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Latest Comments by Leopard
Frozenbyte are now telling Linux users to use Proton, even for their older games
28 Jul 2021 at 10:26 pm UTC

Quoting: BielFPs
Quoting: LeopardIt is not the fault of game devs; those popular engines has second class citizen support for anything that is a non MS graphics api.
Hence the point of my post: first ask for Vulkan then latter for a native version.
Yes, a Vulkan backend that got all dev time on a PC build is vastly better than having a port that translates from D3D code.

With source code access that is also ok ( for example like it happened with SoTR port of Feral) but usually that is not the case.

With having first class citizen Vulkan backends on PC ( Windows ) Proton should be much more viable.

It takes time and money to port an engine to another platform, so Proton can take care of this part.

Frozenbyte are now telling Linux users to use Proton, even for their older games
28 Jul 2021 at 10:12 pm UTC Likes: 4

Quoting: BielFPsI said this before and I will say it again: Before ask developers to support Linux we need to ask them to support Vulkan first, in order to make them create better games with the api.

Every game made with Directx in mind is a potential "Proton only" game, which will result in cases like Trine where even if they have a native version it's different/worse than their windows counterpart, but more games made with Vulkan in mind means better performance, which means more chances to have a (good) linux native version.

Quoting: STiATOn other games (Valheim in example), the Linux port is so bad performance whise (OGL and Vulkan) that it's actually better to play using Proton,
Exactly, my last refunded game had a native port too (Last Epoch) where the game wouldn't even start in my machine, so what was the point of a native version for me in this case?

In case of Valheim I notice this too, and the cause is not Vulkan being worse than Directx, but probably because the developers are more comfortable at working with dx, because dx has more support (easier to work with) than Vulkan right now, hence why it's important to encourage more developers to work with Vulkan even if their games will be Windows only.
Valheim is a Unity title.

For Unity; GL is basically deprecated ( even if they don't call it that way) and Vulkan is there for mobile purposes.

Same goes for Unreal Engine too. Nearly all dev time+money goes into D3D side.

It is not the fault of game devs; those popular engines has second class citizen support for anything that is a non MS graphics api.

So Metal also shares the same fate.

Frozenbyte are now telling Linux users to use Proton, even for their older games
28 Jul 2021 at 2:04 pm UTC Likes: 6

Quoting: GuestActually their statement is worse in my opinion: native or not, no support at all for running their games on GNU/Linux by any means. I doubt anyone can take a platform seriously if there's no support for it.
A depressing statement. Not that Trine3 ever ran (at all) for me, but Trine and Trine2 were great.

What makes this even worse is that Trine 4 is on Stadia.
They stated they are using a translation layer on Stadia build, so it is not native Vulkan there.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/690640/discussions/0/1842440600620771518/?ctp=2#c4768721849830898948 [External Link]

Likely DXVK but they didn't disclose it.

So far games that are confirmed to be using DXVK on Stadia:

-YS8 ( Confirmed by Durante on Reddit )
-Metro Exodus ( DXVK is mentioned in credits screen, game is native Vulkan on Steam Linux build. It has raytracing on Steam Linux build also)

Google also said they will include translation layers in their SDK to ease porting process, for DX9/10/11.

That is also likely DXVK.

Feral no longer porting A Total War Saga: TROY to Linux, citing less demand since Proton
27 Jul 2021 at 8:21 pm UTC Likes: 2

Quoting: 1xok
Quoting: vipor29i know some want ports and those will never go away from the indie developers but when it comes to the AAA stuff we can usually run those titles anyway. with anti cheat being worked on it will get even better so this is not all doom and gloom.
I remember a statement by the DXVK developer that games with a lot of different shaders (I think it was Tomb Raider) are difficult for DXVK. See:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p53sVKwSqZ4 [External Link]

Has anything changed in this regard? After all, it's these games that will push the Steam Deck to its limits. I'm hoping more that with the Steam Deck and Proton the Gordian knot will now be cut. And that there will be many more ports for Linux in the future. Preferably day one releases.

It's not just about the renderers, but ultimately also about the middleware, which is still different under Linux. It also reduces dependencies. Of course, they have to be high-quality ports. But that is precisely what Ferral is known for.
Difficult as in it will stutter like crazy.

Steam has Fossilize for this very reason. It works in multiple ways:

-If a user with same hw, same driver combo cached those shaders on their gameplay client collects them and ships to other users matching those criterias.

-Steam client also creates Fossilize pipelines. So even if you are on newest driver before anyone else, Steam client will compile shaders for you at background/before going into game. By default background caching uses 1/4 of your threads, when you still have pending compile work and press play it will go full blast which will use all of your threads.

-Steam client will also ship transcoded video files with that system. Ones that you are currently seeing a test screen when you encounter such videos where it is not possible for Valve to transcode them on runtime due to licensing issues.

Feral no longer porting A Total War Saga: TROY to Linux, citing less demand since Proton
27 Jul 2021 at 7:09 pm UTC

Quoting: sub
Quoting: Mohandevir
Quoting: sub
Quoting: GuestI guess I should point out that Valve have never said anything they do is intended to lead to more native ports. Quite the opposite actually - they've officially said not to bother!

