Sacred: Gold Enters Beta On Linux

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Sacred: Gold Enters Beta On Linux

In addition to game updates for Savage 2 and Sauerbraten last week, also released was the first beta of Sacred: Gold for Linux. However, unlike the other games, Sacred: Gold is limited to the beta testers within Linux Game Publishing's closed program. Though as we are part of this testing team, we have screenshots and more details on this game being ported to Linux.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=12519

[VisezTrance]

Does multiplayer(hosting a game for example) works with a multicore cpu ?

[Max Spain]

I was interested untill I read that part about copy protection :mad: Hopefully they design something that won't be an inconvenience to their customers.

I've been spoiled so far with Linux gaming by not having to deal with DRM. Now it seems like the Windows world's infection is spreading :(

[Raven3x7]

Regrding X3 its a rather complicated game and probbly not an easy game to port. Copy Protection? I hope it doesnt inconvenience the ppl who purchase the game. It's probably a really bad idea. Copy protection is completely useless for popular games.I dounno if any release group would even bother cracking a LGP release though.

[Michael]

More on the copy protection will be published tomorrow...

[AHSauge]

Regrding X3 its a rather complicated game and probbly not an easy game to port. Copy Protection? I hope it doesnt inconvenience the ppl who purchase the game. It's probably a really bad idea. Copy protection is completely useless for popular games.I dounno if any release group would even bother cracking a LGP release though.

That's probably exactly why it's such a good idea. If no release group will bother to crack it, then you can't pirate it and you'd have to buy the game. I would say this might be a result of people not respecting the license, and treating the software like it's free software. After all, everything in the Linux-world is free as in 'no charge' :rolleyes: It's a pity really, as this is exactly what I would guess would be the response from game developing companies. They do after all want to protect their million dollar investment, and I can't say I blame them.

That been said, I too hope it's not an inconvenience for the paying customers. After all, we do know which copy protection X3 came with on Windows, and I hate to see something similar in Linux.

[VisezTrance]

Considering that the latest patch disables copy protection, I find it odd that LGP will be using any for this title.

[username]

Err... 40 bucks? The windows version here in Russia costs about 12$ (no, it's not pirated), but I guess prices for software are always lower here. Will there be any way to buy a windows version, then install it on linux with a patch or something?

[ibo2008]

Is this really going to fly? I mean, with Wine 1.0 out, what's the point of having this game ported and sold for a premium price? Is anybody going to buy it for 40$ just to have it running natively instead of buying it for 1$ (Sacred) or 12$ (Sacred:Gold) and run it under Wine? I haven't yet tested Sacred under Wine, but I've just finished Disciples 2 and it worked fine. Arcanum also works fine. Beyond Divinity and Lionheart have drawing issues, but in time they will too, hopefully. I bet people will first try these vintage games under Wine and if they work, they will spend the cash on something else.

[deanjo]

Considering that the latest patch disables copy protection, I find it odd that LGP will be using any for this title.


Maybe they are considering distributing it via Steam????? :p

[M1AU]

And again, yet another old game with a high price tag.

As an example I (and a few friends) bought Ballistics for the Windows platform back than when it was rereleased as an budget title for as low as 10 bucks. We played it alot over the network and it sure was really fun to play. So I of course was really pleased to hear that LGP is going to port it to the linux platform.
Unfortunately it came out extremely overpriced and secondly it wasn't even compatible in networkmode with the old windows version.

Maybe Sacred is the first title I'm going to buy, but that's only because I didn't own the Windows version and I really want to play it on my linux box. The price is still very high though.

[ibo2008]

Just for the record, installed and played a little Sacred Plus with Wine. The videos don't work, but the game, as far as I was able to tell, worked just fine in 1024x768 resolution. As I've said, the original Sacred can be found for 1$. So I'm quite puzzled why start porting such games in the first place? This game doesn't deserve 40$ any way you put it (there are games far better out there, that play just nice under Wine: Fallout, Arcanum or Planescape: Tournament, just to name a few). Unless the 39$ are for playing the videos.

