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Why KDE Plasma Makes Sense For Linux Gaming

Posted by timothy on from the compatibility-matters dept.

sfcrazy writes "Martin Gräßlin, a lead KDE developer, addresses some queries around a topic bugging Gnome and Unity users — the fallback mode. In this post he says that 'having the non-composited mode around allows us to do things like turning compositing off when running games or heavy OpenGL based applications such as Blender. So if you want to get some of the now finally available games for Linux, KDE Plasma should be your primary choice to enjoy the game. I have also heard of users switching to KDE Plasma because we still provide non OpenGL based setups.'"

16 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Alternative: XFCE by gagol · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I much prefer the simplicity and conservatism of XFCE4. Can optionally use compositing too and no need to relearn interface.

    --
    Tomorrow is another day...
    1. Re:Alternative: XFCE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      sure, but you dont look like your using a movie OS ;-D

    2. Re:Alternative: XFCE by Threni · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I switched to (Linux Mint 13) KDE precisely because I didn't want to learn a new interface (Unity). It's great. I used XFCE and LXDE previously, having read of their great suitability for lower end hardware, but..well, I don't have any low end hardware. I have nothing special but it runs KDE perfectly, and it looks great. I can't be bothered to learn all the ins and outs of it - I launch stuff via what I'll always call the 'start menu' or shortcuts or from the 'task bar' - but it's good to know that there's more to it if I could be bothered to learn it. The point is, nobodies forcing me to use it. There seem to be a rash of these Mac-like OSes these days (including the hilarious Windows 8) - I don't quite understand the appeal.

    3. Re:Alternative: XFCE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      There seem to be a rash of these Mac-like OSes these days (including the hilarious Windows 8) - I don't quite understand the appeal.

      That's because you (like most of us here) learned about computers using devices with separate keyboard, mouse and screen. We are currently at the tipping point where more youth learn about computers through devices with only a touchscreen (phones, tablets) and have never used a laptop.

      That tipping point is driving interfaces that cater to the touchscreen user experience, even though those interfaces don't allow for as much interaction as UIs driven by the keyboard/mouse/screen user experience.

    4. Re:Alternative: XFCE by gagol · · Score: 3, Informative

      Last windows I actually used was vista on a laptop. With composition activated I lost 25% battery life, deactivated I got a UI so ugly its not even funny jocking about it. I went to linux and will never looked back.

      --
      Tomorrow is another day...
    5. Re:Alternative: XFCE by Threni · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, but I had no problem picking up Android, whether on phone or tablet. It's just intuitive. I didn't have the first fucking clue how I was supposed to use Unity to do anything. Windows 8 is worse because you now have to learn two completely different interfaces instead of one. I need a 'normal' interface on a 'normal computer' because I develop software, edit photographs, tag/copy mp3 files between devices, use one device to control another etc. Sure, if I were a user and had no need to actually create anything I'd use a tablet. But these desktop OSes (Windows 8, unity etc) will mostly be running on regular computers without touch screens, so i'm not sure of the utility of making this change. I'm sure Microsoft and Canonical believe that their OSes will soon be on millions of touch-enabled devices; I find this unlikely.

      (BTW: You're the first AC I've responded to in years. Why haven't you created an account here? I almost didn't see your reply as I filter ACs away).

    6. Re:Alternative: XFCE by Karzz1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That's because you (like most of us here) learned about computers using devices with separate keyboard, mouse and screen. We are currently at the tipping point where more youth learn about computers through devices with only a touchscreen....

      I agree with what you are saying, to a point. I have been using computers of one sort or another since the early 80's and have always had a keyboard at minimum, and a mouse and possibly other HID devices later.

      Recently (past ~3yrs) I have used several tablets/smartphones. While I am continuously impressed with what can be done on these devices, I am always cognizant of what *can't* be done on these devices.

      Tablets/Smartphones are great for instant satisfaction, but are quite weak compared to a desktop, unless you have great eyesight and you only do a few minimal things. Even browsing the web becomes cumbersome quickly when you need to *type* anything. Forget about doing any actual work on one of these things such as replying to emails or anything that is enhanced by more than one 10" screen.

      I realize that the hardware/software manufacturers love the idea of these portable devices and all of the restrictions (hardware/software locks) contained within, but I like to think that people will not always be content with the lowest common denominator.

      I agree that these devices have a place , however they will never fully displace desktops/laptops.

