IV on Xfire Indie Games Event

[vic]

Hello all,

Last week, Mark took part in an Indie Games Debate hosted by Xfire. True to form, Mark talks openly and candidly about the state of indie gaming today, alongside other indie veterans. You can catch the transcript of their discussion here.

All thoughts/comments welcome!

[shinygerbil]

Very interesting!

[estel]

I knew about this, but missed it at the time . It's great though!

Question: Sir: Do you think that the future for indie games (also) lies with Linux?

[Introversion] Mark M: Answer: Sadly not. We have tried to put our games out for Linux, but know one buys them and the number of distributions that we need to support really makes it unfeasible. You going to yell at me now?

Does this imply that future titles won't recieve a Linux port?

[skull13]

The darn site won't work.
It's probably Verizon, they've already ****ed up our internet connection for the past 6 months or so.
We really need a new ISP thats available in our county.

[Montyphy]

Question: Sir: Do you think that the future for indie games (also) lies with Linux?

[Introversion] Mark M: Answer: Sadly not. We have tried to put our games out for Linux, but know one buys them and the number of distributions that we need to support really makes it unfeasible. You going to yell at me now?

"but know one buys them"? No offense intended but may I ask who did the transcription?

[Pox]

I knew about this, but missed it at the time . It's great though!

Question: Sir: Do you think that the future for indie games (also) lies with Linux?

[Introversion] Mark M: Answer: Sadly not. We have tried to put our games out for Linux, but know one buys them and the number of distributions that we need to support really makes it unfeasible. You going to yell at me now?

Does this imply that future titles won't recieve a Linux port?

No-one buys them? I think that's a bit of an exaggeration... I know I for one run DEFCON in Linux, so that entire statement is now rubbish.

(i.e. PLEASE PORT FUTURE GAMES, TUX LOVES IV TOO)

[xander]

I knew about this, but missed it at the time :(. It's great though!

Question: Sir: Do you think that the future for indie games (also) lies with Linux?

[Introversion] Mark M: Answer: Sadly not. We have tried to put our games out for Linux, but know one buys them and the number of distributions that we need to support really makes it unfeasible. You going to yell at me now?

Does this imply that future titles won't recieve a Linux port?

No-one buys them? I think that's a bit of an exaggeration... I know I for one run DEFCON in Linux, so that entire statement is now rubbish.

(i.e. PLEASE PORT FUTURE GAMES, TUX LOVES IV TOO)

While the statement was a bit of hyperbole, how many people do you think are running on Linux, compared to Windows?

xander

[Montyphy]

I knew about this, but missed it at the time . It's great though!

Question: Sir: Do you think that the future for indie games (also) lies with Linux?

[Introversion] Mark M: Answer: Sadly not. We have tried to put our games out for Linux, but know one buys them and the number of distributions that we need to support really makes it unfeasible. You going to yell at me now?

Does this imply that future titles won't recieve a Linux port?

No-one buys them? I think that's a bit of an exaggeration... I know I for one run DEFCON in Linux, so that entire statement is now rubbish.

(i.e. PLEASE PORT FUTURE GAMES, TUX LOVES IV TOO)

While the statement was a bit of hyperbole, how many people do you think are running on Linux, compared to Windows?

xander

More importantly, how many people are silly enough to take that part of the statement literally? (current estimates suggest at least one)

[Pox]

I knew about this, but missed it at the time . It's great though!

Question: Sir: Do you think that the future for indie games (also) lies with Linux?

[Introversion] Mark M: Answer: Sadly not. We have tried to put our games out for Linux, but know one buys them and the number of distributions that we need to support really makes it unfeasible. You going to yell at me now?

Does this imply that future titles won't recieve a Linux port?

No-one buys them? I think that's a bit of an exaggeration... I know I for one run DEFCON in Linux, so that entire statement is now rubbish.

(i.e. PLEASE PORT FUTURE GAMES, TUX LOVES IV TOO)

While the statement was a bit of hyperbole, how many people do you think are running on Linux, compared to Windows?

xander

More importantly, how many people are silly enough to take that part of the statement literally? (current estimates suggest at least one)

Obviously I was having a bit of fun taking him literally, but the fact is I think there are a small proportion of IV's customers for whom the fact their games run on Linux is a big buying point. However, it is probably less than 5%, and it may not be financially viable if porting takes too long - but if their future games consider to run on SDL/openGL, and they write easily portable code, the cost would surely be worth thwarting Microsoft a little bit.

[KingAl]

The only conclusion I'd draw from that statement is that IV can't rely on Linux alone, i.e. the future of indie games doesn't "lie with Linux".

[Rkiver]

The only conclusion I'd draw from that statement is that IV can't rely on Linux alone, i.e. the future of indie games doesn't "lie with Linux".

Sounds about right. I mean let's think for a moment. Most PCs run a form of Windows on it, mostly XP. So making games for Windows first and foremost makes simple sense. Now if they have time and want to include a linux port, they can, but they concentrate on Windows first. Same reason mac ports are left till later too I'd wager.

[Pox]

The only conclusion I'd draw from that statement is that IV can't rely on Linux alone, i.e. the future of indie games doesn't "lie with Linux".

Sounds about right. I mean let's think for a moment. Most PCs run a form of Windows on it, mostly XP. So making games for Windows first and foremost makes simple sense. Now if they have time and want to include a linux port, they can, but they concentrate on Windows first. Same reason mac ports are left till later too I'd wager.

Yup, they'd be insane to make anything but Windows first priority - 85% of computer users use Windows, and probably about 95% of gamers.

[estel]

I think I read somewhere that about 1% of users are believe to be Linux ones.

[prophile]

Of course, what'd make most sense is to make games that can run on all three from the word go.

[Rkiver]

Of course, what'd make most sense is to make games that can run on all three from the word go.

No it wouldn't, as that would increase development time quite a bit, and as a result games would not be released on time, sure the Windows and Linux versions may be ready, but the Mac one isn't, so the majority of you have to wait.

Does not make ANY sort of business sense.