So just like Google never said that Stadia would encourage native desktop GNU/Linux game development and people kind of assumed it would happen, Valve have never said it either and it probably won't happen.

This was one concern long ago about the approach VP did, but at least they supported the title running under GNU/Linux. There's not even that here, and native development (and support) is being discouraged - the result of which is this news. I can't see it ending well for GNU/Linux desktop gaming.
It would make more sense to me to encourage devs/publisher to provide native builds and have Proton as a fallback.
Best would be to establish in-house know how and awareness for nativ ports. Doesn't happen this way.

Just think Microsoft comes up with a Direct3D 13, completely incompatible and there is no such working Proton channel.
No way they could pull off something reliably working within months.
Proton (and Steam Deck) will gain compatibility at a similar time frame than other consoles on the market. Consoles usually play catch up with PC, anyway.
But console builds ARE native builds.
They are fine in this picture.

All I wanted to highlight is, you're creating strong unhealthy dependencies on MS.
You can't expect devs/companies to change habits without a strong position in market.

If Steamdeck can provide that even a bit+ChromeOS Steam project eventually happens; devs might start to consider more cross platform alternatives in their builds.

Such as using Vulkan, instead of using Media Foundation Platform using VP9, using SDL2 etc.

Without a market; even with best tools+apis they will just keep their Windows focused development.

Feral no longer porting A Total War Saga: TROY to Linux, citing less demand since Proton
27 Jul 2021 at 6:58 pm UTC Likes: 1

Quoting: Whitewolfe80
Quoting: LeopardFor anyone wonders if the game will work at day 1 or not ; i grabbed it last year when it was free on EGS for 24 hours ( perma keep ) :

It works on Wine+DXVK since day 1. So Feral porting this or not really shouldn't matter.
its not the fact it works its the fact its not native and proton is the reason its not native
Problem is: As long as porting houses like Feral can't provide day 1 Linux ports; all of those efforts are futile.

Proton matured to a point where it can run those titles at day 1 ( as opposed to Feral ports that takes months, years in some cases ) + Feral ports comes with multiple downsides besides lacking at working day 1 department:

-Multiplayer is Linux+Mac which in most cases makes MP portion of those games useless
-Patches arrive late
-Save files differs between Windows build vs Feral ports. Windows saves doesn't work on Feral builds, Feral build saves doesn't work on Windows
-Large portion of mods usually doesn't work on Feral ports

So those porting houses are lacking in competition and they just decide to not compete.

I have tons of Feral ports btw, some of them are excellent, some are mediocre. I also bought Total War Rome Remastered when it gone live. It supports Linux since day 1+MP works across Windows,Linux,Mac+mods works too.

If Feral wants to be competitive they should try to provide day 1 support with no downsides. There are many TW Warhammer players on Linux that are just using Proton despite Feral ported them. Because MP works with Windows players+performance is usually better than Feral builds+no need to wait for patches to drop on Feral builds.

Feral no longer porting A Total War Saga: TROY to Linux, citing less demand since Proton
27 Jul 2021 at 3:52 pm UTC Likes: 2

For anyone wonders if the game will work at day 1 or not ; i grabbed it last year when it was free on EGS for 24 hours ( perma keep ) :

It works on Wine+DXVK since day 1. So Feral porting this or not really shouldn't matter.

Humble Choice for May is up now with Metro Exodus, Hellpoint, Fury Unleashed + more
5 May 2021 at 4:13 pm UTC Likes: 1

Quoting: dorronMetro Exodus is running at very low FPS for me. Anyone having the same problem?
 
__NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia __VK_LAYER_NV_optimus=NVIDIA_only


Use Steam like this to make sure everything runs on your NV gpu, instead of Intel igpu.

Total War: ROME REMASTERED from Feral Interactive is out now
29 Apr 2021 at 10:55 pm UTC

Quoting: Luke_NukemI remember buying this on release because a linux port was promised.. that was what, 6 years ago? More?
I do not remember any promise about that.

Total War: ROME REMASTERED from Feral Interactive is out now
29 Apr 2021 at 10:54 pm UTC Likes: 1

Quoting: DorritI checked the system requirements of the original Rome: Total War, it's 2.9 GB plus 500 MB for Windows swap file.
How do you go from that to 45 GB, plus an additional 30 GB for the DLC? :huh:
-Way higher quality textures
-Game also includes Alexander and Barbarian Invasion invasion too ( they were seperate packs on original release)
-Sound quality should be also way better than original release, including OST
-Character models have more variety. On original release every soldier in a group were looking identical, not to mention their armors etc were also not so detailed
-Game has couple more units that were not in original release. Iirc merchants are an example.
-I think game has more playable factions compared to original?
-Campaign map looks are vastly improved too

So it is overall a remaster that aims to improve original,beloved game in certain aspects to please a gamer with a modern PC while not messing with core mechanics in a way that breaks the genuine immersion.