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Editorial: Steam Machines are not dead, plus a video from The Linux Gamer
27 February 2017 at 7:04 am UTC Likes: 2

Quoting: m2mg2Feral ports are native. I think what you meant is that we need games developed for Linux, not ported to Linux from another platform as an afterthought.

Yes, you are correct, of course.



Quoting: m2mg2It isn't about being on par with Windows, not for me. If I wanted to be on par with Windows I would be on Windows. It is about being able to play games I like on a platform I like, a platform that respects me as a user and that I actually have control over.

But it is for general gamer. We are talking about Linux expansion and for this we need to persuade Windows users (I, for one, do not know a Linux user who did not start on Windows -- that's just how our education system works: everyone gets his/her "first dose" of Windows in the elementary school up to the point that the majority does not know Linux exist at all). And your "average John Smith" has "middle-end" (how the middle can have an end? :-) ) cards like GeForce GTX 950(Ti)/1050(Ti), not monsters like dual "GTX 1080" ot "Titan". One can say "it runs great on my 1080" as much as (s)he wants, this will not help the cause.


Quoting: m2mg2Windows use just happens to be growing faster, which when you look at it from a total percentage makes it look as though Linux use is shrinking.

Exactly! And this is what matters during "business decision" time for game developers. They are aiming for the most profitable market segment and Linux is getting less and less appealing.

Quoting: m2mg2Hopefully we will become a more appealing one as time goes by.

This will not happen automatically without our involvement.

Valve will not guide us towards the brightest future. And definitely, it will not be Feral either (sometimes I am thinking we could be doing better without Feral and its "ports" as they are doing disservice in advertisement).

We need to take more direct approach: to reach out to developers, persuade them we matter and we are passionate, starting from the small ones from Kickstarter or "indie" developers (we have the weight there as was shown by Humble Bundles) and aggregate the "critical mass" up to the point where even AAA-devs will not be able to dismiss us.

Editorial: Steam Machines are not dead, plus a video from The Linux Gamer
27 February 2017 at 5:58 am UTC Likes: 2

Quoting: liamdaweTorment: Tides of Numenera

It has nothing to do with either Valve or Feral. It was financed on Kickstarter and made on Unity3D engine.

Quoting: liamdaweVulkan will help to level out the performance difference for Linux vs Windows in terms of game performance.

Native releases instead of crappy Feral ports: 1, 2 will help us get even (please note the "Metro Last Light Redux" where the devs made the Linux version themselves). Why should I pay for twice more expensive hardware to get on par with Windows?

Quoting: liamdaweFor those wondering about my "more users" comment, remember that the Steam Hardware Survey percentage for operating system use is a ratio, so even when the percentage drops the overall user count is probably higher due to Steam's constant growth in terms of overall user-base.

That's just pure rationalization. By that logic we can conclude that the number of Linux gamers grew solely because of the increasing number of humans on the Earth! That's true but hardly relevant to Valve's push. And the numbers show us the obvious: Linux became less represented on Steam and thus less appealing for developers.

Quoting: liamdaweRight now, I see SteamOS and Steam Machines as being on a temporary hiatus...

In my country we have a saying: "Nothing is more permanent than the temporary".

Project Cars 2 now has a trailer, with no mention of their promised Linux/SteamOS support
14 February 2017 at 6:01 pm UTC Likes: 2

Quoting: bubexelIt's correct to pay for a product that you don't have any kind of guarrantee or support?

If it was a question then yes, it is correct to pay for a product you are using if its owners demand a fee for the usage. Regardless of the circumstances, period.

Quoting: bubexelwhy you should pay to play a game that maybe crash time to time and maybe won't load second level or get stuck in any place? I won't pay for any windows game to be used on wine.

If you started to use the product it means you have confirmed your acceptance of the terms of use. Have any complaints? Then do not use the product. It is as simple as this. If you are OK with WINE then it is your headache if the game does not run as the developers stated clearly in the system requirements: Windows is required.

Want to be sure? Purchase and install Windows (it is not that expensive at all) and start enjoying the game without any graphical and I/O glitches.

Still dissatisfied with the setup? That's understandable. Two options:
1) Try to convince the developers that they are losing customers (you being case in point) by not having Linux version;
2) Failing that, screw them and move to another project, which has Linux version. Those guys are deserving your money, time and appreciation more.

Project Cars 2 now has a trailer, with no mention of their promised Linux/SteamOS support
14 February 2017 at 2:01 pm UTC Likes: 4

Quoting: miroPC2 would be the first game on steamOS I would `pirate` by downloading it from whatever source and using a noCD-crack or whatever

That's illegal. Please, refrain from doing this. We do not want to cement our reputation as thieving beggars not capable of paying for Windows.

Quoting: miroJust for fun, to show my lack of support for these ...guys.

That won't hurt them in the slightest. In fact, it will benefit them as an excuse for not releasing for Linux and as a free advertisement of their "highly popular" product.

