FreeSpace 2 VR v0.1.2-beta (Meta Quest 3 and PICO)

Changes since v0.1.1-beta

• PICO support (untested): the same APK now also runs on PICO 4 / Neo 3 (PICO OS 5.9.0 or newer). The PICO controllers use the same button layout as the Touch controllers. PICO support is brand new and not tested on PICO hardware yet; feedback is welcome (adb logcat -s FS2VR:* QuestVR:* shows how far it gets).
• On Android 10 headsets (PICO) the app asks for storage access on the first start and restarts by itself afterwards.
• Same signing key as before: installs over v0.1.1-beta and keeps your pilots.

Beta of FreeSpace 2 VR: the space combat classic FreeSpace 2 running natively on the Meta Quest 3 and PICO, built on the FreeSpace Open engine with OpenXR on OpenGL ES.

The APK contains no game data. You need your own copy of FreeSpace 2 (GOG or Steam).

What works

• Head-tracked stereo 3D space in flight
• HUD fixed in front of the ship as its own layer, with the crosshair, target brackets and lead indicators lined up with the guns
• Menus, briefings and cutscenes on a large screen in front of you; laser pointer + trigger to click; cutscenes can be skipped
• Touch controllers as a gamepad in flight, with a throttle lever on the right stick and a second button layer on the left grip; remappable in Options > Controls
• Training missions work with the controllers
• Chase view (left grip + right stick click)
• Laser keyboard for the pilot callsign
• Each eye renders at 1680 x 1680
• Full lighting: background nebulae and planets, ship shine and environment reflections; FXAA anti-aliasing

Install

1. Install FreeSpace2-VR-v0.1.2-beta.apk with SideQuest or adb install -r -g FreeSpace2-VR-v0.1.2-beta.apk.
2. Copy your FreeSpace 2 game files to /sdcard/FS2 on the headset (about 1.8 GB):
   • From your GOG or Steam install folder: the nine .vp files (root_fs2.vp, smarty_fs2.vp, sparky_fs2.vp, sparky_hi_fs2.vp, stu_fs2.vp, tango1_fs2.vp, tango2_fs2.vp, tango3_fs2.vp, warble_fs2.vp) and the folders data2 and data3 (cutscenes), for example with SideQuest. The app moves the cutscenes into place on the first start.
   • Or with get_fs2_data.py on a PC with Python 3 and the Quest on USB: python3 get_fs2_data.py <game folder or GOG setup_freespace_2_*.exe> --push (the GOG offline installer is unpacked with innoextract).
3. Start FreeSpace 2 VR from Unknown Sources and allow "access to all files" when asked (on PICO: allow storage access; the game then restarts by itself).

PICO: install with adb install -r -g (SideQuest is a Quest tool); everything else is the same.

Controls

Menus:

Input	Action
Laser (either controller) + trigger	Click
A	Enter
B / left Menu button	Escape (back / pause)
A, B, Menu or trigger during a cutscene	Skip it

Text fields (pilot callsign, chat): a keyboard appears below the menu screen; point at a key and pull the trigger.

Flight:

Input	Action
Left stick	Pitch and turn
Right stick left/right	Roll
Right stick up/down	Throttle (stays where you leave it)
Right stick click	Match target speed
Left stick click (tap)	Autopilot
Left stick click (hold 1 s)	Warp out (end mission)
Right trigger	Guns
Left trigger	Missiles
Right grip (hold)	Afterburner
A	Target nearest enemy (next ship if there is no enemy)
B	Target ship in crosshair
X	Next missile type
Y	Next gun type
Left Menu button	Pause menu
Left grip + A	Next target
Left grip + B	Target your target's attacker
Left grip + X	Next subsystem on target
Left grip + Y	Comms menu
Left grip + right stick up / down	Full speed / full stop
Left grip + left stick click	Look behind
Left grip + right stick click	Chase view on / off

Comms menu open: left stick up/down picks an order, A or a trigger confirms, Y closes the menu.

Known limitations (beta)

• Tested on Quest 3 only; PICO 4 / Neo 3 untested.
• Flight runs below the headset's refresh rate (the engine renders both eyes on one CPU core); menus run at full speed.
• Shadows are off by default (they cost too much frame rate); they can be turned on in Options > Graphics > Shadow Quality.
• No 3D cockpit (FreeSpace 2 has no cockpit models).
• Signed with a debug key.

Source: branch fs2-vr of this repository (README-QUEST.md). FreeSpace Open engine under the Volition source code license (non-commercial). The game data is not included.

SHA-256 (FreeSpace2-VR-v0.1.2-beta.apk): f5542aa7fc946bd58618105f45a33b08925d6f0f8f3f1c4c175a89c31c0f70ef