[niniendowarrior]

Is this really going to fly? I mean, with Wine 1.0 out, what's the point of having this game ported and sold for a premium price? Is anybody going to buy it for 40$ just to have it running natively instead of buying it for 1$ (Sacred) or 12$ (Sacred:Gold) and run it under Wine? I haven't yet tested Sacred under Wine, but I've just finished Disciples 2 and it worked fine. Arcanum also works fine. Beyond Divinity and Lionheart have drawing issues, but in time they will too, hopefully. I bet people will first try these vintage games under Wine and if they work, they will spend the cash on something else.

*Sigh*

We've gone through this already. If you want to know the point of having the game ported, you have to search the forums more thoroughly.:rolleyes:

Anyway, copy protection on Linux, heh. Whatever. We'll see where that takes LGP... maybe some companies will even start opening their vault of games a bit knowing there's some form of "protection".

[ibo2008]

Ok. Found the other threads. I still see no valid point in porting this mediocre game - it's not bad, but it's not extraordinary. At least for me.

Congrats to LGP for getting a contract to port this. That was brilliant, considering how few copies they will sell at 40$. I suspect the business division of LGP is one of the best :p

As a reminder, the original game can be found on Amazon market for 1.09$, used and 2.99$, new :D

[Svartalf]

Ok. Found the other threads. I still see no valid point in porting this mediocre game - it's not bad, but it's not extraordinary. At least for me.

Congrats to LGP for getting a contract to port this. That was brilliant, considering how few copies they will sell at 40$. I suspect the business division of LGP is one of the best :p

As a reminder, the original game can be found on Amazon market for 1.09$, used and 2.99$, new :D


And congrats on seeing to it that you won't see any major titles on Linux for some time to come.

Each time you buy a Windows SKU, even in the bargain bin like you're proposing, is a vote for making more Windows software. Do you run Windows or Linux? If the answer is Linux, why, pray tell, would you buy software not designed for your OS? Because you can run it under WINE? Heh... You're not their customer and the moment they decide to do something that fixes a problem on their customer's machines and breaks it running under WINE, you're going to be SOL- because they make Windows software instead of WINE software.

Publishers and studios go off of sales figures, not "installed base"- as long as they think there's no money to be had (and you just proved this just now with your post...) with a Linux version and they can make money by making half-assed Windows versions, they're going to do it.

Keep bitching about price, nobody wants to buy, etc. folks- you all that're doing the bitching are the reason we're in the mess we're in.

[ibo2008]

Heh-heh. Good thing you've replied, as I've seen your other posts and wanted to ask you: are you working for LGP?

Porting old games to Linux and then charging a ton for them is useless and is not helping anybody in any way.

There are titles exclusively for Wii, XBox or PS3. If you want to really help, make the next great game on Linux and tie it to something available only here, for example.

Or make open-source games and people will stop complaining.

[Aradreth]

Heh-heh. Good thing you've replied, as I've seen your other posts and wanted to ask you: are you working for LGP?

Porting old games to Linux and then charging a ton for them is useless and is not helping anybody in any way.

There are titles exclusively for Wii, XBox or PS3. If you want to really help, make the next great game on Linux and tie it to something available only here, for example.

Or make open-source games and people will stop complaining.
Open-sourcing isn't financially viable with games, unlike linux and other enterprise aimed open-source programs selling support would make you almost nothing.

As for the other points they been discussed to death just look for the answers.

[AHSauge]

Porting old games to Linux and then charging a ton for them is useless and is not helping anybody in any way.
... and I suppose you think porting a game is cheap? I think Svartalf know this and can explain it way better than me, but there's quite a lot of expenses that need to be covered. Comparing the price of the Linux-version to the current price of the Windows-version is quite unfair. In Linux-world it's a brand new game where you still need to cover your expenses, while in Windows-world it's an old game that already have paid of and therefore don't need to cover development costs. There's quite a difference between selling the last copies of a game cheap, and selling the first copies of a brand new game. The first can be done at about the cost of the CD/DVD, packaging and shipping while the latter also need to cover stuff like developing, royalty etc.

