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Latest Comments by eldaking
More updates on Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation with Vulkan for Linux
6 January 2019 at 3:17 pm UTC

Quoting: Guest
Quoting: Nevertheless
Quoting: eldakingI am not very interested in this game in particular (completely opposite style of RTS for me), but Stardock has plenty of strategy games I would love to see on Linux - GalCiv and Fallen Enchantress/Sorcerer King don't run well on Wine.

Also, good to know that the industry is excited about Linux right now. It isn't just us. :)

Yes, but let's rejoice carefully! Google was also excited about Linux when they created Android...

I didn't want to dampen enthusiasm either, but if "the industry" was doing something, it wouldn't be super secret. Perhaps Stardock and some they internally talk with are, but that doesn't represent the (gaming, presumably) industry as a whole.
Don't get me wrong, Stardock doing this work is great, but just keep expectations in check. Ultimately, nothing was really said.

If some developers are excited, it is probably due to stuff we already know, or at least stuff we suspect. Vulkan is looking good, Valve is pushing Linux again, this kind of stuff. If there are any "secret plans" (NDA stuff), it probably isn't that big, at least not yet.

More updates on Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation with Vulkan for Linux
6 January 2019 at 1:57 pm UTC

I am not very interested in this game in particular (completely opposite style of RTS for me), but Stardock has plenty of strategy games I would love to see on Linux - GalCiv and Fallen Enchantress/Sorcerer King don't run well on Wine.

Also, good to know that the industry is excited about Linux right now. It isn't just us. :)

Epic Games have confirmed a Linux version of their store is not on the roadmap
30 December 2018 at 1:27 pm UTC Likes: 1

QuoteIt's interesting, since their original announcement mentioned the store was coming to "other open platforms" besides Windows, Mac and Android which we presumed would mean Linux.

You were reading too much into a vague sentence. Yes, interpreting it strictly seems to indicate Linux, but I doubt they meant it to be read this literally, and it is far from a "clear" confirmation. Someone less interested in Linux gaming than us here would read it and not even think if it could mean Linux or not.

And frankly, it makes the most sense. They are trying to grow fast and take a market share out of Steam, focusing on the fastest avenues to bring a lot of players: exclusives, giving free games, bringing publishers in by charging less, etc. Linux most certainly isn't going to have the same short-term impact. Sad, but I also disapprove of their use of exclusives for example.

Some thoughts on Linux gaming in 2018, an end of year review
19 December 2018 at 6:44 pm UTC Likes: 3

Epic has less than a promise of supporting Linux. Discord gave us a very solid promise, but still didn't deliver. I personally think we should refrain from supporting them (especially Epic) until they show something concrete... and even then, it should depend on how good their support is. GOG for example has some decent Linux support, but it is still severely lacking compared to Windows and their promises in this direction didn't mean much.

Those stores want to compete with Steam? The bar is set quite high, even with Valve's many flaws. Competition could be good, having options could be good... but only if those options are any good. Frankly, Steam losing space to stores that don't support Linux would be a quite bad thing for us.

Regarding SteamPlay, it is impressive and has a lot of potential. I am expecting new steam machines at some point, though not necessarily soon. Hopefully Steam can cut itself a good share out of consoles, which have super-terrible practices, while being forced to improve by competition on PC.

Discord announce a 90/10 revenue split, Discord Store will support Linux
15 December 2018 at 1:47 pm UTC

Quoting: mylka
Quoting: eldakingThat is great (much better than Epic). Particularly good to hear that they already have working versions and that they use Linux. Makes up for the delayed release and no word so far. Now we just wait until it actually happens, because by now we are already too used to promises without results (GOG, cough cough).

doesnt Tencent own discord?
they also own 40% of epic

discord = epic ??????

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tencent_Games

so maybe epic comes for linux, as they said they will support a free OS

Well, that's capitalism for you. Even when you have "competition" (still an oligopoly even if they manage to get a good share of the market) it ends up that the same people own everything. And due to network effects and other barriers, there is no chance to get a competitor who isn't already a giant monopolistic corporation that will use exclusives or screw its users as needed.

But in this case, "owning" doesn't mean they control both stores. They will get a share of the revenue regardless of where you buy a game, and they might even influence some policies on occasion, but it isn't like they are setting up two competing stores or they are coordinating both stores for their interests.

Discord announce a 90/10 revenue split, Discord Store will support Linux
14 December 2018 at 11:48 pm UTC Likes: 4

That is great (much better than Epic). Particularly good to hear that they already have working versions and that they use Linux. Makes up for the delayed release and no word so far. Now we just wait until it actually happens, because by now we are already too used to promises without results (GOG, cough cough).

Bearded Giant Games open their own store with a 'Linux First Initiative'
14 December 2018 at 1:24 pm UTC

Now, this is a store that actually holds any interest for us Linux gamers. Unlike Epic's, which is Windows-only, full of exclusives that only run on Windows, but maybe might be considering Linux if we interpret a vague and non-commital reference to "other open platforms" as meaning Linux.

Unfortunately, the smaller scale of this kind of store has some disadvantages... for example, lack local pricing/local payment methods, which are a big thing to some of us. And it might be a minor inconvenience to not use the same platform, though I don't think it is a big deal. But still better than moving into bigger but inferior and annoying platforms like Origin or UPlay.

There's a brand new Steam Play Beta version out with FAudio, also a Steam Play whitelist update
12 December 2018 at 1:29 am UTC Likes: 2

QuoteAnd I thought this was going to be a pretty normal week…

Steamplay has been moving so fast I'm not sure if a normal week is one where it doesn't make a major change or one where it does.

Valve have some serious competition, with the Epic Games Store being announced
4 December 2018 at 4:19 pm UTC Likes: 13

Quoting: Shmerl
Quoting: x_wingPeople will really piss off for having such a huge number of stores in order to have their games. All this stupidity will just benefit console gaming in the end...

Number of stores is not a problem (or do you prefer oligopoly?), as long as they won't start pushing the sick exclusives approach.

Number of stores isn't a problem, but number of store clients is. In an ideal world you would be able to use a single FOSS client to install and update all your games (plus install mods, connect to multiplayer, achievements and other social features, etc) regardless on who you buy it from. But we are far from that reality. Buying a game on GOG often means missing out on mods only available on Steam, for example. Buying from some stores means terrible DRM and launchers. And so on.
Also, if the stores are filled with exclusives, the competition is severely limited - you can't choose who you want to buy each game from, just what games you want (which is competition between developers, and shouldn't be the competition between the stores...).

Regarding this new Epic store... this company has a single product so far, which isn't available on Linux. I would not call this promising for us.

Valve has expanded the Steam Play whitelist to include DARK SOULS III and plenty more
14 November 2018 at 10:45 am UTC

Dungeon of the Endless, yay! One of my essential games to run through wine, now officially supported by valve. Hope the other games by the studio (Endless Legend and Endless Space 1 and 2 ) also make it eventually.

Also excited about steins;gate, lack of Linux support has held me back from buying and playing so hopefully this might be one of the first proton games where I count as a Linux sale (so far I have only played games I already owned, mostly from before I switched to Linux full time).