Quoting: maodzedun

Quoting: KimyrielleI am actually surprised that the numbers aren't going up more noticeably compared to 1-2 years ago, since it was always thought that the lack of games would be one of the major reasons holding back Linux growth. With all the games now available, one should think this is less of a factor now - but we're still around the 1% margin we always have been at. Maybe the Steam machines will do something about it.

Overwhelmingly larger Windows catalogue (for AAA games), crap performance from AMD hardware in Linux and abysmal from Intel, inability to use a lot of software, a sheet long list of distros that will totally confuse any new commer, Unity Launcher in the most popular distribution, overall higher level of tech knowledge required to use Linux...

Well, you started off pretty strong there. Some good points. Perhaps you should have stopped before you got into murky waters of Unity-hate and blatant opinion on the ease of use of Linux or the toxicity of the user base.

But I'll bite anyway. Care to expand on what you think users won't like about the Unity Launcher? Be specific. As I say, I've been an Ubuntu user a long time and I agree that the 11.04 and 11.10 iterations were raw - I tended to revert my use of those versions back to... oh, I can't remember the name of it now... Docker? Something like that. But by 12.04, Unity Launcher was solid and since 15.04 is about to launch, that means that I've been using this Launcher for nearly 3 years and had no idea it was somehow magically "bad".

What's wrong with it?

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Quoting: masteredu

Quoting: KimyrielleI am actually surprised that the numbers aren't going up more noticeably compared to 1-2 years ago, since it was always thought that the lack of games would be one of the major reasons holding back Linux growth. With all the games now available, one should think this is less of a factor now - but we're still around the 1% margin we always have been at. Maybe the Steam machines will do something about it.

Sry to say that, but I believe its the fault of the distributions:

The top players are Linux Mint, which is community driven, Ubuntu which looks ugly, is slow and uses outdated software and represents linux for a lot of people and I believe Arch (?) which is however community driven as well.
1 year ago Ubuntu and Canonical had a very good position but nowadays I dont believe anyone really supports Ubuntu anymore with their egoistic behaviour...

Can't take you seriously after comments like that. You think Ubuntu is ugly and slow? I don't and I've been using it since 2006.

Valve don't care what we think though, either. They need the most popular distro and to stand behind it. Until that becomes SteamOS, it's Ubuntu. Everything else is irrelevant. Sure it's great that Steam works on other distros, but irrelevant.

Quoting: mastereduJust think about, if you would have friends and family, would you *really* recommend them to use Linux? Like really? I wouldn't.

Yes. Really. I would.

And I have. Got a few friends now, tired of Windows, not wanting to waste money on a new laptop they only use for web and email. One Ubuntu install later, all fixed, all happy. Not sure what your solution would be, but mine worked out okay. Of maybe 7 or 8 such installs over the past four or so years, only one bought a new laptop and that was after running Ubuntu for about two years - loved it, but needed a new laptop after battery issues with the old one. They despise Windows 8, but haven't (yet) asked me to revert it back to Ubuntu, probably because they know it takes me a couple of hours of tinkering to get all their stuff "just so". I imagine it will happen eventually though.

What's your problem with recommending Linux?

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Yeah, you're bang on with that Reassembly comparison. Looks like a cartoon version of that game...

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Pretty much one of my favourite games of all time. And free - source code available under GPL3. However, I paid £4.99 for it on Steam and had I known how many hours I would pour into this game, I'd have gladly paid three or four times that amount.

And I haven't even scratched the surface! I play on Adventure mode which gives you around 4 or 5 lives (depending on how far you get) and I've played almost exclusively Archmage. And I haven't finished the game even once. The depth is simply awesome, but unlike something like DOTA2, you're not required to have read every nuance to enjoy yourself first.

If you die in ToME, it's your fault. And I've died a lot.

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I'd not heard of this, but yeah, it looks good. Shame.

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Quoting: maodzedunEnter Unity 8. Have you tried the beta of Unity 8? That hybrid desktop/tablet interface is just awful. I'm very happy they managed to convince big time phone manufacturers like Samsung make Ununtu phones but mixing desktop and mobile interface is a disaster. At least in Windows 8 I could fix that problem with 5 bucks for Start8. Honestly - of all distros I enjoy ElementaryOS' (respectively Pantheon's) interface the most but sadly it's development cycles are so sparse Ubuntu 14.04 repos will be stone age old by the time Freya hits 1.0.

PS You're missing out on Planetside 2 - the game is almost playable with an i7, now (at least 30% of my decision to get one last month :D)

Nah, I'm staying clear of Unity 8 until 16.04, when it'll be considered more "ready". It's mostly still just a phone interface at the moment as far as I can tell. Hopefully Canonical learned their lesson with 11.04 when Unity was introduced in a half-finished state. If you're going to force change, at least make it a pleasant change, right?

I do miss Planetside 2. I was getting a little too hooked on it though, having joined a clan and gotten involved in twice weekly training sessions in my Vannu Scythe. Honestly, it was becoming a bit of an addiction. Best for everyone that I moved on, I reckon!

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Quoting: maodzedunAnd with the direction Cannonical are taking with Unity's interface ("Let's take everything people hated in Windows 8 and put it in our desktop environment" ) there will be a definite slowdown in that progress.

Nice bit of FUD to ruin a positive comment. Care to expand which features of Unity you think are "hated in Windows 8" and therefore deserved to be included? Cos I've used both and that statement might be chicken, could be horse, but I suspect it's just bull.

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Just skimmed 7 pages and it looks like the common thread is that folk dual boot for access to Windows exclusives, or older Windows-only games.

That was my experience when I dual-booted from 2006 to around mid 2012. At the end, only Planetside 2 was keeping me on Windows. After a particularly torrid week in mid 2012, where Windows 7 spent more time patching itself than I used it to play games, I decided enough was enough. Steam had been announced for Linux and I took the plunge. Never looked back.

If I had to gripe, I'd love the following games (or at least their sequels) to come to Linux:
Dishonoured, Skyrim, Tomb Raider, Fallout 3 ... eh...

Hmmm. I thought there would be more.

Certainly, looking at my Steam profile, I thought there would be more big names in my top-played list that were Windows only. Apparently not.

Wow.

[Edit: And "Driver: San Fran"! Loved that game. Miss it...]

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Contagion is turning into another 7 Days to Die. It was promised within weeks of the Windows release - something about needing to buy a new license? Or needing the Portal 2 code? Ach, I can't remember. All I know is that it's been months, nearly (and feels like) years. I can't believe anything the devs say now.

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Quoting: nameless980

Quoting: scaineBattling unearthly forces, eh? I'm still thinking that this is Darksiders related! Which would be superb, cos we've waited a long time for those two to appear.

actually, no. evolve had same day linux support i believe. (notice, i could be wrong)

I think you've replied to the wrong guy. I think it's Darksiders, however @tuxisagamer thinks it's Evolve. I'm subscribed to the Steam thread asking for Linux support for Evolve, so I don't think there's a day-one Linux client for that game...

[Edit: Unless you thought I was referring to Evolve when I said "those two". I meant Darksiders 1 & 2]

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