If you think it's useless I guess you're missing the point here. It's making another game available in Linux, and also creating a marked for games in Linux.

[Aradreth]

... and I suppose you think porting a game is cheap? I think Svartalf know this and can explain it way better than me, but there's quite a lot of expenses that need to be covered. Comparing the price of the Linux-version to the current price of the Windows-version is quite unfair. In Linux-world it's a brand new game where you still need to cover your expenses, while in Windows-world it's an old game that already have paid of and therefore don't need to cover development costs. There's quite a difference between selling the last copies of a game cheap, and selling the first copies of a brand new game. The first can be done at about the cost of the CD/DVD, packaging and shipping while the latter also need to cover stuff like developing, royalty etc.

If you think it's useless I guess you're missing the point here. It's making another game available in Linux, and also creating a marked for games in Linux.
it's been explained several times already see http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9641 I can't be bothered to find the relevant posts atm but I might later and if I do I've edit this post to include the links

[SlackerTD]

And congrats on seeing to it that you won't see any major titles on Linux for some time to come.

Each time you buy a Windows SKU, even in the bargain bin like you're proposing, is a vote for making more Windows software. Do you run Windows or Linux? If the answer is Linux, why, pray tell, would you buy software not designed for your OS? Because you can run it under WINE? Heh... You're not their customer and the moment they decide to do something that fixes a problem on their customer's machines and breaks it running under WINE, you're going to be SOL- because they make Windows software instead of WINE software.

Publishers and studios go off of sales figures, not "installed base"- as long as they think there's no money to be had (and you just proved this just now with your post...) with a Linux version and they can make money by making half-assed Windows versions, they're going to do it.

Keep bitching about price, nobody wants to buy, etc. folks- you all that're doing the bitching are the reason we're in the mess we're in.
I couldn't have said it better myself. :)

I only game in Linux... this is a new game for me. I don't care when it came out for Windows or what the cost is for Windows today. LGP makes games for Linux gamers & have to pay employees to port it, plus license the code to the game they are porting. People should try to remember this more often.

[M1AU]

Even when some people say it's a new game for them, it is in fact not and so I'm still seeing the problem with the price.

Look at Savage 2. That is what I call a quite new game and it costs 30 dollars.

I of course won't say that "old" titles aren't fun to play, but thouse 4 years (!) won't go out of my head that quick.

[Svartalf]

Heh... Aradreth...I'll save you the trouble... :D

http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showpost.php?p=32422&postcount=44
http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showpost.php?p=32977&postcount=61
http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showpost.php?p=32987&postcount=64
http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showpost.php?p=32995&postcount=67
http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showpost.php?p=33097&postcount=74
http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showpost.php?p=33113&postcount=79
http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showpost.php?p=33136&postcount=87

If you don't understand WHY things are the way they are in the Linux side of the Games Industry, you should honestly read those links (Well, the whole thread, really...but the main take-aways are in those links...).

I am NOT someone to be telling people "buy this and like it", but I keep saying this over and over, trying (and thankfully reaching in most cases...) to reach out to people and get them to grok that they're NOT helping themselves in the slightest when they go and do things like rant about the prices, etc.

[Svartalf]

Look at Savage 2. That is what I call a quite new game and it costs 30 dollars.


And can you buy Savage2 on the store shelves? No? There's a reason why you can get it for $30- it's because you basically have to download it and they have sole rights on the thing.

The packaging, royalties owed for production of the derivative work, the royalties paid to get the right to produce the derivative work end up being owed- it's not a free ride.

[Aradreth]

And can you buy Savage2 on the store shelves? No? There's a reason why you can get it for $30- it's because you basically have to download it and they have sole rights on the thing.

