LGP Announces Two More Titles 156
dolson writes "Earlier today Linux Game Publishing announced the next two titles that they will be porting to Linux. They are both made by Grim, a Swedish development company, and they are called Ballistics and Bandits: Phoenix Rising. One is a high-speed racing game, and the other is a driving/action game."
Do Linux Games Sell? (Score:5, Interesting)
Just curious. I myself bought the Quake 2 games for Linux but that was a couple of years ago. I primarily play console games now.
That's great... (Score:2, Interesting)
Not really, but picking up the pace... (Score:4, Interesting)
I pointed out that there isn't much point to running Quake and whatnot on a server, and he agreed, saying that if Linux ever really makes it to the desktop these companies that were just targeting it in the first place because it was "the next big thing" will revisit it.
Or perhaps not (Score:2, Interesting)
For example, the Bungie game Myth 2 Soulblighter: there was a MacOS version and a Windows version, with about 45% and 55% respectively on each platform. Loki ported it to Linux. However, out of the many thousands who played it online, I only ever _heard_ of several _individuals_ who were playing it online on Linux, and at least one of those was a programmer who worked at Loki!
Now considering how much more likely high-tech Linux users are to play a game online, and even if a whoopingly low 5% of buyers played it online, that means Loki sold well under 1000 units.
If they did that badly with Soulblighter, how badly did they do with other titles? No wonder they weren't making any money.
What About Tux Racer? ;) (Score:3, Interesting)
I think Tux Racer is about the coolest game I've ever played. My very favorite course is "Who Says Penguins Can't Fly?" although I have become somewhat partial to "Path of Daggers" lately. Anyone else out there love Tux Racer?
Forget dual booting (Score:3, Interesting)
Now I have a healthy collection of Linux games on my box, including a fair number of Loki ports, some of the source code released games (Abuse, Freespace 1 & 2, Aliens vs Predator), and a bunch of improving open source projects, from Vegastrike to Foobillard. And Black & White and the other Windows only games don't provide sufficient allure to make me reach for the reboot.
LGP seems to have the right idea. The games they are porting are good games in their categories and they aren't costing a fortune for the porting rights. They are also managing to get games in more genres than just first person shooters. I hope that LGP hangs around long enough to break even or preferably show a profit. I hope that the Linux desktop market is starting to expand at a sufficient rate that the future for Linux gaming actually exists and that LGP is in a good position to reap the rewards.
Cheers,
Toby Haynes
Re:Not really, but picking up the pace... (Score:2, Interesting)
I beg to differ. Anyone wants games they get a console. Any gamer worth their salt knows Gamecube is where your hardcore gamer sits, and PS2 is where your casual gamer sits. Your XBox gamer sits somewhere in the middle and is usually an ex-PC gamer. I will admit that the only thing which keeps XP on my home machine is the lack of commercial quality games under Linux.
The PC gaming market is on the decline anyway. With the cost of a console at about the same price of an average 3d graphics card (£150 for a GeFrorce4 Ti4200, ~£160 for an XBox with 2 games), PC gaming is rapidly becoming uneconomical. With the gap between PC and console games visual tricks diminshing, PC gameing will soon go the way of the arcade. And the Dodo
The trouble with linux gaming is... (Score:2, Interesting)
Low end computers can't run games like this, they just don't have the 3D hardware. If linux is going to see more games besides a few oddballs (like these two) and the occasional blockbuster (UT2003) than it'll have to make inroads into the general desktop market. Or else much cheaper 3D hardware that has linux support.
Selling games that were released on Windows a year or two ago is not a good buisness model; customers with dual boot machines can often get your game for windows for $10-$20 in the bargin bin. And how many non geeks out there have a linux box that can run UT2003 (or something like it) and are running linux only?
LGP has fewer burdens than what Loki conjured (Score:2, Interesting)
I spoke with one of the devlopers. Real nice people. To summarize his statment, they are not yet a full-time LGP staff and unlike Loki they are choosing game titles that do not summon exaggerated licensing fees. Loki dove head-first into porting software to Linux and admirably performed verry well despite their financial loss in an earlier Linux market. LGP has the benefits of Loki's base (snickering) because:
1) LGP has chosen to utilize the verry mature Simple Direct Media Layer (http://www.libsdl.org)
2) Interacts with a more mature and aware market for Linux
3) chose applications that do not tend the verry-high royalties Loki crippled under
4) the applications chosen have merit in their gamplay, fun-factor, and presentation.
Majesty Gold! Disciples 2! Bandits! These are fun games that were ignored in the Microsoft Windows markets simply becase there were much more "shiny lures" that attracted all the "fish." LGP spear-headed Tzar, but then decided not to based on the comments of a minority of people in the Linuxgames.com and Happypenguin.org forums. LGP is well on its way to fill the void that Loki over-marketed and here we have a verry predictable startup mustering its nets around as many herring as possible. LGP is in hopes of marketing to all isles of the Linux gamers: Athlon, Pentium, PowerPC, and a few others. We, and owners of our computer software and hardware, have received LGP with baited hering breath.