The SteamVR Home Beta, the platform’s social VR hub system, recently received a significant upgrade, adding several improved customisation options, including ‘Trophies’ and the ability to decorate your space with screenshots or artwork. A new ‘Boxing Ring’ home environment is also available, with a number of interactive challenges.
Detailed in a post on the SteamVR news feed, the beta (available to all who want to opt in via the SteamVR Properties panel) is now offering many more ways to personalise your space. The beta has also been upgraded with Steam Audio, enabling more realistic spatial audio through HRTFs.
‘Trophies’ can be placed anywhere in your space, a physical way of displaying your game achievements which change appearance based on your accomplishments. They can also act as a neat shortcut to launch quickly into a particular title.
The Things menu now contains ‘Screenshots’ and ‘Artwork’ options which can be used to decorate the walls; any uploaded image will work, but it needs to be set to publicly viewable. Any environment can be made into a home space now that the main SteamVR Panels can also be found in the Things menu and placed anywhere, allowing players to build a space with quick access to friends, games, and more.
Valve is encouraging users to create more environments, with the new ‘Boxing Ring’ serving as a compelling example of a new home space, with mini-games included. New tutorials are available for the creatively-minded, explaining the basics of how to construct a custom environment, with more detailed tutorials to come.