Watch PS3 run Starcraft (with help from Linux & Windows)
by David Hinkle 
{ Feb 26th 2009 at 5:00PM }
Accomplished through the use of Windows 95, with Qemu and Yellow Dog Linux, you too can can crush Zerg scum with the Protoss on your PS3. (Just don't think you're going to get Crysis to run on the thing.) Linux and Qemu really hog the Cell processor, so a low-end game like Starcraft is as stable as it gets. Zerg rush past the break to watch the video.
[Thanks, Evan!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Darkdrium777 @ Feb 26th 2009 5:11PM
Hearing the title music brings back so much memories. I won't be attempting this (Don't need to), but it's cool :)
SimbaDogg @ Feb 26th 2009 9:07PM
haha yeah, totally. the funniest thing is seeing the lag in the changing of screens, and especially the load times. I remember playing SC nonstop on my Pentium 1 450Mhz cpu...and thats exactly how the load times looked. I recently threw SC on my comp (a somewhat overclocked rig) and the load time is honestly 2 seconds, and the screen transitions are instantaneous. Man i wish they'd make SC2 for PS3...that'd be awesome. Good excuse to buy a keyboard and mouse.
The1stMJC @ Feb 26th 2009 5:27PM
Wow haven't played starcraft in years ahh the good times had.
maroofh @ Feb 26th 2009 5:48PM
it would be so cool if you could get xp or mac on your ps3, well i dunno about cool but would be good
The Baron @ Feb 26th 2009 6:54PM
The problem is that the PS3's architecture, specifically the Cell, is drastically different from a PC's. So applications would have to be either coded for it, or so basic that they can run on anything.
Which means that someone at Blizzard would have to code a version of the engine to run on it, which means they'd have to make money from it, which means they'd have to get Sony involved etc etc
The Baron @ Feb 26th 2009 6:55PM
Oops, that last bit was at the guy who wanted WoW - I forgot you were two different folks -_-
Tolkienfanatic @ Feb 26th 2009 6:56PM
People have installed Windows OSes onto PS3s before, they ran hideously slow.
Game_playa @ Feb 26th 2009 9:03PM
But can't OSX run on PPC architecture, which the PS3 has?
Bokal @ Feb 27th 2009 10:33AM
To run on the cell, programs need to be compiled for it's architecture. Windows is X86 only, and OSX is x86 and PPC only. And even if the cell looks like PPCs, it's not really.
So, this is not possible.
Since we've got the sources of linux and linux programs, we can compile them for the Cell.
Programs like Qemu can emulate an X86 processor, but are incredibly slow, don't think of running XP with it.
Anyway, linux is the way to go if you want to turn your PS3 into something else ;-)
drizzlelicious @ Feb 26th 2009 5:56PM
That's all cool, but... what's the point?
rob @ Mar 1st 2009 2:44AM
To play the game.
There was some load time, but the game looks pretty smooth.
alyten @ Feb 26th 2009 6:01PM
WTB WoW on ps3!
bonini @ Feb 26th 2009 6:16PM
So they are running a PS3 that uses a hypervisor (essentially a small virtual machine) to run a linux distribution that emulates a x86 architecture to run windows, which then runs Starcraft. Wow.
ducttapeBigSexy @ Feb 26th 2009 7:45PM
How is this news? Didn't we already know the PS3 can run Linux? Or can we start expect a separate story for every application the PS3 can run? "Watch PS3 run Amarok" "Watch PS3 run OpenOffice.org" "Watch PS3 run KCalc"
Christian @ Feb 27th 2009 5:43AM
It is a bit more involved than that considering they got the game running under linux running a x86 CPU emulator running Windows running Starcraft. So personally I think it is at least a novelty that they managed to get it running.
Devin @ Feb 26th 2009 8:09PM
The sole purpose now for me to have Linux is for emulators now that the PS3's browser can run almost any webpage. The only part I can't stand was that the sole purpose for me even installing Linux was to run N64 emulators (Mario Kart, Mario Party, Goldeneye, etc.), but because the GPU isn't made available it simply won't work.
Also, Linux is so damn hard to install stuff on due to all the damn dependencies and repositories getting in the way. It took me countless hours trying to install simple emulators (took minutes in Windows) only to find out that the darn resolution couldn't be made to fit my HDTV, so it was just this little box on my big screen. I tried another countless times to change the source file and to change the resolution, but it never worked. Also, trying to get the DS3 to function as a joystick was a major pain. The whole thing is a huge pain and I'm jealous when I see others having no issues (mainly the ones who live and breathe this stuff)....
mark smith @ Feb 27th 2009 5:03PM
fun on a ps3 on a non ps3 game, sony will prolly bring a update to ban this working
nowandtheworld @ Feb 28th 2009 4:01AM
I hope to god you were kidding. :|
xnowandtheworldx @ Feb 28th 2009 4:00AM
I hope to god you were kidding....
mark smith @ Feb 28th 2009 6:23AM
it happened when that kid did the video homebrew to play super mario
andrew @ Feb 28th 2009 11:46AM
why wouldnt you just use wine instead of emulating windows??