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Linux, OS X Ports For Star Wars: Battlefront?

Posted by timothy on from the maybe-is-better-than-no dept.

Ant writes "LinuxGames has an interview that mentions Linux and Mac OS X ports for Star Wars: Battlefront game client. Wow." The answer here is carefully and ambiguously phrased, but at least Linux and Mac OS X ports are not ruled out.

21 comments

  1. Don't get your hopes up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Coming from Lucasarts you can't even expect a Linux server, let alone client. I imagine there will be a Mac port that comes out 2 years from now.

    1. Re:Don't get your hopes up... by slughead · · Score: 1

      Nonsense! Pod racer came out at about the same time and it was a great game! ... right?

      --
      Latewire
    2. Re:Don't get your hopes up... by falcon5768 · · Score: 1

      I loved it personally.... i still boot it up in OS 9 .... wished Lucasarts would convert their old games to play in X

      --

      "Slashdot, where telling the truth is overrated but lying is insightful."

    3. Re:Don't get your hopes up... by jspoon · · Score: 1
      I mastered the Pod Racer demo to the point that I could beat it using two buttons. I'd program the left arrow to be left and thrust; the right arrow was right and thrust. Hold both buttons to go straight, lift the right button to go left.

      I tended to obsess over games like that back then, I spent all that time before I realized the only reason I could do that was the demo was really easy. The full game was probably a lot more complex, too bad I didn't have any money.

    4. Re:Don't get your hopes up... by Minna+Kirai · · Score: 1

      I mastered the Pod Racer demo to the point that I could beat it using two buttons

      Pod Racing is sorta a bad subject for a game. The whole point is that you're moving so fast that you must steer around obstacles before they even come into view- so it's all track memorization, nothing more.

      (It also wouldn't be an entertaining race to watch from the stands!)

    5. Re:Don't get your hopes up... by Freon115 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's based on the Unreal engine, which has already been ported to Linux/Mac countless times.
      Unless they have altered the renderer a lot, there's not reason not to port it as well...

    6. Re:Don't get your hopes up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      I thought Republic Commando was the unreal-based one.

    7. Re:Don't get your hopes up... by Freon115 · · Score: 1

      lol I made a quick google search about that because I wasn't sure ;)

      But yeah it seems Republic Commando is the one using the Unreal engine.

  2. Even if you do port it... by aj50 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Will it run as well or be as well supported or will it be an inferior product as some ports have been?

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    1. Re:Even if you do port it... by NanoGator · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "Will it run as well or be as well supported or will it be an inferior product as some ports have been?"

      Don't get your expectations too high. Not like Linux/OSX represents a huge piece of the gaming pie, so to speak. I know this isn't going to be a popular opinion around here, but the PC-based Linux users out there who also really like playing games would have a much easier life if they got a copy of XP to dual boot with. The upside to this approach is that you would have instant access to a huge library of game demos to try out. Like the game? No prob. You have XP installed. You won't have to deal with worrying about Linux ports or support.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    2. Re:Even if you do port it... by silicon+not+in+the+v · · Score: 2, Interesting
      [...]would have a much easier life if they got a copy of XP to dual boot with.
      How about an old copy of Win98SE instead? It would take up less system resources, be cheaper, and it's not going to have many stability issues if your're just using it to play games with instead of installing a bunch of other apps. It also doesn't have that whole registering problem that XP came out with. "One disc to install them all..."
      --
      We may experience some slight turbulence and then...explode. -Capt. Mal Reynolds
    3. Re:Even if you do port it... by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "How about an old copy of Win98SE instead? It would take up less system resources, be cheaper, and it's not going to have many stability issues if your're just using it to play games with instead of installing a bunch of other apps. It also doesn't have that whole registering problem that XP came out with. "One disc to install them all..."

      Ugh, no, that wouldn't be my first choice. The stability alone would be painful. XP's got some memeory management stuff that makes it far more stable than 98. It may take a little more resources, but it wouldn't take long for anybody to spot the difference. It doesn't take much to pollute 98's memory.

      The registerring problem with XP isn't such a BFD either. Though I do feel it's a valid complaint, I'll be honest, I haven't had a problem with it.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    4. Re:Even if you do port it... by Minna+Kirai · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It doesn't take much to pollute 98's memory.

      If you're dual-booting to run one single game, memory corruption is unlikely to be a real bother. (... "Windows98 makes an excellent gaming platform for 90 minutes at a time" ...)

      For some games, win98 can be quite a bit faster. Some of its graphics functions are faster, and of course it leaves more RAM free than XP. But, DirectX 9 probably won't install on it, and that's the real killer.

    5. Re:Even if you do port it... by silicon+not+in+the+v · · Score: 1
      But, DirectX 9 probably won't install on it, and that's the real killer.
      Don't be so quick to speak of what you do not know. I do use Win98SE for gaming on a secondary machine and DirectX 9 installed just fine. You are very right about the memory issues. If you're just running a game or two, it won't mess up the memory much, and also there's more to play with since XP is such a memory hog.
      --
      We may experience some slight turbulence and then...explode. -Capt. Mal Reynolds
  3. A Disturbance In The Force by SlickMcSly · · Score: 5, Funny

    It was as if a thousand penguins chirped at once, and then were suddenly silenced... Yes, I am ashamed.

  4. Buy it ! by noselasd · · Score: 3, Insightful

    IF they eventually release a client for Linux MacOSX, I hope people
    will buy those, rather than pirate it. Anything else than Windows and the console market are really just a niche, so buying it can hopefully
    show that a port it worth it.

    1. Re:Buy it ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What's the point of showing that Linux is worth it? If you try to convince publishers that Linux is worth it by buying this game, you're obviously hoping to get them to publish more titles for Linux. Then, what--you're going to buy *more* games? /me checks my browser's address bar

      That's what I thought.

  5. I've always bought... by reality-bytes · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have bought practically everything game-wise that has been released for Linux.

    Perhaps it's sort of a collection-hobby for me. I can't say its got me far or even significantly affected the way that games are considered for Linux ports.

    The main problem I've found is that the game-houses don't always know if which O/S you are running the client on :(

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    Ripping an new rectum in the fabric of spacetime.
    1. Re:I've always bought... by Chess_the_cat · · Score: 2, Funny
      I have bought practically everything game-wise that has been released for Linux.

      So you're out what? $50?

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  6. The problem... by MacFury · · Score: 1
    I have both a PC and a Mac. No doubt the Mac version will come out 6 months to a year later than the PC version. If it were to come out...say...a month after the PC version, I would gladly wait.

    As it stands...it will be hard for me to vote with my wallet.