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Were you alarmed that Feral Interactive didn't have any new Linux ports listed on their radar? Worry no more, as a new UFO (Unidentified Feral Object) has appeared over Linux.

Here's the new teaser from the radar:
image
For those that can't read it, it says "FORT DU KREMLIN-BICETRE". The picture is of Maggie Simpson from the opening credits of, you guessed it, The Simpsons.

Just be aware this doesn't mean it's coming soon, it could be many months away, but it's still exciting to think about!

Does anyone have a clue? Go on, open up in the comments. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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rustybroomhandle Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: Whitewolfe80Do you use steam to play said games because if you do you are already using a DRM system.

Steam does have DRM that developers can use, but it's not a DRM system by default. My own game, as an example, after buying and downloading it via Steam, you can make a tarball of the game dir and send it to your grandmother and it will work fine.

If you consider the "buying and downloading" part of the process to be DRM, well then GoG is also DRM to you.
Whitewolfe80 Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: rustybroomhandle
Quoting: Whitewolfe80Do you use steam to play said games because if you do you are already using a DRM system.

Steam does have DRM that developers can use, but it's not a DRM system by default. My own game, as an example, after buying and downloading it via Steam, you can make a tarball of the game dir and send it to your grandmother and it will work fine.

If you consider the "buying and downloading" part of the process to be DRM, well then GoG is also DRM to you.

No i mean the steam.api file that the game will not start with unless its there that would be copy protection well unless you happen to be using a "special" version possibly by codex


Last edited by Whitewolfe80 on 28 January 2017 at 1:35 pm UTC
rustybroomhandle Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: Whitewolfe80No i mean the steam.api file that the game will not start with unless its there that would be copy protection well unless you happen to be using a "special" version possibly by codex

Totally optional for a developer to use. For example:

The game "Kelvin and the Infamous Machine" game directory contains only two files:

- infamous_machine.jar
- InfamousMachine.sh

You can copy the directory anywhere, and launch the .sh without Steam even being installed.

Most AAA games will likely use the DRM though.

It's even possible to build your game such that it'll use it (for Steam features) if present, or not use it if libsteam_api.so is not present.


Last edited by rustybroomhandle on 28 January 2017 at 2:11 pm UTC
Whitewolfe80 Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: rustybroomhandle
Quoting: Whitewolfe80No i mean the steam.api file that the game will not start with unless its there that would be copy protection well unless you happen to be using a "special" version possibly by codex

Totally optional for a developer to use. For example:

The game "Kelvin and the Infamous Machine" game directory contains only two files:

- infamous_machine.jar
- InfamousMachine.sh

You can copy the directory anywhere, and launch the .sh without Steam even being installed.

Most AAA games will likely use the DRM though.

It's even possible to build your game such that it'll use it (for Steam features) if present, or not use it if libsteam_api.so is not present.

It maybe optional but my point still stands on some level Steam is DRM (optional or not) if you want full DRM free software its GOG. I said years ago I was not happy that everything was going digital as i prefer to have the case and manual (not that there is much point anymore)
1xok Jan 28, 2017
But suppose it is Hitman 2016, why is there no Mac port?
rustybroomhandle Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: Guest1) you don’t know before buying if the game requires Steam or not.
2) you need a working Steam client to download the games (as opposed to a web browser). There is steamcmd too, that’s a second option, but it’s another closed-source non-standard tool.

Fair enough on #2, but for #1 I give you: http://steam.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games
Cyril Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: Whitewolfe80
Quoting: Cyril
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: wolfyrionwell if you check the depots of HITMAN

https://steamdb.info/app/236870/depots/

MAC and Linux Depots are FULL of DATA :P

Yeah it's Hitman releasing on the 31st of Jan sounds like. Just keep in mind the always-online DRM that this game has or will probably have. If they don't remove it now or eventually I definitely won't be supporting this one sadly.

I'm not alone. I was wondering why Feral (and others) don't release a DRM-Free Build, i would like to buy many games from them.
(Maybe i missed it)

Do you use steam to play said games because if you do you are already using a DRM system.

