Slashdot Mirror
Valve Software Launches Linux Blog, Confirms Work On Steam Client for Linux
New submitter oakgrove writes "Valve Software confirmed today in a new blog devoted specifically to Steam on Linux (called Steam'd Penguins) that for more than a year, a Steam client has been in the works for Ubuntu Linux 12.04. 'We've made good progress this year and now have the Steam client running on Ubuntu with all major features available. We're still giving attention and effort to minor features but it's a good experience at the moment. In the near future, we will be setting up an internal beta focusing on the auto-update experience and compatibility testing.' The blog post also says that a working port of Left 4 Dead 2 is currently playable, and that their goal is to bring performance in line with the Windows version."
Anything to get our minds off of HL3/HL2Ep3.
Can anyone say Open Sauce DRM??
Big Whoop! Can now play the ne of the oldest and vulgar fps shooters around, while I'm at it I should fire up my Atari 2600.
Either we are a very vocal bunch, or they see a real trend here. Either way this is great for us.
On one hand I do like the fact that this has potential to bring games out to the linux market that haven't been there, and to eliminate the viewpoint that there are no gamers on linux. On the other side of the coin, I'm not sure how useful this will actually be for current linux fans. Almost all valve games have gold or platnum wineHQ ratings, as do a huge portion of games on steam. Running steam on wine I can play left4dead, half life, portal 1+2, magika etc... As well as quite a few non-valve games, Skyrim etc... Now assuming valve fully devotes to the project and makes native linux versions of all of their games, it is unlikely that half of the games that can be played via wine, will be ported, making the official linux client, less useful than valves port. As a result many linux users will still be identified as windows users (since wine will identify as windows XP), the numbers for linux will still show as low, and linux support will stay very weak.
Valve have a golden opportunity here, in several ways:
1. Ubuntu is a first stepping stone. Once they have the Linux experience, they can target all kinds of Linux based platforms & set top boxes, as they become popular. It's just like UbuntuTV in a sense - It takes a stable operating system and tailors it to a niche market, adds the back-office sauce into the soup, and you suddenly have a serious iTunes/Netflix contender (technologically anyway).
2. I believe game producers are going to see this as a blessing: Valve becoming the major conduit through which serious games flow into the Linux world, paving the road for those producers into user's desktops, while providing billing, game discovery, content distribution, and community tools. Nobody else is doing this at the moment with Linux, except for Canonical who have created their own "App Store" application (which by the way is pretty good!). So imaging Canonical's "App store" on steroids, for games! Once enough games are built for Linux, why would anyone use Microsoft Windows for gaming?
3. When you are first to capture a market, you become the dominant player. The longer you're the dominant player, the more difficult it becomes to unseat you from your throne.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain... time... to... die...
- HL2/CSS/DODS/DOTA2/TF2 on OpenGL (obvious)
- Software renderer for Source
- Tux hat for TF2 (oh dear what will happen to the linux install base then?)
- Possibly some *good* open source games through the Steam free game sections for the 3 platforms to spur interest also, without the proprietary code merged into the binaries.
With the most popular game TF2, and it being free, I would think they would have wanted that one out the door first. Then DOTA2 as the next most popular.
TF2 brings in the numbers, new people can get in at no cost. Left 4 dead is a bit Niche (and a bit has been at this point).
Either way, get some more games involved and I will no longer need to boot into windows, and that makes me very very happy. I would rather dual boot Linux/LinuxGaming if I want to keep a pure open environment.
Errors. FutUre I IS DYING LIKE THE counterpart, and sling or table and promotes our if you move a table irc.easynews.com I won't bore you
It doesn't really matter so long as their support for WINE isn't weak.
I use two commercial geophysical programs on linux via WINE for which the developers specificly test against WINE. A third uses dotnet but tests against mono. I know two of the vendors actually have fixed compatibility problems in their software that showed up when they tested it the compatibility layer.
I have 44 bought games on my steam list, all on a box that only runs windows so that I can play games. Thank you for giving me dream that one day I can get rid of all the windows installs in my house.
If they're smart they'll sell functioning Server installs of multiplayer games. Sell games that a set number of friends can log on to, hosted and coordinated through the Ubuntu user's computer as server. Ready to play gaming networks might be hard to implement on Windows, but something like that might be dang near easy in a Linux environment.
For that matter, the same paradigm could apply to any server applications. Regardless, I'm glad to see Steam being forward thinking in what I'm personally betting is the clear choice for an OS in the cloud/networked future. It'd be an awesome functionality, one I'd cheer them deploying so long as they don't try to monopolize through a patent the concept. Especially since it's already been discussed in a public forum, I'm presuming making such an approach public knowledge and fair use.
