Question - about vidio cards

[clhsharky]

Does Linux games require a high end video card and if so which games.
I'm not a gamer but my children are and would like to setup a ubuntu game box for them, to play Linux games. I build my own computes and don't have problems with Windows or Ubuntu, I just don't know which video card would give a good game experience in Ubuntu.

Not interested in bleeding edge,duel boot,wine, vm. All ready have a Windows gaming rig. Ubuntu serves all my computer needs, so I would like to try more.

Advice Please

Sharky

[Nevon]

You don't need a super high end video card for most games that Linux has to offer. If you don't feel like wasting a lot of money a mid-range video card should be just fine.

[eragon100]

If your kids already have a windows gaming rig, it's 100% pointless to give them a linux gaming computer, since all those linux games have windows versions they can play, both the commercial and the free ones. (I assume you were talking about all the awesome free games, such as warsow, nexuiz, savage XR, Urban Terror, openarena, etc.)

In addition, if you really want to install linux, just make a dual-boot on that windows gaming rig. You will have both systems installed on that pc, and you can choose witch one to start every time you turn on your pc.
The ubuntu cd can do this automatically for you, but since it does involve partitioning your hard drive, it is recommended you make a back-up of any important data on that pc :wink:

If you really want a videocard, my €50; Nvidia GeForce 8 8600 GT 512 MB DDR2
Works fine with all games, at medium to high settings :)

And that warsow game I just mentioned, tell your kids to try it out, because it's great, and looks awesome with it cell-shaded graphics. (ie it looks like a cartoon / anime / whatever you want to call it :wink:)
www.warsow.net (free :))

[Artificial Intelligence]

Maybe World of Padman, cartoonish FPS (multiplay only atm.), but fun nonetheless.

[clhsharky]

Thank you all for your advice,and suggestions. I build a new machine every year and wanted to give something more "new and different" than just Windows.

I appreciate your time given

Sharky

[binbash]

a mid range nvidia will be fine

[u235sentinel]

Does Linux games require a high end video card and if so which games.
I'm not a gamer but my children are and would like to setup a ubuntu game box for them, to play Linux games. I build my own computes and don't have problems with Windows or Ubuntu, I just don't know which video card would give a good game experience in Ubuntu.

Not interested in bleeding edge,duel boot,wine, vm. All ready have a Windows gaming rig. Ubuntu serves all my computer needs, so I would like to try more.

Advice Please

Sharky
I'm at the point now where my kids are pushing for Ubuntu Linux and minimizing our use of Windows. Their machines are multi boot since Counterstrike Source and TF2 still has some problems with WINE. But just about everything else we have is working great.


For their computers I have Nvidia cards installed. Both series 7 and 8 cards (which are quite cheap these days). I've been playing with them on our network various games from Nexuiz and Alien Arena to Unreal Tournament 2004 and Quake 4 (both native to Linux). It's been a blast!

[dtoronto]

Just a note is I have had less issues with NVIDIA chips than the ATI cipsets.

[CharmyBee]

Just to give an idea: Teeworlds*, Hedgewars, SuperTuxKart, xjump, LiquidWar are excellent Linux games for children. Urban Terror, Open Arena, World of Padman, Nexuiz, are not. There may be many more games that look like they're for children but in the end is inappropriate (xboing, bomberclone, lbreakout2, earlier versions of wormux)

I use an ATI Radeon card and don't experience the horrors many have had with the card, in Jaunty. OF course, your mileage may vary.

* - online only, but if you got a family LAN, that doesn't matter.

[Artificial Intelligence]

Depends on the age of the kids/children and what you allow them to or not.

[clhsharky]

Thanks once again for your suggestions and for your concerns. I do check out what and how it is playing "to be in the mix of things".

And yes my children, will always be "my children" no matter what age. So sorry bout that.

Protecting computers & users is a big thing anymore, be it a 7 year old that just wants to play a game to keeping thieves or worse away.

Sharky

[wolfyking2]

Just to give an idea: Teeworlds*, Hedgewars, SuperTuxKart, xjump, LiquidWar are excellent Linux games for children. Urban Terror, Open Arena, World of Padman, Nexuiz, are not. There may be many more games that look like they're for children but in the end is inappropriate (xboing, bomberclone, lbreakout2, earlier versions of wormux)

I use an ATI Radeon card and don't experience the horrors many have had with the card, in Jaunty. OF course, your mileage may vary.

* - online only, but if you got a family LAN, that doesn't matter. how is lbreakout2 and xboing inappropiate in the end?

[racerraul]

I woulld stick with Nvidia...

I am having problems with Quake4 running on an ATI HD3200. The games sais it can't find s3tc compression but when I check the driver details, it is enabled.

I have a thread none of the ATI gurus are responding to in that regard, so my last option at the moment is to try the 9.4 driver... if that doesn't fix it, then I'm buying an Nvidia card for that system, since my other 3 computers all with Nvidia run whatever games I throw at it....

[kemorc]

You aren't the only one with ATI problems... but supposedly it is driver related. EVERY Ubuntu 9.04 installed computer that has ATI gfx at school have a ton of problems. The Nvidia based ones, run flawless.

[R33D3M33R]

Try any Kubuntu with KDE 4.x and nVidia legacy. Flawless isn't the right word anymore :(.