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Latest Comments by Smoke39
Easy Anti-Cheat are apparently "pausing" their Linux support, which could be a big problem (updated)
5 May 2019 at 8:53 pm UTC Likes: 9

Quoting: callcifer
Quoting: liamdaweYou're misinterpreting my intentions. I did not deliberately try to stir anything up, stop acting like I am. It is interesting and on-point that Epic Games acquired them. Not long after, we now find this out. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to say they're related, in fact I still think it's quite possible hence me mentioning it.
If you honestly, truly believe that this conspiracy theory is not only possible, but probable, then I've seriously misjudged you. Oh well...
Just a few posts ago you were pointing out that the Epic Store not being on Linux was more likely a logistical business decision rather than a malicious one. Why, then, is the suggestion that they made a similar business decision about EAC a farfetched "conspiracy theory"?

Psyonix, creator of Rocket League is joining Epic Games (updated)
1 May 2019 at 9:42 pm UTC

Has anyone 'shopped Sweeney's face onto Locutus like that old Microsoft meme yet?

Valve announces new networking APIs for developers and Steam Link Anywhere
14 March 2019 at 8:43 pm UTC Likes: 1

Quoting: AnanaceI imagine that their "100% reliable NAT traversal" is just them hosting a series of TURN servers on their impressive infrastructure.
Since it also provides DDoS protection, and hiding of IP addresses, that would make a whole lot of sense actually.

It would also easily explain why the service in question would be limited to Steam's services.

For the people who are less aware, TURN servers are basically just echo nodes, to which you and the other part both connect and which then just echo the traffic between your connections. This is a 100% reliable way to bypass every single NAT, as it is just like any other connection to a server, which then facilitates peer-to-peer data transfer through it.

That's what it sounds like:
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/GameNetworkingSockets#why-do-i-see-steam-everywhere
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/GameNetworkingSockets#nat-piercing-icestunturn
It also sounds like they're planning to let you use the same API as the steamworks version, but with your own servers in the future. Until then, it doesn't sound to me like anything prevents you from rolling your own solution.

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin is the new FPS from 3D Realms, coming to Linux this Summer
8 March 2019 at 12:15 am UTC Likes: 5

Quoting: iiari
Quoting: BotonoskiI don't think I actually have many nostalgic memories attached to any of those things really.
Having lived and gamed in that era and played those games, I have nice memories, but no nostalgia for them at all. I find this whole pixel art and retro gaming phenomenon completely baffling. I spent that era wishing we had the graphics, services, and gameplay that we now enjoy today. So, I guess I'm living for the gaming momemt...
I really dislike how many 3D games look these days. Harsh lighting and shadows, annoying post-processing effects, environmental detail devolving into visual noise that's hard to parse. Earlier 3D games were primitive, but a lot easier on the eyes imo.

Dusk I feel used its retro aesthetic a bit as a crutch (which I can forgive from a small indie dev), but with Ion Maiden and it looks like with Wrath, too, I think 3D Realms has struck an excellent balance between old-school aesthetic and fidelity. It's said that art is as much about what you leave out as what you put in, and with games like these I feel like artists are actually free to do that - picking and choosing which details are important and which are not - whereas old games were limited by technology, and modern AAA games are blindly obsessed with similar visions of cinematic photorealism.

Looks like Easy Anti-Cheat strikes again with Steam Play, Paladins is no longer playable on Linux
9 February 2019 at 8:35 pm UTC Likes: 1

Quoting: Alm888Who cares about yet another Windows game not running on Linux? As if it is the only one…

By now we are basically swimming in good native games, so why bother spending your time on some Windows title which developers don't even care about Linux?

What hero shooters are there with native Linux support?

DUSK, the popular retro-inspired FPS now has a Linux testing build up, out for everyone next week
3 February 2019 at 9:19 pm UTC Likes: 4

Quoting: Whitewolfe80
Quoting: tim241YAY, the only thing left for them to do is get it on GOG, then I'll buy it! :)
Might be in for a wait bc the windows version isnt on gog
Their Post Release Roadmap lists "DRM Free versions" right at the top on the same line as Mac/Linux, so maybe it won't actually be too long?

