Linux gaming in 2019.........a good start.

[Abarbarian]

Some Linux games we’re excited to see in 2019, a list to keep you going

Now that 2019 is here, let’s take a look at what interesting games Linux fans can expect to see across this year.

Grab a coffee, wipe away that new-year hangover from the wild party you had and take a look at just a small selection of what’s to come. We have a pretty mixed selection here, hopefully it will serve as a nice reminder for some titles perhaps you had missed being announced last year.

Whilst technically not a game as such FlightGear can be fun to play with.

Take to the virtual skies with FlightGear

The FlightGear project began in 1996 due to dissatisfaction with commercial flight simulation programs, which were not scalable. Its goal was to create a sophisticated, robust, extensible, and open flight simulator framework for use in academia and pilot training or by anyone who wants to play with a flight simulation scenario.

FlightGear's hardware requirements are fairly modest, including an accelerated 3D video card that supports OpenGL for smooth framerates. It runs well on my Linux laptop with an i5 processor and only 4GB of RAM. Its documentation includes an online manual; a wiki with portals for users and developers; and extensive tutorials (such as one for its default aircraft, the Cessna 172p) to teach you how to operate it.

 

[Abarbarian]

132 of the 250 most highly rated games on Steam support Linux, even more when counting Steam Play

As it turns out, there’s quite a lot! A lot higher than I was personally expecting it to be, it’s one of those times where I’m happily wrong. Overall, out of the 250 most highly rated titles on Steam as reviewed by users, 132 of them have official Linux support. Compared with Mac which has 156, we’re not far off there at all. Let's just remember how small the Linux gaming platform is compared to Windows, over 50% there really is impressive.

To put it all together then—Linux titles that are officially supported plus Steam Play titles with a “Platinum” rating together make 153 out of 250 of the most highly rated Steam games. Overall, that's a pretty decent number of highly rated games available to play on Linux.

Linux has approximately 1% of the desktop usage figures whereas Windows has approximately 90%.
So is it not very interesting that a 1 % 'er can play 60% of the most popular games ?

 

[V_R]

Meanwhile....

https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/adimlz/game_dev_linux_users_were_only_01_of_sales_but_20/

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[EvanDavis]

Once I am able to pay all my racing sim games on Linux I will make the switch

 

[Becky]

Meanwhile....

https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/adimlz/game_dev_linux_users_were_only_01_of_sales_but_20/

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

The top comment makes a good point:

"Mainstream people dont want to adopt linux because its not easy to use and has problems.

Devs dont want to put time into linux because it doesnt have enough mainstream people.

Programmers dont want to improvide linux's useability because most of those who use it can solve problems themselves.

Its a vicious circle. Sad thing is, we can hate on Win10 being crap all we want, but as long as you need to use command line to install drivers for a graphics card, majority of population will not bother even giving Linux a try."

 

[V_R]

Exactly.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Not totally true, dat, I've rarely had to use a command line within Linux Mint, it's actually as easy to use as using Windows. In fact in some respects it's actually easier to use than Win 10. But Linux Mint is the easiest distro to use so they say which means it's probably frowned upon by some Penguin diehards.

To install Nvidia drivers within Linux Mint I just go to software manager and make a few clicks.

And each game I've played in Linux Mint has worked fine, Steam works well.

I wonder if the developer of Planetary Annihilation is just a bit crap at making games and his dissing of Linux is just incompetence/laziness on his part. Two sides to every story so they say.

I'm neutral in these Linux/Windows wars I just use whatever works for me with the least hassle and if I have to pay for it so be it, that's the way of the world. It's easy to slag off Windows but (for the most part) it works. I'm no fanboy of Microsoft or Linux and I'm certainly not in the school/snob camp that says the harder the Linux distro is to use the better it is.

I'l try anything and tell it how it is and right now I need Windows for several things including gaming. It is good that there are more games working on Linux but it's still not the total solution, I only wish it was.

 

[Abarbarian]

Meanwhile....

https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/adimlz/game_dev_linux_users_were_only_01_of_sales_but_20/

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Your link takes folk to a page of almost 98% drivel that has nothing to do with the state of popular linux distros today.

The opening reply posted by "Thirteenera" even has made up words in it " improvide ". As usual the replies are full of foul language and half truths and show that the respondents are truly modern folk.

There is one way to see if linux is so hard to install and run.

Take a clean drive and do a fresh install of MINT or MX-18 and time how long it takes to install and get to a working state. Oh and make a note of how many times you need the command line.

