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A preview version of Unreal Engine 4.21 is now available, with it there's lots of improvements to many areas and it has a few Linux additions too.

Overall, it seems like a pretty good step up for Unreal Engine with a lot of new features, bug fixes and general code cleanups. It has improved IPv6 support, improvements to DDoS Detection and Mitigation, experimental support for the SteamVR Input subsystem, improved performance of the Unreal asset cooking process, loads of animation system updates and the list goes on and on.

As for the Linux-specific improvements, there's not many but they will probably be rather helpful:

  • Linux Platform Get Media Player - From 4.21 on, you can use bundled WebMMedia plugin to play back .webm VPX8/9 videos.
  • Linux Crash Report Client Has a GUI - They've added support for the Crash Reporter GUI to now pop up when a crash occurs. Which should help improve feedback.

I've seen a few developers have troubles with video playback in Unreal Engine on Linux, so hopefully with this it will help future UE native ports.

See the full list of changes here.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Eike Oct 11, 2018
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The Linux improvements sound minor, but hey, the crash reporter might help to do major improvements later on...
Liam Dawe Oct 11, 2018
Quoting: EikeThe Linux improvements sound minor, but hey, the crash reporter might help to do major improvements later on...
My thoughts exactly, providing better and easier tools to report issues I imagine will certainly help in the long run. I think this also shows that Epic aren't leaving Linux out in the cold with improvements too.
Mountain Man Oct 11, 2018
Now if only they would give us an easy way to install Unreal Tournament on Linux.
Power-Metal-Games Oct 11, 2018
The 4.20 was already very good. Finally responsive and everything was working as it should. I spent an entire day to make the project that was previously on 4.17, but it was worth of it. These improvements doesnt's seem too interesting but I will wait for the release of this version.
Liam Dawe Oct 11, 2018
Quoting: Mountain ManNow if only they would give us an easy way to install Unreal Tournament on Linux.
The new one? Don't think they even develop it any more. Their focused heavily on Fortnite.
Audi Oct 11, 2018
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: Mountain ManNow if only they would give us an easy way to install Unreal Tournament on Linux.
The new one? Don't think they even develop it any more. Their focused heavily on Fortnite.

Speaking of which, how cool would it be if they released Fortnite to Linux. That would be Epic. Would love to see the numbers for the amount of Linux users that would then play. Oh well, at least we have Ballistic Overkill.
DamonLinuxPL Oct 11, 2018
QuoteI've seen a few developers have troubles with video playback in Unreal Engine on Linux, so hopefully with this it will help future UE native ports.

UE4 is still in crap state on Linux... Still many devs refuse to port games to Linux because UE4 lack on many features on Linux side and other features are broken or experimental - especially when we talk about Vulkan...
Epic need care more about UE4 for Linux and spend more development time for Vulkan API (for desktop), because they care about Vulkan but targeting it for Android...


Last edited by DamonLinuxPL on 11 October 2018 at 5:30 pm UTC
Yaakuro Oct 11, 2018
Quoting: DamonLinuxPL
QuoteI've seen a few developers have troubles with video playback in Unreal Engine on Linux, so hopefully with this it will help future UE native ports.

UE4 is still in crap state on Linux... Still many devs refuse to port games to Linux because UE4 lack on many features on Linux side and other features are broken or experimental - especially when we talk about Vulkan...
Epic need care more about UE4 for Linux and spend more development time for Vulkan API (for desktop), because they care about Vulkan but targeting it for Android...

UE4 isn't in a crappy state on GNUX. That is just exaggerated. I don't think that Devs refuse because UE4 lacks something on GNUX. For example ASTROKILL, EVERSPACE or Helium Rain runs quite nice. They have other reasons why they don't put out the GNUX version of their UE4 games.

The information you're saying about the Vulkan implementation of UE4 on GNUX is also exaggerated. I do run the full editor and all projects using VulkanRHI quite stable and use it for my daily development. The problem people encounter is usually the drivers. Using for example UE4.20 with Nvidia 396.54 driver and Vulkan makes no problems on my system. Even for SteamVR development (and gaming) is it in a good shape.

Yaakuro


Last edited by Yaakuro on 11 October 2018 at 7:04 pm UTC
Mountain Man Oct 11, 2018
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: Mountain ManNow if only they would give us an easy way to install Unreal Tournament on Linux.
The new one? Don't think they even develop it any more. Their focused heavily on Fortnite.
I obviously haven't kept up with the news.

For the record, I have zero interest in Fortnite, but my son is addicted to it.
inlinuxdude Oct 11, 2018
Quoting: Mountain Man[

For the record, I have zero interest in Fortnite, but my son is addicted to it.

Ditto...
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