Posted Apr 23, 2007 at 08:33PM by Ceasar S. Listed in: News, Linux Tags: Linux, Sony, GPU, Ubuntu, Fedora, Gentoo
Ó

The Penguinistas speak: open up RSX! - Image 1Everyone knows that the CELL BE-powered PlayStation 3 can run a couple of Linux distros already, but it comes at a severe hindrance: the Hypervisor chip. This little culprit ensures that the Linux distros will never be able to access the RSX GPU core by NVIDIA, and it's made many Penguin-heads mad. Oh yes, us too.

Because of the huge hardware dead-end, Linux graphics capabilities are dead-awful even at the bearable performance points. Ubuntu, Yellow Dog, Fedora Cores (5 and 6) and Gentoo have all been unable to run Linux gamers' favorite games on Linux, which also includes WinE games and open-source titles.

So it comes to no suprise that Linux users have set up an online petition asking Sony to open up access to the RSX GPU core, or else. Will Sony even care? That depends. After a huge financial fallout from the PlayStation 3's lackluster beginnings, the giant may not be opening a window for open-source programmers to creating 3D games for the PlayStation 3 - unless they pay for the licenses.

Many geeks, however, disagreed that open-source games could undermine the "mountains of wonga" that the electronics giant can earn from the next-gen console - at least not yet. One Linux geek said, "Do they think people will code Gears of War 2 at home?" All they want to do is turn the PlayStation 3 to an experimental living room Linux PC...and play Pong.

So in an effort to fuel this petition and to sound the rally cry for the PlayStation 3 geeks out there, we're posting this up for the world to hear and for Sony to see. Whether they listen or not is really up to them. Hop on over to the petition site over via the "Read" link below.


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22 Comments


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   by Someone_PR (Unregistered) - 2007-04-23
 » Just a thought...

It will be awsome but.. isn't a easy way to hack theirs games?


   Re: mii (Unregistered) - 2007-04-25
 » you're sooo right...

and sony would rather discontinue a product than support the economical anarchy that is piracy.
...when someone figures out how to do it, please share with the world quickly,
I'm trying, and when I figure it out I will post the video on youtube and show how to network an infinite amount of ps3's.
   by freakrule21 (Unregistered) - 2007-04-23
 » wow

im a sony fanboy BUT jesus christ all these *****n petitions is gettin out of hand. pussies cryin cuz they want this and that. a stupid petition wont do anything. Stupid geek , no they wont code gears of war 2 not like gears was a good game anyway as i find Resistance better, but sony wont let u access the Nvidia rsx gpu core. They have their reasons and u kno damn well wut it is so dont even ask.


   Re: Kristian (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » Waiting for the modchip...

I can't wait to be able to use my ps3 as a sdk for homebrew games. It will be awesome - so if they make a modchip to let me use the ps3 to program with open access to the rsx, then I am getting it.

And no - modchip does NOT mean pirating games. Respect developers, buy your software!

   Re: HappyGamer (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » Ah well...

I guess this is one thing you have to give MS credit. XNA gives it's users full access to the 360 hardware, which is why we've seen some really cool homebrew games on the 360.

Before launch, I assumed Linux on the PS3 would mean the same thing, but the lack of access to RSX is REALLY holding it back.

Come on Sony! :(

   Re: MisterAV (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » for HappyGamer

There's a big difference: XNA is a developement studio and anyway it give access at hardware but it doesn't work at 100% becose you write only in c#. And you must PAY. Linux PS3 is a OS on console and you can use as a computer but with no 3D

   Re: hahahaha (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » waiting for the modchip...

im not gonna lie.....i just want free games.

   Re: HappyGamer (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » Actually MisterAV...

...it is free for you to learn and develop your games on the PC first. If you want to run your games on the 360 itself, THEN you have to pay for a $99 annual subscription. But for that, you get a full developement kit, which is worth it for any aspiring games developer (again, free on the PC).

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/xna/bb219592.aspx

http://xbox360homebrew.com/

IMO, this is 100x better than what we've getting under linux, which right now is useless for 3D game developement on the PS3. :(

I want XNA for PS3, or whatever Sony will call it, and I'm willing to pay for it (especially if I can develop and run the same code on the PC).

