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[cleveridea]

Release

Platform

PlayStation VR (PS4)
Oculus Rift (PC)
HTC Vive (SteamVR)
Non-VR Version Available (PS4 & PC)

Pricing
The VR version on PC will cost $29.99 in the U.S., €24.99 in Europe and £19.99 in the U.K., and nDreams will also offer a non-VR version on Steam for $19.99 in the U.S., €19.99 in Europe and £14.99 in the U.K.

Release Date

19th July 2016 (PC), Coming Soon (PS4)

Digital Availability

08:00 PDT / 11:00 EDT / 16:00 BST / 17:00 CEST on Steam, Oculus Home, Green Man Gaming, Humble Bundle and GamersGate.

Company Propaganda

Overview
A mysterious organisation known solely as the Assembly has been conducting secret experiments underground, their astonishing breakthroughs only made possible by operating outside government scrutiny and society’s morals. But what is the Assembly hiding? How far will it go to keep its existence buried? And what will it sacrifice in the pursuit of progress? Now, a chain of events threatens to expose this shadowy group. Play as two individuals – each with their own motivations – and discover the mysteries of the Assembly’s facility through contrasting perspectives.

Make tough decisions, overcome trials and shake the foundations of this enigmatic collective. Will your actions and their future repercussions save lives, or lead to catastrophe? The Assembly is a first-person interactive drama for mature audiences, created from the ground up for virtual reality headsets. An experience with two sides to everything, where the truth is never clear, and a question is always left open: When does the end justify the means?

The perfect introduction to VR
The Assembly is a long-form, narrative-driven game designed from the ground up for your VR headset. Freely explore intricate, realistic environments with intuitive, accessible movement controls as virtual reality immerses you within a game and its world like never before.

Where will you draw the line?
Uncover a morally dubious organisation through a gripping and incisive interactive story. Face thought-provoking dilemmas with uncertain outcomes that challenge your views of the Assembly and its members, and which come to a head in one of multiple thrilling conclusions.

There are two sides to everything
Explore the Assembly from the perspective of two different protagonists – newcomer Madeleine Stone and veteran Cal Pearson. As Madeleine, face a bizarre induction programme that seeks to test your potential, and as Cal make a series of shocking revelations that lead you to question the Assembly’s relentless pursuit of progress. Also available to play without a VR headset - Freely switch to the game’s tailored flatscreen mode at any time.

Developer walkthough

Welcome to our guided tour of The Assembly’s gameplay, where nDreams’ Art Manager Martin Field and Senior Designer Jackie Tetley give you an in-depth look at our game’s early chapters, environments and storyline. The Assembly is our first-person interactive story inspired by real-world anxieties, and is our first long-form game designed for VR. The game is coming to Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on July 19th, and PlayStation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGpoPY1ZV2o

Blog

http://www.ndreams.com/blog/

Trailers

Gameplay Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFqeYboCX0s
E3 2015 Two perspectives trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-YHfbeg2WE
2014 Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0XVkP6lXOU

VR Controls

The Assembly also features some experimentation from nDreams on moving around in VR. You can walk through The Assembly with standard analog stick controls, but a perhaps more comfortable option is available as well. By holding the left trigger, you can project an image of yourself to a point in the environment that you're aiming at, and then teleport yourself to that spot. Turning is handled by the right stick in 90-degree increments, which also reduces the chances of developing motion sickness, according to nDreams. We didn't feel ill at all during our half-hour playthrough.

http://www.polygon.com/2016/6/30/12061000/the-assembly-vr-ndreams-preview

FAQ

Are there dogs in crates?
Yes.

How long is The Assembly?
The Assembly is between four and five hours long, depending on the player’s skill level. This is similar to other recent single-player VR games. We’ve aimed at delivering a high-quality experience which is driven by a compelling story, rather than an overly long one.

Is the game episodic?
The game is split into chapters, but it's not episodic - you get the whole game and can choose to binge on it or take breaks between chapters.

Is there a non-VR/flatscreen version of The Assembly? Can I buy the VR version at a later date?
The Assembly has been designed as a VR experience, but we are releasing a VR version and a non-VR version of the game, for those players who don't yet own a headset. The VR version comes as a bundle, with a flatscreen option included. This allows players to switch to a non-VR mode that has been reworked for monitors.

A separate, non-VR version of The Assembly will be released alongside the VR version. This edition of the game will include an option that allows players to upgrade to VR at a discount in order to experience The Assembly as originally intended.

