..wow that was kinda fun. Probably the first time since TSW first came out that I had any sort of fun with it. I'm using the Que and the UEVR mod to get VR working in TSW. I did the M-BARSBD4-05b session as a quick dip my toes thing. Also using my Raildriver that I have muscle memory of where all the buttons are. And with my years of know how from playing Run8, I was able to disable most of the HUD elements. Normally I play on an ultra wide set up for immersion, but VR took it to a whole new level. When playing any train sim I have other windows open that can distract me. Maybe it's a YouTube video, maybe it's my switching notes, or maybe its Discord. All of which pull me out of my immersion. But with VR, I was more locked in. On top of that, with 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF), I was able to fully look around. I leaned up over part of the console to see out the left side window. I leaned over to stick my head out the window. I twisted around in my seat to look out and inspect my train around a corner. I was getting decent frame rates, but there was still a few stutter's here and there. And the draw distance on some objects and shadows, even on ultra settings, was lacking. But over all good performance. And since I was on a wireless link to my PC, I could just get up and walk around the cab if I wanted, which I did do at one point. The entire time I was playing I was thinking, "This mod could be what draws me into TSW." I'm still not happy with the over all game play as it needs a MASSIVE rework, but the VR mod made it bearable. I was also thinking how fun it would be to play multiplayer like this on a true dynamic world. Being able to quickly look at my gauges then back out the window as another player and I are doing switching. I know there is a main tread about VR is TWS, but I just wanted to start my own to say how fun it was. And How I think that implementing VR should be something with higher consideration for TSW in the near future. I know some people will say VR is niche but consider this. Just on steam there are around 32,390,678 people online as of me typing this. According to Steams own stats (Store->Stats->Steam hardware & Software Survey->VR Headsets) 1.75% of steam users played on VR. Thats over 560,000 people. (566,837). Adding up all of TSW games, and TSC classic 30 day average number of players per Steam Charts works out to around 2,000 players. Less that 0.006% of all of steam users. Like 300 times more people are playing VR than TSW. I think there is a good argument to be mad that implementing VR could draw in more people from outside train simming into the game, rather then trying to focus on people who already have the game. That and fixing the core game play.
I would really like a VR version of TSW on PS5. I have a Meta Okulus 3 at home and they play Mudrunner VR and it's really awesome. But I am afraid that this wish will not come true.
VR is surely a nice thing. But as hardly anyone have these magic goggles, I doubt DTG will ever make a dedicated VR version. It's a big about of work hardly anyone benefits from.
DTG would definitely benefit from a VR version. It would certainly gain new customers, but also great experience in creating technology for VR. TSW is just perfect for VR. TSW has wonderful models of both the train and the surrounding environment. Since they play TSW on PS5 it would convince me to buy PSVR2. This is my opinion.
First off. Hardly any one has VR? If you take the time to read the main post, I know its a lot to read, I showed that JUST on team there are over 500,000 people using VR per month. A quick google search says in 2023 annual VR headset sales totaled 11.2 million units, with the cumulative installed base accounted for 25.82 million units. So its kinda dumb to say no one has VR when the number of units sold is in the 10's of millions, with that number projected to grow. Just using the numbers I got from steam, for every 1 copy of TSW, there are 280 people with VR headsets. But yea, you think no one has a VR headset just because you don't. Second, in another thread Matt says that VR was very much considered for TSW when it was first started. You right, proper implementation would be a bit of work. But with this mod, the foundations are there. VR could be implemented with what appears to be not as much work as other games would require.
