Can Linux replace Windows as the platform for PC gaming? Is Linux good for gaming?
People who work on Linux are very strange guys. I’m not talking now about housewives who use Odnoklassniki and Instagram, they can also use Chrome OS, but about people who feel much more comfortable using Linux as a home and work system, and get a thrill from all these console gatherings, chatting on forums and kernel builds. These are strange people and Linux is very strange at first glance. It was not created as an OS for the home user, but as a system for enterprises and workstations, because now most servers and supercomputers run on Linux systems. And what he becomes this moment time, very funny and looks natural.
But let's look at a couple of “life” situations.
Let's say your boss decided to reduce the company's waste and installed Linux instead of Windows on all work computers, and you loved playing Hearthstone at lunch. Or you begged so hard to buy a computer “for study” for 120k, but your parents turned out to be not so stupid and asked Vasya the hacker to install an “OS for study”. Or maybe you're tired of the Windows bugs and decided to try something new, but you don't have enough money for a Mac.
It seems that the above situations are not realistic and this cannot happen in our universe. Maybe. Throughout my life I have met the heroes of each of these stories (there are actually more of them), and in the last one I myself became actor. I have been working on Linux systems since 2009, I was still in 9th grade, and I watched as distributions became more understandable and accessible, and even an ordinary housewife could work on them. I also watched as full-fledged games began to appear, and it all started with the advent of SteamOS and Steam Machine.
But let's step back from history and look at what Linux has to offer the modern gamer and what it will cost you.
First, let's look at my hardware:
- Processor: AMD FX-8350
- RAM: 32Gb DDR3
- Video card: Radeon RX 480 8Gb
It’s not that a gaming PC costs 120k, but only 50k in 2016, but it was not built for games, but for work (and not for mining =)). But let's get started.
Note: I will not fully describe the entire cycle of installation and solving certain problems, but only the most important points.
OS selection and installation
As a testing ground, I decided to take one of the most user-friendly distributions - Ubuntu 17.10. Of course, there are a bunch of other excellent distributions, but I chose the simplest and most understandable for the average user.
After installation, I only needed to install the drivers on the video card, and then “Vietnamese” flashbacks hit me, like you spend the whole night trying to install a driver written not by the developers, but by the community. It so happens that modern software developers are not very fond of Linux distributions, due to its ideology of free software and irrelevance among the average user.
But that's all in the past. Now, I went to the AMD website and downloaded the installer in one click, in a second click I opened the installation instructions and was again surprised at its simplicity. Yes, installation via the terminal, but you don’t need to configure anything and fiddle with millions of commands in the terminal. It should be noted here that most programs are installed through the terminal (console), and not by clicking on INSTALLER.EXE, but this is also possible. In addition to installation via the terminal and a file, there is an analogue of the Windows Store, although it appeared in Linux much earlier.
After a pleasant installation of Ubuntu and the driver for the video card, I began to plan my next steps.
Installing games
I was guided by the ease of installation and the largest number of games.
And the first on my list had to be Steam for two reasons - all game installations are done in one click and I have the most games there. But everything turned out to be not so simple, so I postponed Steam for later.
Having thought a little, I remembered the wonderful service gog.com. It so happened that I found out about it not so long ago, and everything I needed was released on Steam. But the advantage of GOG is that you can download the game from your browser and install it. After quickly checking in, I went shopping. And again I was lucky - there was a sale. Having paid 250 rubles for Baldur’s Gate, Baldur’s Gate 2 and Witcher 2 and quickly downloaded everything, I began the installation.
And again (how many positive “again”s I received that day) I was surprised by the installation service. The installation is no different from the same installation on Windows. For now…
After installation, I rushed to launch my newly purchased Baldur’s Gate, but the problem is that it doesn’t work. And here the most critical and repulsive things of Linux are revealed - not found files, terminals and forums. Unlike Windows, where you are installed with a bunch of incomprehensible software that takes up your entire life and space on your hard drive, Linux programs install a minimum set of dependencies, and if they are not there, the user must find them and install them or “throw them” into the desired one. daddy This is what I had to do. But I quickly found a solution on the gog forum; the moderators work very closely with their community and help in every possible way.
