World of Warcraft is Now Playable in VR
Gamers celebrate a major milestone: the World of Warcraft VR mod is finally released! This iconic game, with a 20-year market presence and over 7 million subscribers, now steps into the immersive realm of virtual reality. What implications does this have for players?
Azeroth is now more immersive than ever, and that's thrilling news. Thanks to the efforts of two modding teams, Flat2VR Streetrat and Marulu, 6DOF VR support has been introduced to WoW.
*6DOF VR refers to the amplitude of free movement and the number of axes of movement in virtual space. While most VR games support 3DOF VR, which includes moving forwards, backwards, and side-to-side, 6DOF allows players to duck under flying projectiles or dive from the skies on a dragon.
The new mod, dubbed WoVR, is now available for download (ZIP file) on Github. It has been developed for the latest patch of the second expansion, Rise of the Lich King, and represents an experimental version playable with VR motion controllers.
WoVR originally started development for the Oculus DK1 headset over a decade ago. However, the device lacked the capabilities to fully showcase the beauty of Azeroth and support complete combat modes, leading to a pause in development. Now, with technological advancements, development has resumed and the mod has been optimized for the Oculus Quest 3.
What capabilities does the WoVR mod offer?
The guide highlights several key features:
- Flawless frame synchronization, ensuring that each frame in the original game matches one frame in 3D.
- Players can choose between first-person and third-person perspectives.
- WoVR supports all existing game expansions.
- The controller can be pointed at any object you wish to interact with.
- User interface control is fully manageable through the VR controllers.
- Character movement speed corresponds to the game’s default settings (walking/running).
- The “auto-target” feature keeps your view locked on a target, crucial for classes like hunters and mages, and it remains locked even if you move away from the target.
- WoVR retains the same level of detail as currently supported on your desktop.
WoVR is also available for download via the official Flat2VR community on Discord, offering precompiled versions for easy mod installation.
What are the limitations of using WoVR?
- Displays with a resolution lower than 1080 pixels will render the VR-designed user interface at a very low quality.
- Head tracking is inactive on elevators, ships, and airships.
- The Oculus Quest 3’s eye-tracking feature means that blinking can unintentionally redirect the target.
The limitation regarding blinking is a peculiar challenge, as it's difficult to imagine playing long sessions without blinking. Despite this, the excitement to explore Azeroth in VR remains high.
Important note: The developers caution that using this software is at your own risk, and they disclaim responsibility for any potential damage.
This is likely due to Blizzard Entertainment's mixed stance on mods. While Blizzard reserves the right to restrict or ban mods that damage its intellectual property or negatively affect the gaming community, they also support the modding community by providing tools, resources, and hosting contests with significant prize pools for games like StarCraft II and Warcraft III. Currently, only modding for Diablo is banned, whereas World of Warcraft operates in a gray zone: not officially approved, yet not forbidden.
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