How much would it actually cost to port to Linux ?

First let me say I'm no developer nor do I understand the costs of developing games or apps.
I've seen this question about requests to develop rFactor 2 for Linux. I've read some posts regarding costs and how the major hurdle may be cost related. I don't know if any of that is true or not.

If there is some truth to this and this is a major factor in developing rFactor for Linux, then what is a budget cost to get this done and to make it work with Linux Steam as well ?

I mean assuming this is the major hurdle then how much funding is needed and how much ongoing monthly budget to maintain it as well.
I assume there would be an initial budget to hire more developers, and then ongoing costs to maintain and fix bugs etc.

Thanks. ?

 

Proton exists. It's click and play. I also managed to get drivers for wheels to work since this year, so technically it already is on linux.

 

Nice, reading about it now.

 

Does ffb work on Linux tho?

 

Not for all wheels and also not completely for some. Best supported are Logitech's devices.

 

Yeah that's all a work around but what about straight linux ? And budget cost if it can even be done without any windows components ?

Just wondering if it's really just funding or multiple things ?

And if just funding then how much is really needed to accomplish this. Just curious about the subject overall.
Thanks

 

Another important question would be, how many years of development?

 

OH yeah that is a good question. It never occurred to me it could take years for this given the right funding.

 

Coupla months to get it running, 5 years to get an acceptable frame rate

 

You are extremly optimistic

 

I got my DD1 working as well. There are quite a few drivers made by the community

They can't make it straight linux as long as they use DX. So lets say they'd so better making a new game

 

Since DX 'is' the market these days, why would rF3 use anything but?

 

Exactly, they shouldn't

 

It seems you have obsolete data. Vulkan is the market these days.

 

It works very well with Proton. For example Ark: SE works much better with Proton on Linux than native on Windows.

 

wouldn't be the first time. NV is running Vulkan? I thought that was an AMD initiative...(again...out of date perhaps)

 

Why do you want to port it to Linux exactly ? Working flawlessly on Windows, just install windows, period.

 

There are many reasons to go Linux. Its more customizable, its free, there are many distros for all different usecases, it doesnt have a agenda to push you to use more windows products, they dont force update your system, and so you can go on. The only reason right now to not go linux, is even though more and more drivers start existing for it, it is still not a guarantee it has drivers for all your stuff. And of course Direct X is a windows product, which needs to be run in a compatibility layer (proton) in steam, which makes not all games run as well as the windows product

 

Reasons not to go Linux. Its more customizable, there are many distros for all different usecases.

And it hates me at a personal level. Dunno why, I even ported a microkernel for it to a phone around 20 years ago.

 

One issue that I've not seen mentioned would also be the availability of add-on software we use.
Crewchief, SimHub, and any number of HUD dashboard add-ons.
A lot of these are Windows applications or use a Windows DLL plugin to connect to rF2.
These would have to be re-developed to work with Linux...
Not only that but due to the huge difference in the size of the markets for each OS would the costs be justified?

And that's not just financial costs - rF2 bug fixes and updates can take a while to get out.
How much longer will it take to get changes out for two different OS?
And if one gets a new update before the other, how many milli-seconds would it be before users of the second OS start jumping up and down complaining about being left behind?