this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2025
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[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

We could use more open-source games. It would be nice to be able to have open-source versions of RimWorld, Victoria 3, Factorio, etc. I know there's open source versions already for each of these games, but they are in super alpha builds (I'm not counting Mindustry as an alternative to Factorio, even if it is a good game). Many open source versions are written in C#, too, or use Unity or Unreal Engine.

I would like to see more games that I can install with a package manager and have extra packages for mods, and games that are written in less Windows focused languages, like C, C++, Rust, Zig, Clojure, etc. Mods for most games are mostly config changes, reskins, new models, etc., and they feel inadequate. I would like to see people be able to fork games and create entirely new experiences, like the GZDoom and other Doom engines for example. Part of the fun of gaming for me is tinkering them, creating servers in containers like a sysadmin, and compiling games with different use flags. Open Source games are fun, but most of them don't scratch the itch like the games I mentioned provide.

Some other things I want to see with games:

  • Follow the XDG Base Directory Specification
  • Luanti could use more development support, but it would be nice to see other Minecraft alternatives built in languages like Rust. Playing MineClone2 is a very clunky Minecraft experience, and the UI is a little shitty. Also Luanti and Minecraft both don't follow the XDG specification mentioned above and refuse to do so like most developers, which is infuriating.
  • Seeing more games start from scratch by developing their own engines (or start without an engine) would be nice. (Examples: 1, 2, 3, 4)
  • More Vulkan and Wayland support.
  • More terminal games. Kind of wish there was a Dwarf Fortress I could play in emacs, or games that used vim/emacs keybindings, even as far as mimicking programming with binds like 10j, yy, Ctrl+v I, @(letter for macro), g/G, Ctrl+0/$, etc. Sort of a game like Screeps where the game is played by writing code, but also a game where playing the game isn't necessarily writing code but is played using the binds. A top-down roguelike would seem to be like a good example, or a strategy or sandbox game, especially one about automation.

Anyway, the reason I am mentioning all this is because if we could see games start from scratch and support this architecture, it would be a good time to start building games that properly support open source operating systems instead of being slopped together like most Windows games ported to Linux are. Proprietary code in games hold their potential back in chains, and open-source games are made by people that are not well financially supported and make them in their own limited free time.