KSP and Linux ? yes/no questions list

[xiombargdei]

I'm a windows user, but i'm interested in installing linux in dual boot for the sole purpose of playing KSP 64 bits with mods the "rightful" way.

Here is a bunch of (almost) yes/no questions for anyone who can help me decide if its feasable :

Is KSP compatible with Linux Mint ?

Can I install Steam on a linux system ?

Will Steam detects it is on Linux and download a linux-based KSP ?

Is CKAN compatible with Linux ?

Will I get CKAN GUI or be forced to use command line ?

Are all and any mods compatible with Linux or only some of them ?

Some mods disable themselves on windows 64. Do they do the same on linux 64 ?

Can is use my linux-ksp saves on a windows-ksp installation and vice versa ?

Is there anything else i should know/be aware of ?

thanks

[Kiro]

I installed Ubuntu just so I can run the x64 bit version of KSP and it runs well. There is a whole Linux tread on the forums that will help you with all your questions.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/92231-The-Linux-Thread?highlight=linux+thread

All the mods I use (and I use a lot) have been Linux compatible and yes Steam works well with Linux.

I don't use CKAN so I'm no help there.

[JAD_Interplanetary]

Is KSP compatible with Linux Mint ?

Can I install Steam on a linux system ?

Will Steam detects it is on Linux and download a linux-based KSP ?

Is CKAN compatible with Linux ?

Will I get CKAN GUI or be forced to use command line ?

Yes, I use Linux as my main desktop, and I have Steam installed on it as well as KSP. I use Ubuntu (which Mint is based off of and they use many of the same package repos) so Steam will install just fine. I also use the GUI version of CKAN.

Are all and any mods compatible with Linux or only some of them ?

Some mods disable themselves on windows 64. Do they do the same on linux 64 ?

All the mods I use are compatible and work just fine. From what I've seen on the forums, the ones that won't work are mods that fix Windows specific problems or issues with DirextX (the Linux version uses opengl by default.)

Can is use my linux-ksp saves on a windows-ksp installation and vice versa ?

Is there anything else i should know/be aware of ?

The save and craft files are just text files, so they should be compatible across operating systems. I haven't tried it, though.

My experience with KSP on Linux has been great. I've never come across any issues with running it or enjoying it. Good luck!

[sarbian]

Some mods disable themselves on windows 64. Do they do the same on linux 64 ?

Those mode disabled themselves when KSP is running on 64 bit on Windows only. They do that because KSP x64 on Windows has problems.

[xiombargdei]

thanks guys

[cantab]

Is KSP compatible with Linux Mint ?

Yes.

Can I install Steam on a linux system ?

Yes.

Will Steam detects it is on Linux and download a linux-based KSP ?

Yes.

Is CKAN compatible with Linux ?

Will I get CKAN GUI or be forced to use command line ?

Yes. Run it from the command line using mono ckan.exe , the GUI will open.

Are all and any mods compatible with Linux or only some of them ?

Virtually all. The only exception I've found is "Advanced Fly-By-Wire", a mod that adds controller configuration options, which has separate Windows and Linux versions.

Some mods disable themselves on windows 64. Do they do the same on linux 64 ?

No. Linux 64-bit is stable and all mods I know of support it.

Can is use my linux-ksp saves on a windows-ksp installation and vice versa ?

Yes, with one caveat - if you set your Linux system in a language other than English you need to be careful with the "locale" KSP runs under.

Is there anything else i should know/be aware of ?

If you have an nVidia graphics card you will need the proprietary nVidia drivers to get good performance. If you have an AMD graphics card you may want the proprietary AMD drivers and can expect underperformance compared to on Windows whatever driver you use, though for KSP it might not matter. Either way you should install your graphics drivers, and most other programs, using Linux Mint's package manager or software centre. Don't download Linux software from websites like you would on Windows unless you've searched in the package manager and it's not there.

[selfish_meme]

You should also set some steam launcher options (right click on Game Menu item and go to properties "set launcher options", paste below)

LC_ALL=C __GL_THREADED_OPTIMIZATIONS=1 %command%_64

This will run KSP in 64 bit mode and do this http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=nvidia_threaded_opts&num=1 it won't lead to FPS improvements but it will take load off the CPU which will help you build larger ships

Edited June 24, 2015 by selfish_meme

[Dirty Bob]

I run Mint personally and it all works just fine.

[steve_v]

There is one other small issue I have encountered... Ensure you start KSP from the KSP base directory. Steam should do it for you, but if you make a shortcut to the binary ensure you set the "working directory". Not serious, but it breaks mods with native libraries, and can cause some files to turn up in odd places.

Other than that, pick the most favourable answer to all your questions and you'll be right on the money

Also check out The Linux Thread, and The Other Linux Thread as the OP in particular has a bunch of useful info.

