AMD to port Mantle to Linux (PC World)

[3DVagabond]

AMD wants to improve gaming in Linux and Steam boxes with its Mantle tools

It was always in the cards.

 

[Flapdrol1337]

clickbait title.

Amd says only it has recieved requests to do it, no time frame given.

edit: I meant pc worlds title.

 

[stahlhart]

Fix your thread title.
-- stahlhart

 

[DarkKnightDude]

clickbait title.

Amd says only it has recieved requests to do it, no time frame given.

"AMD over time will dedicate resources to the task"

Its pretty much a given they're porting it, just no time frame.

Also 50 games now? I thought we're only at like 20?

 

[BFG10K]

What a total waste of engineering resources.

 

[Gloomy]

I think the most important thing he said about Mantle in that livestream yesterday was that out of the 47 developers they're working with right now, about 30 are interested in Mantle going forward and the rest are only using it as a stepping stone to DX12 (which should be entering beta sometime late next year).

At this point it seems like there's more than 50 games coming. EX. Frostbite team counts as one developer but EA is making most of their games with the engine.

 

[3DVagabond]

Fix your thread title.
-- stahlhart

"The company has received requests from developers to port Mantle to Linux, Huddy said. AMD over time will dedicate resources to the task, Huddy said. AMD hasn’t provided a time frame for when Mantle-based games for Linux will become available "

What do you want me to change? Huddy says they will do it, they just haven't established a time frame. Is that not definitive enough?

 

[Flapdrol1337]

With clickbait title I mainly meant pc world.

Amd intends to port mantle to linux would be a better title.

 

[ViRGE]

Huddy says they will do it, they just haven't established a time frame. Is that not definitive enough?

Eh, not really. That statement is about as non-committal as one can get without saying that you're not going to do it. For API development your intentions matter little until you actually commit the resources to it. (Which is not to say that I'm pooh-poohing this; it's good news. But everyone should manage their expectations accordingly)

 

[PPB]

Lol, so what is the titled supposed to be "AMD is commiting to porting Mantle to Linux, but there is no time frame yet". All that trouble trying to change the title so it doesnt sound as good news, because we all know good news from AMD arent well received in this forum? Christ.

 

[3DVagabond]

Eh, not really. That statement is about as non-committal as one can get without saying that you're not going to do it. For API development your intentions matter little until you actually commit the resources to it. (Which is not to say that I'm pooh-poohing this; it's good news. But everyone should manage their expectations accordingly)

He said they're going to do it they just can't tell you when the first games will be available. I guess if you try real hard you can find a way for that not to mean they're going to do it.

 

[krumme]

Eh, not really. That statement is about as non-committal as one can get without saying that you're not going to do it. For API development your intentions matter little until you actually commit the resources to it. (Which is not to say that I'm pooh-poohing this; it's good news. But everyone should manage their expectations accordingly)

Ofcource they are going to port it.

PS4 is running on some Linux variant, - so they are already a long way there using their gcn arch with code we know is "similar if not compatible" between mantle pc and ps4. The ps4 software can only be build on amd whitepapers. AMD is deeply in Linux territory already.

Mantle is a prime example - and the hole purpose of it - is to be cross platform. That means Linux and later on Android. Going Linux is getting away from MS/Intel monopoly platform - its an obvious move for AMD.

And he is actually saying they will. No big surprice here.

What he is not saying is, - and thats only my guess - is that they are actually betting the farm on it. They need some leverage to get into mobile. Mantle, GCN++, the HSA initiatives they have started, plus K12 is the way to do it. Without the software they dont have a compettitive edge.

And EA is going the way because they want a larger piece of the mobile gaming market having a compettitive advantage here. Cross platform.

There is nothing wrong with the title. Not the slightest. "Click bait" & "intentions" when ps4 is already running Linux. Its more like 8 months old news imo.

 

[96Firebird]

Wake me up when they actually do it...

 

[Gloomy]

PS4 does not run Linux. Where do people get this stuff.

 

[Despoiler]

If Valve teams with AMD then this will get done a lot sooner than otherwise. At the very least the threat of another API going to Linux is going to force Khronos to write a new version of OGL from the ground up. If they don't OGL is dead.

 

[S.H.O.D.A.N.]

PS4 does not run Linux. Where do people get this stuff.

It may not be Linux, but it's reasonably close.

Well, kinda-ish.

 

[DooKey]

AMD isn't porting to Linux. A better title would be AMD plans to port Mantle to Linux. Until they dedicate resources they are not porting.

 

[TeknoBug]

I remember IDsoftware trying to support the Linux platform and offering client biarnies for Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Q2 and Q3 and such, but not many games are offered with Linux binaries anymore aside a few Steam games.

Oh and PS4 is a form of *BSD, more FreeBSD I think, not Linux.

 

[DeathReborn]

If Valve teams with AMD then this will get done a lot sooner than otherwise. At the very least the threat of another API going to Linux is going to force Khronos to write a new version of OGL from the ground up. If they don't OGL is dead.

If Valve does get involved then I hope they only allow it into SteamOS if it's first supported by at least one of Intel/Nvidia. The sooner mantle goes fully open (like AMD said it was) the sooner my distrust will wane.

 

[stahlhart]

What do you want me to change? Huddy says they will do it, they just haven't established a time frame. Is that not definitive enough?

Your emphasis here is future tense. Your headline can ambiguously be interpreted as present tense. Whatever.
-- stahlhart

 

[ultimatebob]

Wake me up when they actually do it...

Yeah... I've been promised that Linux driver support is "Coming Soon!" for so many products from so many vendors at this point, that I don't believe a word they are saying. Unless they can send me a link to the actual beta driver, STFU.

 

[monstercameron]

PS4 does not run Linux. Where do people get this stuff.

it is bsd...

 

[krumme]

it is bsd...

Excactly - a variant of bsd. We know its easy to port from/to ps4 from Mantle. Now its probably a smaller step to develop Linux driver because of the ps4 tech side where they have solid knowledge already + mantle is starting to become more documented and open because of experience. We then have to add the Mantle driver is very thin, so much of the development cost is on dev side - I guess the same could apply to Linux version?

What is debatable is:

What is the incentive to do the porting now? - or when?
And who is going to pay for it?

AMD wants to jump the mobile wagon, and linux can only be a intermidiate stepstone, but have low and stretched R&D. Where should they prioritize?

Less DX development -> that hurts short and medium profit for a potential profit that is very insecure.

Less HSA java initiative on android?

The problem for AMD seems they still have to many products. They have to ditch some of it. They cant go full steam on eg. high performance big core, Mantle
and HSA at the same time. They seem to have ditched the sea micro server initiative, but still its a lot fundamental technology platform to develop. Going Linux now seems like a "nice to have" thing. But there seems to be a slightly different wording from AMD regarding it - it seems more possitive now than prior.

 

[3DVagabond]

Your emphasis here is future tense. Your headline can ambiguously be interpreted as present tense. Whatever.
-- stahlhart

I've changed the title. Doesn't change the message though, IMO. We'll see Mantle multi platform. Which will trump Windows only.

 

[f1sherman]

What a total waste of engineering resources.

when saying Linux maybe they're talking about Android :hmm:

re-Steam Machine, they're getting outgunned on that front, and this is proly an attempt to gain some traction and differentiation from NV

which BTW totally defeats the whole point of unified target machine(!)