Quoting: corqSo I'm not crazy about the haterade linux zealots can foist on game devs and their ports, but there's also the very real chance that Windows game devs could, in future scenarios, just "spin" crappy linux ports out with no regard to whether they're buggy or not. Later, they will fall back on poor linux adoption metrics and statistics, and falsely claim the linux market is sh*te and not make any effort to produce a good game experience.

Just because they ported a popular game to a technical standard doesn't mean they used the same QA standards they used to chase that sweet, sweet windows market share.

On which note whenever I post a review on Steam or GOG, I specify that I've played it on Linux and I share any issues which I've had with it. If the game has played perfectly (e.g. Rocket League) I state that as well. Not only does this draw attention to Linux from the developers, but it also gives confidence to prospective Linux buyers.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: adolsonLinux isn't a big enough market for most companies to care about, yet it's big enough to significantly drop stock prices?? OK, then.

This is all unfortunate, but it's not really surprising. Many companies received a lot of abusive correspondence from Linux users for the past two decades. Some things never change.

While you're on that subject, as a proud Linux user, I regularly post to friends and other channels about my lack of appreciation of Microsoft and Apple. Not going to do it here, but I have plenty of bad things to say about both those companies and their business practices.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Yes, pretty insane pricing. But then I see the logic re consoles.

Meanwhile, similar game "7 Days To Die" has just recently been at 60% discount in Steam Summer sale, it has just had a big update improving graphics, variety, and game balancing. Absolutely love 7D2D. Can't recommend it enough. I've just recently written a chapter in the life of my latest Alpha 16 7D2D character playing on a random map.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

It's a shame we haven't got a port of Witcher 3 but "it's no big deal" - Just live with it.

You have a few choices:

- Don't buy it at all and forget about it, because it isn't on Linux.

- Buy it and play it using WINE on Linux.

- Buy it and play it on Windows, if you love the game so much. ( I did that for "DOOM" )

There is a huge count of alternative games that have Linux ports. Enjoy them, buy them and "show the love" back to Linux-supporting developers. More than 3000 Linux games on Steam. WOOHOO!!!

It is a waste of time, bemoaning the situation. During the recent Steam Summer Sale, I've loaded up on 10 more native Linux games beyond my previous collection.

No, you shouldn't vilify CD Projekt Red for not releasing on Linux. It's just childish and won't improve the situation.

Meanwhile enjoy Witcher 2 - which does have a full Linux release.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

In the same way that Croteam has done with Serious Sam 1,2,3 in creating the Fusion system, adding a Vulkan graphics back-end: It would be great if CDPR could get familiar with Vulkan technology and create a Witcher 3 beta which supports Vulkan. [For the uninitiated, Croteam did this in order to train up their skills on Vulkan on products they know well, and then be able to use Vulkan properly in future projects.]

They get to improve their in-house expertise with Vulkan, they can concentrate on Vulkan for their future games (rather than multiple versions of DirectX across multiple versions of Windows.)

AND... If Vulkan was in their products, then even if they don't create native Linux ports, anyone in the Linux community who wants to play their games, has the choice of playing the Windows version of the game in WINE with practically no problems.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

I find quite a few things upsetting in the world of Linux gaming.

I really loved "Legend of Grimrock" - It was one of the first decent games I played on Linux (bought it on GOG) about 4 years ago. So happy to be able to play that wonderful game on Linux. And then, the next one - Legend of Grimrock 2 - What's going on, it's not on Linux. Well, I picked it up anyway, and thanks to WINE I was still able to play it on Linux although I would have much preferred a native version. (Devs at Almost Human - fingers crossed, then I can play it again, *properly* .)

And then I look at other titles which have done similarly:
The Witcher 2 - Hurray, it's on Linux. The Witcher 3 - Aww no. There isn't a Linux port.
The Banner Saga - cool, a Linux port. The Banner Saga 2 - No Linux port.
Shadow Warrior (2013) - Played it on Linux recently. Shadow Warrior 2 - It should be coming to Linux eventually, but nothing so far, sniffle.
Codemaster's F1 2015 came to Linux. F1 2016 - No Linux port ( due to not enough interest in the 2015 game).
Divinity: Original Sin - A Linux Port. Divinity: Original Sin 2 - No Linux port.

