Is it a dream that games could be programed for both Win and Linux ?(like HL2,Unreal)

[patrick295767]

Why all new games are for Windows Box, nthg for Linux ?

[hav0x]

Depends on your definition of games and dream.
There have been recently some new mainstream high profile games released for both platforms.
UT2k4 Doom3 Quake4 come to mind as some blockbusters available for linux in the general FPS genre.

[BathroomNinja]

There are a lot of games made for both. ID software makes Doom3 and the Quake series for both platforms. The list is quite long, I won't name them all.

However, you are correct that a LOT of games are not made for Linux (or Mac). The main reason being that most companies have limited budgets/time/developers. Since the vast majority of computer gamers use Windows, it makes sense for the game developers to spend their efforts on their biggest cash cow.

Until more linux gamers come aboard, it will probably remain like this for a while. Can they create the game to work on all platforms? Yes, but a lot of the companies are making games for DirectX, not OpenGL. It's all about the money.

I can almost guarantee you, that if a game developer knew it could sell 10,000 copies of a game to linux users, they would take the time to make it work. But most companies know that the vast majority of the relatively small number of linux users, will just dual boot to use a game they really want. The bottom line being that they really don't loose much money. I would be interested to know the number of users who purchased Doom3 exclusively for use in Linux.

Keep in mind that you can always write a letter or send an email to a company to help encourage them to make games for linux too.

[Griff]

I'm happy with the progress I've seen with games being made for both platforms, but I wouldn't expect much more than what we are seeing right now. The windows community is just massive, and because most linux gamers still have a windows partition or use something like wine or cedega it really doesn't make sense for a developer to spend much time making it work on both. The linux masses have figured out a way to make windows games work on linux systems and developers know this. ID is just awesome.

On a positive note, I think when Vista hits the shelves the linux community is going to grow at an unprecedented pace. That bloated POS is going to pi-- off a whole new generation of linux users. (At least that's what I believe ;) )

[BathroomNinja]

On a positive note, I think when Vista hits the shelves the linux community is going to grow at an unprecedented pace. That bloated POS is going to pi-- off a whole new generation of linux users. (At least that's what I believe ;) )


But it does look pretty ;) I'm actually pretty excited about the new file manager. I have a current hatred for EVERY filemanager I have ever used to date.

[ZMaster]

Even if some games have a Linux version, and even if Cedega and WineX seem like a good solution for playing Windows-only games, the lack of hardware-accelerated video card drivers for many cards is a problem. I have a Trident laptop video card and I can't find an OpenGL driver, so there's no hope (yet) for playing OpenGL (or DirectX, via Cedega) games.

[ПОПТОНЖ]

Another reason the race toward virtualized systems needs to quicken. Graphics processors are just specialized cpus; virtualized graphics systems would communicate with all underlying operating systems on the machine and the games manufacturers could use whatever "operating system" they felt game them the best performance.

Anyone remember when games used to come with 4dos, their own operating system? Everything old is eventually new again.

[barfos]

Here's an evil idea for a serious game developer. You make your groundbreaking, awesome, everyone must have it, game. You make it for windows / linux... which isn't really that hard if you use the open source stuff right. Not directx. Then you sell it at normal price for windows 49.99$ or something. But you make the linux version free (of charge). 'Customers' can get it online or mailed to them (pay shipping or not) like some linux distros.

Not many people will want to switch to linux or figure out how to dual boot in order to play this game for free. This means you won't be losing much money. On the other hand you are encouraging the use of linux by gamers (mostly windows lovers).

Of course if you are a company developing a huge game like that, you probably want all the money you can squeeze out of them, and your financial department would say no.

barfos

[Griff]

Of course if you are a company developing a huge game like that, you probably want all the money you can squeeze out of them, and your financial department would say no.
barfos
Yep. That's it right there. It will always come down to that. There has to be a financial incentive for developers to make games for linux. Period. Until then, we will continue to do as we have in the past.

[BathroomNinja]

Yep. That's it right there. It will always come down to that. There has to be a financial incentive for developers to make games for linux. Period. Until then, we will continue to do as we have in the past.

ID has a good model. By providing binaries for linux, they are [I]really[I] able to squeeze every last dime. There are a number of gamers who don't actually have windows.

[Griff]

As a rule, FPS games don't usually get much attention from me (it usually means I need to upgrade somthing :(), but the way ID seems to be handling things just about has me sold on Quake 4.

[gil-galad]

As a rule, FPS games don't usually get much attention from me (it usually means I need to upgrade somthing :(), but the way ID seems to be handling things just about has me sold on Quake 4.

That did sell me quake 4. It wasn't the best game in the world, but the prompt release of the linux binaries impressed me. So I bought the game.

[exclipy]

Yep, I'm pretty much sold on Quake 4 too. I'm planning on buying it simply because there is a version for Linux. Although it's a little slower (damn graphics drivers), it does mean I won't have to reboot every time I want to play something.

[tokyovigilante]

I agree, the native Linux binary was the only reason I paid for Quake 4, and the only reason I WONT pay for HL-2, even though it's a great game. Basically Id rules and Valve sucks ;).

I've found my frame-rates are consistently higher (both average and maximum) in Linux (64-bit version with 32-bit compatibility libraries/64-bit 8174 nVidia driver - no chroot) compared to 32-bit XP Pro on my machine.

BTW, has anyone played HL-2 with transparency anti-aliasing on a 7xxx series nVidia card? - Sexy. Its a shame that SLI made it into the new drivers over this rendering mode.

[DaMaster_Architect]

hmm, unfortunately I can't play quake 4 nor HL2, nor BF2 on my comp, since it's simply too old.

Here's an evil idea for a serious game developer. You make your groundbreaking, awesome, everyone must have it, game. You make it for windows / linux... which isn't really that hard if you use the open source stuff right. Not directx. Then you sell it at normal price for windows 49.99$ or something. But you make the linux version free (of charge). 'Customers' can get it online or mailed to them (pay shipping or not) like some linux distros.

heh, making a awesome game is already difficult enough :P
but I like the idea.. it would probably encourage other developers to do the same.

actually, to be honest, I AM making a game with a friend of mine. In short, we try to beat simcity.
The problem is not that we aren't experienced enough, however, my friend does the 3D part, and he wants to use DirectX. I might convince him to use openGL, but we might need more programmers. Are there a few of you out there who'd like to help us with the game?

[Cope57]

Why all new games are for Windows Box, nthg for Linux ?
Over 9,000 free games available at http://sourceforge.net/ more games on other sites.

[encompass]

we got close with UT2k4
or how about the wolfenstien game...

[rigsnet]

I think we should all get together and create a sweet game exclusively for Linux.

[JA2]

If I had the programming skills, you could certainly count me in! :-)

[JA2]

Perhaps the next big killer application that no one is working on [yet] is a versatile 3D engine for Linux game development.

[handy]

But it does look pretty ;) I'm actually pretty excited about the new file manager. I have a current hatred for EVERY filemanager I have ever used to date.

Have you tried Total Commander?

I love it!:KS