Did you need to do anything in specific to counter motion sickness issues?
Yes! We’ve designed The Assembly’s movement mechanics with the player’s comfort in mind. Along with a set of controls for experienced VR gamers, we’ve also included Blink/Teleportation controls – a system we’ve custom built to enhance player comfort in VR. This deals with minimising the use of the gamepad to move or position the camera – i.e. your viewpoint. By combining short distance, line-of-sight based quasi-teleportation for movement with a snap rotation for turning, we’ve eliminated motion sickness while maintaining the player’s free movement. So, players can choose which control scheme they would prefer to use in the game, and can change at any point throughout the story.

Why doesn’t The Assembly support motion controls?
We want The Assembly to be as inclusive for as many players as possible at launch. We therefore designed The Assembly to be played with a dual analogue gamepad. PC gamers can also use a keyboard if they prefer. We expect VR gamers to be instantly familiar and comfortable with our control scheme, which allows them to freely explore The Assembly’s environments without ever leaving their chair. Nevertheless, we do see the future benefits of using motion controls in VR games over traditional controllers designed for flat-screen gaming.

Does The Assembly include any VR-specific features or functions?
We’ve created The Assembly specifically for VR headsets, so that it’s as immersive as possible. The game’s movement controls have been custom built for VR to allow players to freely explore The Assembly’s virtual environments as easily and as comfortably as a flat-screen first-person game, without inducing simulator sickness. In VR, people love the way objects look like you can almost reach out and touch them, so we’ve included a feature that enables players to take many of the game’s most important objects and inspect them closely. We've also found that VR dramatically increases the impact of heights, darkness and environment detail, which we’ve used to full effect in The Assembly.

Why is there no physical body to player's character?
We’ve found that you don’t need one – you’ll be so engrossed with the world that you don’t even notice.

Is The Assembly a very puzzle-centric game?
There are puzzles in some areas of the game, such as during some of Madeleine’s trials during her induction into The Assembly. However, the game’s main focus is on the story and characters, rather than its puzzles. So don’t worry, you won’t need to play The Assembly with a walkthrough as none of our puzzles are designed to block progress.

Why are there two characters and is there a difference in play style between the two characters?
By having two different characters, players can experience two very different perspectives on the Assembly. Madeleine is shown the Assembly how it wishes to be seen, whereas Cal sees it how it really is. Cal and Madeleine do have distinct play styles. While Madeleine is completing a series of challenging trails, Cal is engaging in exploration and gathering intelligence behind the scenes. Cal is also helped by an AR device that he uses, whereas Madeleine only has her wits. In terms of controls, both Cal and Madeleine are controlled in exactly the same way… although you may notice that Cal is a little bit taller than Madeleine.

Reviews

PC http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-assembly
PS4 http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/the-assembly

Pre-OT Thread by Kyonashi

Includes company rep answers to questions, copied into this thread where appropriate.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1245324&highlight=the+assembly

I plan on picking this up as soon as its available, doesnt look like you can preorder it at steam or GMG. I have an oculus rift and this game sounds interesting in concept, but also crucially as teleport to move. I cant play motion heavy games in VR without nausea, hopefully get to try it within 24 hours.

 

[DirtyLarry]

I just posted in the High End VR thread asking what the price is for this game as I could not find it. Now that I know it I believe I will be checking it out even though historically I have not enjoyed FPS story drive games. I think the inclusion of VR could change that for sure. Plus I am intrigued by the storyline as well.

So pretty sure I will be checking this out come tomorrow. Thanks for the OT.

 

[cleveridea]

I just posted in the High End VR thread asking what the price is for this game as I could not find it. Now that I know it I believe I will be checking it out even though historically I have not enjoyed FPS story drive games. I think the inclusion of VR could change that for sure. Plus I am intrigued by the storyline as well.

So pretty sure I will be checking this out come tomorrow. Thanks for the OT.

Yeah I am the same. Also, the only games that completely eliminate nausea in VR have teleport (or automatic, fixed camera) like Chronos & Farlands. Many games also are great fun but have indie game or low cost production values, so its good to have a "real game" (eg its coming out as a non VR game).

Every VR game should have a teleport option IMO if it has movement. Even without Vive or touch controller, just make it a button press that highlights destination using headset tracked icon. This wont work on all games of course like a COD, but exploration and walking simulators should have it as standard. Would love to play firewatch with teleport VR - ethan carter looks amazing in VR mode.

 

[wanderingprostheyltite]

So for clarification there is a separate sku for the non vr version on steam? I would think you could toggle back and forth like any other vr supported title. Options and all.