      --
      Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.
    7. Re:Alternative: XFCE by ShieldW0lf · · Score: 4, Insightful

      There seem to be a rash of these Mac-like OSes these days (including the hilarious Windows 8) - I don't quite understand the appeal.

      That's because you (like most of us here) learned about computers using devices with separate keyboard, mouse and screen. We are currently at the tipping point where more youth learn about computers through devices with only a touchscreen (phones, tablets) and have never used a laptop.

      That tipping point is driving interfaces that cater to the touchscreen user experience, even though those interfaces don't allow for as much interaction as UIs driven by the keyboard/mouse/screen user experience.

      Your statement is not that far removed from "Most youth learned about computers through devices with only a gamepad. It's true, but it doesn't mean much. The thing that makes what we call a "computer" a "computer" is that it's general purpose, and designed to empower creative work. Barring radical developments, tablets and phones are not going to displace the traditional computer any more than game consoles did.

      --
      -1 Uncomfortable Truth
    8. Re:Alternative: XFCE by markdavis · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Well, you might want to skip MS-Windows 8 too, then. I messed with it for a few hours on my new touchscreen ultrabook Lenovo Twist before blowing it away to install Fedora.

      All I can say is that Win8 is absolutely hideous. It is pretty at first, until you have to actually try and DO something, then it quickly throws up dozens of barriers. I can't imagine being forced to have to use such a monster on a regular basis.

      The Twist only comes with 128MB SDD and almost *HALF* of it was completely consumed by the Win8 *BEAST*. And that is with almost no crapware and very few useful things installed at all.

      In contrast, Fedora 17 just *FLIES* on the machine, everything worked out of the box (even the touchscreen) except the card reader (which I had to compile a driver). After installing thousands of packages- KDE, LXDE, games, browsers, test editors, multi-media tools and editors, graphics manipulation, several productivity apps, full dev system, etc, it used 5GB.

      I am curious to see if KDE can incorporate a tablet-like interface that can co-exist with a real desktop-like interface with auto-switching on the fly (kind of the whole point of the Twist). They have all the components and probably the best environment to make it happen....

    9. Re:Alternative: XFCE by Inigo+Montoya · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It's very likely, as interfaces evolve, that we will have specialized "developer" versions of these interfaces. These developer versions enable you to be creative, and to do all that you need to do to make an application that is primarily targeted at these newer interfaces, including having keyboard access, pen, 3d input mice, multiple monitors, system simulators, etc...

      This is already the case with game consoles; There is always a developer version of the hardware.

      In time, I expect the same from an OS targeted for end-users.

  2. Options by Nerdfest · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I just switched to KDE because the developers aren't against the idea of me configuring and theming it as I please. It's also faster. Games are now an added bonus.

    1. Re:Options by Seeteufel · · Score: 3

      Actually I think the design of the code is also quite sustainable.

  3. Strange behavior with LXDE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A week or two ago I tested LXDE and KDE to see which one would run the best with the new Serious Sam and Unigine. With the Nvidia 304 driver, LXDE was always slower than KDE with or without compositing. This issue went away with the Nvidia 310 driver, LXDE and KDE without compositing were just about the same speed.

    I have no idea what caused the slowdown, however it shows that the game's FPS does not necessarily improve with a "light" DE. Compositing however made a difference.

  4. Re:0.1% of users know what "Compositing" is by MrEricSir · · Score: 4, Funny

    For those who don't know, compositing is when you throw your food scraps and lawn clippings in the green bin.

    --
    There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
  5. KDE still not required.... by julian67 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Xfce allows the user to switch off compositing in the settings GUI or, more usefully for scripts and launchers, with a command:

    Compositing off: "xfconf-query -c xfwm4 -p /general/use_compositing -t bool -s false"
    Compositing on: "xfconf-query -c xfwm4 -p /general/use_compositing -t bool -s true"

    A KDE dev pretending that Gnome 3 or Unity are the only other options makes him seem slightly desperate way.

  6. Re:SVG icons by bmo · · Score: 5, Informative

    >Last time I looked they were transparently rendered and cached as bitmaps anyway.

    When was this, in the 3x days?

    Open dolphin. Grab the slider. Watch as the icons in Dolphin magically resize as you move the slider back and forth at to completely arbitrary sizes that aren't limited to powers of 2.

    Go back to 4chan /g/.

    --
    BMO