Quoting: g000hI wish all devs would concentrate on making efficient code instead of needless bloat, and features (i.e. data-collecting metrics) that the end-users do not need.

In all likelyhood, the devs would, if they weren't given such idiotic "we need one of these launcher thingies" orders from above. It's management that usually want this nonsense, because everyone has got to have their own launcher and store and account and Google Analytics and DRM and a launcher for the launcher which you launch through another launcher.

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Quoting: GuestSomeone mentioned in that reddit thread that the "timer" should count down upon first launching the game. Sounds pretty good to me at first glance, not sure of any unintended side-effects of it though. I have a few games that I would use Proton for that I haven't even launched yet after buying, so it's unfortunate that they won't be counted as Linux. :/

I've always had this notion that I had to install the game and run it, even for just a few minutes, to cement the purchase as Linux. Just to be sure. It's likely that the phrasing "the platform with the most game time" made that seed sprout in my mind. Glad it did :)

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Just a heads up:

Two Point Hospital* uses your Steam account to track the games you've played and your achievements with them. It's safe, and we never receive any of your password or account information.

From the sign-in page. [External Link]

*Two Point Hospital, which in all likelyhood also means SEGA (publisher).

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Quoting: Purple Library Guy

Quoting: TheRiddickThe Chinese market should really push to get their citizens all moving to Linux and off windows machines for PC gaming, this would motivate EPIC Games to at least support Linux on their store platform and maybe encourage more Linux gamers over to the open-source side of life. (well mostly).

I used to think that would happen. I used to think the Chinese government would want to start moving to Linux to stop the Americans from spying on them via Windows back doors. I have gradually come to the conclusion that the Chinese government by now probably has their own deal with MS, and they mind the Americans spying on their people less than they mind the prospect of Linux making it harder for the Chinese government themselves to spy on their people. So the Chinese will move towards Linux only if the China-US tensions get a lot harsher.
Betcha the Chinese armed forces use a lot of Linux, though.

It would have to become a lot lot harsher, seeing how most American companies are wasting no time giving the Chinese exactly what they ask for, be it in terms of access to customer data or "failing to bring the world together in a tough Hearthstone e-sports moment".

Also, Microsoft as already laid down the groundwork for a spyware-based OS ;) They'd likely be as hessitant about giving that to the Chinese gov't as Google, Disney, Apple and NBA, if it means access to that market.

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Quoting: grigiSo... this is Epic using their Tencent's money to, er, skew the market? (...)

FTFY.

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Quoting: Nezchan

Quoting: Whitewolfe80

Quoting: NezchanAnd not a single one I'm interested in. Which saves me the FOMO, I guess.

The price and content of the subscriptions ensures i will never feel FOMO also i bc i dont believe fomo is a thing and if it has become a thing we need to destroy social media now.

Oh, poor innocent. It was a thing before social media even existed, it just didn't have a catchy acronym.

It definitely was a thing before social media, but post-social media it's been far easier for companies to leverage FOMO against an exponentially larger, and more susceptible, audience.

Not "believing" in FOMO is like not believing in the entire field of consumer psychology. Anyone interested really ought to watch the BBC documentary "The Century of the Self [External Link]" (Wikipedia article [External Link]. Incredibly interesting stuff.

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Something tells me there will be a counscious effort on Google's part to make sure that the "Linux" (i.e. Stadia) ports of games are only available on Stadia. Possibly in the form of some "quirk" (i.e. DRM) which makes the port such that it's na non-rivial task to get you a fully functional normal Linux port. Kinda like how Microsoft "loves Linux", as long as the Linux in question is the one running on their fog service.

I have my doubts this will have any positive impact on Linux gaming as a whole. Google doesn't want people to play more games, they want people to do more stuff through their platforms. Imagine all the voice chat they miss out on? Imagine all the input, behaviour and ticks they miss? It's just another venue of data mining.

/cynicalLawnOwner

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Quoting: NezchanIt's worth noting that the majority of people are not immune to psychological pressure and manipulation, even if they think they are. It's possible that some people who don't respond to social cues and the like are not vulnerable, but the rest of us are. You can tell yourself that you're immune to marketing all you like, but you're not. Neither am I. If it was only the very vulnerable (prone to addition, children, etc.) who are affected by this stuff, predatory practices in games like Fortnite or Candy Crush wouldn't be as widespread a problem as they are.

There's a word for people who think they can't be cheated: marks.

For example, one could easily argue that the people who profess themselves as "not affected by marketing and manipulation", bemoan the need for "freedom" for companies to do as they like, and that it's people's own fault that they fall prey to manipulation tactics, are, in fact, the ones that have been manipulated the most; manipulated into siding with unscrupulous entities whose sole purpose is to squeeze as much profit out of you, other people and the world as they possibly can, in the shortest time possible, consequences be damned.

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Quoting: fagnerlnTo adults, they are responsible, they have their money and do whatever they want. Want to lose all the salary trying a nice skin, OK. If they want to spend all on drugs, OK. If they want to do an investment with the money, better! But isn't I or the government that should control the life of other people. This is freedom

You're still free to do as you want. It's the companies that are being controlled here, and restrained from exploiting kids and adults alike.

Having a government that protects you from being fucked in the A by a multi-billion dollar company is freedome.
Having said company employ quite shrewd psychology to actively manipulate people is not.
Having said company ruin games to sell you a fix isn't "freedom", it's just fucking anoying.

People are free; companies should be regulated to hell and back.

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Now THIS is the very first Total War game I've ever actually been legitimately interested in! Finally, some real ancient era / bronze age strategy. Rome, Napoleon-ish and WW2 is starting to feel quite stale.

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