I think there is a common issue with World of Warcraft, and to be honest it is not the game itself. World of Warcraft has come up and progressed as any game normally would. It implements fun design ideas, and new features, as well as new and interesting sights for exploring. What I feel WoW needs is something more immersive. Something that draws people into the world that we find so beloved and hold so close. We love the idea of being in this world, meeting people, leveling and immersing ourselves in this fantasy realm. Virtual reality can go above and beyond the previous idea of immersion. Blizzard is amazing at design when it comes to the overall look of World of Warcraft. I have played since late Vanilla, early Burning Crusade, and I was pretty young at the time. I did not get to remember what it was really like in Vanilla or Burning Crusade. That is why I loved the idea that Vanilla was coming back. However, once it does there is some speculation that the nostalgia won’t last long. Which is why I feel Blizzard found it hard to want to go back in the first place. Now that it is, I feel like there is a lot that can be built onto this, new areas that can be explored. I am excited to see what Blizzard does next with World of Warcraft, and I hope that Virtual Reality is a step that they are willing to take. What do you guys think?
You’re in the Classic Discussion so your topic is probably irrelevant here but VR isn’t hugely popular. It costs a lot of money to set up a rig that doesn’t make you physically sick and even then, there are very few successful titles built specifically for it.
Not to mention that you actually need a fairly large area of free space to even use VR without smacking your limbs on the surrounding furniture.
When they built WoW it was designed to run on as many different pieces of hardware possible on the market at the time in order to maximise accessibility. VR is the least accessible route you could take.
Try again in 10 years.
You are correct in the idea that VR can be expensive in a way. However, more and more games are getting to the point that high end computers are on demand. VR is cheap when compared to modern gaming computers that are coming out.
Now, yes I did put this in the forum for Classic Discussion. Mainly because I think that this would be the starting point and entry level to do this. It may seem silly to some that don’t understand what VR is and what capability it has, but to those that do, and take it on, will no doubt see that the time and effort that is put in has a great outcome. I remember how easy WoW was to run on computers, I remember how slow mine was. However, VR does take a bit more power, but if done right, by the right company, with the right specs, WoW would be the first, well optimized MMORPG for virtual reality.
Just log out and get a dose of old fashioned reality.
VR requires you to have a high end gaming computer. That is why they have to strive to make it cheaper.
I would never consider getting one of those overpriced head screens unless it came with an omni-directional treadmill and 5sq. meters of space built into my existing room for free. Real estate doesn’t come out of thin air.
Maybe you could make a great experience. But who is it for?
- A disabled person can’t fully experience this.
- Your average person can’t afford this.
- It requires free space and takes time to set up.
- The VR market is completely unproven to produce successful games.
You can play WoW on a laptop with $300 minimum - it takes up almost no space and you can do it anywhere there is internet connection.
I know what you’re after. It would be fun - But implementing it in the near future is just a fantasy. (For it to actually be a decent experience worth buying)
Goldshire mailbox dancing is the only valid application for VR I can think of.
Thank you. I really do appreciate the constructive criticism when it comes to the idea.
Now, in response. I am not going to say that you are incorrect at the price point for virtual reality, or the limits that it may have for some. However, with the low price point of stand alone headsets, such as the Oculus Go, coming with its own built in computer for less than a laptop there will be opportunities for companies to take control of the fact that it can be for everyone. I know it may seem like a long shot, and this is all just a discussion and nothing may even come up after this comment but if you think about it, what is WoW? I have thought of WoW for many years as an escape. I thought it was a place I could go, get on, and play as someone or something that I could not be in real life. I wanted to explore and adventure but couldn’t afford to go on huge fancy trips. What I am saying about WoW implementing VR is that it would give even more of what some people had in this game in the first place.
Your responses are awesome!
Yeah, cheers. There is a lot of people around here that don’t understand the “discussion” part.
For what its worth, there is a way you can bind a VR headset to view controls in-game but I’m not familiar with where the relevant info is at.
Omni-treadmill to run around WoW would actually be a great fitness tool.
Much more interesting than Wii-Fit in my opinion.
On criticisms, your initial post is quite a wall of text (but that hasn’t stopped me responding of course).
I understand, also you are 100% correct about the controls. There are scripts that can be run to do this, and a small step could be Blizzard implementing the capability for you to do something as simple as that at first. For those that do have VR, or want to test it out, this would be a small, yet amazing, implementation in the future.
Yeah, open mic rogues mouth breathing as they set up for an ambush. Good stuff.
“oh you found me… What gave me away?”
I’ve played in VR, multiple games. (My brother has the Vive and a large open space.) I’ve also seen how VRMMO concepts are presented in things like anime, and having played know just how little the actual experience compares.
WOW Classic, heck any MMORPG, is a long long way from even being a viable game concept in VR.
Take all the walking. VR setups are a limited amount of space - usually something like a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Some games get around this limitation with small closed spaces and hallways that get you to turn and move in other directions. Some get around it with an action that comes awfully close to click-to-move, where you target ahead of yourself and have the world shift past you. (Some use a grapple concept to make that feel more fluid.)
The beauty of WOW Classic was the open space of each zone. There’s no good way to mimic that currently without people walking into walls (and even with games designed for the space we have, we’ve hit the walls a few times reaching for something).
