Larian Studios Detail Why The Linux Port Of Divinity Is Taking So Damn Long

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate any efforts taking to supporting Linux and I know how in software-development something always goes wrong ...
...
If I pledge toward a certain level and it gets reached I assume (naive boy that I am) that you will deliver before the end of time.

I'm a bit confused. What do you suggest they should have done?

In my opinion they should had done the same like for example obsidian or inXile Entertainment -> developing and testing the product on all three platforms. So easy and yet so hard. But they failed on planning resources ... first the mac port which came later and instead doing it right there ... nope another round of wait for the linux guys.

And it's not that they didn't had the resources after the initial start of the game. The game sold fantastic.

Honestly puting us again on hold won't let me ever support them again.
Yes i'm pissed and yes it's not the right, but <insert bad words here> ... i wanted to play this game with friends (which are on windows) and the multiplayer is a main part of the game. Chance gone ....

Nothing more to say without <add more rant from a disapointed backer here>....

Added later:
Games like D: OS / Banner Saga with industry veterans which should know what they do, which should know how to check if hey can offer their game one a specific platform or not (and it's in both cases a none compatible middelware) made me step away from kickstarter. If i can't trust them to treat their backers like they would like to be treated when they are in the same situation, how should i ever trust someone who has never released a game before or is very very ambitious with their goals?
It's sad that those games who got the chance destroyed it for many others.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate any efforts taking to supporting Linux and I know how in software-development something always goes wrong ...
...
If I pledge toward a certain level and it gets reached I assume (naive boy that I am) that you will deliver before the end of time.

I'm a bit confused. What do you suggest they should have done?

Choose a middleware that supports the platforms they are (kind of) obliged to support because of their Kickstarter campaign?

I'm a bit confused. What do you suggest they should have done?

Choose a middleware that supports the platforms they are (kind of) obliged to support because of their Kickstarter campaign?

Seriously, game developers expect us to read and accept the average of 1,000 letter pages of legal gibberish they use for their EULAs - and they don't read the two lines of system requirements where it states "Supports Windows, Mac and nothing else" on the middleware they're using? :p

If this means that future Larian titles will have Linux support from the group up, then I'll gladly wait.

My guess it that even without NDA they are nervous about giving bad PR to their partners. But I wish they've explained what those middleware problems were.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate any efforts taking to supporting Linux and I know how in software-development something always goes wrong ...
...
If I pledge toward a certain level and it gets reached I assume (naive boy that I am) that you will deliver before the end of time.

I'm a bit confused. What do you suggest they should have done?

Choose a middleware that supports the platforms they are (kind of) obliged to support because of their Kickstarter campaign?

Sure, I guess they totally agree as well. They already admitted their mistake and they are paying price for their mistake.

In my opinion they should had done the same like for example obsidian or inXile Entertainment -> developing and testing the product on all three platforms. So easy and yet so hard. But they failed on planning resources ... first the mac port which came later and instead doing it right there ... nope another round of wait for the linux guys.

As they said they made a bad mistake. inXile uses Unity3D while Larian is working on their own engine and that makes a big difference alone.

Honestly puting us again on hold won't let me ever support them again.

I guess that's all they can do. Releasing an executable that segfaults on launch would be bad idea as well.

Games like D: OS / Banner Saga with industry veterans which should know what they do, which should know how to check if hey can offer their game one a specific platform or not (and it's in both cases a none compatible middelware) made me step away from kickstarter.

Funding Kickstarter project or Early Access in Steam is always a risk and everyone should acknowledge that and keep it in mind before they put money on any project. I think KS and Early Access are easily the best things that has happened for PC gaming for a while - and very important in many ways:

View video on youtube.com

Linux is very new in gaming business and most likely tools, middleware and Linux knowledge are all in very baby step stage. We can be happy every single game that arrives for Linux - even if they come late.

I appreciate it when developers take their time to make good ports or natives. Bonus points to Larian.

We can be happy every single game that arrives for Linux - even if they come late.

Well that's a defeatist attitude if I ever saw one. No matter how small a market we are, there's no reason to turn the other cheek when companies take our money and fail to deliver in a reasonable time frame. Linux is slowly catching up, not losing; we shouldn't act like losers.

Unreasonable delays like this are not acceptable, and Larian should be made well aware of this. These portability snags are problems they could have and should have foreseen. I'm sure the game is great, but there's no need to pander to a company who obviously does not think much of you.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate any efforts taking to supporting Linux and I know how in software-development something always goes wrong ...
...
If I pledge toward a certain level and it gets reached I assume (naive boy that I am) that you will deliver before the end of time.

I'm a bit confused. What do you suggest they should have done?

Choose a middleware that supports the platforms they are (kind of) obliged to support because of their Kickstarter campaign?

Sure, I guess they totally agree as well. They already admitted their mistake and they are paying price for their mistake.

