Future plans or interest in Linux version post-Vulkan release?

Spottswoode

@ZOS_BrianWheeler @ZOS_GinaBruno Pretty self explanatory. Does ZOS have any interest or future plans in developing a Linux version?

I understand the difficulty and work involved, but I think there's good potential for growth of the PC market with the release of Vulkan. Not to mention that if ESO were developed for Linux, it would be one of the first (if not the first) major MMO releases on Linux.

Arkadius

Zenimax doesn't care about Linux. It (respectively its development studios) never released anything for it.

Alucardo

DO EEEEET

Spottswoode

Xiana wrote: »

Zenimax doesn't care about Linux. It (respectively its development studios) never released anything for it.

Because there wasn't a good 3d graphic API to work with. Hell, most companies didn't develop games for Linux until Valve made a major push for it. (No surprise, they're one of the major backers of Khronos and Vulkan.)

Arkadius

Spottswoode wrote: »

Xiana wrote: »

Zenimax doesn't care about Linux. It (respectively its development studios) never released anything for it.

Because there wasn't a good 3d graphic API to work with. Hell, most companies didn't develop games for Linux until Valve made a major push for it. (No surprise, they're one of the major backers of Khronos and Vulkan.)

You must be kidding. Never heard of OpenGL? This (or a subset) is used on basically every other non-Windows device.

Spottswoode

Xiana wrote: »

Spottswoode wrote: »

Xiana wrote: »

Zenimax doesn't care about Linux. It (respectively its development studios) never released anything for it.

Because there wasn't a good 3d graphic API to work with. Hell, most companies didn't develop games for Linux until Valve made a major push for it. (No surprise, they're one of the major backers of Khronos and Vulkan.)

You must be kidding. Never heard of OpenGL? This (or a subset) is used on basically every other non-Windows device.

No, I never used a computer before 2001. OpenGL isn't nearly as capable as Direct X. (I'll grant you, it's because of Microsofts continued development and stranglehold on the usable market for PCs.)

Arkadius

This is now a OGL vs DX thread!

Zyle

Spottswoode wrote: »

@ZOS_BrianWheeler @ZOS_GinaBruno Pretty self explanatory. Does ZOS have any interest or future plans in developing a Linux version?

I understand the difficulty and work involved, but I think there's good potential for growth of the PC market with the release of Vulkan. Not to mention that if ESO were developed for Linux, it would be one of the first (if not the first) major MMO releases on Linux.

I'm all for variety, but I don't think they'd be able to support a linux version properly. Imagine the turn around time on bugs.

Spottswoode

Xiana wrote: »

This is now a OGL vs DX thread!

No, this is a screw that I'll go with Vulkan thread.


Actually that debate was pretty settled a few years ago. Vulkhan just gives more options with a cross platform API. (Khronos hasn't seemed to care all that much about OGL in years....)

bchulettub17_ESO wrote: »

Spottswoode wrote: »

@ZOS_BrianWheeler @ZOS_GinaBruno Pretty self explanatory. Does ZOS have any interest or future plans in developing a Linux version?

I understand the difficulty and work involved, but I think there's good potential for growth of the PC market with the release of Vulkan. Not to mention that if ESO were developed for Linux, it would be one of the first (if not the first) major MMO releases on Linux.

I'm all for variety, but I don't think they'd be able to support a linux version properly. Imagine the turn around time on bugs.

I think if the number of players for Linux was substantial, development would find the effort feasible. (I mean, you only get to chop $100 of off your total cost for a PC build....) That, of course, does depend on whether or not the market is worth the effort.


I'm well aware that "interest" is far more likely than "plans."

Alucardo

bchulettub17_ESO wrote: »

I'm all for variety, but I don't think they'd be able to support a linux version properly. Imagine the turn around time on bugs.

There was one native MMO, and that was Regnum Online. You'd be surprised how helpful and eager the Linux community was to find and file bug reports. 90% of the launcher bugs were discovered and pointed out to developers by the players so they could quickly go in, patch and release.
It would basically support itself

Spottswoode

Alucardo wrote: »

bchulettub17_ESO wrote: »

I'm all for variety, but I don't think they'd be able to support a linux version properly. Imagine the turn around time on bugs.

There was one native MMO, and that was Regnum Online. You'd be surprised how helpful and eager the Linux community was to find and file bug reports. 90% of the launcher bugs were discovered and pointed out to developers by the players so they could quickly go in, patch and release.
It would basically support itself

The Linux community is very helpful in general because of the all around open source nature of the OS. Bug reporting is pretty standard with anything. I've made a number of bug reports myself for games ran in WINE.

JamilaRaj

Spottswoode wrote: »

Xiana wrote: »

Spottswoode wrote: »

Xiana wrote: »

Zenimax doesn't care about Linux. It (respectively its development studios) never released anything for it.

Because there wasn't a good 3d graphic API to work with. Hell, most companies didn't develop games for Linux until Valve made a major push for it. (No surprise, they're one of the major backers of Khronos and Vulkan.)

You must be kidding. Never heard of OpenGL? This (or a subset) is used on basically every other non-Windows device.

No, I never used a computer before 2001. OpenGL isn't nearly as capable as Direct X. (I'll grant you, it's because of Microsofts continued development and stranglehold on the usable market for PCs.)

Given Mac OS and maybe PS4 version of ESO too uses OpenGL, it is capable enough. I dare to say Linux port would be easy.

Valve pushes for Steam.

EDIT: certainly easier than needlessly rewriting OpenGL part to Vulkan and then porting the rest anyway. Also, that the API exists does not mean it is implemented in current AMD/nVidia drivers for Linux (feel free to google).

Spottswoode

"JamilaRaj wrote: »

Given Mac OS and maybe PS4 version of ESO too uses OpenGL, it is capable enough. I dare to say Linux port would be easy.

Every ps4 game uses opengl. And we're not going to talk about Mac. Everything except for Windows and Xbox uses OpenGl. (I was actually joking. I'm asking about Vulkan, the new version of Open GL, after all.)

Opengl still doesn't support multithread rendering and the and the addons that are made to emulate or incorporate it are resource intensive. Not to mention that the different versions are very inconsistent between hardware. (The reason Vulkan is being developed in the first place. )

wrote:

Valve pushes for Steam.

It is very hard for me to make a response to this that isn't snarky. OF COURSE VALVE IS PUSHING FOR STEAM. The group is a common interest and standards group. Every member is in it to further their own interest.

Edit: More to the point, Valve is probably the best proponent for PC gaming right now (what we're actually talking about here) and Vulkan will make Linux a far more stable gaming platform.

wrote:

EDIT: certainly easier than needlessly rewriting OpenGL part to Vulkan and then porting the rest anyway. Also, that the API exists does not mean it is implemented in current AMD/nVidia drivers for Linux (feel free to google).

It would absolutely be easier for them to just port the OpenGl version to Linux. Going back to the first response, if ZOS has any future ports in mind (or prospects thereof) Vulkan will have more consistent performance across new platforms and hardware.
I'm aware that the drivers aren't out yet. Future plans doesn't mean "in development."