Edit: cross post from other thread on a recent interview:

Great lengthy interview with a few folks at nDreams on the game here:

http://www.onlysp.com/ndreams-gives-insights-on-upcoming-vr-interactive-adventure-game-the-assembly/

Some choice parts:

With VR though, what we noticed is we’re going back to traditional ways of developing games. That is, the emphasis is shifting back to quality of content for single users. This may be because at the moment, not a lot of multiplayer VR games are in development, with the notable exception of RIGS: Mechanized Combat. What VR really does well is amplify emotions and the sense of presence within an environment. This makes it much  more immersive.

The good old-fashioned stuff about playing solo like story, narrative, interesting mechanics, well-defined environments, they’re all making a comeback with VR. The ability to explore environments at any pace that solo gamers want to take, either at breakneck speed or slow-and-steady to do and see and collect everything, that is what we think gamers will be attracted to.

I am so happy VR has a dev with this approach this early on. Give me all the narrative driven vr games please lol.

Thought this was interesting too, wonder if they know something about future pricing for some of the hmds?

So yeah, we would say definitely within the first 18 months of VR, but probably within the first year, you’ll see price cuts that make it more affordable. Most people who are early-adopters, like when Xbox One just came out, know that the first year on the market is probably priced to target them, and that’s who they go for.

And this part has me the most excited:

Not to disrespect the Mass Effect franchise because we love it, but in The Assembly, player-driven choice is not delivered by dialogue wheels. Instead, actions you choose to perform, or in some cases don’t perform, affect which story arcs dominate. You can make those choices at will. How, you ask? Rather than through a series of cut sequences, choices and their consequences are made by exploration. VR, by its very nature, emphasizes curiosity-driven exploration. The major choices are not all highlighted or signposted conspicuously. They don’t say ‘this will affect the game.’ But there are some very interesting choices you make that you won’t realize will have ripple effects further downstream in the story.

Fuckin-A, these people get it. Tomorrow get here already

 

[DirtyLarry]

Yeah I am the same. Also, the only games that completely eliminate nausea in VR have teleport (or automatic, fixed camera) like Chronos & Farlands. Many games also are great fun but have indie game or low cost production values, so its good to have a "real game" (eg its coming out as a non VR game).

Every VR game should have a teleport option IMO if it has movement. Even without Vive or touch controller, just make it a button press that highlights destination using headset tracked icon. This wont work on all games of course like a COD, but exploration and walking simulators should have it as standard. Would love to play firewatch with teleport VR - ethan carter looks amazing in VR mode.

I 110% concur.
I can sincerely say the inclusion of the teleport option is a major factor as to why I am picking it up. In fact if it did not include it, it would have been a definite pass. Although my VR legs are much better than they were initially, I still get a tad sick on any game that has a traditional "free" camera. I see plenty of people now saying they can handle it no problem, I wish I was in their shoes but I am not.

The inclusion of teleport is a major reason why I am deciding to take a chance on a genre I have historically not been a big fan of.

So we shall see. I also have some funds in my Steam Wallet thanks to a few refunds (all VR) from the Steam sale, so that no doubt helps solidify my decision.

 

[Kyonashi]

Cool OT, was planning on doing one after that thread I made, cheers for the link and credit.

Looking forward to playing this!

 

[ekim]

AHHH this is coming today? Holy Shit. Can't wait.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Are there dogs in crates?
Yes.

Shit, rumbled.

So for clarification there is a separate sku for the non vr version on steam? I would think you could toggle back and forth like any other vr supported title. Options and all.

The Assembly has been designed as a VR experience, but we are releasing a VR version and a non-VR version of the game, for those players who don't yet own a headset. The VR version comes as a bundle, with a flatscreen option included. This allows players to switch to a non-VR mode that has been reworked for monitors. A separate, non-VR version of The Assembly will be released alongside the VR version. This edition of the game will include an option that allows players to upgrade to VR at any time in order to experience The Assembly as originally intended.

UPDATE: There will be three purchase options at launch on the Steam store:.

• The Assembly VR Bundle, featuring the VR and non-VR versions of the game. Upon launch, the player can select whether they want to play in VR or non-VR.
• The Assembly non-VR edition for Windows PC
• The Assembly ‘VR Unlock’: This is the DLC component required to upgrade the non-VR version of the game to the VR version. Players must own the non-VR version of the game in order to purchase this.

AHHH this is coming today? Holy Shit. Can't wait.

T minus </adjusted-for-whatever-time-you're-reading-this> and counting&#8230;

 

[JambiBum]

Can you turn off the option of 90 degree turns with the right stick to have full control? I don't get motion sickness at all and usually hate the whole 90 degree turn thing. I know why it's needed as an option for some people but for me it actually just takes away from the experience.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Can you turn off the option of 90 degree turns with the right stick to have full control? I don't get motion sickness at all and usually hate the whole 90 degree turn thing. I know why it's needed as an option for some people but for me it actually just takes away from the experience.