Note: So that you don’t think that I’m taking screenshots from Windows and trying to “sell” them to you as running games on Linux, I decided to run all games in a window, if possible.
The game started and everything went without lags or brakes. The only thing I had to run in the window, because... Due to the game resolution, huge black bars appeared, and in the window everything is scaled and looks quite playable.
Next was The Witcher 2. Not that I wanted to play it, but the game is quite demanding, and testing on games from the late 90s is not interesting.
The process of installing and solving the problem was not much different from installing Baldur's Gate. I turned off all anti-aliasing and turned everything else up to maximum and the game does not lag and produces 30-40 FPS “by eye”.
Why “by eye”? There are very few programs for reading FPS, and it’s not a fact that they will work, but don’t be afraid, there will be tests with FPS next.
After a cup of coffee, I remembered the wonderful program Wine, which allows you to run Windows applications on Linux and MacOS. I quickly went into the junk closet and found a couple of discs, both pirated and licensed.
A bit of antiquity
Having installed latest version Wine, I started installing games. Of my entire modest collection, only the pirated version of WarCraft 3 was installed (but did not start), and the rest did not even display the game installation files. But I didn’t want to give up and started looking for assemblies from Vasya the hacker. I found Dark Messiah and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines on my external HDD; luckily I still have them because of the rarity of the build, which are not available on Steam or GOG.
After successful installation, only Vimpire launched, which is funny due to the curvature of the game itself. I turned on the FPS counter, but it didn't work in a window, so I'll have to take my word for it.
I also decided to install Battle.net and it was successful. It is very difficult to log in due to a lot of errors, but if you link your account to Facebook, then everything goes smoothly. And the first in line was Hearthstone, because... It's been a long time since I installed the first StarCraft and played it. But the problem is, the game has started, but there is only sound. I didn’t bother to figure it out and moved on.
Another failure was the launch of League of Legends. After successful installation, she did not want to launch the launcher, but tried very hard to solve the problems, so persistently that it seemed to me, for a moment, that she would succeed.
So I got to Steam and its problems. The problem is the same as everyone else’s - the absence of some files, but due to the fact that Valve cannot write some kind of FAQ for its users, unlike GOG, I had to run this barrel organ dancing around the fire for about an hour.
My modest collection of Linux games
Having installed and logged in, I rushed to the library, my heart melted and my eyes darted from the choice. From the entire list of games I purchased, I already played This is the police and Don’t Starv on my old laptop, but now I have good hardware and I can play it to my heart’s content.
Another advantage of Steam is the presence of a built-in FPS counter, which was immediately enabled.
I started with Metro: Last Light first. After successful installation, the game asked to update OpenGL to version 4. Having updated and launched the game, I plunged into the beauty and atmosphere of the Moscow post-apocalyptic metro. After playing for about an hour and switching between settings, I noted that everything was not so bad.
Note: Turning off vertical sync is a habit because... My monitor and video card support AMD FreeSync technology, which does a much better job of smoothing frames.
And at the end of Tomb Raider. The game started immediately and did not require anything. After playing for about an hour at maximum settings, I did not notice any critical problems with FPS or any problems in general. There was also a performance test in the game, which I also ran.
Conclusion
Oddly enough, there is life with games on Linux. It may be strange, but it gives extraordinary experience and impressions.
8 Best Linux Gaming Distributions of 2016
Long gone are the days when it was impossible to find games for Linux. In fact, the number of games being developed for Linux is more and more, the development process does not stop, the growth is stable and this has been most noticeable in recent years.
While there are hundreds of Linux distributions out there, all with different mantras and for different purposes, distros created for the sole purpose of gaming are not released very often. But of course there are some really good ones that have been developed and are already available to everyone. Today we will look at full list the best Linux distributions for gaming.
These distributions are equipped with various drivers, software, emulators and tools for a better gaming experience, so you can install them right away and enjoy the gaming experience.
The Best Linux Distributions for Games
Just to clarify, the distributions that will be listed below will be considered in random order, this is not the top from the first position to the last, which one you choose is completely up to you since it is quite difficult to determine the best one by the top, I hope you will try it and unsubscribe in the comments which is better and why.
1.
Steam OS is one of the most popular gaming distributions developed by Valve Corporation. From the creators of Steam. Steam OS is designed exclusively for running games from the Steam client.