The packaging, royalties owed for production of the derivative work, the royalties paid to get the right to produce the derivative work end up being owed- it's not a free ride.
I've actually wondered why LGP/Runesoft hasn't gone for a download model yet especially seeing as if you run Linux you pretty much have to have broadband as you can't buy many programs of the shelf. Don't get me wrong I prefer having the box and would always choose it over a download version but the money that could be saved would probably be extremely beneficial (lower prices/higher profits/smaller loss if the game tanks/etc).

[M1AU]

And can you buy Savage2 on the store shelves? No? There's a reason why you can get it for $30- it's because you basically have to download it and they have sole rights on the thing.

The packaging, royalties owed for production of the derivative work, the royalties paid to get the right to produce the derivative work end up being owed- it's not a free ride.

That's good for me. To be honest I also can't buy LGPs games on the store shelves, at least I didn't saw any.

As I didn't bought a game from them yet (I guess you know why), do they offer a download service or do they only just ship a boxed version of them? I really don't know?

[Svartalf]

I've actually wondered why LGP/Runesoft hasn't gone for a download model yet especially seeing as if you run Linux you pretty much have to have broadband as you can't buy many programs of the shelf. Don't get me wrong I prefer having the box and would always choose it over a download version but the money that could be saved would probably be extremely beneficial (lower prices/higher profits/smaller loss if the game tanks/etc).

Bandwidth's still a bit of a problem for things.

Downloading a CD's worth is close to the pain level people will put up with.

Savage2: ~700Mb
Penny Arcade Adv: ~150-170Mb (Can't remember precisely...)
Tribal Trouble: ~25-45Mb (ditto...)

Anything more and it becomes unpleasant. At the CD threshold, it becomes painful. Moreover, you need real bandwidth to deliver it. S2 Games does it because it was in their publishing plan- and they beefed up the server resources accordingly. That doesn't come cheap- I certainly wouldn't be risking a commitment needed to make that sort of thing economical on what we've been seeing the uptake on Linux games in the past. I'm dead certain that LGP doesn't have the T3+ needed to do that sort of thing at it's disposal (I've got decent portion of that class of connection with my FiOS service, but I think I'm the only one with a business grade connection like that- and I would certainly NOT be serving up this sort of stuff from my house's server and network plant...).

If we had better sales, perhaps. If the market was more like what Valve could support with Steam, perhaps.

[edit: Upgraded the pain level metric for Savage2...]

[Svartalf]

That's good for me. To be honest I also can't buy LGPs games on the store shelves, at least I didn't saw any.


Indeed. But you get a physical copy when you buy in the case of the LGP titles (Boy, I could only WISH that we had brick-and-mortar sales more tied down; it'd make this fight a bit easier than it currently is...). The royalties, as I've indicated, would still be there- so the price would be a bit more than $30 even if there was a download-only option.


As I didn't bought a game from them yet (I guess you know why), do they offer a download service or do they only just ship a boxed version of them? I really don't know?

Right now, boxed only. Downloads on most of the current catalog would be...painful...for the reasons I gave Aradreth just now.

[M1AU]

Indeed. But you get a physical copy when you buy in the case of the LGP titles (Boy, I could only WISH that we had brick-and-mortar sales more tied down; it'd make this fight a bit easier than it currently is...). The royalties, as I've indicated, would still be there- so the price would be a bit more than $30 even if there was a download-only option.



Right now, boxed only. Downloads on most of the current catalog would be...painful...for the reasons I gave Aradreth just now.

That's unfortunate.

Even though, in my opinion LGP should really consider adjusting there sales model quite abit.
I personally really like the sales model of S2 Games or Introversion Software. Well they both are game developing studios and so they're quite different, but especially Introversion Software just did it right; that's also why I bought all three games including boxed version of them.

Also just for the note, the Savage 2 client as I can see is about 700 MB. I downloaded it through torrent back then when there tracker was still alive.

[Svartalf]

That's unfortunate.

