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VR gamers, are 2d games not as engaging anymore?

C

ChouGoku

Member
I've had a PSVR since launch and in the beginning it was a peripheral I would use here and there but mainly I played 'flat' games. I didn't play it for a while but now with Superhot, Archangel, Arizona Sunshine, Dirt Rally, etc released; 'flat' games just seem boring. Although AAA flat games are better games (as in graphics, story, and game world) they don't seem as engaging. 1st person games feel like 3rd person now, its very hard to get caught up in a world like The Witcher 3 when looking at it through a window and not being in the world. I don't think any 'flat' game could make me feel like I did in Superhot tonight, VR is truly a game changer and I am glad it is getting a lot more support.

VR currently has me in a gaming depression, as I said AAA 'flat' games are better "games" than most VR games, however they lack the immersion, presence, and interaction that VR games have and it makes them harder to play. While there is no GTA, an amazing 3rd person RPG, or a Destiny in VR, Its like jumping 2 generations back, I cant wait until more varied VR games come out. Are you fellow VR gamers feeling the same?
 
O

oni-link

Member
I think a lot of people probably thought the same thing in the mid 90s going from 2D sprite based games to 3D polygon based games, but here we are, decades later and a lot of people are fine playing both

I'm sure you'll get over it, and VR will continue to get more and more support and "2D" games are not going anywhere, so yeah, it will be fine
 
F

Fixed2BeBroken

Member
I would prefer answering this question in a month....to see if this VR kick I have now wears off....I was playing overwatch literally everyday, and ever since I got VR, I have not touched overwatch.

But I literally got it about a week ago, so.....I'm still fresh to it.
 
Codiox

Codiox

Member
I know what you mean but right now I see "flat" gaming just like a handheld back in the days. There are good 2d games out there but once you go VR, this is all some kind of sidestuff.
 
I

innervision961

Member
I have had the psvr since launch... I can hardly enjoy flat games anymore :/

Not because I don't want to, I've been trying to get into pubg for instance, but my heart is with VR.
 
artsi

artsi

Member
I bought and sold a Vive to go back to traditional games because they're just so much more interesting and provide more value for me.

Let's see when I can play full, lengthy games like Fallout 4 VR and Skyrim VR with a next generation headset.
 
L

Linkup

Member
VR is to involved for most people for it to replace monitor gaming. That will likely change in the future as it becomes easier to get into VR and bigger games come out. That said monitor gaming simply can't compete on levels of immersion so VR has that feeling only it can give.
 
C

ChouGoku

Member
oni-link said:
I think a lot of people probably thought the same thing in the mid 90s going from 2D sprite based games to 3D polygon based games, but here we are, decades later and a lot of people are fine playing both

I'm sure you'll get over it, and VR will continue to get more and more support and "2D" games are not going anywhere, so yeah, it will be fine
Click to expand...
Idk man, unlike 2d and 3d IMO 99% of current games can be done in VR and would improve because of it.

katsubento said:
There's no need to pick one over the other.
Click to expand...
I'm not making a conscious choice to pick one over the other its just that 2d games are harder to get into now because they are less engaging.
 
O

oni-link

Member
ChouGoku said:
Idk man, unlike 2d and 3d IMO 99% of current games can be done in VR and would improve because of it.
Click to expand...

Well like you say, it's subjective, as a lot of people won't find VR appealing at all

Choice is what really matters though, and more and more games will get VR support as time goes on, so as someone who enjoys VR and wants as much of their gaming time as possible to come via VR, things will only get better for you

Personally, I'm more on the fence with regards VR, so it's something I'm happy with waiting on for a few more years
 
Spukc

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
What a silly thing to say OP.
I still use a big fat B&O crt to play my old consoles on.

Also strapping a bulky headset arround your face is not ideal.

Vr is only at the start imo
 
ranmafan

ranmafan

Member
Non vr games are still just as engaging to me as they always have been. And this year there have been some amazing games that reinforce that feeling. As said above, a good game is a good game, no matter if it's in vr or nor. But I know what you mean by how vr is effecting those feelings. There are some games I can't imagine going back and playing in non vr. Resident evil for incidence is a game so well done in vr, it's imersion is so apart of that game that I just can't imagine playing anyway else. Rez is another great example. Always loved the game but vr made it even better and it's the way I prefer to play. And I can imagine what's going to happen when skyrim vr comes out. Hopping into another world and feeling like you are there is so amazing.

