Should VR be integrated into NS2?

Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
edited November 2016 in Ideas and Suggestions
So I was thinking, maybe NS2 could have some Oculus/Vive support for some extra immersion. Being commander would need to be changed a little bit to fit this new system but I think it would work.

[EDIT]
So I know this sounds far fetched and you may be thinking that this may not work but this is what this thread is about, to help people see what I see in the potential. So for the first-person perspective it would be like any other first person game. But for the commander role you would be looking at the map of the field with the menu's on the side. So what does the community of NS2 think?
You don't need 2 threads for the same topic - Mouse

Comments

  • MaxAmusMaxAmus UK Join Date: 2003-12-26 Member: 24779Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow
    I just don't see it working, as awesome as it would be, not everyone has a VR, you may get new players getting the game because it supports VR, but that's a risk i would much rather spent on something the game needs that will attract everyone, and not 1 part of the market.

    Game **Could** use matchmaking? In-game gather system? better performance (Its great now from what it was a few years ago, but can always improve) 64bit? i could go on, but just looking around the forums will give you more.

  • remiremi remedy [blu.knight] Join Date: 2003-11-18 Member: 23112Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    However, I seem to recall @remi playing around with importing some NS2 models into Unreal Engine 4, just to see what it was like to view them in VR.
    I've lost the screenshots for that, but yeah. I played around with getting the models into Unreal to see how that looks. I'm no environment artist, but I think it would be really amazing to be able to walk around NS2 maps in VR and get a real sense for the scale.

    :)

    All that being said, Beige is right. It's not on our roadmap to add VR support. Even among those that already have a VR headset, the percent that would be able to comfortably play a fast paced first person shooter like NS2 and not get sick I believe would be quite small.
  • Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
    (Use parts of SN's code) There are already multiple games that have you switch between first person and then a top down perspective.
  • BeigeAlertBeigeAlert Texas Join Date: 2013-08-08 Member: 186657Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    Use parts of SN's code

    That's like saying we can save time/money when building a go-kart by harvesting parts from a space shuttle. Completely incompatible. :(
  • NordicNordic Long term camping in Kodiak Join Date: 2012-05-13 Member: 151995Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited December 2016
    Let me introduce you to the concept of opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen. For UWE to attempt to make VR work in NS2, they would not be working on other parts of the game.
    We do not know if VR would be a good fit for NS2, and at the very least it would not be used by many people. NS2 is on a tight budget and we are lucky that it is even being developed on this long after release.
    I personally would rather UWE continue on the plan they already have. You can see their plan here.

    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    Use parts of SN's code
    That's like saying we can save time/money when building a go-kart by harvesting parts from a space shuttle. Completely incompatible. :(
    Is NS2 the go kart or the space shuttle? :wink::smiley:
  • Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    Use parts of SN's code

    That's like saying we can save time/money when building a go-kart by harvesting parts from a space shuttle. Completely incompatible. :(
    No, its not! I am currently working on a project and I'm using certain codes from other projects of mine in this one. It is completely do-able in my eyes.
  • The_Welsh_WizardThe_Welsh_Wizard Join Date: 2013-09-10 Member: 188101Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    remi wrote: »
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    However, I seem to recall @remi playing around with importing some NS2 models into Unreal Engine 4, just to see what it was like to view them in VR.
    I've lost the screenshots for that, but yeah. I played around with getting the models into Unreal to see how that looks. I'm no environment artist, but I think it would be really amazing to be able to walk around NS2 maps in VR and get a real sense for the scale.
    Yeah I would really love to run around the maps in VR, must be really fun to actually see how the maps "really" look.

    However, PLAYING NS2 in VR... Just no. I don't think it can be fun because moving and aiming must be a pain, especially aliens (have fun lerks).
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    Use parts of SN's code

    That's like saying we can save time/money when building a go-kart by harvesting parts from a space shuttle. Completely incompatible. :(
    No, its not! I am currently working on a project and I'm using certain codes from other projects of mine in this one. It is completely do-able in my eyes.

    lol.

    SN is done in unity, which uses C# or Java or somesuch if I remember correctly. NS2 runs in a custom engine and is written in LUA. That is only the start of the incompatibilities.
  • .trixX..trixX. Budapest Join Date: 2007-10-11 Member: 62605Members
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    Use parts of SN's code

    That's like saying we can save time/money when building a go-kart by harvesting parts from a space shuttle. Completely incompatible. :(
    No, its not! I am currently working on a project and I'm using certain codes from other projects of mine in this one. It is completely do-able in my eyes.

    There are projects and there are projects, and not all of them are created equally...
    You'll learn in time :P
  • Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
    .trixX. wrote: »
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    Use parts of SN's code

    That's like saying we can save time/money when building a go-kart by harvesting parts from a space shuttle. Completely incompatible. :(
    No, its not! I am currently working on a project and I'm using certain codes from other projects of mine in this one. It is completely do-able in my eyes.

