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Dota 2 Reborn Launches Without Linux Support

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In a move that I find rather odd, Valve has launched their first Source 2 game without Linux support.

QuoteDota 2 is now powered by the Source 2 engine, Valve's latest game development platform. This means that ongoing development in the new engine will continue to improve Dota 2. Source 2 includes technology for rendering improvements, performance optimizations, higher fidelity content, and richer, more dynamic games.


Dota 2 Reborn changes almost everything, it really is a massive update to the game. It is one that has been needed for quite some time too, especially for Linux gamers.

Now, before everyone goes nuts, they are working on it, but no ETA other than "the coming weeks". We know how long Valve weeks can end up being, so I'm not being optimistic.

QuoteSource 2 includes native support for OpenGL without needing a wrapper, improving performance, memory usage and loading times on other platforms. We're still putting the finishing touches on the Mac and Linux clients and we hope to have them available in the coming weeks.


The improved performance I am sure will be very welcome, especially loading times and responsiveness.

Networking improvements is by far one of the most important though, as I've played too many games when myself or others have just lost connection to Dota 2's servers.

Even though Valve is pushing Linux with SteamOS, the game is in "beta" and so is SteamOS, so I can forgive Valve somewhat for not having Linux included right now. I will be mighty unimpressed if they repeatedly delay Linux support though.

Looks like Dota 2 Reborn is going to be fantastic. You can expect me to give it an actual write up when, you know, I can actually play it.

See their mini-site on the launch here. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: MOBA, Steam
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34 comments
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Qantourisc Jun 19, 2015
Quoting: stssThe question wasn't why they would make that decision, the question is why they would be in that situation in the first place if the engine was developed to be multiplatform from the start.
That's like asking why the other kid in the class finished first on a totally different homework assignment...
It might be called software engineering, but when it comes to engineering and predictability, it's more like software art.
D34VA_ Jun 19, 2015
Quoting: ArminSI downloaded Dota 2 + Addon (~14GB) on Steam on playonlinux and tried 4 different wine versions. Every time the same results: Dota 2 works perfectly, Dota 2 Reborn works great expect of the fact that the ingame screen is black. Even if they release the native port within the next 2 weeks, I hope I can find a workaround for this.

You need to run it with -gl flag, I think.
lucifertdark Jun 19, 2015
Linux users have to play the waiting game again, this is how it's always been, heck we've waited years/decades for game support as good as Valve is supplying, a few more days wait isn't going to kill anyone.
Creak Jun 19, 2015
Quoting: MaelraneIf I were in their position I'd just use OpenGL (and Vulkan) and spit on a DX-Renderer.
That is simply not possible since Source 2 also support Xbox, which is DX only.

Seeing the survey, MS is clearly where their clients are, so it is normal that they first deliver to them. It would have been great if they could have delivered for all platform at once, but they didn't. And since Dota 2 is the most played [[1]](https://steamdb.info/graph/) game, I assume it is a mere pragmatic choice.
Mountain Man Jun 19, 2015
Quoting: lucifertdarkLinux users have to play the waiting game again, this is how it's always been, heck we've waited years/decades for game support as good as Valve is supplying, a few more days wait isn't going to kill anyone.
That's not the problem. The problem is that even Valve is treating Linux users like second class citizens despite their efforts over the past few years to promote Linux as a viable gaming platform. If any developer were to have a day-one Linux release, you'd expect it to be Valve. A move like this sends mixed messages.
sarmad Jun 19, 2015
Quoting: Mountain Man
Quoting: lucifertdarkLinux users have to play the waiting game again, this is how it's always been, heck we've waited years/decades for game support as good as Valve is supplying, a few more days wait isn't going to kill anyone.
That's not the problem. The problem is that even Valve is treating Linux users like second class citizens despite their efforts over the past few years to promote Linux as a viable gaming platform. If any developer were to have a day-one Linux release, you'd expect it to be Valve. A move like this sends mixed messages.

