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Actually, i dont see OpenGL ES + ARM + Linux as a "niche platform". ARM boards with Open GL ES (may it even be the crappy rasperrypi, would work on low settings) are getting more and more often. You should reconsider porting the OpenGL ES backend to ARM. There arent a lot of Games that work on those platforms (without wrapping/etc).
Having a small/cheap (good hw? hint: odroid!) device that runs VO well would be awesome too.
Having a small/cheap (good hw? hint: odroid!) device that runs VO well would be awesome too.
Actually, i dont see OpenGL ES + ARM + Linux as a "niche platform". ARM boards with Open GL ES (may it even be the crappy rasperrypi, would work on low settings) are getting more and more often. You should reconsider porting the OpenGL ES backend to ARM. There arent a lot of Games that work on those platforms (without wrapping/etc).
Having a small/cheap (good hw? hint: odroid!) device that runs VO well would be awesome too.
Look, I love all the weird architecture platform stuff. I have a basement full of Alphas and Suns and Vax and other stuff. But any platform with less than 100 million active (gaming) users is "niche", and not really worth our time. Probably the only exception to this rule would be full-bore consoles, which at least have a userbase that is (more or less) exclusively dedicated to playing games.
You have to realize the amount of development time absorbed by added platform support, and it isn't a one-time cost, it's an on-going thing from then on. Like for instance the state of vendor ES drivers is a mess on Android, we're constantly working around vendor bugs or pushing reports to the different SoC companies.
Linux-ARM support would be development time far better put into actual gameplay, content, features and the like. Again, I love all the hacker platforms and new emerging technology, but you can probably run VO on a refrigerator already, I think our support is broad enough. Any other platforms have to include some kind of serious business case.
Having a small/cheap (good hw? hint: odroid!) device that runs VO well would be awesome too.
Look, I love all the weird architecture platform stuff. I have a basement full of Alphas and Suns and Vax and other stuff. But any platform with less than 100 million active (gaming) users is "niche", and not really worth our time. Probably the only exception to this rule would be full-bore consoles, which at least have a userbase that is (more or less) exclusively dedicated to playing games.
You have to realize the amount of development time absorbed by added platform support, and it isn't a one-time cost, it's an on-going thing from then on. Like for instance the state of vendor ES drivers is a mess on Android, we're constantly working around vendor bugs or pushing reports to the different SoC companies.
Linux-ARM support would be development time far better put into actual gameplay, content, features and the like. Again, I love all the hacker platforms and new emerging technology, but you can probably run VO on a refrigerator already, I think our support is broad enough. Any other platforms have to include some kind of serious business case.
in that case, we'd need at least proper mouse support for android... existing android users also would like this.
Can't have mouse on mobile just can't happen. My joystick has a mouse cursor when PDA is open.
But any platform with less than 100 million active (gaming) users is "niche", and not really worth our time.
So, the whole reason I started playing this and paying a subscription since 2010 isn't really worth your time? Damn dude.
So, the whole reason I started playing this and paying a subscription since 2010 isn't really worth your time? Damn dude.
Guess im niche already due to playing AND paying on linux... Inc, you'd be surprised how many people actually play and especially pay on linux. So supporting niche actually makes you cash...
What Inc is saying is that supporting an additional architecture on Linux doesn't make sense until there is a justifiable business case for it. For example: ARM starts to out x86 as the dominant platform.
If they were faced with a scenario where their Linux users were going to ARM and they would lose the subscriptions, that would be a business case.
If there was a new gaming machine that was ARM based, that would be a business case.
Currently, ARM is either primarily mobile or on the server side, which doesn't make a business case for porting the game to.
If they were faced with a scenario where their Linux users were going to ARM and they would lose the subscriptions, that would be a business case.
If there was a new gaming machine that was ARM based, that would be a business case.
Currently, ARM is either primarily mobile or on the server side, which doesn't make a business case for porting the game to.
Savet, i disagree on the ARM is only mobile/server part. ARM boards are not uncommon and there are even some which are quite performant. Most of those already come with Linux and some with Android too.
