LinuxGameCast Weekly EP190 – Poor Little Snowflakes

Valve launches SteamVR! Hand of Fate returns to Linux, NVIDIA updates Vulkan, and Skullgirls releases some DLC. Then Hyper Light Drifter faces the CHAIRQUISITION! All this, plus your hate mail!

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http://store.steampowered.com/app/257850/

Hate Mail

Steam News:

Colour key: Venn Jordan Pedro

No VR For you!
http://store.steampowered.com/steamvr
http://gamerant.com/valve-launches-steamvr-htc-vive-647/

Whomever designed that page should be be forced to use Windows ME for the remainder of 2016.
- It looks a bit like popcorn.js
- I’m serious, I want an email from a disgruntled VALVe employee monday sent from Windows ME.
“What do you need?” “A Computer”… What about the specs, Brad?
- Well, for that we have that lovely VR checker that doesn’t work on linux
#becauselasers
Also, why you gotta discriminate against our headless bretheren dudes.
- Just wait until the Church of the Papal Mainframe hears about this.
Here’s the big thing though. Most of the VR shiz is DX11/DX12. Not a lot going on for us linux folks. I suppose we should get Empty to take a crack at it before we say that’s the final word, but it don’t look good from the outset
Is it just me or did anyone else notice some questionable reviews this week claiming the Oculus was better?

Torgo 2
http://store.steampowered.com/app/456670

The first game wasn’t bad, but it definitely had some issues. Hopefully they’ll get it sorted out by “early next year”
- Which of course means Q3 2017 because of inevitable delays. Or Q1 2017 Early access for a year.
I liked Hand of Fate a lot. Yeah, it has issues but the core mechanics are interesting and implemented in a sensible way.
And I love muh mechanics in video games bruh!
Looks like the combat segments will get a needed graphical overhaul.
They’re adding companions and different weapon styles
Deckbuilding games are fun, and this looks like it could be one of the better digital versions of that sort of game

2nd Encore
http://store.steampowered.com/app/447510/?snr=1_5_1100__1100

Previously exclusive to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita release because rea$on$.
I’m too old for this new fangled competitive fighting stuff.
You get all the DLC characters and a fully voiced story mode.
$10 for the first week and $15 after that.
So, can we expect it to come to Linux in less than 2 years this time?
- I mean, this is just content. And Lab zero seemed to learn their lesson with their other game

nVVVVV
http://store.steampowered.com/app/439550/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

Speaking of which, this is a VR title that has a linux client
First person platformer. With VR. This’ll be fun to watch
Not sure if any of the Vive stuff even works under linux. We’d need someone with the hardware to test
- And the drivers.
In the requirements section they have this lovely note:
- Steam OS not yet tested
- Why? Guys, please test your shit on steamOS. Period. It’s supposed to be the standard “Gaming linux distribution”
- But they would have to drive all the way down to the StemOS store and buy a copy.
Full disclosure, the dev sent us keys
And it doesn’t work. Just core dumps for me.
It’s hard to make a Unity game just nope when you start it under Linux, but these guys did it.

Gungeons and Gragons
http://store.steampowered.com/app/311690/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

Not gonna lie, I originally read the title as “Enter the Gungan” #lemmywinks
Similar to Flamebreak, it’s a procedurally generated shoot’em-up roguelike.
- And that’s about where the similarities end.
  - Yes sweetheart, this is a dungeon crawler
    - And the art style doesn’t look like shit.
I’ll never understand releasing a Collector’s Edition at launch.

Pusher Ram
http://store.steampowered.com/app/454720/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

Sliding block puzzles in 2016.
Something tells me this is an Android game
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.pointfiveteam.ramboe
- That’s because it is, Brad!

News:

Beta
http://www.nvidia.com/download/driverResults.aspx/101704/en-us

It’s a pretty small update
Fixes some Wayland bugs and updates GLVND
You need a patched window manager to use this driver version with wayland
It also fixes the issues with Shadow of Mordor, Venn guessed Feral couldn’t convince WB to let them update the game.

But wait! There’s More
https://developer.nvidia.com/vulkan-driver

We’ve just talked about 364.15, this is 364.16.
Quick! To the Talos benchmark!
Basically a Vulkan API version bump along with some bug and performance fixes.

New Driver Sauce
http://www.mesa3d.org/relnotes/11.2.0.html

All this means is that all of those fancy new improvements we have been covering are now in mainline mesa
You also need VS 2012 to compile Mesa for windows. In order to run MIR on Win10.
Also, if you’re running Ubuntu with either the Padoka0 or Oibaff ppa’s, this is old news since those are already in 11.3.
- Same goes for Fedora with the griever COPR.
Canonical has confirmed that 11.2 will be the default in 16.04, so that’s good.

1.0
http://playstarbound.com/final-approach-to-1-0/

Say goodbye to random character wipes!
- ^ Optimizim, ladies and gentlemen.
Well, I guess we can finally throw chairs at it soon

Daggerfall Unity 0.2
http://www.dfworkshop.net/daggerfall-unity-0-2-release/

~~Haw haw. No mac version~~
WTH can you find a copy of Daggerfall for sale?
- It’s actually free. You can download it from bethesda
  - TIL
Still not “playable” but it’s a good improvement over the past version.