Do a fresh install of Windows 7 or 10 and time how long it takes to install and get to a working state.

An experiment like the one above would produce a result based on empiric observation which may even enlighten some misguided folk.
Sadly the difficulties of using a linux os are myths in todays modern world. A myth that folk still believe in, but then again there are some sad folk who still believe that the world is flat or that Elvis is alive.

 

[V_R]

That link is to a Reddit thread where the original source (the Twitter post) came from. I only posted it for reference.

I'd say its obvious they mean "improve", They were probably on mobile thus autocorrect/fat fingers etc are probably to blame, also English may not be their first language.

I'm not questioning how long it takes to install Linux vs Windows and frankly I couldn't give a **** either. That isn't the issue being discussed.


While we're here, take a look at the highest upvoted reply to the comment you reference...

I recently thought I'd try Linux Mint on my laptop. I like the OS just fine, but if anyone needed an answer as to why Linux has not succeeded on the desktop, it's this thread I discovered when I was wondering how to get Google Drive to sync to it:

Comment 1
Comment 2
Comment 3
TL;DR - "to be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Linux. Also quit sucking corporate cock"

and the first link they include...

"It's 2018, Why don't we have a Google Drive client for Linux?"
Because it isn't needed. For the most part Linux user's are smart enough to figure out a way around this, as the other posts in thread can atest. In other words, Linux users don't need a Google Drive client. Windows users do.

"Linux users don't need a Google Drive client. Windows users do."
The Linux community’s attitude is the biggest reason it is still not being adopted on desktops at a relevant rate. Even in posts that have nothing to do with Windows you’re finding ways to remind yourself how superior you are.

I'd also suggest you read the rest of the Twitter conversation where he goes into a little more detail.

Finally i think you mean Empirical not Empiric.

 

[Abarbarian]

That link is to a Reddit thread where the original source (the Twitter post) came from. I only posted it for reference.

I'd say its obvious they mean "improve", They were probably on mobile thus autocorrect/fat fingers etc are probably to blame, also English may not be their first language.

I'm not questioning how long it takes to install Linux vs Windows and frankly I couldn't give a **** either. That isn't the issue being discussed.


While we're here, take a look at the highest upvoted reply to the comment you reference...


and the first link they include...


I'd also suggest you read the rest of the Twitter conversation where he goes into a little more detail.

Finally i think you mean Empirical not Empiric.

Nope , meant empiric,

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/empiric

A person who, in medicine or other sciences, relies solely on observation and experiment.

As to the other,

Linux Mint 19 comes with the Gnome built-in Online Accounts feature that let us easily integrate Google Drive with Linux Mint 19.

https://www.itzgeek.com/how-tos/lin...grate-google-drive-on-linux-mint-19-tara.html

An yes I know I am linking to a 2019 distro. However there are plenty of very detailed simple step by step guides to accomplishing what the person wanted.

In the Twitter thread it seems that there are devs out there willing and able and actually helping out,

Paul Betts ️‍‏ @paulcbetts Jan 7




Linux users were also *super* understanding that their weird config wasn't supported, especially if you gave them Real Technical Info back in your support response. They often would send us call stacks *and* a few times, even patch Electron for us to fix it

an a great deal of the Twitter stuff is in connection with historical events and conditions form around 2014. The world has moved on since then.

 

[V_R]

Nope , meant empiric,

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/empiric

While I do not want to turn this into an English lesson, I maintain that Empirical is the correct term to use.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?&q=empiric+observation
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Empirical+observation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empirical_evidence


Anyway, the point of my original post was to point out the opinion of a game dev which just happened to be discussing the state of gaming on Linux and the fragmentation and compatibility issues around it at the same time as this thread. Not which OS installs the quickest.

The Reddit thread isn't drivel, it its quite informative if you bother to read it.

Why I bother I don't know...

 

[Abarbarian]

Steam Play recently hit 500 Windows games rated as Platinum on ProtonDB

Here's a fun statistic for you today! Steam Play, Valve's fork of Wine which includes DXVK has recently hit 500 titles rated as "Platinum" when going by ProtonDB reports.

So that's 500 games, that aren't supported by the developer on Linux that should for the most part be click and play from within the Steam client on Linux. If we include games trending towards a Platinum rating, it's even higher at 569. That's pretty impressive considering Steam Play hasn't been out for too long. It's worth mentioning though of course, that Wine has been around for a long time.

