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Portal Released For Steam On Linux

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Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#111

Post by Havoc »

Skoofoo wrote: post #36
fragsworth wrote: post #32

Steam is now the de-facto "app store" of the PC as far as games go, which was no small feat. It took them more than 10 years to get to this point and it's now in jeopardy. With Google and Apple already controlling the mobile app stores, various console manufacturers controlling their own ecosystems, and Microsoft attempting to abandon their "open" Windows (so they can run their own app store) - the industry is shifti…

I would sympathize with Valve if they didn't completely ignore Linux before acting like the Linux community's best friend when it became apparent that they had nowhere else to turn to [1]. Like many, I'm a fan of their games and their flat management, but they have a history of being as short-sighted and callous as EA and I wish more people would see that [2]. I have a lot more respect for the people behind Humble Bu…

>I would sympathize with Valve if they didn't completely ignore Linux

Can you blame them? I'm surprised they can make the numbers work even now, let alone 5 years ago. The probably still don't...its probably just a long range bet.

>Plus they don't force DRM middleware on you.

DRM is the future (not that I like it). The trick is simply to make it DRM like Steam where people barely realize its DRM and rather than EA's crap idea of DRM.

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#112

Post by kbenson »

Skoofoo wrote: post #102
sillysaurus wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Valve has a history of being as short-sighted and callous as EA and I wish more people would see that [2]. Your citation [2] doesn't in any way support that viewpoint. Actually, there probably aren't any citations which support that viewpoint, because EA is about as far opposite from Valve as a gaming company can get. (Zynga is likely the polar opposite.)

If your account is stolen and becomes VAC banned, Valve won't do anything about it and you will be stuck with gimped games, regardless of how much business you gave them (back then they didn't have security codes). I can't find this on Google, but at least twice I've read that Valve just ignores emails from game developers they're not interested in. In Team Fortress 2, the staff is allowed to hop on players' servers…

> I've read that Valve just ignores emails from game developers they're not interested in

Details on that would be interesting. I have to say my first thought is that they probably get a lot of indie developers that want on the Network, and don't want to devote and entire position to explaining why not every publisher gets in Steam just because they want to.

> In Team Fortress 2 ... they ruined the game's integrity through introducing a microtransaction economy

So, they take their free to play game, and add the ability to customize your characters in ways that don't affect gameplay that make them money, and they have all of a sudden ruined the integrity of the game? Is it ruined because they want to make some money from it? I seem to remember that when they were just starting the hats, they were also putting out large updates for the player classes, for free.

> take advantage of to promote other Steam games.

You state that like it's bad for it's own sake. What's wrong with them promoting their other games?

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#113

Post by TikiTDO »

girvo wrote: post #108
hdra wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

when that day comes, I am sure many would switch to Linux, especially among the developers. In the past few years using Windows, I have stopped thinking about device drivers at all, I just expected them to work. I am looking forward to the day where this comes to desktop Linux.

I've had the completely opposite experience. Windows is where I have to go hunting around for drivers on vendors crappy FTP servers. Linux on the other hand, over the past 7 years I've been running it, works OOTB for all hardware I've ever thrown at it, especially lately. Weird.

What area do you work in though?

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#114

Post by kbenson »

shmerl wrote: post #38
fragsworth wrote: post #32

Steam is now the de-facto "app store" of the PC as far as games go, which was no small feat. It took them more than 10 years to get to this point and it's now in jeopardy. With Google and Apple already controlling the mobile app stores, various console manufacturers controlling their own ecosystems, and Microsoft attempting to abandon their "open" Windows (so they can run their own app store) - the industry is shifti…

> Steam is now the de-facto "app store" of the PC as far as games go I hope GOG will become comparable numbers wise, since it's the only big DRM free alternative as of now. Though they lack Linux releases yet. (Keep voting here: http://www.gog.com/wishlist/site/add_linux_versions_of_games ).

I love this company. Since I've bought from them in the past, I get their weekend promo emails every week[1], and they are SO tempting. Wing Commander 1+2 for $2.39? I could buy 4-5 games from that list, spend less than I usually do for the Humble bundle, and actually get a lot more.

