The upcoming No VR Mod for Half-Life: Alyx shows off amazing progress

This is very cool. And they're obviously extremely proud that they got the object interaction nailed - everything gets bunny ears!

It's weird seeing the opening scene in 2D - the bit where the strider put its foot on your balcony - it lacks the impact that has in VR, where you're genuinely shocked by the size of it and how close it came to wiping you out. Similarly, it lacks the panic you feel when you realise that you have to reload your weapon manually!

But awesome work nonetheless - it still looks amazing, and it's a great story. I do wonder how the cover mechanic will pan out later in the game. There are some enemies that you just can't show your face to, or they shoot it off. I found myself almost blind firing around cover just to survive certain encounters. I suspect the team still have some work to go before this will be fully playable.

I get that Alyx was supposed to be a showcase of VR potential and shoehorning keyboard and mouse support afterwards is unlikely to provide a comparative gaming experience, but it annoys me that I can't play the latest game in a series I've been playing since the late 1990s just because I can't splash out £1000+ on an sparsely-used gimmicky bit of tech that I wouldn't even be able to use unless I reorganise my living room.

I get that Alyx was supposed to be a showcase of VR potential and shoehorning keyboard and mouse support afterwards is unlikely to provide a comparative gaming experience, but it annoys me that I can't play the latest game in a series I've been playing since the late 1990s just because I can't splash out £1000+ on an sparsely-used gimmicky bit of tech that I wouldn't even be able to use unless I reorganise my living room.

I've seen lately that there's a company leasing VR headsets. I missed Half-Life completely, but when I play Alyx some day, it will be with a VR set.

I really wish I could experience this as intended, but really I'm just dying to play a new HL game at this point. I hope this can provide a good enough way for me to play it since I can't get a VR setup for the near future.

I get that Alyx was supposed to be a showcase of VR potential and shoehorning keyboard and mouse support afterwards is unlikely to provide a comparative gaming experience, but it annoys me that I can't play the latest game in a series I've been playing since the late 1990s just because I can't splash out £1000+ on an sparsely-used gimmicky bit of tech that I wouldn't even be able to use unless I reorganise my living room.

You're right about the expense, so I think the trick is that you make sure that it's not "sparsely used". And if you think it's a gimmick, then you'll never spend that kind of money, I agree. I usually find that people who call VR a gimmick though just haven't tried VR on a modern headset. If if you have, and you still think it's a gimmick, I don't know what to say!

It's definitely not a gimmick to me though. The games I play in VR very different to what I'd play in "pancake" mode, but they're just as much fun, albeit in a different way.

I'm in VR about two or three times a week, even if only for 15 minutes in BoxVR to get some (much needed) exercise. My last big adventure in VR was The Room VR, which was superb, and now I'm enjoying Until you Fall which Liam streamed a while back. But I have hundreds of hours in Elite, which doesn't need any room to play at all (you just sit at your desk, as normal). Nor does Automobilista 2, or Ultrawings, or any cockpit-style game.

As long as you don't think of VR as being some big revolution that's gonna change gaming (spoiler: it won't), you'll get more out of it, I think.

The thing I was curious about was how they would deal with the little 3D puzzles like the ones to open the weapon upgrade machines. But the video fades to black and comes back with an upgraded weapon.

You're right about the expense, so I think the trick is that you make sure that it's not "sparsely used". And if you think it's a gimmick, then you'll never spend that kind of money, I agree. I usually find that people who call VR a gimmick though just haven't tried VR on a modern headset. If if you have, and you still think it's a gimmick, I don't know what to say!

I've tried an Oculus Quest 2 in standalone mode, played the Beat Saber demo and a Star Wars game. The controls for Beat Saber were excellent, but I was surprised at the poor uality of the display(s?) - the graphics were very fuzzy, and looked more like what I get on my Nintendo Wii (yes, I still use mine).

I realize that the Quest 2 is at the bottom of the heap in terms of its price. I would hope that a Valve Index would look substantially better, but I don't have the money to upgrade/rebuild my computer for that, and that's even before the cost of the VR hardware.

I get that Alyx was supposed to be a showcase of VR potential and shoehorning keyboard and mouse support afterwards is unlikely to provide a comparative gaming experience, but it annoys me that I can't play the latest game in a series I've been playing since the late 1990s just because I can't splash out £1000+ on an sparsely-used gimmicky bit of tech that I wouldn't even be able to use unless I reorganise my living room.