But still there are great games not in vr for me. Sure some I wish could be in vr but many it doesn't make sense of course. I'm actually very glad we have both types of games instead of just one or the other. Sometimes I'm in for an amazing vr experience, others a more laid back classic tv style.

But yeah the future is bright for both types of games I believe. But I do can't wait to see what amazing vr experiences are coming soon.
 
O

oni-link

Member
Spukc said:
What a silly thing to say OP.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's silly, and a lot of people get a new system and then don't want to touch the old one

A lot of people with a PS4 wouldn't want to dust off the PS3 as they're used to the PS4

VR is another beast entirely as it's offering something entirely new and not just an incremental upgrade

If what VR offers really appeals to someone, then it's not a huge surprise they find non VR games lacking, even if that's mainly down to their personal taste
 
P

phoisgood495

Member
Still love both, VR games have a long way to go in terms of polish to match up to AAA games, and there's still lots of weird technical hurdles.

They provide totally different experiences for me.
 
V

VexyWexy

Member
The VR 'magic' has sort of worn off for me, so if anything VR games are less engaging now. I do look forward to the (hopefully near) future when VR is better though.

OP's question would be more relevant if by some sorcery ALL games could be played in VR mode with no graphical fidelity loss, but as it is now you would be missing out on a ton of amazing games if you went 'VR only'
 
C

ChouGoku

Member
oni-link said:
Well like you say, it's subjective, as a lot of people won't find VR appealing at all

Choice is what really matters though, and more and more games will get VR support as time goes on, so as someone who enjoys VR and wants as much of their gaming time as possible to come via VR, things will only get better for you

Personally, I'm more on the fence with regards VR, so it's something I'm happy with waiting on for a few more years
Click to expand...
Even if current VR is not appealing to you I can't see to many people where VR wont appeal to them at all. Unless you only play sports sims and don't ever imagine yourself as the player or don't ever wish you could sit in the stadium while controlling the players I don't see how you can not like VR (not limited to current VR). There are hurdles at the moment but I do see the 2D to 3D comparison as like when 3d was introduced, I can see the vast majority of games making the switch to VR as they did with 3d.

oni-link said:
I don't think it's silly, and a lot of people get a new system and then don't want to touch the old one

A lot of people with a PS4 wouldn't want to dust off the PS3 as they're used to the PS4

VR is another beast entirely as it's offering something entirely new and not just an incremental upgrade

If what VR offers really appeals to someone, then it's not a huge surprise they find non VR games lacking, even if that's mainly down to their personal taste
Click to expand...

Thank you, based on a few of these responses I think this thread will turn into people answering as if I said that flat games aren't good
 
Yautja_Warrior

Yautja_Warrior

Member
For me, VR is more interesting than standard gaming at the moment because it's something new but I'm still enjoying the standard games I'm currently playing, it's not like non VR games are suddenly bad for me now.
 
L

LordCanti

Member
I've been with VR since the Rift DK1 (up through CV1) and no, I've never experienced any sort of disengagement with 2D games. It helps that the 2D games are still more fully featured, longer, etc. There are some great experiences out there for VR, but it hasn't come close to completely replacing traditional games for me.
 
L

Lakuza

Member
i still enjoy "flat" games, that won't change but with vr I'm able to enjoy a new range of games. Really enjoying Lone Echo right now which doesn't have any combat and is more exploration, solving light puzzles and progressing through the story(as well as being a full length game thankfully). I don't think I would have enjoyed it as a tv experience. However, in vr its immersiveness and interactivity is addictive. Also this game is a great example of how fast vr games are progressing in such a short time in terms of visuals and controls, its like we're jumping console generations every year or two with vr so its really exciting.

Same goes for more arcade like games, I had abandoned that side of games for console and pc. But vr, I'm enjoying arcade games like I'm a kid again playing time crisis at the arcades in a cinema. Robo recall and superhot are great examples of this, really makes you feel like a badass.

Also, I'll always pick vr horror over "flat" horror games from now on since playing a few in vr have made the "flat" horror games feel safer to play, so I'm never as scared with those. Vr horror will make me freeze in fear and close my eyes just from the atmosphere and the dread of what lies ahead.

Racing games in vr are also amazing, hard to go back to non-vr racers (I'm also not that fond of the genre, so vr actually keeps me interested in it).
 
C

ChouGoku

Member
Yautja_Warrior said:
For me, VR is more interesting than standard gaming at the moment because it's something new but I'm still enjoying the standard games I'm currently playing, it's not like non VR games are suddenly bad for me now.
Click to expand...

