The latest entry in the Borderlands series 'Borderlands: The Pre-sequel' has been released in the Americas today. Unfortunately the rest of the world will have to wait a few days before getting their hands on the game.
This is the first AAA title to have a simultaneous day one release on Linux as well as other platforms and we have Aspyr Media, the porters of Borderlands 2 and Civilization V, to thank for this. The game runs about as well as the recently-ported Borderlands 2 and I've encountered no issues thus far in my limited playthrough using the open-source drivers on my Radeon HD 7870.
For those who don't know what Borderlands is, the launch trailer captures the spirit of things rather well:
About
The gameplay is a mix of a first person shooter with stats-based weapons, light RPG elements and character customization. Not to mention plenty of loot! The game series is also known for its four-player coop which allows players to drop in and out as desired. That and its sense of humour, which overall makes it a unique blend of engaging gameplay and often absurd characters and setting.
This time around we depart the mysterious planet Pandora for its moon, Elpis, and meet characters both new and old for a campaign that's said to be similar in length to its predecessors. So expect at least 20 hours of gameplay if you go at a breakneck speed but considerably more if you do side quests and explore the environment fully. There's more replayability in playing as a different class of character as well as doing the (usual) high-level end game bosses with a full party of players.
It sure is a great time to be a Linux gamer! All this choice for games is sure to empty many a wallet.
Buy It
Grab it from GameAgent the store run by Aspyr Media and support the porters directly! It will give you a Steam key right away.
If you don't fancy buying from GameAgent then buy it on Steam directly. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
This is the first AAA title to have a simultaneous day one release on Linux as well as other platforms and we have Aspyr Media, the porters of Borderlands 2 and Civilization V, to thank for this. The game runs about as well as the recently-ported Borderlands 2 and I've encountered no issues thus far in my limited playthrough using the open-source drivers on my Radeon HD 7870.
For those who don't know what Borderlands is, the launch trailer captures the spirit of things rather well:
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Direct Link
Direct Link
About
The gameplay is a mix of a first person shooter with stats-based weapons, light RPG elements and character customization. Not to mention plenty of loot! The game series is also known for its four-player coop which allows players to drop in and out as desired. That and its sense of humour, which overall makes it a unique blend of engaging gameplay and often absurd characters and setting.
This time around we depart the mysterious planet Pandora for its moon, Elpis, and meet characters both new and old for a campaign that's said to be similar in length to its predecessors. So expect at least 20 hours of gameplay if you go at a breakneck speed but considerably more if you do side quests and explore the environment fully. There's more replayability in playing as a different class of character as well as doing the (usual) high-level end game bosses with a full party of players.
It sure is a great time to be a Linux gamer! All this choice for games is sure to empty many a wallet.
Buy It
Grab it from GameAgent the store run by Aspyr Media and support the porters directly! It will give you a Steam key right away.
If you don't fancy buying from GameAgent then buy it on Steam directly. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Quoting: BeamboomDo you experience the same in other games too (especially games built on the Unreal engine)? Just for the sake of testing, could you install Gnome-shell and try it there? I got a feeling this is related to XFCE but it would be interesting to get confirmed.
Yep I've had a bunch of issues with unreal3 games. I've usually just worked around them. And you were correct. It works in gnome. I used classic but it doesnt matter. Gnomes mutter WM handles it properly. Sadly though the performance is just not good. 25-30fps. Same as BL2. I think I have discovered why too.
I found the logs in ~/.local/share/aspyr-media/borderlands the pre-sequel/willowgame/logs/ and right there at the top of the log is the line "Log: Command line: -resx=5760 -resy=1080 -ONETHREAD -FULLSCREEN"
-OneThread - Force single threaded game (no separate rendering thread). <-- what I found on the webs
I did not add -ONETHREAD it's being forced for linux. It's now no wonder why the performance in these games are not up to par. That needs to be addressed and soon. The win version is not launched with that option. Yes.. I loaded it up in windows.. Im not going to play this at less than half the FPS just because I would prefer to play in Linux. I could deal with no PhysX if it ran like it should, but a single thread is just not enough to feed my GPUs to handle my resolution.
According to nvidia-settings while running the game my gpu utilization for each gpu is about 30% and the single thread is at 100%, 100% of the time.. Coincidently, in windows utilization is at around 65% per GPU (about twice) with multiple threads going crazy and it runs 60 fps.. basically twice what Linux does.
I am a bit disappointed in Aspyr. I honestly can't believe they have limited it to a single thread. I would like to know why.
When I brought the mouse and KB problem up with Aspyr's support the answer was basically "yea, you have a rare configuration and the linux version doesn't support that. Sorry"
I get that.. it's a PR cop out.. but I get it I guess. How is this platform ever going to be taken seriously if that is going to be the answer to things though.