You're right about the expense, so I think the trick is that you make sure that it's not "sparsely used". And if you think it's a gimmick, then you'll never spend that kind of money, I agree. I usually find that people who call VR a gimmick though just haven't tried VR on a modern headset. If if you have, and you still think it's a gimmick, I don't know what to say!

It's definitely not a gimmick to me though. The games I play in VR very different to what I'd play in "pancake" mode, but they're just as much fun, albeit in a different way.

I'm in VR about two or three times a week, even if only for 15 minutes in BoxVR to get some (much needed) exercise. My last big adventure in VR was The Room VR, which was superb, and now I'm enjoying Until you Fall which Liam streamed a while back. But I have hundreds of hours in Elite, which doesn't need any room to play at all (you just sit at your desk, as normal). Nor does Automobilista 2, or Ultrawings, or any cockpit-style game.

As long as you don't think of VR as being some big revolution that's gonna change gaming (spoiler: it won't), you'll get more out of it, I think.

I haven't used VR really, but your sentiments seem to match my expectations. Whether it's a "gimmick" I guess depends on your definition of the word "gimmick." I think of VR as more akin to a steering wheel or a flight yoke and pedals. It's very useful for the games that it suits, but not the way you'd want to play every game, and a certain combination of expense, effort, and room is required to get started (an investment that I haven't been prepared make yet, though the dedicated space might be my biggest obstacle).

I get that Alyx was supposed to be a showcase of VR potential and shoehorning keyboard and mouse support afterwards is unlikely to provide a comparative gaming experience, but it annoys me that I can't play the latest game in a series I've been playing since the late 1990s just because I can't splash out £1000+ on an sparsely-used gimmicky bit of tech that I wouldn't even be able to use unless I reorganise my living room.

You're right about the expense, so I think the trick is that you make sure that it's not "sparsely used". And if you think it's a gimmick, then you'll never spend that kind of money, I agree. I usually find that people who call VR a gimmick though just haven't tried VR on a modern headset. If if you have, and you still think it's a gimmick, I don't know what to say!

It's definitely not a gimmick to me though. The games I play in VR very different to what I'd play in "pancake" mode, but they're just as much fun, albeit in a different way.

I'm in VR about two or three times a week, even if only for 15 minutes in BoxVR to get some (much needed) exercise. My last big adventure in VR was The Room VR, which was superb, and now I'm enjoying Until you Fall which Liam streamed a while back. But I have hundreds of hours in Elite, which doesn't need any room to play at all (you just sit at your desk, as normal). Nor does Automobilista 2, or Ultrawings, or any cockpit-style game.

As long as you don't think of VR as being some big revolution that's gonna change gaming (spoiler: it won't), you'll get more out of it, I think.

I mean it kind of does change gaming.. it's just if they could bring down the price where more people are willing to impulse buy it...

I should spend more time in VR for sure. Also, someone should mod the rest of the Half-Life games into VR... I feel a lot will be left out / missing from Alyx's experience by making a flat version... Like being able to hide behind desks and throw grenades at the enemy. And realize how terrible you are at throwing things...

I should spend more time in VR for sure. Also, someone should mod the rest of the Half-Life games into VR... I feel a lot will be left out / missing from Alyx's experience by making a flat version... Like being able to hide behind desks and throw grenades at the enemy. And realize how terrible you are at throwing things...

Don't need VR for that, I see it with shame every time I try to play with balls with my little ones (4 yo). :D


Last edited by Eike on 1 October 2021 at 3:36 pm UTC

As a big fan of Half Life series, and resident of a third world country, I'm excited to be able to play this game without having to wait 10 years for it.

or whatever reason some cannot use VR be it due to price, physical ability and more.

Some? You mean most people cannot use VR be it due to price, physical ability and more.

I should spend more time in VR for sure. Also, someone should mod the rest of the Half-Life games into VR... I feel a lot will be left out / missing from Alyx's experience by making a flat version... Like being able to hide behind desks and throw grenades at the enemy. And realize how terrible you are at throwing things...

Don't need VR for that, I see it with shame every time I try to play with balls with my little ones (4 yo). :D

Ha, I don't have any little ones to do that with. Maybe someone can code a 'kid simulator'... then again maybe that is a horrible idea.

Dunno... I think this mod will leave people thinking that HL:Alyx is a lack-luster FPS.

I can't imaging it having anywhere near the impact to what playing it in VR has. HL:Alyx is truly designed to be VR first, and it shows in nearly every aspect of the game.

Edit: it also doesn't progress the overall Half-Life story much, so I think people don't need to think they are missing out on the story progress. Better to only play it the way it was meant to be, then walking away from it thinking "this was boring".


