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For those of you into the classics, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil has today been officially released for Linux.

As a reminder, this isn't the original Turok 2 but an enhanced version from Nightdive Studios that was ported to Linux by Ryan "Icculus" Gordon in beta form back in July.

Turok 2: Seeds of Evil returns to the PC! The sequel to the hit game Turok is now available, featuring a host of enemies, weapons, missions, locations and a new multiplayer mode. Remastered for today’s computers using a new engine with improved graphics, Turok 2 will transport players into sprawling environments with vicious enemies lurking behind every corner.

For those who played the original, you can expect to find: 64bit support, new multiplayer options, a new UI system, updated maps, improved AI and quite a bit more. Nightdive Studios certainly do put in the effort for their updated releases, good to see more of them land on Linux officially.

The Linux build is not currently available on GOG for now it's only on Humble Store and Steam.

Icculus also mentioned on his Patreon post, that he has "more games that I can handle right now" so it looks like the Linux porting business for him is going strong. He did note that some won't be quick and simple, but it will be worth the wait by the sounds of it.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: FPS, Steam
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Cyba.Cowboy Sep 15, 2018
Quoting: Whitewolfe80There could be legit reasons whether its licence or a lack of skills required to port to linux

Yes, but some of these companies have already ported the game to Linux... Just not via GOG.com.

For example, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords is available for Linux via Steam, but only Windows via GOG.com - yet both stores clearly indicate that it is the same companies behind both releases/store entries... In other words, the game (for Linux) is available, it just hasn't been uploaded to GOG.com.

Ask GOG.com and they say "Oh, but we don't have the license for Linux when it comes to <insert title>"... So rather than approaching developers and proactively saying something to the effect of "This game is available for Linux via Steam, why not us?", GOG.com are just throwing their hands up and saying "Not out problem."

Which brings me to my point... GOG.com have the (huge) advantage of DRM-free games, but it's ultimately Valve Software who are the driving force behind Linux gaming; GOG.com are just doing a half-assed attempt at supporting Linux because "it's the cool thing to do."

And it annoys me, because they (GOG.com) want everyone to think they're super pro-Linux, when in reality they just really aren't that interested... But that's a discussion for another day.


Last edited by Cyba.Cowboy on 15 September 2018 at 3:38 pm UTC
Whitewolfe80 Sep 17, 2018
Quoting: Cyba.Cowboy
Quoting: Whitewolfe80There could be legit reasons whether its licence or a lack of skills required to port to linux

Yes, but some of these companies have already ported the game to Linux... Just not via GOG.com.

For example, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords is available for Linux via Steam, but only Windows via GOG.com - yet both stores clearly indicate that it is the same companies behind both releases/store entries... In other words, the game (for Linux) is available, it just hasn't been uploaded to GOG.com.

Ask GOG.com and they say "Oh, but we don't have the license for Linux when it comes to <insert title>"... So rather than approaching developers and proactively saying something to the effect of "This game is available for Linux via Steam, why not us?", GOG.com are just throwing their hands up and saying "Not out problem."

Which brings me to my point... GOG.com have the (huge) advantage of DRM-free games, but it's ultimately Valve Software who are the driving force behind Linux gaming; GOG.com are just doing a half-assed attempt at supporting Linux because "it's the cool thing to do."

And it annoys me, because they (GOG.com) want everyone to think they're super pro-Linux, when in reality they just really aren't that interested... But that's a discussion for another day.

Oh i fully agree but to be honest i buy games on steam i have no problem with drm, i do get why people want drm free versions but i dont have a problem with it, as i was saying there could be legit reasons there may not be we will never know unless one of us lands at job at gog department of cdprojekt
Whitewolfe80 Sep 17, 2018
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: Whitewolfe80
Quoting: Cyba.Cowboy
Quoting: Whitewolfe80Its not the ease of the port that is the hold up its license fees when cdproject red (gog) do the deal on a game unless the developer wants their game on linux or mac its not coming to linux and mac. Now whether gog push for that is a matter to ask someone over at gog but its not my theory on it, licensing issues has been what gog has said the problem was more than once on twitter.

Yeah, but a lot of the time it is the same company that has a Linux version of a game on Steam, but not on GOG.com... And every time, it's the same argument from GOG.com - "We don't have the licensing rights to distribute the Linux version".

