Hi everyone!
I’m a Playstation gamer looking into moving to Linux gaming as the next Playstation might not be able to play physical games.
Here are my 2 computers:
MacBook Pro 2012 (upgraded) with Fedora 41
Surface Go 1 with Fedora 41
I bought Frostpunk on Steam after checking on Proton DB that it would normally run on the MacBook as I knew the Surface Go would probably be way too weak.
According to Proton DB it’s a Gold game.
In the end, no matter what version of Proton I use, it doesn’t launch on the MacBook. I have a black screen, some icy sounds and then it crashes at best…
I then thought, let’s give it a try on the Surface Go and it launched immediately without any tinkering using Proton experimental.
But, the game crashes when the firat cinematic starts, probably because it’s loading too many assets for the Surface.
If anyone has an idea about what to try too many get it working on the MacBook, I would be thankful.
In the meantime, I would want to know, how do you know if a game is gonna run on your machine?
With the launch option PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 %command% provided by someone here, I managed to start playing and only noticed low fps and audio crackling. For now I also only tried it on Proton Experimental and 6.3-8 seemed to work better when I was just struggling to launch the game, so I’ll try to remember to update this post and Proton DB when I can get more time to play.
Neither of these systems are powerful, and they’re also running Intel integrated GPUs which are frankly generally poor.
If you want to game with Proton, then the device still needs to be able run the game well if it had Windows installed.
As a general very rough rule, most games will work with proton if other games work with proton on your system. Its basically a compatibility layer between the game and your linux PC - if Proton can communicate well with your graphics card and CPU, and it has the right specs, it should just work - proton does the heavy lifting. But if no 3D games are running then most of them wont.
When it doesn’t work, the first place to look is your drivers and hardware. There are then certainly lots of caveats for specific games which may behave peculiarly with certain hardware and needs adjusting but I find that is the exception rather than the norm. Start with your drivers and hardware.
because you are running integrated graphics that can barely run your OS’s UI, much less a game.
it has nothing to do with steam, or proton, or frostpunk.
You don’t meet the minimum system requirements.
Before you have a fit over another game, you ain’t playing anything made in the last 20 years on either of those. Or anything with 3d graphics.
Only thing you’re playing on those is old school games like original Fallout, and original baldurs gate, and those sort.
I buy it on steam. If it does not work, i refund it.
There’s only so much you can do with a 13 year old MacBook. You note “upgraded”, but that doesn’t mean much at that vintage.
If you’re trying to run current games, assume they won’t work.
As the other user said, better off getting a SteamDeck.
Although, TBH, if your prime concern is PlayStation going discless, that may be an unwarranted worry.
PlayStation is ahead in too many territories that don’t have the infrastructure to support a discless console.
Frostpunk minimum requirements page says you need a dedicated GPU with 2 GB VRAM. So an Intel HD Graphics GPU won’t cut it. You can only do light gaming with it.
I’m sure there are gaming benchmark videos for it, or for at least CPU+GPU combination. You can get idea about what you should expect. Even Age of Empires II DE would have a hard time with it.
For Linux gaming, you need a relatively new system with a dedicated GPU. For example you can still do low to mid end gaming with GTX 1060 3GB, with a relatively new CPU.
Though for Linux gaming, AMD systems are suggested for more seamless experience. You can also get a Steam Deck if you live in one of those countries.
Edit: Also apparently Intel HD Graphics 4000 doesn’t support Vulkan, so’ll you need this launch option for every non-native game:
PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 %command%I’m gonna try the launch option you gave me before giving up, thanks.
No problem, and good luck!
PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 %command%
You’re a life saver and an e-waste avoider! I’ve only tried for a few minutes for now, but it looks like the game might work.
I managed to start playing and only noticed low fps and audio crackling. For now I also only tried it on Proton Experimental and 6.3-8 seemed to work better when I was just struggling to launch the game, so I’ll try to remember to update this post and Proton DB when I can get more time to play.
Glad that it worked for you. Though even if it’s playable I wouldn’t place my expectations high. You can definitely play some games but Frostpunk looks too demanding for your situation. I too like giving a new life to old devices with Linux. One of my older devices serve me as a home server for example. As long as they work, no need to make them e-waste.
the 2008 Mirror’s Edge might run with 30 fps
Left a comment as a reply to one of yours about the laptops themselves.
The way I can tell if a game does/should run on my PC is kind of a multi-prong approach
- System requirements page
- DigitalFoundry does really good performance analysis videos on new games (REALLY good if you have a rough idea of how your components compare to others)
- Determining what console my PC compares to in terms of performance and going off that. Specific examples:
- First laptop had an i7 3610HQ and a GT 740M - a bit more powerful than PS3/Xbox 360. If a game runs on those consoles (720p with inconsistent 30FPS) I should be able to run it on this laptop at slightly lower (trash port) or slightly better (good port) resolution or fps.
- Second laptop had an i5 7300HQ and a GTX 1050Ti - performance between a PS4 and PS4 Pro
- If it gets 30FPS on base PS4, this laptop can easily run it at 45 unless it’s a bad port (FPS can be higher if I lower settings)
- It’s also comparable to a desktop GTX 970 (although 970 is still a bit better) so If I see 970 as the minimum, I know I can tweak stuff to get it running.
- Current laptop has an i7 11800HQ with a GTX 3070 - quite a bit better than PS5, not sure how it compares to PS5 Pro yet. It’s new enough and supports DLSS so I expect a locked 60FPS at 1440p on everything with some tweaking. Right now, until a new console generation comes out, if I can’t lock 60 on a game, it’s probably really poorly made and not worth my time.
