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AMD's Mantle May Still Come To Linux, Despite Other Websites Reports

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It seems a tweet from Michael Marks the development director at porting house Aspyr Media has been taken out-of-context by another well known Linux website, time to clear things up.

Mantle is the new API from AMD developed as an alternative to OpenGL and Direct3D, for those that didn't know.

Here's the tweet in question:

@NThibieroz @FiraxisGames sadly no mantle for SteamOS either, but @grahamsellers will enable #BeyondEarth on AMD linux

— michael_marks (@michael_marks) April 13, 2014


Now, bear in mind this is specifically talking about the new Civilization game that is coming to Linux, it cannot support Mantle on Linux/SteamOS since Mantle isn't yet on Linux.

This will also help clear it up:

@oscarbg81 @michael_marks @FiraxisGames @amd_roy "AMD is actively evaluating other platforms to bring Mantle to". :)

Nick Thibieroz (@NThibieroz) April 14, 2014


That tweet is directly from Nick Thibieroz the Gaming Engineering Manager for AMD.

I hope this clears any confusion up. Mantle isn't even that big of a deal anyway, since it currently will only support AMD hardware which has a bad history on Linux, and AMD, Intel & Nvidia all talked about unlocking 15x more performance with OpenGL anyway, so Mantle seems like a wasted effort.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Editorial
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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Guest Apr 14, 2014
Yeah, well, this is the company that fired most of their Linux kernel devs in 2012. I won't take seriously anything they *say* until I see some solid stuff.

For all the talk about Mantle being open and yadda yadda, we have yet to see specifications.
Sslaxx Apr 14, 2014
Quoting: SilviuYeah, well, this is the company that fired most of their Linux kernel devs in 2012. I won't take seriously anything they *say* until I see some solid stuff.

For all the talk about Mantle being open and yadda yadda, we have yet to see specifications.
With any luck, Mantle'll end up being killed before too long.
Kristian Apr 14, 2014
Does the fact that Apsyr Media is involved in the Linux(and Mac OSX) ports of the new Civ game mean that we will have to select platform on Steam and that it won't support Steamplay?
Liam Dawe Apr 14, 2014
Quoting: KristianDoes the fact that Apsyr Media is involved in the Linux(and Mac OSX) ports of the new Civ game mean that we will have to select platform on Steam and that it won't support Steamplay?
No, they did the Civ ports last time and Borderlands, all Steam Play.

Only issue is we may see delays with patches and DLC.
Sabun Apr 14, 2014
I'm not surprised that there's no current implementation of Mantle for Linux (if the developers don't have access to anything, than you can be damned sure it won't exist anytime soon). AMD never actively stated they would support any other OS besides Windows with it. On top of that, AMD struggle to support the latest kernels with their Catalyst driver.

I find it near impossible they'd be able to manage a whole new API support for Linux. In time they might hire more Linux staff, but until then they will stay behind in performance and support for Linux compared to their Windows side.
gbudny Apr 14, 2014
I do not get it. Why Aspyr is porting his first game to Linux? They change their mind about Linux, and now they will become another company involved in porting games to Linux? Perhaps, they port only one game to Linux and they won't do it anymore in the future. I bought some games from them, but I did not think that they will port a game to Linux. Can clarify that situation?
Half-Shot Apr 14, 2014
Never saw the point of mantle, and makez no difference really if we get it or not. OpenGL is fine really, AMD need to improve their driver to work with linux rather than stuck on it and better preformance will happen.
Anonymous Apr 15, 2014
AMD sucks... Mantle is a waste effort when they could just use that time to improve their driver.

I won't be buying another AMD hardware that for sure. Who needs AMD?
Anonymous Apr 15, 2014
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: AnonymousAMD sucks... Mantle is a waste effort when they could just use that time to improve their driver.

I won't be buying another AMD hardware that for sure. Who needs AMD?
Mantle served its purpose in pointing out how much overhead there is (or has been) with gaming. We can get an awful lot more out of current machines if that overhead is stripped away. There is a reason DX12 is going the same way as Mantle, and there is a reason for a recent collusion between manufacturers on how to reduce driver overhead when using OpenGL. That benefits everyone, not just AMD (though undoubtedly they get the greatest benefit from it with APU systems). For those reasons alone, Mantle has been successful and worth it to the companies and consumers, regardless of whether it comes out on Linux or not.
Also, AMD & FOSS drivers. Enough said.

FOSS drivers are good but dude it not good enough...
Guest Apr 15, 2014
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: AnonymousFOSS drivers are good but dude it not good enough...
Alright, I'll bite, how is having FOSS drivers and providing full programmer's documentation not good enough? Intel and AMD both do that, and both contribute to their development. Not really sure what more you're expecting there.
Geez, I don't know... performance?. We're talking about gaming here.

Of course I expect the "it works just fine for me" band wagon to arrive. I mean, somehow you need to justify spending money on AMD's crap and still feel good about it.
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