Then there are the games that have surprised me:
Serious Sam HD One, Two - Coming to Linux with Vulkan - Thanks to Croteam's new Fusion system.
Overlord I and II - Old Windows games - surprisingly given Linux ports.
Rocket League - The developers kept their word - It took a while, but we got one of the biggest games natively last year.
Dragon's Lair - Another big surprise - Given a Linux native port.
X-Blades - Another late Linux port.

Anyway, without Witcher 3, I have over 600 *Linux* games in my Steam library and over 100 Linux games in my GOG library. Eventually, I might get around to playing them all ;)

View this comment - View article - View full comments

To be honest I don't know what rubbish Steam is sharing in its OS statistics. I don't believe it gives a decent representation of the Linux user base.

This gives a better view of Linux users worldwide:

Quoting: rkfgHOWEVER, if you look at the desktop market share numbers, you'll see Linux having the biggest share ever, 2.36%.

This information would be a lot more useful, if Steam could be bothered to share it:

Linux game purchase total sum on Steam, Windows game purchase total on Steam, Mac total.
i.e. $10 million Linux in June 2017, $200 million Windows, $20 million Mac.

Also, this info:
Total game keys installed by Linux Steam client, versus Windows and Mac per month.
i.e. 50 million keys added by Linux Steam client, 900 million Windows, 100 million Mac.

Also, this info:
Total Man-Hours of gaming registered by each OS's Steam client, e.g.
1 million man-hours Linux, 90 million man-hours Windows, 2 million man-hours Mac.

The Steam survey info for Linux usage is practically meaningless. It would be good if some developers could publish cross-platform statistics as well. If enough developers did it, then it would be a reasonable way to get a feel for the Linux gaming market (versus the rest).

e.g. Mad Max 200k Linux gamers, 5M Windows gamers, 100k Mac gamers
Dying Light 250k Linux gamers, 6M Windows gamers, 150k Mac gamers
Rocket League 300k Linux gamers, 10M Windows gamers, 400k Mac gamers
Civilization 6...

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Quoting: inlinuxdude

Quoting: DrakkerDarkest Dungeon is 60% off.

I bought DD the first day of Summer Sale. I've been playing the heck out of it since.. It's atmosphere and ability to make you lose hours at a time is a bit reminiscent to me of Hand of Fate. I think its great..

I also bought it during the sale, and I think highly of it, but the play-style isn't quite my cup of tea. My issue is similar to a number of other players, in that you play with no attachment to your adventuring team. Basically, you're a completely mercenary boss, back at the base, and when your team is overcome with insanity and diseases you drop them and continue with a set of newbie characters. If you do try to treat your team, then you end up using too much gold to counter the afflictions and that means you can't upgrade your base. This then leads on to making the game a bit grindy, as you re-run short quests, drop your characters, slowly improve your base, rinse and repeat. Further on, you're trying to maintain some of your higher level characters so you can go on higher level quests.

Also, on top of the above play-style, each combat round has virtual dice rolls, where the skill and equipment level of your characters can easily be overcome by dice luck. Your aim is to try to minimise the damage, but a few bad rolls and your current team can be destroyed and grind, grind, grind.. let's build another team.

FTL is more my cup of tea. By doing well in that game, completing quests, you unlock different ships. You can then try different play-throughs with those new set-ups. Each play-through begins with a basic team, not one which is either levelled-up or racked with afflictions. When combat takes place it feels more like you have control of surviving it, even if it is easy to be decimated by some lucky hits.

View this comment - View article - View full comments

I've been considering getting it for a while - It's a very nice looking game with good mechanics and a friend recommended it to me. It is now at its highest recorded discount of 75%: Valley

Wallet coming out now...

View this comment - View article - View full comments

Personally, I'm quite tempted and impressed by the value of the Valve Complete Pack . It works out as 91% discount, and gets you a tonne of really great Linux titles such as Counter-Strike: GO, Halflife, Halflife 2, Portal, Portal 2, Left 4 Dead 2, plus a number of others. There are a few Windows-only games in there too.

Noting that in my case, I already own some of those titles. However, the way the offer works, it cuts out the titles you already own so you just pay for the ones you're missing. Pretty cool eh!

Now... the question... do I get it.... the wallet, it burns!!!!

View this comment - View article - View full comments