Valve is not treating Linux as second class, it's in fact treating Linux as first class and Windows as second class. If you want to use the "Steam Machine" brand you have to use the Linux based SteamOS. If you want to include a Steam Controller with your box it has to run SteamOS, or at least that's what the Alienware guy implied in this video:
http://www.maximumpc.com/e3-probing-alienwares-steam-machine-and-steam-controller-video/
Zeitgeist Jun 19, 2015
Maybe Source2 will not support OpenGL at all. Could be Vulkan only :-D .
stss Jun 19, 2015
Quoting: ZeitgeistMaybe Source2 will not support OpenGL at all. Could be Vulkan only :-D .
Well they did actually say it was OpenGL they were working on. Plus we don't even have Vulkan drivers yet, aside from that intel one Valve made.
Mountain Man Jun 19, 2015
Quoting: sarmad
Quoting: Mountain Man
Quoting: lucifertdarkLinux users have to play the waiting game again, this is how it's always been, heck we've waited years/decades for game support as good as Valve is supplying, a few more days wait isn't going to kill anyone.
That's not the problem. The problem is that even Valve is treating Linux users like second class citizens despite their efforts over the past few years to promote Linux as a viable gaming platform. If any developer were to have a day-one Linux release, you'd expect it to be Valve. A move like this sends mixed messages.

Valve is not treating Linux as second class, it's in fact treating Linux as first class and Windows as second class. If you want to use the "Steam Machine" brand you have to use the Linux based SteamOS. If you want to include a Steam Controller with your box it has to run SteamOS, or at least that's what the Alienware guy implied in this video:
http://www.maximumpc.com/e3-probing-alienwares-steam-machine-and-steam-controller-video/
I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. I think you responded to the wrong article.
sarmad Jun 19, 2015
Quoting: Mountain Man
Quoting: sarmad
Quoting: Mountain Man
Quoting: lucifertdarkLinux users have to play the waiting game again, this is how it's always been, heck we've waited years/decades for game support as good as Valve is supplying, a few more days wait isn't going to kill anyone.
That's not the problem. The problem is that even Valve is treating Linux users like second class citizens despite their efforts over the past few years to promote Linux as a viable gaming platform. If any developer were to have a day-one Linux release, you'd expect it to be Valve. A move like this sends mixed messages.

Valve is not treating Linux as second class, it's in fact treating Linux as first class and Windows as second class. If you want to use the "Steam Machine" brand you have to use the Linux based SteamOS. If you want to include a Steam Controller with your box it has to run SteamOS, or at least that's what the Alienware guy implied in this video:
http://www.maximumpc.com/e3-probing-alienwares-steam-machine-and-steam-controller-video/
I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. I think you responded to the wrong article.

No, I didn't respond to the wrong article. You were saying Valve is treating Linux as second class so I mentioned some facts that indicate the opposite.
kon14 10 years Jun 20, 2015
Quoting: sarmad
Quoting: Mountain Man
Quoting: lucifertdarkLinux users have to play the waiting game again, this is how it's always been, heck we've waited years/decades for game support as good as Valve is supplying, a few more days wait isn't going to kill anyone.
That's not the problem. The problem is that even Valve is treating Linux users like second class citizens despite their efforts over the past few years to promote Linux as a viable gaming platform. If any developer were to have a day-one Linux release, you'd expect it to be Valve. A move like this sends mixed messages.

Valve is not treating Linux as second class, it's in fact treating Linux as first class and Windows as second class. If you want to use the "Steam Machine" brand you have to use the Linux based SteamOS. If you want to include a Steam Controller with your box it has to run SteamOS, or at least that's what the Alienware guy implied in this video:
http://www.maximumpc.com/e3-probing-alienwares-steam-machine-and-steam-controller-video/

I don't think thats nearly as important as dota2 reborn client not being on linux right now. The above doesn't even implie that valve treats linux (and therefore steamos) as a first class citizen (which for the most part they do), it only shows how desperate they are for a steamos benefit now that they've ended up with none.

