MechWarrior 5: Clans will humanize its mechas
We got a close look at MechWarrior 5: Clans, seeing its deeper focus on storytelling and human characters.
You can now Play MechWarrior 5 in VR
The virtual reality (VR) modding community has done well over the years to bring popular videogames into VR even though they weren’t made for the technology. This year has seen the likes of Doom3Quest arrive, with this weekend adding another to the list, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries.
Built by a modder called KITT, the MechWarrior 5 VRWARRIOR mod is now available through Nexus Mods, compatible with the Steam, Epic Games Store and Windows/Xbox Store versions of the title. Using a PC VR headset players can now properly step inside the hulking great battle mechs, stomping around environments doling plenty of destruction.
There are some caveats to the VRWARRIOR mod as it only supports in-mech combat sections, not the outside sections like the Hanger or the MechLab for example. This isn’t bad considering the mod is free, plus the whole point of enjoying mech combat in VR is being sat inside a cockpit illuminated with all sorts of buttons and dials. Check out the gameplay video below by YouTuber Ragesaq to see the VR mod in action.
That’s not to say aspects like the 2D menus aren’t being looked at in the future. “The feasibility of getting every single 2d menu/option/aspect created into a VR user interface is still being determined,” an FAQ notes. It’s worth pointing out though, you’ll also have to use a mouse/keyboard/joystick/gamepad setup as the mod doesn’t support motion controllers.
As all the work is provided free, you can support creators like KITT through their Patreon accounts, helping keep the community thriving.
MechWarrior 5 arrived back in May 2021, developed by Piranha Games Inc. Offering a single-player campaign and online co-op features the title has been well received by players and critics alike. As VR enthusiasts continue to develop mods like this, VRFocus will keep you updated.
‘MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries’ Is Designed To Support VR
These days, you likely associate the MechWarriror franchise with its most recent entry, the free-to-play, MechWarrior Online. Long before the series went in the multiplayer direction, however, it was a single-player experience.
The last solo entry in the franchise was 2002’s MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, an expansion to the original game released two years prior. Fourteen years on and MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries has been announced, not as an expansion but an original game. MechWarrior Online developer Piranha Games Inc announced the title this week along with a pretty vague 2018 release window. An internal team separate to the Online team is working on it. Though it wasn’t a part of the official reveal, it sounds like VR support could be included in the final release.
Speaking to a fan on Twitter, Piranha Games President Russ Bullock confirmed that the game was “designed” to support VR. Neither Bullock nor Piranha Games itself has responded to a request for clarification on if Mercenaries will definitely support headsets, though it would be strange to design a game for VR and then not integrate it, wouldn’t it?
Adding fuel to the fire, Lead Programmer Brian Windover noted that “native VR support” played a role in selecting Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4 as the development tool for the project on a blog on Epic’s site. UE4 is indeed highly compatible with VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
According to an official website, MechWarrior 5 is set in 3015 where different states fight in deep space. Players take control of a BattleMech, a huge fighting machine that rules the front lines with its firepower.
It sounds pretty perfect for a VR game; housing yourself inside a giant war machine is one of the best experiences the tech currently offers, as seen in other releases like RIGS: Mechanized Combat League [Review: 8/10]. There’s still a ways to go until MechWarrior 5 releases, but it’s definitely one you should keep on your radar.
Tagged with: htc vive, mech combat, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, oculus rift, Piranha Games Inc