- Once you’ve seen how different games run on your hardware, you sorta get a sense of how certain types of graphics should perform
And then check protondb to see if it can run on linux (most likely will)
Integrated graphics may have some gotchas but the general rule I follow is “if it came out within a console generation, it can’t run that console’s games. Last gen can be serviceable. 2 generations back run pretty well.”
I have used proton DB to help me trouble shoot other games that were rated silver and above. I basically try to find reviews (using the filter search function) with my specs and see what input they have to offer (sometimes solutions to issues that are exactly like mine). If I don’t find anything, then I start looking up solutions from other peoples’ setups.
Sometimes, it could just be that your hardware isn’t strong enough for the game. Sadly I can’t offer anything more specific than that.
Also if it crashes on video playback that’s a good indicator that you might need proton GE as the video is wanting a weird windows codec that reg proton doesn’t want to install in vanilla proton for good reason.
these computers with linux are good as lightweight servers, not really for gaming
Others have already answered the main question here, but I have a different question for you and a couple recommendations.
I’m a Playstation gamer looking into moving to Linux gaming as the next Playstation might not be able to play physical games.
While I’m happy to see more people flock over, you’re also not going to get physical games here, so not sure what’s the advantage for you.
As for recommendation, many have replied that your system doesn’t meet the minimum requirements, but there are other management games that you could play that would run okay on your system, my main recommendation is RimWorld it’s an amazing colony building game, and a lot more in-depth than Frostpunk, plus it should run on your machine.
Well, physical games are one of the things retaining me on Playstation as it gives me the ability to sell a game I don’t enjoy.
If you take this away, it only leaves the plug&play aspect and the power for your money aspect.
Thanks for the suggestion about Rimworld, I’ll check it out👍
That makes sense, I guess I haven’t thought of it that way. BTW for the plug&play feeling a Steam Deck is as console-like as it gets, I’ve had mine since launch and it’s by far one of the best purchases I’ve made.
Yeah Steam Deck or Steam consoles might just be what I need to jump to the other side.
Linux support for steam games has come a long way and I find the section on the steam page that says what works on the steam deck is pretty bang on for my debian based Linux gaming.
That said I feel your pain. You are running Linux on a MacBook and that is a very small fringe group in a little larger fringe group. If you want to play games on pc you need to get something with more gaming centered hardware. Gaming on a Macbook is never going to be a great process at this stage of the game. A 10 year old PC running linux with a 1050ti would provide a better experience than a MacBook.
No info about “how to make sure game is gonna run”, that is actually one of the reason I switched to console so many years ago.
BTW you don’t have to worry about not being able to play physical games on PS, even if it doesn’t come with optical drive by default, they will always sell the attachment. At least for next 2 or so generations (if not more), too many people with physical games exist.
Yeah the plug and play advantage of consoles is a big one. You just know that it’ll always run fine.
Well I guess you’re right about an optical drive being sold for a while, but I’m sensing that more and more games are gonna have no physical edition.
Also, to be honest, Linux gaming and the ability to have your game on every computer while being on an open system is also attracting me.
I think my perfect setup would be:
- a Steam Deck with the ability to run Fedora workstation (I love Gnome) for a few games and my administration
- a Playstation for demanding games and racing simulations
Just FYI, if you ever do get a steam deck maybe consider Bazzite instead of Fedora. It is based on Fedora atomic, offers a gnome version, is specifically optimized for a bunch of handhelds including steam deck and supports the game mode of steamOS.
I’m clearly gonna look deeply into this before eventually getting a Steam Deck. I was thinking about having a partition with Fedora Workstation and another one with Steam OS, but Bazzite might clearly be an option.
Steam Deck with the ability to run Fedora workstation (I love Gnome)
Don’t be too focussed on needing to run Fedora for access to Gnome. The OS on the deck (Arch in this case) has the ability to run Gnome. It’ll just be getting it working “right” that’ll be a pain. I would have thought some people are already on it (even if just for a laugh). A cursory web search says it does work with some odd input issues.
That is the beauty of (and often the complexity of) the Linux ecosphere. You can change one thing, Fedora to Arch, and the other things “should” still work.
What do you think about having a Steam OS partition for gaming and a Fedora partition for admin? Would it be doable?
In a way I would prefer this instead of just getting Bazzite as I might miss on some improvements from Steam OS
I guess I don’t see the need to os switch on the steam deck. Unless playing and switching is what you want to do.
If what you want is gnome, there are easier ways than a whole new OS.
Yeah, I agree. I just didn’t have any idea about your other question, and you didn’t have any responses then so thought I should at least help assuage your PlayStation fears 😀
If you don’t specifically need Fedora, you can certainly install Gnome on Steam Deck with SteamOS, it just comes with KDE as a default.
Is it difficult to get Gnome on Steam Os?
Wouldn’t I be able to have a gaming partition with Steam OS and its desktop mode and an administrative partition with Fedora workstation?
I know I would be wasting some space by doing this instead of just getting Bazzite, but I would be reassured to just keep the basic Steam Os…
I had the same idea and bought an Xbox many years ago. Had to send it back twice for red rings and I had games that literally wouldn’t load properly. That’s when I realized the “consoles don’t have any problems” claim was a lie just like it is when people say it about windows or Mac.
They are machines, they can have any number of issues, but generally speaking, if a game is released on a console (and it works) then it will work for you too. No worrying about configs or system requirements.
The idea seems to be for most people that consoles are immune to problems. Which I saw counter examples to. I’d rather be able to at least troubleshoot if there’s issues, which the Xbox made impossible
No arguments there.