Moreover, they have no means to actually count "pirates" so either they will not know about this, or (if you foolishly tell them yourself) will sue you based on your own confession. It's a "Win/Win" scenario for them.

Quoting: elbuglioneI don't understand why continuous mention of this game on Gameonlinux

liamdawe has a soft spot for racing games, apparently, and for this project in particular. Everyone is a human being and have the right to feel bad. This is also the case for constant "The Witcher III" butth^W angst among some people who have difficulties accepting defeat and moving onto next "battle".

Turns out that 'River City Ransom: Underground' will see day-1 Linux support (updated)
14 February 2017 at 5:23 am UTC

Quoting: liamdaweBe aware, it doesn't sound like they know what they are doing

Uh-huh... Better safe than sorry. Will believe them only when see the release with my own eyes. And, of course, never pre-order!

Turns out that 'River City Ransom: Underground' will see day-1 Linux support (updated)
13 February 2017 at 10:21 pm UTC

Now we are talking business! DRM-free for Linux at Day-1 == Day-1 purchase.

Block’hood, the upwards focused neighbourhood-building simulator is now on GOG
7 February 2017 at 3:30 pm UTC

Quoting: Guestwhen you sort the Linux games by release date they sort by the Windows release date instead.

Makes sense, in a way...

Quoting: GuestSo devs who don’t release for Linux day one have a great chance of Linux users ignoring that their game even exists.

That should be another incentive to make a day-1 release. You can not expect the same hype for a four-year-old game port. After all, most of the Linux gamers have Windows friends who already moved on at the time of the port.

And here is another way of solving the issue: a great discount (like, 60%) and the news on the GOG's front page should do the work. :-)

The Linux port of Banished is still alive, the developer plans their next game to launch cross-platform on day-1
7 February 2017 at 10:45 am UTC Likes: 2

Quoting: liamdaweThey have merged their OpenGL paths together, so they no longer have OpenGL for Windows and then the Linux/Mac version, it's just all one now.

Which leaves us with the question: "Why do they need DirectX if they have unified OpenGL render and cross-platform input?"

Sudden Strike 4 looks like an amazing RTS that will have Linux support
6 February 2017 at 3:52 pm UTC

Quoting: LeopardOmg,you sure dislike Valve don't you?

And I'm honest about it. Pardon me for breaking this nice little sheeny world where everyone loves Valve® and prays to St. Newell.

Quoting: LeopardWhats wrong with SteamOS?

The Valve's attempt to hijack Linux gaming and replace it with its own controlled DRM-ed OS (even if it is based on Linux for now). That's sufficient for me.

Quoting: LeopardThese days most of the games only supports Ubuntu officially,but most of them also works on Arch,Fedora etc.

I'm not talking about "will/will_not work on $distroname}". I'm talking about replacing Linux with SteamOS™.

Quoting: LeopardAgain,i did the mistake guys.

So did I.

Quoting: LeopardDon't feed the troll.

Yes, guys, don't feed the troll. I'm done explaining and arguing with random Internet habitats for now.

Sudden Strike 4 looks like an amazing RTS that will have Linux support
6 February 2017 at 8:37 am UTC

Quoting: slaapliedjeOf course they state that. It is MUCH easier to say SteamOS, than it is to say Debian/Ubuntu/Arch/Fedora/OpenSuSE/etc...


Nice word equilibristics, my friend! I did not say "Debian/Ubuntu/Arch/Fedora/OpenSuSE/etc". I said Linux.

Quoting: slaapliedjeConsidering the fact that all of the closed source bits are written for Linux userland in mind...

Do you have an insider in Valve? Why do you assume that?

Quoting: slaapliedjedo you really think at this stage they would switch to a BSD kernel and have to run it with the Linux compatibility layer?

Especially network/multiplayer games. You know, the ones that can't play against Mac users because of some of the platform specific differences?

I don't care about Mac at all and current incompatibilities are probably due to MacOS problems. And yes, I do think a switch is entirely possible. Maybe not now, but definitely along the road, when Valve feel confident enough.

Valve already Embraced Linux ecosystem and now is in the process of Extending it with its closed-source locked-in Steam features like "Steam Controller" or "Steam VR". All of the Feral-ported games are available only on Steam. And they are in the process of replacing Linux brand with their own "Steam" one, of which this release is a clear indication. If/When they reach a critical mass of Steam adopters who think that "Linux Gaming == Steam Gaming", they will Extinguish Linux gaming.

Make no mistake, it would be extremely neat (for Valve) to have its own complete gaming ecosystem (like Sony and Nintendo do) or, better yet, to completely seize all of the PC gaming.

Quoting: slaapliedjeSo yeah, you are trolling.

Obviously, you are not that familiar with what trolling is. A troll will not respond further, its goal is to ignite a heated discussion, not to participate in it. So, I'm only expressing my point of view. You can disagree, that's fine. But to call someone "troll" for uncomfortable statements... is a clear indication of shortage of arguments.