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No Man's Sky from Hello Games had a pretty iffy launch, with many not happy with it but Hello Games stuck at it and continued expanding it. They’ve announced more huge free updates coming and it works very well on Linux with Steam Play.

Screenshots of it on Ubuntu 18.10, click to enlarge:

Sadly, OBS Studio dropped the performance too much for me to record any decent amount of it.

The first-load was a little long, as the game was making a shader cache but subsequent loads were fine. I was honestly surprised at just how smooth it was. By default it locked it to 30FPS which didn’t look or feel good, a quick in-game option change there and it’s beautiful. To be clear though, it does have a few random drops when new areas are loading in, which a lot of games both native and Steam Play often have issues with.

After exploring for a few hours, I might be a little bit in love as a huge space-nerd. So much to do, so much to see and every single planet you visit looks and feels very different to the one before it's absolutely magical.

As for what they’ve said is coming next, it’s called No Man’s Sky: Beyond which will be arriving sometime this Summer. A free update, just like the previous upgrades were and it’s going to include what they’re calling No Man’s Sky Online. This new online update will have “a radical new social and multiplayer experience” which sounds pretty fancy.

Additionally, a second part of the Beyond update is No Man’s Sky Virtual Reality and it’s not an additional mode, Hello Games said it’s just going to be part of the game. Considering other VR games work in Steam Play, those who can afford the pricey hardware will probably have a good time.

A third major feature is coming to the Beyond update, which they haven’t detailed yet.

It’s working so well on Linux thanks to Steam Play, with a one-click install procedure and no other special adjustments needed it’s quite impressive! I will take another look when these big updates arrive, to let you know if the situation with Steam Play changes at all.

It’s also 50% off on Steam right now, good time to pick it up.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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wvstolzing Mar 27, 2019
I wonder if they're planning to migrate NMS to Vulkan. It works so well on wine because it's an OpenGL title; it would work as well as a native title, if the game ran on Vulkan.
svartalf Mar 27, 2019
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: ScooptaIn my opinion voting for Linux with your wallet through proton is kinda like sending mixed messages. "I'm here give me games" but also "I'll take non-native games so don't bother porting."

It's voting against Linux support, really, because you're showing them that you're on Linux but will pay them regardless for a Windows game and regardless of the fact they aren't supporting Linux, like you said.

Hardly. They don't give a tinker's damn about what you run it on past having to SUPPORT you on it. Seriously. This is a Game Designer/Developer telling you this to your face. One of the people actually MAKING native Linux support for several reasons. Unless there's a 5-10% number involved there, it's going to be purely personal reasons why they make a Linux version specifically- or a vendor, say Valve, or Google, giving them an explicit incentive to do so. Seriously. Each one you don't buy for the bullshit (And, yes, this is that...) reason you give is a VOTE AGAINST THE COMMUNITY. Period. End of story.

Moreover, they know it is a Linux sale if you're Protoning through Steam. WINE, not as such.

QuotePaying for Proton games directly hurts you by not giving you support like normal gamers get, and it sends the exact wrong message and discourages future Linux support because you're decreasing the number of gamers willing to pay for Linux support by paying for Windows support instead.

You're clueless. But you think you know it all.

I'm about to get IP rights to make a AAA title from a MAJOR Studio's engine code on a song and a dance. I was going to help them finish the Linux support for their engine I was getting, along with making sure the Linux code mostly bolts onto MoltenVK and allowing OSX support. They've got only spit-polish left on the Linux support at this point, so I'll have less work on that score to do.

Would it surprise you to know that I'm explicitly making it be developed officially under Linux and the Preferred OS platform for the same?

Would it surprise you even further that I am doing it partly because I've been involved from the earliest days of trying to get Linux gaming happening...along with the fact Stadia IS there?

Would it surprise you to find out that this is going to spur on native development, because Google's NOT going to do that stuff without being a Linux title or solidly working in Proton ON their server platform, BASED ON LINUX?

Step back, be silent for a smidge, and watch for a bit before opening your mouth further.

You don't know half of what you believe there...
svartalf Mar 27, 2019
Quoting: wvstolzingI wonder if they're planning to migrate NMS to Vulkan. It works so well on wine because it's an OpenGL title; it would work as well as a native title, if the game ran on Vulkan.

Unsure. It depends on monetary, etc. gains on doing that work or not. If there's not a clear reason for one to do so, it won't happen.
fabertawe Mar 29, 2019
A "Linux" Proton sale may not mean much or anything to the studio releasing it on Windows but it does mean something to Valve

I will buy Linux ports in preference and I do. This line will become more blurred though, especially as Proton matures. I've been using Linux for well over ten years but there must be a ton of good old Windows games I can (and may) buy in the sales that I don't even know exist (I've never followed general gaming news).

I use Linux because I love the OS, the freedom etc. etc. Linux sales are proportionally small and it's amazing we're actually where we are now, so (IMO) Proton/WINE adoption is the only way to (potentially) grow the Linux gaming market in any meaningful way.

My use of Linux never has and never will be influenced by gaming anyway, it's just a nice development ^_^
Littlebits Jul 1, 2019
Quoting: wvstolzingI wonder if they're planning to migrate NMS to Vulkan. It works so well on wine because it's an OpenGL title; it would work as well as a native title, if the game ran on Vulkan.

Just stumbled on this article, and I can tell you now that NMS does run VULKAN, very well too, especially on AMD hardware.

Also to all the haters, the game is NOT the same as what we got at launch (yes I bought it at launch) there have been several HUGE updates and there is so much to do in the game and it is very enjoyable (IF you are to that sort of game)
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