Linux favored over Mac

[Zyro]

While I do not wish Mac users anything bad, it is nice to see that now sometimes games are brought to Windows and Linux, while some time ago it often was Windows and Mac. In the OS independent chart list of now, there is one game for alle three (Rust), one for Win and Mac (CS GO, with Linux version to come) and two for Windows and Linux (Wargame: Red Dragon and Battleblock Theater.

It seems Linux is viewed as a possible gaming platform, and it's possibly outperforming Mac on the publishing side.

[DiamondPugs]

If a company has A game working under Mac porting it to Linux is pretty easy, and viceversa. When most companies (at least today, cuz it wasn't like that a year ago) port a game from Windows to another OS like Mac, they port it to Linux as well because it is really simple (They already have most of the work done already).
So gamimg is just becoming multiplataform and not a Windows exclusive which is a great thing if you ask me.
Now the main reason why Linux systems outperform Mac systems is because Mac systems (Talking about hardware specs) are not that powerful compared to a Linux system of the same price, and Mac usually uses an older OpenGL version than the one any modern Linux distro use.

[Benjamin]

There are a few reasons Linux will inevitably overtake Mac as a gaming platform. The gimped graphics performance on OSX is a big one (that could change). The price of Macs is also a barrier to entry for many people who just want the best performance for their money. Also, gamers often like upgrading parts, and tinkering with their systems - something that is a simple on Linux (or Windows), but more difficult and/or expensive on Macs.

That said, I would love to see all the Linux games come to OSX as well! They're similar enough that it doesn't make sense not to.

[Pocket]

In theory, Macs should be the best gaming platform for their performance levels because there's such a limited number of possible configurations, making it relatively easy to diagnose and fix bugs. In practice, the performance levels in question are way below what you'd get even from a cheap, off-the-shelf PC because Apple only cares about the performance people get editing video and the like, and the drivers are crap because Apple ignores the updates that AMD and Nvidia send them until they're months out of date.

I suspect this is the logic behind Valve deciding to more or less abandon them as a platform except out of bare-minimum obligation.

[petri.piira]

Still waiting for games which have linux and mac support - but no windows. The greenlight process currently demands that a game *must* work on windows.. but isn't the greenlight process going away?

When we have the first game which does not support windows on steam, then we have really crossed a threshold.

[Cybertao]

Valve have clearly stated loudly, repeatedly, and clearly that there won't be any SteamOS exclusives.

[petri.piira]

Yes, that is why I said linux & mac. That is not an exclusive.

[Cybertao]

Well, you just keep on waiting...

[DiamondPugs]

Cybertao původně napsal:

Valve have clearly stated loudly, repeatedly, and clearly that there won't be any SteamOS exclusives.

VALVe said they won't bribe anyone to release SteamOS exclusive titles, but if a developer wanted to do it it was up to them. It is on the Steam Dev Days on youtube.

[Cybertao]

So there's nothing stopping developers from making SteamOS exclusives, other than the practicalities of it not being worth doing?

[Captain America]

petri.piira původně napsal:

Still waiting for games which have linux and mac support - but no windows. The greenlight process currently demands that a game *must* work on windows.. but isn't the greenlight process going away?

When we have the first game which does not support windows on steam, then we have really crossed a threshold.

Having a Featured Linux/SteamOS only game would be a great way to pull in new people to Linux.

The game would need to be really good so people would want it; and when they can't get it on Windows they make the jump to Linux.

[compholio]

MadXav původně napsal:

Cybertao původně napsal:

Valve have clearly stated loudly, repeatedly, and clearly that there won't be any SteamOS exclusives.

VALVe said they won't bribe anyone to release SteamOS exclusive titles, but if a developer wanted to do it it was up to them. It is on the Steam Dev Days on youtube.

And they never said anything about launch titles, just because it's available for a platform _first_ doesn't make it an exclusive.

[Pocket]

Considering no engine or SDK worth using supports only Mac and Linux, the only reason to do something like that would be to deliberately screw over Windows users, at the expense of what's likely to be 90% of your potential profits. So basically something only a free game would do, and if you make it free anyway it might as well be on the Linux depos as well, so not even Steam exclusive.

[Leaf [DG]]

petri.piira původně napsal:

Still waiting for games which have linux and mac support - but no windows. The greenlight process currently demands that a game *must* work on windows.. but isn't the greenlight process going away?

When we have the first game which does not support windows on steam, then we have really crossed a threshold.

Not a threshold, more like a zenith.

With OS usage statistics where they are now it's just insane to release a Linux-only (or Linux and Mac only) game. The more sensible route would be to support all platforms. For a Linux-only title to happen the amount of Windows users would have to be equal to the amount of Linux users we have now (or less). Linux would have to be the dominant OS and Windows about to kick the bucket. The roles would have to be completely reversed. As much as we dream of that day, it is a very long way away.

[Zyro]

*Leaf původně napsal:

With OS usage statistics where they are now it's just insane to release a Linux-only (or Linux and Mac only) game.

+1
It would be insane for about everybody but (perhaps) Valve to not publish a PC game on Windows as well. And Valve said they won't do it.