Stadia gets Elder Scrolls Online on June 16, 1440p in web and more

Quoting: GeoGalvanicI was going to try to play the ranked mode in PUBG but it seems it's only for controllers. A bit disappointing since I can't even seem to get my steam controller to work with Stadia.

I don't play PUBG much but I tried a few times and I did it all via of KB + M.

Here are the controllers that I have working with Stadia:

* Steam Controller
* Logitech F310 (Wired)
* Hori RAP 4 KAI (Wired)
* MadCatz Fightpad (Wired)

I'm using Google Chrome Web Browser on Ubuntu Mate 18.04.

Quoting: Purple Library GuyI'd be willing to bet they use Linux for the servers because, first, Linux servers are more efficient, and second, they don't have to worry about licensing (and, third, with open source they can tweak 'em as they need, and fourth Google know all about running Linux servers because they already use them for most of their other stuff for the other three reasons). Savings mount up when you've got huge numbers of servers; it wouldn't have made economic sense to use Windows.
I get the impression Windows licensing is fairly cheap right now, but you never know when they'll try to get more revenue through that channel; what would Google do if MS realize their fond dream of going subscription-based? And MS is Google's competitor; no need to hand them a rug to pull out from under you.
But no, it's not like they give a damn about Linux as used outside of Google, and certainly they don't care a bean for the Linux desktop.

I heard there are like 12,000 users of Stadia? It goes back to point I made. That it wasn't hard for them to support Linux because Google is heavily invested on the platform on server side and know their way around and because it's based on Debian. The second reason being that they will need to cast as wide net as possible to ensure enough players are on the platform, so that it doesn't feel like a wasteland.
To your comments; who doesn't use Linux? Many companies either use Linux or BSD for their products or servers. It's just desktop that they don't care about.

Quoting: SirLootALotGrid and Metro: Exodus are likely to get Linux support on the Steam version. Other Games had Linux support before, like the Serious Sam Games or the Tomb Raider Games.

Quoting: Liam DaweWell no, you don't play them locally, it's game streaming.

If you mean does it have games, that also have Linux desktop support on other stores, yes it does including: Jotun, Sundered, the SteamWorld series, soon to be Metro Exodus, we've seen hints of GRID coming too. That is entirely besides the point though, it's a different platform, that works on Linux. It's an additional / different way to play. Still, nice it uses Vulkan and Linux though behind the scenes.

I was thinking of if there are games on Stadia store that has Linux local play support because of Google i.e Google showing love to Linux by encouraging developers to release their games locally too for Linux. Grid and Metro EXodus are among the two games that has been on Linux already prior to Stadia, so I think the credit of why it will come to Linux goes to developers (Feral and Metro devs). Metro Exodus was released DRM free on GOG recently, so another point for Metro Devs. The fact Stadia uses Vulkan seems to make the process for devs, who have or are already supporting Linux, easier.

EDIT: Wait Stadia doesn't support local play? It's strictly streaming?! I thought it did as a way to break into the market..

Quoting: Liam DaweYou're right, it wasn't, so it's actually a nice addition. They only originally said 720p, 1080p and 4K. Now they're expanding on from that.

I misunderstood. Thought ESO was max supported resolution was only 1440, i.e no 4K. That's pretty good indeed.

Quoting: rustybroomhandleWhat's amusing here is that there are in the vicinity of about 800000 to 900000 Linux Gamers on Steam, and only about 12000 Stadia users, yet studios/publishers are more willing to throw money at those 12000 than to the hundreds of thousands of the rest of us.

Not amusing at all. ESA, Entertainment Software Assosciation, are banded together for a reason. That reason is to support their interests, whether it be microtransaction or whatever. Streaming with Stadia seems like it will give them another edge on consumers freedom. For example, now with Stadia's existence they will have opportunity to ask for money from Nvidia to allow their games on GeForce Now. Another being they can limit third party cheats for their games, which leaves gamers with no choice than pay up for microtransaction to speed up lvling or other things.

And I don't think it's fair. When Steam machines were a thing, many companies jump on board. So it's not like they haven't tried before. Also because Linux marketshare is not sustainable for all game development.


Last edited by Linuxwarper on 27 May 2020 at 3:53 pm UTC

Quoting: LinuxwarperEDIT: Wait Stadia doesn't support local play? It's strictly streaming?! I thought it did as a way to break into the market..

A very early test that used Assassin's Creed gave participants a normal copy of Assassin's Creed as a reward for taking part. You might be thinking of that. Stadia itself is strictly streaming.