Don’t matter
http://www.ocsmag.com/2016/04/04/mining-for-education/

“Why using Minecraft as an educational tool is a bad idea”
- Forcing kids to use a clone of something they might actually be interested in is a far worse idea.
  - And really, the statement should be “using a microsoft product as an educational tool is a bad idea”
Now I completely agree that Minetest is a better teaching tool but it’s not going to get kids interested in the same way as something they already know.
- Yeah, name recognition is a big one here. You could lie to them and call it minecraft, but they’ll learn pretty quickly that it don’t pass the pepsi challenge
“I’m not going to state the obvious, like how Minetest is free as in “freedom” and “beer” and won’t cost you a dime to download, share and play; or how you don’t have to put up with any vendor lock-in shenanigans”
- Nice try there brad
Moral of this story: Don’t push your agenda in the classroom.

CHAIRQUISITION:
– Nooope

– Not sure if want

– Check it out

– Shutupandtakemymonies

Game: Hyper Light Drifter
Webzone: http://store.steampowered.com/app/257850/
Devel: Heart Machine
Engine: Game Maker: Studio
Price: 19.99 / CDN 21.99
Wazzat: Hyper Light Drifter is an action adventure RPG in the vein of the best 16bit classics, with modernized mechanics and designs on a much grander scale.

Mandatory US Disclosure: The dev sent us keys.

Makes with the working

V-

At 1080 and 2160 this FKR only runs at 1912×1072.
- How weak is your kung-fu when it fails to maintain 30 at THAT res?
However, everyone screaming ZOMG 29 FERPS GIVES ME TEH HEADACHES IT’S UNPLAYABLE!11! Are as equally ridiculous as those bitching about 60FERPS being “too fluid” and “uncinematic”
- You poor little snowflakes.
Than again, I grew up gaming on a PC before hardware accelerated graphics were a thing.
We were grateful for 20FERPS… uphill, both ways, in the snow.
Yeah, I really really want to ding it a chair for the frame dip but I can’t honestly say it breaks the game in any way.
But you’re still losing a chair for not giving me 1080 in fullscreen!

J-

It works fine. Yeah, 30FPS isn’t ideal, but it runs

P-

Those frame dips wouldn’t be an issue if the game was running at something other than 30 FerPS.
Because if you’re running at 60 and the frame rate dips to 50, chances are your eyes won’t even notice it (if it’s just a second or 2). If your game is running at 30 and it dips to 20, motherfucker, it’s going to look like a fucking slideshow!
We’re past the point of bullshit cinemacy in video games.
I guess the problem is also partly the fault of Game Maker Studio since, if when you start the project you don’t specify that the game should run at 60, the engine will default to 30.
- But this is the Unity 3D argument all over again. Should we blame the tool for its improper use, or the dumbass who’s using it?

Total-

Shiny / Sounds

V-

Hipster-pixel art done right.
After seeing it done wrong so many times this was a pleasant treat.
You really get a sense that the world you are dropped in is in a state of hella decay.
The colour pallet is amazing. Yeah, it consists of something other than dark.
Mix that with a proper soundtrack (no chip-tune shite) and you have something I’m unable to find fault with.

J-

Dear god the pixel art here is gorgeous
Like, holy shit. Hipster pixel game devs, take note.
Good use of visual storytelling as well
The soundtrack reminds me of one of the numenera backing tracks. Does a good job of matching the visual feel of the game

P-

The soundtrack sounds like someone let a rabid mountain lion loose on one of those mall floor keyboards, sometimes.
The sound effects are great. It really does bring the extra meatyness to the combat and definitely adds to the atmosphere and immersion. Much better than the background music itself!
Something else that makes the combat feel impactful and satisfying is the freeze-frame effect when you swing the sword and hit something.
- Yes, I’m aware of the apparent hypocrisy of commending the game on a freeze frame effect, after railing on it for only running at 30FerPS.
- But, if you can’t tell the difference between a frame-freeze effect to convey impact and the lowering the general frame rate for no other reason than you couldn’t be assed, you also don’t get a say in the matter.
- So you need to go back and delete that comment you just started typing, Brad!
The pixel art looks amazing, though. Big fan of that!

Total-

Control

V-

Can’t rebind the controls so I’m stuck using the left hat-stick for movement.
That, and slash and drift need to be switched.
Now I’ve never had issues /w delay but it has (more than once) failed to register input in button mashing situations.

