Half-Life: Alyx, Valve's return to the Half-Life franchise in VR-only form released for Windows last month and it appears they're now preparing a Linux version. You can see so on SteamDB.
Good news, although not unexpected. When we spoke to Valve a few days before release, they did mention their plan was to hopefully have a Linux version of Half-Life: Alyx with Vulkan API support out post-release.
Taking place between the events of Half-Life and Half-Life 2, you play as Alyx Vance instead of Gordon Freeman in a seemingly impossible fight against the alien Combine. It's already managed to hit an Overwhelmingly Positive user review score on Steam, with that being from over twenty thousand players. Considering it's a Virtual Reality game, which requires you buy the VR kit on top of a PC good enough to run it, it's an impressive number.
If you didn't see it, after release Valve put up a video going into more detail about the movement systems in Half-Life: Alyx. It does support three different movement types including: blink teleport, shift teleport and continuous locomotion (which is the closest you get to WASD style). Check it out:
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A game magazine wrote its probably the last chance for PC VR. If exclusives are selling systems, what bigger franchise could there be on PC than HL? And it seems it did take off...
I will take a look into buying A VR system though I didn't even play any HL before (for more than an hour).
I will take a look into buying A VR system though I didn't even play any HL before (for more than an hour).
2 Likes, Who?
That's good to hear.
I only played it on Windows.
Runs smooth as butter there on a 5700 XT with an Index @ 120 Hz.
(Haven't tried 144 Hz yet)
This is an outstanding experience.
The immersion is out of this world.
So is the detail of the environment.
It's truly amazing!
My pacing is very, very slow.
And it is meant to be like that.
I only played it on Windows.
Runs smooth as butter there on a 5700 XT with an Index @ 120 Hz.
(Haven't tried 144 Hz yet)
This is an outstanding experience.
The immersion is out of this world.
So is the detail of the environment.
It's truly amazing!
My pacing is very, very slow.
And it is meant to be like that.
9 Likes, Who?
I saw a pretty good video demonstrating this game being played on a variety of VR sets for those who can't afford Valve's fancy one. Of course, you'd miss some of the control features, but it's still playable.
1 Likes, Who?
I think that video was very nice, but they could have also told something about jumping and platforming in VR.
Jumping in VR is a highly weird experience since it gives you the biggest disconnect between your "senses" of movement and what you see. I'd wager that most people have to take a long break if they had to do a whole sequence of platforming jumps. That's one thing I would always leave on teleport.
3 Likes, Who?
A game magazine wrote its probably the last chance for PC VR. If exclusives are selling systems, what bigger franchise could there be on PC than HL? And it seems it did take off...
I will take a look into buying A VR system though I didn't even play any HL before (for more than an hour).
I don't plan to betray the movement, though. I don't have a Windows installation and I will not abide by their EULA. I will use it under Linux only. No compromises.
Well, if you don't have a Windows installation,
then this out of question anyhow.
But "betray"?
If you really love the HL universe and want to enjoy this next great thing in the best possible way,
you're betraying yourself, playing it with a half-arsed solution like a compat layer.
Will definitely give it a try once the Linux build is out.
But Proton? No way, Valve. Not for this game.
1 Likes, Who?
hopefully soon, i'm having a hard time waiting (index here and alyx installed), but i want to have the best experience possible for the first run and i want to show valve that linux-VR is alive ^^
2 Likes, Who?
Mohandevir Apr 24, 2020
Sorry, I didn't follow the latest developments on this one... How are VR performances on Linux, recently?
Edit: Personnally, I'll probably wait for the Index 2, when Valve will decide to liquidate the Index at 90% off. Ok, one may dream. :D
Last edited by Mohandevir on 24 April 2020 at 12:56 pm UTC
Edit: Personnally, I'll probably wait for the Index 2, when Valve will decide to liquidate the Index at 90% off. Ok, one may dream. :D
Last edited by Mohandevir on 24 April 2020 at 12:56 pm UTC
0 Likes
Comandante Ñoñardo Apr 24, 2020
Waiting for a proper KVM mod or REMAKE.
0 Likes
That is nice. I am still waiting for a good vr headset for a normal price. Max 500 bucks with amazing optics.
We aren't there yet so seems it will be a few more years before I get one.
Let's hope by the time we see Half-Life 3 in VR the headset's are better priced.