Dungeons, maybe, but not WOW Classic dungeons. A dungeon could be designed for VR, with cramped quarters, lots of turns that lead you around the room frequently, even the ability to back up (with the danger of not looking and running into things in the real world room).
Next is the plethora of skills and abilities in WOW and trying to translate them to VR controllers which can have a directional control and a few buttons each. One option would be to have a UI that you see constantly, and you have to point and click on action bars in that … which kind of ruins some of the “reality” sensation. Another option is having to learn a whole bunch of ways of swinging a sword (controller) to get different skills to trigger, such as Mortal Strike and Hamstring.
Another issue in VR is the lack of any solidity. There’s a mental backoff from things like walking through walls or counters, but there’s no physical barrier. I played one game where it had me crawling through a duct, and I got annoyed at crawling, stood up, and there was no penalty whatsoever for being outside the defined space. The only time there’s physical feedback is if you push the boundaries and walk into walls, furniture, glass, etc. - none of which are represented in-game.
That would be amplified trying to have two players interact. No one is there. Waving your hand in front of you would go right through them. Walking toward each other would mean passing without any sensations.
There’s a lot more things that have to be adjusted for when programming (and playing) in VR, but this is already too long.
Long story short, I don’t think any existing or past MMORPG is a good candidate for VR. It might be possible to design an MMORPG experience that would work in VR, starting with things like cities where all travel can be done on scooters (or some vehicle that lets you direct it while standing still, so scenery going past seems fitting) or moving sidewalks.
Yes, you do have a fair point. However, I was never intending this to go beyond the scope of what VR can do currently. At first it could be something as simple as like a cinematic version that would allow someone to view the world from a first person perspective, not change the whole function of the game. In the future, maybe something can come of it, and it has been proven that it can be done, like in the game Orbus VR. This was the first MMORPG for VR and although the controls are a bit lacking, there are some elements that can be taken from it and used.
Also, there are, ill be it expensive, options that would allow you to be really immersive if you see fit. But what I was focusing on would be just movement and freedom inside the World of Warcraft.
Thanks for the response!
So does the main tank just gets to see nothing but the boss’ crotch all day long then?
VR will be great when we can make it cheaper so that the average gamer can afford it. Even an Occulus Go right now is hundreds of dollars.
I see it like having a joystick or Hotas for flight games. There’s room for really nice $200-$400 or even more expensive setups, but if you want it to go mainstream you probably want a cheaper option that’s below $100.
However even then, not every game will be built to actually work all that well in VR. WoW is one that it wouldn’t really add anything to, given how barebones the first person view in the game has always been.
Now playing a game like Star Citizen(in 3030 when it’s actually finished =P) with a Hotas and a VR headset? That would be something.
And eventually removing fun designs and ideas because the new people didn’t like it.
Don’t know how to imagine virtual reality in wow.
Yes, you are right about the price range, and them being a bit high for what they are. However, if you expect to be spending little to no money on a hobby like World of Warcraft or anything gaming wise, you are mistaken. Just take the average price of new games that come out from big name companies. Those cost about 60 bucks a piece to have access to the game. You skip playing three of those games, spend that nearly 200 bucks and get a headset, then Bam! you’re in.
I understand where people are coming from, especially if they don’t go and spend money on the new games and wait for those discounts. I am not saying there are flaws in my thought process, or even that it is thought out extensively yet. What I am saying is that, with a little tweaking, some brain storming, and some passion from a community that loves this game and wants it to succeed for a long time, this idea can go far with a company backing it like Blizzard.
Proportionality, referring to character vs. enemy, is always going to be an issue but Skyrim VR didn’t have a problem with it. Just allow for a little range so the tank can hit from further back on bosses that are bigger.
Lets take a minute to visualize this, being this is the whole premise behind what I am saying. You are a rogue, you start in the starting area in a VR scenario. You get to see Northshire and Goldshire from a First Person perspective. You get to stand in front of those wolves, spiders, and bandits that you are fighting. As a rogue you get stealth. You get to act like and be invisible to the people and enemies around you. The visuals alone would be just interesting to see for myself, to find out exactly what it would be like.
Thanks, I do appreciate the critique, it really does add to my take on it, makes me think more on the idea!
With the price point I’m talking more about the average gamer, which will be needed in order to make VR really blow up into mainstream. Right now my personal hesitation about buying a headset is that there really isn’t a whole lot of good games that support it.
As far as WoW is concerned, consider that Skyrim was at the very least built to be a game primarily played in first person. WoW is a game primarily meant to be played in third person.
Dropping into first person in WoW is nothing but disadvantages: You don’t have as much spacial awareness, and against larger enemies you get into melee with you can’t see anything but their model taking up 90% of your screen.
VR in WoW seems like something that would be a gimmick. Something that’s kind of interesting to walk around Stormwind or Orgrimmar, but that you’d turn off when you actually wanted to do something.
and Blizzard really shouldn’t be cutting Ragnaros’ size down to 25% of what it is just because of VR.
Tools required for “virtual reality classic wow.”
- Goggle/face screen
- Nose canceling headphones
- 9 directional dance game mat
- Controller or keyboard + mouse
- Key mapping software.
- PC/laptop that can run WoW
Obligatory warning: May contain parts known to the state of California to cause cancer in expectant mothers.
Everything you need.
Well definitely wrong forum for this but no it would be pointless. It would have to be it’s own game. It would work better for Hearthstone or some management type game.