While I absolutely love playing with my Valve Index, it has felt like for a while that Valve left things a bit too rough but a new SteamVR update is out now.
Giving a little love to everyone, here's what's been tweaked for SteamVR directly:
- Fixed a motion smoothing issue that was affecting some applications.
- Fixed a crash related to application submitted dx12 depth textures.
- Fix for depth texture handling on dx12 causing crashes in major engine implementations.
- Fixed a crash in the dashboard.
- Display Task View if a non-interactable window gains input focus in Desktop View.
- Added a button to Desktop View that allows users to show the desktop. This is especially useful when users have a single monitor and the scene app displays a full screen window.
- Fixed a crash on app startup.
Specifically for Linux (finally!) Valve solved a few persistent issues including:
- Fixed issue that would prevent some system UI from working some of the time.
- Fixed webhelper crashing in OS's with recent versions of freetype2.
- Fixed a failure to unpack steamrt-heavy on some distributions.
With this update, it sounds like the experience with SteamVR will be quite a bit smoother on Linux which makes me happy. While I never personally saw the third issue, the first two were something I was truly getting frustrated with.
Do let us know in the comments if you use SteamVR and how this update runs for you!
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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20 comments
How cool would it be to see "Oculus Quest 2 support added". :)
2 Likes, Who?
I totally expect a standalone VR device from Valve, based on their experiences with Index and Deck, powered by SteamOS. 
6 Likes, Who?
Feb 22, 2022
Awesome, the freetype2 issue was getting in between me and Alyx 
1 Likes, Who?
TheRiddick Feb 22, 2022
Oculus Quest 2 support added
AFAIK only ALVR has experimental Linux support; I've heard its not that great yet but unless Oculus release API support for Android and Linux then its likely not to happen.
They do have a Android app for Quest devices but its not quite the same thing as PCVR.
2 Likes, Who?
It's a shame that in the end only the Valve Index is officially supported for Linux.
Though the HTC Vive and HTC Vive Pro work, it's only unofficial. And the Vive Pro 2 even doesn't work at all.
Nevertheless, VR has never been better for me since the recent updates. I didn't have any issues with Beat Saber, Synth Riders, Pistol Whip... even without async reprojection. Also the GTFO VR Mod worked pretty well, though this mod would have benefit from async reprojection. Pre nVidia 510 driver, I had Steam VR crashes like every 30 to 60 minutes, which are more or less gone with the driver update.
In Hinge VR I still experience crashes, but those are game crashes, not Steam VR crashes.
With this I recently re-discovered my love for Elite: Dangerous in VR. I can tune it up to high settings even, and the performance is great. You can see the magic of async reprojection here, where the game dropped to less than 20 FPS, but async reprojection still made it smooth enough to be playable in VR for me.
So I guess with the latest Steam VR update, it can (hopefully) only get better
Though the HTC Vive and HTC Vive Pro work, it's only unofficial. And the Vive Pro 2 even doesn't work at all.
Nevertheless, VR has never been better for me since the recent updates. I didn't have any issues with Beat Saber, Synth Riders, Pistol Whip... even without async reprojection. Also the GTFO VR Mod worked pretty well, though this mod would have benefit from async reprojection. Pre nVidia 510 driver, I had Steam VR crashes like every 30 to 60 minutes, which are more or less gone with the driver update.
In Hinge VR I still experience crashes, but those are game crashes, not Steam VR crashes.
With this I recently re-discovered my love for Elite: Dangerous in VR. I can tune it up to high settings even, and the performance is great. You can see the magic of async reprojection here, where the game dropped to less than 20 FPS, but async reprojection still made it smooth enough to be playable in VR for me.
So I guess with the latest Steam VR update, it can (hopefully) only get better
5 Likes, Who?
After upgrading to a 6800 XT the Index is the next big thing to buy for me.
So go Valve go :-)
So go Valve go :-)
1 Likes, Who?
I totally expect a standalone VR device from Valve, based on their experiences with Index and Deck, powered by SteamOS.Still waiting for the wireless Index adapter :/
IMHO standalone is just not there yet regarding hardware capabilities (Unless you enjoy retro graphics and 'experiences' instead of proper games).
0 Likes
How cool would it be to see "Oculus Quest 2 support added". :)Facebook hardware is subsidized by user data and their walled garden. Not going to happen.
1 Likes, Who?
IMHO standalone is just not there yet regarding hardware capabilities
Yes, that's why the device is not *here* yet. But I bet it's in the works. ;-)
0 Likes
I'd like to plug the VR on Linux docs on Gitlab, it's got some useful info on VR compatibility. I'm looking for more edits/contributions to keep things up to date!
1 Likes, Who?
Ah, that's good to see. I was getting a bit worried about the lack of updates!
Anecdotally, I got one of the biquintennial (is that a word?) hardware surveys recently, and it listed me as not having a VR headset, despite my Index being plugged in, on and registered in Steam, so hopefully, they aren't allocating development resources based on those stats.
Anecdotally, I got one of the biquintennial (is that a word?) hardware surveys recently, and it listed me as not having a VR headset, despite my Index being plugged in, on and registered in Steam, so hopefully, they aren't allocating development resources based on those stats.
0 Likes
What's blocking SteamVR on Linux for me is not being able to, with an official first-party method, toggle my lighthouses power state via Bluetooth. But I'm crossing my fingers for a solution one day.
0 Likes
What's blocking SteamVR on Linux for me is not being able to, with an official first-party method, toggle my lighthouses power state via Bluetooth. But I'm crossing my fingers for a solution one day.I found the Android app is pretty much perfect for it.
6 Likes, Who?
I have some weird issues on GNOME Wayland, it suddenly become sluggish. Searching by solutions, it need to close the friend list or put it in another workspace. As it happens only in this specific setup (gnome and Wayland) maybe the bug is on the WM.
0 Likes
Well you're liable to be waiting for the rest of your life, Valve never committed to making one and I don't ever see them making one for any reason unfortunately.I totally expect a standalone VR device from Valve, based on their experiences with Index and Deck, powered by SteamOS.Still waiting for the wireless Index adapter :/
IMHO standalone is just not there yet regarding hardware capabilities (Unless you enjoy retro graphics and 'experiences' instead of proper games).
0 Likes
Hey, does someone knows the code change related to the FreeType fix? FreeType is a really stable library, and I use it in some things, so I am curious on what could be and if it's a bug I am missing somewhere. Thanks!
0 Likes
I'll have to give it a try. I still have a windows partition to boot in to for VR. But I've got the HTC vive and I just have not had a good VR experience under Linux, even with games that work. Even just in the steamvr starting void there's a lot of ghosting and the menus like to not work, and I still can't get the vive camera to work.
0 Likes
After upgrading to a 6800 XT the Index is the next big thing to buy for me.I did it the other way around. Got my Vive like 1-2years ago and bought a 6800xt just a while ago
So go Valve go :-)
1 Likes, Who?
What's blocking SteamVR on Linux for me is not being able to, with an official first-party method, toggle my lighthouses power state via Bluetooth. But I'm crossing my fingers for a solution one day.I found the Android app is pretty much perfect for it.
I wanted to use it, but I think my phone is incompatible or I just don't get it. But I'm glad it works!
0 Likes
slaapliedje Feb 24, 2022
How cool would it be to see "Oculus Quest 2 support added". :)What we need is an alternative that is around the same price point. A stepping stone for PC VR, so to speak. Facebook deserves none of our money to be purchasing any of their hardware.
Still irritated that FB bought them shortly before they were able to release the consumer version. Had my mind set on getting one until that was announced.
1 Likes, Who?
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