KSP & Lunix

[OddFunction]

Ignorant question time!

Is there any advantage to running KSP on Lunix as far as the 32bit,64bit,memory limitation issues go?

[DaPatman]

Assuming you mean Linux rather than Lunix, Linux is currently the only OS on which 64-bit KSP is officially supperted. (It used to be supported on Windows, but this was dropped for 1.0 because of the ridiculous number of bugs that couldn't be fixed because they were bugs in Unity 4, not KSP.)

[Sandworm]

Well, I wouldn't say that the 64bit windows release was ever really supported. Available yes, but never considered reliable or stable imho. The advantages of linux are many. I've been running the 64bit linux releases for years. They are very very stable well beyond the 4gb ram limitations of the win32 releases. My regular game runs at 4.2gb in ram. With 1.0.2's memory leaks I've seen that go as high as 10gb without issues.

Lunix does exist. But anyone managing to get KSP running on lunix might deserve a nobel prize in physics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LUnix

Edited May 19, 2015 by Sandworm

[OddFunction]

Assuming you mean Linux rather than Lunix, Linux is currently the only OS on which 64-bit KSP is officially supperted. (It used to be supported on Windows, but this was dropped for 1.0 because of the ridiculous number of bugs that couldn't be fixed because they were bugs in Unity 4, not KSP.)

LOL I cannot believe I didn't catch that twice!

And that is amazing... I am now going to go install my dual boot. Until today the idea of 64bit KSP was just a dream!

Well, I wouldn't say that the 64bit windows release was ever really supported. Available yes, but never considered reliable or stable imho.

Lunix does exist. But anyone managing to get KSP running on lunix might deserve a nobel prize in physics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LUnix

I am imagining an 8bit KSP... and for some reason in my head it sounds fun. The 2D would be a dealbreaker though.

- - - Updated - - -

2nd Question:

Can I just drag and drop my windows version of 'GameData' into my Linux install of KSP and have all my mods work? Anybody have experience with that?

[justidutch]

Lunix: the OS best suited for low gravity.

[Commissioner Tadpole]

I would consider using Linux, but from what I heard, Windows users will have trouble adjusting to it. Which sort of puts me off.

[Robotengineer]

Set up a dual boot install with a Linux partition and whatever your native OS is on the other partition. It is totally worth it.

[Lord Aurelius]

I would consider using Linux, but from what I heard, Windows users will have trouble adjusting to it. Which sort of puts me off.

It really depends what distro you use. There are definitely some differences, but some distros (like Linux Mint) have a UI that's very similar to windows and has a pretty minimal learning curve. The main difference for the average user is that you'll be primarily getting your software via the software center instead of downloading installers (Linux had an app store long before everyone else).

[JAD_Interplanetary]

I only run Linux at home, and I have KSP installed through Steam. But I don't run it through Steam, I usually launch from the command line or with CKAN. Works great for me.

[xtoro]

Been running Linux KSP forever, 64-bit. Can have tons of mods, no memory problems, and it never crashes. I mean, maybe two or three times, EVER has it crashed in the many years I've been playing. In fact, I don't even exit the game, I just alt-tab out of it and use the task manager to suspend the program and leave it minimized. Close laptop lid, laptop sleeps. Next time I use my laptop I can do whatever and KSP just sits there sleeping. Then I resume the executable and continue playing. I've done this for weeks at a time and played daily without ever seeing the loading screen

[peachoftree]

Adjusting to linux doesn't have to be an issue if you don't want it to be, you can use linux only for KSP. Install a lightweight OS (I recommend elementary os), then install KSP. The whole setup could take up a minimum of 7 gigs of storage space (I recommend allocating more) and will only take around 20 seconds to boot. Windows probably takes about that long to shut down. I think that 7 gigs and 40 extra seconds of loading time is a small price to pay for 64-bit ksp.

Or you could even install linux onto a 16GB+ flash drive and not even bother with partitioning your drive

Brought to you by a full-time linux user and from viewers like you

Edited May 19, 2015 by peachoftree

[kurja]

I would consider using Linux, but from what I heard, Windows users will have trouble adjusting to it. Which sort of puts me off.

I switched from win to ubuntu linux about three years ago, haven't been looking back since really. It's not that difficult to get used to if you're at all computer savvy, and if you're not, put a Windows theme on your linux desktop ui and you'll never know the difference

[OddFunction]

I am trying Kubunto now because I found Mint's Partition screen to be confusing (I have lots of Harddrives and partitions) so if Kubuntu doesn't work I'll be trying elementary OS... so excited to pimp my KSP

[xtoro]

I am trying Kubunto now because I found Mint's Partition screen to be confusing (I have lots of Harddrives and partitions) so if Kubuntu doesn't work I'll be trying elementary OS... so excited to pimp my KSP

I use Kubuntu and it works great.

[stibbons]

Can I just drag and drop my windows version of 'GameData' into my Linux install of KSP and have all my mods work? Anybody have experience with that?

I wasn't literally dragging and dropping, but before CKAN I was using a git repository to keep my GameData folder synced across Windows, Linux and OSX. There are a very small number of mods that are platform specific (Scatterer and the load on demand one that both use DirectX tricks are the only ones that spring to mind), but the majority just run everywhere. Make sure you exclude the stock folders, although I think in 1.0 that's only the Squad one.

[Ignath]

Make sure you exclude the stock folders, although I think in 1.0 that's only the Squad one.

Actually don't even have to exclude the Squad folder as far as I can tell. I just did a copy all of my GameData and CKAN folders from Windows onto an install on my new Mint partition without incident.

[m4v]

Besides of getting used to it, the other thing Linux has against is that usually FPS are lower than in Windows. In my case I get like 10 fps less than in windows.

[Voidryder]

Set up a dual boot install with a Linux partition and whatever your native OS is on the other partition. It is totally worth it.

Totally agree. Do a dual boot. Was a Win 64 bit player. Installed Linux so I could mod, mod, mod and mod my game. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. As to is hard to adjust to? Nope. In fact in someways it's easier to use than Windows. (I'm looking at you Mr. Gates.) Do it, you won't regret it.

(Just kidding Bill. Haha, really just joking. Please don't wipe out all my electronic existence - again. Please.)

[kurja]

Besides of getting used to it, the other thing Linux has against is that usually FPS are lower than in Windows. In my case I get like 10 fps less than in windows.

GPU support might be an obvious issue but that wouldn't usually be the bottleneck with KSP; can you speculate what might be causing this FPS drop?

[m4v]

GPU support might be an obvious issue but that wouldn't usually be the bottleneck with KSP; can you speculate what might be causing this FPS drop?

If GPU support isn't good then you can't really rule it out without a benchmark, can you?

Edited May 20, 2015 by m4v

[kurja]

If GPU support isn't good then you can't really rule it out without a benchmark, can you?

Well KSP just isn't very demanding on the gpu, was my point. Or were you talking in general, lower fps in linux than windows? I don't play many games but until a recent proprietary driver update I always had low video performance with linux using an oldish nvidia gtx560. I don't have a windows install I could compare to though.