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The developers of Helium Rain [Official Site] sent word that their realistic space simulation game will fully support Linux at launch. The main developer is also using Linux to make the game.

They have put up the source code on github, so anyone can go take a look. I think that’s pretty awesome to do (on top of reaching out to us directly).

After watching the trailer, I have to say I'm pretty hyped to give this one a go myself. The lighting and the ship graphics are quite stunning! The main thing that needs work is what looks like the in-ship cockpit view, as it looks so bland compared to the rest of it, where's all my shiny futuristic buttons and consoles?

Here’s what the developer had to say about it:
Gwennaël ArbonaLinux support today should not be an issue at all. Everyone can now use reliable, off-the-shelf engines that work on pretty much all platforms. In our case that's Unreal Engine 4. We work as a team of two - a gameplay developer using Linux, and a content developer on Windows. In two years of Linux development, we only had a few issues - quality inconsistencies, different behavior in the anti-aliasing method, different mouse behavior. We also found the engine's performance to be slightly less good on Linux, probably because of driver software lagging behind Windows. Most of the time though, all the work we do on one system works like a charm on the other one.

image

On top of that, we also feel quite lucky to have open-source software at out disposal. Ask artists in the game development industry what kind of tools they use : most of the time, they will start talking about a proprietary modeling software with proprietary extensions that work with a proprietary engine. Unlike the mostly open-source powered software development field, art is usually the realm of closed, expensive tools.

image

Blender has been a serious alternative for years, with excellent modeling, unwrapping and baking tools and out-of-the-box support for most game engines. It even comes with tools you wouldn't suspect, like a video editor. The entire game was modeled on Blender, the video trailer above was built with Blender. It's a very powerful tool.

image

We also work with Git, CMake, Qt and other life-changing software, so Blender is hardly alone there.


They plan to release the game on Steam in Q2 next year and they have already passed Greenlight. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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gqmelo Dec 13, 2016
It looks very nice. I'll probably buy it.
And great to see there is a developer really using Linux while others don't even bother to try the Linux build on a spare machine.
As a developer I've worked for companies that claimed out loud that supporting Linux is too hard but then all developers were using Windows. Having at least someone willing to work on Linux makes all the difference.
Chuckaluphagus Dec 13, 2016
Quoting: StrangerWe're doing a realistic flight model, so fully Newtonian with clever flight control.
Whee! Thank you, I do love a good Newtonian model in a space sim. Independence War I and II are favorites of mine.

The game looks interesting, and I haven't had a new space sim to play in too long. I'll be happy to see this come out next year.

Will you be looking for beta testers prior to release?
razing32 Dec 13, 2016
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: razing32Was that Mozart or is my knowledge of classical music off ?
Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, Winter I!
I like this album of his :D.

Gah...
I was thinking it might be Vivaldi also.
Should re-listen to the seasons.
Purple Library Guy Dec 13, 2016
1. These people seem really cool.
2. More game developers should go with great classical music soundtracks rather than competent-or-worse original music.
3. I love the way everything sort of glides past . . . but it makes me feel like, is there some way to get it to play the Blue Danube?
Purple Library Guy Dec 13, 2016
Quoting: razing32Was that Mozart or is my knowledge of classical music off ?
It's Vivaldi. I believe it's even one of the Four Seasons, but I can't remember which one.
Purple Library Guy Dec 13, 2016
Quoting: Stranger
Quoting: Beamboom
Quoting: PublicNuisanceHopefully they plan a DRM free version

Well it is open-source, so... Duh. :)

I'd just like to correct this : the game's code is open-source, the full game isn't. Basically we're trying to be as open as possible while still selling the game on Steam (and possibly GoG). So the sources are available, it won't have DRM, people may be able to rebuild the game to mod it - but technically the game isn't really open-source.

It's a bit weird, I know.

Not weird at all. Richard Stallman himself says that it's reasonable to copyright art and so forth for games, because art and stories and such are a different kind of thing from, say, recipes and computer programs.
Purple Library Guy Dec 13, 2016
Quoting: Niavok
Quoting: Stupendous Man
Quoting: Stranger... You don't have a speed limit ...
Not even the speed of light? ;-)

Still, with a fighter you can reach very high velocities, more than 1000 m/s, but there is no reason to try it, other than fun. Even if ennemies won't be able to hit you, you won't be able to hit them back, and collisions become much more dangerous.

Huh. So, you can't accelerate to relativistic velocities and drop solid slugs which will strike enemy installations with massive energy yields? Um, just as a random for-instance.
Niavok Dec 13, 2016
Quoting: Purple Library GuyHuh. So, you can't accelerate to relativistic velocities and drop solid slugs which will strike enemy installations with massive energy yields? Um, just as a random for-instance.

No.
But in Helium Rain bullets don't just deal constant damages. They have a mass and an muzzle velocity but the damages depend only on kinetic energy at impact (for inert bullets). So the velocity of your ship and the velocity of your opponent have an huge impact on damage. Bullets fired when crossing an enemy ship at high velocity deal a lot more damage than bullets fired when chasing.

Here is the code :
https://github.com/arbonagw/HeliumRain/blob/master/Source/HeliumRain/Spacecrafts/FlareShell.cpp#L265
Snowdrake Dec 13, 2016
Quoting: Niavokin Helium Rain bullets don't just deal constant damages. They have a mass and an muzzle velocity but the damages depend only on kinetic energy at impact (for inert bullets). So the velocity of your ship and the velocity of your opponent have an huge impact on damage. Bullets fired when crossing an enemy ship at high velocity deal a lot more damage than bullets fired when chasing.

Wow, newtonian based physics for flight AND combat !?
That will for sure be really innovative in a space opera game. Hopefully the realism won't take away the fun.
Chuckaluphagus Dec 13, 2016
Quoting: NiavokBut in Helium Rain bullets don't just deal constant damages. They have a mass and an muzzle velocity but the damages depend only on kinetic energy at impact (for inert bullets). So the velocity of your ship and the velocity of your opponent have an huge impact on damage. Bullets fired when crossing an enemy ship at high velocity deal a lot more damage than bullets fired when chasing.
You can't see me, but I'm sitting here at my desk actually cackling with anticipatory glee.
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