5 Months And Still No UT3 For Linux

[me262]

Why, then, did Q3:A sell only 200 units MAX? It's not because it sucked. It's not because it was "old". Hell, it was even an OFFICIAL version provided by iD FOR Linux with a LINUX SKU. Why did it not sell, D0pamine, when it should have flown off the shelf like everyone and his DOG keeps saying they'd do if a commercial title becomes available for Linux? If you can't answer that, perhaps you should temper your remarks and back off a bit on quoting figures on things.

I think (I can't confirm at this moment) that it's because iD released the client online. It had a separate SKU, but it was a rare find in the stores (like I said, I came across it only once in a shop in Florida). This was back when Linux was not as user-friendly as it is today, and not as featured. A lot of people went and bought the Windows copy and downloaded the Linux installer from iD.
Come to think of it, this does make sense. If iD could provide us some sales data I think we would find that sales DID increase when the Linux client came out.

EDIT: I did try looking, and didn't find anything. I did, however, find an interesting logo on Activision's support page: http://activision.custhelp.com/cgi-b...p_sid=YvFzuWbj

[Chris]

Why, then, did Q3:A sell only 200 units MAX? It's not because it sucked. It's not because it was "old". Hell, it was even an OFFICIAL version provided by iD FOR Linux with a LINUX SKU.

You can't rely on Linux publisher game sales when you can get Linux binaries and use them with the "normal" CD. id Software would (should) realize this, as should any developer that provides Linux binaries for free download (hell, with Neverwinter Nights you can download the entire Linux game, client and game data sans videos, for free from Bioware's site; you just need to buy the game to get a CD key).

How many downloads of the Linux client were there? What was the seeding like for the torrent? Note that I don't know what the Linux client situation was like for Q3:A as, again, I don't typically follow multiplayer-only deahtmatch-type games (and I don't think I had a computer capable of running it, nor had switched full-time to Linux, at that point).

But in either case, Q3:A *was* up against stiff competition at release and over the following years. Even in Windows, many people say that Q3 was inferior to its competitor...<dramatic pause> Unreal Tournament.

[me262]

I'm sure when asked in 2000, iD went "what's a torrent?"
That was dial-up days for me!

By releasing the client online, the Linux numbers were skewed in favor of the Windows SKU, because it was the easiest to find.
Those 200 probably went "ooh look! shiny tin box with a linux client!" and bought it.

[gilboa]

I'm sure when asked in 2000, iD went "what's a torrent?"
That was dial-up days for me!

By releasing the client online, the Linux numbers were skewed in favor of the Windows SKU, because it was the easiest to find.
Those 200 probably went "ooh look! shiny tin box with a linux client!" and bought it.

I can confirm the above.
I know at least 4 different Linux users (self included) that bought the Windows version simply because we couldn't find the Linux version anywhere.

Mind you, I/we didn't know about tuxgames and friends back then.

Never the less, Svartalf is correct, as it stand studios have very little reason to port Windows games to Linux - let alone releasing them on day one.

- Gilboa

[D0pamine]

Of those 8-9 million, how many are going to buy UT3?

If you're not talking more than five thousand or so, you need to QUIT going about thinking you're something special. We've had roughly that many or more Linux users for the last 7 or so years- it's just now that we've got better metrics and insight into the real numbers.

Why, then, did Q3:A sell only 200 units MAX? It's not because it sucked. It's not because it was "old". Hell, it was even an OFFICIAL version provided by iD FOR Linux with a LINUX SKU. Why did it not sell, D0pamine, when it should have flown off the shelf like everyone and his DOG keeps saying they'd do if a commercial title becomes available for Linux? If you can't answer that, perhaps you should temper your remarks and back off a bit on quoting figures on things.

Each studio goes and looks at what happened there and remembers the same remarks YOU make right now and then ignores you and the rest of us because it's just the same old, tired crap from that lunatic fringe that insists on using a server OS to play games on. Until you find a way to undo that impression of things, you're going to largely get NOWHERE. Doing things the way you are isn't undoing the impression, it's just reinforcing it.

How many people bought unreal tournamnt because it had i linux client ? , how many people bought ut2k3 because it had a linux client ? , how many people bought ut2k4 because it had a linux client ? , you are really suggesting there are less linux users now than in ut2004 ? , epic have never found making a linux client unprofitable so why would they now?
I'm flattered that you think my comments are being taken onboard by the entire games industry but i seriously doubt they are. I am sorry for "ruining it for everyone" with my "non-arse-kissing" UTF-8 tone. I shall go back to my "lunatic fringe OS" and be greatful for having a $50 game that will not work - for i am the lunatic fringe and i do not deserve such things. If you think my remarks are somewhat "mouthy" or however you like to put it , come meet me in person then "rip me off" , you'll see mouth , teeth , fists , elbows , feet and so on , yes i do feel somewhat ripped off by epic games and yes i will bloody well say what i think about them which in the past was nothing but praise. Note there is no thread in these or any other forums titled "X months and still no COD4 linux client" because nobody said there would be one , lots of people bought this game ( lots of people i know pre-ordered it ) because it WAS stated and STILL is stated that there WILL be a linux and mac client . you simply saying these people shouldnt have bought it because it didnt have a penguin on the box ? ETQW doesnt have a penguin on the box , nor does it have a linux installer on the dvd , but i bought it because i trust id when they say "it wont be long" and sure enough it took less than 4 weeks for the linux client to become available. Should the people who bought ut3 to play on GNU/Linux slap themselves or should they slap epic games.. either way they have a useless game which may aswell be burned on youtube or destroyed in an unusual manner at least :P

[Svartalf]

I shall go back to my "lunatic fringe OS" and be greatful for having a $50 game that will not work

Did it have an available client at the time you bought it or did it have a penguin on the box? No? That $50 game that will not work will work FINE on the OS that the box claims to run on. You did that to yourself. You will get no sympathy from me or probably anyone else that uses the brain that God gave them to think for a moment about that little distinction. You bitch because they promised and didn't deliver. Here's a hint: Promises aren't agreements. Promises aren't contracts. Things CAN change.

