Strange Allies: VR RPG "Han Solo simulator" prototype

STRANGE ALLIES for Oculus Rift and Cyberith Virtualizer mashes together the genre-defining standards set by games like Half-Life, Elite and FTL: Faster Than Light to create a First-Person/Virtual Reality Role Playing Game (FP/VR RPG) that we like to think of as our "Han Solo/Firefly Simulator".

(We say "FP/VR" because you can still play the game traditionally if you don't own a VR rig.)

You play as a small-time criminal. At the start of the game, you are betrayed by your employer while doing a job and almost caught by the Law. Faced with the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence, you escape and make your way through the spacestation to the nearest docking bay and break into the only available ship. You steal it and make your getaway. From that point, the galaxy will be yours to explore.

We are currently developing the prototype to prove the gameplay, but even for the prototype we have ambitious goals for the visuals. It's very early days right now, but we think the MTBS community will be interested in following what we're trying to achieve in terms of gameplay and immersion.

For more information, including in-development model shots and the current VR video, see our website: bigdumbfungames.com

If you have any comments or questions for us, please post below and we'll answer to the best of our ability.

Thanks for reading. We hope you'll join us and follow the development of Strange Allies for Oculus Rift and Cyberith Virtualizer.

 

Crazy and Dreadful

 

Very, very early days. It'll look a lot better soon, though. And some actual gameplay will go a long way.

 

UPDATE: We've now decided to complete what we think is the "holy trinity of VR" of HMD + omni-directional treadmill + VR controller by making the work natively with the PrioVR suit. We firmly believe we can make this one of the most immersive VR experiences available.

 

Look forward to seeing that in action, was about to say (until reading this), about some way of tracking hand motion. As you know, when it comes to VR, Immersion should be one of the main things to consider, and from my personal experience lack of hand tracking really makes me stop believing what I am experiencing. I am following this project now, I am really looking forward to seeing what you are doing, Please update when you go to the crowd funding stage.

Just out of interest what size team are you?

 

Hi El Maxo. Thanks for your interest.

MY HANDS! WHERE ARE MY HANDS!!??
Yeah, completely agree—my experience with the Rift very quickly led me to the same realisation. If you don't have your hands in there with you, immersion plummets. I put up a blog post about the importance of standardisation on Gamasutra the other day; I'm really hoping my argument resonates with other VR developers, but, even if it's just us pushing this "holy trinity" barrow in the end, it still feels good to be doing something to further VR.

We're a fair distance away from going to the crowd, I should mention, although it's certainly our intent to go there eventually. The good news, though, is that we're actually going to release our first build with some initial gameplay (just an exploration of the FPS element aboard the ship initially) for the community to try out probably around the middle or May, so if you're happy to give an early build a go, we'll happily take your feedback! We'll probably release that on Oculus Share.

To answer your question about staff numbers, we're pretty much the definition of "indie", in that there are currently just two of us full-time on the team, trying to do the jobs of 30+.

We're cheating a bit, though, because we're also working with a 3D modeller and a musician on contract. We're currently looking for one or more texture artists to work on the character outfits, too (we've only started searching for them about...30 minutes ago), so I probably shouldn't bang the Poor Indie drum too hard.

Thanks again for the kind words and for keeping an eye on us! Much appreciated!

 

Cool, I may be able to help you on a texturing front of things, depending on what technique you are using. (if you haven't looked at substances, I recommend you do, when it comes to a pipeline it can speed up time and quality so fast). I would also be very interested if anything comes up in a Design or Production role (even if its just some part time help).

 

Thanks, El Maxo! That's very cool of you to offer.

We may indeed be able to use you on the texturing front, although probably not for a little while yet. We're still prototyping at the moment, during which the focus is more on proving the gameplay is good and fun rather than visual quality (although we're doing what we can even now to make the game look as good as we can), but we might be able to bring you intoward the end of prototyping, if that would interest you.

Can you send us a message via our Facebook page or Twitter @BDFgames so we can get in direct contact with you?

 

Here’s a quick roadmap update for you all:

We’re hoping to have the full ship complete (no more place holder lameness) from Airlock to Bridge by the middle of May, by which time we should also have the initial “shooter” gameplay element in there.

The gameplay will be your typical FPS mechanics only at that stage, with some simple tasks to complete in order to win, but in VR of course. It’ll be for Oculus Rift only at that point, so nowhere near the immersive end-point we’re targeting (we’ll still be waiting on our Virtualizer and PrioVR kits to arrive).

With that initial VR/FPS implementation, then—and if we’re happy that it’s actually FUN—we plan on making the prototype available for download by a few peeps who are interested in being VR guinea pigs so we can gauge their feedback.

If anyone here would like to join us for that, just keep an eye open on our website at bigdumbfungames.com (or maybe subscribe to our newsletter if that’s easier). We’d love to have your input as the game comes together.

 

I could help with that when it gets to that point. Have a "trinity" arriving myself, slightly different trinity though which will be a good thing for testing. Actually could see things as more than a trinity, but when looking at the same space.
Got AR & VR headsets (4 of them), The Cyberith Treadmill and Perception Neurons (32x2) Arriving.

 

That would be fantastic, Ghostier—thanks for offering. When it comes to testing, the more the merrier, and if we can expand our support to additional VR products as well, that will be very helpful for widening the game's appeal to more VR users.

I'll start a Conversation with you here in the forums about getting in contact properly. Hope to chat with you soon.

 

I would not mind to help at all either i love to test other people's games, and i also have the Virtualizer arriving (HT version!) i also currently got the DK2 and i even got the Kor-FX vest if you want to support that as well.