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Valve Releases SteamVR For Linux (gamingonlinux.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the more-the-merrier dept.

New submitter JustNiz quotes a report from GamingOnLinux: Valve has launched SteamVR for Linux officially in beta form and they are keen to stress that this is a development release. You will need to run the latest Steam Beta Client for it to work at all, so be sure to opt-in if you want to play around with it. VR on Linux will exclusively use Vulkan, so it's going to be a pretty good push for Vulkan if VR becomes more popular. Those who are interested can head over to GitHub for more information.

32 of 61 comments (clear)

  1. Standalone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I think it's awesome that they're focusing on linux development, but I'm still waiting for a standalone installer/updater for SteamVR so I don't have to install Steam in order to use the OpenVR API.

    Could we please have that soon Valve?

    1. Re:Standalone by Highdude702 · · Score: 2

      I honestly understand what you guys are saying. But at the same time. They have to make money for their part also. I like Steam more than any other company like it, As far as ease of use, And Security. Their one of the few sites we haven't seen database dumps from. The one time they came close to a fuckup in the store, they shut it down until they could fix it. in a few minutes compared to others. I may also be biased as i'm a HL/TF fan. And that's what made Valve: Steam.

    2. Re:Standalone by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

      It does, By a lot. But steam wouldnt be around without half life franchise kicking ass making valve a huge thing in the gaming world in the 90's

  2. Hold yer horses! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 2

    When are we going to get a Linux por-OOH MY GOD!

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:Hold yer horses! by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

      Wasn't it like 2 days ago somebody said that shit here? I also found humor in that.. lol

  3. the more quality gaming available on linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The more quality gaming available on Linux, the less the dependency on Windows, steam seems to be making good headway.

  4. Talk about a subset of a subset by elrous0 · · Score: 1

    The 1% of Linux users among the 1% of gamers currently playing VR. I think that's about 7 people tops.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's actually a smart idea. If VR takes off this time around then they are getting it on Linux at square one, where there is much more even footing against Windows since Windows also doesn't have much in the way of VR. This could be the "killer app" that eventually popularises Linux.

    2. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by tttonyyy · · Score: 1

      The 1% of Linux users among the 1% of gamers currently playing VR. I think that's about 7 people tops.

      As a proponent of both Linux and VR, I am sadly going to have to say that I'll be staying away from that unholy combo.

      VR is fledgling technology that struggles to be quite what everyone wants it to be, supported by an established platform with carefully optimised drivers.

      Linux is an established technology in everything but mainstream gaming, with graphics drivers that struggle to perform as well as their windows counterparts.

      Jamming the two together? Why yes, I do like chilli powder in my eyes. It'll hurt a lot less than all the googling needed to get it working properly.

      --
      biopowered.co.uk - catalytically cracking triglycerides for home automotive use since 2008. Just say no to big oil!
    3. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by erapert · · Score: 3, Informative

      (disclaimer: I run Ubuntu 16.04 on all three of the computers that I use-- two at home and one at work)

      Speak of the devil: I just logged into Steam and it gave me the hardware survey.
      Linux is about 0.8% of the machines running Steam.

      It's kind of a chicken-and-the-egg problem.
      But the game industry, and Valve in particular, are in a difficult spot as Microsoft moves to force everyone to go through their app store.

      I, for one, applaud Valve for bringing awesome games (about 80% of my Steam library runs natively on Linux) and great technology to Linux.
      Hitman just released for Linux. Deus Ex came out for Linux not too long ago. The Total War series runs very well. XCOM, XCOM 2, The Witcher 2, Torchlight, Talos Principle, Stellaris, Rocket League and so on and so on...
      I have more and better games than I have time to play. Thanks, Valve.

      Neither I nor anyone else can twist your arm to switch to Linux-- just don't complain when Microsoft puts ads on your desktop, tracks your every move, forces updates down your throat whether you want them or not, and eventually moves to make you pay a subscription just to use your computer.

    4. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 1

      But the game industry, and Valve in particular, are in a difficult spot as Microsoft moves to force everyone to go through their app store.

      No one except a few outspoken crazies in the game industry believe that's going to happen. Even APPLE hasn't shut down non-store apps. There are simply too many legacy apps that are critical to businesses and/or individuals for MS to kill the Win32 API, and that's what would essentially be required to force this on everyone. Windows' strength is its backwards compatibility and the size and robustness of its 3rd party ecosystem. Windows isn't open-source of course, but it IS still a very open development platform.

      So, no. Will not happen anytime in the foreseeable future. There's plenty of other stupid shit that MS is doing with Windows (like you mentioned) without worrying about stuff like this.

