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Factorio gets official Wayland support on Linux

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Are you a Wayland user? Do you play Factorio? The latest update should make things a lot smoother for you.

Version 1.1.77 was just released and amongst a whole bunch of their usual bug fixes and scripting updates, noted right at the top was "Added support for Wayland on Linux. To enable it, set SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland in your environment. (thanks to raiguard)". It's nice to see developers who really care about their Linux support like this.

Factorio is a game in which you build and maintain factories. You will be mining resources, researching technologies, building infrastructure, automating production and fighting enemies. In the beginning you will find yourself chopping trees, mining ores and crafting mechanical arms and transport belts by hand, but in short time you can become an industrial powerhouse, with huge solar fields, oil refining and cracking, manufacture and deployment of construction and logistic robots, all for your resource needs. However this heavy exploitation of the planet's resources does not sit nicely with the locals, so you will have to be prepared to defend yourself and your machine empire.

If you do try it out, be sure to leave a comment and let us know how it runs. I can imagine this making it better on Steam Deck too where it's currently a Steam Deck "Playable" title, verified on the Native Linux build. On Steam Deck, the main Gaming Mode does use Wayland too.

Available to buy on GOGHumble Store and Steam.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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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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9 comments

Alberto Mar 4, 2023
 SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland %command%  as a launch option should work right?
lankylonky22 Mar 4, 2023
noice
Brisse Mar 4, 2023
I don't have this game, but I recently tried this environment variable (SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland) on my entire library which currently sits at 42 installed games. Obviously not all of them use SDL or has an up to date version, and some games are using Proton, but I found two games which actually started and was rendering a proper Wayland surface: The Long Dark and Terraria. Tried playing the former for a few hours, and if I play with mouse and keyboard it works nicely. Two caveats though: My Xbox One controller was not working, and the Steam Overlay does not work. As I understand it, the latter will be tricky for developers to solve due to Wayland's security model, so don't expect it any time soon.
Toggleton Mar 4, 2023
Hope this time it works as expected. it was tried in summer 2022 already https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?p=571379#p571379
mr-victory Mar 4, 2023
Quoting: BrisseSteam Overlay does not work.
Steam itself never had Wayland support, that may be why Steam Overlay does not work. Does mangohud work?
DamonLinuxPL Mar 4, 2023
They only upgrade SDL to new version. Most of games can work out of box with native Wayland by only upgrading SDL2. No big deal for game that is still in developing.


Last edited by DamonLinuxPL on 4 March 2023 at 3:38 pm UTC
Brisse Mar 4, 2023
Quoting: mr-victory
Quoting: BrisseSteam Overlay does not work.
Steam itself never had Wayland support, that may be why Steam Overlay does not work. Does mangohud work?

Yes, Mangohud works. I think it's implemented as a Vulkan layer so it doesn't really matter what display protocol is being used in that case. I don't think the Steam Overlay can be implemented as a Vulkan layer though since it's quite interactive and I don't think Vulkan layers are suited for this.
Eike Mar 4, 2023
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Quoting: DamonLinuxPLThey only upgrade SDL to new version. Most of games can work out of box with native Wayland by only upgrading SDL2. No big deal for game that is still in developing.

I find it good enough that they a) know and b) care!
vox Mar 5, 2023
Quoting: Brissethe Steam Overlay does not work
Terraria had a notorious bug with the steam overlay in X for years. It tries to render, but the whole surface is glitched and doesn't work. Not sure how is it even possible to break an overlay like that, but I've seen it with my own eyes multiple times.
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