- Based on: Debian 8 (Debian Jessie)
- Desktop environment: GNOME, optimized for quick keyboard and joystick access.
- Package format: DEB
Steam OS supports a variety of graphics cards and joysticks/gamepads. If by chance the driver for your hardware is not included out of the box, you can always manually configure it.
Equipment requirements :
- Processor: Intel or AMD supporting 64-bit architecture
- Memory: 4 GB or more RAM
- Hard drive: 200 GB or larger drive
- Video card: NVIDIA video card / AMD video card (RADEON 8500 and higher) / Intel Graphics
- Additionally: USB port for installing UEFI firmware (recommended)
Pros:
- Soothing user interface
- Mail support for all the latest Graphic Cards
- Compatible with various additional devices, joysticks/gamepads
- Huge collection of games from the built-in Steam client
Minuses:
- High hardware requirements
- Running games only from Steam
If you have upgraded your computer and your machine meets the requirements of the Steam OS, without a doubt, this distribution is worthy of being installed on your computer, whether to install it or not is up to you.
2. Sparky Linux - Gameover Edition
Sparky Linux - Gameover Edition is another one of the best distributions for games.
- Based on: Debian
- Desktop Environment: LXDE
- Package format: DEB
Sparky Linux - Gameover Edition comes with a built-in special utility called Aptus Gamer. This utility makes it easy to install support for various consoles, emulators and other tools for gamers. Aptus Gamer supports a very large list of emulators.
A large number of Linux games come pre-installed with this distribution. Apart from the above, it also comes with a pre-installed Steam client, Windows gaming with Wine pre-installed, and PlayOnLinux bundled with Sparky Linux - Gameover Edition.
It is also worth adding that a utility is provided pre-installed to help you install proprietary drivers for your video adapters and additional devices, set-top boxes, joysticks, and you can also install multimedia codecs using this utility.
Pros:
- Steam Games supported
- Support for installing games using Wine and PlayOnLinux
- Aptus Gamer Tool support
- Stable version of the distribution
Minuses:
- I would like to mention it, but I can’t, it’s too good.
If you want a stable Linux gaming distribution that supports a wide range of games from a variety of platforms, try this one.
3.
Game Drift Linux is optimized to provide the best gaming experience on Linux. It provides out-of-the-box support for Linux and popular games for Windows.
- Based on: Ubuntu
- Desktop Environment: MATE
- Package format: DEB
Game Drift has its own game store filled with various games open source, has both simple and a large number of high-quality Linux games in its list. The game store is regularly updated with new games, there is never any downtime. The game store in this distribution supports the installation of games with one click of a button without additional husk like I agree and so on.
There is built-in support for CrossOver technology for running Windows games. You can play more than 1200 games that are developed for Windows. You will also be able to run various Windows software with CrossOver.
- Processor: 1-2 GHz processor (32 or 64 bit)
- Memory: 1-2 GB RAM
- Hard disk: 4GB hard disk
- Video card: ATI, Nvidia or Intel
- Additionally: LAN / Internet
Pros:
- Your own game store
- Windows game support
Minuses:
- CrossOver is not free as you need to buy a key to activate it
If you want support for Windows games and can afford to spend the money to buy a CrossOver license, Game Drift Linux is a good choice for you.
4.
Play Linux is another good gaming distro for Linux and comes with Steam and PlayOnLinux pre-installed.
- Based on: Ubuntu
- Desktop Environment: Nebula
- Package format: DEB
Nebula is a lightweight and customizable environment that includes a wide range of settings for the appearance of Play Linux. Play Linux automatically detects the load on the processor and disables unnecessary functions without user intervention, such as Compiz, temporarily while you are busy with the gameplay so as not to load your video card with unnecessary loads that you can do without.
Unique features for the Play Linux distribution are provided by the integrated AutoGPU installer. It automatically configures and installs its graphics drivers so you don't have to waste your time.
Pros:
- Simple and lightweight distribution
- Steam support
- Pre-installed PlayOnLinux (for running Windows games)
- Automatic installation of graphics adapter drivers
Minuses:
- Beta version of the distribution
- May not be suitable for very new games, although this will smooth out over time
If you want a gaming distribution that is also compatible beyond the gaming experience with regular desktop use for everyday tasks, you can choose Play Linux.