Locking down the term steam machine to steamos powered living room pcs is something that's both been a failure (since a lot of manufacturers have been announcing "steam machines" with windows) and something that matters to none but us linux users. Perhaps it has some impact to valve, having people call anything a steam machine, but it's not something they had any control over (except by making steamos awesome enough for people to see the difference and change their attitude).

Valve isn't treating linux as a second class citizen you say? Well I'm not here to argue with that to big extent yet if that's the case then some might argue about what might have happened to the following:

- Steam Broadcast Streaming
- Dota 2 Workshop Tools (will be replaced by the new client which will get linux support eventually, yet we missed on another beta, early custom games and 64bit support)
- Day1 support for the Dota 2 Reborn client, which should be noted is a new client of a game that has linux support, is based on a new engine that "prioritizes" opengl support (yet the -gl optional renderer in windows seems to be a long way from done as others reported) and is made by themselves, a company currently building their linux based os soon to power their gaming console pcs....

I think we're back to "low priority" in a fashion, don't you?

What sickens me really is not that we don't have the client to test atm, it's the way they released it as is without even being pressured to release it.

Last year it had been heard how they were to release a source2 dota client in 2015 yet everybody knows valve time by now. The dota 2 reborn announcement hasn't been out for a week!

My point is: Nobody would get mad at them (the way they do with dota 2 compendium rewards being late) for not releasing the beta "a few weeks earlier" if they hadn't made the announcement in the first place.

They probably had their reasons for it ofc: Extending the dota2 hype before the end of The International and the compendium 2015, getting people to forget about the immortal tresures for a while and so on.

Yet however you might consider this I still believe that in the long run it hurts their image (where steamos is concerned) more than it serves them
Mountain Man Jun 20, 2015
Quoting: sarmad
Quoting: Mountain Man
Quoting: sarmad
Quoting: Mountain Man
Quoting: lucifertdarkLinux users have to play the waiting game again, this is how it's always been, heck we've waited years/decades for game support as good as Valve is supplying, a few more days wait isn't going to kill anyone.
That's not the problem. The problem is that even Valve is treating Linux users like second class citizens despite their efforts over the past few years to promote Linux as a viable gaming platform. If any developer were to have a day-one Linux release, you'd expect it to be Valve. A move like this sends mixed messages.
Valve is not treating Linux as second class, it's in fact treating Linux as first class and Windows as second class. If you want to use the "Steam Machine" brand you have to use the Linux based SteamOS. If you want to include a Steam Controller with your box it has to run SteamOS, or at least that's what the Alienware guy implied in this video:
http://www.maximumpc.com/e3-probing-alienwares-steam-machine-and-steam-controller-video/
I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. I think you responded to the wrong article.
No, I didn't respond to the wrong article. You were saying Valve is treating Linux as second class so I mentioned some facts that indicate the opposite.
There's another article here talking about Alienware, which is why I thought you had responded to the wrong article, because your response comes across as a non-sequitur.

So Valve is controlling the "Steam Machine" brand. So what? I don't see how that equates to Valve treating Linux like a first class citizen, especially in light of the fact that Valve obviously didn't prioritize Linux/SteamOS support in Source 2 or give us day one access to an update to one of their most popular games, and the Steam for Linux client itself still lags behind the Windows version in some important areas (particularly broadcasting and in-home streaming).

Here's the rub: Valve is (presumably) out there promoting Linux/SteamOS support, trying to get other developers to jump on board, but then Valve doesn't give Linux/SteamOS priority support themselves. This is why I say it's sending mixed messages.
sarmad Jun 20, 2015
@MontainMan, @kon14, keep in mind that Steam Machines aren't released yet. Delaying a SteamOS release doesn't mean anything when the machines themselves aren't released yet. If they delay Linux releases after Steam Machines are out then it would be a negative sign, but right now there is no point of delaying the version of an already released system for the sake of a system that isn't going to be released for another 5 months.
Xzyl Jun 23, 2015
It's out on Linux now, you may want to update Liam. FWIW there are reportedly mesa glitches, as well as Nvidia proprietary driver glitches at high resolutions. I'm still downloading will give my report as soon as i can.
For those running into errors
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Dota-2-Reborn/issues
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