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I am playing Borderlands 2 at the moment. I honestly am not sure I can stand another snark-filled, uninspired tramp through nu Borderlands after this. I think I might have to cap it here. The first was amazing, the second barely tolerable. I think I'd go crazy trying to deal with this PreSequel; even the title is a weak attempt at a self-aware joke.
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I loved the first and thought most of the changes in the 2nd were for the better, but not all. My BL buddy and I got to play about 4 hours of the new one tonight. I still love the shoot and loot RPG-ish play, but the humor so far is not up to snuff IMO. Also I'm feeling there is a lack of "catch-a-rides" in key places. I'd say we wasted an hour-ish bouncing around the moon going from point A to point B even after having vehicles available because one wasn't available after switching "maps". It might just be early in the game too.. we shall see.
I'm not sure yet if I just don't get the Aussie humor, or if it's just that bad. For example, one of Jack's early one liners -> "Son of a taint". Really?? Does taint mean something different to Aussies than it means to an American? if not.. hmm.. yea.. uninspired to say the least.
Putting it bluntly.. I play borderlands stoned, and usually when on a first play through of a borderlands game, especially in the beginning we are laughing our arses off. Was not the case tonight sadly. Not that there were not some laughs, but not like I remember. I'm not ready to put down my final $0.02 on the game yet. Just my observations so far. We will finish it, but I don't know if there will be 2nd and 3rd play throughs like we have done with the last 2 games. Only time will tell I suppose, hoping the game is just a bit slow to start.
I have been actively avoiding any reviews on it because I don't want to be swayed by them since I have not made up my own mind yet, but to those of you who have read some of them have they generally been positive?
I'm not sure yet if I just don't get the Aussie humor, or if it's just that bad. For example, one of Jack's early one liners -> "Son of a taint". Really?? Does taint mean something different to Aussies than it means to an American? if not.. hmm.. yea.. uninspired to say the least.
Putting it bluntly.. I play borderlands stoned, and usually when on a first play through of a borderlands game, especially in the beginning we are laughing our arses off. Was not the case tonight sadly. Not that there were not some laughs, but not like I remember. I'm not ready to put down my final $0.02 on the game yet. Just my observations so far. We will finish it, but I don't know if there will be 2nd and 3rd play throughs like we have done with the last 2 games. Only time will tell I suppose, hoping the game is just a bit slow to start.
I have been actively avoiding any reviews on it because I don't want to be swayed by them since I have not made up my own mind yet, but to those of you who have read some of them have they generally been positive?
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Quoting: EKRboiI have been actively avoiding any reviews on it because I don't want to be swayed by them since I have not made up my own mind yet, but to those of you who have read some of them have they generally been positive?
Generally positive although it's the Borderlands release with the lowest metarating so far (around 75), and being criticized for basically being "more of the same". I guess that sums it up broadly without spoiling anything.
They need to reinvent the wheel for the next Borderlands if they are to return to the 80+ ratings, I think.
As for me, I'm not tired of it yet. I think they did move forward with the sequel and right now I don't mind "more of the same" with the pre-sequel so I look forward to start playing it, especially since I've grown uniquely curious about the story prior to what we are served in BL2. Hopefully it will deliver on that account, there's a ton of hints and loose threads in BL2 for those who pay attention (as I do. I love following the stories in games).
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Yea, I have NO problem with more of the same! BL1 and 2 are fantastic games IMO (and many others apparently) There is less new from this one compared to BL1->BL2, but they were open about that from the beginning. It is the same engine as BL2 after all. I really think that it's just the Aussie humor throwing me off. I'm sure "Son of a taint" is hilarious to an Aussie, it just doesn't sound right to an American ear. It's "their game" and they wanted it to show that. I'm more than OK with that.. hopefully I get use to it.
For the next borderlands (hopefully 3) I have full faith that if Gearbox does it, it will "reinvent the wheel" a bit and it will be just as fantastic as the first two. If Gearbox continues down the path of letting other studio do it... The franchise will probably go the way of many other IP's that have done the same. Gearbox has something better than GOLD with this franchise, it would be a shame to them and gamers to let it get all screwed up. Unless my feelings for this one shifts quite a bit in the positive direction I won't be pre ordering the next if it is not done in house by Gearbox.
On my post about Aspyr and their support above, I asked them why it was being forced to run on a single thread as I really feel it is a bottleneck for me (and probably many others.. my CPU isn't exactly a slouch). I told them I got it running right in gnome and what my performance numbers in win vs Linux are. I got back another pretty generic response skirting around the question of a single thread. She said that they made the game in Ubuntu and that they only support Ubuntu and SteamOS. What I found funny was that she said the game runs as well on Ubuntu as it does in windows in their testing. That they only support the video drivers in Ubuntu's official repos.. blah blah blah.
