Those looking to play Half Life Alyx but don't have access to a VR headset might be able to do so in the near future thanks to a WIP mod from 'SoMNst'. The modder shared an new progress update in a YouTube video today which include new animations and a couple of fixes. The crafting station, although not shown in the video, is apparently working but requires some adjustments.

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You can find the full changelog of this new update below:

-New Viewmodel
-New Animations
-Camera viewpunch when firing
-Camera viewpunch fixed when zombies hits you
-Player speed has been fixed when player is ducked
-Player speed is being decreased on ads (also viewpunch is less violent)
-Zombies are not walking anymore, instead they are running (i increased the running speed aswell as the attack speed)
-Headcrabs are more aggressive
-Dot crosshair is only visible when the hand is equipped

It should be noted that while SoMNst is regularly sharing video updates of their progress, the mod itself is not currently publicly available. In any case, would you like to try Half Life Alyx without a VR headset?

SOURCE

 

[Mama Looigi]

??? Is there something "More VR" than a Valve Index and hand tracking? Where's the pretentious angle coming from?

I think they were tryna be negative towards VR as a whole


As for the mod
This game would kinda be... the suck without VR
And now this game’s reviews are gonna get weird because some idiots didn’t like the game after playing it in a completely unintended experimental way

But at least the people who won’t do that are going to be able to play the game

 

[MetoMeto]

Allright!!!

Anyway...i don't see why this wasn't an option but whatever.
Same as how Sakamoto did not included other control methods in "Metroid: Other M"

Luckily we have great guys like these. Thanks!


Oh and....Fu*k the VR!

 

[Mama Looigi]

Oh and....Fu*k the VR!

But... why?

 

[Kioku]

But... why?

To be edgy, I guess.

 

[Crazystato]

Be keen to give this a crack when finished. VR makes me dizzy AF.

 

[Mama Looigi]

Be keen to give this a crack when finished. VR makes me dizzy AF.

Just look for the original cracked version and apply the mod to it

 

[Crazystato]

Just look for the original cracked version and apply the mod to it

Is it finished yet though?

 

[redunka]

Well, there's already a custom driver project that makes the vanilla game sorta playable with just keyboard and mouse: https://github.com/r57zone/Half-Life-Alyx-novr
The new mod, however, seems to be taking a different approach and is much more complex.
Let's see if it actually delivers a better NoVR experience…

 

[AlexMCS]

??? Is there something "More VR" than a Valve Index and hand tracking? Where's the pretentious angle coming from?

Current """VR""" is just a glorified screen in your eyes. I bet it actually harms your vision.
While fun and a legitimate way to play, marketing it as VR irks me. A lot.
They should make up another name for it.

Actual VR would involve much more than sight/sound: you would need to walk around the virtual world, have actual sensations - gravity, wind etc. Our current technology is far, far from it.

It bugs me even more when thery make VR-exclusive games like this, for no reason, considering how one person can make it work in non-VR setups.

"Stop liking things that I don't like"

Nothing against the current implementation by itself, just the naming+exclusivity BS.

 

[Darklinkreturns]

I k ew this would happen eventually, thank goodness. And fuck valve for scalping their own VR hardware for $1K, how absurd. For that price there better be a fucking 3090 in the box with it.

3090 MSRP is $1,499, the fuck are you smoking

 

[sj33]

I have nothing against VR, but it just isn't pracrtical for me. I have a family including 3 kids, I need to be able to see my surroundings at all times - even when playing a game. The idea of wearing a headset and shutting myself off from the world is a non-starter for me.

 

[Mama Looigi]

Is it finished yet though?

The mod or the crack?

Current """VR""" is just a glorified screen in your eyes. I bet it actually harms your vision.
While fun and a legitimate way to play, marketing it as VR irks me. A lot.
They should make up another name for it.

Actual VR would involve much more than sight/sound: you would need to walk around the virtual world, have actual sensations - gravity, wind etc. Our current technology is far, far from it.

It bugs me even more when thery make VR-exclusive games like this, for no reason, considering how one person can make it work in non-VR setups.



Nothing against the current implementation by itself, just the naming+exclusivity BS.

That’s gonna cost more than we’ll be able to afford for at least 20 years (likely more) if you’re talking that whole package
There’s a few things they need to get out of the way before they can implement gravity emulation into consumer products

I’m curious
What headsets have you tried?

I have nothing against VR, but it just isn't pracrtical for me. I have a family including 3 kids, I need to be able to see my surroundings at all times - even when playing a game. The idea of wearing a headset and shutting myself off from the world is a non-starter for me.