    There are projects and there are projects, and not all of them are created equally...
    You'll learn in time :P

    I already know that! I'm not stupid and I know that NS2 is built in a custom engine. Everything has similarities, just patch up the differences!
  • .trixX..trixX. Budapest Join Date: 2007-10-11 Member: 62605Members
    Everything has similarities, just patch up the differences!

    We have more than enough food producing capacity to feed everyone, let's end world hunger!
  • ObraxisObraxis Subnautica Animator & Generalist, NS2 Person Join Date: 2004-07-24 Member: 30071Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Silver, WC 2013 - Supporter, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts
    edited November 2016
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    Use parts of SN's code

    That's like saying we can save time/money when building a go-kart by harvesting parts from a space shuttle. Completely incompatible. :(
    No, its not! I am currently working on a project and I'm using certain codes from other projects of mine in this one. It is completely do-able in my eyes.

    Sorry but it's not. I do a lot of work in the VR space on Subnautica and it's a ton of work if you're doing it right. NS2's codebase and pipeline are not set up for VR in the slightest, so would take an even bigger effort than we're doing on Subnautica (and it's more work than people think).
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    .trixX. wrote: »
    Everything has similarities, just patch up the differences!

    We have more than enough food producing capacity to feed everyone, let's end world hunger!

    ...and from a purely theoretical perspective, that would actually be simpler. Just move food from A to B.

    It's not remotely that "easy" to "port" SN VR to NS2. At that point it would be better to do from the ground up. (Not like there's a point, anyway.)
  • .trixX..trixX. Budapest Join Date: 2007-10-11 Member: 62605Members
    Not like there's a point, anyway.

    To VR no (pple would be hospitalized for blunt wounds caused by furniture)
    To NS3 yes! :D
  • 0x6A72320x6A7232 US Join Date: 2016-10-06 Member: 222906Members
    It would take a lot of effort, but maybe as a long term goal?
  • NordicNordic Long term camping in Kodiak Join Date: 2012-05-13 Member: 151995Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Shadow
    0x6A7232 wrote: »
    It would take a lot of effort, but maybe as a long term goal?

    Where would you fit it into the current NS2 long term goals?
  • Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
    Okay fine. I give up, in my eyes this discussion is over.
  • 0x6A72320x6A7232 US Join Date: 2016-10-06 Member: 222906Members
    edited November 2016
    Nordic wrote: »
    0x6A7232 wrote: »
    It would take a lot of effort, but maybe as a long term goal?

    Where would you fit it into the current NS2 long term goals?

    How about under a new heading. An addition.
  • ArchieArchie Antarctica Join Date: 2006-09-19 Member: 58028Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Supporter, WC 2013 - Supporter
    I've ported NS2/NS1 models into UE/source engine, looks pretty fantastic really in VR, you can even play NS2 with VR headsets, only problem is that it's too fastpaced and it's not the sort of game that works with VR.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    Use parts of SN's code

    That's like saying we can save time/money when building a go-kart by harvesting parts from a space shuttle. Completely incompatible. :(

    I want to see this spaceshuttle kart though :D



    But yeah TBH, NS2 is a niche game as is VR still... A niche inside a niche might as well be nonexistent ey :o
  • BeigeAlertBeigeAlert Texas Join Date: 2013-08-08 Member: 186657Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    I want to see this spaceshuttle kart though :D


  • Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    I want to see this spaceshuttle kart though :D


    He, that's gotta be fake!
  • Soul_RiderSoul_Rider Mod Bean Join Date: 2004-06-19 Member: 29388Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue
    He, that's gotta be fake!

    Having just spent the last few hours watching an assortment of his videos, this is 100% not fake. The guy is nuts, in a good way.
  • Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
    Soul_Rider wrote: »
    He, that's gotta be fake!

    Having just spent the last few hours watching an assortment of his videos, this is 100% not fake. The guy is nuts, in a good way.
    Okay! Still crazy.
  • ZavaroZavaro Tucson, Arizona Join Date: 2005-02-14 Member: 41174Members, Super Administrators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Playtester, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    If anyone was curious about NS2 in VR with the Rift, I managed to get my Oculus DK1 using Tri-Def software to play it. I streamed it and posted it on Youtube in another thread, but as it's a more or less terrible video that gives the VR experience no justice (it's also low quality due to my terrible rig), I advise trying out VR for yourself instead of me posting a video of it.

    It worked rather well in practice for head aiming and three-dimensional depth with UI elements, but the mechanics and speed made it near impossible to aim well without using the mouse (and thus, keeping my head perfectly still). It was annoying, but cool. If you have a chance try it out, do, but I sincerely doubt any user would feel the want or need to play with it all the time after experiencing it a few times due to the frustration and general neck craning that would come from moving and unable to shoot properly.

