The news doing the rounds right now is that the Nintendo Switch, the new gaming device from Nintendo, will use Vulkan. People are getting rather excited and thinking it will mean more Linux ports, but right now it won't.
For one thing, the Switch hasn't even been released yet and it remains to be seen if it's even successful. It seems obvious, but people aren't even thinking about that.
The second most important thing to remember is that this is a brand new API, it's not proven itself just yet and not that many developers are actually using it. It's been out for nearly a year and so far on Linux only two games use Vulkan.
For the record: Using an open API is amazing for the success of the API. I think this is a great thing for it, but I don't want people to be unrealistic about what this means for Linux gaming. I also want to state for clarity I am not being negative here, but trying to help people be realistic for now.
This could push Vulkan forward some more, because it will be in the minds of more developers and hopefully more will end up using it. This is good for the stability of the API too, since more feedback will be sent off for the drivers and so on. For the API itself, it's going to help it. If more games eventually come to Linux and use Vulkan, it may mean we get a more stable experience too. What it doesn't mean is that by using Vulkan more games will come to Linux.
There is far more to a game than a graphics API. Sure, it gives developers a lower barrier for entry, but when has that alone suddenly meant more Linux ports? Not often at all. We are still to this day dealing with tons of developers using Unity that don't want to bring their games to Linux, for example.
You still have to worry about:
- Vulkan itself
Vulkan is more complex than both OpenGL and earlier versions of DirectX, it will take quite some time to learn.
- Development for every other bit of the puzzle
There's still tons of middleware that doesn't support Linux, for example.
- Testing for the above
People like to claim distribution fragmentation isn't an issue, but I see a lot of support requests of games not working on certain distributions for a variety of reasons.
- Post-release fixes
No game is really finished at release
- Marketing (if they actually want to make any money at all)
Just being on Steam doesn't make a game sell any more.
The biggest issue however, is the same as always: publishers and our market share. We still have that small market share to think about, so do the publishers.
To wrap up all of the above: It's good for the API, everything else people claim about it meaning more Linux ports are speculating.
What can we do about it? We continue on as we always have without getting too hyped about things that, right now, don't really concern us directly.
Buy Linux games from legitimate stores (Steam, GOG, itch.io, Humble, directly from developers), as that helps Linux gaming directly. Don't buy games before they are released on Linux (be sure your money counts!), and make sure developers know you want their games on Linux.
Also, make sure developers know to get in touch with us directly, since we have a rather big reach nowadays. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
For one thing, the Switch hasn't even been released yet and it remains to be seen if it's even successful. It seems obvious, but people aren't even thinking about that.
The second most important thing to remember is that this is a brand new API, it's not proven itself just yet and not that many developers are actually using it. It's been out for nearly a year and so far on Linux only two games use Vulkan.
For the record: Using an open API is amazing for the success of the API. I think this is a great thing for it, but I don't want people to be unrealistic about what this means for Linux gaming. I also want to state for clarity I am not being negative here, but trying to help people be realistic for now.
This could push Vulkan forward some more, because it will be in the minds of more developers and hopefully more will end up using it. This is good for the stability of the API too, since more feedback will be sent off for the drivers and so on. For the API itself, it's going to help it. If more games eventually come to Linux and use Vulkan, it may mean we get a more stable experience too. What it doesn't mean is that by using Vulkan more games will come to Linux.
There is far more to a game than a graphics API. Sure, it gives developers a lower barrier for entry, but when has that alone suddenly meant more Linux ports? Not often at all. We are still to this day dealing with tons of developers using Unity that don't want to bring their games to Linux, for example.
You still have to worry about:
- Vulkan itself
Vulkan is more complex than both OpenGL and earlier versions of DirectX, it will take quite some time to learn.
- Development for every other bit of the puzzle
There's still tons of middleware that doesn't support Linux, for example.
- Testing for the above
People like to claim distribution fragmentation isn't an issue, but I see a lot of support requests of games not working on certain distributions for a variety of reasons.
- Post-release fixes
No game is really finished at release
- Marketing (if they actually want to make any money at all)
Just being on Steam doesn't make a game sell any more.
The biggest issue however, is the same as always: publishers and our market share. We still have that small market share to think about, so do the publishers.
To wrap up all of the above: It's good for the API, everything else people claim about it meaning more Linux ports are speculating.
What can we do about it? We continue on as we always have without getting too hyped about things that, right now, don't really concern us directly.
Buy Linux games from legitimate stores (Steam, GOG, itch.io, Humble, directly from developers), as that helps Linux gaming directly. Don't buy games before they are released on Linux (be sure your money counts!), and make sure developers know you want their games on Linux.
