We've spent the last couple of months working really hard on this new update, and you'll notice quite a few major improvements and changes. The biggest difference is that we shifted the focus away from being a tower defense game, and made XLR into a multiplayer arena shooter. After adding in player-vs-player combat as a test in the old XLR, we got a glimpse of how fun it could be, and we really feel that switching to an arena shooter was the right move.
One of the biggest challenges with an arena shooter in VR is locomotion. And we think we've solved it, at least for XLR. We did a lot of experimentation and tuning, and came up with a way of sliding a player around that seems to reduce or completely eliminate nausea for many players. We've tested it on as many people as we can find, from VR "veterans" to people who have never tried VR before. None of our testers have experienced any nausea. But everyone is different, and so we also set up locomotion type per class. There are 9 player classes to choose from, and the Zoner class uses only teleportation.
We're really excited to hear your feedback about all of this.
There are so many changes that it's difficult to detail them all, but here are some of the highlights:
- Added seven player classes to choose from (two more coming soon, for nine total).
- New weapon: knife (HAWK class).
- New gear: binoculars (HAWK class). Tag players with the binoculars to track their movements.
- New gear: holodouble disc (HAWK class). Deploy a holographic decoy version of yourself.
- New weapon: timer grenade (SLAYER class).
- New weapon: laser rifle (SLAYER class).
- New weapon: laser pistol (SLAYER class).
- New weapon: katana (SHADOW class).
- New gear: zipline baton (SHADOW class).
- New weapon: flame thrower (THERMO class).
- New weapon: incendiary grenade (THERMO class).
- Dropping ammo is now accomplished via controller grip buttons.
- Removed artificial weapon movement lag when holding a 2-handed weapon with only one hand. Holding with two hands still improves accuracy, though.
- Pistols now have infinite ammo.
- No longer forcing the upward direction of a weapon while holding with 2 hands.
- Repositioned weapons and gear lower to be positioned in your hand where they really should be.
- Fixed sniper rifle lens being too reflective.
- Enemy creepers now fire at you.
- Added a full body representation, instead of just hologram hands.
- Movement pointer is now an arc instead of a straight line.
- Movement is now activated by touchpad press instead of rotating your wrist.
- Starting position on game load should now always position you so that the UI menu is within reach in your room scale play area.
- Fixed teleportation not landing you exactly where you were pointing.
- Enabled voice streaming in multiplayer lobby, before starting the actual game.
- Added players' names to players' backs in multiplayer.
- Added ability to party up and team up in multiplayer lobbies.
- "Shout" your voice to the other team by holding the right controller menu button (the small button above the large touchpad).
- New settings menu and multiplayer scoreboard under left controller menu button (the small button above the large touchpad).
- Improved performance.
- Removed registration room.
- Removed hand inventory.
- Removed wrist UI.
- Removed Omni Tool.
- Fixed an error that could occur if controllers had not been initialized at all in SteamVR before game launched.
- Fixed unable to start game when inviting Steam friends.
In the world of XLR, a future humanity is fighting for its survival as companion AI has become the dominant life form. Some AI have deemed humanity a scourge worth wiping out, while other AI have deemed humanity an endangered species worth preserving and honoring as the AI progenitors. Most remaining human factions have banded together under a new super banner called the Earth Recovery Consortium (ERC) to pool resources and form strike teams for continued survival. Their most frequently pressing objectives are to raid hostile AI-controlled facilities for energy, technology, and supplies. While most of humanity agrees that ERC goals must always be met for continued survival (ERC goals coming soon to matches), invariably every sub-faction has its own side agendas for each mission, in hopes of one day wresting control from the other side of the AIER war.
You’ll party up into factions (with friends, or just join a random match), then land in a drop ship with your strike team at an enemy facility. After selecting a metaframe for your consciencess to intertwine with symbiotically, your team will deploy to various battlegrounds.
Don’t worry, If you need some training, you can always go up against some simulated enemy combatants in singleplayer training mode.
Choose to play as any of 9 player classes:
- Hawk: Like to plan and strike from afar? Then this is the metaframe for you. Keep tabs on the enemy by tagging them with your binoculars, then take them out from a distance with your sniper rifle. Or deploy your holodouble to mislead the enemy, then silently strike from behind with your knife.
Locomotion: slide
- Slayer: Are you a tried and true Soldier at heart? If so, get down to brass tacks with your laser rifle and laser pistol. Engage in close quarters combat with your machete, or toss out a timed grenade to break up a fight.
Locomotion: slide
- Bliss: A monk that seeks the answer to one question: “Why are you hurting yourself?” (coming soon)
- Shadow: Are you like ninja? Move about with stealth, using your zipline baton. Then Cut down your enemies with your katana. If need be, slow them down at range with your throwing knives (coming soon), or vanish in a puff of smoke with one of your smoke bombs (coming soon).
Locomotion: slide or zipline
- Logi: A futurist who is going to be a LOT of fun. (coming soon)
- Tang: Take an aggressive stance with your minigun and shotgun. Then incite a little mayhem and confusion with your gravity knuckles (coming soon) and gravitronic grenade (coming soon).
Locomotion: slide
- Thermo: Feeling a little moody? Burninate everything in sight with your flamethrower. When things get too hot, flip the barrel around to activate your freeze pistol (coming soon). Throw in an incendiary grenade for good measure, and finish up with a dash of thermo mace (coming soon).
Locomotion: slide
- Ballisto: If you love calculating angles and bounce shots then this is the metaframe for you. Wreak havoc with your grenade launcher, then charge in with your plasma pistol (coming soon). Don’t forget to maximize damage with your warhammer (coming soon) and proximity mine (coming soon).
Locomotion: slide
- Zoner: When you're in the mood for some good old fashioned flow state, just pull out this metaframe’s dual pistols. All the while confounding the enemy by rapidly using short range teleportation to jump to new vantage points. Defend or attack with your energy shield (coming soon), and turn the tables on the enemy’s plans with a swap grenade (coming soon).
Locomotion: teleport