That is assuming, God forbid, there's not already somebody else squatting on the concept like that.
They've never been against people using Wine to launch steam and with there recent hiring of various big linux people they should be able to complete a gaming engine for linux and start releasing alot of linux content along with their windows offerings. In addition to getting more commercial games to the linux platform it will be interesting to see what (if anything) they are able to then contribute back to the linux community in the form of patchs and new libraries. Steam has always been pretty good at embracing new technologies (they were among the first game vendors to utilize bittorrent for content distribution), and the linux community has an amazing offering of libraries and programs to work with from a developers viewpoint; so I think we can expect some great things from Steam in the new future both for gamers and gaming development. That being said, it took them way way too long to start this. They should have started this years ago instead of wasting all this time trying to decide if linux is going to make it as a desktop platform.
http://interserver.net/
I believe that Valve is thinking about what it would take to get into the console business and Linux could be the key. I think this is the proof of concept stage- get the Steam client and a couple of games running on Linux. Evaluate how much work it takes and evaluate the game performance on Linux.
If they can come up with a way to port games cleanly and inexpensively, then suddenly Steam in the living room is a no-brainer. Commodity hardware in a nice case with bluetooth accessories. Rev the hardware every two years instead of every 7 or 8 years and make sure that new games are playable on older consoles by automatically reducing game settings.
I occasionally consider building a gaming machine but never follow through because I would have to choose between running windows or having very few supported games. If this actually happens I will be a happy man.
When the mac versions of source games arrived, the windows versions were updated. It appeared that the rendering distance and fog density might have been adjusted.
Ummm...If you have Steam installed already, go into the Library and select the 'Tools' listing. You'll find dedicated server software, available for free, to download and run for several dozen (3 or 4 dozen last I remember seeing) games available on Steam.
One could also view Valve's move as a somewhat defensive one.
Apple hasn't exactly been shy about the fact that The App Store is exciting and mandatory on iDevices, and exciting-and-optional-for-now on OSX.
Microsoft hasn't exactly been shy about copying Apple in these matters(and while their 'games for windows live' initiative is risible, their xbox work shows that they are to be treated with caution).
Valve has a comparatively well regarded distribution mechanism; but they face the potential of being squeezed by platform vendors who want to own the store.
Now, as long as Redmond wants their $20-$100 bucks a box to make sure that Win32 and device drivers are working, and Apple wants their somewhat larger slice to provide the full package, Valve has a pretty limited incentive to try to upset that arrangement. Neither business is easy, and only the dominant player stands to make any serious money.
However, now the platform guys want to own both the platform and the store. That can't be good for the independent shopkeeper, now can it?
I can't abide Steam. Another bunch of self-appointed gate-keepers. Their software on Windows is horrible - buggy, crashy, invasive and irritating. I don't see this as a step forward for Linux.
If there are any Valve folks reading this -- just a couple of notes, questions, etc ...
1) Please fix the site so that mac games will only recommend mac games. The same goes for the upcoming linux section. It kind of sucks to click on a recommended game only to find it's window's only.
2) When are you guys going to answer Facebook Connect? Seriously, it'd be killer to integrate our mobile game apps into steam to either replace game center or to add to it.
3) steam console ... Ouya sounds great but steam would be divine :) How about a steam branded android device?
And hey, if you guys need to html++, give me a call ;) Or, maybe a discount :)
Keep up the great work!
Lol, looks like I'm behind a bit then. Oh well, more new things to enjoy :)
if/when they bring steam to linux with even a few of the source engine games i would be happy. i wonder how existing mods would work with the linux version. all being well i can finally stop having to reboot twice a day just to muck around in some games during spare time!
But is it seriously a wise move to target Linux for games? Considering the segment of the market that actually runs Linux, and in particular, the even smaller segment of the market that runs LInux on the desktop, is it worth any game studio's time to really support it?
For what it's worth... I run Linux on my main computer at home, and I really like using it, but I also do have a separate computer that runs Windows which I use for games, and I'd imagine that pretty much anyone who is a gamer is probably going to have a box that runs Windows anyways. I don't mean to sound like a cynic, but game studios exist to make money, and is it worth any software house's time to put the effort and money into supporting Linux, when the additional payback from Linux support isn't likely to even pay for a single programmer's salary for the additional time it took to ensure that the software worked correctly on that platform?