5.
Lakka OS is completely different from the distributions we discussed above. It's a lightweight Linux distribution that turns your computer into a full-blown gaming console, literally.
- Based on: OpenELEC
- Desktop Environment: RetroArch
Lakka OS is capable of emulating a wide range of consoles. Systemically provided support for all necessary console emulators for comfortable gaming in the RetroArch environment.
All emulators are provided with pre-improved configurations, specially optimized so that games on Lakka OS run more smoothly and without problems, which cannot be said about emulators without prior configuration. Most games have very low hardware resource requirements, with the exception of Playstation or Xbox games.
The key features of Lakka OS are Multiplayer, Savestates, Shaders, NetPlay, rewind and wireless joystick support.
Pros:
- Easy in robot
- Beautiful interface
- Large number of supported emulators
- Various supported hardware
- Automatic joystick recognition
- Various useful functions for games
Minuses:
- No support for Steam or Windows games
If you are a hardcore gamer with a console and a high-end computer, Lakka OS is without any doubt waiting for you.
6.
Fedora Games Spin is a great example that demonstrates the capabilities of the Fedora distribution for running games.
- Based on: Fedora
- Package format: RPM
Fedora Games Spin comes with thousands of Linux games. With a link to the official website:
The included games cover several genres, first-person, real-time and turn-based strategy, all games are logical in nature.
Steam client, Wine or PlayOnLinux are not installed by default. If you want Steam and Windows game support, you'll need to manually install them using a package manager. Some pre-installed games also require additional requirements to launch and begin playing.
Pros:
- Thousands of pre-installed Linux games
- Stable, fast and lightweight distribution
Minuses:
- No out-of-box support for using Steam and Windows games
- Drivers are not pre-installed
- Not for hardcore gamers
Although this distro is not that advanced for gaming, but if you are a Fedora hobbyist and fan, you should try this distro.
7.
Ubuntu GamePack is a gaming distribution that provides support for about six thousand Linux and Windows games. It was developed to bridge the gap in game availability between Linux and Windows.
- Based on: Ubuntu
- Desktop Environment: Unity
- Package format: DEB
Ubuntu GamePack does not include any games outside the box. Rather, it opens the door to running on Linux, Steam games, Windows games and various consoles on your computer.
The Steam client, Lutris, Wine and PlayOnLinux come pre-installed with the Ubuntu Gamepack. Lutris is an open gaming platform for managing console, Linux, Steam and Windows games.
There is support for Adobe Flash and Oracle Java. So, you won’t have any problems when playing online games.
Ubuntu GamePack also provides a dedicated repository with a collection of hundreds of games.
Pros:
- Pre-installed Lutris
- Compatibility for online play
- Support for installing games from Steam and launching Windows games and consoles
Minuses:
- May seem a little slower than other distros listed above
8.
MGAME (formerly known as Manjaro Gaming) is a distribution designed for gamers and Manjaro fans.
- Based on: Manjaro
- Desktop Environment: Xfce
MGAME automatically installs the necessary drivers for popular graphics cards. It also provides various tweaks for an optimal gaming experience.
MGAME comes with various additional utilities and sources that gamers often need, additionally comes pre-installed with applications for video editing, video recording and streaming, applications for creating high-quality images screen, etc.
There is pre-installed support for a huge list of console emulators. Wine and PlayOnLinux are also preinstalled to run Windows games. If you want to play games on Steam, you'll have to manually install the Steam client, which is a feat on Arch Linux-based distros since Steam is not officially supported on Arch.
Pros:
- Pre-installed tools for gamers
- Wide range of supported consoles, emulators
Minuses
- Not suitable for hardcore gamers
MGAME is a relatively new distribution in the gaming category. But if you are a fan of Manjaro, you may want to try it.
Have you had experience using one or more of these distributions? Which one is especially the best? Let us know!
Hardware configuration on which the games were tested:
Processor: Intel Core i5-2310 2.90GHz (4 cores)
RAM: 8Gb
Video: GeForce GTX 460 SE (1024 MB)
All games were tested at maximum settings; previously I played all these games on Windows 7, on the same hardware.
