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The End Is Nigh could be on the way to Linux

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For those that don't follow Ryan "Icculus" Gordon on Patreon, a little hint was dropped in a recent post and it could mean "The End Is Nigh" [Steam] is heading to Linux.

Here's what he said:

The actual serious projects for y'all should be announced in the next few days. Very soon! One could even say The End of that work Is Nigh.

Why is it significant? Well, Icculus is a well known Linux game porter and one of his Patreon goals was to go through the list of games he wants to try and port. He mentioned in another post that he had two ports in the pipeline, with contracts waiting to be signed. It seems like this might be one of the first.

What is the game?

The End Is Nigh is a sprawling adventure platformer where the player takes control over Ash, one of few "things" that have "survived" the "end of the world".
Follow Ash as he flops his way through a future of pain and suffering. Feel his stress levels rise as you throw him into an endless swarm of decaying, mutant animal-like creatures and help aid his final epic quest... to simply make a friend (out of pieces of people he finds along his journey).

It might not be the type of game people were hoping for, but it's a start. The more the better too, right? Especially when they're games that are reviewed positively.

Personally though, I'm hoping some slightly higher profile titles can get ported as a result of his Patreon. He is, after all, willing to do them by being paid by his Patron's and not necessarily by the developer of the game as he said here.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Platformer, Steam
6 Likes
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18 comments

abelthorne Sep 10, 2017
That's interesting and quite unexpected, as the developer of TEiN said that he wouldn't make a Linux port (he's not a big fan of the OS, to say it lightly). It's good news if he's open to a third-party port.
bytheclouds Sep 10, 2017
Wouldn't hurt to mention that this is a McMillen game (yes, the guys behind Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac, the games that have a lot of following). So it's a really big deal for the fans of their games (who I count myself among). Don't really see the need for downplaying it TWICE in the article.


Last edited by bytheclouds on 10 September 2017 at 8:53 pm UTC
Leopard Sep 10, 2017
Quoting: GuestDo remember though that Icculus has also done Mac work.. so it's possible this is a Mac only port he's doing

I don't understand. That game is already available for MacOS since August 15th.


Last edited by Liam Dawe on 10 September 2017 at 9:13 pm UTC
abelthorne Sep 10, 2017
Quoting: GuestDo remember though that Icculus has also done Mac work.. so it's possible this is a Mac only port he's doing
No, the Mac version has been made by the developer (it was planned from the start). But he didn't want to do a Linux port because there's too much support to do afterwards.


Last edited by Liam Dawe on 10 September 2017 at 9:13 pm UTC
Liam Dawe Sep 10, 2017
Quoting: Leopard
Quoting: GuestDo remember though that Icculus has also done Mac work.. so it's possible this is a Mac only port he's doing

I don't understand. That game is already available for MacOS since August 15th.
Yeah, one look at the Steam store page tells you it's already on Mac ;)

Edit: Just did a quick fix for broken html in quotes, had to edit a few comments to fix them ;)


Last edited by Liam Dawe on 10 September 2017 at 9:14 pm UTC
sr_ls_boy Sep 10, 2017
It looks like it has CRT-emulation.
cprn Sep 11, 2017
I still think Rain World is the best candidate for a one man port. It's 2d, some work is already done, and the dev abandoned it, it seems. Finishing the job would show that specialists like Ryan Gordon simply bring money to the table.


Last edited by cprn on 11 September 2017 at 1:21 pm UTC
abelthorne Sep 11, 2017
Quoting: sr_ls_boyIt looks like it has CRT-emulation.
The screenshot in the article shows one of the mini-games available in the game itself. They're supposed to be console games the character plays, thus the big pixels and the CRT emulation effect. ;)

The main game doesn't have this filter.


Last edited by abelthorne on 11 September 2017 at 8:16 am UTC
hardpenguin Sep 11, 2017
As a fan of SMB I'm a bit hyped about this one (if it's true)! More good platforming on Linux! :)
rea987 Sep 11, 2017
Is that one of those games deliberately apply artificial CRT effect? Cause I immediately lose my interest in case of such nonsense.

