It seems Croteam will be doing a talk at GDC this year and it sounds like it's going to be quite interesting, with it being centred around getting games to perform smoothly. The talk will be presented by the Croteam CTO, Alen Ladavac.
For those not familiar, Croteam have been pretty great supporters of Linux gaming. Thanks to them we have The Talos Principle and multiple Serious Sam games. Not only that, they were one of the first developers to get their games on Steam when it initially released for Linux.
That wouldn't exactly be newsworthy by itself, sure, but Valve has actually been working directly with Croteam in order to find solutions to the issue of micro-stuttering in games. This is the issue of a game running at 60FPS, yet it might stutter and not be as smooth as you would want and expect it to be.
Valve's Pierre-Loup Griffais tweeted this out about it:
We've been helping @Croteam with their quest to resolve frame pacing and stuttering problems that have been affecting all gaming platforms for a long time; the Linux graphics stack lets us create solutions.[…]
With Croteam's CTO then thanking both Pierre-Loup and Keith Packard "for the driver that's able to finally pull this off!". It's very interesting to see Linux being mentioned liked this, exciting to see in fact.
Hopefully the GDC video of it will be online, even if it isn't it seems we're going to hear more about it in future:
[…]If you are not attending the GDC, do not despair. Croteam and Valve will be talking about this more in the future.[…]
You can see details of the talk here on the GDC site and it's scheduled for Monday next week.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month:
The comments on this article are closed.
Oh wow, this is huge news. All this behind-the-scenes Valve stuff gets me very excited.
Stuttering in games has numerous sources, but solving this once and for all in the driver sounds amazing. My guess...it's got something to do with Vulkan.
Stuttering in games has numerous sources, but solving this once and for all in the driver sounds amazing. My guess...it's got something to do with Vulkan.
2 Likes, Who?
My guess is they're using the nanosecond frame timing feature.
2 Likes, Who?
no_information_here Mar 16, 2018
I was so impressed with how they got Talos to run so fast on Vulkan-Linux, so far ahead of everyone else. CroTeam are a huge asset to the Linux gaming community!
7 Likes, Who?
Comandante Ñoñardo Mar 16, 2018
I support Croteam because they support Linux, but I hate their marriage with Valve.
0 Likes
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoI support Croteam because they support Linux, but I hate their marriage with Valve.
Easy as that: Stop supporting until they go full DRM-free. :)
1 Likes, Who?
Quoting: throghQuoting: Comandante ÑoñardoI support Croteam because they support Linux, but I hate their marriage with Valve.
Easy as that: Stop supporting until they go full DRM-free. :)
Easy as that: They need to be supported and whole DRM-Free freakness should cast aside until Linux gaming grows to a certain point where we don't have to beg for ports.
Last edited by Leopard on 16 March 2018 at 7:13 am UTC
12 Likes, Who?
TheRiddick Mar 16, 2018
Yeah warthunder had this micro-stuttering, even at above 60fps. Unfortunately patch 1.77 has completely broken OpenGL and you'd be lucky to get 40fps, most times you get graphics glitches on top with much less fps. (1080ti here)
Last edited by TheRiddick on 16 March 2018 at 8:38 am UTC
Last edited by TheRiddick on 16 March 2018 at 8:38 am UTC
0 Likes
Quoting: GuestThere are relatively few real supporters of Linux gaming. I, too, want DRM-free games but if all Linux gamers would have a "Not DRM-free, No Bux" attitude, linux gaming will not grow.
There are three kind of Linux users:
1-) Dual booting and keep buying Windows games , then hopes to jump Linux entirely when there is title parity
2-) Drm-free fanatics. They still didn't realize without Valve , there is no chance to grow. Without Steam on Linux , you probably wouldn't see so many indie titles on GOG too because devs wouldn't do a Linux version at all.
3-) Only Linux booters. Who only cares about growth of Linux gaming because they know if Linux gaming reaches to a certain point , there will be much more options on market. Even beneficial to Drm Free stores because there will be much more Linux games on there too.
10 Likes, Who?
IMO the serious engine is the best engine in the world right now. It runs great on absolutely anything! I'd love to hear what they have to say on this matter.
1 Likes, Who?
Croteam is awesome. I like how their games are ~30% faster on Linux :)
There is also a nice benchmark
You are welcome Windows gamers.
