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Hey there!

I'm a solo dev working on a sci-fi grand strategy game (I didn't manage to find if self-promo is allowed so I'll keep the name for myself).

I was updating my planning and started to think: since my game will be published on Steam, it will be playable on Linux using Compatibility Mode even if I don't specifically target Linux itself. I myself play on an Ubuntu and this allows me to play almost every Windows game (old ones are more capricious, but recent ones are ok).

So I'm wondering, is there really an advantage to have native Linux support nowadays? As a solo dev, the thing I lack the most is time. The days/weeks/months it would take me to add it and fix all the probable bugs it entails could be used to improve the game itself or add features instead for example.

On a more general note, what do you other Linux players expect from a Linux game?

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[-] F04118F@feddit.nl 32 points 3 weeks ago

Steam Deck and Linux desktop user here.

I wouldn't prioritize a native Linux binary if I were you. For some of my games that have a native Linux version, I still run the Proton compatibility version instead because it runs better. Proton is insanely well-optimized and adapted to Linux desktops, your own code will have a hard time competing with that.

Just make sure to pick an engine / tech stack that works well with Proton and find one or more testers who run SteamOS or another Linux distribution.

[-] bruce965@lemmy.ml 19 points 3 weeks ago

As a personal anecdote, recently I installed a co-op videogame on my Linux Steam machine and I couldn't get past the main menu, I wasted quite a bit of my own and my friend's time before realizing it was a bug in the Linux build. After reinstalling the Windows version through Proton everything worked flawlessly.

Please don't publish a Linux build unless you plan to test and maintain it.

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Yes I had a similar experience with Paradox Games, where the native build delivers very poor performance over the Proton-run version. It seems to be the consensus. If I don't receive other real counterpoints I'll follow your advice.

[-] eric5949@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

I never noticed that, I put in probably 2k hours in Eu4's native Linux version, guess I should change over to proton lol

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 4 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah I agree, it's honestly impressive how well it works. As soon as I have the possibility I'll take a Steam Deck and try to make my game compatible with it, I'm sure if I manage to make it work on it that should eliminate 90% of Proton compatibility-related bugs if I don't make a native build.

I'm still seeking for answers from people for whom it doesn't work well or who have bad experiences with it, because I'm sure there are cases where it doesn't work

[-] domi@lemmy.secnd.me 13 points 3 weeks ago

I prefer a working Proton build over a untested broken native build. If you can't afford the time to test the Linux builds, go ahead and just rely on Proton.

Testing on Steam Deck so it can be verified probably does make sense from a marketing standpoint though. Mostly checking that controls work, graphic settings are not too demanding by default and font scaling works properly.

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 3 points 3 weeks ago

I think it's what I'll do indeed. And for the Steam Deck I intend to make the game fully compatible with it as I've read a lot of time how it enabled people with otherwise few opportunities to play to get a bit of "me time". Being a dad I empathize a lot with that struggle haha

[-] cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 3 weeks ago

Linux native games are great as long as the engine is open source. If it's closed source, it will eventually stop running on up-to-date distros some time after the developer stops updating it. For closed source games, it would be better to develop for excellent wine/proton compatibility so the game will continue to be playable long after it stops getting updates.

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 3 points 3 weeks ago

Good point indeed. Thanks :)

[-] rikudou@lemmings.world 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I personally am fine with Proton, the native Linux build usually doesn't work as well as the Windows one because devs don't usually care because of smaller market share (or don't have the time as is often the case with indie studios).

What's the name of the game? I'll add it to my wishlist if it sounds like something I'd enjoy.

Also, if I may ask, do a GOG release, I do 90% of my gaming there.

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Proton it will probably be then :) The game is Uncharted Sectors, I don't have a Steam page public yet, but you can subscribe to the mailing list if you are interested, subscribers get access to the beta (https://uncharted-sectors.com/)

I'm not that familiar with GOG, I'll take a look at it. Does it have a similar Linux compatibility layer? Because if not I do need to make a native build then

[-] rikudou@lemmings.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

Proton is usable even without Steam, you simply publish the Windows version only and people will figure it out. If you make sure it works with the Steam Compatibility layer (Proton), it's easy to run anywhere on Linux.

For GOG the easiest would be Heroic Games Launcher which also uses Proton.

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 2 points 3 weeks ago

Noted, thank you :)

[-] Nilz@sopuli.xyz 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I've heard that Steam provides some guidelines to get your games to work well with Proton. I'm not able to find them but maybe they're behind a developer portal or something. If it works with Proton there's no reason to aim for a native Linux binary since your time will be better spent elsewhere.

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 2 points 3 weeks ago

Yes that seems to be the consensus in the end. Thanks for your answer :)

For the docs I've found this for Proton common issues: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/steamdeck/proton?l=english And this for Steam Deck compatibility: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/steamdeck/recommendations I'm sure there are other resources, but if someone finds the thread later and needs a starting point, here they are

[-] Quazatron@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

Nowadays I view Windows as a gaming layer that has been bolted on the great Borg mothership that is Linux in the form of Wine or Proton in route to the goal of Total World Domination.

