DirectX for Linux?

[KazanNinja]

From what I've seen the Linux version of KSP uses OpenGL, not DirectX (Is it DirectX?) For me this causes more lag than what I would get if I were running it on Windows. Is there a way to not use OpenGL? And instead use DirectX?

Correct if I'm wrong. I'm not quite sure what KSP runs on when it's not using OpenGL

[boxman]

From what I've seen the Linux version of KSP uses OpenGL, not DirectX (Is it DirectX?) For me this causes more lag than what I would get if I were running it on Windows. Is there a way to not use OpenGL? And instead use DirectX?

Correct if I'm wrong. I'm not quite sure what KSP runs on when it's not using OpenGL

DirectX is a microsoft technology that does not exist on any third party platforms or OSes. The only way to run the DX version of KSP is by running the widows version under Wine and that will most likely perform even worse.

OpenGL is often faster anyways, so hopefully the unity5 port improves how it performs with opengl.

[bakanando]

OpenGL will make the game run more stable in either platform, your problem might be somewhere graphics related though.

Try reading the Linux Thread and post more information about your pc's specs or you won't get much help.

[rtxoff]

You could try WINE under Linux. It is a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications under Linux. However i didn't try with KSP yet.

If the initial WINE configuration is too difficult for you then install https://www.playonlinux.com , it takes most configuration work away from you and manages your windows games under Linux.

Edit: under Debian based distributions like Ubuntu playonlinux should be in the system repositories and you don't have to download it over the website, just install it in your OS'es software management

Edited May 31, 2015 by gpisic

[SpaceNomad]

Wine won't help, it just implements (part of) the DirectX API by issuing OpenGL calls.

[steve_v]

True, though it depends where the bottleneck is. Realistically you're probably just shifting it from the games OpenGL implementation to wines API compatibility layer. Performance will probably suck harder than native OpenGL, and you may find some shaders etc. dont work at all.

[waterlubber]

This game really isn't graphics intensive; it's heavily based on CPU. You need a powerful CPU, not a GPU, to play this. I have a decent GPU and get along fine on default settings. Don't use DirectX, all it's caused is pain and heartache (cough Space Engineers cough)

[steve_v]

Don't use DirectX, all it's caused is pain and heartache...

As it has always been. DirectX started as a "low end" high level API, specifically for games.

It's release by MS was the torpedo that sank Fahrenheit, and by extension SGI. While it has come a long way since Windows '95, it's still a one trick pony. It's only really good for games, and it only runs on Windows.

OpenGL is the superior API for any number of reasons bar one: DirectX is easier to code for (being higher level / more abstracted). And it's pushed ruthlessly by MS.

[soulsource]

Just to clarify a few things: On Linux and OS X the most commonly used 3D graphics API is OpenGL. (Nearly?) all 3D games use it on those platforms, and KSP is no exception. If your system has low OpenGL performance it is nearly always a graphics driver issue. If you haven't already, you might increase performance by installing the proprietary graphics drivers. On nVidia that's more or less mandatory, as the

. With AMD the situation is different. Both, the open source and the proprietary drivers are developed by AMD employees, yet the open source drivers lack some features, as there are intellectual property issues with open sourcing some parts of Catalyst [citation needed] (the situation will change soon). So, while the open source drivers offer (much) better desktop integration, the proprietary drivers might, depending on the game you're running, offer quite some performance increase (an educated guess is that most often it increases performance by 50%, sometimes even 100%, in rare cases it also worsens performance slightly). For Intel there is only one driver available for Linux (not counting the recent work on a Gallium3D based Intel driver), so you're more or less stuck with it.

Nevertheless, OpenGL is not the only 3D graphics API available on Linux. On some graphics drivers, namely those that use the Gallium3D driver model (in other words: the open source AMD driver, the recently developed Intel Gallium3D driver and a few drivers which are not really relevant on the desktop), even Direct3D 9 is an option. Nevertheless, as far as I know only Fedora supports gallium nine out of the box, with other distributions some manual work is required, that might very well end in a system that can no longer boot to a graphical user interface. As I've never set up a gallium nine installation, all I can do is forward you to the iXit website. But keep in mind, that for being able to use the direct3d state tracker you'll likely have to run the 32bit windows version of KSP through wine, severely limiting the memory that can be addressed by KSP...

[KazanNinja]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies, so from what I learned, DirectX is not what I need and KSP doesn't run on it either??? Does it run on Direct3D??? (and also Wine is possible but... you know... RAM...) As for drivers, I'm running on a GTX 980 using the proprietary drivers, the performance ins't too poor, but I get around 20FPS launching a Learstar A1. (I'm not quite sure if that's what other people get either.) So should I be seeking Direct3D instead of DirectX???

Thanks for all the help

[Peppe]

Direct3d is under the umbrella that is DirectX. DirectX has a whole bunch of non graphic API as well to support 2d/sounds/input/etc.

Everything under directX is a microsoft product so designed and built only for windows.

Wine tries to map directX graphic api calls to opengl.

The Unity engine the game runs in has support to run openGl directly, so I would not bother with Wine.

If your graphics drivers are up to date the main bottle neck in the game is CPU. What are you running?

[KazanNinja]

Direct3d is under the umbrella that is DirectX. DirectX has a whole bunch of non graphic API as well to support 2d/sounds/input/etc.

Everything under directX is a microsoft product so designed and built only for windows.

Wine tries to map directX graphic api calls to opengl.

The Unity engine the game runs in has support to run openGl directly, so I would not bother with Wine.

If your graphics drivers are up to date the main bottle neck in the game is CPU. What are you running?

I'm running an i7 2600k 3.4ghz , GTX 980, 32 gb of RAM.

[Vanamonde]

Moved to Space Lounge, since this is not about the forum itself.

[KerbMav]

Does Mantle do anything for Linux? Or am I way off track here?

[rtxoff]

AFAIK there is no MANTLE support for Linux yet but it is planned.

BTW: A high ranking manager from AMD said they will bury MANTLE and he suggests that developers should focus their attention on DirectX® 12 or GLnext.

source: https://community.amd.com/community/gaming/blog/2015/05/12/on-apis-and-the-future-of-mantle

Edited June 2, 2015 by gpisic

[KerbMav]

Where does it say "bury"?