How do I build a kick-*** Linux gaming machine?

[Pocatello]

I'm pretty confident that I know how to build a kick-*** Windows gaming machine. But I don't know what is important when building a Linux machine.

What do I need to look for when designing a purely Linux computer for playing first person shooters, and maybe games for my kids?

I don't even know how to tell what games can be played natively in Linux... or whether I should be concerned about such a thing.

Is a super-duper graphics card all that important when setting up a Linux machine? And what about motherboard and CPU combinations? And how much memory?

Any pointers would be welcome.

Thanks

[Icarus]

Sounds like you already know how to make one...Just make sure the hardware you choose is compatable with your flavor of Linux, and try to make the graphical interface small no matter what disrto you use (IceWM, Fluxbox, ect...) and turn off all unneed services.

I'd suggest a GeForce for the graphics and AMD for the CPU ;)

[JamminJoeyB]

Just about any processor, mother board and memory combination will work under Linux.

Are you going to run RAID?

Graphics card. your choices ATI and NVIDIA. I'd plug in a NVIDIA card as I know the drivers are well documented not only on the NVIDIA site, but tons of posts to the forums here will help you get it set up.

There are a bunch of new games with native Linux support. Do a search to find them.

Many games are also supported under winex. Search here for games. Very long running thread and some links to other peoples sites that have them running.

Only game I have running on my linux box is the Quake 3 demo. Runs very well.

BTW is this a money no object kind of thing or is there a $$ limit.

I'd say about the best thing to do is make sure the hardware is supported under the distro. Then you will be fine. Just take what you know about building a MS box and apply it to Linux. Most of the newer disrtos support most newer hardware.

[Pocatello]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I know how to use a screwdriver and build my own system. But I'm quite new to Linux, and I'm not sure where my priorities should be when buying the hardware.

If I was going to build a Windows gaming machine, I would buy an Intel P4 2.53ghz processor because it has the correct value for a dollar. I can't afford a better CPU. I'm not sure about the motherboard. And I'd use 512Mb of memory.

I like nVidia graphics cards.

I thought that processor speed wasn't so important with Linux... but I don't really know.

I doubt I would run RAID on my game machine.

I'm really looking for something cheap, fast, and easy to administer... and something I can play FPS games, surf the web, and play games that my kids like. I've got some new games for my kids that won't play on my Windows machine because my on-board graphics is not adequate. So I decided to build a new machine and keep the costs low and reliable by using Linux.

[Gaccm]

Yeah, a sweet box is a sweet box. processor is just as important with linux as windows. The thing is that you can tweak linux a whole lot more than windows, so you could run linux on a weak proc and still run well.
I personally have 2 different "operating modes." I use KDE for standard email/web/typing stuff and a very VERY barebones setup for gaming, to max out my fps.

The only time you have to worry about hard linux and hardware is if 1) it is brand spanking new, or 2) it's a pheripheral, like a peticular USB digital cam, or something like that.

[Pocatello]

a sweet box is a sweet box. processor is just as important with linux as windows

Thanks. That makes sense to me. You get what you pay for.

I personally have 2 different "operating modes." I use KDE for standard email/web/typing stuff and a very VERY barebones setup for gaming, to max out my fps.

I would guess that is easy to set up? I'm not asking for directions... I'm not that close to doing such yet.

I've been reading the Linux Games forum here at Just Linux... there is plenty of information for a Linux Gamer. I think I will do fine with WineX.

I hear that the new generation of games, like Doom3, will be heavily dependant upon DirectX9. Does that leave us out for a while?

[bwkaz]

According to Id, Doom 3 will have a native Linux port. Which means it will have OpenGL mode.

[Pocatello]

Any guess as to when Doom3 will be released?

I've read in various places on the internet that it will require the most up-to-date hardware available because it will be so graphics intensive.

[bwkaz]

It'll be released "when it's done"; I believe that was the way Id put it.

They don't, and never have, wanted to pull what Infogrames (and everyone else involved) was forced to pull with Unreal 2, and commit to a release date that's impossible to meet with the set of features they want in the game. So, we wait. And wait. And wait. :)

TuxGames is expecting a date of March 31, but they do not guarantee that, it is based purely on speculation. It's the same guess that they've had since (at least) October of last year.