Doom 2016 via VorpX and HTC Vive

[tuo]

After finding out via a YouTube video that VorpX now supports the HTC Vive (I have no Rift), and that you can play Doom 2016 with it by selecting a different OpenGL game profile (currently, there is none for Doom2016), I gave it a try.

Holy moly.

It is buggy regarding some effects (like the sparks flying around in hell are rendered at a wrong depth, since they basically seem to have no depth etc.), it already looks very good, and to be honest, I expected it to be much worse regarding simulator sickness, since it is in no way optimized for VR. Of course, firing the Gauss in Siege mode gave me instant sickness (my brain doesn't like beeing pushed back when my inner ear says "you are perfectly stationary"), and I can't (yet) run around in the speed I am used to without beginning to feel uncomfortable...

But if someone (I will even try to get in contact with the VorpX guys, if I can support it in any way) manages to write a proper profile for this, and maybe with SnapMap levels that take VR into account regarding rooms, enemy numbers etc, this could be an awesome experience. At least between the arenas, even with the bugs I mentioned, it was quite breathtaking!

If you have a Vive and VorpX, you might give it a try...it really ain't too bad, and I was quite sure that Doom 2016 would be a no-go in VR due to the quick movement and glory kills, but even the later one didn't make me as uncomfortable as I thought.

Edit: forgot to mention: your machine absolutely has to be able to render the game at constant 90 FPS at the Vives resolution, else you might be in for a very unpleasant ride. Dual 980s (EVGA SC edition, non TI) on my end did that without any problem.

Edit2: DON'T BUY AN HTC VIVE ONLY FOR DOOM 2016 (yet). The experience is far from beeing polished!

[laza]

May I ask which game profile to select?

[tuo]

I use one from the Cloud Profiles, named Doom 2016. Works quite well already :)

Edit: sorry, it is called "Doom" (without the 2016), Author is "SorryAboutYourCats"

[hardcore_gamer]

Considering how fast paced Doom is I can't imagine that it would play well on the current VR machines. If VR even takes off at all (questionable) we are still some time away from seeing VR that works well with fps games.

[tuo]

hardcore_gamer said:

Considering how fast paced Doom is I can't imagine that it would play well on the current VR machines. If VR even takes off at all (questionable) we are still some time away from seeing VR that works well with fps games.

I would have said (no, I did say, more than once) exactly the same regarding Doom and VR.

But even with just an injector like VorpX, it already works quite good and is tons of fun! No simulator sickness on my end, and I have rather weak VR knees.

Some maps are just breathtaking (Lazarus Labs, Research Facility, Kadingir) with a headset on. I can play it very well on Hurt me Plenty, so I can take some time regarding the fights.

It is an awesome experience, and I truly was one of the biggest doubters (because I experienced existing FPS with the Oculus DK1 and DK2, and all of them made me sick).

Then again, there is one thing to notice: the VorpX does not create a true stereoscopic image with Doom 2016, so this might help regarding simulator sickness.

Still, it is tons of fun to play, and if you set up the edge-peek right, so it doesn't get in the way during combat (where you use mouse+kb), and only use it to explore...yeah...it is rather breathtaking. Even with such a fast paced game as Doom.

PS: There is already a very impressive First Person title on VR (no shooter, since you use swords and stuff). Everyone who played it here on my Vive was blown away and didn't want to stop, actually.