That's simple.
Use Steam Runtime as basis to work against. Use OpenGL 4.5 or Vulkan API as they both are well supported in all three GPUs - AMD, Nvidia and Intel. Use SDL2 for sound, controls, and file system access. Easy.
There are some issues with controllers. Not all of them are fully supported on Linux due of firmwares. But that's something FD can't change really.
Linux has been standardized towards gaming for years now. We are in good spot. Just support Steam Runtime and we will take it from there.
Last edited:
I created single post of installation instructions which I intend to update as regularly as possible
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ng-Wine-EXPERIMENTAL-NOT-OFFICIALLY-SUPPORTED
Any comments about improvements, tweaks, changes - let me know.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...ng-Wine-EXPERIMENTAL-NOT-OFFICIALLY-SUPPORTED
Any comments about improvements, tweaks, changes - let me know.
Just adding to the previous post, I think a lot of people would be surprised at how many games have support for both Direct3D and OpenGL/Vulkan already built-in, and the user can usually switch between them via a setting in the graphics options, a console command, or by manually switching between them in a preference or .ini file in the game's folder.
Almost all games using the Unreal or Frostbite engines can do this, and Blizzard's games (like WoW), are very easy to switch from Direct3D to OpenGl and vice versa. Heck, a lot of games still run on Vulkan or OpenGL by default. In fact a lot of developers aren't actually all that thrilled with Direct3D 12 or Apple's Metal API. OpenGL/Vulkan is the only truly multiplatform graphics API.
In Elite's case, Apple strong-armed Frontier into using their new Metal API rather than OpenGL (but to be fair, Apple's implementation of OpenGL hasn't been updated in years), which at the time didn't support the compute shaders that Horizons uses to render the planets for landings, so Elite's Mac support has fallen by the wayside. But if Frontier revitalizes Mac support with Metal 2, which has what Elite needs, Frontier would be trying to support four distinct builds of the game on three unique graphics APIs. Direct3D on Windows and Xbox 1, OpenGL on PS4, and Metal/OpenGL on Mac OS X.
That's pretty hard to support as it is even before trying to include support for a hundred different Linux distros.
Almost all games using the Unreal or Frostbite engines can do this, and Blizzard's games (like WoW), are very easy to switch from Direct3D to OpenGl and vice versa. Heck, a lot of games still run on Vulkan or OpenGL by default. In fact a lot of developers aren't actually all that thrilled with Direct3D 12 or Apple's Metal API. OpenGL/Vulkan is the only truly multiplatform graphics API.
In Elite's case, Apple strong-armed Frontier into using their new Metal API rather than OpenGL (but to be fair, Apple's implementation of OpenGL hasn't been updated in years), which at the time didn't support the compute shaders that Horizons uses to render the planets for landings, so Elite's Mac support has fallen by the wayside. But if Frontier revitalizes Mac support with Metal 2, which has what Elite needs, Frontier would be trying to support four distinct builds of the game on three unique graphics APIs. Direct3D on Windows and Xbox 1, OpenGL on PS4, and Metal/OpenGL on Mac OS X.
That's pretty hard to support as it is even before trying to include support for a hundred different Linux distros.
Last edited:
All right notes Synthetic Frost, except PS4 uses their own shader language and 3D geometry API, PS3 was heavily built around OpenGL, but it wasn't pure thing. Still PS4 graphics flow is very similar to how OpenGL works as far as I have heard.
FD most likely will consider Metal 2 port. Really depends on how much work it requires though.
I still don't think graphics API is an issue for FD. For what I felt of FD communication they are just afraid of costs and Linux playerbase while dedicated isn't that big.
FD most likely will consider Metal 2 port. Really depends on how much work it requires though.
I still don't think graphics API is an issue for FD. For what I felt of FD communication they are just afraid of costs and Linux playerbase while dedicated isn't that big.
Hundred's of linux dists? no.
All they need to support is steam OS. That's it.
All they need to support is steam OS. That's it.
In a nutshell, yup.
Update: Wine 2.13 Staging
Steps: same steps as before
Now it ends up with a hang consistently. Shader compiling has been updated with errors about microcode missing. I will try to debug it more when I will have free time.
It seems shader compiling now is current stopper which makes sense really.
Steps: same steps as before
Now it ends up with a hang consistently. Shader compiling has been updated with errors about microcode missing. I will try to debug it more when I will have free time.
It seems shader compiling now is current stopper which makes sense really.
All they need to support is Linux.
Pretty much, while there are many distributions they all use the same core OS and are just tool / interface variants rather than distinct OS's. This is why what works on Steam OS also works on Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Debian and so on. By the way Hi 
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS here . Trying to figure out if I can get ED to at least run in Wine.
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS here . Trying to figure out if I can get ED to at least run in Wine.
I would kill for a SteamOS support.
Just be aware that Frontier just announced they are ditching the 32-bit versions of the game as of 2.4
Regards o7
That's ok. The post is still helpful for the future.
Yeah, as ED is not even launching properly under Wine, it is not big deal yet. However as I said for 64-bits I already got launcher working (sans CRC error bug) so it is hopeful.
As for native client - if that ever happens - I don't know does even modern Linux user have touched 32-bit kernel for 5 - 6 years now, as Linux 64-bit versions were a common thing even before Windows started to enable it.
As for native client - if that ever happens - I don't know does even modern Linux user have touched 32-bit kernel for 5 - 6 years now, as Linux 64-bit versions were a common thing even before Windows started to enable it.
You can still compile the kernel for a 32 bit machine, but it is rare (and not recommended unless you absolutely have to.) The simplest way is to create a 32bit chroot (i386) and build it within. There's some dated articles that describe how to do it. No guarantees with the newer kernel versions.
Hey commanders,
the link's a bit old, but for those with Twitter, there's a porting house called Feral Interactive, which has brought many AAA games to Linux asking what they think gamers would like them to port.
PLEASE consider tweeting to them that we'd like to play Elite: Dangerous on Linux!
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/artic...ux-feral-interactive-want-to-know-again.10139
it appears there's another thread on the same subject on the reddits, as well.
https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDange...feral_interactive_to_port_elite_dangerous_to/
the link's a bit old, but for those with Twitter, there's a porting house called Feral Interactive, which has brought many AAA games to Linux asking what they think gamers would like them to port.
PLEASE consider tweeting to them that we'd like to play Elite: Dangerous on Linux!
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/artic...ux-feral-interactive-want-to-know-again.10139
it appears there's another thread on the same subject on the reddits, as well.
https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDange...feral_interactive_to_port_elite_dangerous_to/
^All of This^
Is why linux will always have the market share it does.
So much effort being put into running a game on an OS that has to be given away - and I even LIKE linux.
It's great for mail servers, routers, spam filters, PXE servers, Ghostcast servers... but as a general-consumption OS....
Microsoft has a corner on the "(below) Average User" who just wants to point, click, play.
Some people actually LIKE putting this much work into something like this.
The rest of the world does not.
But I certainly wish your efforts well.. let's see if we get Legs before Linux. - Webster says "Yes".
Is why linux will always have the market share it does.
So much effort being put into running a game on an OS that has to be given away - and I even LIKE linux.
It's great for mail servers, routers, spam filters, PXE servers, Ghostcast servers... but as a general-consumption OS....
Microsoft has a corner on the "(below) Average User" who just wants to point, click, play.
Some people actually LIKE putting this much work into something like this.
The rest of the world does not.
But I certainly wish your efforts well.. let's see if we get Legs before Linux. - Webster says "Yes".
This.. so much this.