I Believe Tim Sweeney Is Right

An Oldie But Goody

[Williston, ND] Linux has been on my mind a lot lately. Even more since I read several articles about Tim Sweeney and his dislike for Windows 10 and what, potentially, Microsoft could do to turn Windows into a walled garden and kill off services like Steam.

Of course Sweeney is right. Even though it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t. I do remember the Microsoft of the 90s and what they attempted to do to squash competition. I don’t trust them. But then I do the stupid things and start reading the comments on these stories. People are either totally trusting in Microsoft or they don’t care. Or, maybe, they just trolling.

The comments that bug me the most are the ones that state that they’d move to Linux but there aren't any good games on it. Of course that is patently false. There are tons of good games but hyperbole does well in comments.

There is some truth in those comments though. It’s tough to get so called AAA games on Linux. There are a few but not enough. There isn’t a company that I know of who is writing exclusively

for Linux either.

Hmmm.

Honestly, I think I need to become the change I desire. If no companies are making Linux exclusive games then why don’t I start one to do so?

It’ll be hard.

At best I’m dangerous when it comes to writing software. I enjoy it but I’m dangerous. Well, not really dangerous but I’m not a strong coder.

I’ve made segments of games before. A scrolling tiled engine. Done it. An animated character walking around. Done it. Collision checking. Done it.

If I’m going to do this I have to realize the cool games that I have in my head are going to take a while. Fun 2D games will be the norm at first. Then, when the company is profitable and staffed the transition into fun 3D stuff can happen.

Yeah, I think this is what I want to do with my life right now. At least for the next three to five years. We’ll see how it goes.

It’s funny. I’d love to get started right now but as it stands I’m sitting in a hotel room in Williston, North Dakota as I’ve a wedding to go to tomorrow. I’m typing this all out on a Macbook Air. I really need to procure a Linux laptop. It’ being Friday night right now I won’t be able to start until I get home Sunday evening.

So, what kind of game should I make?

The first game is a game that I’ve worked on and off on. I’ve always wanted to make a game inspired by The Legend of Zelda. Just the feel and dynamics of the game. How well it played. I think I want to make this my first game. I’ve bought a Steam Controller a while back and I think it would be cool to use that to control the character.

So, that’s my goal. A company that makes Linux games. What could possibly go wrong?