      --
      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
    5. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

      I honestly think in the next 5 years or so with computers getting so much better, we will see AAA titles drop for linux at the same time as windows. I used to use linux exclusively. One day valve did some shit to tf2(the main game i play) and cut fps in half. I had to install windows as i had a crappy GPU at the time. I now run a GTX1070 and when i got it, it took me 6 hours to get it working on a fresh ubuntu 16.04 install. pain in the ass. I'm also lazy and haven't setup a virtualization to use my old gpu for linux(all i will need) and use the 1070 for windows gaming. I started it got sidetracked with work and other stuff, and it has now been about 3 months. Hopefully one day not so far away the real nerds can game how they please without hiccups.

    6. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Computer power makes backwards compatibility just a matter of an additional layer between old and new and old software being more compact means no appreciable speed loss, with that compatibility layer. Everyone knows the big uppercut is coming, Android and of course the Linux distribution that underpins that. M$ huge failure of phones and desktops is creating a software ecology that will spread to the new desktops, without windows. M$ is rapidly becoming the company people love to hate and that is death for any company, how many billions have they spent on brand advertising, just to blow it all away by being privacy invasion control freak perves that make stupendously arrogant demands upon their customers rights.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    7. Re: Talk about a subset of a subset by Type44Q · · Score: 1

      It's easy to speak bullshit with a straight face when we can't see your face, Anonymous Dipshit.

    8. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Not to mention that Valve knows well enough that Microsoft is working hard to throw as many obstacles between their feet to make Steam as unusable as possible in Windows to promote their own game store.

      Valve, of all companies on the planet, has a VERY good reason to push for full blown Linux support in gaming. And that's basically what Linux needs if it wants to take off.

      Because, face it: What reason does Joe Average still have to use Windows? Internet? Nope. Every major browser, mail system, video player you might want is available. Document writing? Nope. Libreoffice is good enough for personal use.

      What's left for Joe that ties him to Windows is gaming. Yes, there are a lot of other applications that are not available on Linux, or not at the same quality. But they are mostly things that are niche products that are interesting to a very small subset of users. The only big issue that remains is actually gaming.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    9. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by JanneM · · Score: 1

      If VR takes off you'll have plenty of other uses besides gaming. Scientific visualizations, vertical applications and whatnot. You'll want to support Linux as an OS just like NVIDIA supports it for GPGPU, workstations and embedded applications. That it gives Linux desktops 3D gaming ability is just a small bonus.

      --
      Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
    10. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 1

      I definitely agree that MS made some bad decisions that annoyed a lot of their customers, and that may have pushed a few of them away, but let's be honest here: we still haven't seen any significant shift away from Windows in the desktop numbers. Microsoft Windows still dominates at 96%, Mac is an also-ran, hanging in their at ~3% or so, and Linux trails at 1%, like it always has, with even that spread across several popular distros, and dozens of less popular ones.

      For gaming, you're seeing more support for Mac and Linux because the major engines support those platforms, and so it makes sense to release for all platforms possible. That's definitely the good news. I think many game developers (including myself) would LIKE to see Linux doing better as a hedge against MS, so go out of their way to support it when feasible.

      If you're waiting for MS to die, though, it's going to be a long wait. They've wisely started focusing on things like cloud services, Xbox, new high-end hardware, and so on, and of course, they still completely dominate in the business world (for PCs and productivity software). They've also got a lot of cash reserves. They're no longer the dominant player in the industry like before, but they're hardly becoming irrelevant.

      TL;DR: Wake me when Linux on the desktop breaks 1%.

      --
      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
    11. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Total computer installs M$ is destroyed by Linux. That is installs on TVs, Tablets, Phones, Servers and whole range of appliances. M$ is now just hanging in there on the desktop based upon nothing but lock in via applications and existing data and that is real bad, in new markets in only has the Xbone and the Xbone will come under real threat from more and more powerful smart TVs and smart phones. Keep in mind, with smart phones, with portable custom fitted VR glasses (still to hit the market), you have a big screen in your pocket and that is doom for game consoles.

      Business, there are real problems there, no business wants to be spied on and it business practice advantage put up for sale to the highest bidding competitor and that does not even touch medical practices, where M$'s spying is against the law and both the medical practice and M$ come under real legal threat.

      M$ is now wildly uncool and that is doom in the consumer market. M$ does not maintain the privacy of business and that is a real problem. The desktop market will shrink to power users and they are a really fussy, demanding market and as far as M$ gross invasion of privacy and demands for control over power users, they have a great big ole 'fuck you' coming.

