Before Valve got behind HTC's Vive virtual reality headset in a big way, it worked to get Team Fortress 2 up and running on an Oculus Rift devkit in order to better understand what works (and what doesn't) in VR game design.
At GDC 2013, Valve's Joe Ludwig took the stage to share some of those learnings with fellow game makers. It was a great overview of what stereo support entails, what happens when you render 2D user interface in a 90 degree field of view display, and how mouselook can interact (or clash) with head tracking in a first-person game.
It was a smart talk, and in addition to the lessons that apply to Team Fortress 2, there are also several lessons that would apply to any new virtual reality game. VR game designers could avoid many of the issues that came up with Team Fortress 2 by taking in Ludwig's talk, which is now available to watch for free via the GDC Vault.
About the GDC Vault
In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.
Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.
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