YouTube’s ‘MxBenchmarkPC’ has shared a video, showcasing the latest version of the NoVR Mod for Half-Life Alyx running at 8K and Ultra settings on an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080.
For those unaware, the NoVR Mod allows you to play Half-Life Alyx on a PC monitor, without the need of a VR headset. This is a must-have mod for those who want to experience this latest Half-Life game on a non-VR device.
Developed by the GB_2 Development Team, Half-Life Alyx NoVR is an impressive project. And, since Valve does not plan to implement a way via which you can experience Alyx on non-VR devices, it’s a must for every HL fan. Or at least for those who want to play it.
As we can see, a single NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 can handle this game at 8K on Ultra settings. MxBenchmarkPC has locked the framerate at 60fps. And, as you’ll see, the RTX 4080 is able to offer a locked 60fps at almost all times.
Now from what I can see in the frametime graph, there are some spikes. This could be due to the framerate lock (we’ve seen this happening in other games when locking their framerate). That, or the NoVR Mod introduces stutters to the game at specific locations. The reason I’m saying this is because the official/original VR version did not suffer from any stutters. Or at least I don’t remember any of them.
You can go ahead and download the mod from this link. If you are a big HL fan, you should definitely check it out. It’s not perfect, but it’s currently in a state that most non-VR gamers are able to play.
Enjoy and stay tuned for more!
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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This game without VR makes absolutely 0 sense. Without VR is just a mid game with the ending as the only appeal.
Makes sense to us without VR who don't have the money to spend on VR or don't think it's worth it.
It also makes sense as a novelty just to check it out.
Those who love their VR don't lose out on anything.
They lose cause VR is already struggling and stuff like this isnt helping the vr ecosystem. That's why they get so angry over these mods.
VR is perfect for racing games and that's it.
No other game feels good or better just because it's VR (not that you didn't know this).
Flight sims or space sims maybe.
All the mechanics, maps, enemy behavior designed around VR are a lot of fun to play with a mouse and a flat panel, yeah, makes a lot of sense /s
You are better watching a gameplay video of someone using a VR headset instead of spending money in a VR game with no VR set.
I didnt plan on paying for anything just to check out the novelty of the mod. 😉
Maybe because this is a mid game all along.
If it's mid without it, it's mid with it
You can enhance the experience with better hardware, but nothing as groundbreaking as a VR device it seems. s/
Interesting how the mighty HL fan base give absolutely zero fks about this game. It's just GB_2 Development Team. One would expect a horde of modders to join and make some cool animations, proper adjustments and so on in order to speed the project and make the game feel like a classic m&k HL game.
or just buy a headset and play it properly.
Check SoMNst channel and their infinitely more polished NoVR mod
@John Did you know about this? Bring us some article about it, lad!
Not sure i follow, modders where always lacking in numbers, project wise. Just be glad someone is working on it.
what a lot of wasted effort, just buy a headset and play it properly.
What about HL2 fan who can't play with VR due to medical reasons?
He can still experience the game as a game right? (as opposed to the obligatory "then watch on youtube" suggestions)
Yes the controls will feel gimped but he'll still able to experience a new Half Life game, after waiting all these years for ep.3
if you can’t play a half life VR game due to medical reason then dont play VR games.
Yes, hence they’re not playing any other VR games and hence no one’s bothering with non-VR mods for other VR games.
The issue here is that its a brand new Half life game … and that’s a problem for few HL2 fans being it VR.
sounds like they just need to get it over it. if you can’t play it the way it was designed to be played then you are just ruining the whole experience for yourself.
There is plenty of VR games that offers non VR option and vice versa, but it's only HLA that fanboys insist you can't play any other way.
Shortsighted take, a regular game with a VR version is far from being the same as a game designed from the beginning to be played solely with a VR set.
I'm talking about VR games that received non VR ports.
Shock me with the list.
What for? There was no drama sorrounding those ports coming from VR enthusiasts.
Clearly you haven’t tried any of those, Trover Saves the Universe is way worst without VR.
I played paper beast folded edition and some other game i forgot the name, tough i can’t compare if it is better or worse, nor do i care. And to be fair, a non vr game gaining a vr mode might as well be a better experience, but so what, should they delist the non VR version if that’s the case? No, that’s ridiculous.
You'd be surprised how many people don't give a sh*t about VR, and won't even try it even if they're at your house and you offer to let them. My brother and father both refuse to try VR, but they both enjoy Half Life 2. This mod will probably be the only way either of them will ever play Half Life Alyx.
Your comment is one line of wasted effort.
you are one life of wasted skin.
booo hooo, no one wants to buy VR…
Found this game to be quite boring, but apparently "it gets better" with VR hardware.
The game has certain VR mechanics that set the bar fairly high, and showed how poorly designed most other VR games were when it released. A lot of the game's charm really needs VR in order to shine, otherwise I imagine that it's fairly mediocre. The guns were all designed specifically for VR, the looting mechanics were all designed specifically for VR, the combat was designed specifically for VR, etc. None of that is going to be as good in flatscreen, and at that point you're basically playing entirely for the story, which is OK but nowhere near as good as previous Half Life titles (at least until the end).
VR doesnt make an average game better.
This IS a mediocre FPS in VR, as well.
The poor communist cry all the time when we talk about vr. Half life is insane. I tried doom 3 in vr woooow that was fun as fock.