Hey there!
I’m a solo dev working on a sci-fi grand strategy game (I didn’t manage to find if self-promo is allowed so I’ll keep the name for myself).
I was updating my planning and started to think: since my game will be published on Steam, it will be playable on Linux using Compatibility Mode even if I don’t specifically target Linux itself. I myself play on an Ubuntu and this allows me to play almost every Windows game (old ones are more capricious, but recent ones are ok).
So I’m wondering, is there really an advantage to have native Linux support nowadays? As a solo dev, the thing I lack the most is time. The days/weeks/months it would take me to add it and fix all the probable bugs it entails could be used to improve the game itself or add features instead for example.
On a more general note, what do you other Linux players expect from a Linux game?
is there really an advantage to have native Linux support nowadays?
Yes, performance and consistency.
As a dev, you honestly are asking the wrong question. You shouldn’t pride yourself on the corners you’re cutting; you should be using them as an opportunity to expand your knowledge and skillset.
You’re adding to the pile of developer trash every time you rely on abstraction layers to do your job for you. You’re reinforcing an atmosphere where windows developers can get locked-in as much as they want, and it’s up to the Linux community to pick up their (your) slack.
In all honesty, I don’t have high hopes for your game and you really should consider what I’m saying before you release more trash into the world.
I really appreciate when a dev puts the extra effort in to make a Linux port, but I can understand when a solo dev such as you doesn’t have much time to spend on porting. To be honest, I’m just happy if the developers at the very least test the game on Linux using Proton and WINE to make sure it’s working well and correctly. That way if making a native port really is that much of a hassle, I expect them to at least test it on Linux. I think that most large teams should make a (good) native port, though.
I’m using Ubuntu myself to develop actually so I’m kind of doing that all the time. The problem is, my machine isn’t everyone’s machine, my drivers aren’t anyone’s drivers, and so on.
In the end I think that I’ll try to give Linux builds to testers to see if they report a lot of bugs or not and decide at that moment if it’s too much work or not.
Sounds like a good strategy. I don’t know all the details, but from the way I understand it, your Linux build would be run by Steam in a Linux container, Steam Runtime. So build and test against that if you can. If I have it right, maybe the Steam Runtime container will give you more confidence if you are able to go with a Linux build.
edit: If you sell your game through Steam.
I cannot go into that site because they don’t comply with the gdpr right to not allow any legitimate interest cookies with one button, hoping I will click agree instead of going through hundreds of vendors and disabling these illegal trackers
Honestly, I wouldn’t bother.
Linux is a small market and people who buy exclusively native linux games is even smaller. If your game works fine with Proton that’s great.
You’re a solo dev and should pick your battles. I would focus on getting steam deck verified instead, if possible.
I would focus on getting steam deck verified instead, if possible.
One billion times this. That’s a checkmark that increases your marketshare by a lot. Desktop Linux users (not all, but some) look to that as a good indicator on whether it’ll run for them because it’s even harder to make it run well on the steam deck. Kind of a “two birds one stone” thing
I was going to do it anyway, but your answers gave me even more confidence in how important it is! Thank you :)
Native Linux support is always preferable if the developer can handle it or has the budget to do so. However, as long as it works well via Proton, that’s the important part. I don’t follow him anymore due to several reasons but Gardiner Bryant has a video about this, it’s a pretty solid watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uScsmjvdwyo
Thank you for the link, I didn’t know the inner workings of it :)
Honestly, I prefer you go with Proton. Some of the native games I have are quite a few versions behind their windows counterparts. AND most likely it will run better anyways. Better for you, better for gamers. Win-win.
*Lin-lin
I honestly mostly shop for “SteamDeck verified”.
I only purchase native titles, because native support means support.
Ideally you should be writing your code to be as portable as possible, in an engine that offers top-notch cross-platform support.
some native titles are absolute ass and it leaves room for people to even disable wine support because you already have native (even though native sucks ass)
Example? CS2.
Recently installed Total Warhammer 3 which I didn’t notice had a native Linux client. Multiplayer didn’t work. Textures never loaded in. Loading times ass.
Switched to Proton and everything worked flawlessly.
Have seen other games where Linux native got neglected to the point where proton is just better experience lol
Many times I have enabled compatibility mode in Steam to run the Windows version, which actually works.
If I have a problem I don’t even mention I use Wine/Proton. Many games and software devs just tell you that only Windows is supported and move on.
Well, that’s what I’m doing, I’m not writing for Windows specifically, and I’m using an engine that works well with any OS. But there is a difference between making the build and supporting it, it’s an actual commitment. Like others said here it’s a bad experience to try to use a native build and have it being bad or worse than a Win build that goes through Proton.
In the end I think I’ll make builds and try to find testers for every OS, and try to estimate the viability of having a specific build using their feedback.
Wat? SteamOS is Linux…
Yes my bad haha I had trouble to find another way to write that title which wasn’t too long but would mention Steam
I think just calling it Proton would work, most people here would understand that I’d think.
I think some anticheats make a distinction.
You mean so that they can allow SteamOS users but block anyone using any other Linux distro?
I’ve never heard of that but so far any game with anti-cheat that works on the deck works on Linux
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Its about practicality.
Even big studios cant handle supporting a native linux version and having it run well while supporting windows versions… which usually ends up with people running the windows version via proton over the native version (Looking at you, Cities Skylines, Truck Simulator games, and more)
So I would say take the easy route and develop for windows with checks to make sure it runs okay in proton, probably a lot less headache and effort than trying to create a seperate native linux codebase.
Agreed.
I’m a big Linux guy but you have to make compromises in this universe. Proton is amazing and should be the goal for most developers.
Get us some Linux exclusives and we can stick it up towards Windows amirite
Haha problem is I have a kid to feed, and I fear that cutting myself from 90% of my potential player might be a bad play if I want to be able to continue feeding him
Yes to both. I want games that work well on Linux, so I’m happy with whichever you choose to test. If you provide both, I have options.
Choose whatever is best for you.
That being said, as a Linux user I always appreciate a native Linux version of a game that runs well and is updated promptly.
As far as I know, there are game engines that make it easier to publish on many platforms, but I’m no expert.
At this point, Linux native is almost more like reinventing the wheel. The people working on the compatibility layers have done so much work to make a windows game feel native that you can almost think of them as cross compilers in a weird gross way
I think you should just write it for Linux. Since Windows has that Linux Windows Thing (I don’t remember what it’s called), it’ll probably work there as well as long as you mark it as a dependency.
Wsl doesn’t work well for graphical apps
I’ll have to take your word for that. I thought that people got desktops running on it. But then I don’t get to use windows very often.
Weird to recommend someone develop software for Linux then, on the basis that “it should Just Work ™️ in Windows because Windows has the Linux Windows Thing”
Lots of people do the exact opposite and nobody seems to find anything wrong with it.
You can but it requires heavy, HEAVY tinkering
So wine ends up being better than the Microsoft stuff. Not really surprising I suppose.
The goal of wsl is to run command line application for devs, and it’s actually very good for that
