Horses for courses

[HagarTheHorrible]

Discussing with Unreasonable about the merits and detractors of VR and TiR, in gunnery, has focused my mind on their respective user experiences.  I expect there are not a few people here who are excited about the prospect of FC purely for what VR brings to the table and while VR has many positives it also has one or two limitations.  It might well be argued, not without some truth, that VR is overly limiting in FOV  but I at least have always thought that these limitations are more conducive to the reality of looking around with it's many real life and physically tiring aspects than the head on a swivel, relatively unrestricted views available to TiR users.  That isn't to detract from the TiR experience, it's quite remarkable and in it's day, revolutionary, it's just a different experience to that of VR users.

 

 

The principle limitation, most pertinent to FC, might be the limited FOV and the additional workload this puts on the pilot as it severely restricts the ability to check six and makes the pilot have to really physically work to accomplish this, something that for TiR users is comparably of little restriction or effort.  There are however, I expect, few VR users who would willingly swap VR for TiR.

 

The point to this ramble is that I can foresee a need for a purely VR dogfighting space.  If I was to offer a comparison to a normal users experience it would be lke dogfighting with only some players being allowed to enable icons with all the strategic advantages that brings to thought  players.  I hope there are enough VR players around to make a purely VR online server a reality. How one would police it, apart from relying on player honesty, is open to debate.  This is not however a suggestion that normal and VR users should never mix just that it might be interesting to have a VR only space 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

19 minutes ago, HagarTheHorrible said:

I hope there are enough VR players around to make a purely VR online server a reality.

Unlikely.

 

Furthermore, there is no precedent for such a split. Hardware inequality has always been accepted in the flight sim community. Players with simple joysticks and basic computers have had to face rudder pedals, TrackIR, HOTAS, 4K monitors, 144 Hz, etc.

 

The current situation is slightly different because the users with the most expensive hardware (VR) now feel that they are at a disadvantage. However, I do not believe that this distinction warrants any special arrangements for VR users. 

 

I have nothing against VR players arranging these types of events. However, one should not expect assistance from the developers or cooperation from the rest of the community. 

 

 

[Zooropa_Fly]

I think there will be more 'viewing' advantages flying with VR than without, isn't that the whole point of it..

So maybe conversely there should be a non-VR MP arena ?

I'm sure there won't be for reasons already stated.

 

But I have been wondering if the VR users will end up with a distinct advantage over Tracking users ?

 

As great as it'll undoubtedly be, I'm not prepared to cut off all my senses to the real world, then there's not seeing your control equipment.. cup of coffee.. ashtray......

I expect for these reasons many won't ever use VR, it's not necessarily just about people being able to afford it.

 

S!

[Archie]

For me VR takes il2 (and FC I hope!) from sim/game to as close to actually being there as I can get. I don't care about stats at all so if it puts me at a disadvantage then that's a price worth paying for the wow factor of VR
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