So... now that the CV1 release is behind us, it's time to ask again: are there any specific plans for porting the new SDK/runtime to GNU/Linux?
I'm still using SDK 0.5 with my DK2, and I don't have a CV1, but it would be nice to get official GNU/Linux support again, and know that we can release VR apps for consumers on the platform.
I think the focus is still on getting the Windows software package rock solid. Though we launched, there are still a lot of important features that didn't make it in and are being worked on now. However, we can re-evaluate the situation in the future to see if other operating systems make sense.
Wait. Now we go again from "it's still on the roadmap" to "see if it makes sense", where the common answer is usually "no"?
I'm _very_ saddened about the linux "support". DK2 is working pretty good on linux, no clue what has changed that much, that there can't be an update for the SDK. Well, in the end, the (free) cv1 is pretty decorative on my shelf at least, so not a complete waste. *sigh*
Sorry for being harsh, but I'm extremely disappointed, given all the efforts I have put into supporting the rift, which, I meanwhile had to realize, was a mistake.
Do nvidia and amd drivers for linux and mac currently include direct mode? (Nvidia VRWorks Direct Mode or AMD LiquidVR Direct-To-Display) I doubt Oculus will move back to Linux or Mac until they have native direct mode support.
I'll chime in and say Linux support is important to me too. I use Windows as well as Linux, and would like to have modern VR support on both.
What would it take for Linux support to make sense for Oculus? I'm happy to help in any way I can, for whatever that's worth. Is support currently blocked on driver or OS features? It seems the latest Windows runtime requires resource(texture) sharing between processes to work - is this done using Direct3D entry points? Is there any way to share GPU resources between processes on Linux? Would it require modifications to the kernel or driver?
Do nvidia and amd drivers for linux and mac currently include direct mode? (Nvidia VRWorks Direct Mode or AMD LiquidVR Direct-To-Display) I doubt Oculus will move back to Linux or Mac until they have native direct mode support.
I thought X provided all the benefits of direct mode with the way it handles separate displays; `DISPLAY=:0.1` gives output to the HMD without coupling to the monitor's vsync.
Do nvidia and amd drivers for linux and mac currently include direct mode? (Nvidia VRWorks Direct Mode or AMD LiquidVR Direct-To-Display) I doubt Oculus will move back to Linux or Mac until they have native direct mode support.
No, these are highly proprietary and secret features that are only available on windows.
At least looking at the OSVR render manager https://github.com/sensics/OSVR-RenderManager/ the implementation for both nvidia and AMD is still only available under NDA.
But OSVR's render manager still provides most important features on linux without direct mode. Yes, Asynchronous Timewarp is missing, but then, Valve doesn't have that either in SteamVR.
We don't need an Oculus Linux SDK that 1:1 has *all* the features of the Windows SDK. Just like with OSVR we would be happy to have an SDK that has all the important features and performs "well enough". Can Oculus with access to the resources of facebook (!) really not do what Razer is doing with OSVR and its render manager?
And as jimbo00000 has said, I have always read that on Linux direct mode isn't needed as much as on windows, because (on unrotated displays) the frame latency is already as good as on windows with direct mode...
Do nvidia and amd drivers for linux and mac currently include direct mode? (Nvidia VRWorks Direct Mode or AMD LiquidVR Direct-To-Display) I doubt Oculus will move back to Linux or Mac until they have native direct mode support.
No, these are highly proprietary and secret features that are only available on windows.
At least looking at the OSVR render manager https://github.com/sensics/OSVR-RenderManager/ the implementation for both nvidia and AMD is still only available under NDA.
But OSVR's render manager still provides most important features on linux without direct mode. Yes, Asynchronous Timewarp is missing, but then, Valve doesn't have that either in SteamVR.
We don't need an Oculus Linux SDK that 1:1 has *all* the features of the Windows SDK. Just like with OSVR we would be happy to have an SDK that has all the important features and performs "well enough". Can Oculus with access to the resources of facebook (!) really not do what Razer is doing with OSVR and its render manager?
And as jimbo00000 has said, I have always read that on Linux direct mode isn't needed as much as on windows, because (on unrotated displays) the frame latency is already as good as on windows with direct mode...
Well, OSVR's render manager is hard to use. I've tried many times to apply the distortion correction without success. It might be me but other people I've discussed with said same.
Furthermore, OSVR's render manager is a magic box which does everything for you: windows creation, events management, etc. So if you want to integrate it with your own engine, you can't without using their own method to manage the window and the events. I may be wrong but their documentation is very poor about it.
But now, RenderManager is half opensource. So for my own engine, I've retrieved some of their (strange) code. Their basic SDK doesn't provide a distortion correction at all! What are they thinking!
It's sad because their theory is very good (server/client, opensource, cross platform, cross headset,...). 😕
But it's the only alternative at the Oculus SDK for now.
Well, I haven't looked too much into it myself other than the core/compatibility profile mess.
But I have seen this https://github.com/sensics/OSVR-RenderManager/pull/74 that seems to go into that direction with the corresponding bug report: https://github.com/sensics/OSVR-RenderManager/issues/31 ("has an example program that creates its own OpenGL context and asks RenderManager to share it"). So.. definitely make an issue there if you need more (or less).
Nice, thanks. This is new. But again, why do they not let the developer creates and uses its own window like Oculus SDK? I've created an issue directly with their support team. They said they are working on this issue. But since September, nothing changed. I would like to fix this issue my-self but I'm already working on many projects. Maybe I will be available to do this someday. Because their project is great and cross-platform.
