Half Life: Alyx

[Armenius]

Sounds similar, and they are doing a younger version of the character, so the change makes sense.

Alyx Vance is half-black, half-Japanese with a light complexion. Merle Dandridge is Japanese. Ozioma Akagha is 100% Nigerian, as far as I know. I honestly don't care if they're a good actor, but the voice work I know that she has done isn't too inspiring. Her portrayal of Plastic in Mirror's Edge kind of sounds like Alyx, but she doesn't have the kind of depth Merle brought to the character. But to be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if the choice was based on race simply due to the kinds of people Valve have been hiring for the past couple years.

 

[Domingo]

Looks really cool. There are some other VR games that have dabbled in this type of fully-immersive game before. Most of them don't really go all-in, though.
I'm going to seriously consider getting a setup for this if they can promise there are more titles incoming. I don't want this to be a piece of hardware I buy for one game.

 

[Flogger23m]

Alyx is using a new VA.

https://www.pcgamer.com/half-life-alyx-cast/

The game is 15 years old, a lot of the voice actors probably sound different or have moved on. If I recall, at least one of them passed away. I assume we'll see more recastings. Hopefully not the G-man though.

 

[t1k]

This looks pretty cool. I think that bit about the unloaded gun in the middle of the trailer gave me the best laugh I've had from a game trailer .

I'm a bit disillusioned with VR gaming due to the physical limitations it puts on you (not being able to actually ascend/descend, climb, swim, run/walk naturally through environments, etc -- all problems without clear solutions), but I'll probably give this a shot with my odyssey plus if it gets lots of positive feedback on release.

 

[djoye]

Looks neat but I can't justify buying VR stuff for at least a few more years.

Also, too bad Robert Guillaume is dead. I only have over-the-air TV, which has a lot of old shows, saw him on an old TV show last week and thought of how difficult it would be to replace him. The voice actor in the trailer doesn't really do it for me.

 

[TangledThornz]

Kinda odd that you can't see Alyx's arms, only her hands. Is that normal for VR or just a design/technical choice?

 

[Shoganai]

Kinda odd that you can't see Alyx's arms, only her hands. Is that normal for VR or just a design/technical choice?

Probably both. More freedom of movement I’m guessing.

 

[Youn]

arm/boob view reduces risk of immersion/dick breaking

 

[Mchart]

I will likely buy VR to play this. From what little I can see in the trailer the gameplay looks light-years beyond any current FPS VR game.

Looks like you get the game for free if you own/buy an Index.

 

[odditory]

I think I caught something in the roundtable with the devs, that the game world will be (1:1) real-world scale, meaning when you're in a room with 8 foot ceilings in the game, it feels like being in a room with 8 foot ceilings. Or when you walk outside and see the city, it feels like looking out at a city rather than a dollhouse version of the world.

Different games handle scale differently, many "shrink down" the experience for different reasons, and it's not really important in regular games played on a flat monitor since we're detached from the game world, but scale is everything in VR and 1:1 in Alyx will be bananas if true.

 

[5150Joker]

I think I caught something in the roundtable with the devs, that the game world will be (1:1) real-world scale, meaning when you're in a room with 8 foot ceilings in the game, it feels like being in a room with 8 foot ceilings. Or when you walk outside and see the city, it feels like looking out at a city rather than a dollhouse version of the world.

Different games handle scale differently, many "shrink down" the experience for different reasons, and it's not really important in regular games played on a flat monitor since we're detached from the game world, but scale is everything in VR and 1:1 in Alyx will be bananas if true.

Yup it should be an amazing experience. I've been waiting for a very well made AAA VR game and this seems to be the one. I'm looking more forward to this game and getting a VR headset than I have any other game in a long time.

 

[wannabeapilot]

Does anyone have the valve index headset already?


The best looking vr headset I've personally used so far is the occulus quest, and i'm curious to know how much better the index looks, if any

 

[Flogger23m]

I didn't watch with audio (yet) but does Alyx speak? I assume she does. Would be a big change from the traditionally silent Half Life protagonist. Not a fan of silent protagonists in modern games anymore, just seems too awkward. But it isn't the end of the world. Enjoyed Metro Exodus which had a silent (in gameplay) character.

 

[Derangel]

I didn't watch with audio (yet) but does Alyx speak? I assume she does. Would be a big change from the traditionally silent Half Life protagonist. Not a fan of silent protagonists in modern games anymore, just seems too awkward. But it isn't the end of the world. Enjoyed Metro Exodus which had a silent (in gameplay) character.

She speaks, sadly it's a different VA from HL2 though.

