Valve have released the latest stable version of SteamVR with 2.10 bringing a few fixes and a couple of new features to improve the experience. Nice to see Valve putting a few little improvements for Linux VR fans too.
All the changes are:
SteamVR:
OpenXR:
- Quick recenter now available system-wide via system button long press.
- Improved automatic throttling behavior. Reduces controller and physics jitter from throttling and prediction changes in response to performance variations.
Linux:
- Better handling of non-pipelined applications. Reduces controller jitter for Unity OpenXR apps.
Developer Options
- Fixed empty black window when starting SteamVR on Linux.
- Added window icons to SteamVR windows on Linux.
- Removed remaining legacy 32-bit executables, including: vrmonitor, vrstartup, restarthelper, overlay_viewer.
- Fix UI launching of overlay_viewer.
- overlay_viewer gets better pan / zoom / resize support, and other misc improvements.
- performance improvements to IVRChaperone ()->GetBoundsColor().
- Added lens calibration model, DISTORT_POLY3_TANGENT_SCALED.
Source: Valve
For those of you doing SteamVR on Linux, leave a comment on how you're finding the experience at the moment.
I just recently moved my office around, and finally mounted my second SteamVR Base Station for my Valve Index onto a wall instead of resting on a unit. And made some extra space for a bit more room, so hopefully I'll be doing a lot more VR soon. Although, I do hope whatever the Deckard ends up being doesn't need the Base Stations as it would open it up for a lot more people. And, especially, if it will use Linux like we've seen leaked for a standalone mode, my high hope there is that Valve are sitting on some bigger SteamVR improvements for Linux to come.
Yet I do have some issues currently, e.g. I'm on Ubuntu 24.04 with Gnome, which doesn't support VR with wayland. I also wasn't able to get Monado up and running with 1 basestation and my OG Vive. Which I still use from time to time to play Elite: Dangerous. But as I've seen the performance difference between Steam VR and Monado, I wanted to switch for that too.
I will get back to using SteamVR though, according to SadlyItsBradly's tweet¹, Steam Link VR seems to come to Linux soon! And then I might even get a Quest 3. I've tested Steam Link VR on Windows before, and damn, it's really cool. Wireless VR is just awesome.
Regarding Monado, or other non Steam VR programs, check out the Linux VR Adventure Database². It's like ProtonDB but for VR Games and the tools to run VR on Linux (Steam VR, Monado, ALVR, WiVRn)
¹ https://x.com/SadlyItsBradley/status/1918820041312678099
² https://db.vronlinux.org/
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