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Space combat game 'ASTROKILL' has been patched with improved Linux support

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The developer of ASTROKILL [Steam] has been busy! The latest patch has just release and the Linux version has been improved.

Note: There is no SteamOS icon to indicate Linux support, but it is there. The developer is likely waiting for more confirmation about how it runs before properly advertising it.

The initial Linux version had problems with random freezes, resolution changing issues, problems on AMD GPUs and more. This patch should fix practically all of those problems.

The developer said that the rendering between DirectX and OpenGL should now be "almost identical". I don't have Windows installed to test, but it certainly does look good on Linux.

After testing it out, I can say that it does peform really damn nicely for me. On some of the highest settings I was getting constantly above 140FPS and it felt incredibly smooth and responsive.

The developer certainly wasn't kidding about it being inspired by Freespace 2 (one of my all time favourites), it shows for sure. For example, the targetting system and the sounds it makes seem very similair. For me it's a good thing, it's certainly not copying it, but it has a very familiar feel to it. It also has elements of Battlestar Galactica in it too (the newer version), a certain mission in an asteroid field felt very similar to an episode involving a certain Cylon Raider, your ship in this mission also somewhat resembles a Viper.

Considering how much I've missed playing a decent space shooter, ASTROKILL might just be able to plug that little hole for me.

It's not often I come off so overwhelmingly impressed by an Early Access game, but ASTROKILL feels really quite amazing. The action is intense, the controls feel like they should and it's pretty damn exciting.

I did encounter one bug, where the controls randomly inverted by themselves. I had to invert them in the settings and then undo it to fix it. Minor issue, but apart from that it seems fine.

I have to hand it to the developer, they've really put in the effort in this one, I think they're well worth supporting. You can see their full changelog for the recent update here.

Thanks to the "King in the North" for gifting me a copy.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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iiari Sep 8, 2017
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Here's a gameplay trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn7iUPN458E
AlveKatt Sep 8, 2017
I found a gameplay video. Question, can you only play it in third person?
Liam Dawe Sep 8, 2017
It has multiple camera modes, including first person.
razing32 Sep 8, 2017
Good to hear they are making progress.
Will wait till full release to buy though.
johndoe Sep 8, 2017
Bought it! Nice game.
It also runs quite nice with my Intel Iris Pro 5200 iGPU (low settings) and Mesa 17.2.0.
Seems like Ureal Engine 4 is getting ready for Linux.
g000h Sep 8, 2017
I'm interested to know which is the better game: Avorion, ASTROKILL or Everspace ?

Anyone have any viewpoints to share? How do they compare to Elite Dangerous?
LinuxGamesTV Sep 8, 2017
Next Round: Patch 0.9.1 on openSuSE Tumbleweed, kernel 4.12.10, AMD Phenom II X4 960T + NVIDIA GTX 760 2 GB VRAM Factory OC on NVIDIA 384.69 Driver: View video on youtube.com
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Liam Dawe Sep 8, 2017
Quoting: g000hI'm interested to know which is the better game: Avorion, ASTROKILL or Everspace ?

Anyone have any viewpoints to share? How do they compare to Elite Dangerous?
Avorion is completely different, it's a build your own spaceship game with trading and combat.

ASTROKILL is much more like EVERSPACE, but it's already clear EVERSPACE is far more polished.

Edit: Not saying ASTROKILL is bad, but it's an Early Access game :)

Never played Elite Dangerous, but from what I know none are like it.


Last edited by Liam Dawe on 8 September 2017 at 3:48 pm UTC
iiari Sep 8, 2017
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[quote=liamdawe]
Quoting: g000hNever played Elite Dangerous, but from what I know none are like it.

For Linux, the EA Helium Rain is the closest new title to the space economy and trading of Elite Dangerous, although Helium rain doesn't have quite the scope of the massive and advanced Elite Dangerous. Going back into the past, the X series on Linux also is similar to Elite Dangerous (although apparently we are not getting the upcoming X4, at least not yet). The prior Linux title closest to Astrokill and Everspace might be Strike Suit Zero.

Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen are the only reasons I ever occasionally return to Windows. Overall, though, it's amazing that while graphics and engines have advanced, the historical high water mark for space combat and 3D space strategy on any platform were titles from 10-20 years ago. Ones like Freespace 2, IWar/IWar 2, XWing/Tie Fighter, Homeworld/2, SW: Empires at War, Freelancer/Allegiance have yet to be bested, IMHO, by any "modern" title (and happily most run on Wine on Linux). If you install any of these today (especially with modded graphical updates by the modding communities) they are just as amazing to play now and feel fresh and contemporary. Elite Dangerous, Star Citizen, Astrokill, Helium Rain, etc are all great and "new," but none have really added anything dramatic or deeper than the greats. Only Star Citizen is really striving to advance the genre, and time will tell if the gameplay ever comes together or is really any fun...
johndoe Sep 8, 2017
Quoting: g000hI'm interested to know which is the better game: Avorion, ASTROKILL or Everspace ?

Anyone have any viewpoints to share? How do they compare to Elite Dangerous?

ASTROKILL feels realistic and it reminds me also of Battlestar Galactica (Liam already mentioned it).
You don't shoot with laser or plasma cannons like in EVERSPACE.
Here you have "kinetic weapons" like machine guns, flak cannons, homing missiles and rail guns... I really LIKE this!
But ASTROKILL needs some more time (Early Access) to get finished.

EVERSPACE on the other hand already released fully for Windows and Mac.
I will buy it in the next days but for me it looks like a simple action space shooter with ship upgrades.
But simple does not mean it makes no fun. And having fun is most important for me:)
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