OVR Advanced Settings: Latest Update 5.8.9 Brings Stability and Usability Enhancements
OVR Advanced Settings continues to be an essential utility for VR enthusiasts who want to customize and optimize their SteamVR experience. With a current average player count of 4,015, the tool remains a popular choice for users looking to fine-tune their VR setups beyond the default SteamVR options. The recent 5.8.9 update addresses a variety of lingering issues, introduces new features, and improves overall stability, especially for users with non-Lighthouse tracking systems.
Addressing Lingering Issues with 5.8.9
The developers of OVR Advanced Settings have acknowledged the back-and-forth nature of updates between version 5.7.4 and the 5.8.* branch. With 5.8.9, they aim to resolve most of the persistent problems that users have reported. Key fixes include adjustments to the brightness slider, which now has a minimum value of 3% when set by text and 20% when adjusted via the scroll bar. This change ensures users have better control over their display brightness, avoiding settings that are too dim to be practical.
Another significant fix targets the "re-center" and space drag functionality. Users had experienced issues with re-centering their VR space and dragging their play area boundaries, especially those not using Lighthouse tracking. The update resolves pseudo room-setup launches that occurred unexpectedly during auto-apply chaperone procedures and improves logging around space drag activities, helping developers diagnose any residual issues more effectively.
Additionally, the wording in the offsets tab has been changed from "seated recenter" to simply "recenter," reflecting a more accurate description of the feature and reducing confusion for users who may not always be playing in a seated position.
New Features Enhance Customization and Convenience
The 5.8.* series introduced several new features that have been refined and carried forward into 5.8.9. One notable addition is the Battery Tracker overlay control. Located in the utility tab, this option allows users to disable the battery overlay on trackers if they find it distracting or unnecessary. This small but meaningful customization helps keep the VR interface cleaner and less cluttered.
Desktop Mode has also received significant improvements. Users can now launch SteamVR directly into Desktop Mode using a new Steam launch option (--desktop-mode). This mode is particularly useful if the VR headset screen remains blank or if users want to interact with SteamVR without entering VR. To complement this, a checkbox has been added in the settings tab to always launch SteamVR in Desktop Mode, providing a seamless experience for those who prefer this workflow.
For users who customize their input bindings, the Bindings Tab on Desktop now opens the default browser to the SteamVR binding interface. While this interface differs slightly from the overlay version, users will need to navigate to the OVRAS profile manually, but it still provides a straightforward way to manage controller bindings.
Keyboard enthusiasts will appreciate the addition of F13 through F19 keys as options via G3-G9 buttons, expanding the range of programmable inputs. Moreover, the SteamVR tab now includes a "No HMD Toggle," allowing users to disable the requirement for a headset to run SteamVR. This is especially useful for developers or users running SteamVR in non-traditional setups.
Another practical addition is the "Power Button launches SteamVR" toggle. This setting controls whether pressing the controller’s power button will turn on SteamVR, giving users more control over how their VR system powers on and off.
Improved Stability and Initialization
One of the more technical but crucial improvements in 5.8.9 is the enhanced initialization process for SteamVR. The update introduces a retry mechanism if SteamVR fails to initialize properly on the first attempt. While this feature may not guarantee a 100% success rate, it aims to reduce automatic crashes and improve startup reliability, a common pain point for many VR users.
Space Drag functionality has also been refined by removing certain checks that previously prevented users-especially those without Lighthouse tracking-from dragging their play area outside the designated box. This fix broadens the usability of the space drag feature and makes it more accessible across different tracking setups.
Legacy Features Removed to Streamline the Experience
To keep the software lean and focused on current technologies, the developers have removed the old-style motion feature, which was primarily a legacy component. This cleanup helps reduce potential conflicts and ensures that OVR Advanced Settings remains compatible with modern VR hardware and software environments.
Conclusion
OVR Advanced Settings 5.8.9 is a solid update that balances bug fixes, new features, and behind-the-scenes improvements. The focus on refining space drag, re-centering, and SteamVR initialization addresses some of the most frustrating issues users have faced. Meanwhile, enhancements like the Battery Tracker overlay toggle, Desktop Mode improvements, and expanded keyboard options demonstrate the developers’ commitment to providing a customizable and user-friendly VR experience.
With a steady community of over 4,000 active users, OVR Advanced Settings remains a vital tool for anyone serious about tailoring their VR environment. Whether you’re troubleshooting tracking issues, customizing input bindings, or simply looking to streamline your VR startup process, the latest update offers meaningful improvements that enhance both stability and usability.