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diff --git a/www/blog/2020-12-17/index.html b/www/blog/2020-12-17/index.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..da48b5c --- /dev/null +++ b/www/blog/2020-12-17/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,164 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="utf-8"> + <meta name="generator" content="HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.6.0"> + <title>senders.io - Blog</title> + <link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' href='/index.css'> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> +</head> +<body> + <div id='header'> + <a class='title' href='/'>senders.io</a> + <nav> + <a href="/resume">Resume</a> <a href="/blog">Blog</a> <a href= + "https://github.com/s3nd3r5">Github</a> + </nav> + </div> + <div id='body'> + <article> + <h2>Manjaro Experiment</h2> + <p>After years on Debian, running i3, I decided to try out a more + traditional Linux setup, and take a stab at gaming on Linux. I chose + Manjaro for a few reasons:</p> + <ul> + <li>It's not Debian based (it's arch btw /s)</li> + <li>It's still on Systemd so I won't lose that familiarity</li> + <li>For gaming it comes with pretty up to date drivers and setup for + running Steam games</li> + <li>It has a KDE installation which is what I wanted to run</li> + </ul> + <h3>Why "not Debian"</h3> + <p>Debian is home for me. I have used it for years on both work machines, + servers, personal desktop. But it comes with its own quirks. Starters - I + am running base Debian, not a Debian based system, which generally means + some packages are out of date. To get around this I run Sid/Unstable. + This hasn't been a particular issue, but sometimes there are version + conflicts and other just nuisances and no real <i>easy</i> way to get + every package in the proper version configuration. This was a particular + pain-point with getting Steam (nonfree too which adds another layer of + configurations) Wine and a few other packages all set up. Plus + 32-bit!</p> + <h4>i3</h4> + <p>I have been using i3 as my window manager and without really any other + desktop environment programs. My login is the typical tty debian login. + But running i3 and then having windows appear, especially game windows + which can be tempermental, getting tiled to have to break it out again is + just a hassle. While I could've gone with another Debian base running + a proper desktop environment + window manager I figured that'd be + boring and I'd just be trying out the programs and not the Linux, + which is half the fun.</p> + <p>That being said. i3 <i>is</i> Linux for me. Being able to just move + between windows with a macro and every bit of it just being intutive + (after you've learned!) is a productivity booster. Which is why I + still use it on my work machine, and can't see myself ever switching + off.</p> + <h3>KDE</h3> + <p>I've used Gnome and XFCE as desktop environments before, and + they're fine, but I've always like the customability, + flexibility, and polished look of KDE.</p> + <h4>Setting up KDE for an i3 addict</h4> + <p>By default KDE isn't really too hard to "get used to" + since it feels like any other OS, especially a windows setup. But the + main thing I needed to change is the <code class= + 'inline'>meta+<key></code> commands.</p> + <ul> + <li>Remapping the Virtual Desktop changes</li> + <li>Remapping the KWin window focuses</li> + <li>Remapping the KWin move to desktop</li> + <li>Installing DMenu</li> + <li>Shrinking the "start bar" panel</li> + <li>Removing Pager</li> + <li>Changing Task Manger to Window List</li> + <li>Configuring Desktop Layout to "Desktop" (this removes the + icons)</li> + </ul>Doing this helped make me feel at home so far, and not have to + retrain my brain. + <h4>Some of the key remappings</h4> + <p>Setting up the KWin window keymapping was really what made me feel at + home. For the first few hours with it, I felt as limited in my + productivity as with Windows. KDE and Windows share by default a lot of + the same keymappings around window manipulation and virtual desktop + changes. <b>Switch to desktop N</b> setting this as <code class= + 'inline'>meta+<N></code> where N is the dekstop 1-10 (0). <b>Switch + to Window to the Left/Right/Up/Down</b> This was one I was nervous + wouldn't exist as a keybind. But What was <code class= + 'inline'>meta+alt+<dir></code> was mapped to without the alt. This + allowed for the very annoying lack of ability to just jump between + browser and terminal, or especially two separate terminals. <b>Quit + Window</b> with <code class='inline'>meta+shift+Q</code>, <b>Tile + Window</b> command to use the Shift key rather, especially as + <code class='inline'>meta+<dir></code> was overwritten by the focus + switching.