Neat video. I've subscribed and I'm interested to see more. There were, indeed, some things I didn't know (like that you can wear pots on your head). If we're talking about development of Half-Life: Alyx, I think it's important to let people know that the game has a developer commentary mode, in which you don't just hear devs explain things, they often even add in-engine visuals to help articulate concepts. Stuff like why the gravity gloves are so satisfying, the process of creating fog and particle effects, the animation of the Combine soldiers, even seemingly minor things like why characters say funny things at certain moments. Lots there to learn from and appreciate.

@RoadtoVR

8 ай бұрын

Great reminder! This can be enabled when starting a new game.

Still can’t believe there has not been a vr game that comes close to this yet

@lennycro9029

7 ай бұрын

same@@alterreels

HL Alyx remains the best VR game after 3 years. After seeing what Valve has done with their portable PC technology in the Steam Deck, I can't wait to see them use that knowledge in their next VR hardware! Valve is finally where Gabe Newell wanted to take it, more than 10 years after he said he was jealous of Nintendo for making software for hardware they themselves designed.

@betonman9

7 ай бұрын

matter of opinion...HEAVILY moded skyrim is way better game for me....next gen graphics plus real physics plus npc physic interactions plus tons of things fans created for vr version....im like 200h in and i cant stop. And playing with almost 4000x4000 per eye is just jaw dropping

@Jdb63

7 ай бұрын

​@@betonman9What's your HMD and PC spec setup?

Things I didn't previously know: Alyx can play the piano by shooting its keys, and even the VHS tape has a unique shaking sound.

Still my favorite VR game - visual details, music, sound, lighting, story, voice actors, game play, level design, and the list never really ends. Often I’ll load the Jeff level just to appreciate the lighting and liquid shaded bottles and practice throwing and catching two at once. I love how you can hold the ends of the bottles as well with a different grip, and clank them together but they only break according to the speed-based force you apply. I enjoyed hearing all the details you shared and didn’t know many of them - well done!

Some stuff I already knew... but the amount I've missed, even in 70 hours of play, is amazing! Doing a fresh playthrough since getting the Q3, so a lot more exploring of 'things' will slow me down a bit - thanks for sharing!

They set the bar so high with Alyx its unreal. No one has gotten close even yet! I just wish Valve would do some more...

I love videos like this one. VR is still a relatively new space and design best practices still aren't established yet, so these sorts of breakdowns of games that have gotten things right could be super useful for future VR games.

Great video, HL:Alyx is definitely one of the most polished VR experiences I've come across so far. There are so many subtle details, it definitely set the bench mark for future VR experiences.

I found this series on Roadtovr, and I'm upset it wasn't recommended via my KZread algorithm. That's full of XR dev content, although I was already a subscriber. I absolutely love and appreciate all the insights shared here, and the format was great.

Great video! I’m surprised how you never mentioned the upgrade system, and how it encourages players to keep learning about their weapons without giving them an entirely new gun

I think my most immersive moments in Alyx was when I would accidentally knock my gun on the wall and feel it in my controller, look down and see it. I don't know why but it is kinda wild.

Did anyone ever rack the pistol after you realised you could just release the working parts using a button instead? Way more satisfying.

I need to play this again just to shake things. This was very informative about a game I thought I knew all about, having cleared it three times 🤣

Thanks for this vid, very helpful how you explained the mechanics behind this awesome game. So many things I didn't knew, or never notices. But damn, a gasmask or shooting those grenades with a gun would have saved me hours of playtime with jeff . Have to do a replay soon, wish valve would make a western style game with this much detail. would buy it in a heartbeat. Didn't see this series before, will be watching older ones and looking forward to new ones. thx!

