Steamy virtual windows

The year of gaming on the Linux desktop might be well and truly here, but the virtual version of that desktop reality is still a little way off. Frankly the technical requirements to generate a smooth VR world are complex and involved, so it’s remarkable there are commercial options available that do work on the Linux desktop out of the box, more or less. If you’re game, let’s take a look at the hoops you need to jump through.

First, beta everything! In the main Steam client you’ll need to switch to the client beta stream under Steam > Settings > Account > Beta participation. You’ll need to install the Steamvr software through

Steam like any other game, then select its beta version by right-clicking Steamvr. Select Properties and click the Beta tab, then switch to its beta stream. It’s wise to ensure that Steam’s device drivers are updated with sudo apt install steam-devices . Before we get into the technical points, Valve offers a comprehensive troubleshooting Git page at http://bit.ly/ lxf250steamvr or the Steamvr forum at http://bit. ly/lxf250vrforum.

You’ll need a Vr-capable gaming system. What the heck does that mean? The general consensus is that to minimise motion sickness, you need a graphics card and processor capable of powering a 2K display at 90Hz; thankfully, in this day and age most mid-range graphics cards are capable of this. If you’re planning on buying a £400 VR headset, you can afford a £200 graphics card. As an example we were running an AMD

RX 580 at £180, with a AMD Ryzen 5 1600. A slightly more complicated requirement is that Steamvr requires Vulkan drivers for that graphics card. That means Nvidia drivers version 387.12 or newer, while AMD will require Linux kernel 4.13 and Mesa 17.3 support – if you’re running updated Ubuntu 18.04 you’ll be set for both.

In terms of a VR headset, we wouldn’t recommend buying anything just yet, as Valve is on the cusp of releasing an all-new headset called Index that is slated to have Linux support. We were testing with the HTC Vive system released back in 2016. The whole affair is something of a faff, with ‘lighthouse’ sensors required to track headset and controller positions and cables. We suspect these won’t be needed with the Valve Index, and out-of-the-box support should be better.

Are there games? Yes! Some even work well. There are very few with native Linux support: Race the Sun and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes to name two. The recent Proton system has opened this number up a great deal, as it works alongside Steamvr seamlessly. A full database can be found at http://bit.ly/ lxf250protonvr; some notable titles will excellent support include Skyrim VR and Superhot VR.

They may look cool in this picture, but all these cables and sensors and gubbins really are a hassle.

As far as stylish head- and eyewear go, you could probably do better for cheaper.

This box is where the magic happens, but not enough magic to make Alien Isolation work, sadly.