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You should also set some steam launcher options (right click on Game Menu item and go to properties "set launcher options", paste below)

LC_ALL=C __GL_THREADED_OPTIMIZATIONS=1 %command%_64

LC_ALL is only needed for certain locales, specifically those that swap '.' and ',' in numerical fields. (Unity, please fix) But it shouldn't do any harm.

That (old) phoronix article isn't exactly a glowing review of threaded optimisations... YMMV on that one. For me it makes zero real world difference.

Edited June 24, 2015 by steve_v

[xiombargdei]

Other than that, pick the most favourable answer to all your questions and you'll be right on the money

Green lights seem everywhere so i'll give it a go after work !

[steve_v]

Yeah, in some bizarre inversion of reality, here's a game that has more going for it on GNU/Linux

[miceliux]

The only thing I miss in Linux is Anti-Aliasing support. Apart from that, I'm very happy with it.

[steve_v]

Nvidia forced AA & AF (via the driver control panel) works fine for me, always has.

[xiombargdei]

Nvidia forced AA & AF (via the driver control panel) works fine for me, always has.

I'm with AMD (and I love it)

[miceliux]

I'm with AMD (and I love it)

I'm also with AMD. Just to confirm, is there any way to force AA with radeon?

[jarmund]

My answers:

Is KSP compatible with Linux Mint ?

Yes. I'm using Mint 17 with XFCE myself, KSP installed via Steam.

Can I install Steam on a linux system ?

Same answer as above

Will Steam detects it is on Linux and download a linux-based KSP ?

Yes

Is CKAN compatible with Linux ?

Testing now, as I need to update some mods, and I'm tired of doing it the manual way. If it's anything like CPAN, it's going to be awesome...

googling....

clicking...

reading...

testing....

concluding.... Yes!

Note: You need to have mono and libcurl4-openssl-dev. When that's sorted (via apt-get, most likely), just: mono ckan.exe

Will I get CKAN GUI or be forced to use command line ?

It gave me a GUI.

Are all and any mods compatible with Linux or only some of them ?

I haven't encountered any mods that are incompatible with linux 64 bit.

Some mods disable themselves on windows 64. Do they do the same on linux 64 ?

Same answer as above

Can is use my linux-ksp saves on a windows-ksp installation and vice versa ?

Yes

Is there anything else i should know/be aware of ?

Make sure you use NVIDIAs own driver, if you use their cards. Mint defaults to the open source one because of licenses and such, but switching is VERY easy. No instructions needed - If you try to switch, you'll figure out how.

thanks

You're welcome.

[soulsource]

I'm also with AMD. Just to confirm, is there any way to force AA with radeon?

Depends on the driver you're using. With the craprietary drivers I have no idea, as they are so buggy, I wouldn't touch them wearing a hazmat suit.

The open source drivers have an environment variable: GALLIUM_MSAA, which you can set to the desired MSAA-Level.

[jarmund]

Depends on the driver you're using. With the craprietary drivers I have no idea, as they are so buggy, I wouldn't touch them wearing a hazmat suit.

The open source drivers have an environment variable: GALLIUM_MSAA, which you can set to the desired MSAA-Level.

On a related note, when it comes to drivers, I've found that AMD and NVIDIA are opposites:

NVIDIA official driver: Great

NVIDIA 3rd party driver: Buggy

AMD/ATI official driver: Buggy

AMD/ATI 3rd party driver: Great (at least the Omega driver that I tried a few years ago)

--------------------

I found that CKAN is unable to check for updates to itself, because of a certificate problem with mono. The first thing you get when starting CKAN is a dismissable warning about failure to open download stream or something like that, try this command:

mozroots --import --ask-remove

That'll download the root certificates for you. I had no issues after.

[miceliux]

Depends on the driver you're using. With the craprietary drivers I have no idea, as they are so buggy, I wouldn't touch them wearing a hazmat suit.

The open source drivers have an environment variable: GALLIUM_MSAA, which you can set to the desired MSAA-Level.

I used to set that variable some time ago, but the support for it was removed in mesa and it doesn't work any more.

[selfish_meme]

You are better off forcing fxaa anyway, quicker, dirtier but not noticeably might as well claw back some frames

[xiombargdei]

OK tried to install Mint on my PC, boot from DvD then ... black screen with white square on the top left and nothing happens ..... Quick search on the internet gave me 2 solutions : nomodeset on the welcome screen, and maybe disable secure boot from BIOS if I have it.

A bit off topic : why is linux always giving hard time for the most basic things (ie. installing ...), or is it that we have been used to too much easyness from 'crosoft ?

[miceliux]

OK tried to install Mint on my PC, boot from DvD then ... black screen with white square on the top left and nothing happens ..... Quick search on the internet gave me 2 solutions : nomodeset on the welcome screen, and maybe disable secure boot from BIOS if I have it.

