Moon flight simulator Lunar Flight is getting support for Touch controllers, and launching on the Oculus Store.
VR Pioneer
Lunar Flight was one of the first full games to add VR support. The game released as a regular PC game on Steam in January 2012. DK1, the first public development kit headset from Oculus, shipped in March 2013 and developer Sean Edwards was one of the first to receive a unit.
In July 2013 Edwards released a Beta channel with DK1 support. Because DK1 lacked VR controllers, cockpit based games that could be played with a keyboard or gamepad were the perfect way to deliver rich gameplay in VR. Lunar Flight quickly became a favorite among VR enthusiasts.
Lunar Flight was linked on Oculus Share, the company’s old demo hosting website. As one of the only full games, it kept the #1 rated spot for over six months.
In July 2014 Oculus released the second development kit headset, DK2. Edwards added support for DK2 in Lunar Flight in October.
Consumer Launch Year
Lunar Flight did not make it as a launch title for the Oculus Rift. It was in July that it got support, alongside a graphics remaster. In November, Edwards added support for the HTC Vive, but with a gamepad, not the tracked controllers.
Lunar Flight did not get Oculus Touch or HTC tracked controller support, and nor did it ever come to the Oculus Store.
Touch Support, Oculus Store
Edwards intends to release an update to the Steam build this weekend with support for the Oculus Touch controllers for Rift and Rift S. He is considering supporting HTC Vive wands in the future, but hasn’t set up his development kit in years.
Rather than use the capacitive sensors for poses, Lunar Flight will make the hand model change based on context. When near the throttle, the hand opens to be in a grabbing position for the throttle. When bringing the hand near buttons, the index finger extends to press them.
Lunar Flight will also come to the Oculus Rift Store, currently planned for some time over the next month or two.