Short answer: YES.

Long answer: Players can choose traditional dual stick controls for a 'smoother' experience, if that's what is preferred. We've given players the choice of teleportation and snap rotation, or dual stick controls, to suit everyone's comfort and experience. Players can freely switch between the two in-game.

Moreover, the player's experience is completely customisable, so if you'd like to have dual stick movement but with snap rotation, you can easily customise that in the settings option. We offer a range of combinations which fall in between the two main options of teleportation and snap rotation or completely free-motion dual stick controls with no snap rotation. It's up to the player and their preference, as we wanted to give players the option to customise their own perfect settings for enjoying the game.

 

[JambiBum]

Short answer: YES.

Long answer: Players can choose traditional dual stick controls for a 'smoother' experience, if that's what is preferred. We've given players the choice of teleportation and snap rotation, or dual stick controls, to suit everyone's comfort and experience. Players can freely switch between the two in-game.

Moreover, the player's experience is completely customisable, so if you'd like to have dual stick movement but with snap rotation, you can easily customise that in the settings option. We offer a range of combinations which fall in between the two main options of teleportation and snap rotation or completely free-motion dual stick controls with no snap rotation. It's up to the player and their preference, as we wanted to give players the option to customise their own perfect settings for enjoying the game.

Great. I didn't see anything about being able to customize controls in the OP so I was worried it would be stuck to the 90 degree scheme.

 

[ekim]

A GTX 970 for non-vr is sufficient, right? (max details hopefully)

 

[Monkeythumbz]

A GTX 970 for non-vr is sufficient, right? (max details hopefully)

Correct! The game requires an nVidia GTX 970 or AMD 290 equivalent or greater (for VR only) and an Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater (for VR only).

 

[Kyonashi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_ywcq0-QxE

Launch trailer is up if you want to edit it into the OP

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Here's the game's PC launch trailer:

The Assembly &#8211; PC Launch Trailer (2016)


You can find a batch of new screenshots through here: The Assembly PC Launch Screenshots

ICYMI, you can find a bigger batch of screenshots through here: The Assembly Preview Screenshots 2016.

Full details about the game's release on PC can be found on our blog here: The Assembly - Now Available on PC

Enjoy!

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Any chance of a DRM free version coming down the road? I'll hold off if so.

Also, anyone try this (without VR) on a lower end computer? How would it run on my Intel HD 4000 macbook air?

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Any chance of a DRM free version coming down the road? I'll hold off if so.

Don't think so, no. Seems unlikely at this stage, at least.

Also, anyone try this (without VR) on a lower end computer? How would it run on my Intel HD 4000 macbook air?

Can't help you there buddy, sorry.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

The trailer looks soooo good!

 

[Monkeythumbz]

The trailer looks soooo good!

Thaaaaaanks!

 

[Chairmanchuck]

Seems its live now. Will buy later and play when my Oculus arrives in a few days~

Edit:

Gamereactor Review

Spoiler

7/10

http://www.gamereactor.eu/reviews/438643/The Assembly/

UploadVR Review

Spoiler

7/10

http://uploadvr.com/the-assembly-ndreams-review/

Seems good~

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Seems its live now. Will buy later and play when my Oculus arrives in a few days~

Edit:

Gamereactor Review

Spoiler

7/10

http://www.gamereactor.eu/reviews/438643/The Assembly/

UploadVR Review

Spoiler

7/10

http://uploadvr.com/the-assembly-ndreams-review/

Seems good~

Road To VR Review

Spoiler

8.3/10 or 4/5 stars

http://www.roadtovr.com/the-assembl...e-oculus-rift-oculus-home-vr-virtual-reality/

VR Focus Review

Spoiler

4/5 stars

https://www.vrfocus.com/2016/07/review-the-assembly/

 

[Darryl M R]

I'm looking forward to playing this on my PSVR.

 

[cleveridea]

I suck at these kind of games, I am stuck in the very first area and its not even a puzzle.

I have to

Spoiler

Search someone's desk but I have no idea where this desk is, just examined all the desks and cupboards in the lab without finding anything except locked cupboard doors, and I cant see a key anywhere

I think to broaden the amount of people that can enjoy a game, there should be an option to just highlight exactly what to do or where to go. You can hide this behind an easy mode, so regular players dont feel like it spoils the game for them (eg no achievements in easy mode). I dont play or like puzzle games, so I would just like to explore and take in the story and get a hint of what to do if I am stuck, as it is I will likely have to google or youtube the puzzles or "what do I do next". This isnt a criticism of the game - I just suck at these type of games, normally I play RPG's and shooters.

