Elite:Dangerous for Linux?

[Brianetta]

Only way, really? I say, put it to a new Kickstarter - "Linux version of Elite : Dangerous" - let the Linux users put their money where their mouth is! If it doesn't get funded then Frontier have their answer and can safely ignore Linux knowing it wouldn't even have paid for itself... if it IS funded they have their answer too, but importantly they also have the money for it and, by extension, the commitment to do it.

I could put it in a new Kickstarter. Unfortunately, were it to succeed, I would be responsible for delivering the Linux version of Elite: Dangerous. Since I cannot accomplish this, I couldn't legitimately use Kickstarter. Only Frontier Dev could. We'd need to ask them to do so. That's lobbying.

 

[Cmdr M.G.Dangerous]

What he said, can we end this thread now?

Is this thread hurting you?

 

[jabokai]

I could put it in a new Kickstarter. Unfortunately, were it to succeed, I would be responsible for delivering the Linux version of Elite: Dangerous. Since I cannot accomplish this, I couldn't legitimately use Kickstarter. Only Frontier Dev could. We'd need to ask them to do so. That's lobbying.

That's what I meant, sorry - that Frontier could start a Linux Kickstarter to, at the same time, test the demand AND acquire funding.

 

[Stachel]

Sorry I don't know if this has been mentioned already but did you guys check out FD's website? They have been cross platform developing for a while now and have a system and proprietary suite to help them get the best out of their software. Its called 'Cobra'. Even if that is no longer current, its relevant to note they know how to make stuff work on other stuff. DB is the past master.

 

[Squiggleh]

Is this thread hurting you?

Yes, this thread is completely pointless!

FD are aware there's a small and vocal minority who want Elite on Linux.
FD response has been exceptionally clear.
Yet people who have said that they're not going to buy the game, come on to the forum for said game and continue to flog the proverbial horse.

If/when FD decide there's the business case, the desire and resources to release this game on Linux, you can be assured that the news will be spread around every Linux Gaming forum/corner of the Internet. Until then http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/evalcenter/cc442495.aspx and after 90 days Google "slmgr rearm", or reinstall.

 

[Brianetta]

This thread currently has five stars. Somebody likes it. (-:

 

[jabokai]

This thread currently has five stars. Somebody likes it. (-:

I suspect the start rating will tumble now you've said that!

 

[Cmdr M.G.Dangerous]

Is this thread hurting you?

Yes, this thread is completely pointless!

FD are aware there's a small and vocal minority who want Elite on Linux.
FD response has been exceptionally clear.
Yet people who have said that they're not going to buy the game, come on to the forum for said game and continue to flog the proverbial horse.

If/when FD decide there's the business case, the desire and resources to release this game on Linux, you can be assured that the news will be spread around every Linux Gaming forum/corner of the Internet. Until then http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/evalcenter/cc442495.aspx and after 90 days Google "slmgr rearm", or reinstall.

and how exactly is it hurting you?

If you don't like the thread, don't come in here. The other people posting here like this thread. That is reason enough for it to exist. It doesn't hurt you, and you are wrong for trying to encourage it to be closed for no better reason than your personal preference.

If others wish to explore possibilities, or impossibilities, practicalities or impracticalities, or merely demonstrate that they are of a size that makes a 3 star thread, or just to show their present numbers as a proportion of the larger community of platform users that will spend on a release if it ever realised, let them. It is not for you to encourage the closure of this thread, because it does NOT hurt you, it does not hurt these forums, it does not hurt Elite Dangerous, & it does not hurt Frontier Developments. Additionally many of the people that are enjoying this thread, have already paid £100's each & some £1000's in Kickstarter pledges that they have honoured.

 

[PvtTUX]

This thread has been pulled all over the place by a minority of posters that cant help but jump on the "small and vocal minority" who would simply like to state their desire for a Linux port as some stage, there was no need for daft remarks in a deliberate attempt to wind people up.

I too have made my last post here and possibly anywhere on this forum, I have paid for the game knowing all the facts before purchasing and was only trying to join in the open spirit that I enjoyed on the Kickstarter feed.

