Trying The SteamVR Beta On Linux Feels More Like An Early Alpha

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Trying The SteamVR Beta On Linux Feels More Like An Early Alpha

This past week Valve brought SteamVR on Linux into public beta. With watching the constant hype around VR on Windows, I was quite excited to finally give VR a try with having lined up an HTC Vive for testing and currently Oculus or others not offering current Linux support. I was thinking that I would have some large GPU/driver comparisons and such completed this weekend, but once actually setting up the hardware and software, I realized that wasn't going to be feasible in such short time. So for those interested in the Linux VR space, here are some of my first impressions and why I would consider the current SteamVR more like an alpha release than beta, just yet another struggle Linux gamers face, and another obstacle to overcome if Linux is to be a more serious competitor to Windows in the gaming space.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=24193

[tildearrow]

Typo:

That certainly made it feel much more like an alpha than beta and cannot imagne a Windows gamer being willing to go through such strides.

[Michael]

Typo:

Good catch. Fixed, thanks.

[FishPls]

So basically, it's still a WIP. As expected. Hopefully these issues will be ironed out by the time it reaches "stable".

[d2kx]

Destinations (just like The Lab and many other titles) use "adaptive quality", meaning that if the engine feels it can't hold 90 FPS, it downgrades the render resolution further and further and it looks really blurry. And at the same time, if the performance level is great, it will render in a higher and higher resolution and stop looking so blurry. While the current headsets obviously need to further raise the resolution, from what you've wrote it sounds like you have hit this situation. I know, because I've got a Vive myself (although obviously have used Windows to use it so far).

I am also pretty sure that The Lab will be a eye-opener once it releases for Linux and you've tried the Longbow scene and some of the others.

Also hopefully SSVR: The Last Hope gets ported soon, because that one is much, much more visually advanced and exclusively designed for VR in contrast to The First Encounter.

I've talked to one of the Google Tilt Brush guys and he said he personally loves Linux and they will look into it but porting is not the highest priority. Go pressure them if you can.

[bridgman]

Great article. Nice to see it working at all... that's still a huge step forward.

Am I the only one who thought that "glass table", "VR" and "play area" should not appear in the same sentence ?

[Michael]

Great article. Nice to see it working at all... that's still a huge step forward.

Am I the only one who thought that "glass table", "VR" and "play area" should not appear in the same sentence ?

It's a pretty solid piece of glass, but more concerned about knocking into computer parts on said table or knocking over a beverage and things like that while having the VR HMD on... I think I am going to limit the "play area" to more of an unused corner of the space, now that I know more about space requirements and the base stations, etc.

[funfunctor]

Great article. Nice to see it working at all... that's still a huge step forward.

Am I the only one who thought that "glass table", "VR" and "play area" should not appear in the same sentence ?

Get in your "safe space"

[mike44]

About 2 months ago 16.10 didn't even recognize my Logitech cordless mouse/keyboard. On 16.04 it works but often loses connection (same on Win 10). So bad I might go back to cable connected, anybody any help?
Vive is to expensive, I'll wait a little but surely get it someday for x-plane etc.

[devius]

Yeah, this will never become mainstream. It's this decade's VR push, but it will fade away like 3D TVs.