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   Re: HappyGamer (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » One more point MisterAV

I'm fully aware of the differences between XNA and Linux. I wasn't saying the two were the same, I'm simply highlighting the difference between developing homebrew games on the 360 compared to the PS3.

If we had access to RSX under Linux, then we could develop decent 3D games on the PS3. Yes it wouldn't be as 'easy' it is with XNA, but atleast it would be a start.
   by xche78x (http://sw2.2ya.com) (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » hmmn

i think sony will not do this for some unproven facts but hey we can voice out can we, so please sony hear us.
yes we know piracy can hurt your product.
but is opening the access to rsx on linux giving pirates a chance to? i think not. pirates WILL hack the ps3 eventually through modchips or flashers and its not through the rsx on linux.

   by PS3 dumbass (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » why?

Please sony! Please quit being so lazy and greedy! I am filling out a petition that requires sony to give into every gamer's demand to end other petitions! I'm sure they'll do it because sony is the nicest most ethical company around and they never force us to buy things we don't need so they can make more money!


   Re: PS3 dumbass 2 (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » indeed

well said! btw i hate xbox 360 coz it sucks
   by Uncle Monkey (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » NOBODY LIKES LINUX!

Oh for the love of... I've worked with linux at the office for over 4 years now. We've lost DAYS of productivity due to it's inadequacy to do ANYTHING constructive without crashing. Linux is a GARBAGE operating system. NOBODY CARES ABOUT LINUX! Install an OS that is held together with spit, duct-tape, and wishfull thinking? NO THANKS!

Linux users, please just GO AWAY and take your gimped Frogger clones with you!


   Re: tux user (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » shut up!

you have never worked with a well working linux system right?!? just becouse YOU are too stupid to get it running you say its garbage?!? Shut up! I am using linux and thing its much better than windows! even vista is "garbage"...

   Re: Uncle Horse (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » GARBAGAGE

am i to understand garbage means rubbish is english? moooo haahaha

   Re: Uncle Monkey (Unregistered) - 2007-04-25
 » RE:Shut up!

Too stupid? We have an IT dept of 12 software engineers, and many of them are "Linux Enthusiasts". None of them seem to be able to make a stable Linux platform for us to use in production. I'd say this is a pretty solid indicator of how un-stable Linux is for use. And we've got a few programmers in IT who are considered "Brilliant" in their field..

So I think it's you who needs to shut up, and stick to your parents' basement where you belong.
   by Mavrick (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » Linux Suxxors

Dude you are so right. I can get a entire floor of computers (about 200 appx) running in about 2 hours with windows 2000, fully patched within another hour... Linux on the same systems would take 2 or 3 days to figure out all the bs. When linux can support video cards (like SLI and Crossfire) with out extensive kernel hacking and then -maybe- we might consider changing. Till then, linux blows.

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   by Mr. Common Sense (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » if sony was smart they would allow GPU access

The PS3's linux is pathetic with the GPU lockout and the measly 200mb RAM it can use. The PSP is 10 times better for homebrew, and it's not even advertised (actually protected) for the purpose.
I haven't bought a PSP game for over a year. Since I can now play my own PS1 games on it, why bother? The local EB games had a closeout of their PS1 games with buy one get one free, and I bought over 20 of them for $30!

   by lawl (Unregistered) - 2007-04-24
 » if you want access to the video card, it won't be in linux.

?Unlike xna, linux can do anything. xna doesn't let you backup x360 games, but linux ps3 with video card support would let you back up and play backed-up ps3 games.

   by CM (Unregistered) - 2007-04-25
 » ?

what?

   by roach7676 - 2007-04-25
 » RSX would be the ultimate...

but frankly I would be just plain happy if we got access to the wifi system. I refuse to truck my ps3 over to the router and hook it up to a 17" crap tv, when it would be so nice to use it wirelessly from the 56" HD... and no, I will not run an ugly 50' cat5 cable across the house either.

   by cunning linguist (Unregistered) - 2007-05-08
 » dozens of links, but where's the petition???

it would be nice of you to 'spoil' your readers a little with easy to find, normally referenced link to the petition...



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