Working normally:
Medieval 2: Total War
Empire: Total War
Shogun 2: Total War
Aliens vs Predator (2010)
Mount & Blade: Warband
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (including Dawnguard and Hearthfire expansions)
ArmA 2 – modern war edition
Armageddon Riders
Mount & Blade. With fire and sword
Fallout 3. New Vegas
X3 Albion Prelude
Might & Magic Heroes VI
Port Royale 3 Pirates and Merchants
Risen 2. Dark Waters
Cities XL Platinum (2013)
Aliens.Colonial Marines.Limited Edition
Guild Wars 2 (runs via PlayOnLinux, available in App Center)
World Of Tanks (launched using this instruction)
Could not start, or started, but with errors:
there are none
Result: All 28 games run just as well using Wine as they do in their native environment (Windows).
Let me remind you that steam is currently being tested under Linux, in which new games ported to Linux are constantly being added. Valve previously stated that Linux is more viable as a gaming platform than Windows 8 and for them Linux is a priority. And they were also supported by Blizzard. Therefore, it is quite possible that in the near future the need for Wine will disappear.
In general, after several weeks of testing Linux, namely the Kubuntu distribution, I finally abandoned Windows.
Everything I need works in Linux, it works faster, is more stable, backups are made with just one command, and they are also deployed with just one command (during the tests I killed the system 2 times, everything was easily restored), no the need for an antivirus, the ability to customize anything you want.Plus to all this - it is free, distributed under the GNU/GPL license, let me remind you that this license implies free distribution of both the system itself and the source codes, i.e. if you are literate programmer - you can change it to your taste or even make a new operating system, but under the terms of this license, all products that are made based on products with a GNU/GPL license must also be licensed under this license. In general, thanks to the open source nature of this operating system the system is developing rapidly, and is developing precisely for convenience and stability, because thousands of people participate in its development without pursuing economic benefits from their contribution to this OS.
In general, this means that Linux will never become a system aimed at “milking people” and will develop in the direction of stability and convenience.
Would you like to play Unreal 2004 on Linux?
In our article "Linux is coming to the desktop" We mentioned that there are not too many games on the Linux platform. Now we decided to consider this issue in detail. Let's take a look at what you can expect from Linux if you want to jump into Unreal or Doom 3. We'll look at the current state of things, identify the reasons, and make some predictions for the future.
Why are so few games released for Linux? Or a better question is why game developers need to spend money to add support for a Linux game for a limited number of users? The answer is not so simple, especially as Linux continues to proliferate on users' desktops.
There are many reasons that can motivate you to switch from Windows to Linux. We will not dwell on them in detail, we will only note that users constantly complain about the instability of Windows, high prices and many layers of software that affect performance. In addition, a number of users avoid Windows on principle, not wanting to put up with Microsoft's monopoly.
According to analyst firm IDC, Linux "is no longer a niche phenomenon." Profits in the Linux market, including server hardware, PCs, and software bundles, will be $35.7 billion by 2008, according to IDC. And the software suite market is growing at an impressive 44% per year, bringing it to $14 billion by 2008.
On the desktop side, IDC predicts that sales of Linux PCs will nearly triple, from six million PCs in 2004 to 17 million in 2008. The percentage of PCs sold with Linux will rise to somewhere between 3.8% in 2004 to about 7% in 2008. But these numbers don't take into account computers shipped with Windows that are then installed with Linux.
As you can see, everything indicates that the number of Linux desktop PCs is growing, so gamers are also gradually looking at Linux. If we take the same game consoles, then with the help of hackers it was possible to transfer Linux even to Microsoft Xbox and Sony Playstation II.
If Linux really does take off as widely as IDC predicts, then what should a player who wants to jump into Halo on Linux do? Why is it difficult to port games from one platform to another? Putting performance issues aside, let's analyze the relationship between graphics card drivers and the API that developers use in games. Which of these will work under Linux and which won't.
Doom 3 - good example OpenGL capabilities.
The developer's choice of Direct3D or OpenGL API greatly influences whether the game will run on Linux or not. Both APIs allow you to create 3D worlds, including geometry, smoke, shadows and all other effects. Some people claim that Direct3D is superior to OpenGL, but this is actually not the case. Although Direct3D dominates as a gaming API, great graphics depend more on the talent and skill of the developer than on the choice of API.