If you buy something under the conditions you bought your copy of UT3 you've only yourself to blame. Making an ASS of yourself on an internet forum like this one and like you're doing is NOT going to get them to make it happen ANY faster or prevent repeats. But suit yourself- it's dead clear you've made your mind up and won't listen to facts or reason on this one. I'm not telling you to be grateful- but being a jerk isn't going to fix the problem nor is it going to regain the $50 you spent on a Windows title that does not yet have a Linux client, bought solely on the basis that they said in an interview and on the website that there was going to be a Linux version. Hell, there's not even a MacOS version- and they don't get snubbed nearly as much as we do these days. Ever given a moment's thought about that one? Probably not.

[Svartalf]

I can confirm the above.
I know at least 4 different Linux users (self included) that bought the Windows version simply because we couldn't find the Linux version anywhere.

Mind you, I/we didn't know about tuxgames and friends back then.

Never the less, Svartalf is correct, as it stand studios have very little reason to port Windows games to Linux - let alone releasing them on day one.

- Gilboa

And, I can count myself as one of the 200 that actually sold.

I went out of my way to FIND a Linux client, thank you very much.

Download counts aren't the same thing as sales figures, unfortunately- because you could be re-downloading, etc. Usage counts help some with things like Quake4, UT2k3, etc.- they've got better numbers these days, but unfortunately, they're not seeing something that rates bothering with us... John Carmack's not going out of his way to make a version for Linux. You should ask yourselves why...and it's not Microsoft's meddling.

It's because of low numbers (compared to the Windows and apparently even the MacOS crowd...) and quarrelous people like D0pamine who seem to think they're somehow entitled because they bought the Windows copy on the promise of a Linux client on or near ship time of the Windows client. Stuff like that. We're a money losing proposition right at the moment for anyone other than the Indies. Somehow that's got to change if you're going to get the sort of stuff from iD and Epic that you've been used to.

[Svartalf]

You can't rely on Linux publisher game sales when you can get Linux binaries and use them with the "normal" CD. id Software would (should) realize this, as should any developer that provides Linux binaries for free download (hell, with Neverwinter Nights you can download the entire Linux game, client and game data sans videos, for free from Bioware's site; you just need to buy the game to get a CD key).

Tell that to the studios. Unfortunately, they don't use the same logical line of thinking you or I would. They look at that and the sales of other titles being sub 2k units and decide we're not worth messing with. I kid you not.

[D0pamine]

ASS....jerk.

good to see LGPs P.R. is up to scratch...sticks and stones my friend

We all have our opinions , somewhere in the middle of those is the truth , you may well think i'm an ASS and a jerk but that is your opinion sir. I may have formed opinions about your good self but i will keep them to myself as children may be reading....

EDIT: http://utforums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=621244 - looks like i am not the only jerk who acts like an ASS ... or am i an ASS that acts like a jerk.....

[Svartalf]

good to see LGPs P.R. is up to scratch...sticks and stones my friend

When I'm posting unless it's stated as an official item, it's MY and only MY opinions- much like your own.

We all have our opinions , somewhere in the middle of those is the truth , you may well think i'm an ASS and a jerk but that is your opinion sir. I may have formed opinions about your good self but i will keep them to myself as children may be reading....

Heh... Sounds like you might be getting the hang of being diplomatic.

You can have those opinions of me- no skin off my nose, really. You ought to be that same sort of diplomatic with other things, though. Just because you paid money for a Windows title does not entitle you to not be diplomatic. If they'd put Tux on the box, or said "supports Linux" or similar, and then did this delay like this, you'd have me not trying to hold
you back at the minimum. Keep that in mind.

[edit]

Right now, you're getting this called out on because you kept being obnoxious past the point that it was obvious that you're not getting anywhere with it and then when someone (me) pointed it out to you that it was counterproductive, you took to tilting at me, trying to justify your position. Your position, sir, is weak by any other standards. In the Windows world, had you bought a MacOS only title, expecting it to be for Windows because they said they might make it for it and then acting this way, you'd be called a "lamer" (note: I'm not calling you anything of the sort...you're pissed, you've a right to be. But...) and blown off. Being obnoxious like this might work to some extent in meatspace, but in the end, it's not terribly productive if you're doing it all the time- and it's not overly productive in the manner for which you're doing it. Especially for something that you knew or were supposed to have known wasn't for Linux. You wouldn't even prevail in a breach of contract suit over the $50 purchase of the game- because the box was CLEARLY labeled.

Be pissed. You should be. I know I am- I wanted to play it myself. Be better about expressing it.

[/edit]

EDIT: http://utforums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=621244 - looks like i am not the only jerk who acts like an ASS ... or am i an ASS that acts like a jerk.....

No kidding. Problem is, that one's not making things better any more than you are. Just because a couple do that doesn't make it right or something you should consider doing.