OK... This isn't the type of article I usually do, because I try to focus more on the How-To side of EVE Online. But, at the chance of being right, I think it's worth it.
As many of you know CCP Games has announced that it is creating a brand new game called EVE Valkyrie (read about it here). So far they have been very tight lipped about this game except to say it is an evolution of EVE VR.
EVE VR is a concept developed by some of CCP's developers who purchased a Oculus Rift VR Developers Kit via Kickstarter. Basically from what little I've read about it, EVE VR puts you in the cockpit of a Fighter (like those launched from a carrier) and lets you fly first person all joystick style, but the coolest part is that it uses the Occulus Rift headset which allows you to look around by just moving your head.
What is unclear at this time is what exactly Valkyrie will be, what platform it will be released on (Console or PC), and whether or not it will be a part of the EVE Online world like Dust is.
There are a few things we know to give us clues though:
- Dust was released to PlayStation, but directly affects the PC world of EVE Online.
- CCP likes to be creative and innovative and they have taken many risks other MMOs would never take.
- CCP is very close to Sony, but not just because of Dust. Evidently John Smedley, CEO of Sony Online Entertainment is an avid EVE player and even attends fan fest.
- EVE VR is very clearly tied in to EVE by placing the player in the cockpit of a Fighter launched from a carrier.
So all that tells us that it could be a PlayStation game, and will likely have some direct tie in with the EVE Universe.
But will it be PC or Console?
The problem with both is that the player will need the new headset to play and while many (most?) current EVE players would spring for a headset, it could be a strategic mistake to put a $300+ barrier (targeted cost of Oculus Rift Headset) to entry on the game.
But what if the upcoming PS4 had a VR headset that could be purchased and added for a reasonable (mass produced) price?
That's where it gets interesting... It looks like Sony is planning to offer VR Games and a VR Headset to go with the new PS4 (read about it here).
Now it's a pretty big leap to tie all these threads together but:
- CCP is connected to Sony
- Sony wants VR on PS4
- CCP is launching a VR game
- CCP released it's last game to PlayStation
- CCP is connected to Oculus Rift
- Sony needs a headset that is reasonably priced
Does this mean Sony will license the Oculus Rift and mass produce it at a lower price? Will EVE Valkyrie be a PS4 game? Will we all get to jump in a fighter and launch from a corp mate's carrier into epic battles where dog fights decide the outcome?
I don't know... If so, there are certainly a lot of potential problems with the mechanics of implementing such a thing, but anything is possible and I'm very interested.
View Comments (5)
As a PC purist, Go! Oculus Rift !
i think if it will determine the outcome of a fight/battle it would act in a way DUST does because you don't want to trust a 20 Mill drone to a random person in a fight.
but i can only voice this opinion based on current mechanics, it'll be interesting that if it does get implemented how the mechanics behind it would work and what the scenarios would be like, the most viable i can think of would be militia warfare where EVE VR pilots could jump into the cockpit of a fighter in a hot system that has a battle going on and affect the outcome by warping to the fight and attacking, ofcourse they would have to pay for the fighter, it's fittings, etc, and get rewarded, but that would seem like an unlikely scenario because of how much interaction that would be.
another possibility would be say an isolated corner of a system where pilots in EVE VR would fight and give the winning sides faction in faction warfare a bonus to bounty or better tank or better damage, kind of like how incursions work but instead of giving debuffs, they provide buffs for a period of time making it valuable to player who frequent the system in question. maybe even set up battles between carrier pilots where a carrier from opposing sides jump to a special cyno that only a carrier can go to and the winner gets a payout or something and the pilots get a payout for each kill and winning payout.
just splurging my thoughts, please don't flame or hate for throwing out my ideas and possible concepts, constructive criticism please. yeah they seem odd/impossible but they are just possibilities.
Interesting ideas... I'm very curious to see how it plays out.
Did anything happen with valkeryie?
Yes, it is scheduled to be released to PS4 and PC some time in the next year. I have played several times at EVE Vegas over the last 4 years and it is an awesome game.