http://www.gamespot.com/news/analysts-divided-on-potential-for-steam-machines-to-threaten-consoles-6414998
Seems possible for porting, but not really sure. First, it seems that most game producers actually develop based upon a given game engine. If game engine producers are already producing multi platform designs, it seems there remains only porting structural aspects in theory...generally speaking structural data like textures, meshes, lighting shouldn't be difficult at all. Then there is developer know how in designing translation software for porting data which doesn't seem that difficult. One there are already game engines out there designed for multi platform production. Porting the more nuts and bolts aspects of a game engine, however, seems a bit more difficult. Why certain steam games aren't showing up on linux I'd imagine. This could, however, be changing, but there may be an alternative consumer base appeal here. I'm sure Steam is attracted to linux because of its performance relative to the dominate base. This being said, even given the problematic aspects of translating games themselves from windows into linux has actually been accomplished where windows api calls are translated into posix (linux operating system) calls by way of an application called Wine. Highly popular titles such as Call of Duty (through 4) are included as compatible applications. I've found even popular MMOs have worked including WoW, and all Guild Wars versions...I've personally played Guild Wars and World of Warcraft under Wine. Generally speaking small bugs at times alongside some graphics issues could be experienced, but how different from the problems that I experience under windows at times???...not a huge rift here. The big problem is ensuring that game developers are willing to formally sign off on multi platform design...originally, WoW did provide Linux support alongside some other MMOs but then backed off of this...not sure if this were general politics and/or a combination of fielding support in potentially added costs to ensure multi platform operations. Seems that if an agreement could be reached by game developers and a third party, however, for housing this inter operability issue as long as a games design integrity is ensured could solve some of these port issues....already a Wine support community is quick to help bring releases to Linux and this is entirely by way of a volunteers (already people that probably have some game development experience in some cases...if not having informally some expressed interests in the informal sense of outreach) to provide potentially another potential consumer market gaming opportunities. The third party contractor idea at least for goes the idea of having to train programmers understanding port translation, and leaves those experienced with such to focus primarily on this task not just for one game but many games. This reduces any potential staffing or training/experience needs on the part of any one game producer.
So far with the official Steam linux client while the game list is limited, Steam it appears must be convinced (even with porting issues) that something of a consumer based market exists for the linux operating system. Perhaps, this could be a case of 'build it and they will come', but even so ports do exists in reality in the informal sense indicating it is possible.
The other alternative for a console producer is to simply to boost informally translation client communities (encouraging their support) and leave it to the users discretion in terms of game purchases relinquishing formal obligations of risk for games themselves...if the integrity of games could be ensured even more so with informal applications that already provide this support, while the console manufacturer provides the conduit for allowing users to install upload games to their given console system (not unlike present PC systems) it seems alternatively, console producers could skirt around the idea of formal support obligations or having to delve in some manner into the lion share of selling games through their own online hosting which would in some way intrinsically force obligations in the first place. For Steam, already being a hosting service in the first place, this could serve as identity crisis, but then if Steam bought into a subsidiary moniker or merely produced a console under a different name, this problem could be easily solved.
Seems possible for porting, but not really sure. First, it seems that most game producers actually develop based upon a given game engine. If game engine producers are already producing multi platform designs, it seems there remains only porting structural aspects in theory...generally speaking structural data like textures, meshes, lighting shouldn't be difficult at all. Then there is developer know how in designing translation software for porting data which doesn't seem that difficult. One there are already game engines out there designed for multi platform production. Porting the more nuts and bolts aspects of a game engine, however, seems a bit more difficult. Why certain steam games aren't showing up on linux I'd imagine. This could, however, be changing, but there may be an alternative consumer base appeal here. I'm sure Steam is attracted to linux because of its performance relative to the dominate base. This being said, even given the problematic aspects of translating games themselves from windows into linux has actually been accomplished where windows api calls are translated into posix (linux operating system) calls by way of an application called Wine. Highly popular titles such as Call of Duty (through 4) are included as compatible applications. I've found even popular MMOs have worked including WoW, and all Guild Wars versions...I've personally played Guild Wars and World of Warcraft under Wine. Generally speaking small bugs at times alongside some graphics issues could be experienced, but how different from the problems that I experience under windows at times???...not a huge rift here. The big problem is ensuring that game developers are willing to formally sign off on multi platform design...originally, WoW did provide Linux support alongside some other MMOs but then backed off of this...not sure if this were general politics and/or a combination of fielding support in potentially added costs to ensure multi platform operations. Seems that if an agreement could be reached by game developers and a third party, however, for housing this inter operability issue as long as a games design integrity is ensured could solve some of these port issues....already a Wine support community is quick to help bring releases to Linux and this is entirely by way of a volunteers (already people that probably have some game development experience in some cases...if not having informally some expressed interests in the informal sense of outreach) to provide potentially another potential consumer market gaming opportunities. The third party contractor idea at least for goes the idea of having to train programmers understanding port translation, and leaves those experienced with such to focus primarily on this task not just for one game but many games. This reduces any potential staffing or training/experience needs on the part of any one game producer.
So far with the official Steam linux client while the game list is limited, Steam it appears must be convinced (even with porting issues) that something of a consumer based market exists for the linux operating system. Perhaps, this could be a case of 'build it and they will come', but even so ports do exists in reality in the informal sense indicating it is possible.
The other alternative for a console producer is to simply to boost informally translation client communities (encouraging their support) and leave it to the users discretion in terms of game purchases relinquishing formal obligations of risk for games themselves...if the integrity of games could be ensured even more so with informal applications that already provide this support, while the console manufacturer provides the conduit for allowing users to install upload games to their given console system (not unlike present PC systems) it seems alternatively, console producers could skirt around the idea of formal support obligations or having to delve in some manner into the lion share of selling games through their own online hosting which would in some way intrinsically force obligations in the first place. For Steam, already being a hosting service in the first place, this could serve as identity crisis, but then if Steam bought into a subsidiary moniker or merely produced a console under a different name, this problem could be easily solved.
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