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Half Life: Alyx

Protocol7
Heroic Explorer

I am really looking forward to this. Sure it isn't Half Life 3 but it's something huge for VR.
911 REPLIES 911

pyroth309
Visionary



MowTin said:


Zenbane said:

Anywho, I had heard similar praises of the visual quality from players on FB. I am curious to know how you feel the visuals pair up against Lone Echo, which I consider to be quite stunning.



I"m not sure it's fair to compare with Lone Echo because I played Lone Echo on the cv1. I'm playing this on the Index. But I have tried Lone Echo on the Index a little. 

HL:Alyx has such great textures and lighting that I sometimes feel like I'm there. I haven't seen anything like it before. 


That's my opinion as well and I've played both with the O+.



Zenbane said:


pyroth309 said:
I think it's still the best headset to buy for a premium expensive but
it's hard to say it's $600 better than Rift-S or $700 better than O+ is
all I'm saying. I still feel like the system shoulda been $799ish.


Yeah, that seems to be on par with what others have said. Like ShadowMask, who has tried practically every headset released and ended up taking the Reverb over the Index. It sounds like Reverb is the current overall winner (especially if visual quality is most important).

It's not really about the amount of money itself. I spend $1000+ monthly on luxury quite regularly. But it's about value for money. I won't spend $1000 on an incremental update, when the only real benefit seems to be Internet bragging rights lol



Yea I was so close to buying a Reverb but I didn't want to drop the cash on a 2080TI. Wasn't a big enough jump forward for me. Now sadly with this virus going around, there's no way 3080TI launches anytime soon. Hopefully Reverb 2 and that will line up.

MowTin
Expert Trustee

bitzie said:

As much as Valve got 100% right with Alyx, they really dropped the ball on a few points:

No melee
No running
No jumping
No smooth turning
Menu-based inventory system

The lack of melee is absolutely ridiculous. What is probably the most iconic aspect of the Half-Life franchise? The crowbar. Smashing crates, windows, boards, and most importantly, headcrabs. Why Valve didn't include what is basically a core mechanic of the franchise is beyond me. It really sucks that we have such great physics and environments, and yet we can't just grab things in the environment to protect ourselves especially since the ammo can be somewhat scarce at times.

Sure, the dash/jump mechanic works fairly well, but they totally break immersion. I guess there's a way to jump in real life and that makes Alyx jump? I haven't bothered. Just give me a button to sprint and jump.

I'm hoping the no smooth turning is just a bug right now. The option is there to turn it off, but it doesn't work right now and you're stuck with snap turning.'

TWD:S&S did the multiple weapon and tools system perfectly. Weapons and tools are on your body. The melee weapon is over your shoulder. It works so well and feels 100% natural. Yes, you can actually lose your weapon if you're not careful, but just learn to be careful! The menu system in Alyx works well, but just breaks immersion.

Here's to hoping that either Valve or modders address these issues in the very near future. The game is near-perfect and simple changes could really make it pretty much perfect.




I agree with all of your points. You have to keep in mind the TWD:S&S and Boneworks are relatively new entries and have set new standards. Especially, S&S has elevated VR melee combat to a new level. Valve has been experimenting with elements of HL:Alyx for a long time so some aspects seem dated (locomotion, melee and inventory). HL:Alyx has not caught up to all those VR innovations but they've made some giant leap of their own with their Source engine. Their visual fidelity is mindblowing. 

Hopefully, in the next batch of great games we'll get games with S&S melee + inventory and Alyx visuals. 
i7 9700k 3090 rtx   CV1, Rift-S, Index, G2

MowTin
Expert Trustee

Zenbane said:


pyroth309 said:
I think it's still the best headset to buy for a premium expensive but
it's hard to say it's $600 better than Rift-S or $700 better than O+ is
all I'm saying. I still feel like the system shoulda been $799ish.


Yeah, that seems to be on par with what others have said. Like ShadowMask, who has tried practically every headset released and ended up taking the Reverb over the Index. It sounds like Reverb is the current overall winner (especially if visual quality is most important).

It's not really about the amount of money itself. I spend $1000+ monthly on luxury quite regularly. But it's about value for money. I won't spend $1000 on an incremental update, when the only real benefit seems to be Internet bragging rights lol



I've always said the Rift-S is a better value but the Index is a far more premium product. You get a slightly wider FOV and slightly better pixel density. But the audio really shines. 

Is it worth $1000? Yes, if you're an enthusiast and have the cash. It's the same with buying an OLED tv or buying a premium set of speakers. Does anyone need the performance of a BMW M3 given the speed limits? These are purely subjective decisions about luxury items. 

And for those like me who are on the edge of the Rift-S IPD range, the Index is totally worth it. 

