I suspect our opinions may be the same, it’s just that our definitions of “gaming platform” are different. I take the consumer view (a good gaming platform is one where I can buy the newest and best games) while you might take the developer view (a good gaming platform is one where you can develop great games). I have no opinion on the second point, I’m just saying that from a consumer’s point of view Linux is indeed a gaming platform that sucks.
Agreed. A Linux computer, even with the latest and greatest (and being greatest also means being fully supported) graphics and sound subsystems is a lousy gaming machine. It's, however, more or less the best serious computer money can buy.
For games, I recommend a PlayStation 3. For serious computing, a serious computer.
Yes, but only works for some tastes in gaming. E.g. I'd rather play old Quake 3 (which--by the way--runs on Linux) with keyboard and mouse than play a first person shooter with a PS3 controller.
Also epic strategy games--like Civilization or Master of Orion--don't tend to work well with a Gaming Console.
Because of lack of professional quality games, lack of external controller drivers (not sure how common this is), lack of DirectX? Please be more specific with its suckiness, since it seems like you think the problem is some inherent issue with Linux itself, and I'm not aware of anyone denying those few problems I listed. I'm not sure I'll buy the lack of users willing to pay money, but that's not a problem with the platform anyway.
Because of a lack of professional quality games. That’s not a inherent problem with Linux and I never claimed there to be one (I honestly don’t know whether there is one).
There might be issues with sound subsystems across distributions (or um.. within distributions), but games on Linux perform quite well and are indistinguishable from other platforms (I spent a good bit of time playing UT 2003 on Linux, and it works perfectly).
Comments
Huh? Games? On my Linux?
Unix was one of the first operation systems to come with games out of the box. Linux proudly follows that tradition.
Some other interesting commercial games for Linux are available at http://www.wolfire.com/humble
That may be true but Linux still sucks as a gaming platform. That’s just how it is and facing up to that reality might help.
No. The commercial titles may suck. Linux is just fine as a gaming platform.
I suspect our opinions may be the same, it’s just that our definitions of “gaming platform” are different. I take the consumer view (a good gaming platform is one where I can buy the newest and best games) while you might take the developer view (a good gaming platform is one where you can develop great games). I have no opinion on the second point, I’m just saying that from a consumer’s point of view Linux is indeed a gaming platform that sucks.
Agreed. A Linux computer, even with the latest and greatest (and being greatest also means being fully supported) graphics and sound subsystems is a lousy gaming machine. It's, however, more or less the best serious computer money can buy.
For games, I recommend a PlayStation 3. For serious computing, a serious computer.
> For games, I recommend a PlayStation 3.
Yes, but only works for some tastes in gaming. E.g. I'd rather play old Quake 3 (which--by the way--runs on Linux) with keyboard and mouse than play a first person shooter with a PS3 controller.
Also epic strategy games--like Civilization or Master of Orion--don't tend to work well with a Gaming Console.
Hey, I’m all with you. I have a Mac. Also a sucky gaming platform. Doesn’t really matter as long as you don’t like games or prefer consoles.
I think that's the point. I am not that into games. My gaming happens mostly on a PS1 emulating classic arcade games or from an Atari 8-bit computer.
But that's really a matter of taste.
Because of lack of professional quality games, lack of external controller drivers (not sure how common this is), lack of DirectX? Please be more specific with its suckiness, since it seems like you think the problem is some inherent issue with Linux itself, and I'm not aware of anyone denying those few problems I listed. I'm not sure I'll buy the lack of users willing to pay money, but that's not a problem with the platform anyway.
The Linux guys paid the highest average for the Humble Indie bundle.
Because of a lack of professional quality games. That’s not a inherent problem with Linux and I never claimed there to be one (I honestly don’t know whether there is one).
There might be issues with sound subsystems across distributions (or um.. within distributions), but games on Linux perform quite well and are indistinguishable from other platforms (I spent a good bit of time playing UT 2003 on Linux, and it works perfectly).
Some even say UNIX was written to make and play games in.
Others say UNIX is a game.
That is awesome. If it hasn't been posted already, please submit that as a top-level link!
I got the link from HN in the first place.
It appears that I missed that one.