Thanks for moving the post in the appropriate topic and for the helpful reply! 
Here's my own ‘me too’ for a potential native Linux version (though I'm pretty confident the Windows version will be decent on WINE/PlayonLinux).
The only downside is it would totally kill my productivity. Right now, having to reboot my desktop machine into Windows is a nuisance, but it separates work and play. I don't need the excuses. (Steam and PlayOnLinux haven't helped there, either — *sigh*)
Let's leave out the non-Intel architectures for now, since there's no way you could get a binary to run on them without emulation. (and I really wouldn't want to emulate Intel machines on ARM)
The library situation is pretty bad, but plenty of binary distributions (like Firefox) deal just fine! They don't statically link*— instead, they include all the libraries (dynamic .so files) along with the distribution. A start-up script changes the library loading order for just that program before starting it, so the first libraries the dynamic linker finds are the bundled ones. This works so well, I could run 32-bit Firefox on my pure 64-bit system years before multi-arch came along.
So nothing insurmountable there.
The only problem you may find is bundling GPL libraries (i.e. not LGPL), which cause trouble for commercial software. But that, too, has been dealt with by others! As you said, Steam is closed-source and non-GPL and still works fine, with sound and graphics.
The only downside is it would totally kill my productivity. Right now, having to reboot my desktop machine into Windows is a nuisance, but it separates work and play. I don't need the excuses.
(Steam and PlayOnLinux haven't helped there, either — *sigh*)Let's leave out the non-Intel architectures for now, since there's no way you could get a binary to run on them without emulation. (and I really wouldn't want to emulate Intel machines on ARM)
The library situation is pretty bad, but plenty of binary distributions (like Firefox) deal just fine! They don't statically link*— instead, they include all the libraries (dynamic .so files) along with the distribution. A start-up script changes the library loading order for just that program before starting it, so the first libraries the dynamic linker finds are the bundled ones. This works so well, I could run 32-bit Firefox on my pure 64-bit system years before multi-arch came along.
So nothing insurmountable there.
The only problem you may find is bundling GPL libraries (i.e. not LGPL), which cause trouble for commercial software. But that, too, has been dealt with by others! As you said, Steam is closed-source and non-GPL and still works fine, with sound and graphics.
It sounds nice but I doubt there is many players out there running Linux. If and until SteamOS kicks-on I see Macs as the only real route for UNIX/UNIX-like gaming.
There are more PC boxes than Mac boxes. Steam reported about 5% of their sales being Linux specific.
I am an early beta pledger and I only have Linux machines in my house. I understood that the game was not guaranteed a Linux port but I pledged anyways because I love the world of Elite so much. For Elite I am fully prepared to run my beta and final release games in Wine or under VirtualBox or even dual-boot if needed (shudder). But if a proper Linux port was ever or will ever be on the agenda I fully support it.
I did see Counterstrike running in VMware so you might get away with it. However CS is an old game...
Linux
I know that you are pushing Windows and Mac first and I understand that, but I would like to make the developers aware that the largest number of active Elite users at the moment are in the Linux world (specifically on Ubuntu-derivatives).
The original Elite can be found in the package manager under the name Oolite. Go forth and trade commander Jameson!
The post is just there to say we are out there and still playing the old BBC-B version but some of us would happily play the new version too. When the game is finished you could sell the game via Steam (well supported on Ubuntu and Mint) or else directly through the Ubuntu/Mint package manager.
I know that you are pushing Windows and Mac first and I understand that, but I would like to make the developers aware that the largest number of active Elite users at the moment are in the Linux world (specifically on Ubuntu-derivatives).
The original Elite can be found in the package manager under the name Oolite. Go forth and trade commander Jameson!
The post is just there to say we are out there and still playing the old BBC-B version but some of us would happily play the new version too. When the game is finished you could sell the game via Steam (well supported on Ubuntu and Mint) or else directly through the Ubuntu/Mint package manager.
Welcome to you Aralk. As to your question about a Linux version of Elite, this has never been ruled out by Frontier Developments. So who knows, it might happen one day. Also we already have a discussion about the possibilities of an version of Elite for Linux, so I will merge your thread with that one. Have fun in the forum.
Sorry for bumping this old thread, but I finally got my hands on alpha, and tried out running "Elite: Dangerous" under Wine in Linux. Unfortunately my fun was cut short, because EDLauncher is .NET app and it seems Wine still struggles with them. I will continue my digs and workarounds, but so far no big luck. If someone knows tricks how to make dotnet40 install properly under Wine, let me know.
Edit: it seems biggest problem is Net 3.0, which doesn't install on Wine, Net 2.0 and Net 4.0 does. Unfortunately, EDLauncher requires 3.0.
Edit: it seems biggest problem is Net 3.0, which doesn't install on Wine, Net 2.0 and Net 4.0 does. Unfortunately, EDLauncher requires 3.0.
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Yep, it fails to install dotnet35 for me. However, I have 64-bit Linux installation, but win32 prefix. Few of required installs could failed because of that.
Probably preaching to the converted here but try with a fresh install of wine, winetricks, and look here for installing .Net 3 for example on Mint http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=95965
Please keep us updated, I would definitely like to see ED running on Linux.
but try with a fresh install of wine, winetricks, and look here for installing .Net 3 for example on Mint http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=95965Please keep us updated, I would definitely like to see ED running on Linux.
Probably preaching to the converted here
Please keep us updated, I would definitely like to see ED running on Linux.
This page let me install Net 3.0, however EDLauncher is still missing pieces. Will try to update to Net 3.5.
Not sure if this short interview with DB re Linux has been posted to this thread already; from the dates it seems unlikely.
http://www.tuxradar.com/content/interview-david-braben-0
http://www.tuxradar.com/content/interview-david-braben-0
Excellent find
. I have just successfully run the release 2 of Shroud of the Avatar on my Slackware system, even though Ubuntu is the only flavour officially supported and I did not need to do anything else other than extract the tarball and run ./demo.x86. Of course this is on a system designed to handle gaming (ie Nvidia 650GTX).Aim for one system (in most cases it seems to be Ubuntu) and let the end users of other flavours figure it out, usually if it takes a bit more effort someone will offer a handy guide.