I found three problems with the SteamVR tutorial. Two of them I was able to work around, the third was beyond me.

1. The SteamVR tutorial doesn't run at all.

Reproducing

• Start SteamVR.
• Start tutorial.

Expected: Tutorial opens.
Observed behavior: Tutorial says "Loading" for a moment, doesn't open.

Log file reads:

Invalid serialized file version. File: "/home/zuriel/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamVR/tools/steamvr_tutorial/linux64/steamvr_tutorial_Data/globalgamemanagers". Expected version: 5.6.0b7. Actual version: 2017.3.1f1.

This seems to be because SteamVR ships an old version of the steamvr_tutorial executable. The executable is version 5.6.0b7 of Unity but the data files are for version 2017.3.1f1.

My Google-fu turned up a copy of UnitySetup-Linux-Support-for-Editor-2017.3.1f1.exe, I extracted linux64_withgfx_nondevelopment_mono/LinuxPlayer, renamed it to steamvr_tutorial and dropped it in place of the existing file. This got the tutorial to run.

2. Invisible controllers, no reaction to button presses.

Reproducing

• Start SteamVR
• Replace steamvr_tutorial as described above to make the tutorial run.
• Start tutorial.
• Wait until instructed to look at your controllers

Expected: controllers are visible, tutorial continues.
Observed behavior: controllers are invisible, tutorial waits forever. Pressing buttons does nothing.

Log file reads:

<b>[SteamVR]</b> Could not find actions file at: /home/zuriel/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamVR/tools/steamvr_tutorial/linux64/actions.json

There are a number of JSON files in steamvr_tutorial/win64/ which are missing from steamvr_tutorial/linux64/. I copied them all over and restarted the tutorial. Controllers were now visible in the tutorial and pressing buttons when instructed advanced the tutorial.

3. Pressing the system button to bring up the dashboard crashes the tutorial.

Reproducing

• Start SteamVR
• Replace steamvr_tutorial as described in 1. to make the tutorial run.
• Copy JSON files to linux64/ as described in 2. to make the controllers work.
• Start tutorial.
• Press trigger, grip, touchpad, menu buttons as instructed.
• Press system button to open the dashboard when instructed.

Expected: Tutorial continues on to the next step.
Observed behavior: Tutorial crashes when the dashboard opens.

System Information (please complete the following information):

• Distribution: Slackware64-current
• SteamVR version: 1.10.5
• Steam client version: Built Jan 22 2020, at 21:57:14
• Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
• Graphics driver version: Mesa 19.3.1 (LLVM 9.0.0)
• Gist for SteamVR System Information: https://gist.github.com/zurohki/404562ec96007f10e8ff823933a7727c