GameTree Linux Is Trying To Be Its Own Steam-Like Platform

[L33F3R]

Says who? Since I've switched to Linux, I just bought less games. Bought some indie games that do run on Linux, but in general.. I wanted to play GTA IV, would have happily forked out the money on release day, but it doesn't run on Linux. Only recently it's sort-of possible to run it on Wine, but it's slow and a LOT of trouble. So much in fact I didn't succeed in getting it to run.

I'd say that's a lost sale.

im speaking on terms of people switching to linux because quality games finally exist for it. That is key to my point. COD Black Ops prolly doesnt work very well on wine so thats a decent example. If Joe is heavy into BlackOps but prefers linux, he needs to pick whats more important, not unlike yourself. So lets say he decides to play his game and get stuck with windows. A common choice. He buys 1 windows title and 0 linux titles (also assuming he is only buying the game for personal use). If a linux version existed, on the principal that he is not a fucking retard, he will buy 0 windows titles and 1 linux title. Assuming both versions cost the same, say, $49.99, Activision stands to make no more money then they would have if they only supported windows. In this example i am not factoring in people already using linux, I specifically respond in respect to those who are using windows but would use linux if games existed.

I understand coders can work on either OS, but im sure you dont code for nickels and dimes svartalf. More code generally equals more time and people dont work for free. If some magical programmer could port a game like blackops in a year, and receive a decent wage (higher than 75k), activision would need to pull in over 1500 copies to pay for his labor alone. Therefore, my point of them catering to Linux for the fuck of it, sends them at a loss. I think you are getting confused as to me saying that they would lose money as a whole on a linux port, this is false. There is infact money to be made in linux. Im just saying that major publishers dont give a fuck about having people switch to linux.

[Wyatt]

As much as I hate wiki: [citation needed], Mr. Cox provided better sourcing for his argument against porting than you.

You're...you're telling someone who ports things to Linux for money...you're telling him that he needs to cite his sources? I very nearly laughed aloud.

Oh right, TransGaming. If their wrapper here is as good as Cider...

...they're doomed. Completely. Irreparably.

PS: PulseAudio is a pile of dog...feces.

[yogi_berra]

Is that the color management system's problem or a device one? And if it's a device one...why are you blaming the lack of a CMS for things there?

lcms is the pile of elephant turds here. Oyranos is a fairly good free CMS but no one packages it. Most studios that have the man power that use Linux, write their own CMS tools because of the asstastic nature of the "free" tools that you are arguing support for.

The proper answer would be: "Very few..."

Deanjo already corrected you on that. Believe it or not, quite a few people don't have a problem paying $700 for a program and $1300-$2000 for the suite of programs that surround it.

The biggest impediment is more perception on things than anything else. It's not CMS. It's not really Sound (I've witnessed as much woes with sound on Windows as we're having...). It's not really 3D, per se.

As much as I hate wiki: [citation needed], Mr. Cox provided better sourcing for his argument against porting than you.

[deanjo]

The proper answer would be: "Very few..."

Hardly, the correct answer would be many. Joe at home usually buys it at a "student price". Staples for example sells tons of these. Also any business that does Photoshop work also usually has legitimate copies (unless maybe in Russia or China). They obviously sell enough to drive a multi-billion dollar company.

The other issues about a port to linux is that Photoshop is very rarely used on it's own solely so unless all the other products they use are ported as well there is very little reason to switch to another OS.

[Svartalf]

We're in transition from ALSA to PulseAudio, and it's a bumpy ride. Mostly though, audio has never been better. We now have support for stuff like bluetooth headsets, changing audio devices on the fly, or even routing audio sources based on type, network audio, per-application volume management. It's still ALSA underneath, but the userspace part has been greatly improved.

But, this expanded scope has exposed bugs in the audio stack, and PA itself has bugs. Some people here have experienced the early transition period, where PA was pretty much unusable. So, obviously, any bug in the audio system continues to be an example of that utter brokenness.

I had less problems with sound with at least my stuff once I moved to OpenAL/cAudio. I suspect the same would apply with Miles or irrKlang (and maybe FMOD EX...).

The biggest impediment is more perception on things than anything else. It's not CMS. It's not really Sound (I've witnessed as much woes with sound on Windows as we're having...). It's not really 3D, per se.

[Svartalf]

Ever tried using lcms with a color calibrator? Right, thought not.

Is that the color management system's problem or a device one? And if it's a device one...why are you blaming the lack of a CMS for things there?

If GameTree is similar to Transgaming's cider product, some studios may be interested in using it rather than dealing with a native port. Granted its Transgaming so they'll screw it up somehow.

I'd have to agree...on all parts of that remark...

[Svartalf]

And in the Windows world how many users outside of the VFX/Animation studios have actually bought a legit copy of photoshop?

The proper answer would be: "Very few..."

[Svartalf]

assuming it costs money to pay a programmer, then yes it would, Svartalf.

That depends on the programmer. In general, your coders aren't magically incapable of doing work on either OS. Certainly I'm not. You still presume more than you should there.

[W3ird_N3rd]

Why the hell would game companies want people to switch to linux. There are people like me that will gladly buy a windows title. Dont get me wrong i would live to game on linux but it doesnt make sense to think that companies are going to go out of there way to make less money. This is not how the world works. In this situation the purchase of a linux title is the systematic loss of a windows one.

Says who? Since I've switched to Linux, I just bought less games. Bought some indie games that do run on Linux, but in general.. I wanted to play GTA IV, would have happily forked out the money on release day, but it doesn't run on Linux. Only recently it's sort-of possible to run it on Wine, but it's slow and a LOT of trouble. So much in fact I didn't succeed in getting it to run.

I'd say that's a lost sale.

[Remco]

That wasn't a rhetorical question I asked. I really want to know what the problem is, and since you seem to know please tell me so I become more informed.

We're in transition from ALSA to PulseAudio, and it's a bumpy ride. Mostly though, audio has never been better. We now have support for stuff like bluetooth headsets, changing audio devices on the fly, or even routing audio sources based on type, network audio, per-application volume management. It's still ALSA underneath, but the userspace part has been greatly improved.

But, this expanded scope has exposed bugs in the audio stack, and PA itself has bugs. Some people here have experienced the early transition period, where PA was pretty much unusable. So, obviously, any bug in the audio system continues to be an example of that utter brokenness.