Linux support

[Defectus]

Heyo, I've been watching lots of people playing Subnautica, and I gotta say, it looks amazing. So I really wanted to buy it, but then apparently, there's no support for Linux!
Now I know that a bunch of people already asked for this, but it's always either there's no good answer or there's someone saying that the developers are working on it or something. And it's been like that for a LONG time.
From what I see, the developers are working very hard and well to get new updates which include new types of life forms, different items, new textures, and that's awesome. It's really great that there are constant updates and that they actually add interesting stuff rather than just technical stuff all the time. That's great! However, what's not great is that they're focusing on adding new stuff to the game a lot more than to actually let more people play the game. So here I am, seeing that there's a new update, and instead of thinking "Ooh, awesome! Can't wait to check out the new things in-game!", I think "Oh, nice, let's see images and videos of the update.". You get my point, right?
So, what I want is either
1. Somebody will explain this to me, and give me more than just "They're working on it", because I've seen that a billion times already and I know it's not true. Heck, the word "linux" isn't even in the Subnautica Development Trello page.
2. The developers will actually focus on Linux support, because I've been waiting for a while and I really want this game. It looks so fun.
Thanks.

[Defectus]

Originally posted by Akuma:

This a Joke?

Nope. I genuinely want to buy this game but I'm on Linux. How can this be a joke?

[Obraxis]

We're not working on Linux and we have no current plans to sadly. That might change in the future, but don't buy the game expecting Linux support.

[Defectus]

Originally posted by Obraxis:

We're not working on Linux and we have no current plans to sadly. That might change in the future, but don't buy the game expecting Linux support.

That's a shame. Well, thanks for the answer at least, but if you don't mind, can you tell me why, exactly? Is it because it's just too hard or doesn't seem like something worth doing? Either way, I guess I'll just keep watching people play the fun game I'm missing until I can somehow get a virtual machine to work or buy a new computer (Which will most likely be in a very, very long time).

[Mocha]

Originally posted by Spake:

Originally posted by Obraxis:

We're not working on Linux and we have no current plans to sadly. That might change in the future, but don't buy the game expecting Linux support.

That's a shame. Well, thanks for the answer at least, but if you don't mind, can you tell me why, exactly? Is it because it's just too hard or doesn't seem like something worth doing? Either way, I guess I'll just keep watching people play the fun game I'm missing until I can somehow get a virtual machine to work or buy a new computer (Which will most likely be in a very, very long time).

My educated theory is, that

It is probably a hassle to port to linux. And with them wanting to get the game to 1.0 soon, they'd rather focus their money on that instead of a playerbase that (Im not sure, havent checked recently) is less then 2% of the market. Even then it would even be a smaller portion of that who'd buy this game. Thats why you see mostly triple A games porting to Linux since they have the time and money to cater a smaller market consumer.

[Defectus]

Originally posted by Mocha-chan:

Originally posted by Spake:

That's a shame. Well, thanks for the answer at least, but if you don't mind, can you tell me why, exactly? Is it because it's just too hard or doesn't seem like something worth doing? Either way, I guess I'll just keep watching people play the fun game I'm missing until I can somehow get a virtual machine to work or buy a new computer (Which will most likely be in a very, very long time).

My educated theory is, that

It is probably a hassle to port to linux. And with them wanting to get the game to 1.0 soon, they'd rather focus their money on that instead of a playerbase that (Im not sure, havent checked recently) is less then 2% of the market. Even then it would even be a smaller portion of that who'd buy this game. Thats why you see mostly triple A games porting to Linux since they have the time and money to cater a smaller market consumer.

"Less than 2% of the market" actually, it's 2.3%. And even then, that's still not a good reason. Here I am, sitting in my chair, sweating and scratching my hair as I try to figure out how I get a virtual machine to actually work, looking up tons of things I have no knowledge about because I really, really want this game, while someplace else, some person on Windows just has to pay some money, and bam, he's got his game working. In a way I'm being punished for using the operating system I want to use. And besides, even if it's only 2.3% of what is left, having all 100% of the desktops able to play the game is an incredible achievement. It's what makes lots of games so popular and praised. Don't you think it's a lot of fun that when you see someone play a game that you seem to really like, you can just head over there and buy it? It's awesome, isn't yet? But for Subnautica, I have to work for weeks to get a virtual machine working, installing packages and with the super high chance that none of it is going to work.

[Mocha]

Originally posted by Spake:

Originally posted by Mocha-chan:

My educated theory is, that

It is probably a hassle to port to linux. And with them wanting to get the game to 1.0 soon, they'd rather focus their money on that instead of a playerbase that (Im not sure, havent checked recently) is less then 2% of the market. Even then it would even be a smaller portion of that who'd buy this game. Thats why you see mostly triple A games porting to Linux since they have the time and money to cater a smaller market consumer.

"Less than 2% of the market" actually, it's 2.3%. And even then, that's still not a good reason. Here I am, sitting in my chair, sweating and scratching my hair as I try to figure out how I get a virtual machine to actually work, looking up tons of things I have no knowledge about because I really, really want this game, while someplace else, some person on Windows just has to pay some money, and bam, he's got his game working. In a way I'm being punished for using the operating system I want to use. And besides, even if it's only 2.3% of what is left, having all 100% of the desktops able to play the game is an incredible achievement. It's what makes lots of games so popular and praised. Don't you think it's a lot of fun that when you see someone play a game that you seem to really like, you can just head over there and buy it? It's awesome, isn't yet? But for Subnautica, I have to work for weeks to get a virtual machine working, installing packages and with the super high chance that none of it is going to work.