 

[Blade-Runner]

Here we go

Goddammit.....I don't want to buy a fucking VR headset for one damn game!

 

[odditory]

Goddammit.....I don't want to buy a fucking VR headset for one damn game!

But you see, when enough people buy a $250 VR HMD for one damn game, suddenly there's a market to create many damn games and developers/publishers are incentivized. See: Halo for original Xbox - I bought the console just to play that game, and kept it around for everything that followed.

 

[sharknice]

It doesn't look like they're doing anything new or revolutionary, just making a good VR game. I expected some cool new mechanic like HL2 had with the gravity gun. Maybe they have something that wasn't in the 2 minute trailer.

I'm a bit underwhelmed by the trailer.

 

[grambo]

Looks really cool. There are some other VR games that have dabbled in this type of fully-immersive game before. Most of them don't really go all-in, though.
I'm going to seriously consider getting a setup for this if they can promise there are more titles incoming. I don't want this to be a piece of hardware I buy for one game.

I'm in this camp. I've played with a few headsets over the years and will make the investment if there are compelling enough experiences (and not just one HL game). My main problem is space in my current home is very limited so I won't be able to physically move around much so I need to be able to sit/stand only to play.

 

[Mad Maxx]

Finally... after well over ten long, frustrating years... Valve brings us the game no one wanted.

 

[Shoganai]

Finally... after well over ten long, frustrating years... Valve gives us the game no one wanted.

I want it.

 

[GOD'SlittleSERVANT]

I want it.

Me too

 

[Pringle]

Finally... after well over ten long, frustrating years... Valve brings us the game no one wanted.

I want it

 

[T4rd]

This is essentially a $2000+ game, lol.

And I'm going to buy it..

 

[Vec234]

Alyx Vance is half-black, half-Japanese with a light complexion. Merle Dandridge is Japanese. Ozioma Akagha is 100% Nigerian, as far as I know. I honestly don't care if they're a good actor, but the voice work I know that she has done isn't too inspiring. Her portrayal of Plastic in Mirror's Edge kind of sounds like Alyx, but she doesn't have the kind of depth Merle brought to the character. But to be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if the choice was based on race simply due to the kinds of people Valve have been hiring for the past couple years.

Couple of things... First Merle is half Asian not Japanese. Secondly Nigerian is a nationality not a race. Lastly, how can it be a choice based on race? Both actresses are black. Yes, one is half Asian but Merle is still 50% black. I mean both of them are still minorities and the character of Alyx is a minority herself. I fail to see how race plays a role into this when both women are black (one being half) and the character of Alyx is half black herself. I mean if Alyx was ful Asian then yeah I would see an issue but she's not. So as far I can tell it wouldn't matter if a Black woman or Asian woman played the character.

 

[ManofGod]

I wouldn't buy a VR headset if my life depended on it.

Yeah, the only reason I would prefer it is with something like Microsoft Flight Simulator. Even then, Augmented Reality would make far more sense for that.

 

[Youn]

it wouldn't matter if an old mexican dude did the voices... stop judging people based on that shit, he could totally have a great young alyx voice, just give him a chance he's my hero OMG!!!!

 

[odditory]

This is essentially a $2000+ game, lol.

And I'm going to buy it..

Or just $229

 

[Blade-Runner]

But you see, when enough people buy a $250 VR HMD for one damn game, suddenly there's a market to create many damn games and developers/publishers are incentivized. See: Halo for original Xbox - I bought the console just to play that game, and kept it around for everything that followed.

I would rather put that money towards a high end GPU capable of improving the experience for my entire library of games, rather than hanging my hopes on any further high caliber AAA VR games ever being released. And your analogy is a false equivalence because VR headsets are a peripheral, they are not the gateway platform. You didn't need to buy the xbox plus a specialised peripheral to play Halo, rather you immediately gained access to the entire library without having to spend any further money on hardware. A more apt analogy is buying the Steel Battalion controller and hoping that other games would eventually take full advantage of it.

 

[funkydmunky]

Or just $229

Was going to mention that. Or a Rift-s. Both won't break the bank. Of course you probably want a beefy GFX card as well. I wonder how AMD's 5700/XT series does a VR. I miss [H]'s awesome VR reviews. AMD didn't do to well in VR vs. their performance equivalents in 2D with the Vega/Polaris cards. I wonder if this has changed due to drivers or the new Navi architecture? Anybody have any links of current card VR benches?

 

[funkydmunky]

I would rather put that money towards a high end GPU capable of improving the experience for my entire library of games, rather than hanging my hopes on any further high caliber AAA VR games ever being released. And your analogy is a false equivalence because VR headsets are a peripheral, they are not the gateway platform. You didn't need to buy the xbox plus a specialised peripheral to play Halo, rather you immediately gained access to the entire library without having to spend any further money on hardware. A more apt analogy is buying the Steel Battalion controller and hoping that other games would eventually take full advantage of it.

