I believe Sims 4 would be great for VR.
Immediately you're thinking that a 1st person Sims game is terrible, and I full heartedly agree. I think we still presume that VR is equal to 1st person games. But that presumption limits VR's immersive capability.
Already there are 3rd person games in VR such as Lucky's Tale, Edge of Nowhere, and Moss. I was one of the naysayers, believing that 3rd person games is still best played and experienced on a flat monitor.
Wow, was I wrong.
Playing a 3rd person game in VR is like stepping in a scene of a TV show you would normally watch on a screen. Or, simply put, it feels like being god watching over his subject.
And that's why Sims 4 is perfect for VR: a god game with the point of view of god. Imagine being a loving god that gives their Sims the best of the world. Or an evil god that just tortures their Sims with mazes and hundreds of babies. Right now, VR needs more diverse genres, and a life simulator is currently unserved.
You may think that VR is only comprised of hardcore gamers because of the headset cost. But there are headsets right now that won't break the bank. Windows Mixed Reality headsets provide a good VR experience, with headsets costing $150 to $400. Playstation VR has theirs at $350 with free games. Oculus recently released their new line of headsets, both costing $400 (one of them doesn't need a PC).
Some say VR is a fad, that it comes and goes. But 2019, I feel, is the start of VR's golden age. Valve recently released their top of the line headset called "Index", and HTC will have a new headset called "Cosmos" coming later this year. Companies are investing in VR and nurturing its growth. (
https://venturebeat.com/2019/05/20/vr-fund-virtual-reality-ecosystem-has-more-than-550-companies/)
And EA looks like one of those companies backing it, too. If that's the case, I propose that Sims 4 should be one of the games with "VR enabled" capabilities. This means you can play Sims 4 with or without a VR headset, something like Elite Dangerous, No Man's Sky, and Tetris Effect.
That's my take on it. I love Sims and I fell in love with VR along the way. A marriage between these two would probably keep me plugged in the metaverse.
And since I'm a nutter, here's how I envision the controls will be for Sims 4 "VR enabled."
LIVE MODE
UI will be on your left hand and can be viewed by turning your hand as if you are checking the time on your watch.
Left Grab - Grab map and pull to move across lot
Right Grab - Grab and drop movable objects
Left + Right Grab - Stretch to zoom in, or pinch to zoom out
Trigger - Select sim, interact with object or sim, interact with UI
Left + Right Trigger - Raise camera up or down
Thumbstick Press (Left Controller) - Center on lot
Thumbstick Up (Left Controller) - Go up one floor
Thumbstick Down (Left Controller) - Go down one floor
Thumbstick Left (Left Controller) - Wall down
Thumbstick Right (Left Controller) - Wall up
A Button - Toggle Map
B Button - Toggle Modes (Live Mode, Buy/Build Mode)
Thumbstick Press (Right Controller) - Center on active sim
Thumbstick Up (Right Controller) - Pause
Thumbstick Right (Right Controller) - Speed 1
Thumbstick Down (Right Controller) - Speed 2
Thumbstick Left (Right Controller) - Speed 3
X Button - Camera Mode
Y Button - First-Person Mode
BUILD/BUY MODE
UI will be on your left hand and can be viewed by turning your hand as if you are checking the time on your watch. The UI will be large, so that you can pick and choose objects like how a painter uses a palette.
Left Grab - Grab map and pull to move across lot
Right Grab - Grab and drop movable objects
Left + Right Grab - Stretch to zoom in, or pinch to zoom out
Trigger - Draw walls, terrain, wallpaper
Left + Right Trigger - Raise camera up or down
Thumbstick Press (Left Controller) - Center on lot
Thumbstick Up (Left Controller) - Go up one floor
Thumbstick Down (Left Controller) - Go down one floor
Thumbstick Left (Left Controller) - Wall down
Thumbstick Right (Left Controller) - Wall up
A Button - Toggle Map
B Button - Toggle Modes (Live Mode, Buy/Build Mode)
Thumbstick Press (Right Controller) - Toggle Grid view
Thumbstick Up (Right Controller) - Design Tool
Thumbstick Down (Right Controller) - Sledgehammer
Thumbstick Left (Right Controller) - Rotate object left, decrease brush size (build mode)
Thumbstick Right (Right Controller) - Rotate object right, increase brush size (build mode)
X Button - Camera Mode
Y Button - Cycle day and night
Comments
I hope the newer headsets fix that. Have you tried newer headsets? I got my Rift S two months ago and love it to death. I go back and forth between VR and Sims, so that's why I'd like to see a "VR enabled" feature for TS4.
Maybe by TS7
As long as this is only an option that you can toggle on and off, I say "Why not?" I've always wanted to see things from my sim's point of view. I want to get into a fight with some sim, slap them and see what happens in the "fight cloud" for myself, lol!
What screen size would it be best in? I'm just getting used to a 43" but the bigger the better I suppose. It might help getting me to exercise in front of the TV as a Sim!
Anyway, if Hello Games can implement "VR Mode" as a patch, then EA could as well with The Sims 4.
As of now, the Sims Studio needs to get their heads together on how to flesh out The Sims 4’s content.
Repose en paix mamie tu va me manquer :
1923-2016 mamie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpjhsOneeQQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YH8gwLjgUQ
I'm imagining (if they decide to do VR) that Build and Buy Mode can be done in Bird's-Eye-View or First-Person-View.
If you think about it, this would be great for budding architects and interior designers.
Oculus had just released two new headsets not long ago: the Rift S and Quest, the former is PCVR and the latter a standalone headset (meaning no PC required).
Valve had also released their high-end headset called the Index. Also, later this year HTC is releasing their new headset called Cosmos.
And Playstation seems to be sticking with PSVR2. I find it to be the gateway to PCVR at least, so the trend is there. Also, a recent survey shows that developers are investing on VR: https://venturebeat.com/2019/05/20/vr-fund-virtual-reality-ecosystem-has-more-than-550-companies/
https://youtu.be/eC3typSPxJ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlj6e2kJNXA
VR in Sims 4 has a bit of a way to go yet I think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L09ld07hEVc
EDIT: The trailer for Island Living didn't have a first-person POV shot. I may be reaching, but could this be a hint? Ah. I can dream, can I?