Valve has been giving Steam users Linux love since 2012, and it’s not stopping with VR. The company just launched SteamVR for Linux, letting developers create Linux content for the HTC Vive VR headset, trackers and other hardware. The program is in beta, meaning developers must use an NVIDIA developer beta driver that’s built on “Vulkan,” the successor to OpenGL. You’re limited to “direct” mode, meaning you can only display images on the headset and not a desktop display at the same time.
Developers can also use an AMD card, but it requires more futzing and is limited to secondary “desktop” display mode. Intel graphics aren’t yet supported, and Linux OpenVR game development requires the Unity version 5.6. There are a few other known issues: Base station power management and headset audio device switching aren’t yet implemented, and as mentioned, you can’t switch between direct (headset) and desktop display modes.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/02/22/valve-launches-steamvr-support-for-linux/
Submitted by: Arnfried Walbrecht
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