this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2024
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Linux Gaming

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Discussions and news about gaming on the GNU/Linux family of operating systems (including the Steam Deck). Potentially a $HOME away from home for disgruntled /r/linux_gaming denizens of the redditarian demesne.

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[–] [email protected] 55 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Thank you, Microsoft, for this wonderful opportunity! 🀭

No, seriously. How much of this increase is caused by obnoxious, assumptive, shitty, user-hostile decisions that Microsoft recently took?

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

Same. I'd have stayed on Windows if Microsoft had just not been so determined to make using the OS so dreadful while also harvesting my personal data.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I'm curious about work vs home use too. I'm guessing if you take out computers where Microsoft is mandated, it'd be more of a stark difference

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Workplaces are all about the apps. If those apps you need only run in Windows, that's what you run. Believe me, businesses would LOVE to cut license costs.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago

Been a Linux user for 20+ years but windows WAS my daily driver the last 5 of them… got fed up with all the ads and plans for the screen recording and pulled the plug. Linux 100% for me again!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I was getting a couple of pop up ads in my Win10 install, and I switched a couple of months ago. The more I looked at gaming, the more I realized it could be done.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

I play a fair bit too. (That's why I'm here.) People tend to underestimate the selection of games for Linux, always mentioning stuff like Tux Race and the likes. Even before Proton, you could run a lot of stuff; for example I got Cult of the Lamb, Celeste and Cuphead here, those aren't exactly "old" games (although not exactly fresh either - I'm a patient player).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I have seen people switch to linux or dualboot just because minecraft, a game owned by microsoft, works so much better on linux compared to windows

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Minecraft is the exception that proves the rule - Microsoft likely did try to pull off the plug of OS X and Linux support, in a user-hostile move, but it failed due to its popularity.

Minecraft has two main versions:

  • the Java version. Desktop-wise available for Linux, OS X, and Windows. Predates Microsoft buying Mojang (Minecraft's developer studio). That's likely the version played by the people whom you're referring to.
  • the Bedrock version. Coded in C++, and desktop-wise available only for Windows. Created after the acquisition of the studio.

Odds are that, when Microsoft funded the Bedrock version, it assumed that every Windows player would adopt it instead of the Java version, because it does perform far better. But there's a catch - Bedrock cannot be modded (modified by the user with third party code), only the Java version can, and the modding scene for Minecraft is huge. So if Microsoft pulled off the plug of the Java version, a lot of people would leave, in special adult and teen players; and once they're gone people aren't introducing the game to young children any more.

Now, on why Java Minecraft runs better in Linux: I have no idea. It might be the mods themselves running better in Linux, as a lot of modders are Linux users.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago

The reason it runs better is

  1. Lower cpu overhead on linux
  2. Better opengl drivers on linux
[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)
  1. Bedrock can be modded and has a lot of tools to do so(as far as i know, i dont play it)

  2. On linux, it is much faster for both vanilla and modded minecraft

  3. Minecraft bedrock edition can be played on linux using third party launchers

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago
  1. Bedrock can be modded and has a lot of tools to do so(as far as i know, i dont play it)

Kind of.

Yes, you could call Bedrock add-ons "mods". But regardless of name they're clearly a different can of worms, more limited in capability - to the point that most are simply fluff, not changing the game in meaningful ways. Contrast that with the huge survival, industrial, exploration etc. modpacks that exist for Java, that basically use MC as an engine instead of a game. (Or even individual mods. Terrafirmacraft I'm looking at you.)

To give you an idea, CurseForge lists ten times as many Java mods than Bedrock addons, with half of them being stuff like TPs, skins, maps. So if you really want to see Bedrock addons as "mods", my point changes from "Bedrock has no mods" to "Bedrock has mods, but they don't matter in the big picture since people playing and modding Minecraft are mostly doing it with Java Edition". The conclusion is still the same.

On linux, it is much faster for both vanilla and modded minecraft [Java]

@[email protected] mentioned that it has less CPU overhead and better OpenGL drivers. I never noticed a big difference for vanilla because it's typically mods that make your computer shit bricks.

Minecraft bedrock edition can be played on linux using third party launchers

The problem of something relying on a 3rd party dev like this is that MS can easily pull off the plug if it so desires, in ways that wouldn't look like arseholery but "protecting its own IP": copyright trolling, abusive terms and conditions, etc.

Currently it has no reasons to do so, as it would counter its best interests. But it's clear that, if Microsoft got its way with Bedrock, and players migrated in mass to Bedrock (to the point that the Java version was deprecated), MS would have all the reasons to pull off the plug.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

That's funny, my friend tried to get mc working on linux and it kept flickering white. Wayland moment? Nvidia moment? Who knows

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago (4 children)

I want to know who the fuck is gaming on FreeBSD and how.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Who's saying anything about gaming in that image?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

Aha, you're right!

In my defense, i posted at midnight, without my glasses =P

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

You can theoretically run Linux programs (such as Steam) on the BSDs. And I am pretty sure that there are some open source games on BSD too. Only tried it a few times tho.

Edit: and there's a WINE version for FreeBSD aswell.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I tried it once a decade ago and uh, no luck whatsoever lol.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

At least when I tried, it was easier to get Windows Steam to work than Linux Steam. Maybe the Linuxulator has improved since then.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

The comments on this article might lead to good info.

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Steam-FreeBSD-2021

I expect a lot is possible if Wine and good Vulkan drivers are available.

This guy shows how to get Steam up and running:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQpI7SU921A

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Yup, I used to use FreeBSD and it worked okay. When I used it, the Nvidia drivers were better than AMD, but I don't know if the FOSS AMD drivers have been ported to FreeBSD.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

FreeBSD Nvidia drivers have a similar set of features compared to Linux drivers, there is also a Linux compat layer on FreeBSD.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Known unknown(s) at 7.14% and rising over the Linux stat. Could these also be Linux and perhaps BSD desktops?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago

I'll imagine that there is a rising tide of Amiga desktops then.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

That's TempleOS.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

At this rate by 2038 windows will be at 50% market share and by 2069 it'll be at 0%.

Mac is at ~20% and quite well known already, so maybe 20% is the market share where even commoners (non-tech folk) will know of linux and use it. Still have a ways to go folks...

How that was calculated

  1. Export the data into CSV from the historical chart
  2. Change the date to an index starting at 0
  3. copy into https://www.graphpad.com/quickcalcs/linear2/
  4. Copy formula into desmos (replace "X" with "x")
  5. Add x*0 + 50 and x*0 to find the points where 50% and 0% are reached
  6. Use datetime calculator and just add the number of months to 2009-01-01

There's probably a better tool, but a 5 minute search didn't find one for me 🀷

Anti Commercial-AI license

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 months ago

I respond to your estimates with the customary xkcd

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago