UT3 Linux Client Is "In The Works"

[xav1r]

Which raises an interesting point. If money is what this boils down to, why for example in the case of online fee based games like mmos wouldnt the companies be interested in having multiplatform clients of their games? Wouldnt that mean more revenue to them, since really their "game" is nothing but a client that fetches them money. In the case of ad supported games too. For example, does anyone know if the upcoming quakelive will run on browsers running in linux?

[Svartalf]

After all, money is what it's all about, right? And if a number of your users are buying and playing in Wine, wouldn't it be to your own benefit to make sure those same users can continue to buy and play your games, instead of letting them get fed up and stop buying?

At what threshold is that loss painful enough for them to CARE about that?

I'm guessing it's 10%. You don't see 10% of their base not taking because they can't run it in WINE or Linux, do you?

Also worth noting: You bought that from a retailer- who bought it from the studio and publisher; if you didn't buy it direct from them, you are still NOT their customer and even if you did, unless you're running on the platforms they support, you're still largely not viewed as a customer. Trust me. You're trying to map "sensible" on to this. This world, the games industry, is more like the other media industries- it's like the record business. Do you think it's a bright idea to sue your customers? Well the RIAA labels do- because they don't think those people ARE their customers. Same goes for this story we're debating.

[Svartalf]

Which raises an interesting point. If money is what this boils down to, why for example in the case of online fee based games like mmos wouldnt the companies be interested in having multiplatform clients of their games? Wouldnt that mean more revenue to them, since really their "game" is nothing but a client that fetches them money. In the case of ad supported games too. For example, does anyone know if the upcoming quakelive will run on browsers running in linux?

Heh... Blizzard kind of had that thinking- but the publisher nixed the deal on WoW. As for Quakelive, it depends on how they're deploying the engine, etc. The codebase should, because it's a Q3:A derivative, be available for Linux if they so chose. If it only costs them 1-10% more effort to do it, I think you'll start seeing more and more MMOG's doing that sort of thing- where it makes more sense to make sure it's cross-platform and then make a Linux version available.

[xav1r]

Yea, i mean, for mostly offline games, really the relationship customer/company is on and off after the customer shells out the money. After that, its mostly ocassional tech support or patches. Online games, otoh, it's an ongoing business relationship, where support is ongoing, and so is the pay, so the more platforms are supported, the more money theyre gonna fetch potentially. Hmm, this gives me an idea, what if LGP looks to port with a MMO company, something good, like maybe that new funcom MMO, not something trite and crappy like WoW.

[niniendowarrior]

If I am paying them money for a game, I am their customer. Even if I don't get support for my OS, they are getting my money, and I am getting their product. If I stop buying their games, they lose out on my money all the same.

After all, money is what it's all about, right? And if a number of your users are buying and playing in Wine, wouldn't it be to your own benefit to make sure those same users can continue to buy and play your games, instead of letting them get fed up and stop buying?

The problem with your line of thought is that publishers don't see it that way. You bought their product and it's a Windows tally. You use it as a frisbee and let your dog fetch it or use Wine is your business. They wouldn't care if you attempt to eat it yourself.

One Windows game sale = More Windows games
One Windows game running under Wine = One Windows game sale

And the remarks on making sure the Wine users can continue to play their games is laughable. There is no Linux, nor Wine in the table for them. How can they see how many Wine buyers they have, when all of the numbers that go back are Windows sale?

[xav1r]

I think there has to be some sort of unified platform, kinda like steam or impulse, for many games being releaed on linux. Without that, theres gonna be whats available now: a few linux titles here and there, depending on the generosity of the developer. Does anyone here play Dominions 3 on linux? Thats what i mean. Maybe something like a "games for linux" thing with a digital delivery system in a .deb or .rpm file.

[Kano]

@niniendowarrior

Do you really think it is impossible to detect wine? Many online games report system stats and of course they could easyly add a wine detection. You can sell the game for Win, but then you could check how many play it with a different OS.

[Chris]

I think there has to be some sort of unified platform, kinda like steam or impulse, for many games being releaed on linux.

There's a difference between distribution (eg. Steam.. ugh), and actually getting it ported in the first place. Though I can say right now any Linux app distributed via/requiring a Steam-like app won't be getting sold to me, and a number of other people.

And the remarks on making sure the Wine users can continue to play their games is laughable. There is no Linux, nor Wine in the table for them.

Money is money, is it not? If we stop playing, they lose out on the sales from us. Simple as that.

How can they see how many Wine buyers they have, when all of the numbers that go back are Windows sale?

Could be part of game registration, to select the OS you use (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Wine). Games that collect online statistics are even easier.. the app can do a simple check for Wine, and pass that to the server as the OS instead of Windows. The GFX driver and audio driver names are tell-tale signs. It's not like Wine hides itself.. it just aims to behave like Windows on X11.

Do you think it's a bright idea to sue your customers? Well the RIAA labels do- because they don't think those people ARE their customers.

And the RIAA is one of the most hated of such organizations these days, is it not? Several people even saying that they're doing what they are because they're in the death throws of the current way of business.

[Svartalf]

And the RIAA is one of the most hated of such organizations these days, is it not? Several people even saying that they're doing what they are because they're in the death throws of the current way of business.

Consider this... Who owns most of the publishing interests in the game industry right at the moment?

[Chris]

Consider this... Who owns most of the publishing interests in the game industry right at the moment?

If I had to guess, from things I hear I'd say EA.