This list of 500 games includes titles like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE, Heat Signature, Shadow Warrior 2, Outlast 2, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition and a lot more interesting titles.

The article is a month out of date so i guess there may be 501 titles in the list by now. I think this is a good comment,

I used to be sceptical about Steam Play and its impact on Linux gaming, but I now have to admit that it's a pretty nice way of getting Steam's older titles to work on our beloved platform. Let's be fair, a lot of those older games would have never gotten a Linux port anyway, so it's basically a case of getting the game on Linux vs not getting it.

I feel like Valve's primary objective is to get as many games as possible to work out-of-the-box under Linux, to make sure they have a backup plan in case Windows becomes a no-go zone for them. Maybe they're also thinking about reviving Steam consoles. This is good for us too since we're always more and more able to recommend Linux for gaming to the average customer.

As to empiric or empirical.

My English grammar may be weak and my understanding of the finer points of English language sketchy. However when I need some information on a words meaning I tend to use publications like the Oxford Dictionary as linked to previously. Or Collins or Meriman-Webster for clarity who all seem to agree that my usage of EMPIRIC is correct. Even V_R's modern site seems to agree too.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/empiric

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empiric

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/empiric

em·pir·ic
(ĕm-pîr′ĭk)n.
1. One who is guided by practical experience rather than precepts or theory.

I did pass a GCE 0 level in English Language some forty or so years ago EL was mainly to do with the creative side, story writing and such. I did fail the English Grammar paper. Since then though I have gained a First Degree from the University of Life and have several MA's in some of the more esoteric disciplines offered by the UoL.
I am always open to improving my knowledge base in any discipline.

 

[V_R]

A month later! Really?

You know what? I don't care, either work. Though in the context of your original sentence...

An experiment like the one above would produce a result based on empiric observation which may even enlighten some misguided folk.

....I still maintain that empirical ("Empirical evidence or study relies on practical experience rather than theories.") looks, reads and indeed sounds correct.

Hell, even if you Google your entire sentence it asks you if you mean empirical rather than empiric!

See 'Tip 1' here: https://languagetips.wordpress.com/...rical-efficienteffectiveefficaciouseffectual/

Also, from your preferred sources:

empiric in British
(ɛmˈpɪrɪk
noun
1. a person who relies on empirical methods
2. a medical quack; charlatan

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/empiric

empirical in British
(ɛmˈpɪrɪkəl
adjective
1. derived from or relating to experiment and observation rather than theory
2. (of medical treatment) based on practical experience rather than scientific proof

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/empirical

empiric
noun
em·pir·ic | \ im-ˈpir-ik , em-\
Definition of empiric
1: CHARLATAN sense 2
2: one who relies on practical experience

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empiric

empirical
adjective
em·pir·i·cal | \ im-ˈpir-i-kəl , em-\
variants: or less commonly empiric \ im-ˈpir-ik , em- \
Definition of empirical
1: originating in or based on observation or experience
2: relying on experience or observation alone often without due regard for system and theory
3: capable of being verified or disproved by observation or experiment

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empirical

 

[Abarbarian]

A month later! Really?

Well I have been busy living.

 

[Abarbarian]

Best Games On Steam You Can Play On Linux and Windows

Last updated February 6, 2019 By Ankush Das

But, what about the thought of gaming on a Linux system? Thanks to Steam for Linux, the gaming scene on Linux has improved a lot. The Steam store now has a lot of great games listed for the Linux platform (including a lot of major titles). So, in this article, we’ll be taking a look at the best games on Steam that are also available for Linux (along with Windows).

Note: The list of best games on Steam for Linux is in no particular ranking order.

The games listed here might not be free as well. If you don’t want to spend money, please check our list of best free Linux games.

 

[Abarbarian]

AMD Hiring Ten More People For Their Open-Source/Linux Driver Team

As far as the current size of their Linux graphics team, there isn't a solid public figure. Their Linux team has expanded a great deal in recent years since AMDGPU-PRO / Radeon Software where the same DRM kernel driver is now used rather than relying more on the (former) Catalyst components, GPUOpen/ROCm efforts adding to the count, etc. But regardless it's certainly been growing and appears to be planning for a significant expansion in 2019.

 

[Abarbarian]

Windows 10 Versus Linux: 6 Steam Games Benchmarked On Intel's Hades Canyon NUC

Ever since Valve's introduction of Proton -- a compatibility tool in Steam for Linux that lets you install and play games designed exclusively for Windows -- I've wanted to examine how a variety of games perform under both Windows 10 and Linux.

