New Mod Aims to Add First-Person VR to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Posted on March 27 2021 by David Lasby
It’s a game defined by breath-taking landscapes, hyper-realistic interactions with the environment, and a totally immersive feeling; now a fan-created mod seeks to add an up-close and personal virtual reality mode to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The three-minute demonstration of the mod features the player’s ability to toggle between first and third-person perspective; the video highlights what the VR experience feels like while exploring iconic locations in Hyrule like Hateno Village, Floria Bridge, Korok Forest, and more.
Brian Tate and the team working on the mod, (Etra and MelonSpeedruns), have made it clear that the mod is far from finished and that they have big aspirations for the finished product, including a possible inclusion of motion controls. Tate explains:
“Full motion controls would be amazing, but that would be a very different modding challenge (not sure if that’s possible at this time). We may go with a method that uses similar controls to the Wii (and soon Switch) Skyward Sword where gestures with your VR controller causes different swings. If we rendered the game sword in the player’s hand while in first person (outside of the game engine), it might work well to feel like you’re holding the sword (and can be usable, because when you swing it, it causes the swing gesture to happen in the game, doing enemy damage). We’ll see!”
Tate also acknowledges that the demo video for the mod on YouTube appears very unstable, a feature which may cause some viewers motion sickness. However, he assures that this shakiness “wasn’t that way in the headset”. While there is no current release date for the full version of the mod, those who are curious can join the “Flatscreen to VR” Discord for updates.
Tell us what you think! Does this first glimpse of the VR mode for Breath of the Wild have you wanting more? Would playing the game in this manner add to your experience? Share your reactions in the comments below.
Source: Brian Tate (via Game Informer)
I’m a life-long fan of video games and have been playing since I got my NES in the 1980s. The Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros., Aliens, and Halo are some of my favorite game franchises. I write for several sites, including Zelda Dungeon, Boss Rush Network, and The Mighty. Find me on Twitter to check out my other content!