We aren't there yet so seems it will be a few more years before I get one.
Let's hope by the time we see Half-Life 3 in VR the headset's are better priced.
0 Likes
Wow - perfect news. I received my Index TODAY! I actually started downloading Alyx but I'll cancel it then and wait for the proper version.
I got plenty to play in the meantime. Both Super Hot and Serious Sam VR (the two I've tried so far) are AWESOME.
I'm blown away by the tracking precision too - it's like watching my own hands!
I got plenty to play in the meantime. Both Super Hot and Serious Sam VR (the two I've tried so far) are AWESOME.
I'm blown away by the tracking precision too - it's like watching my own hands!
6 Likes, Who?
Wow - perfect news. I received my Index TODAY! I actually started downloading Alyx but I'll cancel it then and wait for the proper version.
I got plenty to play in the meantime. Both Super Hot and Serious Sam VR (the two I've tried so far) are AWESOME.
I'm blown away by the tracking precision too - it's like watching my own hands!
Longbow in Valve's "The Lab" is my favorite game to show people on their first attempt at VR. That, the slingshot game in the lab and SuperHot are a guaranteed blast.
3 Likes, Who?
Cant wait! We finally removed the damn ceiling fan in our living room, so now i can actually stand up and play VR games..lol.
5 Likes, Who?
Longbow in Valve's "The Lab" is my favorite game to show people on their first attempt at VR. That, the slingshot game in the lab and SuperHot are a guaranteed blast.
I need to check that one out!
But one thing is the massively impressive immersion from 1st person games - it was as expected only even better - but so far the game that actually maybe impressed me the most was a game I very rarely read about in this context: Moss.
Partially because it is drop down gorgeous visually, but technically because it demonstrated how a "traditional" platformer/puzzler, 3rd person view can work using the controllers in a traditional way, analogue stick to steer your character and buttons to jump and fight.
And it works WONDERFULLY. Yourself is placed in the middle of the scene with this gorgeous fantasy world surrounding you, and you control your character and certain elements in the world and watch the events. And as you (physically) move close up to your character or objects in the world you can inspect every little detail, you can look behind things, treat the scene like a "real" 3D world, only you're this big invisible "godlike" helper. The "reader" of the adventure. It's spectacular.
Fantastic concept, and really really well made both technically and visually.
This fully demonstrates for me that VR can work on a far, far more wider scope than just 1st person action.
Last edited by Beamboom on 25 April 2020 at 11:54 am UTC
2 Likes, Who?
Sorry, I didn't follow the latest developments on this one... How are VR performances on Linux, recently?
My very first impression (disclaimer: Have only owned it for 24 hours yet!) is that it works much, MUCH better than expected and what I was prepared for.
I noticed the latest version of SteamVR was released only last week, so maybe that took care of some glaring shortcomings. But Steam detected my set automatically, the setup went totally fine, the Steam VR lobby seems to work fine, and the games worked perfectly, both native and via Steam Play. Great visuals, no stutter, silky smooth. The headset and stereo imaging was impressive, it worked really really good.
This was actually the biggest positive surprise for me - I feel like a first rate citizen on the VR train and I was TOTALLY prepared to have patience in that respect.
I'm very, very happy about the current state and it can only get better.
Last edited by Beamboom on 30 April 2020 at 10:41 am UTC
3 Likes, Who?
My very first impression (disclaimer: Have only owned it for 24 hours yet!) is that it works much, MUCH better than expected and what I was prepared for.
Sounds very good! What are you using, the full Valve VR hardware bundle?
0 Likes
Sounds very good! What are you using, the full Valve VR hardware bundle?
Yes, full set.
Dude, it's fantastic. Wish you were living in my neighbourhood, I'd invite you over in a heartbeat. It has to be experienced to be fully believed.
I can not wait to see where this train leads, but I'm so totally in it for the ride.
4 Likes, Who?
If that's not dedication to Linux, I don't know what it is! :D
The amount of gamers being both on Linux and with a VR headset must be ludicrously limited :D
The amount of gamers being both on Linux and with a VR headset must be ludicrously limited :D
4 Likes, Who?
When we have the new VR Glasses from HP/Microsoft/Valve, I'll reinstall Ubuntu and play this.
0 Likes
ElectricPrism Apr 26, 2020
Excellent. My Index just entered "Shipping Soon" status today. So excited.
3 Likes, Who?
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