For some reason first time I launched game from steam it had no sound. Quit and reloaded and it worked fine, so probably not the game's fault.

Teleport and stick snap to move works great in terms of eliminating nausea. I can see Vive owners being annoyed by no point-to-move, since it is slightly clumsy since you have move your figure around to get the right place, its not as quick/easy as aim pointer at spot then move on click. I often would take several seconds per move to get the right location which is fine on Rift, but I think Vive owners will be annoyed at this since for them teleport is instant with the controllers (eg Vanishing realms). The right stick view change works very well however, got used to it quick and I think all VR developers need to try it - it works very well and as well as eliminating nausea, it minimizes head movement which becomes uncomfortable in game after playing for a while.

Graphics looks great for a $30 game, nicely detailed offices and I like that its colorful and vibrant. There is no nausea with the movement system. You can tell they spent a lot of time getting it to work nicely in VR, which is a big problem with a lot of the early games. I loved how I could just move my head nearer books on the bookshelf to read the text. I am enjoying the story and overall mood of the game.

At this point there is a big lack of polished games with high production values in the VR world (Chronos and Edge of Nowhere are the standouts IMO) so I think this game launches at a great time - and simply the fact there is no nausea means its one of the few VR games out I can see myself finishing.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

I suck at these kind of games, I am stuck in the very first area and its not even a puzzle.

I have to

Spoiler

Search someone's desk but I have no idea where this desk is, just examined all the desks and cupboards in the lab without finding anything except locked cupboard doors, and I cant see a key anywhere

Thanks for the feedback. If you're still stuck, drop me a PM and I can help you out, but tbh the clues are all in the environment. Make sure you look around fully - in every drawer and on every whiteboard. Stick your head inside the cupboards, if needs be.

When you find the solution, you'll probs kick yourself - it's more-or-less staring at you.

 

[cleveridea]

Thanks for the feedback. If you're still stuck, drop me a PM and I can help you out, but tbh the clues are all in the environment. Make sure you look around fully - in every drawer and on every whiteboard. Stick your head inside the cupboards, if needs be.

When you find the solution, you'll probs kick yourself - it's more-or-less staring at you.

Ah ok thanks. Yeah thats why I said I suck at this game and all puzzle type games. So its a variation of PICNIC, though in this case PICNIG (G= game).

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Yeah thats why I said I suck at this game and all puzzle type games. So its a variation of PICNIC, though in this case PICNIG (G= game).

I'm afraid so. By all means PM me if you've found your progress irrevocably hampered; otherwise I can arrange for a visual walkthrough to go live in the next few days to a week or so.

 

[eloxx]

Nice to see this is releasing on PC. Will get the PSVR version for sure. I tried a on-rails demo of The Assembly last year at EGX. It was really cool, although the DK2 IQ lowered the experience a bit.

 

[gdt]

Seems like there is good feedback.

Bought to play on my Rift.

 

[wanderingprostheyltite]

Was thinking I'd have to play this on my dk2 due to perf demands, pleasantly surprised how well optimized it is, playing on Vive. Definitely one of the better looking full vr titles I've played too. Popped out for rnc shenanigans but look forward to devoting a good chunk of time to it later.

 

[DirtyLarry]

EDIT - Never-mind what I had posted. Enjoy everyone.

 

[cleveridea]

Gamespot review came in at 5/10

http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-assembly-review/1900-6416483/

Viewing The Assembly's world through a VR headset won't enhance the experience, either. The most it offers is the chance to move around its environment, which doesn't feel like enough of an incentive to jump into an Oculus Rift. It doesn't feel like you're living in the world. Stone and Pearson's disembodied voices come from what&#8217;s supposed to be your virtual body, which makes you feel even more disconnected from the game. Elements like these, coupled with the non-optimal control experience, make it difficult to recommend playing The Assembly in VR.

The Assembly feels like a small part of a bigger, much more engaging game. It's a good foundation for a world full of mystery, but it ends just as it starts to get interesting. A game that fully explores the dystopian facility, its history, and the state of the outside world is something I'd be interested in. However, as it is, The Assembly is hard to recommend.

I disagree about VR not enhancing the experience. I think the game looks great in VR, the teleport move eliminates nausea and I think all VR games could benefit from the way they implement the right analog view switching - once I got used to it, worked instantly and intuitively.

