OVRdrop
- March 31, 2017
- Nicholas Ewalt
OVRdrop is a utility application for SteamVR that allows users to display a desktop window, monitor, or webcam feed in a cross-game overlay, compatible with most SteamVR headsets and tracked controllers. However, due to technical limitations, it doesn't support Windows 7 and Cross Game Overlays may not work with some games. If you encounter any issues or bugs, you can check the FAQ on their GitHub or post them to the issue tracker.
Reviews
- It just works and is functional for watching videos while playing VR games.
- Highly needed for VR, especially for multitasking and streaming, allowing users to view Twitch chat and other applications.
- Developer is responsive and helpful, making it easier to set up and troubleshoot issues.
- The software is outdated and has not received updates, making it inferior to newer alternatives like OVR Toolkit.
- The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making setup and configuration difficult for many users.
- It often shows a white screen or fails to work with certain headsets, particularly Oculus, leading to frustration and refunds.
- optimization46 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The optimization of the software has received mixed reviews, with some users reporting excellent performance and minimal impact on their systems, while others experienced significant lag and performance issues, particularly on lower-end setups. Many noted a lack of user-friendly guides for optimization, which contributed to initial setup challenges. Overall, while some users found it well-optimized and effective for multitasking in VR, others deemed it unoptimized and unfinished, leading to refunds and requests for future improvements.
“Well optimized and doesn't seem to negatively affect the performance of the main application running.”
“Super optimized and plenty of options, this is my go-to for rendering my flat monitor in VR for Elite Dangerous.”
“Performance has been vastly improved over the freeware predecessor, well worth its money.”
“No readily available user guide for any kind of optimization options, no readily available FAQ that is good for the layman's terms reader (this is supposed to be user-friendly, not just expert-friendly).”
“Overall this tool seems unoptimized and a little unfinished.”
“I'd like to recommend this software because the concept is awesome, but for my system setup it's not optimized well enough for it to be practically usable.”
- music22 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music functionality in the game is highly praised for its convenience, allowing players to control music and access media without removing their VR headsets. Users appreciate the ability to multitask, such as watching movies or managing chat while gaming, and find the integration of music controls particularly useful for enhancing their overall experience. However, some initial setup is required to optimize the interface for personal use.
“I got it so I wouldn't have to take my headset off every time I needed to look at the desktop, but now I can watch shows or listen to music/books while playing; it's pretty cool.”
“It's also great for controlling music players in-game without having to take the headset off and walk to the keyboard.”
“After many hours in Gorn and other games, I can say that if you game and listen to music, this is going to make it a lot easier. It does take some tinkering to get the little window where you want it initially, but after you get it there and save it, it performs as intended.”
“Or more universally, switching to your music player to change songs.”
“Some great uses include seeing Twitch chat, watching a movie while hauling cargo in Elite Dangerous or Euro Truck Simulator, having music player controls accessible in VR, having guides or quick reference stuff open, and many more.”
- story13 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the app's compatibility issues, particularly with the Quest 2 headset and Rift, which hinder its intended functionality for viewing Twitch chat while streaming VR games like Elite Dangerous. While the app has potential for multitasking during gameplay, many report similar negative experiences, leading to a consensus of disappointment among users.
“Comes in handy for those logging haul missions in Elite Dangerous; now you can surf the web and watch YouTube/Netflix and fly at the same time.”
“All the other frustrated and irritated people I talked to about this, because they had the exact same story.”
“End of story.”
“In theory, this would be a great app but I could not get it to work with my Quest 2 headset or Rift... wanted to see Twitch chat while streaming Elite Dangerous and other games in VR.”
- stability12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The software is widely reported as being very buggy, with users experiencing frequent issues and lag, particularly when attempting to use it alongside other applications like VRChat. Many reviewers noted a lack of helpful documentation and setup guidance, although the developer is active in providing support on platforms like Reddit and Steam forums. Overall, the software is in need of significant polish and updates to improve its stability.
“Very buggy!”
“It's extremely buggy doing anything more.”
“It's buggy at times, it could use some polish and a user manual; however, the dev helps people all the time on Reddit and on the Steam forums.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find grinding in games like Elite Dangerous and VR walking simulators to be less tedious when they can multitask, such as watching videos or using web browsers for planning. However, the initial setup for these activities can be cumbersome and lacks clear guidance, which some users find frustrating. Overall, while grinding can be monotonous, it can be made more enjoyable with the right distractions.
“Setup is somewhat tedious without a clear tutorial or guide.”
“Some use cases are watching your favorite movies, series, or clips/streams during long trips or while grinding credits, bringing up a web browser or text editor for taking notes, planning routes, or checking prices.”
“That being said, it’s cool to be able to watch a video while you’re grinding away for hours in Elite Dangerous.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics performance of Ovrdrop is generally well-conceived, but users report significant framerate drops in graphics-intensive VR games, particularly on laptops with multiple graphics cards. While it functions adequately in many scenarios, it can cause issues that detract from the overall gaming experience.
“Ovrdrop is good in concept, but I've found that in practice it makes the framerate on my graphics-intensive VR games drop too low to be enjoyable.”
“Seems to cause some issues with games sometimes, but for the most part works well.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players have criticized the gameplay for its confusing saving mechanics, which fail to retain cropping settings beyond the specific window in use, leading to frustration and a lack of coherence in the user experience.
“The saving mechanics of the settings don't make much sense, as they only save your cropping settings for the specific 'window' you used.”
“The gameplay feels disjointed and lacks a cohesive flow, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The controls are unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating moments during gameplay.”