Unfortunately, Direct3D falls under the Microsoft umbrella, remaining committed to the "Windows-only" world. Since Windows is the most widely used OS in the PC world, graphics chip manufacturers only work with one operating system when developing drivers for Direct3D games.
OpenGL, at the same time, is common on many platforms - this API is compatible with Linux, Windows, Unix and Mac OS. But while OpenGL is compatible with Windows, Direct3D is not compatible with Linux - and this is the main problem. Most game developers use Direct3D and don't bother releasing an OpenGL version, which would allow the game to be used on other non-Microsoft operating systems.
There are, of course, exceptions. Doom 3 can be called the brightest - beautiful fresh game, With modern effects, which uses OpenGL. Whether you like Doom 3 or not, look at the great graphics - they rival any game on the market. Doom 3 also refutes the thesis that "Direct3D is a better graphics programming interface than OpenGL". Doom 3 is truly a true multi-platform game, supporting Windows and Linux.
Some Direct3D games are released for both Windows and Linux. But in this case, the game was originally created for Direct3D, and then translated into OpenGL for Linux. Some developers perform this translation themselves, others use cheap outsourced programming. Unfortunately, most games don't have this option.
When Doom 3 came out in 2004, many forums featured unhappy ATi card owners who couldn't run Doom 3 on Linux. ATi's problem with Doom 3 is, in fact, a perfect example of another potential problem for running games on Linux. Doom 3 is written under OpenGL, and Linux recognizes this game perfectly. But what's the matter?
Initially, the problems with ATi cards under Linux were the lack of support for Doom 3 in the driver. The fact is that whether the game is written for OpenGL or Direct3D, the graphics card driver must support this game. In the case of Doom 3 and ATi, the game's development team did not hand over the final Doom 3 code until after the game's release. According to Matthew Tippett, head of Linux development at ATI, "we weren't contacted until about 3 weeks before Doom 3 was released. We were told the game wasn't working. The sooner we If we knew about the problems, the sooner Catalyst would be released." In fact, today ATi cards work great with Doom 3 on Linux. But of course there is a problem with the drivers.
So is it possible to simply download the driver for Doom 3, and will it work on all Linux distributions like SuSe, Red Hat, etc.? "The driver will work on most distributions," says Tippett. "The technology is the same, but there are differences in configuration, information, etc. And solving these problems is not always easy given the wide distribution market."
GPU manufacturers have to release a driver not only for Linux (except for the Windows version), but also a driver for each variant of Linux. "Any company that builds a Linux distribution follows the user's wishes," Tippett said. "As a result, problems arise, but they can be solved. In general, distribution builders need to understand their existence."
“Every Linux distribution has its own internal problems,” said Nick Triantos, chief developer at nVidia. “It takes a lot of effort to develop a driver for each Linux distribution. And this is not always easy. Red Hat Enterprise Linux, for example , changes rarely. But Fedora, another Red Hat product, changes regularly. There are those in the Linux community who are not interested in our driver development process, as well as those who demand that everything be open source, which often complicates release drivers. Because we supply drivers in binary code, and for some builders it is very difficult to add binary code to a system where the rest of the code is open."
Of course, creating drivers for Linux is, in principle, no more difficult than for Windows. As many gamers will attest, choosing the right graphics card driver for a specific Direct3D game under Windows XP is also not always easy. Conflicts and other surprises may arise. "There is a certain misconception in the market that driver development for Linux is difficult," Tippett said.
Essentially, creating a graphics card driver under Linux is often more straightforward and logical than under Windows. “The problem is that under Windows there is a huge amount of software of varying quality, and one piece of “bad” program can “overwhelm” the entire system,” says Triantos. “Printer drivers, multimedia devices and all the “garbage” that is found in the lower right corner of the screen, increase the chance of someone making a mistake. Linux doesn't have that many layers, but of course there are dangers too."
The Linux platform is another battleground where graphics card manufacturers must differentiate themselves from the competition.
