Other Ideas

As I mentioned before, not many users download and install software from the Internet. The primary distribution channel for Linux software is the package manager for the Linux distribution being used, such as Ubuntu’s apt-get or SUSE’s YAST. This is how most Linux users obtain their software. It’s convenient, it’s easy, and most open source software is directly available through the package manager. There’s also a perception of security, because even though the user doesn't know who built the binary, they are getting it directly from the company or organization that provides the Linux distribution, so there is a sense of trust to it.

If we, as commercial game developers, could plug into that distribution channel, we would get a pretty good audience for our Linux games. Unfortunately, Linux distributions typically don’t distribute closed source binaries with their package managers - the only exceptions are a few binary drivers (like NVidia drivers) that many users consider essential. Therefore, I've been wondering if opening the source code for a commercial game might bring with it the possibility of inclusion in distribution-specific package managers. If so, this would open some good doors for distribution and exposure among Linux users. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the companies behind the Linux distributions would be willing to include trial versions of commercial software in their software repositories, even if the source code is open. Also, there is the issue of licensing for the game content (artwork, audio, etc) – the companies behind the Linux distributions aren't going to include a binary of your game unless there is clear licensing and rights in place for what they can and can't do with the game content. And even then, they may not want to deal with it.

I've wanted to test this idea, but as a part-time indie developer, I don't have the time. Opening the source to my game engine, which I am building on and reusing for additional games, means that I would have to setup a system to manage an official code base, review code contributions, put licensing in place to govern the copyrights of contributed code, answer questions from possible contributors, etc. It’s a lot of work. Erik Hermansen from Caravel Games talked about this in great detail in an interview with the Indie Game Developer’s Podcast. So I haven’t approached any Linux companies with this idea yet to see if it has any merit.

I’ve also been considering starting or sponsoring a web site dedicated to Linux games. This would not be like the Linux gaming sites I referred you to earlier, but rather it would be more like a traditional portal. I think it is important for the growth of Linux games to establish a definitive gaming portal specifically for Linux. Because no such site exists, it is an opportunity to create what could eventually be THE place to go for commercial Linux games. My problem, again, is the lack of time available to me to set up something like this.

Final Thoughts

Finding information about how to develop and publish games for Linux is difficult, and I hope this series of articles has been helpful to you. I’ve enjoyed writing them, and it’s been rewarding to see the discussions that they’ve started in the GameDev.net forums. Hopefully, other game developers will use this information to port their games to Linux. I look forward to seeing and playing some great commercial games on Linux in the near future. Good luck to you!