Arx Fatalis is now playable in VR – Arx Libertatis VR Beta Release!
I first played Arx Fatalis about 20 years ago, and even back then I kept wondering how cool it would be to cast spells by actually drawing runes with my hands. Well, I finally made it happen!
I've created a VR port of Arx Fatalis, built on top of Arx Libertatis using OpenXR, and the first beta is now available.
VR Features:
- Draw magic runes in the air with your hands to cast every spell, including precasting spells for later
- Draw weapons from over your shoulder and swing them naturally - faster and wider swings deal more damage
- Physically block attacks with your shield
- Nock arrows and pull the bowstring with your hands
- Access your inventory on your wrist, hold books and notes in your hands
- Grab, throw, and pull objects toward your hand, open doors, pull levers, carry torches, and hang them on your belt
- Full-body IK that follows your headset and controllers, including leaning, crouching, and room-scale movement
- Snap/smooth turning, comfort vignette, and dedicated VR settings
Requirements:
- Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
- PC VR headset with SteamVR or the Meta Quest PC app (Quest Link / Air Link). Quest via Virtual Desktop works through SteamVR
- Arx Fatalis game data (Steam, GOG, CD, or demo) - not included
Download: https://github.com/cmpayc/ArxLibertatisVR/releases/tag/v0.1.0
Source code: https://github.com/cmpayc/ArxLibertatisVR
Installation instructions and controls are available in the GitHub README. Just extract the ZIP, make the game data available, start SteamVR or Quest Link, and run arx.exe.
This is an early beta, so expect some rough edges. Feedback and bug reports are very welcome, either here or through GitHub Issues!
Huge thanks to the Arx Libertatis team for keeping this classic alive!
All of the mod's code was written by Claude, while I was responsible for the design, direction, and testing in VR.