Updates will be placed at the bottom, please read the bottom before deciding anything.
I managed to get an early look at what will be one of Linux's only semi-realistic racers, and the results of DiRT Showdown on Linux are rather interesting.
Now, I've never actually played DiRT Showdown before, so my look at it will be with a completely fresh mind. I'm also throwing out the "wrappers are bad" argument, I'm just going to take the game for what it is right now.
About the game (Official)
Race, crash and hoon your way through a world tour of motorised mayhem in DiRT Showdown! Crowd atmosphere, social gameplay and accessibility are all ramped up in this turbo- injected shot of driving delirium. Smash down the accelerator and earn the adulation of frenzied crowds at hyper-energised events at iconic locations. Trick, speed and smash your way to victory, then do it again.
Linux gameplay video
Note: Frame-drops in this recording by 1-4fps, and only because of the recorder. That's impressive itself, as all other games I've recorded drop by a whole lot more. This video has Vsync on.
Port report - Nvidia 970
Well, what can I say? Performance wise they have absolutely nailed it. I was able to get very high framerates on Ultra graphical settings (proper test below), so this is the first port of theirs I haven't had big frame-drops on. I haven't noticed any input lag, my Logitech gamepad was picked up with zero configuration needed, and I've really been enjoying it!
Using the in-built benchmark test gave me:
Nvidia 970, 2xMSAA, Ultra with advanced lighting enabled, 1920x1080
Average: 103.45
Minimum: 79.60
Nvidia 970, No AA, Ultra with advanced lighting enabled, 1920x1080
Average: 105.58
Minimum: 72.31
Nvidia 970, 2xMSAA, High with advanced lighting disabled, 1920x1080
Average: 133.03
Minimum: 100.53
Nvidia 970, No AA, High with advanced lighting disabled, 1920x1080
Average: 130.76
Minimum: 95.07
Port report #2 - Nvidia 560ti
Using the in-built benchmark test gave me:
Nvidia 560ti, 2xMSAA, Ultra with advanced lighting enabled, 1920x1080
Average: 37.40
Minimum: 31.13
Nvidia 560ti, No AA, Ultra with advanced lighting enabled, 1920x1080
Average: 39.79
Minimum: 33.46
Nvidia 560ti, 2xMSAA, High with advanced lighting disabled, 1920x1080
Average: 71.19
Minimum: 58.98
Nvidia 560ti, No AA, High with advanced lighting disabled, 1920x1080
Average: 75.13
Minimum: 61.34
I'm not sure if this is because eON (Virtual Programmings "wrapper") has generally improved, or because the DiRT engine is less intensive and a better match for it, but it doesn't matter, it's bloody good.
Although, if you look at Windows benchmarks, there's clearly still a gap between this on Linux and Windows. That doesn't stop it being playable on Linux though, even for a mid-range 560ti (not even the special 448 Cores edition, it's the standard 560ti) on High settings that's now multiple years old.
You can find DiRT Showdown on Steam. The game will now officially release on Monday the 10th of August.
I also spoke with Paul Lesurf from VP Ltd, and he confirmed they are now going to go back to older ports and look at any issues there. Good to see them do this!
Update: I've now done a few more races, and sadly at random times the game will crash. It seems to just get stuck on certain screens without ever progressing. I've reported this to the developer with logs of the errors.
The benchmarking has been re-done and the figures changed (560ti results later tonight too), a recent Nvidia driver update forced Vsync on, doh. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
I managed to get an early look at what will be one of Linux's only semi-realistic racers, and the results of DiRT Showdown on Linux are rather interesting.
Now, I've never actually played DiRT Showdown before, so my look at it will be with a completely fresh mind. I'm also throwing out the "wrappers are bad" argument, I'm just going to take the game for what it is right now.
About the game (Official)
Race, crash and hoon your way through a world tour of motorised mayhem in DiRT Showdown! Crowd atmosphere, social gameplay and accessibility are all ramped up in this turbo- injected shot of driving delirium. Smash down the accelerator and earn the adulation of frenzied crowds at hyper-energised events at iconic locations. Trick, speed and smash your way to victory, then do it again.
Linux gameplay video
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Port report - Nvidia 970
Well, what can I say? Performance wise they have absolutely nailed it. I was able to get very high framerates on Ultra graphical settings (proper test below), so this is the first port of theirs I haven't had big frame-drops on. I haven't noticed any input lag, my Logitech gamepad was picked up with zero configuration needed, and I've really been enjoying it!