I don't think they are bad just not as engaging anymore. I spent 180 hrs in a month in MGS V, and did something similar with Dragon's Dogma. Those games were extremely compelling for me and I wanted to be in the worlds I was playing. Those games sucked me in and I had to make a conscious effort to not play those games or I would miss out on things IRL. Although I haven't played A VR game that has sucked me in for a similar amount of time, I don't think that will happen again with a 'flat' game, because VR is that much more immersive which makes it more engaging to me.
 
D

Dvidus

Member
I'd say it doesn't change. Those games are their own kind of fun. It's not like NES/SNES games became obsolete once later generations came out. They're just not new anymore.
 
Reallink

Reallink

Member
Trying to play Echo Arena and Splatoon concurrently, Splatoon feels like a non-interactive snoozefest in comparison.
 
A

Auto-Reply

Member
With the exception of Bayonetta (and Turok PC) I have not played a regular game this year, I play VR games every day because it's also a form of slight training for me using Audioshield/Soundboxing etc. A good counterbalance to my desk job where I sit in a chair all day long and I can discover new music that way, something I hadn't really done for years prior getting the headset.

I didn't even buy games like Deus Ex MD at the last steam sale for 15 bucks because I know I just wouldn't play it anytime soon... maybe never.

It will be nearly a year soon where I have gone without playing a regular game on my TV/Monitor (maybe already is, don't exactly remember when I got the Vive at what month last year).

I can only speak for myself but the answer is a clear yes, TV/Monitor games have become boring to me. Even when I was sick and couldn't physically move around much I had no desire to play a regular game anymore, I just watched a movie and youtube stuff.

I probably will play a regular game again... maybe if Bayonetta 3 gets made or some for some nostalgia trip when N64 games come to pc. But the desire is gone, TV games somehow look small, flat and primitive even with top of the line graphics.

latest
 
ISee

ISee

Member
They deffinetly feel different now. Especially after playing excellent VR games with very good motion controlls like Superhot VR, Batman VR, Bridge Crew, Rush of Blood.
I was very disdapointed with motion controlls during last gen., but they are a game changer with VR!

Still there is a place for both of them.
 
ArtHands

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
katsubento said:
There's no need to pick one over the other.
Click to expand...

thats something rather subjective and people might end up playing exclusively on one format. Its not a "need" but more of a taste kinda thing.

Some people play almost exclusively on mobile, some exclusively on console, some almost exclusively on handheld etc. some people play across 2 or 3 formats. So its nothing wrong if some people find themselves predominately play in VR now.

Many VR people are having a great time in AAA games like Lone Echo, Echo Arena and Robo Recall right now. If we continue having games of such caliber at a regular rate, it will be great
 
C

ChouGoku

Member
Noisepurge said:
i won't play racing games anymore unless they are in VR, total gamechanger there.
Click to expand...

This is the genre where I feel it the most, most flat games can still be fun just much less engaging. Car racers is where I say no, maybe Mario Kart games but car games feel incomplete without VR. I can't wait to get a wheel and pedals to get total immersion.
 
A

Aztechnology

Member
I'll have my Oculus soon. But for me, having played a few games on VR for limited periods, it won't ever be an experience that can match those 2D experiences fully unless they can sort out locomotion. Right now I'll just take both and enjoy them both. But I'm worried I'll tire of VR quickly without that same freedom of movement. Not every game can be zero G.
 
L

LittleBigGamer

Banned
I feel the same mainly with games that are both in VR and flat screen.

for example, RE7, Bound and racing games.
In my mind, they are entirely different games in flat screen.
 
Thebonehead

Thebonehead

Banned
Depends on the genre.

I have a gtx 1080 pc with 3 1440p screens which i used to use for sims using trackir.

These days I only play Dcs world, aerofly 2, war thunder, elite dangerous etc with my rift.

There is no going back for me as the immersion felt trumps all else for me.

It helps i have pedals and a hotas warthog i guess.
 
W

Wardancer

Neo Member
Aztechnology said:
I'll have my Oculus soon. But for me, having played a few games on VR for limited periods, it won't ever be an experience that can match those 2D experiences fully unless they can sort out locomotion. Right now I'll just take both and enjoy them both. But I'm worried I'll tire of VR quickly without that same freedom of movement. Not every game can be zero G.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of games in VR that has sorted locomotion really. It is gonna be hard for some people to get used to it but it is really worth if its possible for you. Onward basically kickstarted the artificial locomotion that is used in many indie VR games now and has been copied by several games. The bigger budget titles are still lagging behind quite significantly on that front, especially the Oculus funded titles but they seem to be catching up by patching in locomotion after the fact. (or making their own locomotion in Lone Echo).