[1]: http://www.gog.com/promo/ea_weekend_promo_030513

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#115

Post by mylons »

Skoofoo wrote: post #36
fragsworth wrote: post #32

Steam is now the de-facto "app store" of the PC as far as games go, which was no small feat. It took them more than 10 years to get to this point and it's now in jeopardy. With Google and Apple already controlling the mobile app stores, various console manufacturers controlling their own ecosystems, and Microsoft attempting to abandon their "open" Windows (so they can run their own app store) - the industry is shifti…

I would sympathize with Valve if they didn't completely ignore Linux before acting like the Linux community's best friend when it became apparent that they had nowhere else to turn to [1]. Like many, I'm a fan of their games and their flat management, but they have a history of being as short-sighted and callous as EA and I wish more people would see that [2]. I have a lot more respect for the people behind Humble Bu…

they're on board now, that's all that matters.

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#116

Post by lucian1900 »

zanny wrote: post #58
stephengillie wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right now, they have an app with which you can view Steam profiles and text chat. I'm excited for the eventual Steam Apk Store and Steam Games for Android.

I'm pretty sure Google will ban it. They don't allow competing app stores (same reason Amazon basically forked the entire stack for their Kindle devices). Maybe Valve will distribute Steam Android devices, but that seems silly. If Valve wants to get mobile, they need to hope for the success of Ubuntu Phone / Plasma Active / Tizen. Even Ubuntu Phone is probably going to block in the Canonical app store competing marke…

I have the amazon store installed, and I used to have another one as well. Google doesn't ban anything, just doesn't put it on Google Play.

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#117

Post by stephengillie »

lucian1900 wrote: post #116
zanny wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure Google will ban it. They don't allow competing app stores (same reason Amazon basically forked the entire stack for their Kindle devices). Maybe Valve will distribute Steam Android devices, but that seems silly. If Valve wants to get mobile, they need to hope for the success of Ubuntu Phone / Plasma Active / Tizen. Even Ubuntu Phone is probably going to block in the Canonical app store competing marke…

I have the amazon store installed, and I used to have another one as well. Google doesn't ban anything, just doesn't put it on Google Play.

Google cant ban apps. They do not have the ability. Sure, they can prevent it from going on their market, but nothing is stopping you from downloading an apk from anywhere (or making your own) and installing it.

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#118

Post by grecy »

kibibu wrote: post #76
grecy wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been using Mac OS since OS 7.1 when I was ~14. All through high school and my Bachelor of Software Engineering degree, and now working full time, I'm completely dumbfounded when Windows or Linux users talk about device drivers. What a shocking waste of time.

OSX still doesn't support OpenGL 3.3 or 4.0, both of which are >3 years old. Perhaps with a driver update from the vendor... oh wait, no.

I was talking about not having to worry about device drivers and things "just working", you're talking about being on the latest and greatest version.

Those are two different discussions.

Obviously when Apple controls the hardware and software there are going to be some trade-offs, one of which, as you pointed out, is a lack of frequent updates.

I, personally, am just fine with that.

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#119

Post by floor »

Skoofoo wrote: post #36
fragsworth wrote: post #32

Steam is now the de-facto "app store" of the PC as far as games go, which was no small feat. It took them more than 10 years to get to this point and it's now in jeopardy. With Google and Apple already controlling the mobile app stores, various console manufacturers controlling their own ecosystems, and Microsoft attempting to abandon their "open" Windows (so they can run their own app store) - the industry is shifti…

I would sympathize with Valve if they didn't completely ignore Linux before acting like the Linux community's best friend when it became apparent that they had nowhere else to turn to [1]. Like many, I'm a fan of their games and their flat management, but they have a history of being as short-sighted and callous as EA and I wish more people would see that [2]. I have a lot more respect for the people behind Humble Bu…

I wouldn't say they completely ignored Linux. They did have nix servers for all of their games back when 3d gaming on nix wasn't viable at all.

Re: Portal Released For Steam On Linux

#120

Post by scott_karana »

Afforess wrote: post #47
Skoofoo wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would sympathize with Valve if they didn't completely ignore Linux before acting like the Linux community's best friend when it became apparent that they had nowhere else to turn to [1]. Like many, I'm a fan of their games and their flat management, but they have a history of being as short-sighted and callous as EA and I wish more people would see that [2]. I have a lot more respect for the people behind Humble Bu…

What? Humble BundLe totally sold out their integrity after they let THQ sell their games with the Humble Bundle brand, without linux versions and with DRM. [1] http://www.penny-arcade.com/report/article/the-humble-thq-bu... [2] http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/11/humble-thq-bundle-thre...

Their integrity? THQ was about to tank, and they wanted to flip the games to whoever they could. I'm sure that if there were THQ-internal beta versions for Linux and Mac, they would have happily shipped them.
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