    Mechanics are a huge part of VR, and since most of NS2's are built specifically for a keyboard and mouse, those sort of things wouldn't translate without huge sweeping changes (in addition to huge code additions which would go unused for pretty much every other player). In addition, big devs working with VR still haven't figured out movement, which is a huge part of first-person action games. Interaction was another huge hurdle, but the touch-paddle-things everyone has adopted has more or less mitigated any weirdness. That's probably why you don't see a ton of "full fledged" VR titles.
  • Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
    Zavaro wrote: »
    If anyone was curious about NS2 in VR with the Rift, I managed to get my Oculus DK1 using Tri-Def software to play it. I streamed it and posted it on Youtube in another thread, but as it's a more or less terrible video that gives the VR experience no justice (it's also low quality due to my terrible rig), I advise trying out VR for yourself instead of me posting a video of it.

    It worked rather well in practice for head aiming and three-dimensional depth with UI elements, but the mechanics and speed made it near impossible to aim well without using the mouse (and thus, keeping my head perfectly still). It was annoying, but cool. If you have a chance try it out, do, but I sincerely doubt any user would feel the want or need to play with it all the time after experiencing it a few times due to the frustration and general neck craning that would come from moving and unable to shoot properly.

    Mechanics are a huge part of VR, and since most of NS2's are built specifically for a keyboard and mouse, those sort of things wouldn't translate without huge sweeping changes (in addition to huge code additions which would go unused for pretty much every other player). In addition, big devs working with VR still haven't figured out movement, which is a huge part of first-person action games. Interaction was another huge hurdle, but the touch-paddle-things everyone has adopted has more or less mitigated any weirdness. That's probably why you don't see a ton of "full fledged" VR titles.

    Why text blue?
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    Zavaro wrote: »
    If anyone was curious about NS2 in VR with the Rift, I managed to get my Oculus DK1 using Tri-Def software to play it. I streamed it and posted it on Youtube in another thread, but as it's a more or less terrible video that gives the VR experience no justice (it's also low quality due to my terrible rig), I advise trying out VR for yourself instead of me posting a video of it.

    It worked rather well in practice for head aiming and three-dimensional depth with UI elements, but the mechanics and speed made it near impossible to aim well without using the mouse (and thus, keeping my head perfectly still). It was annoying, but cool. If you have a chance try it out, do, but I sincerely doubt any user would feel the want or need to play with it all the time after experiencing it a few times due to the frustration and general neck craning that would come from moving and unable to shoot properly.

    Mechanics are a huge part of VR, and since most of NS2's are built specifically for a keyboard and mouse, those sort of things wouldn't translate without huge sweeping changes (in addition to huge code additions which would go unused for pretty much every other player). In addition, big devs working with VR still haven't figured out movement, which is a huge part of first-person action games. Interaction was another huge hurdle, but the touch-paddle-things everyone has adopted has more or less mitigated any weirdness. That's probably why you don't see a ton of "full fledged" VR titles.

    Why text blue?

    He's a member of the community development team (CDT, now replaced by the Paid development team, PDT). Specifically, playtest lead.
  • Nautical_NickNautical_Nick Australia Join Date: 2016-06-12 Member: 218444Members
    Zavaro wrote: »
    If anyone was curious about NS2 in VR with the Rift, I managed to get my Oculus DK1 using Tri-Def software to play it. I streamed it and posted it on Youtube in another thread, but as it's a more or less terrible video that gives the VR experience no justice (it's also low quality due to my terrible rig), I advise trying out VR for yourself instead of me posting a video of it.

    It worked rather well in practice for head aiming and three-dimensional depth with UI elements, but the mechanics and speed made it near impossible to aim well without using the mouse (and thus, keeping my head perfectly still). It was annoying, but cool. If you have a chance try it out, do, but I sincerely doubt any user would feel the want or need to play with it all the time after experiencing it a few times due to the frustration and general neck craning that would come from moving and unable to shoot properly.

    Mechanics are a huge part of VR, and since most of NS2's are built specifically for a keyboard and mouse, those sort of things wouldn't translate without huge sweeping changes (in addition to huge code additions which would go unused for pretty much every other player). In addition, big devs working with VR still haven't figured out movement, which is a huge part of first-person action games. Interaction was another huge hurdle, but the touch-paddle-things everyone has adopted has more or less mitigated any weirdness. That's probably why you don't see a ton of "full fledged" VR titles.

    Why text blue?

    He's a member of the community development team (CDT, now replaced by the Paid development team, PDT). Specifically, playtest lead.

    Oh...That makes sense now!
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