Battlefield Director: "We Strongly Want To Get Into Linux"

[rodneyy]

while i dont doubt that a breakthrough game could get a lot more peoople interested in linux i wonder in the long run how many people could be converted not through lack of interest but more through lack of tech knowhow to get it up and running.

i read a nice blog post from an IT teacher a while ago, (cant for the life of me recall whats its called though) and while the assumtion that everyone is more computer litterate these days, with parents saying ooo my little darling is on their laptop all the time they will be do well in IT class, his assertion was that while there are many more users most of them have no idea how it all works and are only able to get online due to increased userfriendlyness.

he made a resonable analogy with cars. in the past there were fewer cars on the road but most people knew how to keep them running and preform basic servicing on them and only needed to take them into a mechanic if things went very wrong. however these days there might be more cars on the road but probally the same number of people know how to do all the under the bonnet work as in the past.
same thing with computers today. in the not so distant past you needed to know how to wander around inside computers to keep them running maybe change out a part or two. these days with increasingly locked down OS's and everything ready to use off the shelf there might be more people glued to their screens but most still have little to no knowelege how to do anything more than what is on the display infront of them.

halo might have made the xbox and whatever value launches with their new os might make their system (only time will tell) but that will be with consoles closed off easy to use. unless there is some super easy to use 1 click install or pre running on new hardware version of linx show up sometime in the future i feel it will be hard for it to ever break into the mainstream simply because many will not be able to get it working in a fast and hassle free manner

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well I appreciate their support for other platforms however no one in their right mind will switch their OS for a "killer app", MS has it's monopoly claws deep seated so you are asking people to switch over near all their habits and software just to use another piece of software... that is just not going to happen over night.

Yes exclusivity would make a major push but so would holding people at gun point, some things you just don't resort too.

 

[J Tyran]

I'm personally not a fan of Linux. It feels too unstable for me. Maybe it's gotten better since I tried it last but I'm happy sticking with Windows 7

Linux is really stable but initial setup can be a piffle sometimes with certain hardware because tracking down and configuring drivers can be a little less than straightforward, sometimes you need to use the terminal as a lot of functions have no GUI yet. Unless the user already knows the terminal really well it leads to some digging around the various Linux support blogs/websites/forums to find the right commands.

 

[Matthi205]

I'm personally not a fan of Linux. It feels too unstable for me. Maybe it's gotten better since I tried it last but I'm happy sticking with Windows 7

Linux is really stable but initial setup can be a piffle sometimes with certain hardware because tracking down and configuring drivers can be a little less than straightforward, sometimes you need to use the terminal as a lot of functions have no GUI yet. Unless the user already knows the terminal really well it leads to some digging around the various Linux support blogs/websites/forums to find the right commands.

There's a GUI for pretty much anything relevant, it just doesn't come preinstalled.

Setting the system up has become a lot easier, as the only things you need to choose manually are things the Windows setup also asks you for (talking about Kubuntu here, haven't used any other distro in years now). Sound, Wi-Fi, Graphics cards, pretty much anything really - work right out of the box, and most of the time you only need drivers for tech that needs separate drivers in Windows too.

Everytime someone says Linux is ready I find it incapable of some basic functionality without resorting to the console. The GUI is king when it comes to beating Mac and MS, and Linux may never get there because of the nature of its developers.

Robocopy, diskpart. Two applications that are only usable from the command prompt. Oh, you've got a new hard disk that you want to partition? Here's your command prompt, here's diskpart, start. I can only thank god diskpart is pretty similar in use to fdisk, otherwise I'd need to use Parted Magic all the time, with its convenient GUI-driven disk partitioning.

Those are the games I feel would make people switch to Linux, if they were to be made Linux exclusive on PC (even IF only for two to three months).
The best method for this would be to directly deliver them with a Kubuntu install disc.

Now... if Battlefield went Linux exclusive for a month or even just a week, Linux would be much more popular as a platform, resulting in publishers actually thinking more and more about releasing a Linux version, and in the end - completely stopping to bother with a Windows version (for you see, Windows is not too game developer friendly - and it has a slew of other issues like blue screens).

Wow. Someone hates Windows with a passion.


I would like to point out though that BSODs are not technical problems themselves but diagnostic screens for when problems do occur. Do you just love bashing windows or something?

Also, fuck exclusives.

I don't like Windows a lot, that's for sure. But that just comes from just how unstable the OS actually is, and from Microsoft wanting to dick consumers preemptively.
Then there's the fact that on Windows, the whole system just stops working when a teeny-weeny problem with the graphics driver occurs.

Exclusive for a few weeks or months. If Rockstar gets away with it, why shouldn't other game devs?