Quoting: CatKillerA very early test that used Assassin's Creed gave participants a normal copy of Assassin's Creed as a reward for taking part. You might be thinking of that. Stadia itself is strictly streaming.

No, that's not where I got it from. I just was left with impression that you could play games you bought locally (provided you were online) in addition to being able to stream it. Now it all makes perfect sense. Why Geforce Now is being abandoned. Why games aren't made available on Linux. It's meaningless to hope for Google to encourage devs to release locally on Linux when they aren't even providing that opportunity to even Windows users.

I'm sure Stadia is good, but I am more certain now that supporting it will be to detriment to Linux and PC gaming as a whole. And I honestly don't think Linux needs Stadia. Just look at the progress Proton has made ever since it was released. If Linux gamers can wait a year, two or three for Feral to release games natively, perhaps we should wait a year or two for anti cheat to be resolved and we can play PUBG and other stuff. Or maybe months, if these games will be available on Steam Cloud before anti cheat is supported on WINE.


Last edited by Linuxwarper on 27 May 2020 at 9:27 pm UTC

Quoting: GuestIf Google decided to cancel Stadia things could get interesting, although we should not forget that it's the developers, not Stadia, who are ultimately responsible for their games, so it's not unreasonable to assume most will issue keys to other platforms, such as Steam if the event ever arises.

This is what happened when Desura went down. I did not get into Steam to really late but all of they keys I got from Desura worked when I passed them to friends. I kept playing the DRM-FREE binaries til the games were ended or if they have endless local kept them on my machines to play with my family.

Quoting: GuestI was playing Doom Eternal on Stadia from day one through Chrome without any issues, unlike what was experienced through Proton/Valve and I saved a lot of hard drive space. Each has their respective pros and cons. If Google decided to cancel Stadia things could get interesting, although we should not forget that it's the developers, not Stadia, who are ultimately responsible for their games, so it's not unreasonable to assume most will issue keys to other platforms, such as Steam if the event ever arises.

Anyone who claims streaming (in general) is bad, don't know what they are talking about.

I am not concerned Google will cancel Stadia. I am of damages Stadia can do to PC (Linux) gaming. Many of us want Linux to be adopted and to see the platform flourish. My main concern is that supporting Stadia could lead to ChromeOS becoming bigger than Linux. If such a scenario happens I worry it will detract from Linux ecosystem. That we will be beholden to Google's platform and less free. As opposed to a scenario where Linux finally is adopted (past few percentages) and the platform is supported more than ever before. Not only support of games but also support of other software.

Your points about being able to play Doom Eternal seems kinda meaningless for lack of better wording. Stadia is strictly streaming yes (as I was informed), but why? Why not give gamers choice of playing a game both locally and by streaming it? The answer should be obvious, they want to make streaming predominant option. Limiting of user choice. It could have been fine if Stadia was strictly streaming because then people could buy games on platforms of their choice. You want streaming? Stadia. Local? Steam/GOG/Other. Except Google is making exclusive deals. I would bet that in future they will pull a Sony and make deals to ensure games are available exclusive for streaming on Stadia and nowhere else.

If a future where users choices on how they can play games and where, with drm and potentially geopardizing Linux ecosystem is something we can be ok with by supporting Stadia, then we might as well just switch back to Windows and stick to their walled garden. Doom Eternal runs even better on Windows than it does on Stadia/Proton. Yes, you can play the game through Stadia ON Linux, but I think supporting the service will have detrimental effects on Linux marketshare when ChromeOS becomes another major competitor.

I don't mean to shame anyone for using Stadia, these are just my thoughts


Last edited by Linuxwarper on 27 May 2020 at 11:17 pm UTC

Quoting: LinuxwarperIt's meaningless to hope for Google to encourage devs to release locally on Linux when they aren't even providing that opportunity to even Windows users.

In the time before Stadia developers would make their games for Windows and take on the costs of supporting them on Windows, and a very small number with the skills to do so would also make their games for Linux and take on the costs of supporting them on Linux.

Stadia won't, by itself, encourage game developers to release a standalone version of any game, for Windows or Linux; quite the opposite, Google will pay developers not to release a standalone version if they think it will help their goal of growing Stadia as a platform.

But what it does do is force developers to learn how to make their games work on Linux with Vulkan - since that's necessary for a game to work on Stadia - and Google will provide resources to help them do that. What the developers do with that knowledge and the product they've created after that is down to the developers. Many are going to shy away from the (real or perceived) costs of supporting actual Linux versions on actual customers' hardware, but they'll all have learned how to make games without Windows and without DirectX, which has been a barrier in the past.

