Here's something awesome to see, the Valve demo of the HTC Vive on Linux was using Kubuntu, and we have some pictures.
Thanks to Daniel Blair for the pics.
As mentioned before, SteamVR on Linux will use Vulkan and not OpenGL. This is probably one of the main things that held up SteamVR/HTC Vive support on Linux.
I'm really pleased it was shown off, as it now means Linux will stop missing out on this new hardware. It's one less barrier for people wanting to game on Linux.
What's interesting is that they didn't use SteamOS for the demo, what are your thoughts as to why they used Kubuntu?
I imagine it's due to Kubuntu being a more desktop-friendly OS just to "get it done" until support is properly ready in SteamOS. As for Kubuntu itself, probably just developer-choice.
No word yet on when the VR support for Linux will be officially released. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Thanks to Daniel Blair for the pics.
As mentioned before, SteamVR on Linux will use Vulkan and not OpenGL. This is probably one of the main things that held up SteamVR/HTC Vive support on Linux.
I'm really pleased it was shown off, as it now means Linux will stop missing out on this new hardware. It's one less barrier for people wanting to game on Linux.
What's interesting is that they didn't use SteamOS for the demo, what are your thoughts as to why they used Kubuntu?
I imagine it's due to Kubuntu being a more desktop-friendly OS just to "get it done" until support is properly ready in SteamOS. As for Kubuntu itself, probably just developer-choice.
No word yet on when the VR support for Linux will be officially released. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Quoting: BeamboomTyrell Wellick use KDE. Just sayin'.
And now he is the most wanted man in the world. Look what using KDE did to him.
Stay clear of it folks.
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Well, to be fair, we don't even know if it's kubuntu (the tweets aren't from the computer's owner, AFAIK). It could even be that they decided to switch to KDE for their next SteamOS release, who knows?
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Quoting: MyeulCWell, to be fair, we don't even know if it's kubuntu (the tweets aren't from the computer's owner, AFAIK). It could even be that they decided to switch to KDE for their next SteamOS release, who knows?
Kubuntu is one of the few distros that delivers a pure KDE, without any customization, as showed in the images. And as Valve uses Debian as platform for SteamOS and Ubuntu as a target distro, I think is safe to say it is Kubuntu.
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Quoting: grenadecxTerrible? It's more or less the same state as OGL on Windows.
Sure, but on Windows developers have a choice: OGL or DX. On Linux it's just OGL - or was, until Vulkan.
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What's interesting is that they didn't use SteamOS for the demo, what are your thoughts as to why they used Kubuntu?
maybe they want to show that:
it will work on other linux distributions too, such as ubuntu, not only SteamOS.
and it will work on other DE too, not only Unity, so they show'd KDE instead of Unity.
or maybe the Steam Machines arent powerfull enough, so if they used the SteamOS, it could imply that it would run on any steam machine...
maybe they want to show that:
it will work on other linux distributions too, such as ubuntu, not only SteamOS.
and it will work on other DE too, not only Unity, so they show'd KDE instead of Unity.
or maybe the Steam Machines arent powerfull enough, so if they used the SteamOS, it could imply that it would run on any steam machine...
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slaapliedje Oct 14, 2016
Why Kubuntu? Could have as easily been Debian Sid with KDE? Which also installs a stock KDE.
Regardless of that, my guess on the real reason they didn't use SteamOS is because it probably has older drivers that don't have full Vulkan support.
Though I have to say, now VR on Linux is even more Niche... Only the games that support VR + have Linux native + Vulkan support. How many games is that? Maybe the upcoming Serious Sam VR? I think that's pretty much it...
Granted I'm sure they'll come!
I would just be happy at this point with Linux not thinking the Vive is an extra display and the primary one at that!
Regardless of that, my guess on the real reason they didn't use SteamOS is because it probably has older drivers that don't have full Vulkan support.
Though I have to say, now VR on Linux is even more Niche... Only the games that support VR + have Linux native + Vulkan support. How many games is that? Maybe the upcoming Serious Sam VR? I think that's pretty much it...
Granted I'm sure they'll come!
I would just be happy at this point with Linux not thinking the Vive is an extra display and the primary one at that!
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Quoting: MGOidKubuntu is one of the few distros that delivers a pure KDE, without any customization, as showed in the images.
Yes, it even comes with a Qt browser: Firefox... wait...
Anyway, it probably is Kubuntu, because the *buntus are still considered to be the golden standard, unfortunately.
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Quoting: tmtvlAnyway, it probably is Kubuntu, because the *buntus are still considered to be the golden standard, unfortunately.
It's still better to have *a* golden standard than no at all. At least game devs have a fixed system to test against. Otherwise they may have been scared off by the excessive amount of choice.
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QuoteBecause it's super easy to toggle the system compositor in current KWin, Alt-Shift F12. Could have been any non-composited desktop at this point in time, that won't be an issue when the HMD display can be removed from the desktop with display acquisition Vulkan WSI in-progress extensions.
From Plagman on the phoronix forums https://www.phoronix.com/forums/forum/phoronix/latest-phoronix-articles/904511-valve-uses-kubuntu-for-demonstrating-linux-vr-with-the-htc-vive?p=904533#post904533
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Quoting: EhvisQuoting: tmtvlAnyway, it probably is Kubuntu, because the *buntus are still considered to be the golden standard, unfortunately.
It's still better to have *a* golden standard than no at all. At least game devs have a fixed system to test against. Otherwise they may have been scared off by the excessive amount of choice.
Yup, Ubuntu and Valve are doing that. And these days all those arguments "We don't want to write a game or an app for 1000 distros", well just do it for Ubuntu and it will eventually get everywhere around the Linux, we all know that the core of OS is the same and that it all works everywhere :D It's great to have a standard to avoid excuses like that...
Last edited by MaCroX95 on 14 October 2016 at 3:33 pm UTC
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