The easiest to use and most flexible NoVR mod for Half-Life: Alyx! This mod allows you to play Half-Life: Alyx without a VR headset, not needing specialized drivers or anything like that. It allows you to play the game in any way and anywhere you like from beginning to end! We developed the only NoVR mod that allows you to play in a very easy way, with many VR interactions preserved in some form for a flat screen.

Post news Report RSS Play Half-Life Alyx anyway you like! Even on a Steam Deck!

The Half-Life Alyx NoVR mod aims to allow anyone to play this amazing game without VR. The easiest, flexible and most accessible mod for playing HLA without VR! For those with health concerns, motion sickness and other limitations from experiencing it in VR this is a great alternative! It is also a great way to replay the game anyway you like! With its extremely easy install (no drivers!) it makes Half-Life Alyx more accessible than ever!

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Play Half-Life Alyx anyway you like!
Even on a Steam Deck!

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The Half-Life Alyx NoVR mod aims to allow anyone to play this amazing game however they like. This is no substitute for the amazing experience this game provides in VR on a headset like Valve’s Index. However, for those with health concerns, motion sickness and other limitations from experiencing it in VR this is a great alternative! It is also a great way to replay the game anyway you like! With its extremely easy install (no drivers!) it makes Half-Life Alyx more accessible than ever.

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In-Game Screenshots of Half-Life Alyx NoVR


Currently the mod allows you to complete the game up to the first parts of Chapter 7, with 11 chapters total the mod is nearing a playable state from start to finish. Let's go through just how easy and flexible this NoVR mod for Half-Life Alyx is!


Easy and Flexible Installation

To showcase how easy to use and flexible this mod is, we thought showcasing the mod running on a Steam Deck would really drive that home!

Now first off you will need a copy of the game purchased through Steam. Then download the mod here:

Simply copy the “game” folder to the folder you have Half-Life Alyx installed through Steam. Then simply add these launch options under properties to the game before launching it with the mod:

-novr -vsync

Then start the game!

Extremely easy and simple. If you want to add access to the console and setup the game to the native resolution of the Steam Deck add these launch options as well:

-console -vconsole -w 1280 -h 800


With this the game is now ready to be launched! But…we have also created a custom controller layout for Half-Life Alyx NoVR for the Steam Deck! So go to controller options for the game and you should find it in the Community Layouts. Here are all the details to find it along with the link to the controller layout.

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Steam Deck Controller Layout for Half-Life Alyx NoVR


This layout can be customized however you like and is a great template to start the game with and work from there. As for performance with the Steam Deck, the game is running at 800p60fps at Ultra Fidelity (all in game graphics settings maxed), with roughly 2.5-3ish hours of battery life when playing Half-Life Alyx NoVR. Source 2 is running very well on Steam Deck and bodes well for Counter-Strike 2! You can play it in handheld mode or connected to your 4K TV or a monitor and playable with a keyboard and mouse. Of course a high end gaming PC will run it easily, just check the minimum and recommended specs for the game on Steam! Those specs are a bit higher than what you will actually need since the game is not running in stereoscopic 3D, and therefore much less demanding.

Current Progress and Future Updates

Currently the game can be completed to the start of Chapter 7 without having to use noclip. If you choose to continue there is quick access to noclip with one button to continue on. With 11 total chapters the game is currently 60% playable with NoVR with future chapters being completed week to week. The goal is to ensure you can finish the game and get to the ending first. Then fine tuning the gameplay entirely. So far many adjustments have been made to make all features playable.

Currently these mechanics are unavailable and will be added in the future:

-Combine Fabricators (for weapon upgrades)

-Secondary weapon fire

-No Gravity Gloves (manual pick up/drop/throw)

-HLA HUD (currently uses the HL2 HUD)

-Some achievements won’t activate that require the Gravity Gloves and achievements in and past Chapter 7 haven’t been tested yet

Gameplay Showcase on PC and Steam Deck

Here are a few videos on YouTube that showcase the latest update running on a high-end PC and another video with some off-screen gameplay footage of the game running on a Steam Deck.



We hope you enjoy this amazingly flexible way to play Half-Life Alyx!


Engage with the Developers and Community!

Please come join the developers and community to help provide feedback and troubleshoot bugs and more. Check out the Git where the mod is regularly updated with experimental branches, join the Discord server, check out the YouTube channel and more! See you there!

Check out the public Git for regular updates and test branches: Github.com

The YouTube Channel has tons of Gameplay Videos to check out: Youtube.com

Follow the project on Twitter: Twitter.com

Join the Discord to chat with other players, provide feedback and get troubleshooting:

Discord.gg


Purchase Half-Life Alyx on Steam today!

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Half-Life Alyx on Steam


All screenshots in the article were taken on Steam Deck! Here are some more to enjoy!

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Post comment Comments
CyginMDB
CyginMDB

This is amazing, can't wait for all the chapters to be done and to try this out, honestly the cherry on the cake would be to have proper viewmodels with hands and weapons animations, but yeah I suppose it'd be difficult to find someone who could achieve that.

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Spider-Man-Dev Author
Spider-Man-Dev

The hope is to!

The hands are working to cover Alyx’s mouth in Chapter 7 Jeff. So they’re coming!

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Guest
Guest

can we get a mirror link please

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Spider-Man-Dev Author
Spider-Man-Dev

Check the Git! It’s listed in the mod summary!

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Tabajara77
Tabajara77

Thank you for all the hard work!!!

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MR.SUPERIOR
MR.SUPERIOR

We need alyx hands
We need weapon animations
This Mod Needs To Be Feel Alive

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Spider-Man-Dev Author
Spider-Man-Dev

We have a listing looking for an animator to help us with the hand animations!

The weapons do have reload and other animations, but just with invisible hands at the moment.

More is to come! If you know any animators who may want to help send them our way!

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Breadman_at_Hartley
Breadman_at_Hartley

As someone who gets incredibly sick in VR, I have been seriously waiting for a mod like this.

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Spider-Man-Dev Author
Spider-Man-Dev

Thanks for checking us out!

I literally just replayed both Entropy games after playing Uprising when it launched. Love your work on the originals!

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JjForcebreaker
JjForcebreaker

Oh man, what a piece of news! Now I know what I'll pick up at the next Steam Sale event.
Thanks!

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Spider-Man-Dev Author
Spider-Man-Dev

Yeah we just missed the Steam Spring Sale and it was on sale for $27 USD, we will be sure to post when its on sale next!

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Its_That_Guy
Its_That_Guy

Okay,this I like, really want to play this game, just no VR headset, so I can't wait to grab it next time its on sale now!

Well done team!

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Anthony817
Anthony817

You are the hero we need!

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Guest
Guest

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unfunny
unfunny

man i'd like to play this rn but my goddamn pc which lags even at half life 1 is gonna explode

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