Linux vs Windows, general questions

[hypervelocity]

Hi All!

I'm new to the forums but have been playing KSP for a while and basically my sole interest is to play it as close to reality as I can.

I play a heavily modded install with Realism Overhaul, RSS and most of the realism mods out there.

I wanted to ask you about running KSP on Linux - I hear you can play it in x64 - does this apply to modded installs? I imagine this boosts performance incredibly - Would you recommend playing in Linux regarding performance? Are there any downsides of playing in Linux?

Many thanks in advance!!! every insight will be very much appreciated!

Edited June 23, 2015 by pvnkb1tch

[Green Baron]

64bit has about 20-30% performace gain over 32bit under Linux concerning framerate. If that helps you ...

[Torih]

You can run more mods as well due to not having the 32bit low mem limit.

[hypervelocity]

thanks for the replies guys!!!

just one last! many of the mods I use warn users about running KSP in x64 - are they only referring to WIN x64?

[OddFunction]

thanks for the replies guys!!!

just one last! many of the mods I use warn users about running KSP in x64 - are they only referring to WIN x64?

Yes.

Linux 64 bit = stable, good to use, no memory limit, super mod friendly

Windows 64 bit = Unstable, do not use, world will end

In fact, besides the perfomance drop, Linux is by far the best system to run the game on (until win64 build comes out officially).

[hypervelocity]

Yes.

Linux 64 bit = stable, good to use, no memory limit, super mod friendly

Windows 64 bit = Unstable, do not use, world will end

In fact, besides the perfomance drop, Linux is by far the best system to run the game on (until win64 build comes out officially).

thanks man, that calls it!!! switching to linux!!! very much appreciated!!!

[FireFaced]

Yes.

Linux 64 bit = stable, good to use, no memory limit, super mod friendly

There IS a memory limit, it's just equivalent to your computer's RAM.

[Fizwalker]

I recently switched to Linux Mint.

I can finally play RSS/RO with the 8K textures, and so far, I haven't found an upper limit to the mods I can run (I have 16 GB of RAM, so your experience may vary) If you are new to Linux then I would suggest Mint Others have suggested Ubuntu--These are the two most popular distributions and therefore most supported. From personal experience, it seems nVidia cards are easier to install drivers for in Linux Mint. Let me stress that they *MAY* not be better, but I gave up on screwing around with my ATI card sooner. (This is probably going to bite me on the arse later when I build my GF's computer so she can play....and uses the card I discarded......I digress)

If you get Linux Ubuntu or Mint there is a package installer that can find, and install your video card's "driver." You might find, if you have a mouse with a high polling rate that KSP lags/stutters when you are manipulating parts. This clears up if you reduce the polling of the mouse--you can google it to figure out how.

For me, switching from Windows was kind of equivalent to giving up an addiction. I used windows because I thought I *HAD* to in order to do what I wanted to do with my computer. Something you should know before making the switch. Linux cannot NATIVELY run Windows programs. To run programs meant for Windows, you have to install a program to, put it in an easier term, "emulates" Windows. For administrative purposes, WINE is there. PlayOnLinux is there for us Linux users.

PlayOnLinux is kind of self explanatory. It's here to let us play Windows games on Linux. It is based on WINE.

WINE is here to let us run Windows applications on Linux. WINE (literally, means WINE Is Not an Emulator)

Neither of these programs are perfect in letting us use Windows programs. (iTunes is NOT available on Linux. It is likely that you will lose some of your library if you used iTunes previously--Notably, the music which have licenses signed prior to 2009, will not be available to you after switching to Linux. If you can find a way past the DRM, please share.)

