it again this week.

 

[SimonRigga]

don't forget the many many great free new levels/mods for it, they add huge amounts of playtime, and some of them are as quality as the main game..

 

[niggyg]

I still never got around to completing this... I must get back to it!

 

[danswan]

Apart from the guns being glued to your hand so you can't swap hands, and there being no melee, and the game obviously being designed for teleport originally.

It is an amazing game though, but not the best example of how to do VR interactions. What it gets right it gets very right, but it omits some stuff that other games do very well.

Can you elaborate? I've not played much VR outside of Alyx and Driving sims. It's been a while since I played but I remember everything being really intuitive, stuff like the reloading and putting stuff in your backpack. So I'd love to take a look at other games that do things better

 

[Ravenger]

Can you elaborate? I've not played much VR outside of Alyx and Driving sims. It's been a while since I played but I remember everything being really intuitive, stuff like the reloading and putting stuff in your backpack. So I'd love to take a look at other games that do things better

Look at military sim games like Onward, or The Walking Dead Saints and sinners, or Arizona Sunshine 2

Guns go on holsters on your belt. You can use a gun in either hand or even in both hands. You can't do a two handed weapon grip in Alyx.

Saints and sinners and Arizona Sunshine 2 allow you to melee with weapons or even your hands. In Saints and Sinners you can grab a zombie anywhere and use a melee weapon on it.

Now these games aren't as polished or as good graphically as Alyx but they don't play it safe with movement and interactions.

One of the biggest omissions in Alyx is not being
to melee headcrabs when they jump at you. It's natural to want to fend them off with your hands or a weaponbut all you can do is shoot them. What's a Half-Life game without a crowbar?

It arises from Alyx being designed in the early days of VR and avoiding things that might make players feel ill or uncomfortable as it could be their first VR game.

I love Alyx, but it is not a perfect VR game in terms of movement or interactions.

 

[Ravenger]

That said Alyx did do some amazing interactions that other games copied. The mavity gloves (distance grabbing had been done before but nowhere near as fun or polished as this) and dropping items over your shoulder to store them or grabbing magazines from over your shoulder.

Also the holographic lock picking puzzles were amazing. You really feel immersed in the world when manipulating them.

 

[s5319]

I played this NonVR and it was very good. Hope they do a HL3

 

[Mr Badger]

Look at military sim games like Onward, or The Walking Dead Saints and sinners, or Arizona Sunshine 2

Guns go on holsters on your belt. You can use a gun in either hand or even in both hands. You can't do a two handed weapon grip in Alyx.

Saints and sinners and Arizona Sunshine 2 allow you to melee with weapons or even your hands. In Saints and Sinners you can grab a zombie anywhere and use a melee weapon on it.

Now these games aren't as polished or as good graphically as Alyx but they don't play it safe with movement and interactions.

One of the biggest omissions in Alyx is not being
to melee headcrabs when they jump at you. It's natural to want to fend them off with your hands or a weaponbut all you can do is shoot them. What's a Half-Life game without a crowbar?

It arises from Alyx being designed in the early days of VR and avoiding things that might make players feel ill or uncomfortable as it could be their first VR game.

I love Alyx, but it is not a perfect VR game in terms of movement or interactions.

The first 'The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners" is a great game (and VR experience). The sequel, not so much.

Have you played a VR mod of HL2? The crowbar is indeed awesome in VR as you can aim it much better by swinging your arm than clicking a mouse.

 

[Ravenger]

The first 'The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners" is a great game (and VR experience). The sequel, not so much.

Have you played a VR mod of HL2? The crowbar is indeed awesome in VR as you can aim it much better by swinging your arm than clicking a mouse.

Yep, I played HL2 VR all the way through. The crowbar worked really well.

 

[danswan]

Thanks @Ravenger I'll look into some of those. I agree it would be great to swipe away attacking headcrabs lol.

 

[DrCrabHands]

One of the biggest omissions in Alyx is not being
to melee headcrabs when they jump at you. It's natural to want to fend them off with your hands or a weaponbut all you can do is shoot them. What's a Half-Life game without a crowbar?

You can pick up an office chair or something else to use as a rudimentary shield against head crabs.