We will not predict or compare the performance of ATi, nVidia or other manufacturers' products in Linux games. However, graphics card driver code is very important because it affects many things, not just frames per second. "Driver stability is very important. It's easy to do a test run, but we need a reliable driver that will work with all applications," Triantos said. "We rely on a combination of stability, features and quality to differentiate ourselves from other companies."
nVidia loves Linux
As for nVidia, the Linux driver development team includes about 400 software engineers. They program in C and C++ and work very closely with the testing department. "Every time SuSe, Red Hat or Mandrake, as well as other companies, release new version OS, we immediately test our drivers under it,” says Triantos.
By the way, according to nVidia, the main motivation for developing drivers for Linux is to support high-end graphics workstations. They are used by film companies to create cartoons like "Shrek", engineering companies - for CAD visualization, geological exploration companies - to simulate a 3D world. "All of these applications require Linux," Triantos said.
However, nVidia does not disclose the exact number of resources devoted to development for Linux. At the same time, ATi has less interest in Linux than in Windows. “Unfortunately, our development team for Linux is smaller than for Windows, and our goals are different,” Tippett said. “Linux remains a small and niche market, and games here are limited to OpenGL only.”
That is, ATi's official response is that although the company has "significantly expanded" the resources allocated to Linux over the past year, they (resources) are still limited compared to development for Windows. "We can only do what our resources allow us to do," said an ATi spokesman. "While we have significantly expanded our resources, which is good for Linux users, we must not lose sight of the market."
Are 300 Direct3D Games Really Ready for Linux?
Although Linux games are limited by OpenGL, there are alternatives that allow gamers to avoid waiting for game developers to invest in OpenGL support. Canadian company TransGaming can convert from Direct3D to OpenGL using a product well known in the Linux community - Cedega. This project was originally called WineX. As TransGaming promises, Cedega allows you to "quickly and transparently run Windows games on Linux right out of the box - with great performance and gameplay." Today, Cedega supports more than 300 Direct3D games, including Battlefield Vietnam, Eidos Hitman: Contracts and LucasArts Star Wars Galaxies.
You simply install the program, after which your favorite games run perfectly on the SuSe platform - just like under Windows XP. Unfortunately, Cedega does not support all games at a fairly acceptable level. Even if you omit the performance results, there may be problems with installation, loading times, etc. In general, this solution is still far from ideal.
Conclusion
Now it's time to tell the hard truth: you won't get the same gaming experience on Linux as you did on Windows XP. There are no games like Halo and Half-Life 2 here yet. So if you want to always get the latest hits on time, you'll have to stick to Microsoft's course.
Yes, there are exceptions: in the OpenGL-based Doom 3, you may not notice the difference between the Linux and Windows versions - at least we didn't find any. "For example, my Radeon Mobility 9800 laptop runs above 100 frame rates. The differences in speed aren't big enough to detract from the enjoyment of the game for most users," Tippett said. "But extreme gamers should be careful."
There are a huge number of versions of Linux. On DistroWatch.com only for last month more than 300 distributions were noted, and in the entire history of Linux there were about 700 of them. How to choose among this abundance?
Two main criteria to pay attention to:
- Popularity of the distribution. The more popular your distribution, the easier it will be to find manuals for it on the Web. The large community means that you can easily get help on the distro's forums if you have any difficulties mastering it. Finally, the more widespread the distribution, the more applications and packages are ported for it. It’s better to choose popular solutions with a ready-made package base than to struggle with assembling from source code in some exotic distribution.
- The development team behind it. Naturally, it is better to pay attention to distributions supported by large companies like Canonical Ltd., Red Hat or SUSE, or distributions with large communities.
Please note that even the best distributions have analogues that are not much inferior to them. If you are somehow not satisfied with Lifehacker’s choice, you can try alternatives.
For those who have never used Linux - Linux Mint
New users who migrated from , should definitely install Linux Mint. Today it is the most popular Linux distribution. It is a very stable and easy to use system based on Ubuntu.
Linux Mint is equipped with an easy and intuitive interface (Cinnamon shell for modern computers and MATE for older machines) and a convenient application manager, so you will not have problems finding and installing programs.
Pros: simplicity, care for ordinary users. You don't need any specific knowledge to install and use Mint.
Minuses: a large amount of pre-installed software that may never be useful.
For those who want the latest software - Manjaro
It is a popular Linux distribution based on Arch. Arch is an incredibly powerful and feature-rich distribution, but its KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) philosophy, contrary to its name, makes it too difficult for beginners. Arch can only be installed via the command line.
