In this part I'll talk about gaming & mainly about more main steam gaming via the Steam Distribution Platform in particular all though a couple of the game also distribute via the Game Developers own website as well as via Steam.
There is a multitude of games that are available via the Ubuntu Software Centre and most can be Installed as Default in OpenSuse. I've got three Installed on my Ubuntu Laptop that I downloaded from the Ubuntu Software Centre, these are SuperTux & SuperTux 2 that are based on the classic side scrolling Platform Game Super Mario Bros & Super Mario Bros 2 and the third is SuperTuxKart which is based on the original Super Mario Kart (I think).
Gaming On Linux Using Steam
Even though I've got 7 Games with Linux versions on my Steam Account I've currently only got 1 game from my Steam Library currently installed at the minute & that's my current favourite game Euro Truck Simulator 2 by SCS Software. Apart from it being an addictive game by taking the Driving Simulator out of the Racing genre (but that's for a different part or Article) I needed a game with Steering Wheel support for an earlier part on Hardware Support in Linux.
There is only three other indie games that I've go:
- Bastion that is like a fantasy Platform game that I got via the Humble Bundle Weekly Sale.
- Game Dev Tycoon that I got when I was using Windows 8. If you are using Linux already then I'd highly recommend getting games via Steam if they are available via Steam as I had all kinds of trouble getting the Ubuntu package of Game Dev Tycoon to Install when It was made available for Linux, and in the end just gave up and Installed the Windows version using Play On Linux (but that ended up with sound issues) fortunately the last time I was on Windows 8 I spotted a link in the game to upgrade to a Steam License which I did.
- Kerbal Space Program when I last moved to Ubuntu. Kerbal Space Program on the other hand doesn't allow for the upgrading of a License to Steam. Kerbal Space Program offers the choice to Download an Installer Version on Windows & Mac, but that neater solution isn't available which only leaves the Steam Version as the neater and easier option (which I'm going to have to re purchase through Steam at some point).
I've then got the Valve Produced HalfLife 2 & Addons and Counter Strike Source from years ago in my Library that I got years ago that doesn't work properly on my Laptop & the rest of my Steam Library is made up of Windows only games.
I've also got a vast Library of games on the Origin Distribution Platform that I'm unable to use for two reasons:
- Origin isn't available for Linux.
- If Origin was available for Linux it would then have to rely on the game Developers getting behind Linux, which is going to take time as Steam has still got gaps in it's vast Library of games that have also got Linux versions.
Conclusion
Gaming on Linux is slowly starting to gather steam as indie developers are starting to get behind Linux as well as Windows & Mac and when one of the biggest Developers Valve gets behind Linux by releasing HalfLife 2 and Steam for Linux the whole Gaming industry should take notice of Linux.
The forthcoming Linux based Steam OS Gaming platform developed by Valve should be a big game changer for Linux as it will offer far more than the proprietary OS's used by Sony in the Playstation, Nintendo in the Wii & Microsoft in the Xbox, also with Steam OS being Free & Open Source it means that anyone will be able to build their own Steam OS powered Console as well as OEM's and presumably Valve building their own Steam OS based Console to rival the established Console's.
Linux maybe slowly moving out of the niche market to main stream, especially when it can support Hardware that will technically reach End Of Life for Windows in about 2 or 3 versions of Windows due to Hardware requirements of newer versions of Windows, and will be totally End Of Life once the last version of Windows that runs fine once Microsoft stops all Support for it.
Microsoft then expects users to ether upgrade Hardware where possible or buy a new Computer with Windows pre-installed. Why a user should seriously consider purchasing a new Computer with the Latest version of Windows on when they can just Install the latest version of Linux on it is beyond me.
Roland
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