It appears that Valve aren't stopping their push to improve Linux gaming, as they just recently hired another developer to help improve open source graphics drivers.
The new hire is Tony Wasserka, a programmer with a lot of experience. Looking over their resume, Wasserka previously worked for the likes of Imagination Technologies where they worked on the Vulkan driver for PowerVR graphics chips. Additionally they also help to found the Nintendo 3DS emulator Citra, they're a contributor to the GameCube and the Wii emulator Dolphin, they also contributed in the past to the Wine compatibility layer and more. It's pretty safe to say they know their way around some complicated code.
After posting for help on Twitter only a few days ago, today Wasserka posted a surprising new update to mention this:
It's settled: Going forward I'll be working with Valve on improving the state of open-source graphics for Linux, starting with the RADV AMD driver!
Note - RADV is the Vulkan driver for AMD GPUs with the open source Mesa drivers.
Considering all the resources Valve are putting into Linux gaming across a number of developers to work on the actual graphics drivers, the ACO shader compiler, the Steam client on Linux, the Linux Steam Runtime container system, working with CodeWeavers on the Proton compatibility layer for Steam Play and more they must be pretty confident in their plans for Linux gaming as a whole. No matter what, everyone on Linux ends up benefiting from all their work since it's largely open source.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Comandante Ñoñardo Jul 30, 2020
https://twitter.com/SteamDB/status/1288557775279337477
With this, they will finally do something against the use of VPN.
Quoting: PatolaWe're not using Windows ABIs. We're using Windows APIs
It's absolutely using Windows ABIs. It' using Exe and Dll files.
oldrocker99 Jul 31, 2020
Quoting: oldrocker99One developer did say that it was easier for him to ensure Proton compatibility than to create a Linux version of his game, FWIW.Of course it is, because for developers they end up doing nothing to get those Linux sales thanks to Proton. However, it also entirely takes it out of their hands and then they're even more dependent on Valve for everything. Being realistic there's no way they're going to dive into Wine code to fix problems themselves when they come up. Since they're also then not likely to look into packaging for Linux at all, it also locks Linux to Steam. For me, I'm not biased towards any store but I can see why having everything in one place ends up as a bad idea.
Quoting: FrawoNot even to mention that Proton often outperforms native Linux ports, like with Dying Light or Borderlands 2 (at least for me).Well, old OpenGL ports are of course going to run slower than a constantly updated Vulkan layer. A good modern port with some time spent on it is another matter.
Quoting: Liam DaweQuoting: oldrocker99One developer did say that it was easier for him to ensure Proton compatibility than to create a Linux version of his game, FWIW.Of course it is, because for developers they end up doing nothing to get those Linux sales thanks to Proton. However, it also entirely takes it out of their hands and then they're even more dependent on Valve for everything. Being realistic there's no way they're going to dive into Wine code to fix problems themselves when they come up. Since they're also then not likely to look into packaging for Linux at all, it also locks Linux to Steam. For me, I'm not biased towards any store but I can see why having everything in one place ends up as a bad idea.
In current actuality, that's true. However, Wine and even Proton itself are open source. Valve couldn't stop some other portal if they wanted to offer Proton for their Linux users. Maybe if we had a bigger market share, they even would. So it's not a theoretical barrier, it's just that nobody else feels like stepping up.
Quoting: Purple Library GuyIn current actuality, that's true. However, Wine and even Proton itself are open source. Valve couldn't stop some other portal if they wanted to offer Proton for their Linux users. Maybe if we had a bigger market share, they even would. So it's not a theoretical barrier, it's just that nobody else feels like stepping up.If we got enough market share where that would make sense, you would hope that developers would support Linux proper by then though and not rely on a compatibility layer. That's the ideal scenario anyway but we're a long way off of course.
Quoting: Liam DaweProton'd still be handy for those Good Old Games though. Not that there's any game sellers that emphasize those . . .Quoting: Purple Library GuyIn current actuality, that's true. However, Wine and even Proton itself are open source. Valve couldn't stop some other portal if they wanted to offer Proton for their Linux users. Maybe if we had a bigger market share, they even would. So it's not a theoretical barrier, it's just that nobody else feels like stepping up.If we got enough market share where that would make sense, you would hope that developers would support Linux proper by then though and not rely on a compatibility layer. That's the ideal scenario anyway but we're a long way off of course.
oldrocker99 Aug 7, 2020
Last edited by oldrocker99 on 7 August 2020 at 10:03 pm UTC
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