There are enough VR games that are very enjoyable. Often at a great price. And you will need to invest in the same high-end GPU regardless. No one should break the bank on VR. If you love it then your second HMD can be expensive. Initially keep the cost down. Kinda like adding a force feedback wheel or flight stick.

 

[Blade-Runner]

There are enough VR games that are very enjoyable. Often at a great price. And you will need to invest in the same high-end GPU regardless. No one should break the bank on VR. If you love it then your second HMD can be expensive. Initially keep the cost down. Kinda like adding a force feedback wheel or flight stick.

Most of them are gimmicky trash IMHO, HL:A is the first one that looks worthwhile playing.

 

[5150Joker]

Or just $229

How does that compare to vive and oculus?

 

[Dark12]

As someone who has never dabbled in VR,
Rift-S or Odyssey+?
Would like a combo that includes the light boxes for higher accuracy. Comfort is important too.

Will probably wait until black friday to purchase.
Thank you friends!

 

[Youn]

Rift S has better tracking and larger screen sweet spot, probably more comfortable but that's a more a personal thing. Everyone seems to agree it's well worth the $400 over cheaper/older solutions, and Index with light boxes aren't twice as better for twice the cost, some still preferring Rift overall.

 

[TangledThornz]

No mention of ray tracing... Too bad for nVidia if this is another AMD partnered game

 

[Viper87227]

How does that compare to vive and oculus?

It doesn't.

I have owned an Acer WMR, a Rift S, and a Vive. The Odyssey is supposed to be better than the Acer I owned, but it's still WMR. WMR's implementation of inside out tracking is not great. If you're considering, I wouldn't think twice about upgrading to a Rift S and filing under "buy nice or buy twice". I've been extremely happy with my Rift, I like it more than the Vive it replaced. Vive has better tracking but requiring the satellites makes it much less flexible. The Rift S inside out tracking works very well, it's extremely rare that I notice it not tracking right, and you cannot beat the convenience of being able to use it anywhere that's within the cable length of a PC. It means I can have an open space for room-scale, I can sit comfortably on my couch for seated games, or I can sit at my desk for things that require a peripheral like a wheel or something. Rift S also IMO has a better display. It has a 10hz lower refresh (which I don't notice, and i'm someone who suffers from motion sickness in VR) and worse black levels, but if you can live with that you get a higher resolution and less SDE from being an LCD instead of an OLED on the Vive. I like the Rift controllers better. They feel a little cheaper, but definitely more functional.

 

[bmg]

Much as I'd love to play this game, there's no way I'd spend the $$ for VR at this point in time. It's not like I couldn't afford it, but I'm just not that excited with current VR. Does Valve really think enough people are going to buy the VR only game to recover development costs?? Instead of selling millions of copies of a non-VR game, are they even going to sell tens of thousands of VR games?

 

[Viper87227]

Much as I'd love to play this game, there's no way I'd spend the $$ for VR at this point in time. It's not like I couldn't afford it, but I'm just not that excited with current VR. Does Valve really think enough people are going to buy the VR only game to recover development costs?? Instead of selling millions of copies of a non-VR game, are they even going to sell tens of thousands of VR games?

I'd be shocked if Valve covers the development cost of this game. They don't have to. Go look at Steam's top selling list right now. Index full kit is #1, knuckles are #4, and knuckles & headset is #5. You can bet Rift and Vive have seen an uptick in sales elsewhere also, and I'm sure that will continue as the game gets promoted more and we get closer to release. Valve announced a killer app that people are willing to jump into VR over, and you can be certain those people aren't going to just buy Alex. This will boost sales all across SteamVR, and Valve will profit handsomely for it.

 

[Dark12]

Much as I'd love to play this game, there's no way I'd spend the $$ for VR at this point in time. It's not like I couldn't afford it, but I'm just not that excited with current VR. Does Valve really think enough people are going to buy the VR only game to recover development costs?? Instead of selling millions of copies of a non-VR game, are they even going to sell tens of thousands of VR games?

It'll probably still sell millions.

 

[TaintedSquirrel]

They will make a bunch back in Index sales. The full kit is a flat $1000. They also sell controllers and such.

They won't want the game to look like a failure, or targeting a niche market, so of course a month after launch they will make some ridiculous statement like, "Launch sales of HL:A have exceeded all previous Half-Life games combined" ignoring the fact that it's been 15+ years and the gaming population has exploded these days.