The Witcher 3 for Linux

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

Anyway, let's not deviate too far from the topic. We have several threads for general Linux gaming.

Still waiting for CDPR to comment on this, but apparently they are more eager to respond to angry rants about Xbox (which aren't even correct), rather than to real concern of users who can be left out. Disappointing. I wonder if it's some heavy NDA about supported platforms that prevents them from commenting.

 

[CostinRaz]

Or maybe, maybe they just don't give a damn about Linux.

 

[jerf.674]

It would be great if CDPR started releasing their games on Linux. I'm quite sure that even if the needed porting is somewhat costly (I'm not even suggesting spending the time of core CDPR programmers on it, they can hire several people to specifically do this job), the sales to Linux users will compensate it by a wide margin. Humble Bundle and Steam statistics show that the Linux gaming market is already quite considerable in size.

If CDPR hires some Linux hackers to port the game to Linux platform, everybody will win: due to the additional Linux sales CDPR will have more money to create their amazing games, Linux users will be able to play these games, and Windows/PS4/Xbone users will benefit from the increased quality of CDPR games due to the above increased funding.

Of course, the real obstacle may lie in some middleware problems that can be not easily solvable...

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

Or maybe, maybe they just don't give a damn about Linux.

If your assumption is right, then their statement about favoritism was misleading or simply outright lie. So think before accusing them of that. CDPR aren't known for "not giving a damn" about their users. It also doesn't fit with their stated interest in feedback. So I don't think that's the case.

 

[GuyNwah]

No matter what you think of another member's comments, we are not going to get into personal disputes over them.

Suggesting CDPR "doesn't give a damn" is inflammatory.

Writing "think before accusing them of that" is retaliation.

Neither has any place on these forums. Let's cool off before we have to do so the old-fashioned way.

 

[Jack_in_the-Green]

Well... adding one more nail to their coffin, Microsoft just published the list of countries of the world that will have Xbox One "full support"...
and they are (mind you, the list is for the "launch" of the machine)...

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States

So if yer not in any of them, yer basically fucked... />

Notice the absence of "POLAND" in the list... even our great guru Marcin Iwinski sounded dissapointed... VVV
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/06/12/cd-projekt-red-reacts-to-lack-of-xbox-one-in-poland.aspx

 

[volsung]

DRM in action. No DRM would mean it would work in any country.

Are you guys looking forward to the day when Windows activates only on certain countries?

 

[Jack_in_the-Green]

DRM in action. No DRM would mean it would work in any country.

Are you guys looking forward to the day when Windows activates only on certain countries?

That I find very unlikely to happen... Windows is a System that makes 80% of the PCs in the world WORK... we're talking banks, stores, state administrations.... not ONLY games, that are played basically by the young generations...

So I doubt anyone would want to fuck with that, ever. It is a market thing, pure and simple.

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

I'm waiting for Valve to enter the console scene. That would be an interesting change of balance.

That I find very unlikely to happen... Windows is a System that makes 80% of the PCs in the world WORK... we're talking banks, stores, state administrations.... not ONLY games... So I doubt anyone would want to fuck with that ever. It is a market thing, pure and simple.

Isn't limiting console sales also market? But I agree about Windows - it's unliketly that MS will ever limit it. It would only hurt their penetration. They even benefit from pirating, since it helps Windows to be more widespread.

 

[volsung]

Yeah that was sarcasm.

But Jack: Windows does not move 80% of the world's computers. Perhaps the majority of front ends, yes. But any respectable bank should have their servers running a POSIX compliant system, or a version of Linux. Many governments are also moving to Linux, like some offices in Brazil and Spain to name a few. It is also know some branches of the US Air Force use Linux and apparently some of NASA's laptops do too. Of course their heavy computing is also done using Linux. Ask in any major university what system they use for their high performance computing and scientific simulations. Linux. And look at the top 500 of the world's supercomputers. Linux.

why we are not using a high performance OS for entertainment and gaming is mind boggling. But yes, there are corporate schemes being played that are well beyond any sense of reason and ethics.

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

International Space Station is going to switch their computers to Linux. After having experience with some Windows viruses there before

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

Here is an interesting information: PlayStation 4 Orbis OS is based on FreeBSD 9.0: http://www.vgleaks.com/some-details-about-playstation-4-os-development/

So, the Red Engine in the Witcher 3 for sure must support OpenGL already if it to work on PS4. So how about Linux and Mac OSX, CDPR? Can you comment please, or if you can't - just say that you aren't allowed to talk about it (hopefully yet).

 

[dragoonlordz]

The size of the team working on TW3 is not that vast. Mac, Linux, WiiU etc can't all be done at same time as PS4/Xbone/PC I imagine. Maybe at later date those they are not currently working on will get it. Given how early it is into developing for those current platforms, the discussion about the others would be better at a later date.

