Doom 2016 supports Vulkan and at GDC this year developers from id Software talked a little about it, including how easy a Linux version could have been.
In response to this question from Alon Or-bach (Samsung) around 45:40 in the below video: "One of the hot topics around Vulkan in terms of cross-platform and how much benefit do you find of having one API that's targetting both mobile and desktop platforms".
Dustin Land, a developer at id Software said this in reply:
"So we did Linux dedicated servers for Doom 2016 and a few of us who are Linux heads in the studio decided, let's take it the full way. All we had to do was change the surface that we are creating for the Linux version and it just ran, out of the box and performance was equivalent. Having a small driver actually helps a lot there."
This does beg the question: Why isn't it actually on Linux, if it worked as well as it sounds? Most likely a management decision from someone within id Software or ZeniMax Media. However, it's also possible the developers didn't pitch it of course. We just don't know, either way it's a real shame.
You can see the full video below:
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What are your thoughts? I would absolutely buy a copy of Doom if it was on Linux.
Slightly related, on the topic of Vulkan: In these slides from Khronos Dev Day: The Vulkan Sessions, when showing off games using Vulkan a bunch of them are actually from Feral Interactive. It even includes the upcoming Rise of the Tomb Raider as well as their previous Linux ports which have Vulkan support. It's pleasing to see Feral get more recognition for their hard work both in terms of Linux gaming and using Vulkan.
Thanks for the tip mirv!
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
I already have no respect for id since they removed support from Quake Live. So I'm not surprised in the slightest that they wouldn't put in even the tiniest bit of effort toward a release on GNU/Linux.
They're definitely one company that I'll always have a sour taste in my mouth toward, almost no matter what they do at this point.
Last edited by ison111 on 24 March 2018 at 6:17 pm UTC
They're definitely one company that I'll always have a sour taste in my mouth toward, almost no matter what they do at this point.
Last edited by ison111 on 24 March 2018 at 6:17 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
I see this as a good thing. First, if you want to play Doom on Linux. it runs great on Wine, for the exact same reasons the ID team got it running easily on Linux.
Second, this give a slap in the face of a small but vocal subset of the Linux community, made up of people who believe Linux ports are only a matter of engines, middleware, DirectX vs OpenGL, etc. There's nothing wrong with those Linux users, except they have to stop being so naive, hence this is why the ID move is badly needed for those users to wake up.
Steam on Linux has been around for a while now, people should start to understand that Linux ports don't get done because they are easy to make, because the game is using SDL or Vulkan or whatever other library native to Linux. Linux ports happen because business managers sign contracts to get the port done. That's it. Software developers do not make business decisions, releasing a Linux version of a game is a business decision, not a technical one.
Second, this give a slap in the face of a small but vocal subset of the Linux community, made up of people who believe Linux ports are only a matter of engines, middleware, DirectX vs OpenGL, etc. There's nothing wrong with those Linux users, except they have to stop being so naive, hence this is why the ID move is badly needed for those users to wake up.
Steam on Linux has been around for a while now, people should start to understand that Linux ports don't get done because they are easy to make, because the game is using SDL or Vulkan or whatever other library native to Linux. Linux ports happen because business managers sign contracts to get the port done. That's it. Software developers do not make business decisions, releasing a Linux version of a game is a business decision, not a technical one.
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: strycoreI see this as a good thing. First, if you want to play Doom on Linux. it runs great on Wine, for the exact same reasons the ID team got it running easily on Linux.I disagree, because Wine gaming doesn't in any way support Linux gaming.
Quoting: strycoreSecond, this give a slap in the face of a small but vocal subset of the Linux community, made up of people who believe Linux ports are only a matter of engines, middleware, DirectX vs OpenGL, etc. There's nothing wrong with those Linux users, except they have to stop being so naive, hence this is why the ID move is badly needed for those users to wake up.This however I do agree with, I've said so many times simply using Vulkan won't mean more Linux ports and I've had maaaany heated disagreements with me over it.
Steam on Linux has been around for a while now, people should start to understand that Linux ports don't get done because they are easy to make, because the game is using SDL or Vulkan or whatever other library native to Linux. Linux ports happen because business managers sign contracts to get the port done. That's it. Software developers do not make business decisions, releasing a Linux version of a game is a business decision, not a technical one.
5 Likes, Who?
Quoting: liamdaweQuoting: strycoreI see this as a good thing. First, if you want to play Doom on Linux. it runs great on Wine, for the exact same reasons the ID team got it running easily on Linux.I disagree, because Wine gaming doesn't in any way support Linux gaming.
Quoting: strycoreSecond, this give a slap in the face of a small but vocal subset of the Linux community, made up of people who believe Linux ports are only a matter of engines, middleware, DirectX vs OpenGL, etc. There's nothing wrong with those Linux users, except they have to stop being so naive, hence this is why the ID move is badly needed for those users to wake up.This however I do agree with, I've said so many times simply using Vulkan won't mean more Linux ports and I've had maaaany heated disagreements with me over it.
Steam on Linux has been around for a while now, people should start to understand that Linux ports don't get done because they are easy to make, because the game is using SDL or Vulkan or whatever other library native to Linux. Linux ports happen because business managers sign contracts to get the port done. That's it. Software developers do not make business decisions, releasing a Linux version of a game is a business decision, not a technical one.
