Re: Loki...

[Steve Baker <sjbaker1@airmail.net>]

Chris wrote:

> I'd disagree, because you are only taking end-user factors into
> consideration, and you are assuming that everyone involved plays fair. Even
> if you did manage to level the platform playing field you then need to
> persuade games companies that it is worth their time employing a team of
> linux coders to parallel-develop, more beta testers (if they even have such
> things for games these days, sometimes I wonder) and ensure that they design
> the game in such a way that it works as well on Linux as on Windows. Then
> you have to persuade retailers to make shelf room for linux versions of the
> game (and since most retailers treat shelf space as a premium resource,
> you're going to have to be very good at persuading them).

But if the practice of installing both OS's was commonplace, there would
be no need for games companies to build a Windoze version at all.

I don't think games programmers would have too much difficulty
with transitioning to Linux development.  Most of the game *servers*
are written for Linux for security and improved networking reasons
so you just know those guys are pretty familiar with the environment.

As for the artists, we know that the Hollywood movie companies are
using Linux almost exclusively - and with the game/movie tie-ins
and the tendancy for the same sophisticated modelling tools (eg Maya)
to be used by *both* industries, I think there is actually going to
be some positive *pressure* to move artwork development over to Linux -
especially if you need to have massive render farms to produce cut-scenes.

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