If somebody can some up with a coherent answer to that question without resorting to appeals to emotion, or implied insults regarding a person's preference of OS... If there's an actually rational reason for a game studio that's in the business of trying to make money to spend the time, money, and effort supporting Linux, when Linux's biggest market is on the server side, and not on the desktop anyways.... then respond to this post - I'd really like to hear it.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
The Linux market is at least a few million of generally above average intelligence and income users as proved by the Humble Bundle stats.
The Linux game market is not the number of Linux gamers. Many Linux gamers are dual booting or running WINE, they are already buyers of the games on Steam. The Linux game market is really those gamers who refuse to dual boot or run WINE. That is a group far smaller than you suggest. The current Steam customers don't really count since the Linux version would simply cannibalize sales of the Windows version and generate no new revenue for the developer. Replacing a Windows sale with a Linux sale does not pay for development or support.
Even Halliburton sell commercial software for linux.
Aren't they big enough and conservative enough for you?
I'm not trying to troll here, so don't take this the wrong way.
From my experience, a lot of Linux users hate Microsoft because of their dominance in operating systems. It has resulted in a lot of software only being available for Windows and not Linux, hardware manufacturers only putting out drivers (decent or otherwise) for Windows and not Linux, and so on. People hate Microsoft due to their effective monopoly in the software industry (now getting less effective, but still)
Once Steam is released for Linux, it's going to be the focal point for virtually all games on Linux just like Steam is on Windows. Sure there are exceptions (GOG, Origin, developers selling directly and so on), but by and large Valve will have an effective monopoly as the primary source of games for most PC gamers.
Since Steam also uses account-based DRM, your games are linked to a single point of failure. A clerical error, a PayPal/credit card dispute, anything that may or may not be your fault occurs, and you may find yourself locked out of your account either temporarily or permanently. If this happens, you can't play your games.
Linux users traditionally are geeks, and hence know the dangers of relying on a single vendor, a single point of failure. They'd know not to put all your eggs in one basket because otherwise, you don't have control. I'm no Richard Stallman but I'm honestly scared about the fact that everyone appears to be happy giving control out of their hands and to a third-party... EVEN LINUX USERS!
Are people so desperate for games that they don't care about the fact that revocation of your purchases is technically possible due to Steam's DRM? I need someone to post something insightful because I'm going out of my fucking mind with worry that the traditionally anti-DRM crowd here is giving me mixed signals when it comes to Valve. At this point I'm almost ready to give up gaming and do something else if everyone's basically agreed that DRM cannot be stopped.
Most people on Slashdot are fucking idiots.
Just awesome. As the Humbe Linux Bundle have shown there is big potential in the Linux desktop market for games. Many games are already working just fine in Wine. As you can see in the WineHQ[1] there are 3333 Platinum, 2878 Gold and 2468 Silver rated applications and games (Platinum and Gold means they are working out-of-the-box with Wine).
But I do hope you are going to contribute to the Wine project. What would be just beyond awesome if your client would be open source. There is no reason to not make your client open source anyway, since it will work only with your service. But to have your client open source would bring you many advantages.
Like free bug fixing from the open source community; Free translations to different languages, like Chinese, Thai, German, Spanish. Free porting to different Linux distributions like Fedora, OpenSuse, Debian. You would have so many more potential customers if Linux users could just go to their package manager and install your client from the official repositories.
Thank you for the port and for the courage to take the opportunity.
[1] http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&sTitle=Browse%20Applications&sOrderBy=appName&bAscending=true
http://www.mueller-public.de - My site http://www.anr-institute.com/ - Advanced Natural Research Institute
The existing consoles (forgive the pun) are running out of steam.
Produce an optimized PC based console at Xbox prices, a bootable DVD afor those on Windows and have the downloader installable on mainstream Linux.
Instant market saturation.
Then watch the current contenders cry like babies as the cream gets taken out of their industry by Steam.
We have package managers for that. You know. Proper ones. At least like Portage.
And how do you plan on updating those games with no root access anyway? Install software to my home directory?
Hell no! That has to be backed up. Only personal data goes in there! Got that?
Would be nice if they got microsoft to license them the right to use directx and other things like that in a closed "virtual" environment in linux, in order to play pretty much every games.
In terms of gaming engines, android was a great boost for linux gaming in general.
Several of the most popular engines are cross-platform.
To mind comes libGDX and Cocos2d-x in particular..
Trying to kick Steam off Windows would be extremely anti-competitive behaviour. Something "even" microsoft can't just get away with, both from user acceptance and legal perspective.