He is the Lutris maintainer so it is very normal to see him advocating for Wine.
Last edited by Leopard on 24 March 2018 at 6:38 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
dmacofalltrades Mar 24, 2018
Day-1 purchase for me the moment that happens.
Until then...No Tux No Bucks.
Until then...No Tux No Bucks.
5 Likes, Who?
I can understand iD don't want the burden of supporting a Linux version, but why don't they give this job to Feral Interactive then? It's their job, both iD, Feral and the Linux gamers will be happy about that! It's an f'ing win-win situation.
Just do it already!
Last edited by Creak on 24 March 2018 at 7:23 pm UTC
Just do it already!
Last edited by Creak on 24 March 2018 at 7:23 pm UTC
4 Likes, Who?
I do believe that being able to play Doom on Linux benefits Linux gaming overall. Making the Linux gaming library much larger by also including games that were not originally programmed to run natively will inevitably make the player base grow, thus making Linux matter more to decision makers.
The strategy of telling publishers "we're not buying your game unless there's a Linux version" doesn't really work. A lot of Linux ports we do have were made out of kindness, passion, curiosity, geekiness or a combination of those. Of course, we also do have ports that are driven by contracts with publishers but outside Feral, I can't think of anyone releasing big titles recently.
I'm not really advocating for the use of Wine, I'm advocating to use Linux as the extremely powerful OS is it, one that can run anything you throw at it. In 2018, there has been a lot of exciting news regarding DXVK, Mesa, etc but not so much regarding native games (at least we're getting a Tomb Raider soon). My hope is that, by the end of the year, Wine and DXVK will have become so good that the overall Linux user base will grow substantially, forcing publishers to pay attention to the platform.
But whether or not publishers support Linux, we can still play (almost) anything we want, because Linux (with the overall Open Source world) can do pretty much anything.
I'm honestly more concerned by Epic Games actively avoiding fully getting behind Linux than by ID Software having an unreleased Linux version of DOOM, I finished DOOM already, on Linux, at 200fps, using Vulkan. I loved it.
Last edited by strycore on 24 March 2018 at 11:09 pm UTC
The strategy of telling publishers "we're not buying your game unless there's a Linux version" doesn't really work. A lot of Linux ports we do have were made out of kindness, passion, curiosity, geekiness or a combination of those. Of course, we also do have ports that are driven by contracts with publishers but outside Feral, I can't think of anyone releasing big titles recently.
I'm not really advocating for the use of Wine, I'm advocating to use Linux as the extremely powerful OS is it, one that can run anything you throw at it. In 2018, there has been a lot of exciting news regarding DXVK, Mesa, etc but not so much regarding native games (at least we're getting a Tomb Raider soon). My hope is that, by the end of the year, Wine and DXVK will have become so good that the overall Linux user base will grow substantially, forcing publishers to pay attention to the platform.
But whether or not publishers support Linux, we can still play (almost) anything we want, because Linux (with the overall Open Source world) can do pretty much anything.
I'm honestly more concerned by Epic Games actively avoiding fully getting behind Linux than by ID Software having an unreleased Linux version of DOOM, I finished DOOM already, on Linux, at 200fps, using Vulkan. I loved it.
Last edited by strycore on 24 March 2018 at 11:09 pm UTC
7 Likes, Who?
Come on people... We talking about Bethesda or ZeniMax or whatever here people. Do not give any hope. Probably PS4, XB1 and Switch crossplay are more important to them than Linux.
For me this is one of many examples of contributing "middle finger" to free software. But don't worry, they can choose either:
- keep going war on piracy with dying Denuvo and CPU-killing anti tampering virtualization which piss everyone off and encourage more gamers to finding "unofficial" copies (a.k.a losing customers) or;
- embrace Linux gaming as new market that piracy is rare for many obvious reasons, willing to help contributing to solving bugs and problems and also successfully convert former pirate to support devs/studios (eg. Me).
No love lost.
For me this is one of many examples of contributing "middle finger" to free software. But don't worry, they can choose either:
- keep going war on piracy with dying Denuvo and CPU-killing anti tampering virtualization which piss everyone off and encourage more gamers to finding "unofficial" copies (a.k.a losing customers) or;
- embrace Linux gaming as new market that piracy is rare for many obvious reasons, willing to help contributing to solving bugs and problems and also successfully convert former pirate to support devs/studios (eg. Me).
No love lost.
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: Guestlet me just start cooking this conspiracy bacon
it's because big publishers want to help microsoft create a pc gaming monopoly
Why the eff would they do that? You know that M$ is also a game publisher, right? That means they are competition. Also, M$ has enjoyed PC-gaming monopoly for decades.
Last edited by Brisse on 24 March 2018 at 7:44 pm UTC
0 Likes
Quoting: Guestlet me just start cooking this conspiracy bacon
it's because big publishers want to help microsoft create a pc gaming monopoly
No , they don't want that. But they don't want to move on to more secure solutions either because of this MS threat.
Because it didn't happen yet.
A wise man once said this:
"Installing Linux is sort of the equivalent of moving to Canada when one doesn’t like US political trends.
Nope, we’ve got to fight for the freedoms we have today, where we have them today."
Tim Sweeney-2018
Let's share some Ninja plays Fortnite videos qq
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