ELITE on LINUX Please.

shadragon · May 25, 2016

FYI, most Linux distros can be run from a DVD or ram stick with zero impact on existing hard drives. Lets you try out the OS without actually installing it.

My fave is Kubuntu and is a great place to start if you are either not technical or afraid of installing any Linux onto your Windows PC.

Cmdr Eagleboy · May 25, 2016

shadragon said:
FYI, most Linux distros can be run from a DVD or ram stick with zero impact on existing hard drives. Lets you try out the OS without actually installing it.

My fave is Kubuntu and is a great place to start if you are either not technical or afraid of installing any Linux onto your Windows PC.

I think lot of Windows users shrug it off either they don't want to try that hard (I mean, they have Windows 7 still...) or they have tried Linux in the past and failed.

I personally just plug in latest Fedora and I am amazed how clean, fast and functional that desktop is.

Para Handy · May 25, 2016

Kyokushin said:
Because only You and maybe some other guy will play on it.

Thanks for the necro - I certainly would love a linux version so that's two of us.

Shadowdancer · May 25, 2016

0x666c697473 said:
By this point, I think the honourable Cmdr can concede that Linux users are nothing if not tenacious.

At least all five of them who still think that it's a viable gaming "platform"

the100thmonkey · May 25, 2016

Shadowdancer said:
At least all five of them who still think that it's a viable gaming "platform"

It's a perfectly reasonable gaming platform. That's all thre is to say on the matter. Bye.

0x666c697473 · May 25, 2016

Shadowdancer said:
At least all five of them who still think that it's a viable gaming "platform"

Oh, there's more than 5 of us, they don't all speak up though, possibly because they already know it is a waiting game ;-)

Some info for you to see the growth of software availability; https://steamdb.info/linux/

A recent news report about the state of Linux gaming (acknowledging that the Linux Games industry is still somewhat nascent but is growing); http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/linux-gaming-exploding-steam

Tatwi · May 25, 2016

MJallday said:
to be honest they'd (FD) be out of their minds if they did the Linux Port before the Xbox One and PS4 ports

Tru Dat Brutha! And I say this as a person who has been using Linux since the 1990s.

A good start would to make an optional OpenGL pipeline for the game that could be used on PC, as well as Mac, assuming that the Mac version uses OpenGL for rendering. That would make cross platform rendering less of a problem and it would run well enough in Linux even using Wine.

0x666c697473 · May 25, 2016

Tatwi said:
A good start would to make an optional OpenGL pipeline

I think Frontier are already ahead of us.

http://www.tuxradar.com/content/interview-david-braben-0

LXF: I believe you're using your own game engine - COBRA? Does that open the door to a Linux version?

DB: There is no reason Cobra cannot run on Linux, running through OpenGL.

Tatwi said:
using Wine.

For the latest from the folks looking at WINE as a solution subscribe to; https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=202695

CMDR Ellegon · May 25, 2016

0x666c697473 said:
Oh, there's more than 5 of us, they don't all speak up though, possibly because they already know it is a waiting game ;-)

Some info for you to see the growth of software availability; https://steamdb.info/linux/

A recent news report about the state of Linux gaming (acknowledging that the Linux Games industry is still somewhat nascent but is growing); http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/linux-gaming-exploding-steam

Positively more than five, a lot more. I for one start up Windows only for Elite Dangerous.

Somewhat OT: I will experiment with a Windows virtual machine with PCIe pass-through in the near future (Linux host, virtualized Windows accesses the GPU directly, with graphics performance equal to Windows on bare metal). I have a PC that supports this (CPU and motherboard features), but this is not for the faint of heart. It requires two graphic cards and a KVM switch to switch the screen output from host to guest. I have the KVM switch, but no second GPU to use. That will change once the GTX 1080 becomes available at street prices. If this setup works as expected, I can finally retire dual-boot.

If anybody has tried PCIe pass-through, I would like to hear from them!

Darth Krayt · May 25, 2016

Hmm.
Last time I took a look at Linux (Ubuntu and Mint about a month ago) there was no built in support for Nvidia Optimus, no support for 7.1 surround sound and getting Steam installed involved quite a few jumping through of hoops.
The things I mentioned above work just fine under Windows. I'm not trying to start a Windows vs Linux thing here, just curious why you guys want a Linux version of Elite?

EUS · May 25, 2016

Anti-linux scorn is unimportant, and rolls right off.
I too use win only for gaming, which day by day becomes a little less important to me.
Steam linux titles increase daily, which I'll gladly back with my wallet.

Patrick_68000 · May 25, 2016

ShogunToyo said:
Why Linux OS wash forgotten? I was very happy when I knowed the X3 from Egosoft was realese on Linux System. I want to know what Frontier Company can tell me about this topic. You have gain our money. Please, dont forget about Linux. It's very friendly OS and I thing I am not the only one who want this game on other platform.

Greeting.s

There is a livestream tomorrow at 13hrs. Ask the question to David ---- https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=253749

Colonel Kenney · May 25, 2016

While I agree and I'd love to see it, it won't happen.

Cmdr Eagleboy · May 25, 2016

Darth Krayt said:
Hmm.
Last time I took a look at Linux (Ubuntu and Mint about a month ago) there was no built in support for Nvidia Optimus, no support for 7.1 surround sound and getting Steam installed involved quite a few jumping through of hoops.
The things I mentioned above work just fine under Windows. I'm not trying to start a Windows vs Linux thing here, just curious why you guys want a Linux version of Elite?

