This is just a vent post / unpopular opinion (? unsure if unpopular). Specifically on Steam. Linux native builds are so buggy and glitchy and never work right. Always some combination of:

  • No sound
  • Old outdated version missing content and incompatible online
  • Controllers don’t work
  • Crashes, doesn’t launch at all
  • Horrific FPS
  • Cutscenes don’t play
  • Weird game breaking softlocks and logic errors, like critical items not spawning and dialogue not triggering
  • Zero support and low priority from the developer

I have none of these issues with Proton. Proton works perfectly fine, I love it. This only happens when a game doesn’t use Proton. As soon as I change to Proton all issues are resolved. This problem has followed me across distros with fresh installs, so it’s not a config issue. Yes I have the correct drivers and such, NVIDIA proprietary unfortunately. It’s so strange, you’d imagine the native build would run better not worse.

The worst part is, it’s not easy to tell when a game will launch using Linux native as it’s the default priority. Games can even silently update and stop working when they gain Linux native “support”. You have to manually go in to properties and override compatibility to proton. Normally I do this when I notice a suspiciously large amount of bugs and I’m like hmm… oh look it’s Steam Linux Runtime 1.0 again.

I wish there was a way to just force Proton globally. Either that or people actually test and maintain their Linux builds. I’d rather there be no Linux build at all if they’re going to be so terrible.

Edit to add commented example list of games:

I couldn’t get a full list because I was relying on having set a flag forcing a specific version of Proton to identify which games were problematic to jog my memory… Unfortunately this data is local only and was not synced between computers, so it was lost when I changed distro. Just from my limited memory though, I can list some that I distinctly remembered when writing up my post, though it’s many more in reality. It’s also surprisingly hard to see whether a game even has a Linux native version, you usually have to wait for the store page to load and scroll down to compatibility, which is just annoying.

Games that worked well:

  • Factorio
  • Stardew Valley
  • Baba Is You
  • All Valve games (TF2, DotA2, etc)

Games that had issues:

  • 1001 Spikes
  • The Case of the Golden Idol
  • Broforce
  • Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition
  • The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
  • Cook, Serve, Delicious
  • Valheim
  • A Game About Feeding A Black Hole
  • Audiosurf 2
  • Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
  • Slay the Princess
  • TIS-100
  • Cassette Beasts
  • Brotato
  • Bit.Trip runner
  • Don’t starve together
  • Unpacking
  • While True: Learn
  • Fez
  • Magicka 2 (controllers not working)
  • One Shot (critical gameplay bug right at the end. Had to watch a let’s play to finish it. I messaged the dev who left me on Read)
  • Just Shapes & Beats (no sound)
  • Tiny Bookshop (no sound)
  • HiveSwap (critical gameplay bug right at the end, and savefile bricked, had to watch a let’s play and the dev ignored me) (I’m not a “fan” I swear, please don’t lynch me)

I’m getting tired and I’m sure you get the point. Almost every game in my experience has been unplayable on Linux runtime. I’m glad it’s working well for you though.

  • ampersandrew@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 hours ago

    You outlined a lot of very good reasons as to why this hasn’t happened already. Is this something you could build as an automated tool to pay it forward, particularly for outside of Steam?

    Also, your posts seemed to point mostly to games that won’t launch. I haven’t had that problem. What I have had are issues where the game window behaves in strange ways such that it breaks Alt+Tab; or that it reads my mouse coordinates in incorrect locations in a multi-monitor setup; things like that. Do you expect the updated libraries to solve issues like those as well? Or, in your personal experience, have they?

    • marxismtomorrow@lemmy.todayEnglish
      1·
      2 hours ago

      You outlined a lot of very good reasons as to why this hasn’t happened already. Is this something you could build as an automated tool to pay it forward, particularly for outside of Steam?

      Sure, technically you could just bundle all the common libraries with a tool to generate a runtime script… and that’s a good idea for someone that wants to have a FOSS project that needs to be updated and checked for every new game that comes out. It’s not something I’m going to do, but I do encourage any reader that wants a pretty easy but very labor intensive (essentially getting new libraries for any game reported that this tool doesn’t cover, which would require “obtaining” the game or walking someone through how to find what library is needed) thing for their portfolio

      What I have had are issues where the game window behaves in strange ways such that it breaks Alt+Tab;

      This is most commonly a Wayland(KDE et al) issue that is on several issue trackers and mailing lists. This needs to be solved upstream by the Wayland team, which it will be some day; but for now the best advice is run games via “borderless fullscreen” or “windowed fullscreen” options since Wayland treats that more like how windows and x11 handles full screen. Libraries won’t help this. Alternatively install an x11 based DE/WM and you won’t have this issue (but then you’ll have to deal with x11, which feels slow and clunky after being on wayland-based DEs for a while.

      or that it reads my mouse coordinates in incorrect locations in a multi-monitor setup;

      This can be down to the DE or might be a Wayland bug, libraries won’t help this. I haven’t experienced this on KDE for CachyOS, except when running games at significantly lower resolution than the monitor is normally set to (i.e. 1920x1080 in-game fullscreen resolution on a 4k monitor). Again best advice is wait for a Wayland fix or run at “borderless fullscreen”.

      • ampersandrew@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        1 hour ago

        I don’t think it’s a Wayland bug, because I’m on X11 (Kubuntu 24.04; plus I just checked). The game I ran into it one of those issues was, if I’m not mistaken, the first Pillars of Eternity game. I do always run in borderless fullscreen when it’s an option. In any case, if it’s so labor-intensive of a project that you’re not willing to do it, I think you found your answer for why it isn’t done.

        • marxismtomorrow@lemmy.todayEnglish
          1·
          1 hour ago

          The difference is I’m not a video game platform collecting 30% of revenue to distribute a game. If valve wants to throw a couple percentage points my way I’d be happy to do it. Because again it’s not hard, it just takes time, energy, and tedious tracking down of specific libraries.

          For your x11 version of that… that’s odd. I would say upgrade to Wayland but I think just try upgrading in general. The next LTS for Kubuntu is already out and may have fixed that for the old plasma.

          • ampersandrew@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            1 hour ago

            Again, the path of least resistance is to just use Proton, so I’m fine sitting tight for a while. And I remember seeing a post a while back about GOG looking to fill Linux dev positions. If this is something you think you could contribute, feel free to tell them on their career page. I don’t see an active listing there, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.