Been looking forward to this. Glad to see the Linux version only a couple months after Windows. :)

The war of the PC stores is getting ugly, as Metro Exodus becomes a timed Epic Store exclusive
30 January 2019 at 11:49 pm UTC Likes: 11

Quoting: TobyGornowGeez... I never said Valve asked or paid for exclusive, they worked as a mandatory gateway for consumer without needing to pay a dime for it thanks to their quasi-monopolistic position, and Yakuza was just a prime example that I bought on Humble. If I have to register my game on this platform, only this platform, and I don't have a choice about it if I want to play it, it become an exclusive for this platform in my books, Valve paying for it or not, am I right ?

IMO nor Epic nor Steam is the culprit here, Deep Silver is the filthy prostitute, is that clear ? But you can't blame Epic to take action in order to get a slice of the pie, it's just simple business, they are paying to get a product the others don't have in order to get more customers, again & again & again you are right 100% about the disgusting move but it's business 101. Valve didn't have to pay or ask for exclusives in their store, they were coming by themselves (hence Yakuza 0 example), Tencent is just cranking up the heat and it's just fair game, if valve wants exclusive they will NOW have to pay for it.

Please, I beg you, stop saying Valve is nice or nicer than Epic it hurts. They are crooks with their 30% cut, Quasi-monopolistic positon for years, they killed physical distribution with more than aggressive pricing, Steam can be considered as a DRM locking down pc gaming to their platform, and let's wait and see if source 2 Engine games will be distributed outside Steam, announcement has been made 2 years ago when they were still undisputed. Unreal Engine is free to use too don't know about their distribution politics tho.

Let's time decide if Steam is a lesser evil than Epic. And again I'm on your side, I hate exclusives, I was pissed when I learned that Bloodborne was not coming to PC.
There's a difference between a developer independently choosing to release exclusively on the platform with the largest customer base, and being paid for exclusivity. One is a regrettable but legitimate logistical decision, the other is an active effort to harm the customer for a cheap buck.

Yes, it's bad that Deep Silver sold out their own customers for bribe money, but Epic is also bad for offering the bribe, something you seem unwilling to condemn them for. They're BOTH at fault here.

You also seem to begrudge Valve just because they're large. But they got to that point on their own merits, by building up a quality service, not bribery. Stronger competition would be good to keep Valve from getting complacent, but it should be by offering a legitimately better service, not by dragging the market through the mud.

The war of the PC stores is getting ugly, as Metro Exodus becomes a timed Epic Store exclusive
29 January 2019 at 10:56 pm UTC Likes: 14

Strategies for competing with Steam:
  • GoG is DRM-free.

  • Humble gives to charity.

  • Itch is open-ended.

  • Epic takes hostages.

Another Steam Client Beta is out, adds the ability to force Steam Play
18 January 2019 at 12:56 pm UTC Likes: 6

Quoting: GuestWow, seems I've stirred things up with the fanboys. Cool down folks.

I've been one-click installing games through Steam, via wine, for years. With no troubles. Apparently I baked a wonderful cake quite some time ago.

"Proton" has never run a single game for me that didn't run through vanilla wine. In many cases, vanilla wine runs a game that "Proton" won't. I don't see that being in favour of "Proton".

Semi-support from Valve has already proven to not fully work anyway.

...and you know who you are, trying to pass an insult off as a joke is silly. Please drop it.

Now, it seems many have troubles that I've never seen. As in, I could do everything with a button click already. What stopped that for others before?
I find your continued indignation at kuhpunkt's comment rather galling considering your persistent dismissal of and condescension toward anyone who finds Steam Play useful.

I could easily counter your anecdotes of your experiences with Wine with my own of Steam working poorly under Wine and Far Cry 2 crashing with Wine but working fine with Steam Play without any fiddling.

Nobody's trying to stop you from using what works for you, but you seem hellbent on shutting down anyone whose experiences don't match your own.

Another Steam Client Beta is out, adds the ability to force Steam Play
18 January 2019 at 5:26 am UTC Likes: 2

The Turok remaster has a pretty solid Linux port, but it doesn't include the editor. I can use the GoG version in Wine easily enough for mapping, but any time I want to upload to the Steam Workshop I have to boot into Windows to use the Steam version of the editor so it can hook up with my Steam account (I've tried running the Windows version of Steam itself in Wine before, but didn't have much luck). This one little edge case is pretty much the only reason I ever boot into Windows anymore, so it'll be really fantastic if I can just use Steam Play for this now.