There is also a nice benchmark
QuoteWe've been helping @Croteam with their quest to resolve frame pacing and stuttering problems that have been affecting all gaming platforms for a long time; the Linux graphics stack lets us create solutions.[…]
You are welcome Windows gamers.
1 Likes, Who?
Quoting: Adamfx990IMO the serious engine is the best engine in the world right now. It runs great on absolutely anything! I'd love to hear what they have to say on this matter.
Their engine is the one giving me most motion sickness (monitor, not VR!) I ever had with any engine... :-/
I was able to reduce it with the settings, but as they introduced special motion sickness settings later, I cannot be the only one...
0 Likes
Quoting: GuestQuoting: LeopardQuoting: GuestThere are relatively few real supporters of Linux gaming. I, too, want DRM-free games but if all Linux gamers would have a "Not DRM-free, No Bux" attitude, linux gaming will not grow.
There are three kind of Linux users:
1-) Dual booting and keep buying Windows games , then hopes to jump Linux entirely when there is title parity
2-) Drm-free fanatics. They still didn't realize without Valve , there is no chance to grow. Without Steam on Linux , you probably wouldn't see so many indie titles on GOG too because devs wouldn't do a Linux version at all.
3-) Only Linux booters. Who only cares about growth of Linux gaming because they know if Linux gaming reaches to a certain point , there will be much more options on market. Even beneficial to Drm Free stores because there will be much more Linux games on there too.
And then there is me who just boots Linux and plays whatever i can. If its native cool, if its new and i can play with WINE, well you better believe imma gonna buy it and play it :D . And then there are emulators, source ports and open engines. I will run whatever software i can make run on my PC.
Well , with only one caveat. You keep feeding Windows gaming scene and make Linux native ports meaningless.
You bought it and play it with Wine anyway , why should dev port it? Dev don't have to provide support for you , because you're running it on an unsupported system so it is not his/ her problem.
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: LeopardYou bought it and play it with Wine anyway , why should dev port it? Dev don't have to provide support for you , because you're running it on an unsupported system so it is not his/ her problem.
I didn't think of that. It's not only as good - they're getting the money without having to port -, it's even better - they're getting the money without having to port plus they don't need to do support! So it's not only no incentive to port, it's actually an additional incentive not to port. (Still, everybody is free to do as he likes of course. For some, the alternative to using Linux and WINE for gaming might be to not use Linux for gaming at all...)
Last edited by Eike on 16 March 2018 at 9:56 am UTC
4 Likes, Who?
Quoting: EikeQuoting: LeopardYou bought it and play it with Wine anyway , why should dev port it? Dev don't have to provide support for you , because you're running it on an unsupported system so it is not his/ her problem.
I didn't think of that. It's not only as good - they're getting the money -, it's even better - they're getting the money without having to port plus they don't need to do support! So it's not only no incentive to port, it's actually an additional incentive not to port. (Still, everybody is free to do as he likes of course. For some, the alternative to using Linux and WINE for gaming might be to not use Linux for gaming at all...)
Well , i got sick of seeing so many threads on Steam titled as : Linux port.
They have their mouse icon ( ownership badge ) and asking for a Linux port. If you asking for a Linux port , why you purchased it at first place with knowing that game does not have Linux support.
http://steamcommunity.com/app/417290/discussions/0/352788917758965624/#c353915309340076815
Look at the reply of developer. Since it is a new game , there is not much people who owns game and asks for a port. Developer is not fully closed to Linux port but he is saying " We heard some ran it on Wine! "
So it is? How convincing for me to give you money until a patch broke it , nice.
5 Likes, Who?
Quoting: LeopardWell , with only one caveat. You keep feeding Windows gaming scene and make Linux native ports meaningless.
You bought it and play it with Wine anyway , why should dev port it? Dev don't have to provide support for you , because you're running it on an unsupported system so it is not his/ her problem.
You forget the other side: without being able to run that "one vital Windos application" fewer people would start using Linux and the potential future market for Linux applications/games would be smaller.
I personally couldn't have used Linux 16 years ago without wine because I needed access to a database system which was unsupported on Linux.
So there's at least one long term exclusive Linux user thanks to wine.