Some developers are going to say, "just use the Stadia version," just like some developers would say, "just use Wine." They want an easy life. Customers that aren't OK with that will miss out, and customers that are OK with that will be able to play games that aren't available natively. Just like if they were using Wine.

Whether a move to streaming is good or bad for gaming as a whole in the long run, it's too early to say. It opens up gaming to people whose Internet is better than their hardware, which might increase the size of the market so that more people can make more games. Geforce Now doesn't tie purchasers to one provider, but it does tie game developers to Windows; Stadia is the other way round, and Google's reputation for dropping services does hurt them. There are things like anti-cheat and enormous worlds that are easier to do "in the cloud" than locally. But there is less (real or perceived) ownership with streaming than local installs. It could shake out as good, bad, or neutral over all.

Personally, I'm more interested in a streaming service from Valve than anything that exists now. They have a better reputation for longevity than Google and they have a long-term investment in desktop Linux as a gaming platform. But it doesn't exist yet, except as speculation.

Quoting: CatKillerBut what it does do is force developers to learn how to make their games work on Linux with Vulkan - since that's necessary for a game to work on Stadia - and Google will provide resources to help them do that. What the developers do with that knowledge and the product they've created after that is down to the developers. Many are going to shy away from the (real or perceived) costs of supporting actual Linux versions on actual customers' hardware, but they'll all have learned how to make games without Windows and without DirectX, which has been a barrier in the past.

Yes, this is the only reason I am glad Stadia exists.

Quoting: CatKillerWhether a move to streaming is good or bad for gaming as a whole in the long run, it's too early to say. It opens up gaming to people whose Internet is better than their hardware, which might increase the size of the market so that more people can make more games. Geforce Now doesn't tie purchasers to one provider, but it does tie game developers to Windows; Stadia is the other way round, and Google's reputation for dropping services does hurt them. There are things like anti-cheat and enormous worlds that are easier to do "in the cloud" than locally. But there is less (real or perceived) ownership with streaming than local installs. It could shake out as good, bad, or neutral over all.

That streaming is good and has benefits is undeniable. I am not questioning that for a second. When I say streaming will harm PC gaming I am thinking of all the bad practices that will be baked into Stadia. We have already seen signs of these practices. Games being removed from Geforce Now, exclusive deals and Stadia not providing local play release. As you pointed out Google will pay developers to not release their games locally if it will help Stadia. And have they already not done that? Isn't Gylt currently exclusive to Stadia? So already today we see the signs of damage to PC gaming.

Quoting: CatKillerPersonally, I'm more interested in a streaming service from Valve than anything that exists now. They have a better reputation for longevity than Google and they have a long-term investment in desktop Linux as a gaming platform. But it doesn't exist yet, except as speculation.

Me too. I've already tested Remote Play, and it was OK experience. According to a post I came across the streaming is not as good on AMDGPUs as it is on Nvidia because of some encoding thing. I'm eagerly waiting for that to happen, if it happens at all.


Last edited by Linuxwarper on 28 May 2020 at 1:50 am UTC

Quoting: CatKillerBut what it does do is force developers to learn how to make their games work on Linux with Vulkan - since that's necessary for a game to work on Stadia - and Google will provide resources to help them do that. What the developers do with that knowledge and the product they've created after that is down to the developers. Many are going to shy away from the (real or perceived) costs of supporting actual Linux versions on actual customers' hardware, but they'll all have learned how to make games without Windows and without DirectX, which has been a barrier in the past.

Beyond Vulkan, it also creates pressure for the whole developer software ecosystem to support Linux. Everything from graphics drivers to game engines have another reason to treat Linux as a first class citizen with Stadia, and Google has reason to intervene directly to make that happen. They will want the whole toolchain, wall to wall, to be competitive with any other platform. That makes life easier for developers on Linux even if they have nothing to do with Stadia.

Which is not to say that I have no qualms about the idea of games moving to a streaming service model. I'm distinctly unenthused about that concept. I'm hoping Stadia does reasonably well, well enough to create those benefits, but not too well.

Quoting: GuestLast I checked PC gaming itself was shrinking

Is it? I mean, at this point the majority of PC gaming involves Steam. And Steam is growing, has been fairly consistently for years. For PC gaming overall to be shrinking, everything outside Steam would have to be friggin' imploding, which doesn't seem to be the case.


Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 28 May 2020 at 8:20 am UTC