Half-Life: Alyx, the first Half-Life title in far too long has now been officially revealed with the Steam store page for it now available and you can also pre-purchase. However, their email clearly stated that Half-Life: Alyx will be "Free for owners of the Valve Index VR headset".
This is a title built from the ground up for Virtual Reality, so only those with a VR kit will be able to play. Valve said it has "all of the hallmarks of a classic Half-Life game" including exploration, puzzle solving, visceral combat and a story that connects it all together with the Half-Life universe. Valve also said it will be compatible with "all PC-based VR headsets", it's powered by their own Source 2 game engine and it will release in March 2020.
You can see the trailer below:
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From the press release sent to use earlier:
"Everyone at Valve is excited to be returning to the world of Half-Life", says Valve founder Gabe Newell. "VR has energized us. We've invested a lot of ourselves in the technology. But we're also game developers at heart, and to be devoting ourselves to a VR game this ambitious is just as exciting. For that to come in the form of Half-Life feels like the culmination of a lot things we care a lot about: truly great games, cutting edge technology, and open platforms. We can't wait for people to experience this."
If you end up buying Valve Index hardware before the end of 2019, Valve also said they will throw in a few bonuses which include:
- Explore environments from Half-Life: Alyx in your SteamVR Home space
- Alternate gun skins to embellish Alyx's arsenal
- Special Half-Life: Alyx-themed content for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2
There's also going to be a focus on community-created content as well, with a set of Source 2 tools that will be available with the game.
Some of the team at Valve had a chat with Geoff Keighley too, which you can see in this video.
Currently the Steam store page and the official site for Half-Life: Alyx only state Windows support. Since Source 2 and SteamVR do work on Linux, it might be that the state of SteamVR on Linux isn't good enough just yet. Hopefully they're working on it though! I've reached out to Valve to ensure it will see a Linux release too and will update you when I know.
Update 19:40 UTC: Valve press emailed back, they said "Right now we can only confirm windows for this product".
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Comandante Ñoñardo Nov 21, 2019
The graphics looks awesome!!!... I wonder if they are real ingame graphics or faked CGI...
By the way.. VR? No, thanks. I can't afford that. I want traditional monitor/TV support, Valve.
By the way.. VR? No, thanks. I can't afford that. I want traditional monitor/TV support, Valve.
2 Likes, Who?
No Linux support. Valve's VR doesn't support Linux at all, sadly.
I play Serious Sam VR on Linux with no issues with Vive.
6 Likes, Who?
There is not a single shadow of any doubt in my mind that this title will also come to Linux, if not on launch day then very shorty thereafter.
2 Likes, Who?
I will buy the Valve Index just to play this game.
I can't imagine Valve did all those efforts to bring VR on Linux if not to port this game on it.
I can't imagine Valve did all those efforts to bring VR on Linux if not to port this game on it.
2 Likes, Who?
Already own Valve Index? You'll get Half-Life: Alyx free, plus extra content.
Well, that's pleasant! :D
0 Likes
*Cue the influx of second hand vives to ebay.* I'll likely upgrade myself too, this game looks like a game I would invest time into in VR.
The index controllers were already a game changer for me in terms of the level of immersion so I cannot wait to experience this with the full kit.
I'll see how the market and my finances are, but I might treat myself to a second hand HTC vive, and a pair of knuckles. They say Alyx will appear in your library if you own any Index hardware, including just the controllers. So that's a $50 rebate on their price :)
Last edited by MayeulC on 22 November 2019 at 8:54 am UTC
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TheRiddick Nov 22, 2019
... But unfortunately VR sets are too expensive for me with their current prices :(
Yeah I feel you, the prices do get a little ridiculous here in Australia for VR.
I CAN get a Quest for $650AUD and use that Link cable thing but really I feel like its a waste of money atm, very BETA stage, lots of little issues that add up.
Ideally I would love to get a Pimax 8KX headset but by the time you pay for shipping/exchange/accessories, it would be around $2500-3000AUD! OUCH...