Not sure what other VR games the reviewer has played but any game with motion apart from Chronos & Edge of Nowhere introduced nausea for me, such as Subnautica and Solus (both great games that I cant play in VR due to the motion sickness)

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Gamespot review came in at 5/10

http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-assembly-review/1900-6416483/



I disagree about VR not enhancing the experience. I think the game looks great in VR, the teleport move eliminates nausea and I think all VR games could benefit from the way they implement the right analog view switching - once I got used to it, worked instantly and intuitively.

Not sure what other VR games the reviewer has played but any game with motion apart from Chronos & Edge of Nowhere introduced nausea for me, such as Subnautica and Solus (both great games that I cant play in VR due to the motion sickness)

Honestly, I read that review and my immediate impression was "whoa, sounds like they haven't spent very much time playing the game in VR." Not to dismiss them or anything - GameSpot have every right to their assessment of the game - it's just that The Assembly was designed with VR play in mind first and foremost. That impacts everything from how we've set up the game's levels and in-game UI to all the little audio and visual details you miss when playing the game on a monitor.

 

[Ionic]

Hopefully I'll pick it up soon. It's going to be the first sitting down VR game I've played in a very long time which seems strange given your character is very much walking around in game.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Hopefully I'll pick it up soon.

Bought to play on my Rift.

Will buy later and play when my Oculus arrives in a few days~

Please let me know what you make of the game! I'm especially interested to hear what you think of the game's story, dual-protagonist set-up and VR-friendly traversal controls.

 

[Diancecht]

Looks interesting but I already have The Old City and Kholat that I bought. Would definitely pick this one up in a sale.

 

[Chille]

I'm not a pc gamer, but I can't promote this game enough. I am waiting for PS4 release. It was one of the best experience's I had at Eurogamer expo, with everyone being incredible friendly. Even turned one of the websites sceptic into a fan of VR when he got to experience it at an event.

If you have a VR headset, this is the game you need to buy asap.

 

[SomTervo]

I'm not a pc gamer, but I can't promote this game enough. I am waiting for PS4 release. It was one of the best experience's I had at Eurogamer expo, with everyone being incredible friendly. Even turned one of the websites sceptic into a fan of VR when he got to experience it at an event.

If you have a VR headset, this is the game you need to buy asap.

I'm so keen but also not stoked about playing with gamepad. Roomscale experiences with the Vive controllers are just next-level.

Still, think my GF would love this. Better let her have a bash...

 

[Chille]

I'm so keen but also not stoked about playing with gamepad. Roomscale experiences with the Vive controllers are just next-level.

Still, think my GF would love this. Better let her have a bash...

You should give it a go also, probably gonna like it.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

I'm not a pc gamer, but I can't promote this game enough. I am waiting for PS4 release. It was one of the best experience's I had at Eurogamer expo, with everyone being incredible friendly. Even turned one of the websites sceptic into a fan of VR when he got to experience it at an event.

If you have a VR headset, this is the game you need to buy asap.

Oh my word, too kind! Also, we had an absolute blast at EGX, thanks for coming along to see us!

It was the first public hands-on demos we'd conducted and it was so nice seeing so many people's slackjawed and amazed reactions to the game. In truth, that has to mainly be because our demo was many attendees' first VR experience, but even being able to provide that alone was a real honour&#8230; and a real thrill for us to boot! Seeing smiling faces never gets old.

 

[DirtyLarry]

If we are looking for honest reviews, I played 32 minutes and requested a refund via Steam.
The main reason being, and I said it earlier in this thread, these types of experiences are typically not the types of games I play (and it is fine if you do play and enjoy them, do not get it wrong), so really the inclusion of VR did not change wether I enjoy these games or not. I thought it might. It did not.

With the above said, while I thought the controls were a step in the right direction, I also found them a little clunky, especially in rooms. Hallways or open spaces it was fine. In smaller rooms I found the teleporting often led to to my back towards an item or looking at the wall. Two quick clicks on the right stick (a 180 degree turn) would fix it, but it just made traversal feel a tad cumbersome. I did see if you got the proper angle on the projection it would change your angle and automatically adjust to place you in front of objects, but I did not always have the right angle for that option, which led to what I shared above.

I also felt that looking at objects in the space meant I was truly all over the place in my room. I started out sitting at my desk right near it as if I was playing any other game. By the time I stopped playing, I was at least 4 feet away (my chair has wheels) and I was not sure how I got there. I was really looking around a whole lot, which makes sense for the type of game it is, but I am not kidding when I say my neck already hurt a bit after a pretty short session. Disclaimer, I am 41 years old and definitely not a perfect physical specimen. But it did seem more conducive to a VIVE type experience of standing and playing then to an Oculus sitting and playing.