If it was different companies (i.e. <Company 1> selling Linux/macOS/Windows version of <Title 1> on Steam and <Company 2> selling macOS/Windows version of <Title 1> on GOG.com), I can understand completely, but it's frequently the same company... This suggests to me that GOG.com aren't pushing the Linux thing too hard.

I love that GOG.com offer DRM-free titles and I'll always buy a game there first specifically because of this reason (I don't "do" DRM anywhere unless there is a guaranteed way to remove it)... But it's things like this that remind me Valve Software does so much more for the Linux Community than GOG.com ever will.

They may well not be pushing Linux but its an interesting question maybe one that (liam) GOL can ask his contact or PR rep. There could be legit reasons whether its licence or a lack of skills required to port to linux, obiviously there are some companies that just dont want to support linux cough "zenamax bethesda" but it could also be that cdpr (gog) just dont think about a linux version when making deals I for example would love to know why jazz jackrabbit 1 is on linux yet the sequel using the same engine is not.

Jazz Jackrabbit 1 used Dos, and Dosbox emulator has native linux support. Jazz Jackrabbit 2 was a Windows 95 game

Yeah i get its easier but jazz jackrabbit 2 runs under wine with full controller support with no configuration and its not like gog are above wine wrappers.


Last edited by Whitewolfe80 on 17 September 2018 at 11:27 am UTC
0ttman Aug 22, 2019
Has there been an update on this? I would like to know if this will eventually be on gog with the Linux.
Whitewolfe80 Aug 25, 2019
Quoting: 0ttmanHas there been an update on this? I would like to know if this will eventually be on gog with the Linux.

well the only responses are from twitter which basically say its probably not going to happen, The Gordon port on steam is kind of it aparently whilst nightdrive studios got permission to sell via steam they did not factor into that deal the ability to sell linux ports on other platforms. There are a ton of vague because licences comments but essentially do not hold your breath. You could tweet nightdrive about Turok 2 for gog, at this point maybe GOL could get a straight yes or no from them.
Cyba.Cowboy Aug 25, 2019
According to the information available on both Steam and GOG.com, it is the same developer / publisher in both stores... Yet only the former has the "Linux" version available.

Which goes back to the "there's simply no excuse" argument I gave above... The developer / publisher is just being too lazy.


Last edited by Cyba.Cowboy on 25 August 2019 at 8:50 pm UTC
Whitewolfe80 Aug 25, 2019
Quoting: Cyba.CowboyAccording to the information available on both Steam and GOG.com, it is the same developer / publisher in both stores... Yet only the former has the "Linux" version available.

Which goes back to the "there's simply no excuse" argument I gave above... The developer / publisher is just being too lazy.

The developer was one man Ryan C Gordon and the publisher is Nightdrive studios and my understanding is they do not own the IP they licenced it from Disney who hold the rights after purchsing it in 2008 after the bomb that was the 360/pc updated turok Which is why its a licensing issue they do not have the rights to push it out to gog because they only agreed to sell it via steam.
Cyba.Cowboy Aug 26, 2019
Quoting: Whitewolfe80The developer was one man Ryan C Gordon and the publisher is Nightdrive studios and my understanding is they do not own the IP they licenced it from Disney who hold the rights after purchsing it in 2008 after the bomb that was the 360/pc updated turok Which is why its a licensing issue they do not have the rights to push it out to gog because they only agreed to sell it via steam.

Yes, but clearly the publisher - Nightdrive Studios - still has rights to sell the game, because at the time of writing, they still publish the game on both GOG.com and Steam... So there's no reason why Nightdrive Studios could not go back and re-negotiate with Disney, in order to distribute the Linux version on GOG.com also.

If it was a major contractual change, I could understand the reluctance to attempt to re-negotiate the licensing terms... But we're talking about a pretty minor point here.

Ultimately, none of us are ever likely to be privvy to the details of their specific contract with Disney and thus the likelyhood of any renegotiations being successful - but as someone who has dealt with B2B and G2B contracts extensively in the past, I find it difficult to believe that Nightdrive Studios would not be able to re-negotiate this particular point of the contract, if they actually tried... Which is why I say they're being lazy, because they're not even bothering to try; they're just putting it straight into the "too hard" basket.


Last edited by Cyba.Cowboy on 26 August 2019 at 1:27 pm UTC
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