Serious Sam 3: BFE with the 'Fusion' engine and Vulkan could arrive next month in Beta

Now that's some serious firepower :)

Is a remastered edition or a forced update of the same game?

"This newer game engine will be using Vulkan and it sounds like a big win for Linux"

Vulkan too, or Vulkan only? The game is ancient, people bought it according to ancient system requirements and may be playing it on ancient PCs. Getting a surprise update after the beta, that locks them out wouldn't make them happy.

Getting a surprise update after the beta, that locks them out wouldn't make them happy.

That's true, but I imagine that they'll have a "legacy" beta branch of some sort that has the current engine. I think they did this for one of their other games where they had a "legacy" linux version for older versions of Ubuntu.


Last edited by km3k on 20 February 2017 at 5:12 pm UTC

The game is ancient, people bought it according to ancient system requirements and may be playing it on ancient PCs. Getting a surprise update after the beta, that locks them out wouldn't make them happy.

That is why I asked if it is a remastered edition or a forced update...

"This newer game engine will be using Vulkan and it sounds like a big win for Linux"

Vulkan too, or Vulkan only? The game is ancient, people bought it according to ancient system requirements and may be playing it on ancient PCs. Getting a surprise update after the beta, that locks them out wouldn't make them happy.

I think Vulkan too.

Because they said they will remove Dx9 support,which is clear game will support other Dx versions and OpenGL too.

"This newer game engine will be using Vulkan and it sounds like a big win for Linux"

Vulkan too, or Vulkan only? The game is ancient, people bought it according to ancient system requirements and may be playing it on ancient PCs. Getting a surprise update after the beta, that locks them out wouldn't make them happy.

They stated the following on the big steam thread the other day.

1. Vulkan too. OpenGL will stay supported for the foreseeable future; only dx9 was removed [1]
2. This isn't an update, this is a new "Serious Sam Fusion" game that will appear in your library, that will allow to play every Serious Sam game/level you own with all the new goodies (splitscreen, Vulkan, updated graphics, etc...). With original gameplay IIRC. [2]

[1] https://steamcommunity.com/app/41070/discussions/0/451850849186806043/?ctp=8#c133256758576805333
[2] https://steamcommunity.com/app/41070/discussions/0/451850849186806043/?ctp=9#c133256758578372665

Lots of repetition in that thread, but those links can back the claims I made.


Last edited by MayeulC on 20 February 2017 at 5:26 pm UTC

I could never play Serious Sam 3 in opengl in the past. The performance was just too poor. So with Vulkan support I might finally be able to enjoy the game.

Well, I've been playing the "old" OpenGL Serious Sam 3 BFE on GTX 1070 at 4K resolution (and high/ultra settings) and it is playing at a decent FPS for me. Still, won't complain for even better performance. Might play the whole game through AGAIN.

Are Croteam reading these comments? I still encourage them to release their games on GOG. What they have there now are only a few old games.


Last edited by Shmerl on 20 February 2017 at 8:50 pm UTC

Are Croteam reading these comments? I still encourage them to release their games on GOG. What they have their now are only a few old games.

I concur. I can't see any indication why they aren't doing it. If they're interested in changing engines for the older games, why can't they drm-free them. Talos Principle really hurts for me, that's the game I always wanted to play.

I think Liam was hinting before, that Croteam weren't happy about upload tools or something of that sort, though I really don't understand what the problem is, and why many of the existing good tools can't be used effectively.

@liamdawe: May be you can make an interview with Croteam, and ask about this topic? I'm interested in hearing what woes they encountered while trying to release on GOG, and whether there is anything that can be done to improve things. GOG users would appreciate some progress on this, and it can benefit many other developers as well.

GOG were open to community input before, and for example implemented differential binary patching for Linux versions based on that.


Last edited by Shmerl on 20 February 2017 at 9:39 pm UTC

I don't care much where they publish their games, but an interview would be great nevertheless. I wonder what they're up to with their early Vulkan support in released games. They will gain experience, of course, and had some additional visibility, but I wonder if it pays, at least directly...

I think Liam was hinting before, that Croteam weren't happy about upload tools or something of that sort, though I really don't understand what the problem is, and why many of the existing good tools can't be used effectively.

@liamdawe: May be you can make an interview with Croteam, and ask about this topic? I'm interested in hearing what woes they encountered while trying to release on GOG, and whether there is anything that can be done to improve things. GOG users would appreciate some progress on this, and it can benefit many other developers as well.

GOG were open to community input before, and for example implemented differential binary patching for Linux versions based on that.

Their issue is that it would be too much effort to support two totally different store platforms with different APIs and just not worth it.

http://steamcommunity.com/app/257510/discussions/0/626329186809171707/

Their issue is that it would be too much effort to support two totally different store platforms with different APIs and just not worth it.

http://steamcommunity.com/app/257510/discussions/0/626329186809171707/

This makes even less sense. If their games aren't multiplayer, so what's the issue with not using Steamworks? I don't buy the argument of "too much effort to support", unless developers of course voluntarily trapped themselves with depending on Steamworks too much. That happens for multiplayer games indeed, which rely on Steamworks servers infrastructure. But for single player games this doesn't apply.


Last edited by Shmerl on 20 February 2017 at 10:10 pm UTC

Their issue is that it would be too much effort to support two totally different store platforms with different APIs and just not worth it.

http://steamcommunity.com/app/257510/discussions/0/626329186809171707/

This makes even less sense. If their games aren't multiplayer, so what's the issue with not using Steamworks? I don't buy the argument of "too much effort to support", unless developers of course voluntarily trapped themselves with depending on Steamworks too much. That happens for multiplayer games indeed, which rely on Steamworks servers infrastructure. But for single player games this doesn't apply.

Well, from what the dev is saying it just seems they really don't want to be bothered, relying heavily or not... they use Steamworks and supporting different branch that does not use it is just not worth it.

Also don't forget that it's never "that easy"... there is probably plenty of different issues and just simple overhead with dealing with different store. If it made sense for them they would already did it.


Last edited by Solitary on 20 February 2017 at 10:20 pm UTC

All that doesn't sound convincing, and "don't want to be bothered" sounds simply way off. You don't need to have many branches, just make Steamworks optional and that's it. I'd be interested in Croteam to elaborate what their issues are. That's why interview can help. Otherwise it's all speculation.


Last edited by Shmerl on 20 February 2017 at 10:29 pm UTC

Yeah, for vulkan you need a minimum geforce 640. So yeah, I will keep playing in opengl lol...

GOG zealots are on their run again.

Unless they stop giving zero fucks to Linux community(just like now),let it stay absent.

Actually,i don't give a fuck about them right now.Let them be happy with their Windows and Mac games.They have their own titles with support of Mac+Windows but no Linux.

Oh right,they also publish some Dosbox games to Linux which is only place that they think they can sell these.That's the GOG view people.

GOG zealots are on their run again.

What's your problem with asking developers to stop ignoring Linux users who don't use Steam? If you don't have this issue because you aren't excluded, why are you upset that others bring it up? Reminds me how some Windows users are upset that Linux users ask developers to release games for Linux. Exclusivity is bad, you should know better. But I guess, some don't feel it, until they get the short end of the stick.


Last edited by Shmerl on 20 February 2017 at 11:02 pm UTC