Edit: It looks like CRT effect applies only on some in-game video cuts. That seems acceptable.


Last edited by rea987 on 11 September 2017 at 8:25 am UTC
buenaventura Sep 11, 2017
Liam, how could you not name this article "The End is Nigh for Linux"? Are you not British? ;)
Eike Sep 11, 2017
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Quoting: buenaventuraLiam, how could you not name this article "The End is Nigh for Linux"? Are you not British? ;)

Shouldn't that by "The End is Nigh is nigh for Linux"?!? :o)
Eike Sep 11, 2017
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Quoting: abelthorneThat's interesting and quite unexpected, as the developer of TEiN said that he wouldn't make a Linux port (he's not a big fan of the OS, to say it lightly). It's good news if he's open to a third-party port.

Quoting: bythecloudsWouldn't hurt to mention that this is a McMillen game (yes, the guys behind Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac, the games that have a lot of following). So it's a really big deal for the fans of their games (who I count myself among). Don't really see the need for downplaying it TWICE in the article.

So, the makers of Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac wanted to stop supporting Linux? :-/
Liam Dawe Sep 11, 2017
Quoting: bythecloudsWouldn't hurt to mention that this is a McMillen game (yes, the guys behind Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac, the games that have a lot of following). So it's a really big deal for the fans of their games (who I count myself among). Don't really see the need for downplaying it TWICE in the article.
Then that's great for you, really happy for you :)

Sorry if people thought I was being a bit negative there, but I was personally hoping for something a bit bigger and more interesting for me personally.
abelthorne Sep 11, 2017
Quoting: Eike
Quoting: abelthorneThat's interesting and quite unexpected, as the developer of TEiN said that he wouldn't make a Linux port (he's not a big fan of the OS, to say it lightly). It's good news if he's open to a third-party port.

Quoting: bythecloudsWouldn't hurt to mention that this is a McMillen game (yes, the guys behind Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac, the games that have a lot of following). So it's a really big deal for the fans of their games (who I count myself among). Don't really see the need for downplaying it TWICE in the article.

So, the makers of Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac wanted to stop supporting Linux? :-/
Well, they've never had a strong interest in Linux −TBoI and SMB were only ported as part of a Humble Indie Bundle first, though they later made a proper port of TBoI Rebirth− but more important, it's not the same team on each game.

Edmund McMillen only does the art part and game design of his games, he's not really a developer (though I think he made the original version of TBoI in Flash). Tommy Refenes was the coder on SMB and it's Tyler Glaiel who coded The End is Nigh (and said on Twitter that there would be no Linux version).
Purple Library Guy Sep 11, 2017
Quoting: abelthorne
Quoting: GuestDo remember though that Icculus has also done Mac work.. so it's possible this is a Mac only port he's doing
No, the Mac version has been made by the developer (it was planned from the start). But he didn't want to do a Linux port because there's too much support to do afterwards.

Wonder if he figures with someone like Icculus doing the port, it will have fewer issues and so need less support than if they tried to do it in house.
N30N Sep 11, 2017
Might not be liams cup of tea. But I'll be very happy to see this ported! Thanks for all you do Ryan! <3
Mr. Pinsky Sep 11, 2017
Quoting: abelthorneEdmund McMillen only does the art part and game design of his games, he's not really a developer (though I think he made the original version of TBoI in Flash). Tommy Refenes was the coder on SMB and it's Tyler Glaiel who coded The End is Nigh (and said on Twitter that there would be no Linux version).

You meant to say that Edmund is not a programmer, which is right. As an artist and designer he is still very much a developer, though.

For my part, I'm super happy to see this game come to Linux (if it indeed does come to Linux). Edmund's games are exceptionally well designed, and there are good reasons why Isaac and Super Meat Boy have cult followings.
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