Think I'll just wait for video cards to be able to handle 120hz at 4k before I consider VR,
I'm all about the pixels!!!!! if I see one jaggy edge, pixel or screendoor, I would scream! lol
PS. Anyone notice a fair bit of Australian accent in this game? Yes the game looks great, is this Source 3 engine? I might be able to get VR in 2021, its a struggle.
Last edited by TheRiddick on 22 November 2019 at 1:53 am UTC
3 Likes, Who?
I'm sorry, but I'm probably going to already be spending somewhere around $2500 for a Ryzen 3900X/X570/5700XT based system so that I can actually get decent framerates on heavier games released within the last five years. I'm sorry Valve, but I'm afraid your shiny new $1000 dollar headset will have to wait.
Uh, that just looks like a slight overhaul of Source in 4K. Actually a pretty good sign because it's very likely to be a less demanding game engine with a lot of support behind it and already setup for Vulkan. If that's the case then smaller teams/indies might look to Valve&Source2 instead of EPIC&Unreal which barely functions on Linux right now unlike SOurce2 which should function well on EVERYTHING.
Last edited by jarhead_h on 22 November 2019 at 3:03 am UTC
The graphics looks awesome!!!... I wonder if they are real ingame graphics or faked CGI...
By the way.. VR? No, thanks. I can't afford that. I want traditional monitor/TV support, Valve.
Uh, that just looks like a slight overhaul of Source in 4K. Actually a pretty good sign because it's very likely to be a less demanding game engine with a lot of support behind it and already setup for Vulkan. If that's the case then smaller teams/indies might look to Valve&Source2 instead of EPIC&Unreal which barely functions on Linux right now unlike SOurce2 which should function well on EVERYTHING.
Last edited by jarhead_h on 22 November 2019 at 3:03 am UTC
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TheRiddick Nov 22, 2019
3900X/X570/5700XT
The GPU will be the major decider on framerate, Getting a 3700 + B450 board would free up some cash to get a even faster GPU and cost nothing substantial in framerate.
I don't understand why so many people think getting more cores and a faster CPU is going to magically give them the best framerates. The 5700XT is really a 100fps at 1440p type of GPU, AT BEST. (games like KCD will give you less however).
Hopefully AMD release a 5800XT or something, already their starting to hype the NAVI2 expectations, meanwhile they only have the 5700 models available to market, talk about jumping the gun...
Last edited by TheRiddick on 22 November 2019 at 2:29 am UTC
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orochi_kyo Nov 22, 2019
Valve really knows how to middle finger their fanbase. Their next game will be exclusive for some new Valve hardware only a few have access, maybe it could be the Valve wheel, Half Life Carting. Or the Valve guitar, Half Life Soundtrack Best hits. Both Valve guitar and Wheel will cost only 1000$ each, quite cheap.
0 Likes
no_information_here Nov 22, 2019
So, instead of HL 3 they release HL 1.5 in a form I can't play. Smooth...
Well, I still hope they sell a boatload of copies and start actually making more (real) games instead of only online crap I don't care about.
Me, bitter?
Well, I still hope they sell a boatload of copies and start actually making more (real) games instead of only online crap I don't care about.
Me, bitter?
1 Likes, Who?
3900X/X570/5700XT
The GPU will be the major decider on framerate, Getting a 3700 + B450 board would free up some cash to get a even faster GPU and cost nothing substantial in framerate.
I don't understand why so many people think getting more cores and a faster CPU is going to magically give them the best framerates. The 5700XT is really a 100fps at 1440p type of GPU, AT BEST. (games like KCD will give you less however).
