Using a firmware lower than 2.10 would allow rsx on linux?

[mespejel]

I was reading that the firmware 2.10 or higher are the ones which restrict access to the RSX chip. So the first firmwares were able to use rsx under linux?

[ps2devman]

Yes. Keep a secured PS3 with fw 2.01 or lower for future possible RSX fun.

Right now you can code yourself rsx with IronPeter's 3D samples or accelerate 2D rectangular bitblts with Glaurung module in existing linux softwares or OS layers. See other posts for details.

But at some point in future, some stuff for simple gamers should appear, probably offering special nice options for fw<2.10 (both under linux and direct otheros)

[mespejel]

So if I Use a fw 2.01 or lower, I can run native linux games as DOOM4 or quake without any problem using RSX?

[androvsky]

So if I Use a fw 2.01 or lower, I can run native linux games as DOOM4 or quake without any problem using RSX?

No.

Wait... Doom 4? There's not even screenshots of that yet.

In theory, you should be able to play the original Quake no matter what firmware you have, since it was originally software rendered (on much slower computers than the PS3) and it's open source. Assuming you can find an open-source linux port of the original Quake, it should run fine.

But I'm guessing given the context of your question, you're asking if you'll have opengl acceleration so you can play games like Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament 2004. The answer is no, there's no opengl driver for the RSX, and there probably won't be for a very long time. There's an opengl driver (sorta) for the Cell, but it's still very much a work in progress.

Even with 3D acceleration, you'll only be able to run games that are open-source. Technically you could run games that have been compiled for PPC linux, which includes such hits as... well, there aren't any that I know of.