Manjaro, unlike Arch, has a simple graphical installer and yet combines powerful Arch features such as AUR (Arch User Repository) and rolling release. AUR is the richest source of Linux packages. If any application is on Linux, it is probably already in the AUR. So in Manjaro you will always have the latest packages.
Manjaro comes with a variety of desktop shells to choose from: functional KDE, GNOME for tablet screens, Xfce, LXDE and more. Manjaro, you can be sure to be the first to receive the latest updates.
Pros: AUR, thanks to which you can install any application without unnecessary movements. Always the latest software.
Minuses: unique design of desktop shells. However, nothing prevents you from replacing it.
For home server - Debian
A home server can be useful for many purposes. For example, to store data and backups, download torrents, or arrange your own dimensionless .
Debian will do well on your home server. It is a stable and conservative distribution that became the basis for Ubuntu and many other Linux systems. Debian uses only the most proven packages, making it a good choice for a server.
Pros: stability and a large set of applications.
Minuses: the need to manually configure the distribution after installation.
For Media Center - Kodi
If you want to set up your own media server, choose Kodi. Strictly speaking, Kodi is not a distribution, but a full-featured media center player. You can install it on any Linux, but it is best to choose the Ubuntu + Kodi combination.
Kodi supports all types of video and audio files. It can play movies, music, and organize your photos. Kodi will turn anyone into universal device for fun.
Thanks to extensions, Kodi can download media files via torrents, track new seasons of your favorite TV series, and show videos from YouTube and other streaming services. In short, Kodi does it all.
In addition, Kodi is very beautiful and optimized for control with remote control or Android devices. You can easily customize Kodi's interface with a variety of visual skins.
Pros: a huge number of functions and convenient controls.
Minuses: The standard interface may not be to everyone's liking, but it is easy to replace.
For Desktop - Kubuntu
The KDE graphical environment is ideal for use on the desktop, and Kubuntu is the most popular KDE distribution. Like many other distributions, it's based on Ubuntu, which means you won't have any application compatibility issues.
Kubuntu is beautiful, functional and easy to customize. Even novice users can easily handle it. It's a stable and polished system that provides all the features you need for a home desktop PC.
Pros: big choice packages, a wonderful set of KDE applications and a huge number of interface customizations.
Minuses: Kubuntu uses a stable version of KDE, which means that the latest features of this shell come here late. If you want to try out the latest KDE, KDE Neon is at your service.
For an old computer or netbook - Lubuntu
This version of Ubuntu is based on the LXDE shell, which is lightweight and resource-efficient. It is aimed at older or low-power machines. If you have a not-so-new computer or netbook lying around that can't handle Windows, you can do it by installing Lubuntu.
This Linux distribution consumes few system resources and can run on almost any configuration.
Pros: very fast and lightweight system. However, it supports the same packages and applications as its older sister Ubuntu.
Minuses: appearance LXDE won't be to everyone's taste, but it's a small price to pay for performance.
Alternative: .
For tablet or convertible - Ubuntu
Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions on the desktop. As of version 17.10, Ubuntu ends support for the Unity shell and migrates to GNOME. And GNOME looks quite good on devices with touch screens. If you have a tablet and want to try installing Linux on it, try Ubuntu with GNOME.
GNOME's large UI elements, customizable gestures and extensions make Ubuntu a great system for touchscreens.
Pros: Ubuntu is a widespread distribution, which means you can easily find all the software you need. In addition, most Linux sites are dedicated specifically to Ubuntu.
Minuses: The GNOME shell is convenient, but at first it seems unusual.
For laptop - elementary OS
As the name suggests, this version of Linux is very simple. You won't have any problems mastering it. It runs easily on laptops and consumes battery slowly.
The interface of elementary OS is reminiscent of macOS, so it will be a pleasure to use for Mac fans. Animations, window decorations - everything here is so smooth and pretty that you can simply admire the system. However, behind the beautiful shell of elementary OS lies a full-fledged Linux that supports all the applications necessary for work.
Pros: beautiful interface, own indie app store.
Minuses: The Pantheon graphical shell, although it looks stylish, is not very functional.