Serious question to the fine developers at AH

[blackjudas]

Being a Linux user, I've made my stance known that my platform is really the only way for me. When you ported Grimrock to linux I was amazed and elated that you took that step for us. I have much respect for all of you doing what you did (Mac and Linux support).

The question is: For LoG2, is it beneficial to release on these "lesser" platforms after seeing the response from the respective communities? Or are the costs prohibitive in either time or money to do a day one release for all 3 platforms?

Call me curious, but after all of the drumming some indies have done, and HIB, as well as Valve do these facts change your views for the platforms?

[Dr.Disaster]

Any developer targeting a day one release for more then one platform needs to have enough time/money/manpower to develop/port all platforms at once.

My personal opinion on operation systems is that Unix/Linux is superior to Windows/MacOSX. Yet when it comes to gaming Windows is without any doubt superior to all other operation systems for PC's on the market. Alone the number of installations and thus possible customers beats any other platform in terms of developing priority. It's simple as that: develop for the largest market first. Due to this LoG came for PC first, then Mac, then Linux and perhaps for Android/iOS too in the future.

This wikipedia page gives a nice current overview of operation systems spread worldwide:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_shar ... ng_systems

[blackjudas]

Any developer targeting a day one release for more then one platform needs to have enough time/money/manpower to develop/port all platforms at once.

My personal opinion on operation systems is that Unix/Linux is superior to Windows/MacOSX. Yet when it comes to gaming Windows is without any doubt superior to all other operation systems for PC's on the market. Alone the number of installations and thus possible customers beats any other platform in terms of developing priority. It's simple as that: develop for the largest market first. Due to this LoG came for PC first, then Mac, then Linux and perhaps for Android/iOS too in the future.

This wikipedia page gives a nice current overview of operation systems spread worldwide:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_shar ... ng_systems

I fully agree with your standpoint and am aware of the needs of a business to market to the widest available audience out there. I think I lost myself in posing the question. With past experience porting to the different platforms, is it now a feasible goal to move to concurrently coding/building for all three platforms based on the knowledge gained?

In a nutshell: is the toolchain now mature enough to build the engine in a single command for the three different platforms?

[petri]

When I was 15 I made games as a hobby. It was so much fun that I dreamed about a career as a game developer. About ten years later I found myself working at a respectable game studio making big games. But the passion for designing and making games where I had a bigger role in the creative process drove me in starting up a game studio together with my friends.

From purely a business perspective there is no doubt that Grimrock should be ported. But the question about porting Grimrock to Linux or other platforms is not about money. It's more about what we want to do. We want to create kick ass games which we love and care about. Porting is mainly just tedious uncreative work and porting is just one thing: QA, patching and updating is a lot of work that should not be underestimated. Counting all the platforms and distribution methods we have now about 10 versions of the game to maintain. It's a lot of work for a small indie developer.

One the other hand bringing Grimrock to other platforms helps more people to enjoy our games. Knowing that people have a great time with our games is one of the strongest motivators for us. Mac and Linux versions have also brought many new players here.

So, there is no definite answer to the question.

[Ixnatifual]

Maybe some other developer would be willing to do the "boring work" for you while you focus on more interesting things