Even though, in my opinion LGP should really consider adjusting there sales model quite abit.
I personally really like the sales model of S2 Games or Introversion Software. Well they both are game developing studios and so they're quite different, but especially Introversion Software just did it right; that's also why I bought all three games including boxed version of them.


Heh... Both of your examples are studios self-publishing. Think about that one for a bit. :D


Also just for the note, the Savage 2 client as I can see is about 700 MB. I downloaded it through torrent back then when there tracker was still alive.

Heh... A bit more painful than I'd have expected. Right at that threshold. Most people that'd buy the games we're all talking about (Not Savage2...) actually don't HAVE good bandwidth so they'd be downloading all night, paying per bit for the download, etc. S2's getting away with it because the game appeals to that class of crowd that can justify it or has REAL bandwidth in the first place.

[curaga]

Svartalf.. You said every bought Windows copy is a sign for the company to keep on doing Windows titles. Would you accept then downloading the game and complaining to the corp?

Just want to know your opinion on this. Sorry if it's already written somewhere.

[Svartalf]

Svartalf.. You said every bought Windows copy is a sign for the company to keep on doing Windows titles. Would you accept then downloading the game and complaining to the corp?


Only if the download was a Linux copy or available FOR it- and the complaints were to fix the problems in it that the Windows one doesn't seem to have.

Unless it's able to be tied back to being a Linux purchase in some useful manner (like Id, Epic, and S2 have...) you're NOT buying a Linux title- PERIOD. When you buy it (downloading is merely getting what you're paying for...) and it's not a Linux title in some manner, you're sending votes for the OS that it was written and sold for. Complaining doesn't matter one whit unless you're talking half or more of their customer base bitching about it.


Just want to know your opinion on this. Sorry if it's already written somewhere.


Heh... No problem. Never hurts to clarify things off and on- it's not like I don't do it often enough of late.

[M1AU]

Heh... Both of your examples are studios self-publishing. Think about that one for a bit. :D

I know that, still they do it right :)

Maybe LGP should go from the "porting old games and selling them as new" to the "asking game studios to port there new games" philosophy. At least that's what Transgaming is in charge at the moment.
Well, one can dream, can't I? :D

Heh... A bit more painful than I'd have expected. Right at that threshold. Most people that'd buy the games we're all talking about (Not Savage2...) actually don't HAVE good bandwidth so they'd be downloading all night, paying per bit for the download, etc. S2's getting away with it because the game appeals to that class of crowd that can justify it or has REAL bandwidth in the first place.

Again in regard to Savage 2. S2 Games also offers a so called special edition of there game which ships on CD with some extras added.

LGP should see a download option as an addition to the current system, not as a replacement. A personally also prefer a boxed version, but sometimes a abit cheaper download version will also do it and it's good when one can choose.

[Svartalf]

I know that, still they do it right :)

Maybe LGP should go from the "porting old games and selling them as new" to the "asking game studios to port there new games" philosophy. At least that's what Transgaming is in charge at the moment.
Well, one can dream, can't I? :D


Everyone's been trying to get into that position for a bit. Closest players in that space would be icculus, TTimo, and recently Runesoft, though they clearly have their own issues as evidenced by Jack Keane (More on the financials side of things than the product side...). In the end, it's pricey for now to be doing that- with the things that've went wrong in the past for the Linux community, we're not in a position to just proposition just anybody and everybody.


Again in regard to Savage 2. S2 Games also offers a so called special edition of there game which ships on CD with some extras added.


Interesting tidbit, that. Shame that you'd need a different licensing deal to allow downloads like that- and it's going to be that bit more difficult for reasons I've discussed elsewhere.

[M1AU]

Interesting tidbit, that. Shame that you'd need a different licensing deal to allow downloads like that- and it's going to be that bit more difficult for reasons I've discussed elsewhere.

I don't think just answering back will make anything better. If you really want to find out how it turns out, you most likely have to make a test. Maybe it turns out exactly as you said, than you can easily go on with what you already have.