But yeah there are plenty of games in "flatscreen" that cannot be played in VR or where VR doesn't add anything. Also games where VR would be exhausting to play (PUBG for example) but some games that are pretty simple and would be pretty boring on a monitor gets new life in VR just because of the way you interact with things and where you have to aim down the sights of guns and reload them manually. Which is why I always find it strange that so many of the bigger budget titles opt to remove a lot of the interactions that make VR unique (automatic reloads, laser sights, cannot press buttons with your hands etc) because that really just fuels the question "why is this game in VR?". On the other hand thats what a lot of people who never tried VR keeps asking for "Why cant i just sit down and play it like a normal game????". The answer to that is almost always "Because then you wouldn't play it in VR"

BUT VR games will have to do a lot more going forward, they cannot really be sold on the simple gimmicks that has mostly worked up until now and it is gonna require a lot from the devs to keep the interactivity at a level that players expect to make VR "worth it".
 
Bridges

Bridges

Member
I only just got a VR headset a few days ago and I spent the last 4-ish hours playing Payday 2, which is to say that I definitely still am drawn to "2D" games.

I think mentally I go to each for different experiences though. There are plenty of 2D games I will play for reasons other than immersion, where as if I'm playing a VR game I'm playing almost entirely because of a desire to be immersed.

VR is best experienced in couple hour segments instead of marathons since the headset does begin to get hot after several hours and most games are more physically involved than 2D games, so it's cool to be able to play a game like Payday in the downtime between VR sessions.
 
C

commissar

Member
I've only played a few games on PSVR. A little RE7, some Arizona Sunshine. The uh...Sony's collection of minigames. Want to play Jeff Mintner's new game and Giant Cop.

At the moment it feels like I spend a lot of time fighting the controls, and despite the COOL THREE-DEE, it's more technical appreciation and novelty than any actual immersion.

'Flat' games still give me a far better feeling of free motion and movement than anything in VR. While the rollercoaster Until Dawn thing was a neat momentary rush, it got old fast.

Curious to try a Vive though.
 
K

KORNdoggy

Member
they certainly lose out on a ton of immersion. but i still play them fine. i do find myself thinking "that would have been so cool in VR" while playing some of them though.
 
D

darkinstinct

...lacks reading comprehension.
ChouGoku said:
I've had a PSVR since launch and in the beginning it was a peripheral I would use here and there but mainly I played 'flat' games. I didn't play it for a while but now with Superhot, Archangel, Arizona Sunshine, Dirt Rally, etc released; 'flat' games just seem boring. Although AAA flat games are better games (as in graphics, story, and game world) they don't seem as engaging. 1st person games feel like 3rd person now, its very hard to get caught up in a world like The Witcher 3 when looking at it through a window and not being in the world. I don't think any 'flat' game could make me feel like I did in Superhot tonight, VR is truly a game changer and I am glad it is getting a lot more support.

VR currently has me in a gaming depression, as I said AAA 'flat' games are better "games" than most VR games, however they lack the immersion, presence, and interaction that VR games have and it makes them harder to play. While there is no GTA, an amazing 3rd person RPG, or a Destiny in VR, Its like jumping 2 generations back, I cant wait until more varied VR games come out. Are you fellow VR gamers feeling the same?
Click to expand...

Absolutely not. While I like my VR fix here and then where I play for a couple of hours I vastly prefer to just switch on my Xbox and play in standard 2D. It's less irritating to my eyes, my head doesn't hurt from the headset, it's much easier to get started. Presence is great and awe inspiring, but I prefer games in non-VR and non-games (experiences) in VR. And I always feel a bit dirty going from 4K on Pro to that image quality from 2001 you get when entering PSVR.
 
StonedRider

StonedRider

Member
I just started playing in VR, but I know I will never be able to play Dirt Rally and Elite Dangerous on flat screen. It is despite Dirt Rally in VR gives me nausea with all its jumps.

But I will play games like Civilization, XCOM. I will play games which has no VR, like Witcher 3 and others. My eyes need to rest from VR anyway.

