What I hate about windows games ported to linux

clearer · #1 14th September 2006, 08:33 AM

The games I am talking about are games like Doom3, Nevewinter Nights and Quake 4. Games where owning one license is good enough for all platforms. The problem with these games are that you have to download a huge linux specific file to play it in linux. Usually this file is available a week or two after the initial release, and it might even be possible to get a physical media set with the files on, from the original destributor (although it's never possible in Denmark because the shops don't get that they aren't loosing anything by pedling the linux enabled media over the non-linux enabled media). The physical media usually have to be shipped for you as a special order.

Since hardly all games for Linux are avialable in Denmark (where I live, if you haven't figured that out), I resort to buying the non-linux enabled media and then download the linux-enabling files. Right now I am redownloading neverwinter nights - which is a woobing 1.5 GB download + the things on the expansion cds.

This, is the one thing I truly hate about linux ports other than the fact that most linux ports are also handicapped - having several features removed - such as Doom 3 not support EAX 4.0 on linux, neverwinter nights not having an autoupdater or an ingame movie player for the videos (I know there is a hack, but it's not perfect and it's not supported by Bioware or Atari).

The_Jester · #2 14th September 2006, 02:26 PM

I've never had that much of a problem. Either way 1.5GB isn't a huge file nowadays, unless your on dial up or a slow ISDN connection. Btw, Doom 3 DOES support EAX. It was enabled in the earlier engines but the updated ones had it disabled. You don't even have to download the linux specific files. OpenGL games for windows run just as good under wine. It doesn't have to do any realtime DX to OpenGL transcoding so it can just use the linux librarys.

Jongi · #3 15th September 2006, 08:58 AM

Jester - Don't assume the whole world has cheap fast internet readily available

sej7278 · #4 15th September 2006, 11:12 AM

1.5gb isn't much?! you got a t3 in your house or something?

i don't bother with games on linux just because they are always a hack, like having to install the windows version and copy the map files across, or download a linux loader or install cedega or something stupid.

why can't they just put an extra dvd in the box, or the linux installer on the same disc as the windows one?

until companies do as good a job as windows, i will stick to my xbox for games, not linux.

Legomax · #5 15th September 2006, 10:57 PM

Quote:

until companies do as good a job as windows, i will stick to my xbox for games, not linux.

lolz, windows isnt doing a good job! they have the majority so publishers make games for them. simple as that. windows is no where near as efficient as linux.

sej7278 · #6 16th September 2006, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legomax

lolz, windows isnt doing a good job! they have the majority so publishers make games for them. simple as that. windows is no where near as efficient as linux.

i wasn't talking about windows being any good, i meant the games installation method on windows is great, compared to the hacky manual crap for linux.

Flounder · #7 16th September 2006, 12:37 AM

I don't know yum install <package name> works pretty well.

Legomax · #8 16th September 2006, 03:15 AM

oh, you meant that! i luv the GUI on windows for installing games =)

#9 18th September 2006, 08:25 AM

you dont have to download the 1.5gig program ...

there is a 400kb linux installer for never winter nights that uses the media you have.

its available here

http://www.icculus.org/~ravage/nwn/

edit.. sorry.. make that 20m :P

sej7278 · #10 18th September 2006, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flounder

I don't know yum install <package name> works pretty well.

damn, i didn't know i could yum install doom3 and quake4, so they've gone open-source now?

#11 18th September 2006, 01:22 PM

..sorta.. the binaries have been released under a GPL. you still have to pay for the .pak files

clearer · #12 12th November 2006, 06:23 PM

if the binaries have been released under the GPL, then it must also mean that I can force Id Software to give me the source -- Not likely. I think you are refering to the source of older Id engines being released under the GPL -- which is not really the same.

Anyhow, today the majority of linux distro have package managers and programmes similar to yum -- apt-get or otherwise. If these guys could come up with a common format for repositories, it would mean that game makers no-longer has a good reason to not using them to distribute patches and what material. In theory this could mean that all you had to do is yum install <game-name> and type in your cd-key.

starstatras · #13 13th September 2007, 04:47 PM

The biggest file for installing a game on linux I have ever seen is the 250mb binary file thing to install quake 4 which takes less than 10 minutes on my 8mb adsl

eXDee · #14 23rd September 2007, 07:51 AM

Thats why i like the UT series.
UT2004 comes with a linux installer on disc.
UT99/GOTY has a small installer to download.
And you can get a dedicated server package for linux free.
UT3 will support linux also.

And since they all run on unreal engine, that means than UE3 based games should run better on linux due to epic games' optimization.

Thetargos · #15 23rd September 2007, 09:59 PM

I don't mind downloading the data, however in the case of NWN, they had to do it that way as the original files were into .cab files instead of .zip, the expansions are on .zip and you only need the binaries (in a patch). Now you can always go grab the installer, and only download a 30Mb file instead of 1.5Gb