Native Linux Build

Hi everyone, GearBlocks now has a native Linux (64-bit) build.

Native vs. Proton Performance

I've been doing some performance testing, and I'm noticing a useful improvement from a native build over the Windows 64-bit build running under Proton.

Mileage will vary depending on machine specs, scene complexity etc. (possibly OS and driver support too). However I'm hopeful the native build will improve performance for most Linux users.

Specs of my old machine that I used for testing:

• Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS.
• i7-4790K.
• GTX 1060 3GB.
• 1280x720, v-sync off.

Test results

I used some more complex scenes that are a bit heavier on the CPU (including some awesome player creations from the workshop!)

FPS (frames per second) are approximate with some variability.

* This was with one locomotive unfrozen. This was the most complex scene and I didn't see any performance improvement here unfortunately.

I haven't done any more in-depth profiling yet, but just comparing FPS is still quite telling. With the exception of the last scene, these results are showing a performance improvement between 13 and nearly 50%!

Known Bugs

As far as I can tell the native Linux build is functioning properly, except for a couple of rendering bugs.

Tree leaves:

Text decal z-fighting (to be fair this happens on the Windows build too, but not as bad):

I will look at fixing these soon hopefully.

Switching Back to Proton

The native Linux build will now be used by default on Linux OS platforms. However, if you prefer to switch back to the Windows build with Proton (e.g. to avoid the aforementioned bugs), you can:-

1. Right-click GearBlocks in Steam and select Properties....
2. Select the Compatibility tab.
3. Enable "Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool".
4. Switch to Proton in the dropdown.

Let me know how you get on with the Linux build, I'm curious if anyone else sees the same kind of performance gains, thanks!