4 ms·

I was a console gamer for a long, long time just because I refuse to use Microsoft products, and Linux gaming was fraught except for Battle for Wesnoth and Neth

I was a console gamer for a long, long time just because I refuse to use Microsoft products, and Linux gaming was fraught except for Battle for Wesnoth and Nethack. Many hours just messing with Wine vs I turn on the machine and the game just starts, no fuss. I've owned a Steam Deck not quite since day 1, I'm beyond delighted now that I can just buy and play Steam games. I think I've thrown maybe one game at Proton that I just couldn't get working. And things like the Heroic launcher have made GoG games (most of which already ran on Linux since they just run via DOSBox) easier than ever. Anyone on the fence about keeping Windows around just for games: unless you play online multiplayer that uses kernel anti-cheat, just make the jump. I promise you, almost every game in your library will just work, and almost all of the rest will work after you set them to run with a specific Proton version.

drbscl 2y ago
I 100% agree, I bought one to be able to play my library while my wife watches dramas on the TV, and I've been shocked as to how high the compatibility rate is these days. Also, while the competing handhelds are often more powerful, the Deck's trackpads really are a game changer for some games (like Rimworld)
liotier 2y ago
> Anyone on the fence about keeping Windows around just for games: unless you play online multiplayer that uses kernel anti-cheat, just make the jump. I promise you, almost every game in your library will just work, and almost all of the rest will work after you set them to run with a specific Proton version. Same applies to Steam on Linux: Proton has opened to us a gaming library of a size we would not have dreamed of a few years before.
yayitswei 2y ago
What if SteamOS included kernel-level anti-cheat? Seems like an elegant solution compared to the current approach of running invasive third-party anti-cheat software.
- VyseofArcadia 2y ago
  How would that work? Valve implements a bunch of kernel modules for each of the different KAC libraries an arbitrary game might use? Both Valve and MS have been making moves to steer game publishers away from KAC. I think the problem will solve itself when the platforms just say, "you can't do that anymore".
  - matheusmoreira 2y ago
    > Both Valve and MS have been making moves to steer game publishers away from KAC. Can you elaborate on this? What sort of moves have they been making? > I think the problem will solve itself when the platforms just say, "you can't do that anymore". I hope you're right!
    - ryao 2y ago
      Valve has a long history of standing against kernel annticheat. It is a pain to dig up old statements against it, so the best evidence of that is Valve’s own anticheat VAC avoids touching the kernel. They even recently began to require disclosure of the use of kernel level anticheat: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/steam-now-requires-developers-to-tell-people-when-their-games-have-kernel-mode-anticheat/ https://www.pcgamer.com/games/steam-now-requires-developers-... They recently voiced their opposition to kernel level anticheat as some thing that “ might present problematic trade-offs for the end-user in the longer term”: https://automaton-media.com/en/interviews/the-steam-deck-has-seen-widespread-success-but-its-not-stopping-there-we-ask-valve-about-the-steam-decks-challenges-and-future-goals/ https://automaton-media.com/en/interviews/the-steam-deck-has... Kernel anticheat is a major security issue from the perspective of the operating system, as it is a kernel level rootkit. An offline analogue would be giving a corporation the keys to your home and having them regularly come and install new cameras and microphones to see what you are doing. They might say “it is only active when you are playing a game”, but there is no technical hurdle blocking them from watching 24x7 and some of them don’t even bother to pretend it is only when playing a game. Then there is the issue of the wiring being faulty such that it occasionally sets your house on fire (search for BSOD complaints involving anticheat kernel drivers and you will find many). As for Microsoft, I think that is a misunderstanding that came from this: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Microsoft-paves-the-way-for-Linux-gaming-success-with-plan-that-would-kill-kernel-level-anti-cheat.888345.0.html https://www.notebookcheck.net/Microsoft-paves-the-way-for-Li... Here is what someone who claims to develop kernel anticheat had to say about it: https://blog.freudenjmp.com/posts/microsoft-will-not-kill-kernel-level-anti-cheats/ https://blog.freudenjmp.com/posts/microsoft-will-not-kill-ke... Unlike Apple and the Linux community, Microsoft does not care about end user security to take a stance against kernel anticheat. All of their security initiatives are security theater.
mmlkrx 2y ago
Can you elaborate more on the benefits of the Heroic launcher? From the website I understand it offers the convenience of bundling multiple launchers into one but having only used Steam, I don't fully understand it's benefits.
- diggan 2y ago
  If you don't play games from Epic Games, GOG, Amazon or local installs, then there isn't much point to it. If you only use Steam, there isn't really any benefits.
- drbscl 2y ago
  Basically it handles downloading & configuration of games from some non-Steam providers (e.g. GOG, Epic), and adds them to Steam, so you can launch them like they are Steam games. It's not quite as polished, but it works.
Fire-Dragon-DoL 2y ago
Kinda. There are ancillary programs that might not work, for example Gamesir Connect (software to configure my controllers) doesn’t support anything but windows. Sad. Some mods work only on windows. Anyway, I love my steam deck

