Current race games: only on Steam?

[Lange_666]

Did quite some sim racing years ago, latest Nascar 2003 (yeah, that way back) and GTR2. After picking up a Rift-S VR headset, i wanted to see what this gave from immersion point of view over a flat screen. Much to my dissapointment, all new/latest race sim games seems to be "Steam only". There is no way i will install Steam again, i just don't like the way it takes over my computer.
Are there any other options beside going Steam and buy a stand alone version of any of them (Assetto Corsa, Project Cars 2, etc...)?

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

No not really. Steam has taken over.
Personally I am not a fan of Steam/Valve ether but hard to avoid in today's market.

But you can run the older and better anyway race sims in VR.
With a program called VorpX.
It got some recent updates that has really improved the fps with Gtr2 and the other gmotor2 games .
You can see how in a thread here on RD / GTR2
Nascar 2003 needs a few more steps like described in this video.

It can be much better than shown in that video.
Fov is too large and opentrack is much better for head tracking.

 

[Lange_666]

Thought so...

I still have the original Nascar 2003 and GTR2 laying around here, i'll take a look at VorpX.

 

[BrunoBæ]

Thanks for the link @bjarne
Didnt know NR2003 could be making to run in VR.
When I get a system able to run VR I´ll check my old fiance the GTP mod for NR2003 out in VR.

 

[maelstrom]

There is no way i will install Steam again, i just don't like the way it takes over my computer.

In what way? I've never had any problems with Steam - I just start it when I need it and stop it when I've finished.

 

[BrunoBæ]

@mael
You will probably recognise it if you want to take control over the partitions where Steam have installed itself.
Or want to have control over moving some of the installed games or its files.
But again there are a lot of people who dont care about how Win10 and MS does invade and control ones puter - so why care if Steam a bit independent establish its own lil kingdom on ones puter

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: For me Steam is a nessesary evil

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

Thanks for the link @bjarne
Didnt know NR2003 could be making to run in VR.
When I get a system able to run VR I´ll check my old fiance the GTP mod for NR2003 out in VR.

You can pretty much run any game in VR via VorpX or some of the other options.
Some can run in VorpX like a native VR game with some fiddling others runs best if projected on a what appears to the user as a large screen.
That is actually a pretty nice way to run some games not quite as immersive as proper VR but much closer than any monitor or monitor combination can do.

 

[BrunoBæ]

@bjarne
Could you elaborate this "Large Screen" thing a bit.
As I said I dont own any VR thing but as I understand it the "Large Screen" does only mean that you can run your game like you sit in front of a movielike large screen.
If Im right then the game on the virtual screen is just seen in 2D
- or IS the game actually seen in 3D?

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

Yes like a large movie screen but you can also pull the screen very close so is appears it is on or in your headset.
Most games can do 3D.
Some only based on the depthbuffer which is not real 3D objects are just placed in front or behind each other line the game intended.
But not in the exact geometric position.
But if adjusted right is is very close to geometric 3D.
A surprising number of games got real geometric 3D.
The game will be 3D on the screen too.
The screen can be locked in place so it stays in the headset view while the game will use head tracking.
I do have a very large projector screen for a golf simulator and used to sometimes run race sims there but since I got VR HMD I have not used the projector screen for that anymore as the VR HMD are much more immersive.

 

[maelstrom]

You will probably recognise it if you want to take control over the partitions where Steam have installed itself.
Or want to have control over moving some of the installed games or its files.

Odd. I've done both of these things since installing Steam without problems.

 

[BrunoBæ]

@Bjarne Hansen
Thank you for the elaboration.
It makes good sense that you can at least partly use your VRs also on games not intended to this 3D thing.
Hehe I feel like sitting on a fence waiting to see if the Pimax 8KX thing will ever arrive.
And if it does then what people say about both the build and display quality.

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: Eventhough this strange company are telling that its just a matter of some few month then Im absolutely not sure if the 8KX will be launched in anything else than prototypes in 2020.