Incidentally, many of the dedicated servers have Linux versions, even if the game client is currently Windows-only. Linux game servers often seem to be more stable and better performing than their Windows equivalents - understandable since Linux gets a lot of work to make it perform well for server tasks.
Booting to a game? :D
I wonder why nobody has mentioned yet the posibility to run game based distro from live DVD image?
Imagine just booting the whole game from external drive, no need to install, no need for changes to your work environment.
THIS is something that can turn any PC into gaming platform. ANY, whether it iscompany pc, pc you do your master on, or any other hardware you dont want to cluter with gaming software (or DRM crapware). Thats fantastic, or not ?
It'd be *awesome* if they officially supported Wine too for many games for which they won't bother making an actual Linux version.
If I were Valve, I'd make two versions. The high performance version (maybe a high end AMD CPU), and a low performance, cheap ARM SoC version (maybe nvidia Tegra 3 or 4). (Intel is a very uncooperative company.) Both versions will come in a DRMed console version, and a reference weaker/no DRM version that can run the usual Linux stuff. Valve can make a hybrid set of APIs, some from DirectX/Wine, some from Linux, some from popular Linux userland APIs to ease porting from console. Specific versions of the software will be used. Might want to line it up with a version of Debian.
If Valve and nVidia were REALLY clever, they'd come up with a similar build system and APIs as the PS3, which uses GeForce 7 technology, much like the Tegra 3... offering the potential to reuse some graphics optimizations. Get the opinions of Sweeney and Carmack, while you're at it.
When I read this and saw Ubuntu, a small warning flag started waving in my mind. Is this some sort of 'special arrangement' between Shuttleworth and Steam, resulting in this client not working in other Linux distributions without tons of command line fu? If so, it wouldn't suprise me much. Trust, but verify (on real Debian).
This reminds me that the Amazon mp3 downloader still doesn't work in 64-bit Linux distributions. Given that running the amz file though clamz on the command line downloads the mp3 file, it really shouldn't be difficult for Amazon to offer a 64-bit downloader that 'just works', and yet they haven't bothered. Will Steam 'bother' with non-Ubuntu Linuxen?
Only reason I have an windows box is for games. Goodbye MS!.
/me pats linux on the head
let the lols begin.
Fucking Nostalgia!
Love it or hate it, Canonical have done wonders for making a platform that developers like Steam seem to be more comfortable in. It needed someone like them to get a distro into the mainstream. Ubuntu and its Unity environment may be hated, but its helped create a platform none Linux users can identify and even develop on. Daft as it sounds, its not really any different on other distros to a degree, apart from that the fact Vanilla Ubuntu uses Unity etc, which helps with developing with one window manager. Also I think Ubuntu has given that "soft blanket" that some none Linux people that push to have a go at development.
I guess more and more stuff will hit Ubuntu first, maybe some other big companies will it it a go, if that works, it gives them the angle to start developing and pushing out to other distros. Yes I know Linux is Linux, but Ubuntu is a clean and "consistent" place to dip your toes in for development. Ubuntu is becoming the "Windows" of the Linux world, none Linux users seem to tread there first, developers are being more active in there too.
Love it or hate it, its helping Linux become more mainstream than any other distro has.
I just rebuilt my "game computer" and was trying to think of a name for it. Since Steam was the only application I'd be installing on Windows 7... "SteamBox" was all I could think of. ;)
Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
Welcome to Linux Valve, I know you will do wonders.
... Steam on Linux is not Vapor Ware???
How about, oh I dunno, giving steam to those who have been waiting since forever instead of the kiddos who are just starting to use linux? (i.e ubuntu)
Don't forget about GOG, you guys. An actual employee of GOG posted this: http://www.gog.com/en/wishlist/site/add_linux_versions_of_games
On Windows, when you install Steam, it changes the permissions of the directory you install it to to allow the Users group write access to it.
I'm not sure how that will work on Linux, though... I don't think there are any default groups that all users are added to, especially on Debian-based systems that give each user their own group.
GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
I'm sure I'll get dinged on this, but isn't this a decade off? Should Valve be looking at releasing Steam clients for iOS and Android at this point?
Select from tblFriends where interesting >= 4;
even if the underlying scam is to sell copies of an outdated game to a starving, craving public. It's still great news, a step towards a better life and a step towards not needing to have a huge partition reserved for a huge expensive operating system that i use for games, and for games only. with what it costs i can buy a new xbox or that pair of shoes i've been needing for two years now. I think it's great, even if too little too late, still great
Free speech was meant to be free for all... how can anyone grow up in a nanny state ?