HTC Vive Plans Linux/SteamOS Support For Day 1

To be fair, he kinda didn't said there won't be delay for Mac/Linux, but company clearly don't shy from saying loud that it will support these systems. So I am still not convinced there won't be delays, but it plays very little as long as they have clear follow up about it soon.

I'm happy when/if my article is proven wrong! :)

I still think VR can sell systems. If Valve comes out first with a decent VR system and Linux/SteamOS/Steam Machines are supported on day 1, this should help selling.

"What has this Steam Machine console which my console / other consoles don't"?
"1500 games at day one - and VR!"


Last edited by Eike on 12 August 2015 at 9:48 am UTC

I had the opportunity to try Oculus Rifts first and second developer version and I must say that I was impressed. You have to try it for yourself to understand what could be possible with this technology.

I would buy one of this units for my Steam Machine.

I've only had the liberty of playing with an Occulus Rift (DK2) + Leapmotion for a short while, but if you tried it Liam I think you'd actually really enjoy it.

This is coming from someone who wears glasses and generally dislikes things on his head.

The immersion is on a different level than anything in the past!

I've tried several types of VR. They're great for first-person games, makes it really immersive. Though, from what I gather, immersion is something that almost only fans of story-driven RPG and Adventure games truly set up high.

I've tried some horror games with Oculus VR, Outlast, Alien Isolation, and some tech demos we had at my former work place. It's not something you get the most of playing FPS games or RTS games..


Last edited by Aryvandaar on 12 August 2015 at 9:59 am UTC

I don't think it's a fad, although I think it needs to be well made to work well. I've only tried Oculus DK1 though, and Google Cardboard (lol).
DK1 was too pixelated, so I'll definitely try before buying, but I'm excited about the Vive. (especially with Lighthouse!)

You think it's a fad, but you never tried it? Sigh, I'm not surprised.

I'm down to try VR, but, as with any new technology, I think it's smart to skip the first iteration or two. I'll let it mature for a couple of years and scoop up a better quality unit for less once they've worked the kinks out.

Well, for me that is one of the must buy accessories for next year, if it supports Linux.

VR may be considered a fad for some, but it is one that one should definitely experience.

I was previously vying for the Oculus, but since the FB acquisition, it became quite a lacklustre proposition, in my eyes anyway, I should have guessed it would not be great when Mr. Doom joined up... Just joking of course, wishing all the best to their CTO.

What I am hoping is that the Vive will not require too much room to operate, as my gaming space is quite small (I live in the UK where space is the ultimate luxury).

You think it's a fad, but you never tried it? Sigh, I'm not surprised.

So? The very idea of strapping something to my head doesn't sound appealing, not to mention the price tags, they won't be cheap.

Good to hear from it. I really hope last time when someone talked about it being only for Windows at start was just misinformation.

I'd agree that the visual aspect of VR is something that would just be a fad normally.
But when people say VR they're not just talking about the visual device right? Isn't there a whole different set of game control mechanics?
I don't know much about occulus and vive, but I'm basing most of what I know off of this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RehCTRrWM0

I'd guess that what determines if VR is here to stay or not, is if people find a need for the extra degrees of freedom you get from the controls that come with VR, like being able to shoot behind you while running or throw grenades over your shoulder.
Those are probably the deciding factors, the visual device is just piggy backing along with it even though it gets most of the media attention.


Last edited by stss on 12 August 2015 at 5:06 pm UTC

How much can we expect it to cost? I'm unsure if this kind of device is pure luxary or really complimentary to Linux Gaming.

Also, I wonder if it has negative health effects on the eyes.

How much can we expect it to cost? I'm unsure if this kind of device is pure luxary or really complimentary to Linux Gaming.

Also, I wonder if it has negative health effects on the eyes.

Well they said it will not be cheap, I don't think it will cost less than $400. Unless you have a lot of money to spare you can strap your smartphone to your head :
- https://www.google.fr/get/cardboard/
- https://www.durovis.com/index.html
- http://www.altergaze.com/

Or simply wait until VR headsets become cheaper, which will eventually happen ... if they don't fail (again).

So? The very idea of strapping something to my head doesn't sound appealing, not to mention the price tags, they won't be cheap.

What makes you think they will stay this way? I can imagine a helmet which includes a headset. Sure, it won't be cheap at the beginning. May be wait for the next generations. But VR is the future and not a fad. I can't wait to join VR. Waited a long time already :D

What the heck is

Right now the plan is PC or Windows, Linux and Mac

supposed to mean?

It will be released for all of the PC OS's, or it will be released for all of the PC OS's?

What the heck is

Right now the plan is PC or Windows, Linux and Mac

supposed to mean?

It will be released for all of the PC OS's, or it will be released for all of the PC OS's?

At least they made it explicit. If they only said PC, we would be left wondering if they meant Windows only. Wouldn't be the first time.

I posted the following in the forums here:

I had already pre-ordered it, but when I asked HTC Customer support if SteamOS would be supported, this is the response I got from a Ben-Hur with HTC:

Thank you for contacting HTC Vive support.

For now, HTC Vive only works with Windows platform. There is a big possibility that it will work with SteamOS in the future but we can not confirm that as of today.

Let me know if I have successfully answered your question

Needless to say, I quickly asked how to cancel my order and promptly cancelled. I have to say, I'm really disappointed with HTC for not supporting SteamOS or for having a customer support group that is misinformed:

For the cancellation of your order, please contact our Online Store at 888 216 4736 and make sure to have your order number ready.

Let me know if I have successfully answered your question,

Needless to say, I quickly asked how to cancel my order and promptly cancelled. I have to say, I'm really disappointed with HTC for not supporting SteamOS or for having a customer support group that is misinformed:

Even if the Vive supports SteamOS, which it looks like it will, the Vive compatible VR games *also* have to support SteamOS. I'm waiting until I start to see Linux games support Vive, then I'll get interested.

I'd agree that the visual aspect of VR is something that would just be a fad normally.
But when people say VR they're not just talking about the visual device right? Isn't there a whole different set of game control mechanics?

I would definitely not say it's just a fad. I've played and tinkered around with a lot of the current VR content in both the DK1 and DK2. Saying "the visual aspect of VR" doesn't really cover the experience of it. Having new game control methods is a part of it, but not required, but you can have a mind blowing VR experience with just a standard gamepad.

And new control methods are risky. I've played VR HL2 with some of the weirder control methods. Like your head just becomes the mouse and you play with both hands on the keyboard. It totally works! (Arrow keys spin you around for larger 180's, and your head does all the actual gun aiming and freelooking up/down.) After about an hour of that, you have a very sore neck and definitely want your mouse back.

Same thing with motion controlling nun-chucks. I used the Hyrda as a mouse/keyboard replacement for about a year in standard FPS and Action games. It's pretty cool, but I only got it to work for that long because I developed an aiming technique where my arm was resting on the armchair side and I would just waggle it around with the wrist using as little motion as possible.

Basically, I was using it as much like a mouse as possible. These VR demos where you're moving your arms all over in front of you doing motion controlled stuff can be cool, but not for any kind of extended gaming session. It gets old *fast* if you try and keep doing it.

The O.R. and Vive nun-chuck controllers will only enjoy real adoption if they have games use them resting more or less on your lap like a standard controller with just waving them around for more involved stuff once in a while. Standing and moving around VR games will be the fad. Any real VR "killer title", like VR WoW or something, will not be that. It'll be a VR title that plops your lazy gamer a$$ right down on the couch and makes the controls as effort free as possible, like any other really good video game would do.