Ryan "Icculus" Gordon Will Be Speaking In Two Weeks

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Ryan "Icculus" Gordon Will Be Speaking In Two Weeks

Ryan "Icculus" Gordon, the well known independent Linux game developer that's single-handedly brought many games to Linux, is set to be giving a presentation in two weeks on a to-be-announced topic...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTA3MjU

[WorBlux]

"why the Unreal Tournament 3 port"

some sort of legal trouble with middleware, wasn't it?

[gbudny]

Let the speculations begin...

ok. Humble store:

http://www.strangeloopgames.com/

Maybe Ryan is porting game Vessel to Linux and Mac OS X.

I really want to see Croteam HIB for Linux nad Mac OS X similar to:

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/indie-royale-presents-the-serious-sam-lightning-deal/

[mbit]

"What are the three most important things that need to happen for major developers to want to develop more games for Linux?"

[3vi1]

"What are the three most important things that need to happen for major developers to want to develop more games for Linux?"

1. A major corporation (Google?) needs to devote resources to a 100% free and open crossplatform API that combines all the best aspects of OpenGL, OpenAL, and some input API in a manner that's competitive (maybe even API compatible - so the 360 remains a viable target) with DirectX and linkable to any code (i.e. "write everything in Java" is not an acceptable solution) such that the braindead developers that don't abstract their code from DirectX can release Linux versions without porting hassles. I am aware of things like SDL and how closed engines already do this, but they obviously aren't fitting the complete bill or everyone would use them.

2. Success stories. Major developers won't take any risks supporting other platforms unless it's already been shown to be insanely profitable. But, when it has been shown to be insanely profitable, they'll sell their soul and saw off their own feet to get in there (Take the Microsoft apps written for iOS, for example).

3. A cross-distro app store that's ridiculously simple, available everywhere, and easy for developers. Some distros won't like this idea because they have visions of dollar signs in their heads from their own distro-centric app stores, but guess what: developers don't want to have to futz with 5 different entities to get paid for their apps. If Cannonical is smart, they'll rename the Ubuntu Software Center and re-target it to run on all distros. If not, all the for-pay games will end up using another third-party store... maybe something like Desura?

But that's just me guessing off the top of my head.

[schmidtbag]

1. A major corporation (Google?) needs to devote resources to a 100% free and open crossplatform API that combines all the best aspects of OpenGL, OpenAL, and some input API in a manner that's competitive (maybe even API compatible - so the 360 remains a viable target) with DirectX and linkable to any code (i.e. "write everything in Java" is not an acceptable solution) such that the braindead developers that don't abstract their code from DirectX can release Linux versions without porting hassles. I am aware of things like SDL and how closed engines already do this, but they obviously aren't fitting the complete bill or everyone would use them.

2. Success stories. Major developers won't take any risks supporting other platforms unless it's already been shown to be insanely profitable. But, when it has been shown to be insanely profitable, they'll sell their soul and saw off their own feet to get in there (Take the Microsoft apps written for iOS, for example).

3. A cross-distro app store that's ridiculously simple, available everywhere, and easy for developers. Some distros won't like this idea because they have visions of dollar signs in their heads from their own distro-centric app stores, but guess what: developers don't want to have to futz with 5 different entities to get paid for their apps. If Cannonical is smart, they'll rename the Ubuntu Software Center and re-target it to run on all distros. If not, all the for-pay games will end up using another third-party store... maybe something like Desura?

But that's just me guessing off the top of my head.

well, for your #1, I don't see that as enough of a reason. what you mentioned would be nice but it hasn't stopped games from being ported from each console and then to PC. consoles don't run the same cross-platform APIs. the more important issue would be getting everyone on linux the same page. open source drivers always lack in performance, the catalyst drivers are slow to catch up and break easily, and nvidia refuses to work on things that they advertise their hardware can do.

for your #2, this is definitely true, however, MS making iOS apps is hardly MS selling their soul haha. MS owns a ridiculous amount of stock in apple and although they're competitors, they are both dependent upon each other.

I completely agree with your third point - one of the worst things that ever happened to linux was having a bajillion different ways of installing something. we've got aptitude/apt, yum, pacman, portage, etc as well as just compiling from the source. this sort of inconsistency between platforms is an immense turnoff to developers because even if they went for the most popular method of installing, it still leaves out most other users. there's also the problem of being waaay too many distros out there. i know a lot of them are supported by different companies but seriously most of them are a waste of time to look at, even when you eliminate all of the abandoned distros and "ubuntu remix" distros *cough* ubuntu muslim/christian edition.

i say there should really only be 2 main package managers - one like apt/yum where it can do a lot of the dirty work for you and include everything you need, and another like pacman/portage where it strictly only does what you ask and nothing more. if something like this were to exist, it could eliminate this stupid barrier between many distros that are almost identical.

note many distros that are similar all have opinions about what people find more user friendly and practical, but maybe it wouldn't be so difficult and confusing for people if there was just 1 consistent way of installing/removing things.

[uid313]

Doom 3 engine

I would like to see some free, open source Linux games based on the nowadays open source Doom 3 engine.

[schmidtbag]

I would like to see some free, open source Linux games based on the nowadays open source Doom 3 engine.

haven't you heard of iodoom3?

[DeeK]

Buggy SuperMeatBoy on Linux

It's nice and all for Ryan to go to these events, but I wish he'd put more effort into fixing up buggy Linux ports. He's responsible for Super Meat Boy on Linux, and unfortunately, it has some glaring bugs, which have been dutifully reported at bugzilla.icculus.org . Alas, no responses or action for 4 months, and counting.

Some bugs I imagine would be extremely easy to fix. Like the fact that Super Meat Boy doesn't save the configured resolution. Surely that would be a 10 minute fix, not 4 months.

[uid313]

haven't you heard of iodoom3?

Yes, I have.
It is the Doom 3 engine maintained, bugfixed and improved.
However, it is just the continued maintenance of the Doom 3 engine. It is not a game.