Linux version now?

[beemer]

I haven't purchased the full game (and since I run Linux, I won't until there is a linux supported client). 

However - The demo *ran smooth as silk*!  Why not do what Google did with Picasa?  Get a Wine wrapper around it (again, demo was great with Wine 0.5.2) and sell it. 

I'd rather have a native linux client but a win client wrapped with Wine and supported by you would be just as good.

Beemer

[Alec]

Can't do anything immediately as all my energies are being spent elsewhere, but I did plunk some time into doing a full-blown Linux version in the past.

I don't know, what does everyone else think?

[tulkas]

I think it is a good idea if you do not have time to do a native version.  I have completed the full game using wine 0.9.50.  The game ran perfectly with full video effects, audio was also flawless.

There were some odd crashes, but hey do not need to be wine- or linux- related. As far as I remember the game crashed about 5 times in the time it took me to complete it (25+ hours.)  It did not really bother me, because most of the crashes were after I used a save point.

[Alec]

Hmmm..... something related to saving doesn't work in Wine I guess?

[tulkas]

The save files are ok, I never had any problem loading a saved game.  The crashes occured directly after the save dialog closed.  It might be some synchronization issue.

But I don't think that the issue is serious enough to stop a wine-bundled version.   

[luciferin]

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I don't think the money would be there for you to do a Linux version.  I could be wrong, of course, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be willing to pay again for a Linux native version when I have it working in Windows, and Wine.  If it was a small fee maybe, but I couldn't justify full price for a game I already own.

I'm afraid I haven't played it under Wine much since it just runs that little bit faster in Windows, so I can't help debug any issues.

[Alec]

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I don't think the money would be there for you to do a Linux version.  I could be wrong, of course, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be willing to pay again for a Linux native version when I have it working in Windows, and Wine.  If it was a small fee maybe, but I couldn't justify full price for a game I already own.

Yeah, I can see that.

I think it depends a lot on how much time I have after finishing other things.

[beemer]

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I don't think the money would be there for you to do a Linux version.  I could be wrong, of course, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be willing to pay again for a Linux native version when I have it working in Windows, and Wine.  If it was a small fee maybe, but I couldn't justify full price for a game I already own.

I'm afraid I haven't played it under Wine much since it just runs that little bit faster in Windows, so I can't help debug any issues.

Well I can understand that point of view since you've already purchased the game.  However, I haven't yet, and when I do, I want a supported version for my operating system.

And umm...not to play *insert pic of big round puppy dog eyes*  factor (ok ...I am playing it ) but I want a copy *and* my 7 yr old little girl wants a copy too - if she's had computer time, it's been on the demo since she saw me playing it. And we're both on Linux.

Beemer

[Vadi]

I'm waiting on the Linux version too before I buy the game.

There's a small difference what Google did with Picasa though; for one, Picasa is free, and two, Google contributed a lot of code back to wine (the parts they had to fill in for picasa to work).

[beemer]

I'm waiting on the Linux version too before I buy the game.

There's a small difference what Google did with Picasa though; for one, Picasa is free, and two, Google contributed a lot of code back to wine (the parts they had to fill in for picasa to work).

Well - if the dev's have to tweak wine to do the same thing to make a wrapper (which I don't think would be much given how it runs already), what's wrong with that?  That gives them even more exposure to a community that really needs more games of this quality.

Beemer

[wesley]

I'm kinda waiting for the Linux version too Although I was planning to buy the full game and run it in Wine...
But I'm going to wait a few more months and see if a native version is coming.. Otherwise I'll probably have to buy it twice..

[Gnerma]

I'm not a Linux user and never have been, but assuming a few "if..." possibilities described below come to fruition, I think a Linux version would be worth your time.

Considering the shortage of gaming options you have on Linux you get something you don't with Windows users: a captive audience. Add to that a certain degree technical savvyness and "screw the man" attitude that would count your typical Linux user as more likely to embrace and laud a project like Aquaria. If the word gets out properly and the Linux community as a whole is well aware of the game, it could end up on "Linux games to get" lists for years to come. Whether or not this actually would equal an amount of income that would be worth the effort, I can only guess at.

 The same rules generally apply to a Macs as well, with a more pronounced "I'm hip yo" attitude that purchasing a game like Aquaria would bolster. In any case I'm sure after the Mac version is done a Linux version wouldn't be all that difficult. The two OS' are much more similar than Windows and OSX are for certain. I do understand you guys are eager to move onto your next project rather than making a dozen SKUs of Aquaria. I probably would be too.

[cookiecaper]

I also will buy once a native Linux client is issued, with no WINE wrapper.

I think you'll get more revenue from it than you expect. Linux users know to reward well developers who don't forget them; communities like Happy Penguin and Phoronix would latch onto it.

Extra points: open-source it. If you're concerned about it being stolen, don't include art assets, a la id ... the only reason they typically have a delay between debut and liberation is that they make a huge amount of their money from licensing out their engines. If this isn't part of your strategy, opening the code up could save you a lot of work and earn you lots and lots of attention and street cred!

[beemer]

Any news on this?

[Xilon]

I'm quite disappointed that this thread isn't more active. I just found out that Aquaria was finally released and I'm quite excited. The demo is downloading as a type this and hopefully it will run fine under wine since I really don't want to boot into Windows. Anyway as to the issue of buying the game, I won't. Not until the game gets ported to Linux anyway. I have no intention of supporting Windows only games since I hate the platform and I do not enjoy booting into it solely to play games which could easily be ported to Linux (and other platforms) in most cases.

If the game does get ported, and I hope it will, I will definitely buy it. The $30 it costs is a very low price to pay for a linux version of this great looking game. I hope more people will support the native linux port. I don't really like the idea of having a wine wrapper, for obvious reasons, but if I were to chose between that and a Windows only version then I'd chose the better of two evils . Not sure if I'd buy the game in that scenario though, it all depends on how great it is I suppose . Out of respect and having seen the native port attempt I won't be pirating it. It's a shame to see people trying to already though, a real shame.

Keep up the good work and thanks for such a cool and original game!

Edit: And it didn't It crashes at the loading screen. Oh well, off to Windows we go.