Tesla Effect was a pretty interesting looking game, but sadly the Linux release never happened and not because the developer didn't try. It's yet another case of middleware preventing a Linux version, which is a real shame.
QuoteAs was stated earlier in this thread: the main reason why Linux support is not available (and STILL is not available) is due to the Bink 2 video codec used in the game to decode the Full Motion Video portion. I have it on good authority that the programming and design team worked EXTREMELY hard to try and get RAD Video Tools (the developers of Bink) to work with us on getting Linux support for their codec. But ultimately, the response from them was as follows:
A) They considered Big Finish Games not "big" enough to devote any more time and resources into working out a Linux solution for our game. And...
B) They do not really consider Linux support of their codec a priority, period.
Now, from what I have heard, they have spent a lot of time working directly with Triple A developers to continue to improve and enhance the codec for their needs, and specifically consoles (which is their larger market). This has unfortunately left the indie developers (like Big Finish Games) and those who develop on Unity a bit stranded. This has resulted in many of us heaving to appear to have broken one of our promises, when really, our hand was forced to do so.
A real shame, I hope anyone considering doing a Linux version doesn't go with Bink.
QuoteLet me be clear: Big Finish Games worked tirelessly to get you the game on Linux, and aside from the video Codec, it is a Linux-Ready game. Big Finish Games was basically turned out to the wolves and was left abandoned by RAD Video tools with no way to getting the videos sequences working on Linux machines.
I wish more developers were as honest and open about this as they have now been.
You can see the full post here. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
0 Likes
Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month:
The comments on this article are closed.
Quoting: TakBink is widely used because it's a more-or-less drop-in solution for "cross-platform" video. It's a shame that they don't support Linux any more, because they certainly used to - the between-chapter cutscenes in Neverwinter Nights used Bink.Yeah but videos in NWN weren't playable or supported. There was a third party hack which was using Mplayer to play them.
0 Likes
Quoting: ApopasYeah but videos in NWN weren't playable or supported. There was a third party hack which was using Mplayer to play them.
Yes, nwmovies, like I said in https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/a-developer-on-tesla-effect-details-why-the-linux-port-never-arrived.6325/page=1#49332 :P
1 Likes, Who?
linux_gamer Dec 5, 2015
Now we know the reason why Half-Life 2 has Linux support. It is known for having no cutscenes at all.
0 Likes
slaapliedje Dec 5, 2015
I always thought it was funny that with nwmovies you could use either the native BinkPlayer or a converted video, and the converted video always played smoother.
0 Likes
I've been looking around why people exactly use bink:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-making-of-killzone-3?page=3
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=35188523&postcount=39
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=35193675&postcount=92
Methinks, there should be some kind of libnobink, same API exposed, but not supporting the bik codec, but some others on the backend. Transcoding is cheap, changing the API is not. Although this might not really help in this case (Unity+Bink), it might help a lot with porting other games.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-making-of-killzone-3?page=3
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=35188523&postcount=39
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=35193675&postcount=92
Methinks, there should be some kind of libnobink, same API exposed, but not supporting the bik codec, but some others on the backend. Transcoding is cheap, changing the API is not. Although this might not really help in this case (Unity+Bink), it might help a lot with porting other games.
0 Likes
Mountain Man Dec 5, 2015
Once again, this is why developers need to use cross platform tools when making their games. Using proprietary and single platform solutions will always screw you when you try and port your game.
0 Likes
corvusdeux Dec 5, 2015
My honest opinion:
Hi communuty,
The Linux community of players, we have to claim the emails of support of the 3 companies to fix this problem because we are a growing community, we are consuming games, in my case nearly 300 in my library.