Also, make sure developers know to get in touch with us directly, since we have a rather big reach nowadays. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Which are the two games on Linux that use Vulcan already?
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Quoting: CreakQuoting: t3gIf AAA developers and publishers bring their game to he switch and are forced to learn and use Vulkan, it is a huge benefit for everyone as they may use Vulkan for their PC releases too.Right now, even with Nintendo using Vulkan, DirectX is still more interesting. Having a graphics engine based on DirectX ensures to have a game compatible with Windows and XBox. It's like 50% of the market. The rest is mainly Sony with its PS4. That's why Nintendo announcing they're supporting Vulkan just isn't enough. But if Sony announces it, it might change the situation.
sony is part of the Khronos Group /Vulkan group
i'm not sure if it has to do with ps4, or smarth tvs/phone, more likely PS4.
you forgot something.
Android!
Android will suport vulkan!
the games may not be the same, but if the engines share code...
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Quoting: t3gQuoting: CreakThe rest is mainly Sony with its PS4. That's why Nintendo announcing they're supporting Vulkan just isn't enough. But if Sony announces it, it might change the situation.
It would be awesome if Sony added Vulkan support to the PS4 or the PS5 and above. The PS4 is still killing the Xbox One in market share (even if the XO has outsold the PS4 in the past few months) and having Sony in the Vulkan camp would be beneficial.
this "out sold" is bullshit, its only counting one or 2 regions, if you count the entire world, PS4 still is owning due to japan.
source:
http://www.vgchartz.com/
Last edited by elmapul on 20 December 2016 at 6:41 am UTC
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Quoting: pi4630Which are the two games on Linux that use Vulcan already?
"Dota 2" and "The talos principle"
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Quoting: GuestWhat is the bigger market? Mobile gaming vs desktop, Vs consoles?
Quoting: CreakClearly mobile gaming is superior to the desktop market.
But I would say it's less that the console market (because the price per game is also very different).
to be more precise, the profit per platform:
https://newzoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Newzoo_Global_Games_Market_2015_Per_Screen_Segment_V3_Full.png
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The reason why most Linux ports perform so badly is because they were designed with DirectX in mind. Feral can (and did) confirm that. If they used Vulkan instead than the Linux port could perform at a 100% speed compared to the Windows version (assuming identical drivers are used). Yes, they would still have to actually port the game to Linux, but they wouldn't have to worry about writing an OpenGL renderer or using a wrapper.
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Quoting: NyamiouThis article is overly pessimistic.Being realistic and trying to keep everyone's hype in check is not being pessimistic. I do wish people would understand the difference. I am looking outside the box here and not giving into hyped up speculation about our future.
I am optimistic for Linux gaming as I always am, wouldn't be running GOL if I wasn't.
Like I said in the article this is good for Vulkan, I did specifically state that. This will hopefully help push it forward.
A different platform using Vulkan will not change our situation. Windows is a much bigger platform that exists right now and supported Vulkan day-1 just like we did. So far not much has changed there.
I just don't want people to get the wrong idea here. Unless something major changes for us specifically, we won't see much change in 2017 or even 2018 in regards to ports, even with Vulkan.
Edit: spelling errors as i am on my phone
Last edited by Liam Dawe on 20 December 2016 at 8:35 am UTC
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On what Nintendo OS is based? FreeBSD?
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Quoting: liamdaweA different platform using Vulkan will not change our situation. Windows is a much bigger platform that exists right now and supported Vulkan day-1 just like we did. So far not much has changed there.
Windows also have extremely popular D3D, so Vulkan on Windows won’t get traction all by itself. Something other than Windows must push gamedev industry into using it in DX’s stead. Until now this “it” was Android. Now Nintendo joins.
I believe if Apple platforms also had Vulkan support, there would be no problem with killing D3D12. Unfortunately, and somehow contrary to the intuition, Apple’s Metal and their whole wheel-reinventing with proprietary programming tools makes it worse for Vulkan and Linux more than for Apple platforms, which have their funding and support and it won’t change (even if programming for it means additional work).
Last edited by silmeth on 20 December 2016 at 9:17 am UTC
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Quoting: silmethYeah, I suppose you're not wrong on that point.Quoting: liamdaweA different platform using Vulkan will not change our situation. Windows is a much bigger platform that exists right now and supported Vulkan day-1 just like we did. So far not much has changed there.
Windows also have extremely popular D3D, so Vulkan on Windows won’t get traction all by itself. Something other than Windows must push gamedev industry into using it in DX’s stead. Until now this “it” was Android. Now Nintendo joins.
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