When you decide that it's not worth a try, I'm fine. I'm just one potential customer and as I really respect your licenses and won't just go on and download any of your work, I'm here to speak about what can be done to improve it.

[Svartalf]

I don't think just answering back will make anything better. If you really want to find out how it turns out, you most likely have to make a test. Maybe it turns out exactly as you said, than you can easily go on with what you already have.


Heh... What part of "different licensing" did you miss? :D

Most of these situations, unless you're the rights holder, typically requires a specific licensing deal to do it- and seperate ones for different distribution means.

Do a box version, that's one licensing deal.
Do a download, that's another completely different one.

In both examples you used, the rights holder is the one doing the publishing. LGP is not the rights holder for anything other than a specifically distributed version of a Linux port of a given title.


When you decide that it's not worth a try, I'm fine. I'm just one potential customer and as I really respect your licenses and won't just go on and download any of your work, I'm here to speak about what can be done to improve it.


:D Preaching to the choir here. I'm just a consultant.

As it stands, if it weren't for what the Pandora project potentially offers, I'd probably slowly part ways with LGP and just handle doing the game porting on the sly completely as a hobby.

Today's not been a good day for me, I think. I'm getting a bit tired of fielding stuff from people that:

1) Don't get it.
2) Don't want to get it.
3) Think they're entitled to anything they want
4) Think that mouthing off about it being "bad" will fix it

Couple that with the DRM decision Michael Simms made today and all the reactions that people came up with, not realizing they were lending credence to the claims he made in the statement, just makes me feel tired beyond words.

[niniendowarrior]

People, please. Before you post your fickle-minded comments and razor sharp remarks, search the forum. These topics have been gone discussed ad nauseum.

I certainly don't like every thread on Sacred de-evolving to very nasty remarks, but you guys... BAH! Everytime I visit here, my blood boils.

Search, read the posts and if you have remarks continue THAT thread. I can't be bothered to repeat and repeat what has been said.

[M1AU]

Heh... What part of "different licensing" did you miss? :D

Most of these situations, unless you're the rights holder, typically requires a specific licensing deal to do it- and seperate ones for different distribution means.

Do a box version, that's one licensing deal.
Do a download, that's another completely different one.

In both examples you used, the rights holder is the one doing the publishing. LGP is not the rights holder for anything other than a specifically distributed version of a Linux port of a given title.

I of course have to say I missed that yes.
It's than worth to talk with those right holder.

:D Preaching to the choir here. I'm just a consultant.

As it stands, if it weren't for what the Pandora project potentially offers, I'd probably slowly part ways with LGP and just handle doing the game porting on the sly completely as a hobby.

Today's not been a good day for me, I think. I'm getting a bit tired of fielding stuff from people that:

1) Don't get it.
2) Don't want to get it.
3) Think they're entitled to anything they want
4) Think that mouthing off about it being "bad" will fix it

Couple that with the DRM decision Michael Simms made today and all the reactions that people came up with, not realizing they were lending credence to the claims he made in the statement, just makes me feel tired beyond words.

I, as a potential customer do get one thing which matters for me the most, it's still a high price for an old game.
I for some reason do think that you, as a consultant, don't get it or don't want to get it. From where I'm from we have a saying "The customer is always right".
Also if you cannot stand positive criticism than I'm sorry, but you will probably just fail, at least at customer support.

People, please. Before you post your fickle-minded comments and razor sharp remarks, search the forum. These topics have been gone discussed ad nauseum.

I certainly don't like every thread on Sacred de-evolving to very nasty remarks, but you guys... BAH! Everytime I visit here, my blood boils.

Search, read the posts and if you have remarks continue THAT thread. I can't be bothered to repeat and repeat what has been said.

Seriously, I'm not going to search for a thread I'm not aware of to necromance it when a new hot topic which just started exists.