TWITTER/EMAIL base example: #Linux http://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/a-developer-on-tesla-effect-details-why-the-linux-port-never-arrived.6325/ vía @gamingonlinux @unity3d @BigFinishGames @radgametools
http://www.bigfinishgames.com/contact // twitter: @BigFinishGames
[email protected] // twitter: @radgametools
https://unity3d.com/es/contact/get-in-touch // twitter: @unity3d
Greetings,
David Gámiz Jiménez
Hi communuty,
The Linux community of players, we have to claim the emails of support of the 3 companies to fix this problem because we are a growing community, we are consuming games, in my case nearly 300 in my library.
TWITTER/EMAIL base example: #Linux http://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/a-developer-on-tesla-effect-details-why-the-linux-port-never-arrived.6325/ vía @gamingonlinux @unity3d @BigFinishGames @radgametools
http://www.bigfinishgames.com/contact // twitter: @BigFinishGames
[email protected] // twitter: @radgametools
https://unity3d.com/es/contact/get-in-touch // twitter: @unity3d
Greetings,
David Gámiz Jiménez
0 Likes
From Cubase's comments there, it looks like Unity is going to support H.264. I'm still puzzled why not better FOSS codecs which are already production ready (like VP9 or VP8). Plus as far as I know, using H.264 / H.265 for any commercial product requires paying a license which is a huge tax on developers.
Last edited by Shmerl on 6 December 2015 at 4:19 am UTC
Last edited by Shmerl on 6 December 2015 at 4:19 am UTC
0 Likes
H.264 is not really a problem. There are some illegally granted patents on it, which means you can ignore them. Especially if you leave the decoding of H.264 to libraries provided by the OS.
There are several open source libraries for H.264 out there; most are GPL'd, but https://github.com/cisco/openh264 is BSD licensed.
Last edited by Seegras on 6 December 2015 at 9:55 am UTC
There are several open source libraries for H.264 out there; most are GPL'd, but https://github.com/cisco/openh264 is BSD licensed.
Last edited by Seegras on 6 December 2015 at 9:55 am UTC
1 Likes, Who?
Perkeleen_Vittupää Dec 8, 2015
I collected some points and info from the comments here, sent an email to Big Finish Games.
Got the following reply:
Edit: another reply (after sending in some links, for example the one provided by user "tuubi" http://www.radgametools.com/bnkhist.htm and http://blogs.unity3d.com/2015/12/08/unity-5-3-all-new-features-and-more-platforms/)
Last edited by Perkeleen_Vittupää on 9 December 2015 at 12:02 pm UTC
QuoteHello Big Finish Games. About Tesla Effect, will there be a Linux port afterall?
Bink's Unity plugin has supported Linux since August this year and Bink2 libraries do exist for Linux.
What about replacing Bink with other codec, and use corresponding decoder with ffmpeg for example? What about skipping the cutscenes altogether with descriptive texts?
Kind regards and thanks in advance.
Got the following reply:
QuoteHi,
Can you provide a link to that information.
I'm not aware of a Bink Linux Unity plugin for the version of Unity we are using for Tesla.
-steve
Edit: another reply (after sending in some links, for example the one provided by user "tuubi" http://www.radgametools.com/bnkhist.htm and http://blogs.unity3d.com/2015/12/08/unity-5-3-all-new-features-and-more-platforms/)
QuoteAhh...
That's a good link.
Look at this line:
Unity update: Unity 5.x compatibility, 64-bit Unity, Bink 1
compatibilty, errors to Debug.Log.
It suggests to me that Bink 1 (we use Bink 2) support for Unity 5 (the game
is written in unity 4)
When I look in the Unity 4.6 documentation I don't see Linux listed as a
supported platform.
(and I think 4.6 came out after our release)
So. I'm not interested in scanning vague posts about this.
I've reached out to my contact at Rad.we'll see what he says.
Let's see what happens.
I'm not dropping this in my calendar. If you don't hear from me by next
mon/tues of next week feel free to reach out.
(I won't be in the office the last two weeks of December)
-steve
Last edited by Perkeleen_Vittupää on 9 December 2015 at 12:02 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
Patreon
PayPal
See more from me