Yes well that’s a downside of parenting. You lose a lot of hobby time. Only real solution to that is to either wait until they’re moved out- or wait until they’re asleep at night. But I assume you’d have thought of that already.
For now- the closest you can really get for that is the Quest 2, which at any given moment, you can activate a setting where double tapping the headset will switch your view to the cameras on the front of the headset to see the real world.
And it will soon be receiving an update to highlight intrusions in your playspace-
(Example: Child walks into your set play area, an outline of the child appears)

 

[Xzi]

Actual VR would involve much more than sight/sound: you would need to walk around the virtual world, have actual sensations - gravity, wind etc. Our current technology is far, far from it.

Dude you're thinking of The Matrix, not virtual reality. And I don't know about you, but I won't be the first in line to alpha test the direct neural interface which plugs into your brain.

It bugs me even more when thery make VR-exclusive games like this, for no reason, considering how one person can make it work in non-VR setups.

They make it work in flatscreen by removing everything that makes it fun or unique. So yeah it "works" in the technical sense, but it's a 6/10 game on the flatscreen, a solid 9/10 in VR.

 

[Edgarska]

I must admit this is a pretty clever implementation, but as far as I'm concerned this is a crime and these people need to be sent to video game prison.

This is genuinely one of the greatest games ever made. A pancake mod like this is going to ruin the experience for anyone who plays it like that for the first time.

The level design, the enemy AI and positions, the boss fights, etc were all designed for VR. You're supposed to actually duck behind cover, pick up random shit (using your real hands) and throw it at enemies, grab a barrel and use that for cover. You're supposed to panic when your clip runs out because you actually have to use your other hand to reload. A head crab jumping at you is supposed to look, sound, and feel so real that it activates that lizard part of your brain that makes you terrified.

JEFF IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU SHIT YOUR PANTS. When I played the Jeff level, I instinctively held my breath so he wouldn't hear me, even though that wasn't actually part of the game. I've never been so terrified consuming media in my life. That whole part of the game was so well designed.


But a pancake version offers none of that. No suspense, no horror, no immersion. All you're getting is a really slow and awkward FPS with AI that feels slow and stupid. Like a really shitty version of Half Life 2 with less gameplay and shiny graphics.

A mod like this was inevitable, but do yourself a favor and don't spoil the game for yourself by playing this. Wait until you can afford a headset. You don't need the top-of-the-line stuff, an old Vive or even an Oculus is perfectly fine. Hell, buy it on Amazon, play the game, and then return the headset!

This has big "You cheated not only the game but yourself" vibe.

 

[HideoKojima]

I checked this out a few days ago, after watching some of the tutorial and game play I decided it's not really worth it.
Anyway VR nowdays isn't VR as games are like mobile games or even less..When main consoles such as PS and Xbox become VR-only machines then we can talk about VR.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

For people who are too cheap to buy hundred dollar VR head sets, eat your heart out!

More like: Darn it! I bought a $400 Quest VR Headset only to play this game while I could have played it with mouse and keyboard

 

[urherenow]

Half the people sitting here without a VR headset probably have $500~$600 set aside, just waiting for a PS5 to appear on a shelf...

Anyway, glad there aren't any spoilers in this thread. I bought the game, after I confirmed my new Quest 2 worked well with my new laptop (16GB 3080 mobile gpu, 32GB ram, and 10870H 8 core CPU). Haven't had a chance to play it yet. Will likely start while out to sea soon...

 

[Avalyn]

Half the people sitting here without a VR headset probably have $500~$600 set aside, just waiting for a PS5 to appear on a shelf...

Anyway, glad there aren't any spoilers in this thread. I bought the game, after I confirmed my new Quest 2 worked well with my new laptop (16GB 3080 mobile gpu, 32GB ram, and 10870H 8 core CPU). Haven't had a chance to play it yet. Will likely start while out to sea soon...

It's the best story-based game I've played in VR. Very immersive.
When people ask me which games are worth getting vr for, I mention this one and Beat Saber. There really are no other must haves imo.

 

[urherenow]

It's the best story-based game I've played in VR. Very immersive.
When people ask me which games are worth getting vr for, I mention this one and Beat Saber. There really are no other must haves imo.

blasphemy! Are you kidding me? Skyrim VR with mods? Not only is that game fantastic with mods, but you can easily double down on fantastic, if you're a pervert

Sure, I have it modded somewhat on my switch, but in VR, you can get them tig 'ol bitties in your face

 

[Daggot]

This is super cool on a technical level but in reality, it removes a ton of the fun and unique interactions with the game and its environment. Only a mediocre version of the game will result from this imo.

 

[Pipistrele]

This has big "You cheated not only the game but yourself" vibe.

You didn't experience. You didn't immerse. Your pants are hollow.