[niniendowarrior]

Fine. Just be informed of what has been said already. Me, I'll just stay away from the forums for a while. These threads are starting to get annoying.

[Svartalf]

I for some reason do think that you, as a consultant, don't get it or don't want to get it. From where I'm from we have a saying "The customer is always right".


Uh... The customer is largely right (there are exceptions to "The customer is always right"...if you've never encountered them, you're lucky and blessed beyond words...)- the problem isn't that you're not right, it's that what you're talking about is about three times more difficult than you think. The games industry doesn't work in a common sense type fashion- and you're trying to apply common sense.

If I had a say in matters (I don't- I'm not the publisher...) I'd DO what you suggest if the rights holders would let me. I suspect LGP is in the same boat as I would be, though. Keep that in mind...


Also if you cannot stand positive criticism than I'm sorry, but you will probably just fail, at least at customer support.


It's not that I or LGP can't stand positive criticism- your idea is bang up and what I'd try to do myself. But...the industry does NOT work the way you think it does. It's not as simple as saying, "well, let's just offer it up for download." I've tried to tell you this, and there seems to be some disconnect between what I think I'm telling you and what you appear to be reading. Moreover, if you're remarking on today's stuff- what I'm talking about ISN'T constructive in the slightest. It's more bickering about things- some cases of bickering about things that some people ought to have known better about.

[Svartalf]

Fine. Just be informed of what has been said already. Me, I'll just stay away from the forums for a while. These threads are starting to get annoying.

You're telling me...sigh...

[Aradreth]

Fine. Just be informed of what has been said already. Me, I'll just stay away from the forums for a while. These threads are starting to get annoying.
You can't let things like this get on your nerves if it aggravates you it is best to just avoid the thread/posts for better or worse. I do find though that blowing someone head of in ET:QW or Nexuiz helps to reduce the annoyance!

[M1AU]

Uh... The customer is largely right (there are exceptions to "The customer is always right"...if you've never encountered them, you're lucky and blessed beyond words...)- the problem isn't that you're not right, it's that what you're talking about is about three times more difficult than you think. The games industry doesn't work in a common sense type fashion- and you're trying to apply common sense.

If I had a say in matters (I don't- I'm not the publisher...) I'd DO what you suggest if the rights holders would let me. I suspect LGP is in the same boat as I would be, though. Keep that in mind...


It's not that I or LGP can't stand positive criticism- your idea is bang up and what I'd try to do myself. But...the industry does NOT work the way you think it does. It's not as simple as saying, "well, let's just offer it up for download." I've tried to tell you this, and there seems to be some disconnect between what I think I'm telling you and what you appear to be reading. Moreover, if you're remarking on today's stuff- what I'm talking about ISN'T constructive in the slightest. It's more bickering about things- some cases of bickering about things that some people ought to have known better about.

Well you're right, I don't have an idea about the game porting industry (how should I?), but I do have an idea about purchasing games, especially linux games, also I do see the other part of the so called industry and that are all those independent game studios and a few bigger one out there. S2 Games, Introversion Software, Hothead, Frictional Games, ID, etc. they all seem to make it right. I purchased games from almost all of em for an appropriate price, so someone like me just have to guess that LGP doesn't make there homework.

Now you told me that the whole linux game porting industry is simply fakked up and no one can do anything about it, least of all the customers.
Well, I get it, but now that I'm aware of that fakked up porting industry, I'm not sure if I really want to invest my money into a moribund industry.

Good luck, though.

[Svartalf]

S2 Games, Introversion Software, Hothead, Frictional Games, ID, etc. they all seem to make it right. I purchased games from almost all of em for an appropriate price, so someone like me just have to guess that LGP doesn't make there homework.


Considering that you're naming off direct rights holders- the people who own the rights and self-publish, or have enough pull to do whatever they damn well please outside of the contract for the Windows/MacOS versions, it's a simpler thing to for them "get it right". Moreover, they've chosen to DO it right- they're the EXCEPTIONS to the rule, not the norm.