Not my problem tho.

[Defectus]

Originally posted by Mocha-chan:

Not my problem tho.

Of course it isn't. That's because you're not using Linux and therefore are blessed.

[bilbop]

buy macos - apple not? its supported.

[Horizonist]

Linux gaming has made massive strides in the past years. There is s till a whole lot of ground to cover, and it is unfortunately both non-trivial and expensive for any dev team to support it at the moment.

The Unity team are currently working on support for Linux, which will be another huge step (Subnautica is one of thousands of games which use the Unity engine).
https://blogs.unity3d.com/2015/08/26/unity-comes-to-linux-experimental-build-now-available/

[Defectus]

Originally posted by bilbop:

buy macos - apple not? its supported.

Problem is, I'm sticking to my computer. I don't want to buy another one.

Originally posted by Horizonist:

Linux gaming has made massive strides in the past years. There is s till a whole lot of ground to cover, and it is unfortunately both non-trivial and expensive for any dev team to support it at the moment.

The Unity team are currently working on support for Linux, which will be another huge step (Subnautica is one of thousands of games which use the Unity engine).
https://blogs.unity3d.com/2015/08/26/unity-comes-to-linux-experimental-build-now-available/

If the Unity team is CURRENTLY working on Linux support, then how is it that there are already lots of Unity games available on Linux?

[Lazy Fangs]

Originally posted by Spake:

Originally posted by bilbop:

buy macos - apple not? its supported.

Problem is, I'm sticking to my computer. I don't want to buy another one.

Originally posted by Horizonist:

Linux gaming has made massive strides in the past years. There is s till a whole lot of ground to cover, and it is unfortunately both non-trivial and expensive for any dev team to support it at the moment.

The Unity team are currently working on support for Linux, which will be another huge step (Subnautica is one of thousands of games which use the Unity engine).
https://blogs.unity3d.com/2015/08/26/unity-comes-to-linux-experimental-build-now-available/

If the Unity team is CURRENTLY working on Linux support, then how is it that there are already lots of Unity games available on Linux?

Unity can port to Linux. The problem is support for Linux drivers and troubleshooting connected with that.

If you're using Linux, it should be second nature to "have to figure stuff out". If you can't start up Wine on your rig, you either use Linux because you're too cheap to get a Windows OS, or your PC won't be able to handle Subnautica on top of a virtual machine anyway.

[Defectus]

Originally posted by Wing Dancer:

Originally posted by Spake:

Problem is, I'm sticking to my computer. I don't want to buy another one.

If the Unity team is CURRENTLY working on Linux support, then how is it that there are already lots of Unity games available on Linux?

Unity can port to Linux. The problem is support for Linux drivers and troubleshooting connected with that.

If you're using Linux, it should be second nature to "have to figure stuff out". If you can't start up Wine on your rig, you either use Linux because you're too cheap to get a Windows OS, or your PC won't be able to handle Subnautica on top of a virtual machine anyway.

Actually I use Linux because it's a programmer friendly OS, but I also want to play games on it. The reason I can't switch to another OS is because my PC only handles Linux.
I'll go as far as paying money for the game, because I honestly think it's great, but I'm not gonna go as far as buying a new PC just to play it.

[0°H2O]

aspyr ported plenty of games to linux/mac
cod is based on idtech3 engine that was used in quake3. natively written in linux not using wine, but the devs cant produce for linux because activision is yanking their chains.
linux gaming is very real and very possible.
however it takes a second group of people and time.
i would love to see it run on linux.

[Lazy Fangs]

Originally posted by Spake:

Originally posted by Wing Dancer:

Unity can port to Linux. The problem is support for Linux drivers and troubleshooting connected with that.

If you're using Linux, it should be second nature to "have to figure stuff out". If you can't start up Wine on your rig, you either use Linux because you're too cheap to get a Windows OS, or your PC won't be able to handle Subnautica on top of a virtual machine anyway.

Actually I use Linux because it's a programmer friendly OS, but I also want to play games on it. The reason I can't switch to another OS is because my PC only handles Linux.
I'll go as far as paying money for the game, because I honestly think it's great, but I'm not gonna go as far as buying a new PC just to play it.

"Only handles Linux" is a very strange term to use if you mention programming. What's wrong with it that it can't handle a different OS?

Anyway, Subnautica is very resource intensive anyway, so your rig might not be up to par regardless.

[Defectus]

Originally posted by Wing Dancer:

Originally posted by Spake:

Actually I use Linux because it's a programmer friendly OS, but I also want to play games on it. The reason I can't switch to another OS is because my PC only handles Linux.
I'll go as far as paying money for the game, because I honestly think it's great, but I'm not gonna go as far as buying a new PC just to play it.

"Only handles Linux" is a very strange term to use if you mention programming. What's wrong with it that it can't handle a different OS?

Anyway, Subnautica is very resource intensive anyway, so your rig might not be up to par regardless.

When I start up the computer, the only options I get are Ubuntu and some Ubuntu settings. Can't change it.
As for resource intensity, I've seen someone with a computer slower than mine run it pretty smoothly. Not 100% smoothly, but definitely enough to be played. If that computer can handle it, mine can probably even better.