Valve To Launch Native Linux Game In July?

[MAXX]

So we got official dev statements for a) Postal 3 is using the source engine and b) Postal 3 will have a Linux version...

Which basically comes down to Source engine for Linux, that's good enough for me, there are so many mods for the Source engine.

[Dragonlord]

100% only a server at best. Source on Linux doesn't exist and won't exist since it's a DX game by nature ( and using Windows GUI API ).

[deanjo]

100% only a server at best. Source on Linux doesn't exist and won't exist since it's a DX game by nature ( and using Windows GUI API ).

And the PS3 / Mac versions are for server use as well I suppose. Don't forget that Source was already ported to PS3 and it is not DX hardware. I don't doubt that there will be a linux version of the client, but I do suspect that it will not be a pure port but a wrapped up version using a wine-like solution. Same with the OS X "port". EA already did most of the porting work for the PS 3.

[Dragonlord]

Isn't the PS3 a "kind" of OpenGL but no real OpenGL? Like the NDS has only a "kind" of OpenGL which is not a real one?

[MAXX]

Loki and LGP also ported DirectX games that had not even and option for OpenGL...

It's not gonna be a wrapped up version, just EA does that bullshit.
And they clearly say client, so not just a server, but a real game client in fact...

[deanjo]

Isn't the PS3 a "kind" of OpenGL but no real OpenGL? Like the NDS has only a "kind" of OpenGL which is not a real one?

Yes a majority of the games for the PS3 are libGCM for direct access to the RSX hardware. My point was that porting to a non-DX platform has already been done so it's not like a ogl port of Source is out of the question. My bet still lies on the OS X/Lin versions however will be using a wine type solution. It's not the ideal solution, but given that EA did the work for the Orange Box port to the PS3 it's not out of the realm of reality to see them also using a EA cider like solution which already is known to run source games rather well.

[MAXX]

Well, I'll buy it if its native and i won't guy it, if it's some wrapped up crap, simple as that...

[deanjo]

Well, I'll buy it if its native and i won't guy it, if it's some wrapped up crap, simple as that...

Well that is your choice for sure. However you have to wonder if everybody did the same thing would the devels take that as "poor sales because it isn't a native solution" or "poor sales because there isn't much demand for linux". You may end up sending the wrong message. I sometimes wonder if supporting "wrapped" up solutions should be the short term solutions out there to show that there is a market at least. Win the small battle first and then worry about the technological planning later.

[Dragonlord]

Problem is only if the wrappers are accepted ( cheaper to do ) then why make a native solution? Unfortunately economy works like this so if the cheating solution is accepted you've got the mess... see Windows in its entirety.

[deanjo]

Problem is only if the wrappers are accepted ( cheaper to do ) then why make a native solution? Unfortunately economy works like this so if the cheating solution is accepted you've got the mess... see Windows in its entirety.

I understand your point but if a "cheating" solution works well and is cheap to implement publishers and developers are going to be more inclined to take a risk on a platform that they really don't know if it has a ample enough market to justify the additional costs of doing a proper port. If sales do well for these "cheating" solution they may be more inclined to do a proper port and at least have linux put into their minds when developing their next big release or engine because they have been shown the potential market with some numbers of their own from these wrapper sales.