• 0 Posts
  • 19 Comments
Joined 1 year ago
cake
Cake day: June 20th, 2023

help-circle






  • You’ve decided that it has to be the traditional distro package manager providing the solution - but that isn’t going to happen, because those have been designed to manage a single installation of interdependent software with no distinction made between core system libraries or services and end-user applications. The solutions to the problems that come from that - which also make it extremely simple to fix issues like the one you have using a single config file - led to the development of Flatpak and Snap.

    Some traditional mutable distros also ship with Flatpak + Flathub configured out of box and present them alongside and with equal importance to their own distro-specific packages - e.g. Linux Mint, PopOS, Clear Linux, CentOS, and Fedora Workstation. And Ubuntu is pushing Snap. So they’re all unlikely to start putting work into enhancing their distro package managers to start providing the desktop software specific features that you want.


  • Yeah, packages for things like Blender and Steam do exist in most distro repositories. But they make no distinction between packages that provide software like that and packages that provide core OS services + userland (systemd, pipewire, coreutils, cups, a desktop environment, and so on). What you want requires a distinction between those things.

    See SteamOS, Fedora Silverblue/Kinoite + universal-blue, openSUSE Aeon/Kalpa, Endless OS, and possibly in future Ubuntu Core Desktop as examples of modern systems (or systems in development) that make use of traditional packages as the building blocks of the base OS, and then lean on application distribution methods like Flatpak or Snap to provide desktop software. Use of the distro package manager for software like Blender is explicitly discouraged by all of these.

    Distro specific fixes and configurations shouldn’t be necessary as long as the OS provides what the application platform needs (desktop portals, audio server, display server, print server, message bus, etc) Flatpak doesn’t even prevent distro specific repositories if it’s really necessary either; Fedora ships with their own Flatpak repository in addition to Flathub.

    You want better control of or isolated and relocatable end-user software installation, and it already exists - it’s just not being done at the traditional package manager level, and I haven’t heard about any development effort going towards changing that.


  • The package managers and official repos for most distros would be better thought of as lego blocks to build an OS from - they have no concept of OS and application separation, and splitting installation of an OS across multiple physical drives doesn’t really make sense.

    Application focused distribution methods with a clear separation from the OS like Flatpak or AppImage do support this.

    AppImage - drag the .appimage wherever you want it.
    Flatpak - supports system and per user installs (under home directory) by default. Additional installation directories can be configured, but I’m not sure if any of the GUIs expose this feature - so likely doesn’t currently pass your bar of not needing to use the command line at all.







  • GOG’s Linux support doesn’t extend much beyond providing you with the binaries that the developers supplied. You’re left to figure out running the games yourself and hoping the developer didn’t make too many assumptions about system libraries.

    Valve provides Linux runtime environments for native Linux games to target and run in, plus tools for developers to use to build for that environment. It’s not perfect but you’ll generally have a much easier time with Linux native games from Steam.

    I’m sympathetic to GOG’s goals, but generally stick with Steam because of Valve’s level of support and commitment.

    If you want to keep using the GOG version, you could try running the Windows build in Heroic Games Launcher + Wine-GE or Proton-GE (they’re available as runners within Heroic, it works pretty seamlessly). You’ll also get Cloud Saves which GOG doesn’t support for native Linux builds.

    The native Linux version of Baldur’s Gate II Enhanced is running fine for me from Steam (on Fedora 38 Silverblue + Steam installed as a Flatpak). It also features cloud saves (and achievements if you care about those), if you’re set on playing the native build and willing to switch to Steam.




  • I picked up the Yakuza Collection. I played 0 on PS4 and loved it, but never got around to the others. It’s one of the few games where I spent the time to complete side quests and mini games and actually enjoyed doing it.

    Also got The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - I’ve heard good things about the Legend of Heroes series, and want to start at the beginning.

    I’ve been very tempted to try Steins;Gate and Stray, but I’m not likely to get around to them until the next sale so will probably just leave them until then.


  • I tend to stick to games with interesting stories, with occasional exceptions if the gameplay is good enough.

    Top pick from me before anything else would be The Last of Us Part 1 & 2.

    Other than that, some I’ve enjoyed the most that come to mind are

    • Bioshock. I haven’t played the remaster yet, just the original. Bioshock Infinite was also heaps of fun. I haven’t played 2 yet, it’s on my backlog - I’ve read it was made by a different team.
    • Alien Isolation.
    • Resident Evil 4.
    • The Turing Test.
    • X-Com Enemy Unknown.
    • What Remains of Edith Finch.
    • Horizon: Zero Dawn.
    • Batman: Arkham Asylum + City + Origins + Knight.
    • The Talos Principle.

    The Uncharted series is also great, but only 4 and The Lost Legacy are on PC. I’m not sure I’d recommend playing it without having played at least 2 and 3, which are only on PlayStation currently. 1 is fun but dated and the story is not as strong as the later games (but I’d still recommend it if you get the chance to play 1-3).