Full disclosure, I am sure I would have gotten much better at teleporting as time went on, but that was my very initial impression.

Again, I really, really need to reiterate this is not a genre I historically play and I thought the inclusion of VR would perhaps sway me to enjoy it. But that was not the case. Simply put this game was never meant for me (and that is okay, not everyone likes every genre). That is no fault of the developer whatsoever. It is just my personal preference.

When all is said and done, truth be told I was just really hoping I had another VR game to play, as right now the games I really enjoy in VR are pretty limited.

 

[T.O.P]

Correct! The game requires an nVidia GTX 970 or AMD 290 equivalent or greater (for VR only) and an Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater (for VR only).

Nice, i'm in

 

[Chille]

Oh my word, too kind! Also, we had an absolute blast at EGX, thanks for coming along to see us!

It was the first public hands-on demos we'd conducted and it was so nice seeing so many people's slackjawed and amazed reactions to the game. In truth, that has to mainly be because our demo was many attendees' first VR experience, but even being able to provide that alone was a real honour… and a real thrill for us to boot! Seeing smiling faces never gets old.

No worries at all hehe doubt you guys even remember me, but I was there as press from PlayStation Universe at the time. (still am part of PSU)

It was one of my first VR experiences also, only tried the PSVR once before hand, so I was in wonder at how immersed I was in the game.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

No worries at all hehe doubt you guys even remember me, but I was there as press from PlayStation Universe at the time. (still am part of PSU)

It was one of my first VR experiences also, only tried the PSVR once before hand, so I was in wonder at how immersed I was in the game.

Well, its very nice to hear from you! PSU came to ur studio recently to preview the game - many thanks for the coverage!

If we are looking for honest reviews, I played 32 minutes and requested a refund via Steam.
The main reason being, and I said it earlier in this thread, these types of experiences are typically not the types of games I play (and it is fine if you do play and enjoy them, do not get it wrong), so really the inclusion of VR did not change wether I enjoy these games or not. I thought it might. It did not.

With the above said, while I thought the controls were a step in the right direction, I also found them a little clunky, especially in rooms. Hallways or open spaces it was fine. In smaller rooms I found the teleporting often led to to my back towards an item or looking at the wall. Two quick clicks on the right stick (a 180 degree turn) would fix it, but it just made traversal feel a tad cumbersome. I did see if you got the proper angle on the projection it would change your angle and automatically adjust to place you in front of objects, but I did not always have the right angle for that option, which led to what I shared above.

I also felt that looking at objects in the space meant I was truly all over the place in my room. I started out sitting at my desk right near it as if I was playing any other game. By the time I stopped playing, I was at least 4 feet away (my chair has wheels) and I was not sure how I got there. I was really looking around a whole lot, which makes sense for the type of game it is, but I am not kidding when I say my neck already hurt a bit after a pretty short session. Disclaimer, I am 41 years old and definitely not a perfect physical specimen. But it did seem more conducive to a VIVE type experience of standing and playing then to an Oculus sitting and playing.

Full disclosure, I am sure I would have gotten much better at teleporting as time went on, but that was my very initial impression.

Again, I really, really need to reiterate this is not a genre I historically play and I thought the inclusion of VR would perhaps sway me to enjoy it. But that was not the case. Simply put this game was never meant for me (and that is okay, not everyone likes every genre). That is no fault of the developer whatsoever. It is just my personal preference.

When all is said and done, truth be told I was just really hoping I had another VR game to play, as right now the games I really enjoy in VR are pretty limited.

That is an entirely fair assessment. Without giving too much away, a lot of the feedback you've given is in-line with our thinking for future titles… e.g. standing/roomscale and motion control support. We're also quite keen to consider more action-oriented game styles.

Anyway, thanks for checking out the game and taking the time to provide your thoughts sincerely appreciated and very helpful, too!

 

[Caesar III]

Tried it today. Looks nice and all BUT

1.) How can I switch the language of the game to the language I setup in Steam!? It is german for me but my entire steam and this game is set to english.

Seems like it's reading system language instead of the one set up in steam

2.) I'm not quite far because the german VA is not that good. And the positional audio is even worse. Need to try this in english when I figure out how anyway...
I'm kinda lost on the conversations right in the first set for maddy. I sit in this chair, I get it. They are talking while moving my chair around, yeah. But if I turn my head I cannot see either of those two. WAT? Kinda nitpicky but it killed the immersion for me here

3.) when using teleportation and the char is looking at something on a table for example and I press A to get there my orientation is not like the hologram was looking. Only my position changed.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Tried it today. Looks nice and all BUT

1.) How can I switch the language of the game to the language I setup in Steam!? It is German for me but my entire steam and this game is set to English.