A bit like Embrace, Extend, Extinguish but in reverse, if you will. So it's fine.

[-] Prok@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Native is always better, but Proton (what's used by steam OS to run windows games) has worked for me for every title I've tried (even some small indie titles)... Sometimes graphics settings can be inconsistent, but I'd say it's a pretty safe bet if you're using an established engine it will just work with Proton

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 3 points 3 weeks ago

That is my experience too, I guess some Linux builds are just poorly optimized in comparison to the Windows ones.

Valve's engineers did a wonderful job with Proton honestly

[-] atro_city@fedia.io 4 points 3 weeks ago

Will you only publish it on steam? It would be great to have games available on other platforms like GoG too.

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 3 points 3 weeks ago

The initial goal was Steam but it looks like some people prefer GOG so I'll study that possibility too :)

[-] atro_city@fedia.io 1 points 3 weeks ago

Nice! Looking forward to the release. I'm sure there's a gamedev community on lemmy where you can talk about the development of the game and announce when it has been released and where!

[-] peto@lemm.ee 4 points 3 weeks ago

Should Vale release a general Steam OS and folk move away from Windows en masse it's probably going to be worth it. Proton does a great job but a tested and supported Linux build will be better. Some solos do it, but I think it is more based in ideology rather than necessity.

Your time and effort as a solo is going to be limited though, testing and supporting a Linux build is going to be work, and if you want to keep things closed source you are not going to be able to leverage the community in the way open software does.

There might be steps you can take to be more compatible with Proton and/or Steam Deck, which probably would be a good idea, and give you much more effect for your time spend.

[-] eric5949@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Id love a native Linux binary, but if you aren't going to maintain it long term after release so something like a glibc update doesn't break it then proton compatibility is probably better. What tends to happen with native games is they get released and sit basically unsupported until they just stop working.

[-] Kraiden@kbin.earth 1 points 3 weeks ago

Speaking purely for myself: native clients are ALWAYS preferred and appreciated... however as an indie, I would totally understand not wanting to commit to building one.

As a middle ground you could just accept bug reports from Linux users and do what you can to fix those issues. Aim for a platinum rating on Proton DB

eta: Also, yes, as others have pointed out, this assumes the native client is maintained

[-] MoogMuskie@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 weeks ago

I really appreciate when a dev puts the extra effort in to make a Linux port, but I can understand when a solo dev such as you doesn't have much time to spend on porting. To be honest, I'm just happy if the developers at the very least test the game on Linux using Proton and WINE to make sure it's working well and correctly. That way if making a native port really is that much of a hassle, I expect them to at least test it on Linux. I think that most large teams should make a (good) native port, though.

[-] unchartedsectors@lemm.ee 2 points 3 weeks ago

I'm using Ubuntu myself to develop actually so I'm kind of doing that all the time. The problem is, my machine isn't everyone's machine, my drivers aren't anyone's drivers, and so on.

In the end I think that I'll try to give Linux builds to testers to see if they report a lot of bugs or not and decide at that moment if it's too much work or not.

[-] cecilkorik@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 weeks ago

If you yourself use/are familiar with Linux and willing to actually test and polish your Linux version to the same standard as your Windows version, then a native Linux version is always appreciated.

However these days, it's probably not necessary and a lazy afterthought Linux version is like a bad console port, and because we DO have the option to run the Windows version, it's probably worse than no Linux version at all.

So it really depends on your personal feelings towards Linux, and nobody's going to judge you for not providing a native version you can't personally test and support. That's why we have Proton.

[-] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today 0 points 3 weeks ago

Please publish to GoG as well. I want to support sites that are DRM free. Also I think it's smart to give native Linux support to show the industry that Linux is important rather than rely on compatibility tools that may or may not work well for any given game or setup.

[-] strongarm@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 weeks ago

GoG isn't DRM free anymore

And a game on Steam doesn't have to have DRM if the developer doesn't integrate the DRM feature from SteamWorks API

[-] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today -1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

DRM or not this is straight from Steam, you don't own what you "purchase". This isn't consumer friendly:

Steam Subscriber Agreement

  1. REGISTRATION AS A SUBSCRIBER; APPLICATION OF TERMS TO YOU; YOUR ACCOUNT, ACCEPTANCE OF AGREEMENTS

B. Hardware, Subscriptions; Content and Services

Valve or third-party video games and in-game content, software associated with Hardware and any virtual items you trade, sell or purchase in a Steam Subscription Marketplace are referred to in this Agreement as "Content and Services;"

  1. Licenses

A. General Content and Services License

"The Content and Services are licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Content and Services."


I would like to learn more about DRM on GoG if you wouldn't mind sharing.

[-] JakobFel@retrolemmy.com -1 points 3 weeks ago

Native Linux support is always preferable if the developer can handle it or has the budget to do so. However, as long as it works well via Proton, that's the important part. I don't follow him anymore due to several reasons but Gardiner Bryant has a video about this, it's a pretty solid watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uScsmjvdwyo

this post was submitted on 26 Mar 2025
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