So, the whole reason I started playing this and paying a subscription since 2010 isn't really worth your time? Damn dude.
Heh, obviously we support Linux for reasons other than pure market share, and of course we value the Linux player base. But that doesn't mean I'm going to chase after every other possible variant. It would be a disservice to the player-base as a whole for me to burn time on that (to make very few people happy), as opposed to spending it enhancing the actual game (making everyone happy).
People asked me for Linux-PPC support for years as well, which was pretty popular in the Mac-PPC era. There was a whole contingent that wanted Amiga support (the "modern" Amiga community thing). These are all neat projects, but they just don't make sense for us. We have such limited resources, that to burn them on the inevitable, on-going requirements of supporting more platforms that only benefit a super narrow subset of users, and are unlikely to ever pay for themselves.. is a bad idea.
Compare that against, say, the iPhone. Which we still haven't released on yet, due largely to lack of time and resources and juggling projects. That's a platform that will make money from day one, with massive revenue potential.
So, no, I am not going to be worrying about a Linux-ARM build at the moment. If Linux-ARM ends up having some major renaissance and becomes as big (or bigger) than Linux-x86/64, maybe we'd look at rolling support at that time? But for the moment it is not going to be a priority.
Heh, obviously we support Linux for reasons other than pure market share, and of course we value the Linux player base. But that doesn't mean I'm going to chase after every other possible variant. It would be a disservice to the player-base as a whole for me to burn time on that (to make very few people happy), as opposed to spending it enhancing the actual game (making everyone happy).
People asked me for Linux-PPC support for years as well, which was pretty popular in the Mac-PPC era. There was a whole contingent that wanted Amiga support (the "modern" Amiga community thing). These are all neat projects, but they just don't make sense for us. We have such limited resources, that to burn them on the inevitable, on-going requirements of supporting more platforms that only benefit a super narrow subset of users, and are unlikely to ever pay for themselves.. is a bad idea.
Compare that against, say, the iPhone. Which we still haven't released on yet, due largely to lack of time and resources and juggling projects. That's a platform that will make money from day one, with massive revenue potential.
So, no, I am not going to be worrying about a Linux-ARM build at the moment. If Linux-ARM ends up having some major renaissance and becomes as big (or bigger) than Linux-x86/64, maybe we'd look at rolling support at that time? But for the moment it is not going to be a priority.
Guess im niche already due to playing AND paying on linux... Inc, you'd be surprised how many people actually play and especially pay on linux. So supporting niche actually makes you cash...
No he won't be surprised. It's a server based game, they know exactly how many connections there are and which clients are being used and at which subscription level. I bet they have lots of other stats too.
No he won't be surprised. It's a server based game, they know exactly how many connections there are and which clients are being used and at which subscription level. I bet they have lots of other stats too.
Those stats don't take into account people that have two televisions and other...other things of that nature
True, I was answering just the statement made.
Im happy PPC support hasnt been dropped yet, still playing with it :)
I wouldn't be surprised if there were a heck of a lot more people gaming on RaspberryPis these days than there are PPC Macs that even boot.
Whether those people are willing or able to pay for VO is another thing, though.
Whether those people are willing or able to pay for VO is another thing, though.
I would love a VO client for my TV, I'm sure it can run it. But would it bring in new users? No.
I would love a VO client for my Pandora, could it run it ? Yes. Could it bring in more users? I'm sure it would.
I would love a VO client for my (inset new geeky device here), but would it run it? I'm sure it would, but GS seem to think that releasing on VR would pull in more. Well, time will tell as always, but at least they get paid some money for these new platforms which let them eat and stuff.
I would love a VO client for my Pandora, could it run it ? Yes. Could it bring in more users? I'm sure it would.
I would love a VO client for my (inset new geeky device here), but would it run it? I'm sure it would, but GS seem to think that releasing on VR would pull in more. Well, time will tell as always, but at least they get paid some money for these new platforms which let them eat and stuff.
Eating is good.