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Kindergarten [Steam] a very highly rated abstract puzzle adventure has made it's way onto Linux. It seems the developer isn't expecting many sales, so perhaps we can change their mind? It does look pretty good!

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The developer posted a friendly joke on Twitter about them getting their first Linux sale, with them saying "The first of dozens". While we aren't a huge market compared to Windows, hopefully they will be a little surprised with the amount of sales the end up getting after a while.

I will probably be picking up a copy as it sounds amusing. For £3.99 it's not exactly expensive (to me) and the " Overwhelmingly Positive" Steam reviews paint a good picture.

About the game
QuoteKindergarten is an abstract puzzle adventure game. You play as a student in a school that’s a bit…off. The teacher is trying to get rid of her kids. the janitor is frequently seen cleaning up blood. The cafeteria is serving the same slop over and over again. Kids are walking around with strange devices planted on them after visiting the principal, and one of your fellow classmates has gone missing. It’s up to you to figure out what’s going on, because your life might depend on it.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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10 comments

cRaZy-bisCuiT Jul 15, 2017
Oh nice, gonna buy this for my kids!
finaldest Jul 15, 2017
Checked this out on YouTube and looks like a fun game.

I have Purchased this and will test it out later.
Pinguino Jul 15, 2017
Kohrias Jul 15, 2017
Looks totally weird. But you cannot really go wrong with "Overwhelmingly Positice", can you? I am gonna pick it up and be one of the dozens.


Last edited by Kohrias on 15 July 2017 at 5:21 pm UTC
oldrocker99 Jul 15, 2017
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Got it.
razing32 Jul 16, 2017
Eh , why not.
namiko Jul 16, 2017
Ok, I have to comment about something that's been bothering me.

I watch Jacksepticeye, who is a YouTube gamer who is known for (mostly) complete video game playthroughs. I watch to spot new and interesting games on the horizon, as well as enjoying the commentary. But, the moment I see that there's plans for Linux on a new game that Jack's currently playing (because he plays on Windows), I stop watching the playthrough and make plans to buy the game instead (wishlist on Steam and such).

Becase Kindergarten's Linux release came later than the Windows release, I ended up watching Jack's entire playthrough of that game. This is especially bad when the game is quirky, interesting and has an actual plot, like Kindergarten. It's happened before too, for Scanner Sombre.

So, ultimately, I won't be buying Kindergarten, because I had enough time to spoil myself on the plot with YouTube. Not saying this is typical of Linux gamers, but it could be one possibility to explain some of the reasons why Linux sales on a new release can be lower than expected.

A day-1 release is preferable because then people won't get spoiled elsewhere and decide not to buy. I'm very disappointed, but do hope that the sequel to Kindergarten *will* have a day-1 Linux port, because I would not hesitate to buy it.
razing32 Jul 16, 2017
Quoting: namikoOk, I have to comment about something that's been bothering me.

I watch Jacksepticeye, who is a YouTube gamer who is known for (mostly) complete video game playthroughs. I watch to spot new and interesting games on the horizon, as well as enjoying the commentary. But, the moment I see that there's plans for Linux on a new game that Jack's currently playing (because he plays on Windows), I stop watching the playthrough and make plans to buy the game instead (wishlist on Steam and such).

Becase Kindergarten's Linux release came later than the Windows release, I ended up watching Jack's entire playthrough of that game. This is especially bad when the game is quirky, interesting and has an actual plot, like Kindergarten. It's happened before too, for Scanner Sombre.

So, ultimately, I won't be buying Kindergarten, because I had enough time to spoil myself on the plot with YouTube. Not saying this is typical of Linux gamers, but it could be one possibility to explain some of the reasons why Linux sales on a new release can be lower than expected.

A day-1 release is preferable because then people won't get spoiled elsewhere and decide not to buy. I'm very disappointed, but do hope that the sequel to Kindergarten *will* have a day-1 Linux port, because I would not hesitate to buy it.

Depends I think.
If they are not using cross OS tools to build the game might take them longer to port it using a wrapper or rebuilding it in different tools.

I just bought this and might give it a go.

If you are unsure about a game that might be ported , I'd say just avoid watching gameplay vids or stop before the last few parts. I still have not played Alien Isolation but I did watch markiplier back in the day go 75% through the game , then stopped to avoid the ending spoiler.
Hamish Jul 17, 2017
Quoting: namikoA day-1 release is preferable because then people won't get spoiled elsewhere and decide not to buy. I'm very disappointed, but do hope that the sequel to Kindergarten *will* have a day-1 Linux port, because I would not hesitate to buy it.

Given the cost of the game I would still buy it if you enjoyed what you saw and want to encourage future Linux development on their part. I do not mean to be preachy, but I have made similar purchases in the past.
namiko Jul 17, 2017
Quoting: razing32If you are unsure about a game that might be ported , I'd say just avoid watching gameplay vids...
But I wouldn't know when to stop avoiding those vids, either. For a fair amount of games I've become interested in from watching Jack's playthroughts, there's not even a rumour of Linux support, usually for months or even more than a year, and *then* something is reported. Considering how many games comes out, with Linux support from the start, it doesn't make a lot of sense to wait for something that may never come. :/

Call it impatient if you like, but Kindergarten isn't the only, quirky, ridiculous small game out there vying for my attention; it's also competing with the larger, longer, more well-funded games, too.

Quoting: Hamish...I would still buy it if you enjoyed what you saw and want to encourage future Linux development on their part.
Even if that would ultimately be helpful, I honestly don't have interest in buying it anymore. It would feel dishonest and almost pitying the developer to buy it now because of that lack of interest. It isn't even about money, it's about what value what I buy will ultimately have.

For instance, I never hesistated to watch Jack playing Clustertruck. That's a physics-based game that depends entirely on a person's skill and quick thinking to get through. I watched it because Jack's experience would never match any experience I could have by playing it personally, it's always different and also has no real "plot" to be spoiled on.

I'd *still* consider buying Clustertruck for those reasons, once I found out it would be getting a Linux port. I can't say the same for Kindergarten, though. The only unique experience I could get from Kindergarten now is just messing up the proper order of quest completion for experience's sake (funny quotes and such), and grinding for money. It just doesn't have the same value as a unique experience anymore.

It's the double-edge of gaming playthroughs. It's easy coverage for your game that requires little to no effort on your part, and will likely net you a lot of sales if the YouTuber/streamer is popular. The down side is that it can also put people off buying if your game's 100% experience takes a (relatively) small amount of time, and has fewer variations on the plot/gameplay than a longer (usually more expensive) game.

EDIT: wee typo. EDIT2: messed up on a quote.


Last edited by namiko on 17 July 2017 at 11:49 am UTC
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