Put the wish list for porting projects HERE...

[Svartalf]

Not really... Good games tend to be NOT for Vista ( or with a "at your own risk, we take no responsibility" tag huge all over it )

Seems that most software is that way- save for the titles that they hoodwinked the studios into making DX10 versions out of their stuff...

[me262]

There's a couple of generic ones (I'm subscribed to one of them with my GameStop membership...)-

Most consumers don't subscribe to PC Week, CPU, etc. They just go into a store, look at a box or look for the title that the kids found out about either by seeing it or by word of mouth and buy. Serious.

For example, unless you have the Linux version in the same SKU as either the Windows or MacOS boxes, a retailer will not give you the time of day unless you're expecting to sell 10k units or more of a broad range of titles. If you're a sole title, you probably won't get shelf space unless you expect to sell the Windows volume of something like UT3 or Rage- because it will cost them space for things that WILL likely sell throughout their market if it won't sell that many.

Hooray GameInformer! ^_^ (and hooray 10% used discount!)

I actually am a former CPU subscriber. It's unfortunately fallen by the wayside because I haven't been able to scrounge up the funds.

You mean "DX10". Halo 2, case in point.

I didn't realize Overlord: Raising Hell was ported to PS3... I've been itching to get that game since I played the PS3 demo...

I do agree there should be a classification and an umbrella setup for this to get out name out "Commercial Games for Linux", a site, packaging, and promotion. It would be a lot easier if all the Linux native titles were listed in one place, with seperate lists for wine and the like. Maybe even a store front.

Another interesting idea: Metal Gear Solid. It does have a PC version. I'm wondering if Konami/Kojima would be interested in it's other games too. Anyone know Japanese (I should work to pick it up.)
Another one speaking of Japanese: Final Fantasy XI, 7, 8, and I believe 9 all have PC versions as well. There's some kind of strange deal they have with Sony though, Playstation exclusives up until XIII, but with the PC versions it kind of confuses me.

[Svartalf]

Hooray GameInformer! ^_^ (and hooray 10% used discount!)

No kidding. I buy mostly used PS2 and GC titles. The only new stuff has been my Wii purchases- not so many used copies of things out there for the Wii...

I actually am a former CPU subscriber. It's unfortunately fallen by the wayside because I haven't been able to scrounge up the funds.

I'm more of a newsstand Linux Format purchaser. CPU kind of quit being relevant to me when the Internet sites got more useful. You still have to take Anandtech and Tom's with a serious grain of salt and with Phoronix, CPU's pretty much not a concern anymore.

You mean "DX10". Halo 2, case in point.

DX10...heh...for the longest time, the vendors were fretting over the handful of DX10 titles' performance on their drivers. The Vista story wasn't pretty when they rolled it out- and it only slightly improved. Yeah, it produced "pretty" visuals- but you could have done most, if not all, of them with only slightly more coding effort with DX9 or OGL 2.1 and have SPEED with it.

I didn't realize Overlord: Raising Hell was ported to PS3... I've been itching to get that game since I played the PS3 demo...

Heh... It's one of the titles that has the PS3 titles at critical mass for me to actually consider buying one. 360? Not even going to go there.

I do agree there should be a classification and an umbrella setup for this to get out name out "Commercial Games for Linux", a site, packaging, and promotion. It would be a lot easier if all the Linux native titles were listed in one place, with seperate lists for wine and the like. Maybe even a store front.

I'd shy away from bringing up the WINE subject if I could help it. I don't care what the WINE people say- it's not a myth that it is more of a band-aid than a solution. I get reminded of this when I try to get Diablo/Diablo II that were gifts to me running under the latest WINEs. Even with the tips given FOR Ubuntu Hardy, the blasted things DO NOT RUN even though they did 6 months ago. It still runs fine in XP on the test machine I set up for verification purposes on porting work. There's other titles that're this way. I question some of the AppDB entries on some of the titles- Diablo, Diablo II, Tropico, Tropico2, etc. flat do NOT work as advertised there. And, this doesn't even get into the problems we bring to the mix with the Windows SKU sales that result from WINE use.

If this is the case, what else is messed up? Sure I can log the problems, but will fixing them break other things, thereby making the bug a "will not fix"?

If I thought it would make a mass exodus from Windows possible, I'd say go for it. Since I don't think that this is the case and that it's actually hampering adoption in at least some ways, I'm not so hot about that idea. I'm not going to tell someone no, but I don't think it's going to help like many do. WINE has screwed up native port projects. WINE has prevented at least some vendors from doing the right thing for our OS. It's amazing what it DOES do and brings to the table- but it provides such an excuse to the vendors to just keep making Windows only titles that it provides an effect, albeit lessened, that's similar to what the OS/2 DOS and Win 3.11 compatibility layers brought for OS/2.

