Egosoft Wants To Bring Games To Steam On Linux

[Deavir]

Well, just for a couple of games I wouldn't register on Steam. But if they have an easy way to filter games by DRM free criteria - I don't mind much, since there might be more in the future.

http://www.gog.com/forum/general/lis...on_steam/page1

GOG forums has a running list but there is no way to know using the steam search client.

[a user]

while i wellcome steam on linux for its much needed pushing effect (i hope so) steam is one of the reasons i actually stopped gaming on my windows machine.

even though it is possible in theory that games are published via steam without a restricted bound to the steam client and account it is actually not the common behaviour. having your payed games bound to an account hence not being able to resell them, the need of a controlling online client all this are absolute no goes for me. it also enforces your contry limitiations no matter where you bought the game from.

for me steam is the major player in destroying the customers rights for pc games.

but on the other side, due to its success, it could give linux the much needed attention of a specific customrers group that finally could make linux more used. so i hope steam will have success, though it will not have it with my help.

[bug77]

I don't even bother without Steam when gaming (on Windows and Linux). Steamworks is just a must for community chat, joining friends' servers and playing together, saving savegames and screenshots in the cloud, doing backups, getting updates automatically etc.. This is 2012, I don't want to look for where I can get my games and extract the .run or .sh and look if it's the newest version... Steam is simply the best solution for gaming hands down. It's like using your Google account for GMail. It works perfect.

As someone who plays single player exclusively, you can imagine how much the stuff you mentioned matters to me. So you see 'the best' is just a matter of opinion.
As a rule of thumb, I draw the line where a game asks for login to play single player.

That said, I tried X2 or X3 once and I felt really lost, really quick. I am a fan of the Wing Commander, Privateer and Freelancer, so I have a bit of background with the genre, yet X still managed to feel massively overwhelming. I suspect if you take the time to learn the ins and outs, there's a great experience to be had, I just never had the time required.

[Serafean]

I don't even bother without Steam when gaming (on Windows and Linux). Steamworks is just a must for community chat, joining friends' servers and playing together, saving savegames and screenshots in the cloud, doing backups, getting updates automatically etc.. This is 2012, I don't want to look for where I can get my games and extract the .run or .sh and look if it's the newest version... Steam is simply the best solution for gaming hands down. It's like using your Google account for GMail. It works perfect.

You're right, games too need package management. Which is exactly what the gog downloader does.
As many others here, my beef with Steam is that the client must be running in order for you to launch any game. GoG took the extra step and created a pure distribution platform.Meaning :
You can download the GoG Downloader to download games from your collection, get notified of updates (both to games and extra content). The key word is "can", since the enable you to download games through the web interface purely, and you don't have to touch their downloader. What you download is a standalone executable (installer), which you then install where you see fit. (Have you ever tried to force steam to install some game to another hard drive? Not friendly at all...)
This is IMO the "right" way to do game distribution, and where my money will be going for the time being. Even the fact that they don't run natively on linux yet doesn't dissuade me...

Serafean

PS : as a bonus, you can write an alternative GOG downloader if you wish (desktop integration anyone?). The GOG guys are my heroes.

Edit : Another option not possible with Steam is playing LAN games. The times when each brought one game and we tried each one are gone with steam.

[Chaosenemy]

Another option not possible with Steam is playing LAN games. The times when each brought one game and we tried each one are gone with steam.

It's entirely possible. The restriction is just that a Steam account can only be in online mode on one computer at a time. Unless of course it's a game that requires an online connection or user log on within the game itself. Ubisoft and EA games are famous for this, and a few others here and there, like Borderlands. Steam itself won't stop you from playing offline LAN games though.

[curaga]

I don't even bother without Steam when gaming (on Windows and Linux). Steamworks is just a must for community chat, joining friends' servers and playing together, saving savegames and screenshots in the cloud, doing backups, getting updates automatically etc.. This is 2012, I don't want to look for where I can get my games and extract the .run or .sh and look if it's the newest version... Steam is simply the best solution for gaming hands down. It's like using your Google account for GMail. It works perfect.

Well good for you for selling your email contacts and email contents to google. And game contacts + conversations + other data to Valve.

[shmerl]

http://www.gog.com/forum/general/lis...on_steam/page1

GOG forums has a running list but there is no way to know using the steam search client.

That's a downside and enough of a reason for me to avoid Steam.

the need of a controlling online client all this are absolute no goes for me. it also enforces your contry limitiations no matter where you bought the game from.

Regional limitations are a very big no go. This kind of DRM is very annoying. GOG by the way have flat rates across countries and no regional restrictions.

You can download the GoG Downloader to download games from your collection, get notified of updates (both to games and extra content). The key word is "can", since the enable you to download games through the web interface purely, and you don't have to touch their downloader. What you download is a standalone executable (installer), which you then install where you see fit. (Have you ever tried to force steam to install some game to another hard drive? Not friendly at all...)
This is IMO the "right" way to do game distribution, and where my money will be going for the time being. Even the fact that they don't run natively on linux yet doesn't dissuade me....

I fully agree. There is a project to write a community made GOG downloader (see https://github.com/lhw/gogdownloader). I'm sure when GOG will start focusing on Linux they'll release the Linux version as well.

[Hamish Wilson]

You can download the GoG Downloader to download games from your collection, get notified of updates (both to games and extra content). The key word is "can", since the enable you to download games through the web interface purely, and you don't have to touch their downloader. What you download is a standalone executable (installer), which you then install where you see fit. (Have you ever tried to force steam to install some game to another hard drive? Not friendly at all...) This is IMO the "right" way to do game distribution, and where my money will be going for the time being. Even the fact that they don't run natively on linux yet doesn't dissuade me...

Well, as I said, Desura also allows you to buy and download your games completely independently from their online interface but it also allows you to use their client if you wish, which is now openly developed and runs natively on Linux, selling native Linux titles. The client will notify you of game updates, manage your games, and offer you some community features (not as extensive as Steam mind, but still useful). This seems like almost the same thing as what you are describing, but with the added benefit that it works natively on Linux and that it actively works with the FOSS community, unlike GOG for the moment.

I'm sure when GOG will start focusing on Linux they'll release the Linux version as well.

That is the thing though - they haven't. All they have done so far is dance around the question. I like the concept of GOG, but until is supports Linux I have to say no to it just as much as I am saying no to Steam. There are other alternatives.

[entropy]

Yes, Steam is not perfect. But it's still great imho.
Of course, you're not forced to swallow the bitter pill of DRM but let's face it:
There is NO other company/platform capable of convincing big game companies to provide Linux binaries.
Sure, the outcome is yet to be seen. But I'm confident...

[89c51]

Well good for you for selling your email contacts and email contents to google. And game contacts + conversations + other data to Valve.

You run your own mailserver??