Using the in-built benchmark test gave me:
Nvidia 970, 2xMSAA, Ultra with advanced lighting enabled, 1920x1080
Average: 103.45
Minimum: 79.60
Nvidia 970, No AA, Ultra with advanced lighting enabled, 1920x1080
Average: 105.58
Minimum: 72.31
Nvidia 970, 2xMSAA, High with advanced lighting disabled, 1920x1080
Average: 133.03
Minimum: 100.53
Nvidia 970, No AA, High with advanced lighting disabled, 1920x1080
Average: 130.76
Minimum: 95.07
Port report #2 - Nvidia 560ti
Using the in-built benchmark test gave me:
Nvidia 560ti, 2xMSAA, Ultra with advanced lighting enabled, 1920x1080
Average: 37.40
Minimum: 31.13
Nvidia 560ti, No AA, Ultra with advanced lighting enabled, 1920x1080
Average: 39.79
Minimum: 33.46
Nvidia 560ti, 2xMSAA, High with advanced lighting disabled, 1920x1080
Average: 71.19
Minimum: 58.98
Nvidia 560ti, No AA, High with advanced lighting disabled, 1920x1080
Average: 75.13
Minimum: 61.34
I'm not sure if this is because eON (Virtual Programmings "wrapper") has generally improved, or because the DiRT engine is less intensive and a better match for it, but it doesn't matter, it's bloody good.
Although, if you look at Windows benchmarks, there's clearly still a gap between this on Linux and Windows. That doesn't stop it being playable on Linux though, even for a mid-range 560ti (not even the special 448 Cores edition, it's the standard 560ti) on High settings that's now multiple years old.
You can find DiRT Showdown on Steam. The game will now officially release on Monday the 10th of August.
I also spoke with Paul Lesurf from VP Ltd, and he confirmed they are now going to go back to older ports and look at any issues there. Good to see them do this!
Update: I've now done a few more races, and sadly at random times the game will crash. It seems to just get stuck on certain screens without ever progressing. I've reported this to the developer with logs of the errors.
The benchmarking has been re-done and the figures changed (560ti results later tonight too), a recent Nvidia driver update forced Vsync on, doh. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Quoting: MyeulCQuoting: liamdaweUPDATE: 970 tests have been re-done showing the proper results. It seems my last Nvidia driver update wiped my config and forced Vsync on, apologies, blame Nvidia or something.
I will re-do the 560ti results tonight too.
Thanks liam. Ineed, these figures are much better. Too bad you can't compare with an amd graphics card :P
It seems strange that the previous setting had you have sub-60 fps, though.
I am working on the AMD side of it, trying to sort out an AMD card in the next two months. Looking at the 370 as a good mid-range AMD card to use.
Samsai has ordered an AMD card too, so maybe in future when I don't have one he can get access to things to test too.
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Quoting: dubigrasuQuoting: liamdaweWe could make a list with "uncomfortable questions & accusations " some of us here surely have for VP and use it in you interview.Quoting: dubigrasuGo VP go!
Liam, how about an interview with these guys?
Well now, that's a beautiful idea. I was just thinking about that...
so, basically... you just stated in PUBLIC that purpose of interview should be ambush by whining?
this might be selfish, but their games work for me great enough, so i don't have any other interest other than "once Vulkan is out, do they plan on updating eON to use it or not"
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If I did an interview with VP, I wouldn't be looking to ambush anyone, that's just silly. All my reviews are honest questions, not to bait anyone into something bad.
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Liam, can you look at the CPU usage of the game during the benchmark? Just leave the the system monitor (or whatever is called in the DE you use) open in the background to see if more than one CPU core is heavily used.
I am thinking this jump in performance is because VP is finally using multithreading in their ports, allowing a much better use of the CPUs cores by the games.
I am thinking this jump in performance is because VP is finally using multithreading in their ports, allowing a much better use of the CPUs cores by the games.
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Update: Proper benchmarks for the 560ti are now up, impressive for an old card.
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Quoting: ajgpHmm, this is a maybe pickup; now if they ported Dirt Rally i would be in there like a shot as I vastly prefer the rally games; I pine for something with the career/ season that the old NetworkQ Rally game gave me.
Though I notice showdown is 70% off until the 10th of August; so if lucky that will mean if Im on the ball the sale will be in its last hours when showdown releases for linux and at £2.99 it may be worth a pickup.
I didnt risk it and bought it now for that price. I will obv have to wait for the release before i can play it. Its not something ( having played it before ) that would spend over £7/$10 at this stage or even back then, mostly this game came as a promotional with video cards but for the price of 1 single decent beer .. yea its worth it :)
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Quoting: vultureI think you badly misunderstood my intentions.Quoting: dubigrasuQuoting: liamdaweWe could make a list with "uncomfortable questions & accusations " some of us here surely have for VP and use it in you interview.Quoting: dubigrasuGo VP go!
Liam, how about an interview with these guys?
Well now, that's a beautiful idea. I was just thinking about that...
so, basically... you just stated in PUBLIC that purpose of interview should be ambush by whining?
Or I was badly expressing them.
So it seems that what I said above about a prepared list of questions was somehow interpreted as a silly instigation for an ambush by whining and baiting VP into a bad looking interview.
Since English is not my first language I choose to think that I need more improvement with the aforementioned language, because that was totally not what I was suggesting.
At the same time I still wonder how could it be interpreted this way when my real attitude towards VP can be observed in the same very post/quote, where I enthusiastically cheered for the VP guys : Go VP go!
Last edited by dubigrasu on 6 August 2015 at 2:02 pm UTC
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