Where is Linux client?

[MrBigzy]

I'm not disagreeing with you, steam is steam and it's their policy. (though I think he should get a refund or a copy from Frictional if he asked to and had proof of purchase, but that's not up to me). I was just commenting on the game industry in general.

[hollowleviathan]

It just seems needlessly complicated to offer a linux download after verifying a steam purchase when they already offer the linux client from their website. When I've bought games for linux, I made sure the box had a penguin on it (found a Myth II icculus release for the cheap in a local store).

If/when they open the source code for HPL2, it'll be the same thing as giving steam purchasers a free linux client because a linux engine will be free and they own the rights to the art assets to copy into the folders.

[x414e54]

I would like to put forward a quote from the Steam forum from the creator of the game SpaceChem which is available on Steam and also on Linux.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/sh...ostcount=9

Originally Posted by spazzmckiwi
Does this work in reverse? Reason I am asking is because I recently purchased SpaceChem on steam but would also like to play it on my linux machine, and the game does have a linux version, however steam doesn't work naively on linux...yet (I have my hopes)

Yup! Send an email to zach@zachtronicsindustries.com and we can straighten this out for you.

This is a nice example of someone giving the ability to move between versions.

Also as the point has been made games such as Quake 1-3, Doom 3, (ID tech engine) or Unreal Tournament (Unreal Engine) software has a Linux client available to download and to get this working on the Steam version you simply drop the Linux binary into the game's folder in steamapps/common/ - this is facilitated by the fact that these games use the same cd-key between versions and you pay for a cd-key license and game art assets and not for a binary file.

I am not sure if Scrapper and Tanshaydar represent and work at Fictional Games as a whole or are just random moderators, but your attitude seems fairly rude for Customer Service representatives:

Well I don't see it in any of the user agreements. You should've learned about it before buying from Steam.

How it's Frictional Games' fault if Steam doesn't support Linux?

Your response may indeed be that Fictional Games (and perfectly within your company's right - however I have not read the license agreements, so maybe a solicitor will be able to clarify this?) will not allow uses to swap between versions but your comments seem to imply that your company feels it has a right to user's money? But it is in-fact the other way around - there are a lot of laws that will protect people regardless of if you said "we own your soul" in a license agreement, especially once money has changed hands.

Also about the comment

If you buy the Xbox360 version of Portal 2, do you expect to be able to play Portal 2 on your PS3 as well?

Didn't think so.

Actually yes I do expect this to be the case - I believe that Portal 2 on PS3 gave you a free version on Steam also? I believe the reason that it does not happen between say an Xbox360 and PS3 is simply infrastructure reasons - buying the PS3 version connects to Steam and therefore requires a Steam account and so it is trivial to activate it for the PC/Mac version also. However not many people own both consoles and you would have to distribute both discs in a box there is no business case for this - however an example could be seen with dual DVD and Blu-Ray movies (you pay slightly more and get both and also maybe a "digital copy"). There have been reasons why you cannot say activate a retail version on Steam this is due to an incompatibility such as the retail version uses different keys to the Steam version - but again there have been some games such as Prey? that you could do this with. It is fairly frustrating to have to buy a game 3 times, once on Steam, once on Mobile and once on Console and not even have saves move between - I will expect this to change in the future with more examples like Portal 2 PS3/PC version.

For a company as small as Fictional Games allowing people to download a Linux version via some proof of ownership of the Steam version seems trivial and it seems to be you already have a money grabbing and giant corporate Enterprise attitude to games - already off to a bad start as an Indie developer. But anyway it would probably be advisable not to take Scrapper or Tanshaydar 's comments as representative of the company.

[Tanshaydar]

Firstly, neither Scraper nor me is an official worker or any kind of representative here. We both are merely working to regulate and moderate the community, which is Frictional Games official forum in this case. However, since we are not officially bound to Frictional Games or official representatives of Frictional Games, we have the right to express our very ideas.
For more information about forum staff and who they are, this link might help.

If you think an e-mail like this would help, you could've tried to contact the developers, to have an official word about topic.

It's already stated by the developers that if Steam brings Linux support, they'd likely add the Linux versions of their games into library without charging the people who already owns the game.

Be warned, this is merely my personal opinion about the case.
This was also a personal opinion and you should have learned about how all the Steam/Official Store/Different Store/Different Clients things work. You suggested that PS3/PC support of Portal 2, however you didn't answered Xbox 360/ PC or PS3 contradictions. Same thing happens on Left 4 Dead 1 and 2, you have to purchase them separately for both PC and Xbox 360. The examples you gave may be nice, but if you are to go through examples, it's very unlikely for you to be right at the end.

It's clearly stated that Linux version of Amnesia: The Dark Descent is available only through Frictional Games store. If you think otherwise, contact developers. Nevertheless you cannot force anything on anyone because you weren't aware of the terms while purchasing.

[hollowleviathan]

It is neither tyrannical, money grubbing, nor illegal (!) to not spend their small studio's time organizing a means to give linux clients to people who only bought explicitly win/mac license from steam. If someone buys from steam expecting something else despite all written explanation to the contrary, they can attempt to get a refund from Steam and buy it again from the right place. Why is there anything else to discuss?

[Yuhaney]

I am not sure if Scrapper and Tanshaydar represent and work at Fictional Games as a whole or are just random moderators, but your attitude seems fairly rude for Customer Service representatives:

How it's Frictional Games' fault if Steam doesn't support Linux?

I'm not an employee for Frictional Games.
And yes, you are correct about this:

But anyway it would probably be advisable not to take Scrapper or Tanshaydar 's comments as representative of the company.

However, you might note that Tanshaydar's post is from time before he was moderator here.
But yes, do not take all of our comments as a representative of the company. We try to do our best.


But now on topic:
I first kindly said that Steam does only support PC and Mac.
After this he said, if I understood correctly, something about Steam not supporting Linux, which is correct.
Also, he clearly stated to use illegal methods to get the Linux version. As you see, Linux version is currently Frictional Games Store "exclusive".

Also, if another indie game company gives Linux licenses away for free, it's their way of business.
Why is there Dead Space 2 Limited Edition on PS3 that includes Dead Space: Extraction, but not the same edition for Xbox 360?

Also, why Microsoft doesn't give me a change to use the same Windows license on different computers, if all the computers are located in the same house? Why Microsoft doesn't give me a change to install retail version of Windows 32-bit and 64-bit on the same computer as a dual-boot with one license?
I can say that I'm not satisfied with this, but still, I bought myself two retail versions of Windows'.

However, if you want to discuss this Linux subject with Frictional Games themselves, you can use the Contact Us page.