#1 There's no build-in support for Optimus in Windows neither. For Ubuntu/Fedora you install Bumblebee, works way better than Windows;
#2 Steam is installed trough package, which is simply enough to enable. As now there's xdg-app and Snap packages, someone will package it so you won't have to worry about it anymore;
#3 Optimus doesn't work fine under Windows

It has very clunky UI, way it is done on Linux is better imho (I am writing this on Optimus Laptop)

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Official answer from Michael is that there's no plans for Linux version. I think last time it was answered it was last year in few interviews/QAs. I doubt it has changed in any shape or form.

Darth Krayt · May 25, 2016

Pecisk said:
#1 There's no build-in support for Optimus in Windows neither. For Ubuntu/Fedora you install Bumblebee, works way better than Windows;
#2 Steam is installed trough package, which is simply enough to enable. As now there's xdg-app and Snap packages, someone will package it so you won't have to worry about it anymore;
#3 Optimus doesn't work fine under Windows It has very clunky UI, way it is done on Linux is better imho (I am writing this on Optimus Laptop)

#1 You're right about no built in support for Windows. However, install the Nvidia driver on Windows, click next a few times. Done, you are in business. Many games are supported via Optimus profiles (Elite Dangerous included) automatically. For older games you add them to a profile and you're set. I attempted to get Ubuntu and Mint to recognise the Nvidia card in my laptop and gave up after an hour. Now I did gather that some people did get it to work, but it's not worth the time and bother to me. Bumblebee simply would not do anything on my system even though it apparently installed okay. If I kept Googling for solutions I guess I might have eventually gotten it to work, but after trying suggestions from 3 or 4 websites I ran out of patience.
#2 Steam I did eventually get to work after some fiddling, but without Optimus support everything would just end up running like a slideshow anyway.
#3 Optimus UI is slow and clunky I agree, but unless you're clean installing driver updates it's not something you need to bother with every day.
Again, I'm not trying to start a Windows vs Linux debate, I'm just relating my experience.

Cmdr Eagleboy · May 25, 2016

Darth Krayt said:
#1 You're right about no built in support for Windows. However, install the Nvidia driver on Windows, click next a few times. Done, you are in business. Many games are supported via Optimus profiles (Elite Dangerous included) automatically. For older games you add them to a profile and you're set. I attempted to get Ubuntu and Mint to recognise the Nvidia card in my laptop and gave up after an hour. Now I did gather that some people did get it to work, but it's not worth the time and bother to me. Bumblebee simply would not do anything on my system even though it apparently installed okay. If I kept Googling for solutions I guess I might have eventually gotten it to work, but after trying suggestions from 3 or 4 websites I ran out of patience.
#2 Steam I did eventually get to work after some fiddling, but without Optimus support everything would just end up running like a slideshow anyway.
#3 Optimus UI is slow and clunky I agree, but unless you're clean installing driver updates it's not something you need to bother with every day.
Again, I'm not trying to start a Windows vs Linux debate, I'm just relating my experience.

If you need support for setting up Optimus on Linux, ping me in DM. I *agree* it would be awesome to have it enabled automatically (in fact it is now on Fedora 24, but for Nouveau driver, which isn't that usable for games - yet - it is getting there though). I have set up Bumblebee many times and now all quirks. Most likely you didn't have kernel headers installed which makes kernel module compilation fail, which in turn makes all setup useless.

the100thmonkey · May 25, 2016

Pecisk said:
#1 There's no build-in support for Optimus in Windows neither. For Ubuntu/Fedora you install Bumblebee, works way better than Windows;

Agreed. I can't get my outrageously expensive Optimus laptop to use the Nvidia GPU on Battlefield 3. It just doesn't recognise it. The only confirmed solution I've seen to the problem is to reinstall Windows. Ummm... How about no? I guess I could start digging around in BF3's config files and manually edit them...

#2 Steam is installed trough package, which is simply enough to enable. As now there's xdg-app and Snap packages, someone will package it so you won't have to worry about it anymore;
#3 Optimus doesn't work fine under Windows It has very clunky UI, way it is done on Linux is better imho (I am writing this on Optimus Laptop)

Code:

Ctrl+Alt+t
$ optirun elite-dangerous

Patrick_68000 · May 26, 2016

PS4 will come, perhaps, before a version on Linux

Siranui · May 26, 2016

At less than 5% of people using Linux, it's really not worth it, given the size and constant expansion of the game. Unless Linux users are willing to pay twenty times more for the product! It'd make some financial sense then.

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Wow... more like 1.5% of people use Linux, apparently.

Screw that, then! It'd be a huge waste of resources.

the100thmonkey · May 26, 2016

Siranui said:
At less than 5% of people using Linux, it's really not worth it, given the size and constant expansion of the game. Unless Linux users are willing to pay twenty times more for the product! It'd make some financial sense then.

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Wow... more like 1.5% of people use Linux, apparently.

Screw that, then! It'd be a huge waste of resources.

Depends - what percentage of people who would buy the game would buy a Linux version? I wouldn't be surprised if there were more Linux sales than Mac. Hell, I'd buy another (4th) account to support a Linux version. The only reason I use Windows is games; I have more than enough storage space to have a Windows partition for Battlefield, and Red Orchestra has a native Linux client. I'd love to ditch Windows. All it would really take would be for E|D to be released as a Linux client.

Additionally, by switching development of Cobra (the engine) to a cross-platform graphics API like Vulkan, development would be significantly streamlined as a lot of the same code would work on either Windows or Linux without too much fuss. The case for that would be greatly strengthened if companies like Sony adopt it for the PS4.