Kickstarter Games for Linux

[Inquisitor]

@MercGames: That was a really fun interview; thanks for sharing here!

I've collated some updates relating to the first post (in addition to zerothis' info above), for Sofox to consider incorporating:

• The link to Tempus Chronicle is missing its "http://" so browsers try to load "http://ubuntuforums.org/www.kickstarter.com/projects/aunim/tempus-chronicle-the-rpg-series-tuesdays-at-6pm" instead.
• FTL: Faster Than Light was successfully funded ("$200,542 pledged of $10,000 goal").
• Wasteland 2 is now confirmed for Linux, and still funding.
• (Update: see below!) The Banner Saga, as I noted before, are seeming rather more keen on Apple OSes than anything Linuxy (including Android), despite having demolished their initial goal; they're rapidly approaching 400% funding. I really hope they give us Linux users some love soon. I'll prod them today, because they said two weeks ago that they were looking into it and would update on it "soon".

Leisure Suit Larry have changed their text about cross-platform questions. I believe it previously said:

Once we are 100% funded then we can add platforms, starting with Linux (our biggest demand besides PC / Steam) and branch out from there.

It now says:

What platforms do you guys intend to support?

OK, had a LONG *** talk with the programmers and this is what we're able to give you guys with the $500k Kickstarter pledge. Ready? 1) PC 2) Mac 3) iPad 4) Android tablets. Once we surpass our $500k Kickstarter goal we can talk about additional rooms, more girls, Larry getting in to more trouble, and yes, even a version for you hardcore Linux users out there!!

Last updated: Friday Apr 6, 5:39am BST

I consider this a definite step backwards in some ways, because again we're relegated to "if, maybe, when" status, but the fact that they're planning to be so cross-platform anyway at their initial goal is enough to keep my pledge for now, in the hopes of surpassing it sufficiently to get us a Linux version. Just thought people should know about the change in tone.

Suggestion: I think it would be worthwhile to separate the initial post into two sections, the first one for games with 100% confirmed Linux support (including post-release, as long as it's guaranteed) or definite overfunding goals (like Double Fine and Wasteland 2 did), and a second section for the rest.

There's a lot of middleground and vagueness out there, and if I were coming to this thread without the last two months of Kickstarter-gaming experience I've got, I'd love to know at-a-glance which games were dead-certs. It might also be worth adding a note to the top of the second section to exhort readers to message the developers of any games they're interested in, to ask about/request Linux support.

[Zeven]

The first post needs to be updated! Sofox, perhaps you could somehow grant me rights? I have a lot of spare time at the moment so I could easily do it.

[Zeven]

NEW PLATFORMS - iPad and LINUX

Oh boy, it's finally official. We've heard your massive outpouring of support and will officially be porting to the iPad and Linux. Let's be up front here: the Kickstarter campaign is officially for PC and Mac, and we can't change that now. However, we can now promise that your donations will be used to port the finished game to these new platforms within a reasonable timeframe. We're committed to it.

And that doesn't mean we're done porting. Depending on what amount we end with other platforms are absolutely still on the table.

Good news everyone!

[Inquisitor]

Yep, you beat me to it! Looks like they WERE listening, after all! I've stuck a zero on my pledge there. Splendid stuff from Stoic.

[Zeven]

Yep, you beat me to it! Looks like they WERE listening, after all! I've stuck a zero on my pledge there. Splendid stuff from Stoic.

I am tempted to make a pledge with The Banner Saga and wish The Legend of Grimrock had a Kickstarter. The latter would have gotten my money easily. Oh, and of course I beat you to it! Sofox should allow us to edit his posts. >.>

[Asraniel]

Shadowrun linux port seems off the table:

"As part of our review, we came to the conclusion that feature additions such as a Linux version, Multiplayer PvP, and Cooperative Play are beyond the scope of the project and would cause us to lose focus on the game you reacted to so positively (and the game we really want to make)."

This means, we need to voice our opinion.
Those new kickstarter games are an UNIQUE oportunity to get some quality games onto linux.

There is really no reason not to create a linux version if they make a windows+mac version of the game. Simply because if they do it the smart way, they will use some crossplatform tools to create the engine, and nearly all of those crossplatform tools also run under linux.
They might simply not have the technical knowledge. So we need to inform them

[Zeven]

Shadowrun linux port seems off the table:

"As part of our review, we came to the conclusion that feature additions such as a Linux version, Multiplayer PvP, and Cooperative Play are beyond the scope of the project and would cause us to lose focus on the game you reacted to so positively (and the game we really want to make)."

This means, we need to voice our opinion.
Those new kickstarter games are an UNIQUE oportunity to get some quality games onto linux.

There is really no reason not to create a linux version if they make a windows+mac version of the game. Simply because if they do it the smart way, they will use some crossplatform tools to create the engine, and nearly all of those crossplatform tools also run under linux.
They might simply not have the technical knowledge. So we need to inform them

Like one of the comments said:

I don't understand why a Linux version "would cause us to lose focus on the game you reacted to so positively". but a Mac version for only $25k over your base goal is OK. Particularly since part of what I reacted positively to *was* the statement that "Linux support is definitely on the table".

I think a clear explanation is owed us as to why OS X support is in scope at $25k, but Linux support is beyond it even at $1M.

That's how I feel.

[Asraniel]

I think the people writing the kickstarter page are probably not developers and they might just have no idea.

Write a custom question to the kickstarter page, you would be surprised how much impact things like that can have if enough people do it. Don't be angry, just ask why they are not doing it and ask them to reconsider.

[Sofox]

Dagh! I think I can take a break for a few days while I'm away and all this happens. Banner Saga gets confirmed, Leisure Suit Larry support gets stalled, and Shadowrun gets dropped... not to mention what Inquisitor pointed out or his suggestions for how to redo the post.

Zeven, as much as your idea sounds great, I have no idea how to let you edit my post. We'll deal with the current setup as "good enough" for now, but clearly this has grown beyond what I conceived and we need to redo this.
For a start, does anyone know of a technical method for multiple people being able to edit a single post? Even if this involves creating a new thread we should consider it.
Failing that, I'm open to suggestions. The most unoriginal idea I can think of is a separate, wiki-like page that a set amount of people can edit, which would display all the Crowdfunded games, divided as per Inquisitor's suggestions, and with extra information on it's status and history and Linux support. Also a Twitter feed so that Linux users can be updated of any changes that are made to the page, list of crowdfunded Linux games, heck maybe even Facebook (don't use it myself). I had a crazy imagining of this turning into some powerful movements that shows that Linux gamers are a powerful force when it comes to crowdfunding games, and it seems we're closer to that imagining than I thought. Remember, it's not just about crowdfunding and supporting games, it's also about having numbers to show instantly to a 3rd party how much us Linux gamers contribute. I'd suggest a name like "CrowdfundedLinuxGames" as we don't want to imply being tied to one service.

Any other ideas are fine and shout them out. I'll try to return regularly to update the post as things change but apologies if I don't update as fast as you'd like me to, I'm really not that used to one of my ideas taking off

[bud986]

Shadowrun wont make a Linux client:/