v0.8.1-alpha: startup-crash fix attempt (Virtual Desktop + Steam Link)

A startup-crash fix attempt, and the placeholder gun is gone.

Some people are hitting a crash on startup with v0.8.0: a black screen for a couple of seconds, then the game closes. It has been reported on both Virtual Desktop and Steam Link, and both worked in earlier releases, so this is a regression. This release removes one likely cause, adds a switch to rule out another, and, if neither helps, points you at exactly what to tell us.

Being upfront: v0.8.0 was the first build produced on a different PC with a different compiler than every earlier release, and it went out without a headset test. That makes the build itself a real suspect, not just the mod's new code. This release is built the same way (it is the only option available right now), so it may not fix the crash on its own. The steps below are how we find out, and v0.7.0 is a known-good fallback in the meantime.

What changed

• Removed the blocky placeholder gun (the old overlay_gun preview) entirely, along with its config keys. It was a rough visual-only stand-in, and removing it also drops one of the things v0.8.0 newly did at launch.
• New safe_mode config option (GRWVR\grwxr.cfg, default off). safe_mode = 1 turns off this release's new motion-controlled-weapon engine hooks, making the startup path behave like v0.7.0. One edit to get running, and a clear signal to us about where the problem is.

If the game crashes on startup, walk this ladder (please report which step works)

1. Just run v0.8.1. The placeholder gun removal may be enough.
2. Still crashing? Set safe_mode = 1 in GRWVR\grwxr.cfg, save, relaunch. You lose the motion-controlled weapon this release, nothing else.
3. Still crashing with safe_mode = 1? Then it is not the mod's new code, it is the build itself, and we need a version compiled on the original PC. Please say so on the GitHub issue (with your GRWVR\grwxr-<pid>.log), and in the meantime:
4. Fallback that should just work: v0.7.0 from the Releases page. It is the last release built the old way and is known good on Virtual Desktop and Steam Link.

Quest Link users: you should not need any of this. Leave safe_mode = 0.

Everything else is v0.8.0

The weapon follows your right controller in position and rotation; bullets still follow your gaze (aim down sights to shoot accurately); full stereo at 72 Hz; true first person; head aim; Touch as an emulated gamepad.

Install

Unzip anywhere, run install.bat, read INSTALL.txt. ASW off, fullscreen window mode, SMAA or no AA (never TAA), motion blur off, FSR off, 72 fps limit. Your antivirus may flag dxgi.dll; INSTALL.txt explains why, and the full source is public if you would rather build it yourself.

Solo campaign only. Never co-op, PvP, or matchmaking (the game ships Easy Anti-Cheat). Offline mode recommended.

---

A few people have asked whether they could donate. There is now a page for that: buymeacoffee.com/firejumper93. Entirely optional, never required, nothing is gated behind it; the mod is free and stays free. It just helps with tools and late nights, and it is appreciated.