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Submitted via IRC for Fnord666
Valve appears to be working on a set of "compatibility tools," called Steam Play, that would allow at least some Windows-based titles to run on Linux-based SteamOS systems.
Yesterday, Reddit users noticed that Steam's GUI files (as captured by SteamDB's Steam Tracker) include a hidden section with unused text related to the unannounced Steam Play system. According to that text, "Steam Play will automatically install compatibility tools that allow you to play games from your library that were built for other operating systems."
Other unused text in the that GUI file suggests Steam Play will offer official compatibility with "supported tiles" while also letting users test compatibility for "games in your library that have not been verified with a supported compatibility tool." That latter use comes with a warning that "this may not work as expected, and can cause issues with your games, including crashes and breaking save games."
Tools that let users run Windows apps in Linux are nothing new; Wine has existed for decades, after all. But an "official" Steam-based compatibility tool, with the resources and backing of Valve behind it, could have a huge impact on the Linux development space that could reach well beyond games. Assuming it worked for a wide range of titles, the Steam Play system could also help ameliorate one of SteamOS' biggest failings—namely, the relative lack of compatible games when compared to Windows.
With all that said, some caution is warranted before getting too excited about these possibilities. For one, we don't know what specific form Steam Play will take. Valve could simply be preparing a wrapper that lets users run existing emulation tools like Wine and DOSBox on top of SteamOS without actively advancing the state of that emulation directly.
(Score: 2) by darkfeline on Thursday August 16 2018, @08:26PM (4 children)
> Actually, why is it so difficult to get Windows stuff running on Linux? It's all just bits, right? Is it a legal issue? Is it a philosophical issue?
Because the Windows system API is:
1. proprietary
2. an insane clusterfuck
3. changes regularly
A lot of things do run on Linux via Wine. Games are especially bad because they have a habit of relying on the obscure corner cases in the WIndows API, either for performance reasons or because game development happens on a tight schedule where developers can't afford to write non-buggy, correct code.
Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday August 16 2018, @08:33PM
> 3. changes regularly
That is why Windows must get tested frequently.
But really, it would be better to just avoid them and be safe with a stable OS.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 16 2018, @08:33PM
Maybe Linux would necessarily trail behind new developments in the API by, say, a year, but it should be possible to keep up. It must be the case that there is no money in it; indeed, Linux developers have their own game already: Writing file system drivers. etc.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 16 2018, @11:27PM
Like systemd, apart from (1) in theory
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 15 2018, @12:51PM
be sued by microsoft ...