J-

Correctly handles steam and ps4 controllas
- And it vibrates!
I would really like to be able to switch the heal button to the right shoulder
Also, in intense fights, you do notice that some presses don’t register
Aiming is also an issue in this with the analog stick. Would have really preferred the D(pad)

P-

No rebindable controller buttons. Minus one chair right off the bat.
What’s that? You decided to map the shoot button to R2/RT? Welp! Guess who can’t fucking reach it? And guess what else? This wouldn’t have been an issue if you’d let people remap the fucking buttons!
You also mapped B(or Circle if you have a Dual Shock) to switch weapons.
What kind of use case do you see where weapon switching needs to be mapped to a face button? There’s a fucking D-Pad with 3 other directions you could’ve mapped it to.
There’s a noticeable delay between a button press and something happening on screen
More than once my character flat out ignored a button press and I died as a result
As someone who just finished the original Dark Souls, I can tell when you have sloppy controls.
I realize that’s probably because my expectations are unreasonably high and biased because I just finished a game which gets constantly lauded for its great controls.

Total-

FUN

V-

Well, it’s Nintendhard but don’t confuse that with FK YOU hard.
Like Middle Eaf you have a sword so naturally the first thing you do is attack and get killed to death.
Then you realize it’s easier to take advantage of the pants-on-head retarded enemy AI.
Still having a good time but I’m running on fumes because lack of progress.
Apparently you can earn some cash but after two hours I only have 4 of the 12 bits needed to buy anything.
- I kinda feel that after two hours of playtime I should be able to upgrade, something.
- It would greatly help in retaining my attention.
Aside from the controller derping out randomly my main issue is this.
- The health stabby thing takes to long forcing you to predict whether or not if you are about to get curb-stomped.
- If this was intentional it was FSM damned genius since it keeps you hella focused on your health stick.
- My general rule to avoid getting noped is stab early and stab often (usually around 3 health blocks)
- The goal here is staying alive until the next save point.
VENN SHUT UP AND TELL ME IF IT’S FUN!
- This is a solid little hipster-pixel game with buggy controls and a $20 price of tag.
- It reminds me a LOT of Axiom Verge in the sense that it just drops you into the universe and screams “have at, FKR!”
  - If you like handholding tutorials, forget about it.
  - If you like games with an easy mode, forget about it.
  - However, If you like games that will teach you how to play by murdering your face off, oh yeah, come get some of this.
- As I first stated, Hyper Light Drifter is Nintendhard (NES) / Genhard (genesis) SNES does not count since it was made for little babby gamers #SEGA!
- It’s going to give you that level of challenge and if you don’t know what you’re in for you will end up like that millennial blogger P-man pointed out on G+ who was bitching because big mean game no hold hand :(
It’s fun, it’s big (like I said two hours in and I’ve not scratched the surface) but just a little overpriced for the amount of bugs, BUT they are actively being sorted.

J-

I seem to have the same problem as Gohan.
- I need to learn TO DOOOOOOOOOOODGE
Nintendhard is a good description of this game.
It does a good job of evoking the Legend of Zelda exploration hack and slash feel
If you’re not in the middle of a gaggle of baddies, the best strategy is to lure them. They’re not smart, but there are a lot of them and they like to gang up on you
I’ve gotten stuck at a few points. It’s definitely not a fun time casual game, but it does what it does well.
The game is gorgeous and really wants to you find out what’s going on. And also not suck donkey balls.
For me, repeating the same section over and over again isn’t the definition of fun though. I’m gonna start taking a crack at Darkest Dungeon

P-

This is one of those games that, as a critic (or an asshole on the internet since I’m not getting payed for my critiques), I love.
Not just because it’s a game I enjoy in spite of its problems but also because of all of its problems.
- And I guess that’s giving my opinion away in just two sentences, innit?
Thankfully, there is no such thing as a perfect game.
For all I drool over Ziggurat, Bionic Dues, Fallout 2 and now Dark Souls, I can recognize that they’re flawed.
And Hyper Light Drifter is deeply flawed.
Not least of those flaws and the most glaring was the 30FPS lock.
Even Super Mario Bros ran at 60 (or 50 if you were in the PAL regions).
From that particular cock up come the delayed controls. Namely, it takes twice as long for a button press to do something on screen than if it was running at 60.
Then there’s the frame dips which, again, wouldn’t be a significant issue if the frame rate wasn’t capped so low.
And those frame dips cause certain button presses to be outright ignored.
Case in point, in the middle of a heated battle if the frame rate dips and you push the attack or dodge/drift button your character will simply do nothing instead.
But for all these glaring issues, there’s an upside.
The storytelling is similar to how Dark Souls does it, as in it doesn’t tell you a damn thing!
Everything is conveyed through pictures and subtle sounds.
“Show, don’t tell” as I’ve often put it and I like that.
There’s a lot of content, hidden passages with puzzles and even something I can only describe as a soccer minigame with lead ball.
Hyper Light Drifter is a great game which is quite literally hindered by its shitty frame rate.

Total-

Final –

Hate Mail:

Desura. OMGWTFBBQ
http://slexy.org/view/s2toEpnfhc

LOCKED
http://slexy.org/view/s20MmlOvi1

Some N64 games were unlocked and the system could hit 60 in low detail areas but most games were 30 or 20.
- Then again that was 240p (with a 480 max)
A lot of PS2 games also ran at 60, as did most Saturn games.
I don’t mind locking the game physics to the framerate to save you some work of having a different clock built into the game to handle that. I get it, it saves a lot of work.
But if you’re going to resort to that, don’t lock the framerate to 30.