A bit off topic : why is linux always giving hard time for the most basic things (ie. installing ...), or is it that we have been used to too much easyness from 'crosoft ?

My biased opinion: try Fedora.

[selfish_meme]

OK tried to install Mint on my PC, boot from DvD then ... black screen with white square on the top left and nothing happens ..... Quick search on the internet gave me 2 solutions : nomodeset on the welcome screen, and maybe disable secure boot from BIOS if I have it.

A bit off topic : why is linux always giving hard time for the most basic things (ie. installing ...), or is it that we have been used to too much easyness from 'crosoft ?

Linux has to work around sometimes deliberate efforts and more often complete disregard from manufacturers and Microsoft. Microsoft pushed for secureboot and to have the option turned on by default. Are you trying to do this on a laptop? If it's a whizzing laptop and not a Lenovo or Macbook you are probably gonna have a rough time with any distribution. It works best on a straight Intel chipset motherboard with discrete Nvidia or Intel Graphics. Everething else is going to give you hassles to a greater or lesser extent. it's not Linuxes fault, it's just a small percentage of users on the desktop and manufacturers do not always take it seriously.

- - - Updated - - -

My biased opinion: try Fedora.

- - - Updated - - -

Try looking up your laptop model and see if someone has done a howto Linux

- - - Updated - - -

Now all we need is someone else to suggest arch

[-ELF-]

As already mentioned -

More or less - Yes to all. I am running Linux Mint "Rebecca" personally. No issues here, except my own issues, that I am on AMD+ATI machine, so I have some caveats with video drivers...

If you go to linux, better go there on Intel+Nvidia machine... More chances to run without noticing any problems.

Edit:

Installing Linux AFTER the windows as second boot - is not a very good variant...

If you want a quick solution - grab additional HDD and install Mint there, then reconnect windows HDD to make it dual boot.

But as you are not experienced with that, I would suggest first trying to install Linux on clean PC without Windows to try yourself.

Also, make sure to make proper partition of HDD for Linux - reformat partition to FHS, split to boot sector, home sector and swap file sector... Well... I suppose you'd better find a guide on Linux installation...

Edited June 25, 2015 by [ELF]

[steve_v]

;2040481']Installing Linux AFTER the windows as second boot - is not a very good variant...

Unless something has changed (I have no windows to worry about these days ) "Install Windows before Linux if on same disk" was standard procedure.

Pretty well all modern GNU/Linux installers will offer to resize Windows partitions to make space for install' date=' and will detect most other OSs, setting up chainloading of the existing bootloader from GRUB for you.

Windows, by contrast, makes so attempt whatsoever to co-exist with other operating systems. It will simply overwrite the boot sector with it's own code (which cannot boot Linux) [i']without prompting. This will render an existing GRUB/Linux (or any other non-MS OS) setup unbootable until you use a live disk to fix the bootloader.

My advise is: If you have any non-MS OS installed, unplug every drive you don't want trashed before running the Windows installer.

It won't ask to preserve an existing OS, won't allow you (without some hackery) to install on a secondary drive or non-primary partition, and simply bulldozes anything already on the disk.

But yeah, a dedicated disk for GNU/Linux is the better plan, assuming you have one available. On a laptop this is obviously not an option.

Also, what on earth is "format partition to FHS"?

Multiple partitions for GNU/Linux is a good idea: It allows you to put the swap (pagefile in MS land) on it's own partition so it won't get fragmented and can be positioned on the fastest part of the platter.

Splitting out /home to it's own partition allows you to wipe and re-install or upgrade the OS part without touching your personal files and settings.

A partition for /boot is for the same reason MS does it - so that you can still get to the bootloader if your OS partition gets trashed somehow.

None of these reasons are all that critical anymore, swap won't get much use if you have 8 or more GB of RAM, and you can use a file like MS does if you want to.

Likewise /boot and /home can be part of / if that's more convenient for you. FOSS is, in part, about freedom of choice after all.

As for "make proper partition of HDD for Linux" all of the above rambling about partitions is largely irrelevant unless you have special needs - the installer will usually handle it all for you.

Linux has to work around sometimes deliberate efforts and more often complete disregard from manufacturers and Microsoft.

--8<--

Yeah, that. Hardware vendors must always provide support for Windows, as it comes pre-installed on the majority of PCs. 90% of the hardware support in the Linux kernel is, by contrast, developed by the Linux kernel devs with no help at all from the hardware vendor.

Now all we need is someone else to suggest arch

Arch is awesome, but it's also more work to set up and maintain than a Debian or RH based distro due to it's inherent 'rolling release' bleeding-edgeness. I'm surprised no-one suggested Gentoo

Edited June 25, 2015 by steve_v
Merge posts.