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Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

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Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#491

Post by tormeh »

anonymousab wrote: post #161
jmalicki wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of the revolution is just getting within 5-30% of Windows! If you need every last bit of FPS maybe it is lagging, but 5-30% slower is roughly on par at a large sense, it's less than the difference of e.g. one NVidia GPU generation to the next, so it makes it playable.

One problem is that having better FPS stops mattering if the frame pacing and timing is bad, making the game feel like a juddery mess. Or if there is significant input delay differences. That's why all the data matters for all of these dimensions; game performance is much more than FPS per watt over time. When people see "linux gaming is great now, look at the fps" it comes across as potentially disengenuous because…

This is very personal. I don't particularly mind stutter. Input lag annoys me a lot, though.

Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#492

Post by thequux »

somenameforme wrote: post #454
globalnode wrote: post #346

Earlier quoted context omitted.

int 21h !

Need some params! mov ah, 2 mov dl,7 Ahhh.. probably my first program. Don't forget the int 20 at the end! It was beeping great. Still never unlocked the mysteries of those TSR programs though.

It's been a long time since I've touched any of this, so the details have slipped my mind. However, the general idea was that there were two different exit calls in DOS: terminate and terminate and stay resident. The difference between the two is that the stay resident option wouldn't release the memory used by your application. Further, the interrupt table, which told the processor how to handle each interrupt, was in RAM and therefore writable.

So, what TSRs would do is overwrite one or more interrupts to point to a routine that would check if the system call in question was one it wanted to handle (eg, to add a hotkey it would grab the keyboard handler and check for a special set of keys before passing control back to the normal handler). Once that was fine, it would call the TSR system call and control would be passed back to the OS with the hook still in place

Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#494

Post by tjpnz »

forrestthewoods wrote: post #371
neverkn0wsb357 wrote: post #295

Given the current momentum, it feels like (to me) the adage of “Windows is for Games” is going by the wayside. If you look at Steam, and OSs like Bazzite it’s clear the consumer-side is finally shoring up. But that aside, from an economic incentive, game providers (for example Amazon Luna), don’t want to be paying the licenses for running Windows machines for Video Game Streaming on Demand. In fact, at my time there…

Nah. Linux is still too bloody awful for power users, never mind the median gamer. Most Linux usage is SteamOS which only barely counts. It’s a great hedge that keeps Windows almost honest. But we’re a long long long long long long long long ways from the median gaming PC being Linux.

SteamOS is Linux.

Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#495

Post by gsich »

emkoemko wrote: post #419
ben-schaaf wrote: post #349

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All these games already have an authoritative server. These cheaters aren't breaking the rules of the game by being invincible, super speedy, etc. they're aim-botting and wall hacking. Those cheats can't be prevented with authoritative networking.

why can't we prevent wall hacking by not sending packets of enemy players position if the user can't see them on their screen

not a trivial solution.

Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#496

Post by brandnewideas »

Fnoord wrote: post #410
Quekid5 wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I've been playing BG3 on Linux[0] for about 2 years at this point (using a Lutris "recipe" or whatever they call it). Ironically, the biggest issues have been with some of the modding tools needing specific versions of DotNet and whatnot. The game itself runs flawlessly. [0] Arch Linux, btw, because that must be mentioned.

Actually, I have been having a specific issue with pickpocketing in BG3. On native Windows and native Linux, the client crashes if I pickpocket too quick. One time, on Linux, it even made my whole OS crash (and then some weird error BIOS error). But specifically with Wine on Linux, it does not occur. The only reason I even tried with Wine on Linux is because I wanted to try some mods unavailable otherwise. It does se…

Huh, I was unaware that BG3 had a native Linux release, as it's not listed on the Steam store page. Turns out that they released it only for the Steam Deck. Strange

Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#497

Post by londons_explore »

I was under the impression that most windows games copy and anti cheat protection won't work in Linux. It often has a kernel mode driver to prevent you emulating things, using debuggers etc.

What changed? Do game manufacturers make special versions with toned down anti-cheat specifically to run on the steam box/Linux?

Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#498

Post by MrDrMcCoy »

imtringued wrote: post #477
mfinelli wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Re: modding with MO2/vortex I had a similar problem in that installing them on linux isn't super straightforward, and then once I did get them installed when I launched the game through them like I used to do on windows the performance was abysmal. I decided to tackle the problem myself and so I wrote this: https://github.com/mfinelli/modctl . It's a mod manager that I wrote specifically for linux. It's not really re…

I know that running Vortex is a pain but I never ran into any problems once it was installed. I did this back in 2022. I don't want to discourage you, but what's wrong with helping MO2 and Vortex get ported to Linux?

Vortex at one time did have a native Linux version. IIRC, it had very minimal game support, lagged behind the main branch, and was eventually canceled. I don't think they're interested in contributions for native Linux. A separate app seeking to implement Vortex API and package support would potentially be more free to improve the UX, do Flatpak/Appimage, or use more interesting Linux features like overlayfs and FUSE archive mounting. I have a mind to try my hand at it, would be a good starter project for a new language.

Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#499

Post by chocochunks »

laughing_man wrote: post #375
chocochunks wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No you can't. Even at the raised prices. And if your argument includes used prices don't forget you can buy used consoles too.

Sure you can. Remember, we're not buying a normal gaming PC, just one that's better than a console.

I know. But iGPUs aren't there yet, and once you add a discrete GPU it becomes a lot more expensive. You can get a PS5 digital at GameStop for $400 new right now. A decent similar GPU like a Arc 580 or Radeon RX 7600 or 6600 is going to be $200-$300 new, leaving you $200 for a case, CPU, RAM and power supply.

Re: Linux gaming is faster because Windows APIs are becoming Linux kernel features

#500

Post by lccerina »

londons_explore wrote: post #497

I was under the impression that most windows games copy and anti cheat protection won't work in Linux. It often has a kernel mode driver to prevent you emulating things, using debuggers etc. What changed? Do game manufacturers make special versions with toned down anti-cheat specifically to run on the steam box/Linux?

No, simply 95% of games don't have copy and anti cheat, and some anti cheats run ok on Linux
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