Seems like it's reading system language instead of the one set up in steam

I'm afraid that is on our known issues list and we'll be addressing ASAP it in a forthcoming patch ASAP.

For a workaround, please follow these steps:

1. Right click on &#8220;The Assembly&#8221; icon in steam game library and select &#8220;Properties&#8221;
2. On the General tab, click on the &#8220;Set Launch Options&#8221; button
3. Type the following to change language to French/German/English

• -culture=de
• -culture=fr
• -culture=en

2.) I'm kinda lost on the conversations right in the first set for Maddy. I sit in this chair, I get it. They are talking while moving my chair around, yeah. But if I turn my head I cannot see either of those two. WAT? Kinda nitpicky but it killed the immersion for me here

Wow, I think you're the only person to have noticed that! There may (or may not), be a scientific reason for why can't see those scientists. But hey, you know what they say&#8230; "the price of truth is discretion." ;-)

3.) when using teleportation and the char is looking at something on a table for example and I press A to get there my orientation is not like the hologram was looking. Only my position changed.

The hologram is designed to show you not only where you'll "land" after blinking somewhere, but also if there are any objects you can interact with and what that kind of interaction will entail. You'll still need to rotate yourself with the right stick to face your intended direction, however.

Hope that helps! Are you enjoying the game's story? Also, how long has your average play session been? I'm very interested to know whether you've been taking breaks between chapters or if you've just been playing straight through.

 

[Caesar III]

Wow, I think you're the only person to have noticed that! There may (or may not), be a scientific reason for why can't see those scientists. But hey, you know what they say&#8230; "the price of truth is discretion." ;-)

It was especially strange in the scene where there is this other scientist asking why maddy is awake and says to get another dose to get her asleep again. So three people talking to each other and you can only see one.

Need to check out the english audio today. I hope it's better. I dunno, I doubt it will change the positional audio issues though. Let's see

The hologram is designed to show you not only where you'll "land" after blinking somewhere, but also if there are any objects you can interact with and what that kind of interaction will entail. You'll still need to rotate yourself with the right stick to face your intended direction, however.

I should have added that I'm playing in VR So it feels really weird when you teleport, say, to the microscope where he is looking down at it that moment and when you are there you are looking straight away from it and need to sort out where you are first. Especially when you were "walking" around the table. Would be cool as an optional setting to activate.

Are you enjoying the game's story? Also, how long has your average play session been? I'm very interested to know whether you've been taking breaks between chapters or if you've just been playing straight through.

I'm not that far into it. Chapter two so far. And I really like it so far.

A slider for movement stepping would be great btw. Where you can change the distance you teleport when using the left analog stick.


edit:

I'm afraid that is on our known issues list and we'll be addressing ASAP it in a forthcoming patch ASAP.

For a workaround, please follow these steps:

1. Right click on &#8220;The Assembly&#8221; icon in steam game library and select &#8220;Properties&#8221;
2. On the General tab, click on the &#8220;Set Launch Options&#8221; button
3. Type the following to change language to French/German/English

• -culture=de
• -culture=fr
• -culture=en

This did work great and damn, that's a difference. The german VA really is bad. Maddy and her mother both do sound like they are around 20 years old in German!

I'm chapter 5 now and I really like it. Tried to play with classic controls, changed it to blinking again after 10 minutes. Much better )

Also, how long has your average play session been? I'm very interested to know whether you've been taking breaks between chapters or if you've just been playing straight through.

played an hour straight now. All fine At least after switching back to blinking.

btw maddies first puzzles where a bit too straight forward for my liking

 

[gdt]

How can I get the steam version to launch into my Oculus Rift? Usually steam games launch no problem...

 

[gdt]

Seems it's fairly common? I guess I can refund it then rebuy it on Oculus Home. I'd just rather have it on steam I guess.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

How can I get the steam version to launch into my Oculus Rift? Usually steam games launch no problem...

Seems it's fairly common? I guess I can refund it then rebuy it on Oculus Home. I'd just rather have it on steam I guess.

Sorry to hear you've been experiencing issues launching The Assembly! To get around this problem, all you need to do is ensure that SteamVR is not open when the game is launched.

Needless to say, we are looking to fix this issue in an upcoming patch.

 

[Monkeythumbz]

Just FYI, we've just patched the game to address a few of the issues some people were experiencing.

• Full details on our blog
  
• Patch notes on Steam
  
• Known Issues (updated)

Enjoy!