drbscl 2y ago

I 100% agree, I bought one to be able to play my library while my wife watches dramas on the TV, and I've been shocked as to how high the compatibility rate is these days. Also, while the competing handhelds are often more powerful, the Deck's trackpads really are a game changer for some games (like Rimworld)

liotier 2y ago

> Anyone on the fence about keeping Windows around just for games: unless you play online multiplayer that uses kernel anti-cheat, just make the jump. I promise you, almost every game in your library will just work, and almost all of the rest will work after you set them to run with a specific Proton version. Same applies to Steam on Linux: Proton has opened to us a gaming library of a size we would not have dreamed of a few years before.

yayitswei 2y ago

What if SteamOS included kernel-level anti-cheat? Seems like an elegant solution compared to the current approach of running invasive third-party anti-cheat software.

VyseofArcadia 2y ago
How would that work? Valve implements a bunch of kernel modules for each of the different KAC libraries an arbitrary game might use? Both Valve and MS have been making moves to steer game publishers away from KAC. I think the problem will solve itself when the platforms just say, "you can't do that anymore".
- matheusmoreira 2y ago
  > Both Valve and MS have been making moves to steer game publishers away from KAC. Can you elaborate on this? What sort of moves have they been making? > I think the problem will solve itself when the platforms just say, "you can't do that anymore". I hope you're right!
  - ryao 2y ago
    Valve has a long history of standing against kernel annticheat. It is a pain to dig up old statements against it, so the best evidence of that is Valve’s own anticheat VAC avoids touching the kernel. They even recently began to require disclosure of the use of kernel level anticheat: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/steam-now-requires-developers-to-tell-people-when-their-games-have-kernel-mode-anticheat/ https://www.pcgamer.com/games/steam-now-requires-developers-... They recently voiced their opposition to kernel level anticheat as some thing that “ might present problematic trade-offs for the end-user in the longer term”: https://automaton-media.com/en/interviews/the-steam-deck-has-seen-widespread-success-but-its-not-stopping-there-we-ask-valve-about-the-steam-decks-challenges-and-future-goals/ https://automaton-media.com/en/interviews/the-steam-deck-has... Kernel anticheat is a major security issue from the perspective of the operating system, as it is a kernel level rootkit. An offline analogue would be giving a corporation the keys to your home and having them regularly come and install new cameras and microphones to see what you are doing. They might say “it is only active when you are playing a game”, but there is no technical hurdle blocking them from watching 24x7 and some of them don’t even bother to pretend it is only when playing a game. Then there is the issue of the wiring being faulty such that it occasionally sets your house on fire (search for BSOD complaints involving anticheat kernel drivers and you will find many). As for Microsoft, I think that is a misunderstanding that came from this: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Microsoft-paves-the-way-for-Linux-gaming-success-with-plan-that-would-kill-kernel-level-anti-cheat.888345.0.html https://www.notebookcheck.net/Microsoft-paves-the-way-for-Li... Here is what someone who claims to develop kernel anticheat had to say about it: https://blog.freudenjmp.com/posts/microsoft-will-not-kill-kernel-level-anti-cheats/ https://blog.freudenjmp.com/posts/microsoft-will-not-kill-ke... Unlike Apple and the Linux community, Microsoft does not care about end user security to take a stance against kernel anticheat. All of their security initiatives are security theater.

mmlkrx 2y ago

Can you elaborate more on the benefits of the Heroic launcher? From the website I understand it offers the convenience of bundling multiple launchers into one but having only used Steam, I don't fully understand it's benefits.

diggan 2y ago
If you don't play games from Epic Games, GOG, Amazon or local installs, then there isn't much point to it. If you only use Steam, there isn't really any benefits.
drbscl 2y ago
Basically it handles downloading & configuration of games from some non-Steam providers (e.g. GOG, Epic), and adds them to Steam, so you can launch them like they are Steam games. It's not quite as polished, but it works.

Fire-Dragon-DoL 2y ago

Kinda. There are ancillary programs that might not work, for example Gamesir Connect (software to configure my controllers) doesn’t support anything but windows. Sad. Some mods work only on windows. Anyway, I love my steam deck