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Linux gaming is on a life-support system called Steam
In September 2013, Valve founder Gabe Newell gave a rare, 20-minute presentation at LinuxCon. He called Linux "the future of gaming," predicting that as the industry became more user-driven and connected across both distances and devices, an open-source foundation would be the only way to keep pace with coming innovations. With the standard, proprietary operating systems powering Windows, Mac and consoles, Newell argued, all control over content, pricing and change rested in the hands of billion-dollar corporations. Linux offered a chance for all players and developers to shape the marketplace.
Unity 4.0 game engine adds Linux support, Mecanim animation, Flash and DirectX 11 (video)
Unity is about to give a jolt to the Linux gaming community with version 4.0 of its engine. The Penguin has been "underserved," according to the game engine company, so it'll now join the list of supported operating systems alongside Windows, OS X, iOS, Android, Xbox, PS3 and Wii. Developers will also get the new Mecanim system for making character animation easier, on top of DirectX 11 for Windows and Flash publishing options. Details are in the video after the break, but it's good news considering how Linux's namesake just decried the lack of love for the platform.
Steam for Mac beta reveals possible Linux compatibility in the pipeline, penguins rejoice
Gaming on Linux? That's not something we hear every day just yet, but it looks like the good folks at Valve might be considering a penguin revolution. In one of the latest beta releases of Steam for Mac, Phoronix spotted a mention of the open-source platform in the launcher script, and we were also able to verify this code ourselves. Furthermore, the eagle-eyed Linux blog has previously seen a handful of evidence hinting Linux compatibility for Valve's Source gaming engine. We're probably still a ways off from any announcement (if ever) so for now, let's just leave the guys alone -- we don't want to distract them from bringing the Portal goodness to our Macs now, do we?
EVO Linux game console now up for pre-order
The last time we heard from Envizions, the company was just starting to get its game plan together -- but it looks like the gears are officially in motion on its Linux-based game console. The final specs for the box now seem to be in place, with off-the-shelf components like the Athlon 64x2 5600 CPU (clocked to 2.4GHz), an ATI HD 3200 graphics chipset, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, and a 120GB hard drive filling out what is essentially a standard PC housing. Envizions say that the console will run a modified, quick-boot distro of Fedora called Mirrors (which can be upgraded to a beefier build named Mirrors Evolution X), and will feature a "cloud" service stacked with Amiga (!) games and an Akimbo-based video service. Beyond that, proper titles will be sold online and on SD cards for around $20. Envizions is currently taking pre-orders for the box, and say beta units will be shipped on April 10th. Pricing for those consoles will run between $280-350, while the final retail version can be had for $380, and should be available sometime in June. We have just two words of advice for the fledgling company: get some killer games on there fast, and please, please update your site.[Via Digg, Linux Devices]
Linux alpha for Second Life released
Last month we tantalised you with the news that a Linux client for Second Life was under development; the good news is that it's now available to download and install. As the Second Life website warns, this client connects to the main grid, so be careful--there are definitely still bugs in the system, and any changes you make to the world are permanent.Our initial testing proved favourable; it installs and runs perfectly on our Fedora Core 3 box with NVidia binary graphics drivers. Although several features in the game client are missing or working poorly, they are known issues at this alpha stage, and the forums allow for discussion and feedback.Linux is often overlooked as a gaming platform, as the number of users and their demographic makes investing in Linux games less of a priority for developers. However, games like A Tale in the Desert and now this port of Second Life are being welcomed in the Linux community--reboots for gaming won't be tolerated for much longer by Linux users if viable alternatives are coming to the platform natively.[Via Jono Bacon]
