Linux!
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Linux!
I am proud to be the first one to ask about X-Rebirth on Linux, probably the reason why I've looked at the X series in the first place! Linux communities, including gaming are thriving. With no Linux port for X3-TC, will X-Rebirth revive the penguin universe?
There is a number of options here.X2-Eliah wrote:And who would be willing to port the game over, from that thriving Linux community?
-> Amazingly, the history of linux gaming knows many projects, where game prots were released even without the public availability of the source code.
-> If the source code is available and the game even semi-successful, someone in the community always takes such project up
-> egosoft could also work towards making the game run in crossgaming platforms, like cedega, or other emulation software
-> Finally, it could be given to LGP for release, like before.
Not sure what makes you to advocate for them, this thread is merely to remind dear Egosoft, that there will be a few pairs of penguin hands reaching out for the X-Rebirth game boxX2-Eliah wrote: Egosoft probably does not have the monetary resources to do it themselves - in the past such things have been outsourced to companies, ant that also costs a lot of money.
Another one asking for a Linux compatible version.
I know nothing about Linux programming language, other than it's a completely different language, but surely if a games company decided from the start to have versions for all OS's, and small projects like Oolite or the X-Com UFO Defense remake (to name just two) can do it, why oh why oh why can't a big company like Egosoft do it too?
I know nothing about Linux programming language, other than it's a completely different language, but surely if a games company decided from the start to have versions for all OS's, and small projects like Oolite or the X-Com UFO Defense remake (to name just two) can do it, why oh why oh why can't a big company like Egosoft do it too?
Formerly "Alien Tech Inc."
Ego isn't all that big unfortunately. The problem is that linux uses an open standard for graphics/sound/input, rather than Microsofts proprietary directx which dominates the gaming market. You can approach the problem in a variety of ways in linux, but at the end of the day, the proprietary nature of directx is a big problem for linux and Mac. Microsoft is even forcing windows OS upgrades to get directx upgrades.Alien Tech Inc. wrote:Another one asking for a Linux compatible version.
I know nothing about Linux programming language, other than it's a completely different language, but surely if a games company decided from the start to have versions for all OS's, and small projects like Oolite or the X-Com UFO Defense remake (to name just two) can do it, why oh why oh why can't a big company like Egosoft do it too?
Fortunately most games being developed with directx are still developed with directx9, with stunning results like were seeing with Rebirth. Directx 9 runs fine on XP, meaning so far OS upgrades have not really been needed for gamers that didn't want to "upgrade."
Battlefield 3 is going to require vista or 7 to run it in windows due to this issue.
It's not about programming languages.Alien Tech Inc. wrote:Another one asking for a Linux compatible version.
I know nothing about Linux programming language, other than it's a completely different language, but surely if a games company decided from the start to have versions for all OS's, and small projects like Oolite or the X-Com UFO Defense remake (to name just two) can do it, why oh why oh why can't a big company like Egosoft do it too?
Like most games X-Rebirth uses DirectX. That's an API specifically designed for developing games. Since it's developed by Microsoft it only runs on Windows.
That's the main issue.
Unfortunately, because there are more gams in DirectX, there are more developers coding using the DX API, so it pays off to small game developers.
If only OpenGL was used instead of DirectX, then porting the game would be actually almost as easy as cross-compiling the code - especially for games that have no network code like the X series!
If DirectX is used, the last chance for Linux games is to emulate DX drivers with software like WINE.
If only OpenGL was used instead of DirectX, then porting the game would be actually almost as easy as cross-compiling the code - especially for games that have no network code like the X series!
If DirectX is used, the last chance for Linux games is to emulate DX drivers with software like WINE.
Its not quite that simple but... if the code is written in C++ using OpenGL then there's a good chance it could be ported to Linux with relatively minor effort.
The trick is to write the OS-specific bits separately so they can be swapped for the same functionality using different OS calls. There's plenty of cross-platform frameworks that allow this with practically no effort required.
However, it depends how Egosoft has done it, if they know DX and coded to use it, then we're stuck, and that's just too bad. Maybe next time they could rewrite their newly-rewritten game engine to use OpenGL instead (there's not that *much* difference between them anyway, and with the advent of webGL, its a more marketable skill, so I'd live in hope for next time)
The trick is to write the OS-specific bits separately so they can be swapped for the same functionality using different OS calls. There's plenty of cross-platform frameworks that allow this with practically no effort required.
However, it depends how Egosoft has done it, if they know DX and coded to use it, then we're stuck, and that's just too bad. Maybe next time they could rewrite their newly-rewritten game engine to use OpenGL instead (there's not that *much* difference between them anyway, and with the advent of webGL, its a more marketable skill, so I'd live in hope for next time)
Or, here's a snazzy idea, you could just suck it up, and play it on windows. I dual boot my computer for this very reason. Windows for games, Linux for most of everything else.rzadzins wrote: Not sure what makes you to advocate for them, this thread is merely to remind dear Egosoft, that there will be a few pairs of penguin hands reaching out for the X-Rebirth game box
The Gobs of Bog will consume you all.
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- Joined: Fri, 5. Mar 10, 21:46
Dear all Linux supporters!
Perhaps the game will work on wine ok. If not, perhaps it will need some help from us:
Wine offer the possibility to vote on bugs - the ones with most votes get resolved quicker. Perhaps we could all register and vote on the ones affecting XR
Lets keep this thread and report our findings once the game (or a demo or beta) gets released.
Perhaps the game will work on wine ok. If not, perhaps it will need some help from us:
Wine offer the possibility to vote on bugs - the ones with most votes get resolved quicker. Perhaps we could all register and vote on the ones affecting XR
Lets keep this thread and report our findings once the game (or a demo or beta) gets released.
- the-danzorz
- Posts: 328
- Joined: Fri, 29. Jan 10, 22:39
If Steam can be made to work with linux, then porting the game to work with linux won't be a problem.
otherwise you first need to make the game standalone, without bugging it with the achievements and other steam features. You then need to make sure updates can somehow be applied.
Then you need to make sure the game can run without bugs and problems.
I use linux on my second PC and i can say, there will be NO Linux support for this game. Especially if there hasn't been support or any attempt to make any of the other egosoft games Linux Supported.
Linux isn't main stream enough for developers to focus on.
otherwise you first need to make the game standalone, without bugging it with the achievements and other steam features. You then need to make sure updates can somehow be applied.
Then you need to make sure the game can run without bugs and problems.
I use linux on my second PC and i can say, there will be NO Linux support for this game. Especially if there hasn't been support or any attempt to make any of the other egosoft games Linux Supported.
Linux isn't main stream enough for developers to focus on.