Uhm, for those who already pledged / supported such devs during their kickstarter (like I did with 7daystodie for example), THEY are NOT paying ANY price. The only one paying is the naive customer (such as I) who supported them, believing in their statements.

They are not getting SOME money, from people who are only using Linux and are waiting for a native port, rather than playing through wine or even switching to Windows for that time.

So in the end, they lose less than the naive customer does. Sure, a shitstorm could change something, but in the end we are too few for a good shitstorm and the windows-fanbois would rage an "anti-shitstorm" against us, protecting their holy grail...

Well at least Larian seem to be putting in the required effort to make the game provide a good experience on GNU/Linux. I hope they don't disappoint on that front after all this waiting

As a side-note, I'm also eagerly awaiting "StarCrawlers", another rpg that now has a linux-beta available. Starcrawlers appears to be something like "Legend of Grimrock" in a space/sci-fi setting.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/318970/
http://steamcommunity.com/app/318970/discussions/0/610574106418335799/

Yes, that's a relatively accurate discription

I hope that "cool" thing is Vulkan support, and also hope Wasteland 2 with switching to Unity 5 get that too :P

They are https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/wasteland-2/posts/1149061 although i'm not so sure about Vulkan support as it will almost certainly require the game to get ported to a newer version of Unity 5

Sure, I guess they totally agree as well. They already admitted their mistake and they are paying price for their mistake.

Uhm, for those who already pledged / supported such devs during their kickstarter (like I did with 7daystodie for example), THEY are NOT paying ANY price. The only one paying is the naive customer (such as I) who supported them, believing in their statements.

Kickstarter campaigns are rarely enough to cover all expenses. It didn't cover Divinity: Original Sin, Elite: Dangerous or Wasteland 2 and all those developers had to use lots of their own money as well.

Larian is losing money and resources working on these Linux-related problems and making their "customers" to wait. To me it doesn't sound a situation Larian wants to be in and they are clearly working hard to get things fixed.

I supported D: OS too and of course waiting Linux version get ready. Am I angry and disappointed? No I'm not.

No matter how small a market we are, there's no reason to turn the other cheek when companies take our money and fail to deliver in a reasonable time frame.

Sure and at least I'm totally sure it was their intention.

Unreasonable delays like this are not acceptable, and Larian should be made well aware of this.

Yep, but what can they do but work hard to get problems fixed?

What do you suggest Linux users should do now instead of waiting?

I hope all these delays would make it clear to gamers that it is always a risk support Kickstarter and Early Access projects. Problems like this happens and then all you can do is wait. Raging doesn't make problems magically disappear.

Problems like this happens and then all you can do is wait. Raging doesn't make problems magically disappear.

Did you see someone raging here? Hardly the word I'd use. Lots of disappointed customers though. But you're right, there's nothing we can do but wait.

Crowd sourcing "investors" do not get the same rights as you'd get as a customer paying for a finished product after all. No guarantees for product quality or timely delivery. What a great way to finance your product. All you need is some hype and pretty promises, and in flows the cash. No wonder big business has eagerly embraced the model.

Anyway, Larian (and others) obviously failed to do the basic groundwork before making promises. That's just lazy and disrespectful.

Crowd sourcing "investors" do not get the same rights as you'd get as a customer paying for a finished product after all. No guarantees for product quality or timely delivery.

This has been the spirit of Kickstarter and Early Access from day one. People who are not ready to lose their money should wait the final product.

DayZ developers: "We strongly advise you not to buy and play the game at this stage unless you clearly understand what Early Access means and are interested in participating in the ongoing development cycle."

Anyway, Larian (and others) obviously failed to do the basic groundwork before making promises.

Unfortunately, that's what happened.

This game looks like it will be a ton of fun when it comes out (for Linux). I just wished games like this had a "hack-n-slash" mode since I'm not generally a huge fan of turn based combat,

Doing both turn based and real time combat systems in a game never works. Both systems would just end up being mediocre. It's hard enough to balance one combat system in a game.

Thankfully Torchlight 2 just came out on Linux, and that game is right up your alley.

Yea, I know... but I can dream right? I spent 25 hours on Torchlight II last weekend! That is why I am all hyped up on hack-n-slash arpg's right now. Linux does not have enough of them. I'll definitely be doing a game+ play through, but I figured I would give it a little break before I go at it again.

I know I bought this way to early when they promised this on Kickstarter for Linux. I knew in the back of my mind that it would be treated like a bastard child. I hope this "cool" feature is worth the wait, because this has taken so long that I've gotten a bit chafed from company promises. At least there are certain companies I feel confident about now when it comes to Linux releases. but never again with these add-hock Kickstarter projects. I just think Vulkan can't get here quick enough... lol :)

There isn't much experts on making games for Linux out there, people are going to make mistakes that's inevitable, but they learn from it and will eventually become experts on making games Linux compatible. And for once, we get the truth behind a delay and not some lame excuses.