This was a great video! Looking forward to what you are going to cover next

The survey told me to suggest future episode ideas in the comments of the video, so here goes: I'd like to see an episode about how VR developers could collaborate/share resources for their mutual benefit. Since VR is a smaller space than the broader games industry, most VR developers have fewer resources than the average flat game developer (smaller budgets and teams, etc). Yet despite those diminished resources, it seems to me like there's a lot of reinventing the wheel going on, especially in terms of gameplay, which seems like a waste of those precious resources. I'd like to see developers license or share technology/engines/game code for common things, or even open source some of the code. A particular example that stands out to me is physics based melee combat. It seems really tough to get right (as evidenced by how many developers get it wrong), and yet many developers keep trying to do it themselves rather than licensing the gameplay systems from one of the few developers who nailed it, then customizing/improving it to suit their game. It seems like it'd be a win-win, as the developer who made the original code would have another way of monetizing the work they put into their game, and the developer paying to use it would save months if not years of time and effort that they could invest in other areas of their game (like creating more/better content). It'd also be nice to see VR devs collaborate in other ways. The VR space really seems to be feast or famine for developers, with a small number hitting it pretty big, but most others selling almost nothing. It would be great if the successful VR developers would allow other teams to make content for their games. Sort of like the mod scene, but with means of monetization and being adopted as official content if it's good enough. Again its a win-win, as there'd be more high quality content for the original developer's game, and the less well known developer could raise their profile with a large audience, and make a bit of money in the process. Crossover collabs have happened a bit, but they should be way more common IMO. Recently Drums Rock added a Demeo song pack, which is a great example (though both games are already pretty well known). And not that either game needs the promotion, but how has there not been a Superhot x Pistol Whip crossover?! Anyway, the point is that the VR space is hard on developers, but greater collaboration could lead to much better outcomes for not only developers, but also the VR audience. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Maybe there's a video in here somewhere? 😅

Great format!

Yes! I'm very happy to see this video. As a UX designer who's passionate about UX, I've been wanting to make a similar video ever since HL:A released. You did the game justice. Greatly produced video btw.

Such a great video. More please!

There was an incredible clip from Gabe Newell describing what people want as "realism" in a game as "[Fun is] the degrees to which the game recognizes and responded to the players' choices and actions.” Interesting to see your video through that lens now because the team hit it on the head with all the technical things you pointed out.

@GamerReality

7 ай бұрын

The clip: kzread.info/dash/bejne/f3ukqKevYZDTcdI.htmlsi=TNgbqXIl5SeKO6Tr

@RoadtoVR

7 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing! Also I'm fairly certain you were the person that left a particular note at the end of the feedback survey and I just wanted to say thanks, it gave me some very useful things to think about! P.S. This was the first thumbnail I tried: imgur.com/6aydAsy Thoughts compared to the one you saw?

@GamerReality

7 ай бұрын

@@RoadtoVR Oh yeah I think that one is better!

I was just commenting to my friends about how good the throwing is in the game. Great to know more about how it's implemented!

Can't wait for Half-Life 3 in VR!!! I love VR!!! people need to get on board already theyre missing out!

Great vid!

Alyx is not only the best VR game and experience out there, it also managed to barrel into my top five games of all time. Every single aspect of this game is spot on and feels satisfying and intuitive. The only downside to playing this five times through, was that I never had a full room scale area to play in. I was kinda having to always watch my surroundings, which considering the incredible immersion Valve put into Alyx overall, became a real bummer. It was almost perfect...except the WIRES attached to my head. My first few playthroughs were with the Index, a wired experience that does bum me out...and then I used a Quest 2, with Airlink, and it felt better to not be tethered, but then the controllers just weren't as good. Anyway. I still give Alyx a 10 out of 10.

@Glowbox3D

7 ай бұрын

Ah! Yes, I heard this on Digital Foundry last week. Is it free, or is the paid one on Steam? Thanks!@@alterreels

The more other devs try VR, the more I'm impressed with Alyx. Just got a Quest 3 and mostly what I've been doing is Alyx thru Virtual Desktop.

Respect and Thankyou for in depth review for a person who is just starting playing steam VR with quest 3….and yeah I agree half life Alex is the best VR game I have experienced…10/10

Spent a couple hundred hours in Alyx and had no idea about a couple things e.g. you can wear a cone on your head 👏

You can crush cans?? Is that only with index controllers?

Need. More.

So want this on psvr2

It needs to come to psvr2 it would look amazing....

😮

I have vive pro 2

Half-Life Alyx is a life changing experience.... I simply cannot FATHOM, why they haven't made more VR games like it. Most VR games SUCK.

Valve really needs to start churning out VR games if they want VR to succeed and advance. Noone has matched Half Life Alyx still. Plenty of really well made games, but none match Alyx. Boneworks POSSIBLY is a close second.

this game has 2 really big mistakes ..mini puzzles are awful and ammo only spawns for the weapons you use. you wont get shotgun ammo if you don't use the shotgun unless you're out of ammo. actually it has 3 mistakes ..no melee weapon, and no rifles. only 3 weapons isn't very fun as far as progression goes.

Physics in virtual reality is the worst possible thing. I wish the games would go back to before. With physical features like Assassin's Creed and the walking dead and....., one feels like a robot. And everything becomes artificial and slow and ridiculous and boring.