</p> + <h3>Manjaro</h3> + <p>So I went with KDE Manjaro. Manjaro aims for the gaming desktop + experience. Arch is new for me, so I feel that would be something to + adjust to and learn.</p> + <h2>Gaming</h2> + <p>It has only been a day with it as I am writing. But I was able to get + a fair amount of the fighting games I wanted to play work.</p> + <h3>Proton + Steam</h3> + <p>So far my main focus has been running the fighting games I noodle + around on in Steam. To do this I launched Steam and installed the proton + and setup to run all games, regardless of compatibility. None of the + games I hoped to run had worked this way. I then opt'd into the beta + for Proton running the experimental builds, which should generally have + the more up-to-date tunings for games. With this setup I was able to get + Soulcalibur VI to work. Battle for the Grid and Dragon Ball FighterZ both + had launching issues. So I looked around and found <a href= + "https://github.com/GloriousEggroll/proton-ge-custom/">Proton Ge + Custom</a> which is a custom fork of Proton that contains custom settings + and tweeks for various games. One of which is Battle For the Grid which + is how I found it. Using this I was able to play every game except Dragon + Ball FighterZ! A callout for Dead or Alive 6 which is performing + questionably. It can run and isn't actually too bad, but in windowed + or borderless it stutters and drops frames.</p> + <h4>Other issues</h4> + <p>Even on Windows there are issues with some games and your standard + configurations. Disabling Steam Overlay and adjusting the Steam Input + Setting on some games helped get some games working.</p> + <h3>Conclusion</h3> + <p>Gaming on Linux is still not great. Its MILES ahead of where it was + even a few years ago when I setup this PC. And I think it will take some + adjustment getting a feel for an i3less workflow.</p> + <h2>Update!</h2> + <h3>NTFS mounting</h3> + <p>Update! I got DOA and a few other games to run a bit smoother by + remounting my NTFS drives properly. I ended up using the following for my + /etc/fstab configuraiton for my NTFS drives: <code>UUID=<drive-id> + /mount/path ntfs + uid=1000,gid=1000,rw,user,exec,async,locale=en_US.utf8,umask=000 0 + 0</code> I had noticed that both steam and mount.ntfs was running at + 20-40% CPU while not really doing anything. And then upwards of 80% + during gameplay.</p> + <h3>i3 Compatibility</h3> + <p>As I spend more time using the OS I made a few more adjustments:</p> + <ul> + <li>Removed everything except the Clock and System Tray.</li> + <li>I added KRunner to <code class='inline'>meta+space</code> to ease + running KDE specific programs that I can't be bothered to memorize + the name of</li> + <li>Back and forth on forcing "No border" on all windows. + Part of the reason I moved away from i3 was so that I had better + floating window management. And doing this would basically put me in an + equally hard to manage system for floating game windows. So until I + find a plugin that makes small taskbar/borders for the windows I'll + be sticking with the default.</li> + <li>On Manjaro at least: UNINSTALL mesa-demos! <code class= + 'inline'>sudo pacman -R lib32mesa-demos mesa-demos</code> This package + had the annoying "fire" demo which made dmenu opening firefox + a pain in the ass.</li> + </ul>The biggest difference was removing the Application Launcher from + the main panel. Having it there really felt like a crutch for running + programs. It is equal I would say to running apps as dmenu via + <code class='inline'>meta+d</code> vs just <code class= + 'inline'>meta</code> to launch the Application Launcher. However, the + bulky UI of it, even using just Window List, took away from the look/feel + I was going for. + </article> + <div id='footer'> + <i>Posted: Decemeber 17, 2020. Update: December 19, 2020</i> + </div> + </div> +</body> +</html> |