Half-Life 3
Any CoD game
Battlefield: Bad Company 3
Borderlands 3
FIFA 15
whatever the newest Madden title is
EverQuest Next (Landmark)
Titanfall
Watch_Dogs
Assassin's Creed IV
The Crew
ArmA 4
Trainz 2015
Star Citizen

Those are all AAA games. Games of that scale have no business doing anything other than multi-platform (from a business perspective), let alone on Linux. The comparison to Halo in the OP is barely relevant, as the early 2000's were an age before game budgets were inflated like a goddamn balloon animal. This is why we need a AA market that isn't crowdfunded.

I'd really like to know what your point is.
My point was that those are games that would tide people over to GNU/Linux if they were exclusives (running only on Linux on the PC, but still being on all the consoles).

 

[mad825]

I don't like Windows a lot, that's for sure. But that just comes from just how unstable the OS actually is, and from Microsoft wanting to dick consumers preemptively.
Then there's the fact that on Windows, the whole system just stops working when a teeny-weeny problem with the graphics driver occurs.

Erm, explain? Millennium Edition has been the only bad bad, unacceptable form of instability that I've come across. Vista's problems were greatly exaggerated and backwards compatibility was it's main issue.

You're blaming bad drivers on the OS? That doesn't make any sense. Still, faults tend to be at the firmware/hardware level. Why don't you just blame the weatherman for the bad weather while you're at it?

 

[AstaresPanda]

Half-life 3 Portal 3 and Left 4 Dead 3 all part of the Steam OS on the steam machines and will be part of the follow up to the orange box. The Steam Box.

We already know this plan. DICE trying to copy the GabeN

 

[Sanunes]

It will take a lot more then a single game being available for Linux to get me to be interested in switching or dual-booting my OS. For the people that use Linux as their base OS right now I think this could be good news for them, but I just can't see it being a major incentive to change the environments people are using. I know for me, I have compatibility concerns with some of the work I do in a Windows environment being functional in a Linux environment.

As far as the Halo example, it was more then just a killer app, it reshaped a lot of shooters and how they function. In some regards it was the next step in the evolution of shooters. The other problem with Halo is that it was fully owned by Microsoft, so they could afford to have it only on the Xbox, but I can't see a developer outside of one that is sponsored by one of the big publishers wanting to take the risk of a Linux exclusive and they all are about the money and getting their game to as many people as possible.

 

[ForumSafari]

You're blaming bad drivers on the OS? That doesn't make any sense.

He's not blaming the OS for the graphics driver spitting its dummy, he's blaming it for not handling the crash gracefully. On Linux if a driver crashes it'll almost always throw you back to command line, from which you can restart the display server. On Windows 8 I had severe driver issues that would turn my entire screen black every time I exited the start screen and necessitated a restart.

 

[ddrkreature]

I'm personally not a fan of Linux. It feels too unstable for me. Maybe it's gotten better since I tried it last but I'm happy sticking with Windows 7

Windows 7 is a good OS, Linux is a good alternative though. It depends when you tried it out and which distribution, each one while using the core part of the OS have their own tweeks, it's possible you had one that was early development or something. May I ask when and what you used?
Btw in the last few years most Linux distros have reached Windows level of ease of use, it looks however you want it to look (including Windows) and runs smoothly.

I believe it was a few years ago in an intro to operating systems course. Not sure which flavor it was, but it was very bare bones basic and clunky feeling. I guess it may have just been a bad experience and the stubbornness of learning something new, but there is also the factor of the protocols for performing basic actions (like opening a file) that keep me from going back.

 

[Sanunes]

I believe it was a few years ago in an intro to operating systems course. Not sure which flavor it was, but it was very bare bones basic and clunky feeling. I guess it may have just been a bad experience and the stubbornness of learning something new, but there is also the factor of the protocols for performing basic actions (like opening a file) that keep me from going back.

It has changed a lot over the last few years, especially with Ubuntu. If you want to give Ubuntu a try you can install it to a USB key and run it off that without reformatting your computer to see how it works for you.

 

[ddrkreature]

I believe it was a few years ago in an intro to operating systems course. Not sure which flavor it was, but it was very bare bones basic and clunky feeling. I guess it may have just been a bad experience and the stubbornness of learning something new, but there is also the factor of the protocols for performing basic actions (like opening a file) that keep me from going back.

It has changed a lot over the last few years, especially with Ubuntu. If you want to give Ubuntu a try you can install it to a USB key and run it off that without reformatting your computer to see how it works for you.

I've got a virtual machine set up I can try and probably will

 

[Vrach]

That's all well and good, and thumbs up for trying to promote Linux. But how are you going to make any game exclusive to Linux? You know, big, triple A title that would make a ton of money if it launched on every available platform - what incentive would there be to give Linux an exclusive deal for it? Xbox/Windows have Microsoft backing it, PS has Sony, you can get money for your exclusive there and sell the game well. Linux doesn't have anyone really behind it financially, it's a free system. Making an exclusive for it would be... well, kind of a really ridiculous business move.