Last edited by Julius on 1 October 2021 at 8:11 pm UTC

I should spend more time in VR for sure. Also, someone should mod the rest of the Half-Life games into VR... I feel a lot will be left out / missing from Alyx's experience by making a flat version... Like being able to hide behind desks and throw grenades at the enemy. And realize how terrible you are at throwing things...

Don't need VR for that, I see it with shame every time I try to play with balls with my little ones (4 yo). :D

Ha, I don't have any little ones to do that with. Maybe someone can code a 'kid simulator'... then again maybe that is a horrible idea.

Absolutely. I heard they've given out baby simulation dolls to teenage girls - so they'd avoid teenage pregnancies. :-D

I should spend more time in VR for sure. Also, someone should mod the rest of the Half-Life games into VR... I feel a lot will be left out / missing from Alyx's experience by making a flat version... Like being able to hide behind desks and throw grenades at the enemy. And realize how terrible you are at throwing things...

Don't need VR for that, I see it with shame every time I try to play with balls with my little ones (4 yo). :D

Ha, I don't have any little ones to do that with. Maybe someone can code a 'kid simulator'... then again maybe that is a horrible idea.

Absolutely. I heard they've given out baby simulation dolls to teenage girls - so they'd avoid teenage pregnancies. :-D

We did that... Used eggs. Had to carry the egg with you all day from class to class and everywhere else. Most made basket carriers and decorated the eggs to look like babies. Any cracks and you failed... Wasn't just for girls. Boys too.


Back to VR... I dunno about "gimmick", but the headset is definitely in the "dude toy" realm. I can't imagine using this when my kids were babies (monitoring naps), my current aged kids (playtime), other people in the living room (some one gonna get hit), or really anywhere where some awareness is needed. Perhaps I'm the only one with these circumstances.

Now the cockpit part of VR... Makes about an much sense as having a joystick and other accessories. I can see that.


Last edited by denyasis on 1 October 2021 at 11:58 pm UTC

I should spend more time in VR for sure. Also, someone should mod the rest of the Half-Life games into VR... I feel a lot will be left out / missing from Alyx's experience by making a flat version... Like being able to hide behind desks and throw grenades at the enemy. And realize how terrible you are at throwing things...

Don't need VR for that, I see it with shame every time I try to play with balls with my little ones (4 yo). :D

Ha, I don't have any little ones to do that with. Maybe someone can code a 'kid simulator'... then again maybe that is a horrible idea.

There was literally a game called Babysitting Mama for the Wii that involved putting one of the Wiimotes into a plush child toy and doing various things with it. The fact that the mote was only so sensitive led to some hilarious situations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWZ2GZ_LU8o

Spoiler: It was a horrible idea.

Cool, does is work natively on Linux?

My wife would kill me if i isolate with a VR headset

Personally, I still think the VR launch at Valve was badly managed.

The Index as impressive as it is in terms of tech. It was (and still is) way overpriced in the current VR market. Let's not forget who is in front of them in that market, Facebook and Oculus has been leading the way with less good tech but way, way, way more convenient and less expensive. If it wasn't for the Quest 2 I would never have gone VR.
Compared to that, the Index impressive tech is loosing ground very fast ... against worst headset. The inconvenience of cable and price is putting it in a loosing ground. I feel like Valve should have eaten the loss and sell it around 500€ a bit like a console manufacturer. And go all out on the software part to make it easier for studios to make and sell VR games on steam. When the Valve sold the HTC Vive on steam, I've seen a good number and even try a couple of them, with the Index I have yet to see one by myself. I really hope the future standalone headset won't go that way in terms of price.

The other mistake was in a way HL:Alyx, the logic behind it is clear, get a flagship game to make people go VR. But with the price of VR in general putting countless people out, and the HL franchise has been gone for so long? The choice feel completely removed from reality. Instead of gathering people around VR it has made them outright despise it. I've met a good number of people who refuse to buy VR headset just because of Alyx (some even refuse to try it). Even if I found the reaction pitiful, I kinda can understand it. They see this as the "useless overpriced gimmick tech" that robed them from an HL game.

So, I'm happy in a way they can play that game by themselves with that kind of initiative. Maybe it will make that kind of people rethink about VR. Same for people who can't afford a VR headset. As for me, I will finally play through the game. I don't know why, but HL:Alyx give me motion sickness all the time. I can't play more than 2 min. Also, the fact you can't assign the controls as you want has been a problem for me, I can't find a control option I like in steam vr they are all awkward for me.