      There were much smarter directions to go in, they were just stupidly arrogant and it is unlikely they will be able to come back from that. Never forget desktop PCs and the consumer market are parting ways, so M$ will lose the bulk of the PC market right there, not to competitors but to smart phones, smart TVs, tablets and cheap simple notebooks running Android (way good enough for what most of them will be doing). So not so much M$ losing the desktop market, just the desktop market pretty much shrinking back to early 2000 levels and M$ is pissing that market right off, so screwed and they deserve it.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    12. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      And each one of those things did bring Linux to the desktop more and more. Just a few years ago it would have been unimaginable for Linux to get AAA game releases, but here we are today and getting lots of them. The Vulkan benchmarks so far have shown that Linux can outperform Windows for gaming too.

    13. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by AC-x · · Score: 1

      Not to mention that Valve knows well enough that Microsoft is working hard to throw as many obstacles between their feet to make Steam as unusable as possible in Windows to promote their own game store.

      I know people like Sweeney have claimed that Microsoft "will" break Steam to promote their own store, but is there actually any evidence that they are doing so?

    14. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Linux arrived late and didn't had the support of hardware manufacturers.

      Intel has the support of the most important hardware manufacturer of all: Intel. Not to mention many others, but Intel is the elephant.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    15. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by Kjella · · Score: 1

      Not to mention that Valve knows well enough that Microsoft is working hard to throw as many obstacles between their feet to make Steam as unusable as possible in Windows to promote their own game store. Valve, of all companies on the planet, has a VERY good reason to push for full blown Linux support in gaming. And that's basically what Linux needs if it wants to take off.

      Well Microsoft doesn't want to lose the Windows users to Linux and Valve doesn't want to lose the Windows gamers to the Microsoft store, so I'd say their Linux support is mixed. They want to keep Linux as a credible threat so Microsoft doesn't play dirty and that whole SteamOS and Steam Machines play was part of that, but they don't really want an all out war and neither would Microsoft. Because many gamers would stay on Windows and Valve would lose, but also many Windows users would migrate to Linux and Microsoft would lose. Okay so Microsoft might not be happy about Steam, glass half empty. But they're also 95% Windows users, glass half full.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    16. Re:Talk about a subset of a subset by 3vi1 · · Score: 1

      I think you underestimate the number - there were way more than seven of us Linux gamers just developing for the DK1 years back. There are over a 100 vive owners asking Valve to support Linux here: https://github.com/ValveSoftwa..., and that's just the subset of us that have github accounts and thought it would be a good idea to me-too the issue.

      At any rate, it's the chicken and the egg - there can't be a huge number of Linux VR gamers until the platform is supported.

  5. Re:Good for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    As a trans-species goat man, I've finally been able to use this VR tech to spend quality time in a virtual goat barn without being accosted by farmers. They become quite angry when I'm caught with the lady goats..... Closed minded bigots.

    I admire your courage to be yourself. Be the goat you know you are, I tip my horns to you sir.

  6. Re:Good for me by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    found the progressive :o

  7. Vive support by JThundley · · Score: 1

    I assume this means the Vive will actually be supported in Linux? I own one and keep telling myself that I'm going to have to switch to Linux for gaming after support for windows 7 dries up. I already use Linux for everything else.

    1. Re:Vive support by JThundley · · Score: 1

      I answered my own question: SteamVR needs to be able to access the HTC Vive's USB devices.
      That's a yes!

    2. Re:Vive support by JustNiz · · Score: 1

      >> I'm going to have to switch to Linux for gaming after support for windows 7 dries up.

      Like you I already use Linux for everythig else, and am looking forward to totally get rid of my windows partition. But I've been like that for at least 10+ years and still he only thing holding me back is the lack Linux versions of the games I want to play. I don't get how the end of support for windows 7 is a good reason to switch though... how does that stop you from continuing to just play games on Windows?

    3. Re:Vive support by JThundley · · Score: 1

      I don't think I'm able to give into the shittiness that is 10, I might be able to stomach 8. I imagine support for older Windows versions will dry up when it comes to gaming.

    4. Re:Vive support by JustNiz · · Score: 1

      No , I mean why don't you just stay on Win7? Even when Microsoft stop supporting it (which just means not getting more patches that most usually just do pointless shit like fix some corporate interface or typos in Ukranian language support or whatever).
      Windows 7 itself won't just suddenly stop working.

    5. Re:Vive support by JThundley · · Score: 1

      Games and GPU drivers will stop supporting it. I assume I'll keep wanting to play new games.

  8. Game support? by CAPSLOCK2000 · · Score: 1

    How about game support? What games can I expect to work with VR on Linux right now?