 

[Waaghpowa]

If AMD's Mantle Api works out, it shouldn't be too hard to get Linux versions, assuming they plan to make it cross platform. If you ask me, it would be idiotic to create an api with the intention of replacing directx then force people to use the OS from the company that barely supports their proprietary api anymore.

If I remember correctly, bf4 is using Mantle, meaning that theres the possibility of a future Linux port, assuming what I mentioned earlier is true.

I will have to do some looking around.

 

[thesilentman]

Well I appreciate their support for other platforms however no one in their right mind will switch their OS for a "killer app", MS has it's monopoly claws deep seated so you are asking people to switch over near all their habits and software just to use another piece of software... that is just not going to happen over night.

Yes exclusivity would make a major push but so would holding people at gun point, some things you just don't resort too.

I don't quite believe that's the case. Really, it's all about showing that Linux is viable for gaming because why not? Choices are always something that is preferred for many people. =P

OT- I'll have to see more. It's always nice having more options open and given the state of Microsoft, it's insanely good for us gamers.

 

[RicoADF]

I believe it was a few years ago in an intro to operating systems course. Not sure which flavor it was, but it was very bare bones basic and clunky feeling. I guess it may have just been a bad experience and the stubbornness of learning something new, but there is also the factor of the protocols for performing basic actions (like opening a file) that keep me from going back.

Ah yes I had the same first experience and was turned off too, until one of the tech mags I get regularly updated me (TAFE was using an old version of red hat, it was like using windows 98 today as a first Windows after being on the newest Linux or OSX, very old and clunky).
My suggestion would be have a look at a few new distros, personally I recommend Linux Mint but Ubuntu, Fedora etc are good too. Also try out their different UIs, you'll find one that suits you. I recommend MATE on Linux Mint.

 

[Shuu]

No one game would do it for me. No one game has ever done it for me. If I was already on the edge, between two platforms, one game could tip me, but in this case, one killer app does not, on its own, make one platform better compared to all the games it still and may continue to lack.
I'd certainly like linux to take off. But I'm very against the idea of game exclusivity in general.

 

[SageRuffin]

Linux first needs to be easier to use. Right now its not all that bad but for people who don't know about PC's or are used to windows stepping over to Linux can be a real challenge. Once your used to it its better then windows but that takes quite a while. Ubuntu was a great step forward but it still needs to get simpler, simpler to understand how Linux works.

It needs to be so simple that you should be able to sit a kid in front of a PC, put a install disk into the tray and boot it up, if the kid can successfully get the damn thing working and understands why it works then its finally good enough. Even windows isn't that good yet, but it is easier to use then Linux.

Zorin and Linux Mint are very good noob-friendly distros. I prefer Zorin myself since it handles very much like Win7 and it comes with Google Chrome pre-installed instead of Firefox (not knocking Firefox at all; it's just that once I went to Chrome I haven't looked back).

 

[Arnoxthe1]

To all who say that Linux is easy to use now:

Oh yeah, it's pretty easy. Right up until you get to a problem that can only be solved by going into the CLI (Command Line Interface.) And that's when the fun starts. Make no mistake too, it WILL happen. It's just a matter of time. And just the fact that Windows, nine times out of ten, has a GUI option to quickly handle the same problem just makes it all the more infuriating.

Some say that the CLI is actually quicker than a GUI for handling certain things and that's fine. The problem is that Linux, sooner or later, will force you into using it, whether you want to or not.

 

[Bostur]

Linux first needs to be easier to use. Right now its not all that bad but for people who don't know about PC's or are used to windows stepping over to Linux can be a real challenge. Once your used to it its better then windows but that takes quite a while. Ubuntu was a great step forward but it still needs to get simpler, simpler to understand how Linux works.

It needs to be so simple that you should be able to sit a kid in front of a PC, put a install disk into the tray and boot it up, if the kid can successfully get the damn thing working and understands why it works then its finally good enough. Even windows isn't that good yet, but it is easier to use then Linux.

In my experience people who don't know about PCs can do about the same things on Linux and Windows. They usually don't know about the concept of an OS anyway. It's the mid-range users who struggle to transfer their existing knowledge between systems. Some things need to be learned again.

I don't think you can expect beginners to install an OS, especially not if an existing OS needs to be preserved. Disc partitioning is a bit beyond basic knowledge, and that goes for any OS. Windows is particularly painful as a target OS in that scenario.

Installing an OS on a fresh system is relatively simple, but even then most people can't install Windows. I'd say some Linux distros are actually a bit simpler in that regard. It's just a matter of inserting the disc and pressing next at the prompts. On Windows you have to register and install basic drivers for sound, graphics and networking. All that is usually auto-detected on Linux.

Understanding how an OS works is way beyond beginner knowledge, and people who want to do that should expect a bit of learning. Again this is the case for any OS, learning Windows can also be hard for people who are used to another OS.