That's the thing, i don't use Steam, which is for me a DRM itself yes.
It's a DRM because you need to install their client on your PC to download/install any game.
I Buy my games on GOG, Humble Bundle or directly with devs on their website for example.
With these, you can download your game on their website directly. I would say, Humble Bundle is more "free" than GOG, because you don't even need to have an account to buy/downloads games, an email address only is required.


Last edited by Cyril on 28 January 2017 at 3:42 pm UTC
Whitewolfe80 Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: Cyril
Quoting: Whitewolfe80
Quoting: Cyril
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: wolfyrionwell if you check the depots of HITMAN

https://steamdb.info/app/236870/depots/

MAC and Linux Depots are FULL of DATA :P

Yeah it's Hitman releasing on the 31st of Jan sounds like. Just keep in mind the always-online DRM that this game has or will probably have. If they don't remove it now or eventually I definitely won't be supporting this one sadly.

I'm not alone. I was wondering why Feral (and others) don't release a DRM-Free Build, i would like to buy many games from them.
(Maybe i missed it)

Do you use steam to play said games because if you do you are already using a DRM system.

That's the thing, i don't use Steam, which is for me a DRM itself yes.
It's a DRM because you need to install their client on your PC to download/install any game.
I Buy my games on GOG, Humble Bundle or directly with devs on their website for example.
With these, you can download your game on their website directly. I would say, Humble Bundle is more "free" than GOG, because you don't even need to have an account to buy/downloads games, an email address only is required.

Fair point gog i like because they stand behind the product if it does not work you get free support.
Whitewolfe80 Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: PixelPiBut suppose it is Hitman 2016, why is there no Mac port?

Maybe Square has not authorised that they have to pay because there is no way they are going to start linux ports in house. Mind you having square bring hitman over if it is that one does potentially mean they may be open to bringing just cause over
Nyamiou Jan 28, 2017
This is definitly Hitman, the display says "115" which in base 6 equals to 47. The protagonist of Hitman is Agent 47 and this is the sixth Hitman game. Also the display should read "243.26" (look an opening of the Simpson on youtube and you'll see) so "115" was definitly a clue.


Last edited by Nyamiou on 28 January 2017 at 6:46 pm UTC
1xok Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: Whitewolfe80
Quoting: PixelPiBut suppose it is Hitman 2016, why is there no Mac port?

Maybe Square has not authorised that they have to pay because there is no way they are going to start linux ports in house. Mind you having square bring hitman over if it is that one does potentially mean they may be open to bringing just cause over

Sorry, don't understand. Do you mean that Square makes the Mac port in house and not over Feral?
kudlaty Jan 28, 2017
I think Apple's switch from OpenGL to Metal is currently a roadblock for Feral.
Leopard Jan 28, 2017
Quoting: kudlatyI think Apple's switch from OpenGL to Metal is currently a roadblock for Feral.

Yep,they said it at BoilingSteam Feral Interactive Podcast episode.

https://boilingsteam.com/our-fifth-podcast-with-feral-interactive/
evergreen Jan 28, 2017
I bet for Dirt Rally.
elbuglione Jan 29, 2017
Quoting: rea987
Quoting: elbuglioneasuming Feral do not get a new Partner... for now can be:
2K, SEGA, Codemasters, Warner Bros or SquareEnix.


Anything older that 2 years is quate a low posibility. I hardly think Feral would bother to port DoW1 and CoH1; those were heavily discounted and bundled in the past. DoW3 is possible BTW...

Deus Ex games would be wonderful but Human Revolution was sold for a dollar couple years ago, so Feral would make no profit from it.

Total War games are highly likely.

I do not expect any FF games on Linux any time soon, nor I care..

Lara Croft ad Tomb Raider games would make sense due to success of the last port.

Anything from Codemasters is possible. :-D

2K seems to doing business with Aspyr rather than Feral recently in the case of Linux.

I have no expectation from WB...

"Anything older that 2 years is quate a low posibility"
If the game is popular, this "rule" can be bronken...
eg: Overlord (2007), KOTOR II (2004), etc...

