Is linux the future for PC gaming?

[Ulfrinn]

as most of you know.. steam has been putting a lot of resources into gaming on linux. with their steam client on linux, and steamos itself being a linux distro, it seems they are trying very hard to get developers to abandon directx for something cross-platform, opengl maybe? maybe something else?

reguardless, this huge push of steam into the linux market has attracted attention from developers and other gaming franchises as well.. no more licenses to windows, no more directx requirements.. but above all, no running that 1gb+ ram interface in the background while playing a game... windows is designed to be an all-around operating system in one package, so its not tuned for gaming, its tuned to look good and get people to fork out $400 for it.. but linux can be made into whatever you want it to be and steam has decided to make it into the ultimate gaming operating system

my question is.. will it all come to fruition?.. wil developers being to systematically start abandoning directx for something more cross platform focusing either on linux due to the steam box and steam OS while that cross-platform API would allow easier porting to other systems.. or will windows maintain its strangle hold on the PC gaming market?

to be honest.. i hate microsoft the company.. theyve lost my respect with a lot of their actions recently, and abominations like windows 8, the xbox one, and their tablet surely didnt help.. in fact ive even tossed out my xbox controller and began using a PS3 controller on PC (and honestly, its a higher quality, lighter, more comfortable controller anyway).. but, i do hope to see linux gaming really take off

so what do you guys think? im interested in hearing some opinions, and id also like to know how many of you are willing to dual-boot if not install linux or steamos for gaming?

[Persephone Sapphora]

Most likely not. It will just be another alternative to Windows. You are probably not going to see DirectX abandoned.. Not any time soon anyway. If any API were to replace DirectX it would be AMD's Mantle and whatever Nvidia Cooks up to compete with AMD.

[illidian]

No, Linux is not the future of gaming.....

[Ulfrinn]

most people ive spoken to that are familiar with linux would gladly give up windows if they cuold play their games on it.. and most games, especially shooters, tend to be built upon different, pre-existing engines, wouldnt those engines have to be the only thing ported to a different API, and this would allow the games built upon those engines to be seamlessly ported to those systems?

as for AMD mantle.. how does this differ from opengl, and wouldnt getting into another propietary API just lead to the same problems we have with directx?

[Ulfrinn]

hmm.. so if im reading this correctly, mantle is brand new, just announced a couple weeks ago, but has the potential to completely blow directx and opengl out of the water, is cross platform, and allows games developed for mantle to easily be ported to multiple systems.. that means mantle could likely be used on the xbox one, playstation 4 and those same games quite easily could then be ported to linux (steamos), windows, or mac with very little work needed.. so not only would this be cross-operating system, but work on the next generation of consoles too

also.. ive been reading that steam will have a lot to do with mantle, and will have a lot of support for it as well.. so maybe itll be mantle that kills it for directx (long overdue if you ask me) and it seems like it has the potential to blow the PC gaming industry wide open, being able to play the same games on any operating system you want, be it windows, map, or linux

[Spawn of Totoro]

Even if all games were developed with OpenGL or if DirectX was open source, the average Windows user isn't someone that the Linux community would like to have.

In order for Linux to replace windows, it would have to become so simple and dumbed down, it would lose almost everything that makes it Linux. The customizability would have to be removed. Driver and all software would have to become standardized.

The Linux user would love to see Linux dominate over Windows, but the majority of them are not willing to do what would be required to do so. That would basically be a Linux core with windows look, feel and ease of use.

Due to this, Linux will never dominate PC gaming as a whole. I see it getting stronger and catching more people who are willing to learn the ins and out of Linux, but Windows will most likely remain the dominant OS...unless they really butcher themselves.

I, for one, would ditch Windows as an OS, but that is because I am willing to learn a new OS (and have been trying to do so) and know about the other software available for Linux.

Please keep in mind, these are just from my personal opinion, views and ecperiance from things I have seen while researching Linux and attempting to get assistance in the Linux forums (most seem dislike people asking questions and tell them to figure it out themselves).

BurntByHellfire eredeti hozzászólása:

most people ive spoken to that are familiar with linux would gladly give up windows if they cuold play their games on it.. and most games, especially shooters, tend to be built upon different, pre-existing engines, wouldnt those engines have to be the only thing ported to a different API, and this would allow the games built upon those engines to be seamlessly ported to those systems?

as for AMD mantle.. how does this differ from opengl, and wouldnt getting into another propietary API just lead to the same problems we have with directx?

And the key there is they are people who are already familiar with Linux. Compared to those who are familiar with Windows, that is a small number of people. Just look at people's unwillingness and reasons to change to Windows 8. Imagine how they would act if they were forced to switch to an entirely different OS.