This is the beginning of that exploration. I plan to evaluate a lot more games, different system configurations and keep tabs on the progress of Proton and Linux driver performance going forward.

There are two main questions I want to answer through this little experiment:

1. Valve's Proton uses DXVK to translate the Windows DirectX API to Vulkan on the fly. Does this really yield unacceptable performance drops compared to the same games on Windows 10?
2. Can native Linux ports of games like Dirt Rally, Dawn of War III or Rise of the Tomb Raider perform on par or better than their Windows counterparts?

Conclusion

Based on this sampling of 6 six games, it's fair to say that Windows 10 will generally extract more performance out of your gaming hardware. It's equally fair to say that across multiple graphics APIs, Linux can stay competitive. From this initial examination, we can debunk that myth of Linux gaming performance being so far behind Windows that it's not worth bothering.

Do I need 66 FPS if I'm getting 60 FPS? Nah.

 

[Abarbarian]

Puppygames are making all their games free for Linux, with Basingstoke first

Puppygames, a developer who has supported Linux for many years are now making their games free for Linux gamers and they've already started with Basingstoke.

BASINGSTOKE

PLEASE NOTE BASINGSTOKE IS FREE TO LINUX USERS!

Basingstoke is a tense roguelike that mixes stealth and arcade action. Explore the smouldering ruins of apocalyptic Basingstoke, UK, a world of extreme peril where reanimated undead and ferocious alien monsters roam!

Looks like they based this on real life in the 2000's

Basingstoke is a town in England, renowned for its charming mix of hand crafted and procedurally generated features. Explore, above and below ground, and enjoy its many attractions. Rob a parking ticket machine, vandalise a keep left sign

Loot and craft as you explore. Lob a tasty sausage roll as a diversion, or poison a kebab for bait. Sneak up and knock a monster out with a whack from a cricket bat, or slice them up with a chainsaw. Tranquillize them with a dart fired from a homemade blowpipe, or set them alight with a DIY flamethrower. There's over a hundred useable items to loot or craft!

Sorry Windows and Mac users you will have to dig deep if you want to play

 

[Abarbarian]

Gamehub - Shows Games From Different Sources

We've recently seen the spike in Linux games, many popular gaming platforms have focused on Linux gaming. Last year Steam released Steam Play to play Windows games on Linux. Awesome! The list is growing fast so Linux gamers need Gamehub, an app allows to install, run, uninstall games from different sources from one place.

Why do we need Gamehub?

​

As mentioned above, this software is a unified library for all your games from different sources which means if you've different gaming platforms installed, you don't have to switch between the platforms' client to manage games. All your games will be available on Gamehub. Not only that, but you can also install or uninstall games right from Gamehub.

The home site gives some extra information,

https://github.com/tkashkin/GameHub

GameHub supports non-native games as well as native games for Linux.

It supports multiple compatibility layers for non-native games:

• Wine / Proton
• DOSBox
• RetroArch
• ScummVM

It also allows to add custom emulators.

GameHub supports WineWrap — a set of preconfigured wrappers for supported games.
Locally installed games can also be added to GameHub.

The home site also mentions that you can install by means of a FLATPAK so as long as your distro or os can handle flatpak's giving Gamehub should be a breeze.

flatpak install instructions

git clone https://github.com/tkashkin/GameHub.git
cd GameHub
scripts/build.sh build_flatpak

This could be a pretty useful program especially if you have self installed games and several different gaming platforms.

 

[Abarbarian]

10 years ago GamingOnLinux was created, what a ride it's been

Today, GamingOnLinux (the website) officially turns 10 years old, this is madness and here’s some thoughts and history on it all.

Over the time we’ve been here, we’ve been through the first Humble Indie Bundle back when they actually ported games to Linux (I did some QA for them too), Steam arrived with a bunch of games, GOG added Linux games, Steam Machines appeared and sadly died off, the Vulkan API became a thing, Wine advanced a ridiculous amount to run Windows games on Linux and DXVK came along to push it even further. Then Steam Play pulled up and was like "I hear you want more AAA games?" ensuring things stay interesting (and slightly complicated) for the foreseeable future. We also have the rise of game streaming with services like Google Stadia and Virtual Reality to come too. One thing is for certain, Linux certainly isn’t boring!

If you are interested in gaming on a penguin then this is a neat site to bookmark.