--- Virtual Reality (VR) Review of: Road and Track presents The Need for Speed (PSX/PS1) ----
This is a great game to have a few rounds of for a bit of fun, even more so when it is combined with VR technology. This article will discuss the experience of Road and Track presents The Need for Speed on PSX/PS1 played in VR. My review of Road and Track presents The Need for Speed can be found here, this will give some insight to the game itself and if it is something you may be interested in experiencing in general.
VR Set Up
I use the program Virtual Desktop to set up my PC and VR headset to be able to get the right perspective to play all my video games. Each game will have its own intricacies and nuances that will make the gaming experience the best it can be. Further, personal preferences will also be a factor so some additional adjustments may be necessary to make the set up just right for you if you wish to replicate what is being presented here.
Curved Screen
Having a curved screen gives that wrap around feel you get from VR games, it makes you feel like you are ‘in there’ with it all happening around you. This may distort or warp some of the heads up display information around the screen in some instances, but its worth it for the experience of playing in the perspective of a quazi virtual reality for a game never intended to be played this way.
Screen Set to 200
Screen size is set to 200 as this provides just enough screen to have to tilt your head around a bit to see the edges, but not too much that you are turning all the way around to look for health , speed, mini maps or what have you that tends to live at the periphery of the screen.
Distance From Screen
Distance from screen is set to as far away as possible this reduces the distortion which can happen when being too close to the screen. Large pixilation is minimized and what is seen on the screen is a clearer view of what is happening.
Road and Track presents The Need for Speed
Getting into the drivers seat of Road and Track presents The Need for Speed, there are many things to look at and consider. The cars, the tracks, background, camera positioning, graphics in general, all of these elements play a factor when assessing how Road and Track presents The Need for Speed performs in the VR environment. While this game is really not designed for VR, it can very much pull it off.
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The Cars
Each of the cars interiors is different which means that there is quite a bit of variation in what you can see in the way of the dash set ups of the vehicles. These dash set ups are as close to the real things as is possible with the technology available at the time and its done quite well. The steering wheel turns when driving the cars and some of the gauges on the dash work so shutting down the heads up display and driving the ”real way” is an option. In the cockpit mode you also get a rear view mirror so you can see all the opponents you leave in your dust as you make your way to the checkered flag.
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The Tracks
Circuit lay outs can be challenging in some racing games, but in Road and Track presents The Need for Speed its not too much of an issue when in VR. The tracks are well laid out and do not obscure too much of the road at any given time. The changes in elevation are considerably smooth with some exceptions. However none of this detracts for the driving experience
Rally mode adds some considerable challenge as the jumps added to the races make for interesting driving, but by far some of the more interesting sensations is driving the cars sideways through corners while the vehicle faces walls and shrubbery of the background. If you are an experienced drifter/ rally driver in games or real life this will be of little consequence, but it is interesting none the less.
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The background
We are looking at PlayStation 1 technology here so the pop up rate in the background is quite noticeable. The draw rate on closer items like road and traffic isn’t spectacular but its not like it sucks the fun out of the game either. I would say that it is sufficient to play Road and Track presents The Need for Speed in VR and still have a great time while doing it.
The background can seem a bit blurry and not greatly defined in super HD, however there is no struggling to make out what anything is or the distance it is from the vehicle as you drive.
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The camera positioning
The cockpit camera positioning for Road and Track presents The Need for Speed is perfect for what we are trying to achieve when playing in VR. There is plenty of dash and interior to be seen BUT it does not take away from what you need to see through the windscreen to be the first across the finish line. Even when weaving through traffic and being chased by the police while hunting down your opponent in a head to head battle it never feels like there is more you should be seeing.
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The graphics
Again we need to keep in mind that this is a game released in the 90s and is dated, so Road and Track presents The Need for Speed is not going to hold a candle to the latest in graphical technology, However, there are many areas in which there is some great gaming to be had. There is sensation of depth in the action in this VR set up. The sensation of speed when racing is most certainly visible and a big part of the fun factor.
There is some blurring of the background, but this is fine when you consider that you are focused on the road and the background should be blurred. Large pixilation can rear its head from time to time but its not game breaking and its something that is less noticeable the longer in the game.
For the most part the graphics hold up well to being scaled up to such a large degree. Yes there are some niggling issues, but hey it’s a 20 year old game you have to expect some things to not come across perfectly. Overall the experience was great and worked better than I thought it would.
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Conclusion
Getting into the driver’s seat of Road and Track presents The Need for Speed has been one of the most fun experiences I have had with the VR head set to date. The game provides a considerable challenge in VR mode and gives a new perspective on a classic title. Road and Track presents The Need for Speed may not have been designed to be played in VR but by George it most certainly transfers considerably well.
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I spent a good 3-4 hrs in VR mode just driving around and having fun within the experience, throwing the car into corners hard, getting into police chases, and general tomfoolery. It was all good under the hood and even better when racing competitively in the various modes available within Road and Track presents The Need for Speed.
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Retro gamers, I most definitely recommend giving this a go, its is a new spin on an old title. For those into a bit more modern gaming I would also suggest having a look as the experience is still quite enjoyable. If you need to be dazzled by the latest in cutting edge graphics I would not suggest this as it may not stand up to that kind of scrutiny. That being said it was an enjoyable time while playing Road and Track presents The Need for Speed, it will be on my list of retro games I play in VR for future game nights for sure.
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Really awesome how you can experience older games in VR, thanks for sharing!
I've actually been doing some "historical" gaming posts lately, covering noteworthy games released in certain years (just made two about 96 and 2000) makes me think how you can have a VR experience with some more awesome titles from the past :)
Oh yeah its a great experience and while it may not be cutting edge graphically, retro games are superior in game depth and game play as they are fully fleshed out games that dont require updates and patches to operate. Clearly this will change as VR becomes more prominent in the gaming field, but for now its how it is.... in my eyes at least. My concept is give it a go and you may be surprised at what works well depending how you set it up. realisticaly even if you set it up like you are playing video games in a cinema its a mind blowing experience
Indeed! I've had only a quick run with a VR gear once, but it was really an awesome experience, so I'm considering getting one myself. Which one are you using by the way?