[steverouse1234]

No

[Ulfrinn]

actually.. i know a few DOZEN people that have recently switched to linux BECAUSE of windows 8.. linux offers them the ability to maintain a simpler, more classic interface and if im not mistaken, most switched to an ubuntu based distribution which i find to actually be simpler and more straightforward than windows... windows 8 definitely pushed a lot of people away and with recent changes to linux over the last couple years its really become as easy and as intuitive as anything else

i never asked if linux will kill windows, i asked if linux will at some point become the better, if not more dominant system for PC gaming.. the performance boost is evident and this AMD mantle allows what would appear to be quick and easy cross platform coding with an all around more superior performance level than directx

so what im saying.. combine the number of PC gamers that dislike windows 8, then the power users who want to squeeze every last bit of performance they can out of their system, and the steam box which is also linux (i know many people from xbox live before i switched to PC gaming a few months ago upon building this new computer) that microsoft has managed to alienate with their xbox one that have been keeping a close eye on the steam box as an alternative

what i see is a lot of attention being directed on linux in general as a gaming platform and steam has a lot to do with it obviously

[Spawn of Totoro]

BurntByHellfire eredeti hozzászólása:

actually.. i know a few DOZEN people that have recently switched to linux BECAUSE of windows 8.. linux offers them the ability to maintain a simpler, more classic interface and if im not mistaken, most switched to an ubuntu based distribution which i find to actually be simpler and more straightforward than windows... windows 8 definitely pushed a lot of people away and with recent changes to linux over the last couple years its really become as easy and as intuitive as anything else

i never asked if linux will kill windows, i asked if linux will at some point become the better, if not more dominant system for PC gaming.. the performance boost is evident and this AMD mantle allows what would appear to be quick and easy cross platform coding with an all around more superior performance level than directx

so what im saying.. combine the number of PC gamers that dislike windows 8, then the power users who want to squeeze every last bit of performance they can out of their system, and the steam box which is also linux (i know many people from xbox live before i switched to PC gaming a few months ago upon building this new computer) that microsoft has managed to alienate with their xbox one that have been keeping a close eye on the steam box as an alternative

what i see is a lot of attention being directed on linux in general as a gaming platform and steam has a lot to do with it obviously

And I said I do not believe it will. I know several dozen people who refuse to touch Linux. Some have tried, then been beaten down by the community when asking for help.

Many just won't switch to Windows 8 as there is no reason to. They will also not move to Linux, even if it is just for gaming. Many are also so entrenched/invested in Windows that Linux would be useless to them as it is.

Linux won't really dominate the market at all. It will gain a bigger share, but that is it.

Not many are looking at the SteamBox as an alternative. They will look more at the PS4 if they don't want the Xbox one. Those systems give them something the SteamBox and PC don't. Ease of use.

SteamBox will still need upgrades at some point. Even if you just use the Streaming feature (still needs Windows to use, btw) you still have a PC you will need to upgrade, settings you need to tweek and drivers you need to update.

So again, no. Linux has too many hurdles and things to overcome before it could get to a point where it would dominate the gaming area.

Ubuntu? Sorry, no. Users complain about Windows asking to run and/or install a program. If they have to start typing "sudo" and entering commands (even Ubuntu does) they won't want to switch.

Attention does not = success. There are a lot of example of this. VirtualBoy ring a bell? That got lots of attention, then flopped. PDAs? They died out. They got a lot of attention for a long time too.

Will that happen here? No one knows. We will just have to wait and see.

[Yossarian]

In my opinion it won't be a future of gaming.

[Ulfrinn]

do you have any idea how many people tell me the ONLY reason they stay on windows is because of the games?.. and directx is dying.. its not going to be around much longer, too old and inefficient and the number of developers using other APIs is growing.. if you could play the same games on linux that you play with windows, with lets say a 20-25% increase in performance simply because you can actually play on an operating system designed and meant for gaming (it would have to be linux based such as steamos). youre going to tell me youre still going to ford out $200-$300 every time windows comes up with their next operating system just so you can keep playing games on that?..

face it.. linux is the fastest growing market in gaming right now for those reasons, and windows is causing their own downfall with releasing garbage like windows 8 so even if linux isnt the future of gaming, its clear that windows wont be

[sara_bear]

You know it kinda funny everyone harping on Win8. Just proves you haven't been at this long. Anyone who has knows EVERY OTHER Wins is cr*p. Win7 was good, 8 will automatically suck, 9 will be good. Always been like that, you all to young to remeber what a suck fest Win Me was?

[27]

I waiting for Steam's Operating System to install it as my first Operating System and Dual-Boot with Windows 7.

Windows 8 is stupid, such as Microsoft.
Not planning to get a Windows Desktop.
When Windows 9 will release I'll have money to buy an iMAC and I'll uninstall Windows 7. If not I'll build a Hackintosh.

[Stuliloquy]

Open source is the future.

[Ulfrinn]

well.. is open source the future though?.. i think directx will die, its propietary and windows wont allow it on anything but microsoft products so games made for windows and xbox have to be reworked to play on anything else.. but will the market flow the way of open source, most likely through opengl, or will it go the way to cross-platform closed source like the AMD mantle?.. remember, xbox one and playstation four use AMD graphics

but how will AMD mantle handle people with intel cards?.. are they going to act like pricks like microsoft does and not allow anyone else to use it or will nvidia cards work as well?.. i like opengl to be honest because its open source and neutral and already used on playstation, wii, and just about any game made for mac and linux (i believe source is now opengl for cross platform compatibility)

either way its clear that windows is a hinderance at best to the gaming community.. attempting to force people to stay on windows for gaming, but making windows itself so poorly tuned and unoptimized for it... so it would be a much, much better move for all gaming developers to abandon directx... could you imagine a day when PC games could be played on any operating system rather indiscriminately? when you no longer need windows to play the latest, greatest games?

[sara_bear]

Oh yeah that be lovely. It also be nice to read any ebook on any ereader, watch any movie/tv episode bought in digital format on any player, and listen to any digital music on any device with any system you have. Go convince amazon and apple that.

A perfect world for digital media would be if you bought something digitally you could play it on any machine you have. That would just does not exist yet.