Last edited by poisond on 16 March 2018 at 10:06 am UTC
0 Likes
lucifertdark Mar 16, 2018
Quoting: LeopardThere are three kind of Linux users:Actually there's a fourth type of Linux user.
1-) Dual booting and keep buying Windows games , then hopes to jump Linux entirely when there is title parity
2-) Drm-free fanatics. They still didn't realize without Valve , there is no chance to grow. Without Steam on Linux , you probably wouldn't see so many indie titles on GOG too because devs wouldn't do a Linux version at all.
3-) Only Linux booters. Who only cares about growth of Linux gaming because they know if Linux gaming reaches to a certain point , there will be much more options on market. Even beneficial to Drm Free stores because there will be much more Linux games on there too.
4-) Dual booting but only buying games when & if a Linux port arrives.
The only reason I keep Windows around is for Lightroom as it sucks in Wine.
Last edited by lucifertdark on 16 March 2018 at 10:06 am UTC
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: EikeQuoting: Adamfx990IMO the serious engine is the best engine in the world right now. It runs great on absolutely anything! I'd love to hear what they have to say on this matter.
Their engine is the one giving me most motion sickness (monitor, not VR!) I ever had with any engine... :-/
I was able to reduce it with the settings, but as they introduced special motion sickness settings later, I cannot be the only one...
That's funny. I get pretty bad simulation sickness and I find the serious engine to be all right (with its option to make the crosshair static and increasing the FOV to around 91) compared to most first person games. I still struggle to play for more than half an hour though.
0 Likes
Quoting: Adamfx990That's funny. I get pretty bad simulation sickness and I find the serious engine to be all right (with its option to make the crosshair static and increasing the FOV to around 91) compared to most first person games. I still struggle to play for more than half an hour though.
So, half an hour is on the good end for you? Wow, that's tough...
How do you cope with Source Engine (Half-Life 2 e.g.)?
It's my second worst...
Last edited by Eike on 16 March 2018 at 10:13 am UTC
0 Likes
Let me remind you John Carmack's Wine Linux proposal:
His company did ports of Linux versions of their games in an era which slightly less people was on Linux and internet game stores wasn't a thing at all. It failed their hopes about selling.
Then he said Wine is way to go for Linux and native ports are just a waste of time.
According to him ; Linux users will eventually ran game via Wine by tinkering it by commiting and applying hacks. Because they're much more technical people than Windows users. Also there are only technical people out there using Linux , so they don't have to provide native , easy , one click versions. They will bought it even it is only Windows anyway , so they will find a way run it.
Easy money.
Probably there will be some people who are furious about me but ; if they don't care about a Linux port then that means they're clearly saying " We don't need your money at all ".
Do the math beyond there.
His company did ports of Linux versions of their games in an era which slightly less people was on Linux and internet game stores wasn't a thing at all. It failed their hopes about selling.
Then he said Wine is way to go for Linux and native ports are just a waste of time.
According to him ; Linux users will eventually ran game via Wine by tinkering it by commiting and applying hacks. Because they're much more technical people than Windows users. Also there are only technical people out there using Linux , so they don't have to provide native , easy , one click versions. They will bought it even it is only Windows anyway , so they will find a way run it.
Easy money.
Probably there will be some people who are furious about me but ; if they don't care about a Linux port then that means they're clearly saying " We don't need your money at all ".
Do the math beyond there.
0 Likes
Quoting: lucifertdarkQuoting: LeopardThere are three kind of Linux users:Actually there's a fourth type of Linux user.
1-) Dual booting and keep buying Windows games , then hopes to jump Linux entirely when there is title parity
2-) Drm-free fanatics. They still didn't realize without Valve , there is no chance to grow. Without Steam on Linux , you probably wouldn't see so many indie titles on GOG too because devs wouldn't do a Linux version at all.
3-) Only Linux booters. Who only cares about growth of Linux gaming because they know if Linux gaming reaches to a certain point , there will be much more options on market. Even beneficial to Drm Free stores because there will be much more Linux games on there too.
4-) Dual booting but only buying games when & if a Linux port arrives.
The only reason I keep Windows around is for Lightroom as it sucks in Wine.
Sure , you are right. My message was entirely based on gaming.
0 Likes
Patreon
PayPal
See more from me