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

I can understand such approach, even though I don't necessarily like it. That's what they did with TW2 - Mac OSX version came out later. But at least it did. If CDPR could comment that they don't rule out Linux and Mac OSX possibility for TW3 - that would be appreciated. Or they could comment that they aren't authorized to provide details on long term plans.

In general though, if their engine is portable enough already, they can work on all PC platforms from the start, instead of giving Windows and consoles special treatment.

 

[dragoonlordz]

I can understand such approach, even though I don't necessarily like it. That's what they did with TW2 - Mac OSX version came out later. But at least it did. If CDPR could comment that they don't rule out Linux and Mac OSX possibility for TW3 - that would be appreciated. Or they could comment that they aren't authorized to provide details on long term plans.

I think it is probably more that they don't want to commit to anything they cannot be sure of at this stage or potentially give false hope just incase. I imagine once they finished the development on the first batch of platforms they will be more willing to talk about it then. I personally would take their silence on the subject not as indication that won't develop for them but more that they have not ruled them out. They want to hit the biggest user bases (gaming) first and while Linux these days is becoming more and more popular for gamers it is still behind on uptake compared to Windows.

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

I personally would take their silence on the subject not as indication that won't develop for them but more that they have not ruled them out.

Let's hope so.

They want to hit the biggest user bases (gaming) first and while Linux these days is becoming more and more popular for gamers it is still behind on uptake compared to Windows.

Interestingly, small teams which raise funds through crowdfunding most often pledge to support Linux and Mac OSX from the start (together with Windows). So the size of the team doesn't scare them in this aspect. My guess is, since they need fundraising, they are relying on the fact that Linux market is understaturated and there is more demand than supply of good games. Even though it's smaller - it's still significant for those projects to address it from the start. I hope more and more developers would realize that.

 

[dragoonlordz]

Interestingly, small teams which raise funds through crowdfunding most often pledge to support Linux and Mac OSX from the start (together with Windows). So the size of the team doesn't scare them in this aspect. My guess is, since they need fundraising, they are relying on the fact that Linux market is understaturated and there is more demand than supply of good games. Even though it's smaller - it's still significant for those projects to address it from the start. I hope more and more developers would realize that.

I think that's more to do with appealing to the audience of crowd funding. Typically those who turn to funding projects on Kickstarter and other crowd funding sites are there because they are under represented and what they want is not offered as much in the mainstream. Like the Linux users or traditional RPG fans, the niche type consumer. So it is fair to market to those type of customers you expect to make up the majority of crowd funding group who will be willing to pledge. Worth remembering most of those projects on there that support Linux are not of the same scale and scope as TW3 but there are some exceptions. However most of those exceptions that are on relative scale to TW3 like Star Citizen for example do not also cover mainstream consoles too in their pitch because it would be too much to cope with so instead of Xbone, PS4 and PC it is pitched for Windows, Mac and Linux.

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

Dragoonlordz: That's true. On the other hand CDPR also like to position themselves as DRM free inclined and not treating platforms with favoritism (see the first post). In order to live up to such claims though, supporting Linux should be a natural thing to address, since Linux gamers are especially DRM free inclined, and often feel being neglected because Windows is treated as a platform of preference by developers.

Regarding the scope of work, it really all depends on the engine that's used. If it's already supporting all these platforms, it's much easier for developers to target them. What exactly TW3 engine supports now is unknown, since CDPR didn't publish such information, so it's hard for us to estimate the difficulty of porting TW3 to any given OS. But PS4 using OpenGL should give some hint about what it already supports at least.

 

[dragoonlordz]

That kind of goes back to my post in the other thread about people asking CDPR to champion their own causes, in this case Linux support. I'm not being mean or having a go I just don't think that's a fair thing to put on their shoulders. I also feel you may be taking their comment out of context.

But in the end I think there is nothing wrong in first hitting the major platforms which will bring them the most income to begin with, then using that income to fund the creation of the title on less popular platforms potentially. That's just business though, the bigger the chunk of income they generate initially allows for greater freedom later.

I have no problem them releasing it on Mac, Linux or WiiU. I hope they do release it for those platforms but first I think it is smart for them to get the mainstream ones out of the way and done first for the greater initial income and greater freedom that will allow after.

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

This is interesting - CDPR are looking to hire a technical animator with experience in OpenGL:

Understanding of DirectX(9.0-11.0+) / OpenGl (SM5.0+)

I hope it's a sign that Red engine will continue OpenGL support and the future CDPR games will be released on OpenGL based systems. It's confusing what they meant by SM 5.0 (Shader Model 5.0?). I thought OpenGL uses its own shader language. But D3D SM 5.0 is feature equal to shader language used in OpenGL 4.x at least (if that's what they meant).