Auto-Reply said:
With the exception of Bayonetta (and Turok PC) I have not played a regular game this year, I play VR games every day because it's also a form of slight training for me using Audioshield/Soundboxing etc. A good counterbalance to my desk job where I sit in a chair all day long and I can discover new music that way, something I hadn't really done for years prior getting the headset.
Click to expand...

This too! In VR games I do not sit staring at one point. I move, I turn my head, it feels much better. I just need to attach some weight to Oculus Touch and I will be in great shape in no time :)
 
P

Paquete_PT

Member
In the current state of VR it is simply impossible to choose one over the other, to the point that I consider them 2 different experiences and not in the same "gaming" category.
VR feels like a novelty, and even when the hype gets low, I can go back to normal games and when I come back it blows my mind all over again! Superhot in VR is something else, it can't go head to head with games like Uncharted and Witches 3 in terms of story, graphics, etc, but it delivers another level of immersion that you simply couldn't have anywhere else.
When you compare them side by side, for example with Resident Evil VII, VR is definitely the way to go and yes, going back from VR to 2d in minutes really shows how flat it all is. It depends on who you ask, but for me the sense of immersion is well (and I mean WELL) worth the performance downgrade (that is still huge).
Once we get to PSVR 3.0 (more graphical power, even more comfortable, less cables, better motion capture and interaction) and games like Uncharted start appearing (if they ever do, in terms of budget, story, writing, etc), then it will be really hard to justify staying with traditional games.
 
T

Trojan

Member
From my experience (bought Vive at launch): two months of VR fascination, then I slowly rolled back to traditional games. Now I see VR more as a separate gaming activity almost. Still enjoy it, but you don't get the same mileage out of games. Good for a nice switch up for a few hours but I'm back to traditional games for the most part.

EDIT: post above me echoes some of the same points, seems my experience is not uncommon
 
S

Schadows

Neo Member
Obviously, I will keep playing standard 2D games, but for some type of games like racing game (Project CARS) or space shooter (House of the Dying Sun) there is just no way I would go back to play them the old way.

What you loose in graphical fidelity / sharpness, you get 100 times immersive instead.

That said, as expected from the beginning, there are lots of game type that aren't suited to be played in VR.
 
anothertech

anothertech

Member
Been playing Lone Echo, and this week just got Echo Arena. Holy shit is it next level. It's fcking Enders Game and I'm playing it for real. Incredible stuff.

As better and better games are developed, there will be no going back at some point.

Maybe 2043.

readyplayer-one-deloreongif.gif
 
Yautja_Warrior

Yautja_Warrior

Member
ChouGoku said:
I don't think they are bad just not as engaging anymore. I spent 180 hrs in a month in MGS V, and did something similar with Dragon's Dogma. Those games were extremely compelling for me and I wanted to be in the worlds I was playing. Those games sucked me in and I had to make a conscious effort to not play those games or I would miss out on things IRL. Although I haven't played A VR game that has sucked me in for a similar amount of time, I don't think that will happen again with a 'flat' game, because VR is that much more immersive which makes it more engaging to me.
Click to expand...

Yeah VR is much more immersive and engaging, the feeling of actually being in the game is really something else and non VR games will never be able to do that, but I'm still really enjoying normal games too.

I'm currently playing Nier Automata and loving every minute of it (2nd play through) and will be doing a few more runs to get all the endings, (many, many more hours to go) so for me, standard games haven't lost the ability to hook me in, even if they aren't as immersive as VR.
 
FIREKNIGHT2029

FIREKNIGHT2029

Member
I'm on the same boat as you OP. I've had my PSVR since launch and flat games aren't doing much for me to be honest. I still play them but I'm always itching to go back to VR. I also recently started connecting my PSVR to my PC and I've been playing Elite Dangerous and other Steam games with it. The more cool VR games get released the more I become like this meme...

images


Games like Eve Valkyrie, Elite Dangerous, Project Cars, Battlefront VR, Driveclub VR, Archangel, Farpoint, etc. allow me to live out my wildest childhood fantasies in a virtual world. It's hard to go back to flat games because they just aren't as immersive no matter how good they are.
 
G

GoldenCrow

Member
Still engaging but in very different way. Certain genres are now ruined such as racing games thanks to VR, I can't go back and have tried. Still play traditional games but they have certainly lost a lot of their appeal, if all games had the option to choose between TV or VR 99% of the time I would choose the VR version. I'm not a new system only type of person either I still play games on older systems just as frequently as I do newer.
 
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