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projectramo

The conclusion I draw is that we should raise linux game prices by 200x

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Except Linux users want all their software to be free.

It sounds like they just want it to not crash

Maybe the game devs should do like RedHat and release the Linux version for free but charge for support.

Many Linux user would pay for games, and they would pay more for a Linux version than a windows version.

Maybe, but many Linux users would also complain that the Linux version is more expensive.

There are Linux users who buy MS Windows just to enable them to play games. Win10 is £120.

I'm building a PC now, that's going to be about 20% added to the cost; I'd rather spend that on games.

I'm a Linux user and supporter of free software and I certainly want source code for my software. I'm quite happy to pay for it, though (and I do believe it or not). Not a lot of games offer source code, though, which is a shame. I've bought several games simply because they offer source code and I want to encourage it. I've bought a few games that don't offer source code as well (the only such software on my computer).

It's a bit frustrating seeing facile comments like these both conflating the "free as in beer" vs "free as in freedom" as well as implying that those who care about "free as in freedom" are just a bunch of deadbeat freeloaders. You can imagine how insulting it must feel to be tarred with such a brush when it is completely untrue (at least in your specific case). If you want to make a statement about a population, at least back it up with some evidence. Do you have access to any studies showing that people using free operating systems are unwilling to pay for software?

I'd be happy with code escrow too, which would mean we can keep the game forever and the company gets to protect their secret as long as they exist.

I think we should talk more about code escrow, in general.

Nearly every Humble Bundle release of games shows that Linux users spent more than Windows or Mac.

In terms of numbers of users, I thought it was interesting that the first Humble Indie Bundle had about 16% of downloads being Linux downloads, whereas the newer releases are like < 5%. Did the novelty of Linux gaming wear off? I bought the first few but haven't bought any since, so I'm contributing to those stats - but also I got older and stopped playing as many games.

All these numbers are way higher than 0.1 % though. I admit I just don't believe the OP that Linux sales were 0.1 %. I would believe 1%.

Also my first interpretation of the headline was "Linux users provide valuable feedback!", which matches my experience. I report so many bugs against everything all the time as a Linux user, if a game had a bugtracker I would definitely use it if I encountered a bug. Whether the issues were Linux-specific or not, I don't know.

Finally, my experience with cross-platform development is just not nearly as bad as I keep hearing. I do it. Bundle, and use an already cross-platform library for your GUI or graphics. I admit I don't make 3D games, but I'm super perplexed as to what is supposedly so hard about the cross-platform aspect of it. For my (non 3D) graphics I don't even use electron, just Qt (also perplexed by those thinking electron is the only way to do cross-platform). I've never tried to freeze my code so it will work on future systems (it is open-source and maintained to stay up to date), but I know exactly what I would do if I had to - I would bundle literally everything except glibc and the kernel and call it a day. Would anything trip me up if I were to do that? Am I naive and waiting to be burned by something I don't understand? Maybe - but it seems like the devs complaining about cross-platform development being hard aren't even doing this step.

I found that the first few were actually indie, and progressively, the bundles became more and more un-indie, more DRMed, people buying for Steam key resale, etc?

The Humble Bundle statistics reject your affirmation ;) http://cheesetalks.net/humble/

Linux users are paying more per bundle than other OSes users

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