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options for gaming
2019-Aug-20, Tuesday 09:46 pmI play computers games. I play them a lot. For about a decade now, I've also played my games on Linux instead of Windows. Early on, the options were few. Nowadays, there are more top-rank games to play on Linux than even I have time to play them. Instead of playing on Windows or Linux or the various consoles, though, there are interesting options available now.
Steam Link:
It's a great idea, and I'm sorry that it didn't work out better for them. It's sort of like a Google Chromecast for your games. You run the Steam platform on whatever is your main computer (Windows or Linux) then broadcast the display to your television instead of your computer monitor, and you use their Steam controller for input.
Steam Machine:
Another great idea that didn't earn them any real money. It's a small Linux computer to replace your traditional game console. Steam provides the operating system, any company provides the computer to run it. You run your games the Steam machine, and Steam ensures game compatibility for their platform. Too bad it didn't sell many of them, but at least the Linux support is really great now.
Amazon Lumberyard:
Amazon's product wants to use its big server farms to replace the servers used by standard online game companies. They run the whole thing, companies program their game in Amazon's game engine (a modified CryEngine technology), then Amazon runs the servers. It sure simplifies a lot of the logistics of rolling out worldwide online games. Not many titles are using it, though. In fact, the only name I recognize is my long-awaited Star Citizen.
Google Stadia:
Google's new product is a direct competitor to consoles, Steam, Amazon, and all of the other platforms. You get a virtual machine on Google's server where you run your game. (You purchase your game specifically for use on Stadia, not any other platform.) The display is sent over the internet to any device you want: computer screen, tv display, tablet, phone. Anything. Assuming you have the necessary bandwidth for the display, then it really is a challenge to all of the old ways of playing. It remains to be seen if the lag makes games unplayable when fast responses are required. Lag will be caused by transmission to your screen, waiting for your human hands to respond to what you see, then waiting for the controller to transmit reactions back to Google servers. That's a lot of lag. We'll see if it works. Another big downside is that it seems to favor games designed for controllers instead of keyboards. I generally dislike games designed for controllers, but... I may give it a try. There is already a long list of games to consider.
Nintendo Switch:
I mention this console only because it's the first one that I've wanted to buy. I intended to buy an upgraded "Pro" model this year, but Nintendo defied all expectations by not giving us one (yet). Still waiting.
Steam Link:
It's a great idea, and I'm sorry that it didn't work out better for them. It's sort of like a Google Chromecast for your games. You run the Steam platform on whatever is your main computer (Windows or Linux) then broadcast the display to your television instead of your computer monitor, and you use their Steam controller for input.
Steam Machine:
Another great idea that didn't earn them any real money. It's a small Linux computer to replace your traditional game console. Steam provides the operating system, any company provides the computer to run it. You run your games the Steam machine, and Steam ensures game compatibility for their platform. Too bad it didn't sell many of them, but at least the Linux support is really great now.
Amazon Lumberyard:
Amazon's product wants to use its big server farms to replace the servers used by standard online game companies. They run the whole thing, companies program their game in Amazon's game engine (a modified CryEngine technology), then Amazon runs the servers. It sure simplifies a lot of the logistics of rolling out worldwide online games. Not many titles are using it, though. In fact, the only name I recognize is my long-awaited Star Citizen.
Google Stadia:
Google's new product is a direct competitor to consoles, Steam, Amazon, and all of the other platforms. You get a virtual machine on Google's server where you run your game. (You purchase your game specifically for use on Stadia, not any other platform.) The display is sent over the internet to any device you want: computer screen, tv display, tablet, phone. Anything. Assuming you have the necessary bandwidth for the display, then it really is a challenge to all of the old ways of playing. It remains to be seen if the lag makes games unplayable when fast responses are required. Lag will be caused by transmission to your screen, waiting for your human hands to respond to what you see, then waiting for the controller to transmit reactions back to Google servers. That's a lot of lag. We'll see if it works. Another big downside is that it seems to favor games designed for controllers instead of keyboards. I generally dislike games designed for controllers, but... I may give it a try. There is already a long list of games to consider.
Nintendo Switch:
I mention this console only because it's the first one that I've wanted to buy. I intended to buy an upgraded "Pro" model this year, but Nintendo defied all expectations by not giving us one (yet). Still waiting.