"I do not expect any FF games on Linux any time soon, nor I care"
I don't expect (and don't want) FFXIII or FFXV...
but, I really want the olds Final Fantasy like FFXII, X, IX, VII, VIII, etc (the real's JRPG)... or actuals JRPG's like "Ni No Kuni II" or "Dragon Quest XI".
I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one...
elbuglione Jan 29, 2017
Quoting: kibblesMetal Gear Solid V
ok... That's simply not gonna happinting.

but.. we can dream!!
Whitewolfe80 Jan 29, 2017
Quoting: PixelPi
Quoting: Whitewolfe80
Quoting: PixelPiBut suppose it is Hitman 2016, why is there no Mac port?

Maybe Square has not authorised that they have to pay because there is no way they are going to start linux ports in house. Mind you having square bring hitman over if it is that one does potentially mean they may be open to bringing just cause over

Sorry, don't understand. Do you mean that Square makes the Mac port in house and not over Feral?

No the way porting works is Square pay Feral a fee to port the game sometimes it can tie the amount to the profits from the Linux version. Bottom Line Feral are not doing shit unless they are being paid for it rightly so. So if Square wants a Mac port they will have to pay Feral to do it it. Because Square will never ever have a linux team to make native Linux ports. Well unless Vulkan really really takes off which would make the game code identical even down to the api you just need to mod the launcher.
tuubi Jan 29, 2017
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Quoting: Whitewolfe80No the way porting works is Square pay Feral a fee to port the game sometimes it can tie the amount to the profits from the Linux version.
Porters have different business models. Feral actually publish every port they do, so it's not quite as simple as a bit of contract work. We have no idea how these deals are negotiated and what kind of financial agreements they make. Why would we even care, as long as they keep porting great games to Linux?
TheRiddick Jan 29, 2017
If they could port over Skyrim Special Edition then it would be AMAZE BALLS! But I'm pretty sure Bethesda would outright say NO in a very loud and angry voice. Bethesda is kinda anti-Linux....
rea987 Jan 29, 2017
Quoting: GuestThis might change your mind.

Well, people keep asking for Skyrim and Feral keeps saying "they would love to"; but that does not necessarily mean that Bethesda would let them... But I admit, Warner Bros. did contract Feral to make macOS ports for licensed Lego games; so it is a valid posibility. But, do you remember Lego Minifigures Online which was also available on Linux? It is dead now; the game was shut down on every platform a year after its release on Linux.

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/lego-minifigures-online-released-for-linux-some-thoughts.5590
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/lego-minifigures-online-shutting-down-say-goodbye-to-our-first-official-lego-game.7313

Personally, I find all that lisenced Lego video games or even products silly. Lego that I know from my childhood was to build stuff, not to pretend that it's darn Luke Skywalker... I was a K'Nex kid anyway. :-P

Quoting: elbuglione"Anything older that 2 years is quate a low posibility"
If the game is popular, this "rule" can be bronken...
eg: Overlord (2007), KOTOR II (2004), etc...

"I do not expect any FF games on Linux any time soon, nor I care"
I don't expect (and don't want) FFXIII or FFXV...
but, I really want the olds Final Fantasy like FFXII, X, IX, VII, VIII, etc (the real's JRPG)... or actuals JRPG's like "Ni No Kuni II" or "Dragon Quest XI".
I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one...

Overlord was ported by VP and KOTOR II was ported by Aspyr. VP ports and WINE ports are expected to be for older games, that's true. Aspyr's KOTOR II and Feral's DoW2 releases are quite suprising. I guess Feral simply aware of lack of RTS for Linux gaming, that is why they keep investing for it further. KOTOR 2 and Borderlands 2 were Aspyr's market experiments to check the actual demand. So, when it comes to Feral we should expect newer games; I still bet on Hitman.

I hardly expect any "Japanese" titles for GNU/Linux platform.


Last edited by rea987 on 29 January 2017 at 10:30 am UTC
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