*snip* - don't be rude - Liam
I'm a new content creator. I need the video editing horsepower because as shocking as it sounds my current PhenomII 960T/AM3 mobo/GTX1060-6GB just isn't the greatest for that sort of thing. Gaming is the least of my concerns these days, and that $2500 is for a system based around 1440P. 4K would be another $1000 for the monitor alone and honestly I don't view either NVIDIA or AMD as having a real 4K GPU yet, although NVIDIA is almost there. Ram ain't cheap. Large amounts of storage ain't cheap. A decent overclocking mobo that will end up with two or three different CPUs in it's life span ain't cheap. The previously mentioned 960T is the third CPU in my 9 year old mobo which is also on it's second set of DDR3 and like fifth boot drive because I clonezillaed my 250GB 840EVO over to my new 500GB 860EVO and then grew the XFS filesystem via LVM because it's Linux so we get to do that.
Last edited by Liam Dawe on 22 November 2019 at 8:16 am UTC
2 Likes, Who?
Valve really knows how to middle finger their fanbase. Their next game will be exclusive for some new Valve hardware only a few have access, maybe it could be the Valve wheel, Half Life Carting. Or the Valve guitar, Half Life Soundtrack Best hits. Both Valve guitar and Wheel will cost only 1000$ each, quite cheap.
VR is huge deal. Valve released the best VR headset and controller available in the consumer market, the controller can be used with the HTC Vive, they work with Linux.
They promised 3 games for it. Everyone was always saying how bad it was that Valve almost stopped making games, now we may get 3 games from them.
They will even give Index's owner the game for free.
And you think this is a middle finger to their fanbase?
I don't have an Index but the trailer looks great and I'm really happy to know that Valve seems to be pushing VR. Currently this could be the best game for VR.
So, I couldn't disagree more. I can understand you if you think VR is like a Nintendo gimmick but for some of us this is the future.
7 Likes, Who?
I wonder what Portal would look like in VR, at this graphical fidelity.
This is what portal looks like... https://store.steampowered.com/app/446750/Portal_Stories_VR/
Also I think Half Life might be the game for me to bring my Vive out of retirement.
And Ryzen 3700x and 5700xt works fantastic for VR. Even my old fx8350 and r9 290x could do VR.
Last edited by stud68 on 22 November 2019 at 9:03 am UTC
0 Likes
I wonder what Portal would look like in VR, at this graphical fidelity.
This is what portal looks like... https://store.steampowered.com/app/446750/Portal_Stories_VR/
Still need to try that one. I understand that it doesn't actually contain any portals since it is a UE4 creation using the assets. This might actually be a good thing. Portal could be disorienting in 2d. I imagine that the motion that Portal is based on would be having you running for a toilet in minutes.
1 Likes, Who?
It will be available for all VR platform, alright I get that.
But does that mean Valve integrated openXR in Source2 ? (Or they just have their in-house wrappers ?)
Having OpenXR in or at least prepared the engine for it would be game changing for future releases. (even though it's currently still a very young specification)
Anyway I'm curious about that on case anyone has information. :)
But does that mean Valve integrated openXR in Source2 ? (Or they just have their in-house wrappers ?)
Having OpenXR in or at least prepared the engine for it would be game changing for future releases. (even though it's currently still a very young specification)
Anyway I'm curious about that on case anyone has information. :)
1 Likes, Who?
It will be available for all VR platform, alright I get that.
But does that mean Valve integrated openXR in Source2 ? (Or they just have their in-house wrappers ?)
Having OpenXR in or at least prepared the engine for it would be game changing for future releases. (even though it's currently still a very young specification)
Anyway I'm curious about that on case anyone has information. :)
No information, but considering the state of the current OpenXR implementations, it is highly unlikely. That stuff will need more time to mature. So almost guaranteed to be SteamVR (=OpenVR).
1 Likes, Who?
If there will be great games for VR well playable on Linux, I will buy me a Valve Index.
But as I am old enough, a few weeks or months doesn't matter.
So I will wait and see, what this game really is like. Actually Information is rare but the game seems to really have potential to be great.
But as I am old enough, a few weeks or months doesn't matter.
So I will wait and see, what this game really is like. Actually Information is rare but the game seems to really have potential to be great.
0 Likes
Comandante Ñoñardo Jan 18, 2020
It seems Left 4 Dead 3 is coming to VR too...
2 Likes, Who?
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