I provide this statement as an insight into things in this space. If all the studios worth messing with would do this on their own, I could provide hired gun services and the situation with LGP would be more like a real publisher- where they're handling the QA, front-line support, etc. for the titles, and not doing the porting stage for themselves. This would end up being the vision you're describing- and it'd be a nirvana to me.


Now you told me that the whole linux game porting industry is simply fakked up and no one can do anything about it, least of all the customers.
Well, I get it, but now that I'm aware of that fakked up porting industry, I'm not sure if I really want to invest my money into a moribund industry.


Actually, the whole fakking game industry's largely fubared if you want the truth of the matter. It's not the porting side that's just fakked up as you put it. Doesn't matter if it's Linux or MacOS on the porting side (but the MacOS community haven't been going on about "Old titles" and whatnot for the longest time...wonder why...)- and the only worthwhile companies producing stuff seem to mostly be the ones on your list...go figure... :D

It's a short term problem, mind, with the problem with the Linux Game Porting space of the whole Game Industry. Each title leads to a slightly better one in most cases- a bigger and better deal as you're "trusted" with a bigger piece. It all breaks down when nobody's interested in the second tier stuff and insist upon AAA and A titles out of the gate for everything (Understandable, really...) and don't get that you have to get the B titles first and show they'll sell before you get the bigger toys.

[gogogol]

When am I to expect this on the torrent trackers?

[Nexus6]

To all those who wanted to know whether the key system for LinuxGamePublishing would still allow game play if the central servers went down, I can give you an answer from the beta testers.

Yes - you can continue to play on games using this key system if the central key management server is down. The ISP for LinuxGamePublishing recently jacked their rates by a factor of three, prompting a server move. Joy-of-joys British Telecom has dropped the ball and LGP is currently left with a SITREP cover page only. Which is a perfect opportunity to test the key system without the key manager being around.

Cheers,
Toby Haynes

[Nexus6]

I should also add that this Sacred port kicks serious a***. I don't think I've been so addicted since I finally deleted Sangband off my systems because of lost time.

Looking at Sacred 2 on the Ascaron web site, I think I might buy several copies of this to encourage a port of the sequel :-)

Cheers,
Toby Haynes

[M1AU]

To all those who wanted to know whether the key system for LinuxGamePublishing would still allow game play if the central servers went down, I can give you an answer from the beta testers.

Yes - you can continue to play on games using this key system if the central key management server is down. The ISP for LinuxGamePublishing recently jacked their rates by a factor of three, prompting a server move. Joy-of-joys British Telecom has dropped the ball and LGP is currently left with a SITREP cover page only. Which is a perfect opportunity to test the key system without the key manager being around.

Cheers,
Toby Haynes

Thanks for letting us know about that.

[charon]

Any news on the game? I've been playing this on Windows and really liked - I just gave it up because it became too time-consuming...

And another question regarding the multiplayer part: what about that? Is LGP providing the game servers or will we be playing on the already existing ones? I would solely buy this game to play it online yet I've read that Ascaron(?) is going to pull the plug on their main game server (the closed-net one, that is) in about two weeks...

http://forum.sacred-game.com/announcement.php?f=121

It's in German - the essence is that no Closed-Net gaming will be possible afterwards, only Open-Net, which means the characters will be stored locally and be open to manipulation.

Will LGP set up a Closed-Net infrastructure?

[Nexus6]

Any news on the game? I've been playing this on Windows and really liked - I just gave it up because it became too time-consuming...

Time-consuming - that's a good description of this game. My evenings disappear alarmingly quickly when the beta is active! The beta is still going on - we were expecting another round at the weekend but it hasn't appeared yet.

And another question regarding the multiplayer part: what about that? Is LGP providing the game servers or will we be playing on the already existing ones?

I'm assuming that multiplayer will be handled by LGP's PenguinPlay system. Beyond that, I don't know what plans they have for servers.

Cheers,
Toby Haynes