Common intrest in an old favorite game obviously ain't enough for people just to get along.

Laters !

 

[Ashley Barley]

Please try and keep it civil, if you don't have anything productive to add to the thread then please try to refrain from posting.

On the subject of Linux, it is something that will be considered but there is research that needs to be done into time and cost commitments, before we give our official stance on it. A quote from Kickstarter:

We are treating Linux seriously, we need to do some research for costings and so forth before promising. I'm sure you'd rather we did that than just slap the stretch goal up and hope for the best Michael

 

[Karl]

They have been cross platform developing for a while now and have a system and proprietary suite to help them get the best out of their software. Its called 'Cobra'.

Appropriate name

 

[Zak Gordon]

Do we know what tech Elite: Dangerous is being built with? For example Oolite used OpenGL for it's graphics, which meant an easy conversion between all platforms for all that.

So depending on how the base PC game is built will effect the ease/cheapness of any conversions to other platforms. I'm sure as long as those costs make sense, the more likely we are to see multiplatform releases of Elite: Dangerous, and the bigger the success of the PC version the more so also.

 

[SuperG]

Name do nothing to me, but frontier did develop for many platforms so I would expect a dev studio code based also aimed at crossplatform flexibility. So they are prepeared and Mac and linux already would have a strong fundation. But non the less it still need some work for a small team to deliver a extra platform release.

 

[Brianetta]

Do we know what tech Elite: Dangerous is being built with? For example Oolite used OpenGL for it's graphics, which meant an easy conversion between all platforms for all that.

I seem to recall that it's a proprietary engine that's comfortable with DirectX or OpenGL, and potentially other interfaces as well. Can't remember where I read it, I'm afraid.

In any case, if you've managed to get something running on Windows and Mac both, you've probably got something portable enough.

 

[kurgan]

On the frontier web site they say that they use a platform independent coding tool, which compiles with DirectX for Windows, and OpenGL for Mac etc.

http://www.frontier.co.uk/our_technology/

So if they're making a Mac port I don't see how they won't get a Linux version for free almost. Can't take that much more work.

 

[deMangler]

On the frontier web site they say that they use a platform independent coding tool, which compiles with DirectX for Windows, and OpenGL for Mac etc.

http://www.frontier.co.uk/our_technology/

So if they're making a Mac port I don't see how they won't get a Linux version for free almost. Can't take that much more work.

That's what I was thinking.
Anyway - I have gotten used to having a Slackware for personal and a Windows for gaming, but I am pretty sure FD will make it easy for us to get running in linux anyway. Not as hard as it used to be. All they have to do is not make some **** coding decisions really.

 

[Slawkenbergius]

Everything I've ever read about porting to the different variants of Linux makes it sound like a really painful experience. Maybe the Cobra engine would make it less so, but maybe not.

 

[Uraeus]

Linux version

I don't know what the current thinking is about a Linux port, but in regards to the question of distribution differences I think Steam will help solve that issue as they will likely create a de-facto baseline for the platform in terms of libraries and versions. And since most distros will want to have Steam working on their platform this can be a target for games no matter if they end up getting distributed on Steam or not.

 

[Penthux]

I didn't pledge because there was no Linux version planned. I won't fund a product I can't use.

I would not have pledged had Linux been a stretch goal, either, unless that stretch goal had already been reached. This is because I'd still have to pay for a product that might be useless to me, if the funding succeeded but the stretch goal was not reached.

The platform matters greatly. I don't own a copy of Windows, and if I bought one I doubt my PC meets the minimum hardware spec for the versions currently on sale.

That's a shame because David Braben has said, as well as Windows and Mac OS, they will look at other platforms in the future and I'm sure if they do Linux will rate high on the list.

 

[fikuserectus]

Tablet and IPad version before Linux

In my opinion a tablet (Android or Microsoft Surface) and IPad version should be consider before Linux. There are certainly more IPads than Linux desktops. It would be a much larger audience than a Linux version.

I'm sure the Linux fans won't like that. Oh well.