GOG Launches Linux Support Ahead of Schedule

[StewShearerOld]

GOG Launches Linux Support Ahead of Schedule

GOG has announced that its library now includes 50 games, both old and new, that can be played on Linux equipped PCs.

Earlier this year, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/133015-GOG-Adding-Linux-Support>GOG announced that it had plans to add Linux support, starting with "at least 100" games from its wide reaching library of DRM-free retro and indie games. It was an initiative that the digital retailer originally planned to launch this fall. That said, a <a href=http://www.gog.com/news/gogcom_now_supports_linux>recent posting on its website has revealed that it will launching its Linux library a tad sooner than expected: now.

"We've put much time and effort into this project and now we've found ourselves with over 50 titles, classic and new, prepared for distribution, site infrastructure ready, support team trained and standing by, and absolutely no reason to wait until October or November," said GOG in its posting. "We're still aiming to have at least 100 Linux games in the coming months, but we've decided not to delay the launch just for the sake of having a nice-looking number to show off to the press."

The 50 released Linux games include classic titles such as <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/goodoldreviews/11057-Duke-Nukem-3D-No-Longer-the-King-Baby>Duke Nukem 3D, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/131628-Good-Old-Reviews-Pirates-Gold>Pirates! Gold and <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/goodoldreviews/11235-Sword-of-the-Samurai-An-Honorable-Effort>Sword of the Samurai. The Linux launch additionally contains a solid offering of more modern games including Legend of Grimlock, Space Pirates and Zombies and Darwinia among others. The full list of Linux games can be found in GOG's original announcement.

Now just personally, I'm not a Linux user. That being the case, I can still appreciate how nifty an announcement this has to be for its many devotees. GOG was instrumental in my being able to revisit and, in even more cases, discover countless retro classics for the first time. The further that sort of experience can spread, the better.

Source: <a href=http://www.gog.com/news/gogcom_now_supports_linux>GOG


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[Rad Party God]

If GOG (and Steam with Linux support) would've been there 10 years ago when I tried to use Linux in my PC (and miserably failed at it), it might've made me consider sticking with it.

Personally I wouldn't touch Linux with a 10ft pole*, but to those who truly enjoy it, good for you!.

[small]*Please don't argue with me over the superiority of your OS, I don't care and I'm not in the mood to argue over such silly things.[/small]

 

[Oskuro]

This is always great news. Linux being an open platform helps ensure that, whatever the OS publishers decide to do with their systems, there'll always be a freely available option for those wanting to play older games.

I'm really hoping Linux (and Linux based Os-es) end up being a baseline for game development, so OS publishers stop making demands of game developers and start offering incentives.

[small]*Please don't argue with me over the superiority of your OS, I don't care and I'm not in the mood to argue over such silly things.[/small]

If it is so silly, why bring it up?

 

[Strazdas]

Uh. well, i sadly have to say i am shocked. in this world of delays, unfinished launches and alpha state game realeases something is actually done ahead of shedule? this is really unexpected. thanks CDP for keeping the hopes up.

 

[vdrandom]

Legend of Grimlock

Legends of Grimrock

If GOG (and Steam with Linux support) would've been there 10 years ago when I tried to use Linux in my PC (and miserably failed at it), it might've made me consider sticking with it.

Sadly it wasn't there yet. I'm pretty sure it still isn't there, but those game releases are probably going to boost the popularity and development of some features.

If it is so silly, why bring it up?

Sadly, there are a lot of zealous linux users willing to argue over that stuff.

 

[Lost In The Void]

Good Guy GoG. Creates a Linux Library and releases it ahead of time.

 

[ForumSafari]

Sadly it wasn't there yet. I'm pretty sure it still isn't there, but those game releases are probably going to boost the popularity and development of some features.

I don't know as I'd agree, I think that Ubuntu and its' derivatives have really turned desktop usability around. I haven't actually broken a distro doing desktoppy things for a while now. I guess I'm a bit biased though, our network monitor runs on Ubuntu and it's the one machine I can rely on when the rest have gone to hell.

 

[ntfwc]

I've been waiting for this. Always puzzled me why they didn't release the Linux versions of indie games, but that is changing now. As for older games, the ones I've bought from them have worked perfectly on either Wine or Dosbox.

If it is so silly, why bring it up?

