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Latest Comments by Purple Library Guy
NVIDIA have put out a new Linux beta driver with support for 'G-SYNC Compatible monitors'
31 Jan 2019 at 7:46 am UTC Likes: 3

Quoting: wvstolzing
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoWhat is that "Allow Flipping" feature for?
That's for Linus. It allows him to flip the bird.
Now I'm imagining Linus tossing Tux in the air like a coin. Heads!

The war of the PC stores is getting ugly, as Metro Exodus becomes a timed Epic Store exclusive
29 Jan 2019 at 9:31 pm UTC Likes: 1

Quoting: dannielloIt could be possible that Valve is preparing Steam Machine 2, but after failure of first initiative (with Dell cooperation) - it could be difficult. Also let be honest - Valve is too small company to subsidize Linux PC console that will be sold cheaper than production cost. Sony/Microsoft/Google/Apple are big enough to subsidize unprofitable initiatives for years - without economic threat for company, because they have plenty of income from other sources.
You're probably right about the size issue, but that makes me wonder about something:
Does anybody know just how big Valve is, or how big a war chest they might be sitting on? Because they're not publicly traded, I don't think they have to tell anyone much of anything. Even their competitors may not really have much of a handle on it. Anyone have any idea?

The hide and seek shooter 'AT SUNDOWN: Shots in the Dark' is now out with Linux support
29 Jan 2019 at 6:05 pm UTC Likes: 1

I like the umbrella. Points for style there.

Abandon Ship, the naval combat and adventure game is still heading to Linux
29 Jan 2019 at 6:02 pm UTC Likes: 2

Does look interesting. On the combat, though . . . I feel like I've seen this before with different art: You're broadside to broadside with the other ship, the only thing that changes being range.

Someday I'll see an age of sail combat setup that involves tacking, wind, trying to cross the enemy's T, using the long nines from longer range to try to shoot away a spar and hamper the enemy's speed and maneuverability, and all that other cool tactical pirate-era stuff. I might even want to time my broadsides carefully with the roll of the ship, to get more distance if I fire as the cannon are angled up, or hole the enemy below the waterline if I fire at close up angled a bit down, although that could get a bit fiddly.

DXVK 0.96 is now officially out with CPU & GPU overhead improvements plus plenty more
27 Jan 2019 at 5:02 pm UTC

Quoting: Brisse
Quoting: Purple Library Guy
Quoting: GuestNice release! I'm still impressed how well DXVK works, how fast it has evolved and how much I use Proton(Wine) now. After Valve allowed us to install Linux games with Proton, I've started to test several additional games with DXVK and it is getting really hard to find the ones that do not run or have some graphical issues :-) Yes, BattlEye and other DRM software is an issue, but this is nothing DXVK can change and it is all up to the game developers and maybe Valve to ask for another solution.
There's something I don't quite understand about all this: These anti-cheat softwares are . . . software, right? Software that, like, runs on . . . Windows? What exactly is so special about them that makes it hard for Wine to run them? Clearly there must be something or this whole deal wouldn't be an issue, but can anyone explain to me what?
"In an effort to make copy protection more effective (i.e. resistant to cracks), the methods used by many copy protection products have become complex, difficult to understand (obfuscated), and hard to debug. In some cases Wine would need to be altered to allow for almost rootkit-like functionality of programs to get some of these copy protection schemes to work. To support copy protection Wine developers have to contend with undocumented interfaces, code obfuscation, and maintaining compatibility with *nix security models. "

https://wiki.winehq.org/Copy_Protection [External Link]

Anti-cheat is probably a similar situation.
Ah. Thank you.

DXVK 0.96 is now officially out with CPU & GPU overhead improvements plus plenty more
27 Jan 2019 at 4:59 pm UTC

Quoting: Brisse
Quoting: WoodlandorI have a few single player games that will not work due to DRM issues.

I’m curious as to what Steam’s terms of service are on modifying the game files as there are obviously removal tools from the pirate community.

On one hand, yes you are removing a “security feature” and likely breaking the EULA of that particular game.

On the other hand, since it was purchased on Steam. The fact that you paid for that game is 100% verifiable ?
Don't think it's the same in the US, but in most of Europe you have the legal right to reverse engineer and modify however you see fit as long as you do not violate copyright. This right goes above whatever the EULA says, so if the EULA tries to prevent you, you can just ignore it because it's invalid. This also means that downloading a nocd-patch or similar for a game which you have a licence for is perfectly legal.
I believe in the US it's the reverse--the DMCA makes it actually illegal to remove "security features" or "bypass encryption measures" or like that even on something you supposedly own, making EULAs still irrelevant but in the other direction--it would still be illegal even if the EULA specifically gave you the right. I think it's insane, but that's the Digital Millennium Copyright Act for you.

DXVK 0.96 is now officially out with CPU & GPU overhead improvements plus plenty more
27 Jan 2019 at 4:54 pm UTC

Quoting: GuestNice release! I'm still impressed how well DXVK works, how fast it has evolved and how much I use Proton(Wine) now. After Valve allowed us to install Linux games with Proton, I've started to test several additional games with DXVK and it is getting really hard to find the ones that do not run or have some graphical issues :-) Yes, BattlEye and other DRM software is an issue, but this is nothing DXVK can change and it is all up to the game developers and maybe Valve to ask for another solution.
There's something I don't quite understand about all this: These anti-cheat softwares are . . . software, right? Software that, like, runs on . . . Windows? What exactly is so special about them that makes it hard for Wine to run them? Clearly there must be something or this whole deal wouldn't be an issue, but can anyone explain to me what?

Some information on why Wine is not going to be using DXVK
26 Jan 2019 at 12:14 am UTC Likes: 3

As has been pointed out, we really don't know what's going on. At the same time, this last bit does suggest it's more than missing 2 emails.

It is my understanding that since then both Jeremy White and CodeWeavers' partners at Valve have tried reaching out to Philip on the subject, but evidently with little success.
I have the impression that Philip Rebohle has firm opinions about approaches to software, what works well and what leads to problems. I have the suspicion maybe he simply doesn't like Wine's style of coding, doesn't think trying to converge and make DXVK work with Wine would be fruitful but instead would maybe tangle him up, but doesn't want to tell them to their faces that he thinks their way of doing things is broken. So, sidestepping maybe.
Mind you, I have no interest in defending this vaporous comment since it is likely to be wildly off base.

Some information on why Wine is not going to be using DXVK
26 Jan 2019 at 12:01 am UTC Likes: 8

Quoting: benjamimgoisSaddly this is not new in the opensource realm. Duplicated efforts due to Gigantic egos always generate duplicated / triplicated efforts. This is the same old DEB x RPM, KDE x Gnome, upstart x systemv , Snap x Flatpak.... While opensource is fighting it self, closed source OS like Windows and OSX concentrate efforts in what really matter.
. . . lock-in?

Reassembly, the awesome spaceship builder and exploration game has its first expansion out now
24 Jan 2019 at 5:11 am UTC

Those are some of the most organic-looking spacecraft I've ever seen. I mean, some games will feature sort of organic-look skins, but that trailer half the time looked like a bunch of micro-organisms were drifting around shooting at each other. Pretty cool.