So, I don't think it's just about bragging rights. There is a real noticeable difference in the quality of the audio and video. How you value that difference is subjective.
i7 9700k 3090 rtx   CV1, Rift-S, Index, G2

Wildt
Consultant
C'est fini!
What a ride..   despite the flaws and shortcomings already voiced in this thread, it's still the best video game experience I've ever had. 
Kudos Valve! First true AAA VR title in my book.
PCVR: CV1 || 4 sensors || TPcast wireless adapter || MamutVR Gun stock V3
PSVR: PS4 Pro || Move Controllers || Aim controller
WMR: HP Reverb

MowTin
Expert Trustee

Zenbane said:

Plus, most games are just a rehash of games that have already been made. There are very few original experiences. Which is why I took over 5 years away from gaming, and only came back because of VR. Yet 4 years in VR later, I'm finding the same problem. Lots of regurgitated experiences. 



Just some philosophical advice. You should always try to see the world with the eyes of a child. In other words, every experience is fresh and new. 

If you start looking at the world in terms of how everything is similar those similarities are all you'll receive and life will become dull and everything will seem like a regurgitation. 

Better to see what's different and unique and have everything feel fresh like children playing in the snow. 
i7 9700k 3090 rtx   CV1, Rift-S, Index, G2

MowTin
Expert Trustee

Wildt said:


Mate, as soon as I heard Alyx was about to drop, I hurried up and got a divorce! :lol:

..J/K.

Well.. I actually DID get a divorce, but for other reasons. 


Welcome to the club. I'm remarried now but I've been through it. 

Word of advice: stay away from strippers and don't date 20-year-olds.   😛


i7 9700k 3090 rtx   CV1, Rift-S, Index, G2

Zenbane
MVP
MVP

MowTin said:
I've always said the Rift-S is a better value but the Index is a far more premium product. You get a slightly wider FOV and slightly better pixel density. But the audio really shines. 




I don't think we need to turn this thread in to another HMD Review. Plenty has been said about these products already. It's clear that when it comes to visuals, Reverb wins over everyone.

Too many sources outside of this forum have made it clear that the Index isn't worth the asking price. I am an enthusiast but I don't believe in wasting money. So far, the Index owners I've read on this forum seem to do more in terms of trying to justify their purchase as opposed to simply enjoying it for the money spent. That's not a shot at you or anyone specific, just my overall general perception. I saw the same behavior form Vive owners. There seems to be a need for non-Oculus owners to use this forum to make their non-Oculus HMD seem superior. And maybe at times it is true. Surely the Index is superior to my Rift-CV1! lol

But overall, there is money better spent elsewhere other than $1000 on something so marginal.


Just some philosophical advice. You should always try to see the world
with the eyes of a child. In other words, every experience is fresh and
new.

That is called: monotony. Science and society wouldn't be where it is today if everyone took that advice. We wouldn't have Virtual Reality today if we took that advice. Because we'd all still be happy with the Atari 2600 lol


Better to see what's different and unique and have everything feel fresh like children playing in the snow. 

I would rather maintain my experience over time, and seek out the rare gems in the world. They exist, for those who go beyond having a mind like a child and seek the magnificent.

loui100
Protege
While I'm enjoying the game a lot, it's painfully clear Valve is extremely behind on VR developments. Smooth locomotion is obviously tacked on - it took me a long while to realize I _have_ to use teleportation or that idiotic "pull right stick and move forward with left stick to go over obstacles" system. The fact if you run out of bullets you have no option to use melee fight, even if it were severely underpowered, and basically have to reload, is EXTREMELY bad game design. Really baffled that Valve made such blunders, and more so surprised that they seem to be completely overlooked by many reviewers.

MowTin
Expert Trustee

Zenbane said:

I would rather maintain my experience over time, and seek out the rare gems in the world. They exist, for those who go beyond having a mind like a child and seek the magnificent.


Actually, it's usually the young who innovate because they're not limited by the traditions and rules of the past. They see the world with fresh eyes. 

I've never seen anyone argue against seeing the world from a fresh perspective. 

I know a lot of people who can never enjoy a movie because they insist, "this was done in that previous movie" or "this is a rip off of another movie" it's like the weight of their movie viewing experience makes it impossible for them to enjoy anything. Moreover, often they fail to see what's different about the new film. All they can see is how it's the same. 

Just my opinion.

"But overall, there is money better spent elsewhere other than $1000 on something so marginal."

What's marginal or not and how you're willing to spend is purely subjective. I agree you're better off spending the money on a 2080ti than on Index. But if you have a 2080ti and i9 9900k then you want the best. That's the Index, right now. The Reverb like the PiMax requires too much power to drive it without reprojection. 

Anyway, now with the coronavirus economic catastrophe, $1000 may mean more to most than it used to. This could really hurt VR development, sadly.  
i7 9700k 3090 rtx   CV1, Rift-S, Index, G2

MowTin
Expert Trustee
My guess is that HL:Alyx lack melee because the kind of physics based melee found in Boneworks and S&S would kill performance and force them to reduce visual fidelity. 

I get the feeling they put a lot of work into optimizing everything to get this kind of amazing performance. 
i7 9700k 3090 rtx   CV1, Rift-S, Index, G2