Frankly, the switch to Linux for me was long over due. I should have done it a long time ago. That said, you are going to have to learn a new system. If you're not prepared to do that, don't switch. If you do switch, be aware that different distributions have different communities.... I haven't experienced much with Debian (Which Squad suggests for KSP) I have heard on the other hand that they expect users to know what the heck they're talking about and doing. Mint seems to have a forgiving community. I haven't heard anything about Ubuntu. That said, the person who "recommended" Ubuntu on the forums here was a jerk (From what I gather, he was probably a Debian user and in his own way steered me away from a community I would have disliked intensely, so I thank him for that), another person in the thread I started suggested Mint. I tried Mint, despite having a disk with Debian. Other than some frustration in how to install my video card's drivers, which was cleared up with another question on the KSP forums.

If your sole reason for switching to Linux is KSP, then I wouldn't switch. On the other hand, if you're fed up with Windows and want a change, I would go with Linux Mint or Ubuntu. Be prepared that these OS's will take some getting used to. Be certain of what you want, because there is a lot to get used to in Linux.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Fizwalker

[Cleric2145]

There IS a memory limit, it's just equivalent to your computer's RAM.

Unless you have more than 16 Exabytes of RAM

[FireFaced]

unless you have more than 16 exabytes of ram

[hypervelocity]

I recently switched to Linux Mint.

I can finally play RSS/RO with the 8K textures, and so far, I haven't found an upper limit to the mods I can run (I have 16 GB of RAM, so your experience may vary) If you are new to Linux then I would suggest Mint Others have suggested Ubuntu--These are the two most popular distributions and therefore most supported. From personal experience, it seems nVidia cards are easier to install drivers for in Linux Mint. Let me stress that they *MAY* not be better, but I gave up on screwing around with my ATI card sooner. (This is probably going to bite me on the arse later when I build my GF's computer so she can play....and uses the card I discarded......I digress)

If you get Linux Ubuntu or Mint there is a package installer that can find, and install your video card's "driver." You might find, if you have a mouse with a high polling rate that KSP lags/stutters when you are manipulating parts. This clears up if you reduce the polling of the mouse--you can google it to figure out how.

For me, switching from Windows was kind of equivalent to giving up an addiction. I used windows because I thought I *HAD* to in order to do what I wanted to do with my computer. Something you should know before making the switch. Linux cannot NATIVELY run Windows programs. To run programs meant for Windows, you have to install a program to, put it in an easier term, "emulates" Windows. For administrative purposes, WINE is there. PlayOnLinux is there for us Linux users.

PlayOnLinux is kind of self explanatory. It's here to let us play Windows games on Linux. It is based on WINE.

WINE is here to let us run Windows applications on Linux. WINE (literally, means WINE Is Not an Emulator)

Neither of these programs are perfect in letting us use Windows programs. (iTunes is NOT available on Linux. It is likely that you will lose some of your library if you used iTunes previously--Notably, the music which have licenses signed prior to 2009, will not be available to you after switching to Linux. If you can find a way past the DRM, please share.)

Frankly, the switch to Linux for me was long over due. I should have done it a long time ago. That said, you are going to have to learn a new system. If you're not prepared to do that, don't switch. If you do switch, be aware that different distributions have different communities.... I haven't experienced much with Debian (Which Squad suggests for KSP) I have heard on the other hand that they expect users to know what the heck they're talking about and doing. Mint seems to have a forgiving community. I haven't heard anything about Ubuntu. That said, the person who "recommended" Ubuntu on the forums here was a jerk (From what I gather, he was probably a Debian user and in his own way steered me away from a community I would have disliked intensely, so I thank him for that), another person in the thread I started suggested Mint. I tried Mint, despite having a disk with Debian. Other than some frustration in how to install my video card's drivers, which was cleared up with another question on the KSP forums.

If your sole reason for switching to Linux is KSP, then I wouldn't switch. On the other hand, if you're fed up with Windows and want a change, I would go with Linux Mint or Ubuntu. Be prepared that these OS's will take some getting used to. Be certain of what you want, because there is a lot to get used to in Linux.

thanks so much Frizwalker - this is a lot more info I could've ever hoped for, it shows the many nuances of the switching to Linux and gave me a lot to consider. I really appreciate you taking the time to write all this!!! this is very helpful to me, many thanks!!!