Thursday, June 15, 2023

Valve Releases Desktop Beta Update for Steam, Resolving Linux Crash and Introducing Fixes

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Introduction

        Valve, the renowned game developer and software company, has recently rolled out an update for its desktop beta client, addressing various issues and enhancing user experience. The update primarily focuses on fixing a persistent crash experienced by Linux users with Nvidia GPUs when hardware acceleration was enabled in Steam. This long-standing issue has finally been resolved, allowing Linux users to once again utilize hardware acceleration without the fear of crashes. Additionally, the update introduces several general and input fixes aimed at improving overall functionality and performance. In this article, we delve into the details of the update, highlighting the resolved Linux crash, general fixes, and improvements to the Steam Input feature.

Resolution of Linux Crash and Hardware Acceleration

        Linux users running Steam on computers equipped with Nvidia GPUs encountered crashes when hardware acceleration was enabled. Valve's latest update addresses this issue, finally resolving the crash and re-enabling hardware acceleration for Steam on Linux. According to a report by Phoronix, the problem was supposed to have been fixed in a previous update, but users continued to face difficulties. With the recent update, Valve aims to ensure that Linux users can now enjoy the benefits of hardware acceleration without any interruptions or stability concerns.

General Fixes and Enhancements

        The Steam Client Beta update also incorporates various general fixes and improvements to enhance the user experience. These include:

Error Correction: An error that occurred when attempting to delete a local screenshot from the game details page has been fixed, ensuring smooth management of screenshots within Steam.

Wallet Balance Accuracy: The update addresses an issue that caused an incorrect pending wallet balance to be displayed, ensuring accurate financial information for users.

Menu Position Correction: Valve has resolved an issue that resulted in incorrect menu positions, ensuring consistent and intuitive navigation throughout the Steam client.

File Type Selection: Previously, custom artwork for games in Steam sometimes defaulted to incorrect file type options. With the update, this issue has been rectified, providing users with appropriate file type selections when setting custom artwork.

Friends List Context Menu: Several items on the friends list context menu have been rearranged and reworded, enhancing clarity and ease of use for users.

Visual Improvements: The friend menu, which occasionally caused a black bar to appear on the underlying chat or group window, has been fixed, ensuring a seamless visual experience for Steam users.

Enhancements to Steam Input

        The Steam Client Beta update brings notable enhancements to the Steam Input feature, aimed at improving compatibility and addressing specific issues. These enhancements include:

Detection on macOS: The update resolves an issue related to the detection of the Steam Virtual Gamepad on macOS, ensuring smooth functionality and detection of input devices.

Bluetooth Controller Detection: Valve has fixed an issue that affected the detection of Bluetooth Steam Controllers on both macOS and Linux, ensuring reliable and seamless connectivity.

Nintendo Switch Controller: When Steam Input is inactive, the update now automatically switches Nintendo Switch controllers to simple mode. This mode deactivates the home LED, aligning with user expectations and optimizing power usage.

Gyroscope and Accelerometer Improvements: Previous versions exhibited subtle drift over time, especially in games involving continuous turning, due to yaw correction-to-the-average-heading. The update removes this correction, resulting in a more accurate and stable experience. Accelerometer correction, responsible for pitch correction from gravity sensors, is now applied opportunistically in certain situations, reducing the "ouija effect" during fine aiming. The update also increases the top allowed noise threshold for gyroscopes, enabling abnormally noisy gyroscopes to pass the drift correction and calibration process.

Linux-Specific Fixes

        Valve's latest update addresses specific issues related to Linux, ensuring a more stable and seamless Steam experience. These Linux-specific fixes include:

Crash Fix: Linux users encountered crashes when closing Steam windows with hardware acceleration enabled on Nvidia GPUs. The update resolves this crash, improving overall stability.

Hardware Acceleration Re-enabled: With the recent update, Valve has re-enabled hardware acceleration by default for Nvidia GPUs on Linux, providing users with enhanced performance and visual capabilities.

Linux Runtime Compatibility Tools: The update ensures that Steam Linux Runtime compatibility tools are properly installed to support specific titles, enhancing compatibility and functionality for Linux users.

Updating to the Beta Version

        Users interested in accessing the beta version can easily switch to it by following a few simple steps. After opening Steam, navigate to the "Steam" option in the upper-left corner and select "Settings" (or "Preferences" on Mac). Within the "Account" tab, locate "Beta Participation" and select "Change...". From the drop-down menu, choose "Steam Beta Update" and click "OK". Restart Steam, and the client will be updated to the beta version, providing access to the latest features and fixes.

Conclusion

        Valve's recent update for the desktop beta client addresses critical issues, notably resolving a crash experienced by Linux users with Nvidia GPUs when hardware acceleration was enabled in Steam. The update also introduces general fixes and improvements, enhancing the overall functionality and user experience of the Steam client. Furthermore, enhancements to the Steam Input feature contribute to better compatibility and stability, catering to a diverse range of input devices. Linux users can now enjoy hardware acceleration with improved stability, reaffirming Valve's commitment to providing an optimized and reliable gaming platform.

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