Sadly, there are a lot of zealous linux users willing to argue over that stuff.

Not sure why that would be. The OS is just a tool that lets you utilize the hardware. For gaming, the point of decision is whether you can play the games you want to play. Other merits are outside of the scope. If you already have a gaming rig that does this well, there is no reason to make a change.

Also, going around trying to save the souls of people's processors, because they are reading the wrong sacred text, is only going to annoy them. Tools are tools, it should be more science than religion.

 

[alj]

Good news indeed, it does not sound like allot but the more games we get running on linux the closer we get to a critical point where more often than not games will have a linux and mac version ( i am excluding crappy console ports form AAA devs form this as that's never going to happen)

 

[vdrandom]

Sadly it wasn't there yet. I'm pretty sure it still isn't there, but those game releases are probably going to boost the popularity and development of some features.

I don't know as I'd agree, I think that Ubuntu and its' derivatives have really turned desktop usability around. I haven't actually broken a distro doing desktoppy things for a while now. I guess I'm a bit biased though, our network monitor runs on Ubuntu and it's the one machine I can rely on when the rest have gone to hell.

They certainly have, but there is still much to be done. I'm a linux sysadmin myself, so I'm pretty biased too.

 

[alj]

Linux really needs a big push of compatible software and someone to make a nice, new user friendly version for low-powered netbooks and such that can gain some traction.

you can optimise the Linux kernel and the apps as much as you like right down to the specific line of processor you have.

Pre compiled software has to only use the instructions that all the x86 line or whatever you run it on has so you cannot take advantage of all the functions on modern processors


i agree that it needs to be easy to use for the user but if you get a pre made "distro" it is usually very easy to use and you can get some of them that work with less than 512mb of ram something like crushbang,Lubuntu,Zenwalk or puppy are all simple to use look nice ( apart form puppy ) and run super fast

I'd like it to pick up some pace, but even now the trend seems to be the long overdue fall of Microsoft as we know it.
Perhaps in some years you can choose your OS without making tradeoffs.
Perhaps in some years you can walk into a store where PCs running Windows won't be the only thing you can buy.

Even if you're a Windows-only person, you'd benefit from the competition.

That would be good, competition is good for everyone if you can play the latest dragon age on Linux Microsoft will have to make that > £150 for windows worth it and this will improve the OS.

 

[Saulkar]

All the more reason for me to drop 7 when it becomes outdated... Or Steam OS leaves Beta.

I'm a linux sysadmin myself, so I'm pretty biased too.

AH!!! Good lord, a Saviour has arrived! Can I PM you for some Linux help?

 

[ForumSafari]

They certainly have, but there is still much to be done. I'm a linux sysadmin myself, so I'm pretty biased too.

My place is mostly a Windows shop but now that our new dev team are bulking out we'll probably be going cross platform. There's a few tools missing from Linux I'd really like adding (some kind of full AD replacement (no, Samba isn't a full replacement) would be nice) but aside from that it's far nicer to manage, everything is a file + puppet makes life so easy.

Also I yearn for the day when my log files actually convey information.

 

[Holythirteen]

Great stuff, considering how I only play older and indie games lately, and that I hate how anti-consumer consoles are becoming, it looks like I will finally have to get off my butt and start using the OS all the cool nerds use.

Personally I wouldn't touch Linux with a 10ft pole*, but to those who truly enjoy it, good for you!.

Sorry man, we are literally forcing you to use linux, right now, you DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE.

[small]Get it? lol[/small]

 

[Steve the Pocket]

So should we start referring to things being released ahead of schedule as "CD Projekt Time"?

Can't help but notice this doesn't even include all the games that use DOSBox wrappers, by a wide margin; I wonder why they couldn't have pushed them all out the door early. Surely it's just a matter of swapping out the Windows version with the Linux one and making sure it boots up properly, right?

 

[vdrandom]

Can't help but notice this doesn't even include all the games that use DOSBox wrappers, by a wide margin; I wonder why they couldn't have pushed them all out the door early. Surely it's just a matter of swapping out the Windows version with the Linux one and making sure it boots up properly, right?

Yeah, but I think they test each and every one of them by hand, so it's probably takes more time. There are some of those games released though.

It's also incredibly awesome to see tarball versions available, without binary scripts/installers. Same goes to info that the game is using wine. It could have been more noticeable, but is still pretty good.