Another interesting idea: Metal Gear Solid. It does have a PC version. I'm wondering if Konami/Kojima would be interested in it's other games too. Anyone know Japanese (I should work to pick it up.)

AAA title. BIG AAA title. Unless THEY choose to do the work or you get a sweetheart deal through a friend you're going to NEED six figures to license rights access. Just because there's a PC version in the case of Console titles, you're NOT going to get any better deals- never forget that that segment of the industry is all about profits or perceived profits. If they don't see six figures of money coming their way however it comes, they're NOT interested unless you're getting a friend of a friend deal with the publisher or studio.

Another one speaking of Japanese: Final Fantasy XI, 7, 8, and I believe 9 all have PC versions as well. There's some kind of strange deal they have with Sony though, Playstation exclusives up until XIII, but with the PC versions it kind of confuses me.

Sony has an PS2/3 "exclusive" until it hits a certain threshold and then they have their hand in the publisher pie cut for any DOS/Windows PC edition.

[xav1r]

ok, I just emailed the Crytek guy outlining the possibility of a multiplatform cry engine 1 and possibly 2 as well. Sorry for the delay, it's been a busy week. I hope i get a reply soon. Speaking of which, i recently got an email too from a guy from Bohemian Interactive, the developers of operation flashpoint and ARMA. Unsurprisingly, they said that they dont make linux versions of their games. Maybe they would be interested in a similar business venture with their engines like the one asked to Crytek?

[Svartalf]

Speaking of which, i recently got an email too from a guy from Bohemian Interactive, the developers of operation flashpoint and ARMA. Unsurprisingly, they said that they dont make linux versions of their games. Maybe they would be interested in a similar business venture with their engines like the one asked to Crytek?

Go for it. Something's got to change somewhere. I've got one gig in progress that may just pan out, another possible started...it wouldn't hurt to try to see what leads we can generate out of a few of these. I'm sure many of them are none too pleased with how Vista's treated them this last year.

I just wouldn't hold out hope for most of the mainline players or the bulk of the "big" game titles until either Valve turns around and does Steam and Orange Box for us, we score something like Crysis or it's sequel, something similar from a disgruntled AAA studio, or get a bevy of hot Indie titles and generate some noise for us.

[RobbieAB]

Silly thought, but I noticed Gamersgate recently added a Complete CivIII download for purchase. Maybe worth poking Firaxis for a looksee? Afterall, if they are letting it compete with Civ4 on Windows...

[Svartalf]

Silly thought, but I noticed Gamersgate recently added a Complete CivIII download for purchase. Maybe worth poking Firaxis for a looksee? Afterall, if they are letting it compete with Civ4 on Windows...

It's not competing. They're trying to scoop up $10 minus what Gamersgate is charging to make the DL available. Interesting, tidbit all the same, though. I wouldn't mind CivIII for Linux or even CivIV. It'd be a nice addition over EU2 and all the titles using the same engine. It's worth asking Firaxis if they'd be amenable to something similar to what we're going and proposing for other studios. My only caveat I'd have is that Loki HAD Alpha Centauri- how much did Loki shaft 'em for and would that color our chances for other Firaxis titles?

[RobbieAB]

Loki had Alpha Centauri when it was new though, CivIII is old game now...

Hell, might even be worth asking if they would be interested in letting someone take the Loki derived Alpha Centauri code base cheap and take it to market...

[xav1r]

Go for it. Something's got to change somewhere. I've got one gig in progress that may just pan out, another possible started...it wouldn't hurt to try to see what leads we can generate out of a few of these. I'm sure many of them are none too pleased with how Vista's treated them this last year.

I just wouldn't hold out hope for most of the mainline players or the bulk of the "big" game titles until either Valve turns around and does Steam and Orange Box for us, we score something like Crysis or it's sequel, something similar from a disgruntled AAA studio, or get a bevy of hot Indie titles and generate some noise for us.

Ok, will do. Well, ARMA is pretty much AAA, or maybe AAa, , who knows, lets wait for their reply...

[Svartalf]

Ok, will do. Well, ARMA is pretty much AAA, or maybe AAa, , who knows, lets wait for their reply...

They're a lesser-known. Indie and lesser known studios will want somewhat more reasonable deals at the minimum. If I can get a few deals going (which is looking good) and deliver on or nearly on time with those, I can probably sweet-talk the indie bunches with AAA titles into reasonable deals or be able to more comfortably front the needed cash they'd normally ask on a risk venture to hopefully stir things up.

As it stands, these sorts of things typically take anywhere from 4-12 months from initial inquiry to completion these days with things the way they are. It can't hurt to see if they're okay with the idea, even if they want more than anyone can comfortably front right at the moment.