I find it hard to believe that Ubuntu/SteamOS simply runs the game better than the next distro. I wont be loading up Ubuntu to try it, but I feel that's just another generic response. Last night after my buddy had to goto bed and we quit playing borderlands I rushed back to linux (windows makes me feel dirty lol) and played around with TPS some more. I switched to a single monitor and ran the game at 1920x1080 and still struggled to hold 50-60fps. So the game is not "on par" with windows no matter what they say.
I know Linux is fragmented with so many distros.. but like I said before, if Linux is going to be taken seriously as a platform for gaming, the support responses need a bit of tweaking I think. I'm NOT going to run Ubuntu and I'm not going to run SteamOS. Honestly, if the attitude towards other distros from the support people doesn't get better than "You're not running Ubuntu/SteamOS, sorry I can't help you" then I am going to be far more inclined to not help them by purchasing their games... BL2/TPS on linux already doesn't require steam to run.. I've run it without steam running. Take that for what you will.
I'm still grateful we are getting these great games and hopefully once things are using more native engines (UE3 was/is not native by default) we will see performance get more on par with their windows counterparts.
For the next borderlands (hopefully 3) I have full faith that if Gearbox does it, it will "reinvent the wheel" a bit and it will be just as fantastic as the first two. If Gearbox continues down the path of letting other studio do it... The franchise will probably go the way of many other IP's that have done the same. Gearbox has something better than GOLD with this franchise, it would be a shame to them and gamers to let it get all screwed up. Unless my feelings for this one shifts quite a bit in the positive direction I won't be pre ordering the next if it is not done in house by Gearbox.
On my post about Aspyr and their support above, I asked them why it was being forced to run on a single thread as I really feel it is a bottleneck for me (and probably many others.. my CPU isn't exactly a slouch). I told them I got it running right in gnome and what my performance numbers in win vs Linux are. I got back another pretty generic response skirting around the question of a single thread. She said that they made the game in Ubuntu and that they only support Ubuntu and SteamOS. What I found funny was that she said the game runs as well on Ubuntu as it does in windows in their testing. That they only support the video drivers in Ubuntu's official repos.. blah blah blah.
I find it hard to believe that Ubuntu/SteamOS simply runs the game better than the next distro. I wont be loading up Ubuntu to try it, but I feel that's just another generic response. Last night after my buddy had to goto bed and we quit playing borderlands I rushed back to linux (windows makes me feel dirty lol) and played around with TPS some more. I switched to a single monitor and ran the game at 1920x1080 and still struggled to hold 50-60fps. So the game is not "on par" with windows no matter what they say.
I know Linux is fragmented with so many distros.. but like I said before, if Linux is going to be taken seriously as a platform for gaming, the support responses need a bit of tweaking I think. I'm NOT going to run Ubuntu and I'm not going to run SteamOS. Honestly, if the attitude towards other distros from the support people doesn't get better than "You're not running Ubuntu/SteamOS, sorry I can't help you" then I am going to be far more inclined to not help them by purchasing their games... BL2/TPS on linux already doesn't require steam to run.. I've run it without steam running. Take that for what you will.
I'm still grateful we are getting these great games and hopefully once things are using more native engines (UE3 was/is not native by default) we will see performance get more on par with their windows counterparts.
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Do the save games transfer properly between platforms this time, or do you still have to manually rename them so linux can see them? that seemed like a MASSIVE oversight on BL2. please sat TPS doesnt have this issue.
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It's finally release day here in the UK. I bought it this morning and am installing it while I'm at work. I'll give it a quick run tonight, to make sure Aspyr get my money, then it's back on to BL2.
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Quoting: WorMzyIt's finally release day here in the UK. I bought it this morning and am installing it while I'm at work. I'll give it a quick run tonight, to make sure Aspyr get my money, then it's back on to BL2.
it's much better than this. pre-sequel is like its been made by some random not even B team. boring and repetitive as hell, not to mention god damn awful sound. that and really lame story made me rage quit two fights before ending. whole boss fight with plane and wraiths is just damn stupid if you solo and i know i could go and level up a bit to make it easier... just... i can't find one part of game i wouldn't already be fed up with to the point where i want to puke since almost all enemies are just repetitive and bland
and i don't mind challenge, right now playing 4th avi from scratch on ultimate in B2.
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Good luck to everyone!
Thanks to Aspyr!!
Thanks to Aspyr!!
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Oh and the name doesn't mean anything but coincidentally could be pronounced as "Buttery" which suits me just fine.
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