LINUXGAMES

With the release of the Quake II source code under GPL, we are now gifted with aaquake2, which allows you to play Quake II in a completely text-based way using AA-lib. Thanks to Jacek Fedorynski for the heads up.

aaquake2 Driver Download:
http://www.jfedor.org/aaquake2/quake2-ref_softaa-0.1.tar.gz

Relnev has done it again with a new release of his Quake 2 port (v0.0.7).Changes include the merging of the Quake 2 v3.21 code base and all the changes from Quake 2 r0.0.6. For the interested, the source code is now in CVS.

Quake 2 r0.0.7 Source:
http://icculus.org/~relnev/files/quake2-r0.0.7.tar.gz

Version 3.21 of the Quake 2 source code has been released under theGPL byid Software, which has various fixes over theinitial 3.19 source release.

Quake 2 v3.21 Source Code:
3D Downloads (mirror)

id Software FTP

id Software has released version 1.1 of the LinuxReturn to Castle Wolfenstein multiplayer binaries.Changes:

• preparation for SP landing: MP uses .mp. in the .so names
• fixed process hanging if launched with ttycon but non-interactive (typical situation: xqf&)
• the binary opens URLs through the openurl.sh script, which you can customize according to your own browser settings. Default will spawn netscape, you can override per-user with a ~/.wolf/openurl.sh
• includes mp_trenchtoast, the recently released official extra map

In addition, id has released the final multiplayer demo for Linux, which can be downloaded with the mediapakfiles or without (in case you already have the Win32 demo installed on another partition).

RTCW MP 1.1 Download:
3D Downloads (mirror)

id Software FTP

As you may or may not know (as I haven’t been on the ball with news lately),BioWare terminated theNeverwinter Nights contract with their former publisher,Interplay, as BioWare is currently suing Interplay for failure to pay royalties andbreach of contract. Gamespy’s Mark Asherinterviewed Anthony Valterra ofWizards of the Coast about the situation. Valterra indicates that without the D&D license,BioWare would either have to negotiate a contract with Infogrames or open source NWN as a genericD20 game under theOpen Gaming License (which isn’t likely to happen).

Gamespot’s Desslock has posted aneditorial on the quagmire, which enumerates what BioWare’svarious options seem to be.

Neverwinter Nights is a multiplayer (not massive) Dungeons and Dragons game that was intended to be released (and hopefullystill will) for Linux and the other usual platforms.

Nerve Software released a new multiplayermap forReturn to Castle Wolfenstein,”Trench Toast“, which is a terraincheckpoint-mode level.

Trench Toast Download:
3D Downloads

Moreover, the Linux RTCW FAQ page has been updatedto reflect the release of the retail multiplayer binaries.Moreover, there’s also a page now for the multiplayer demo,which indicates it should be released soon.

Finally, id Software’s Kevin Cloud wasinterviewed @PC Game Central about the future of RTCW (thanks Shacknews).

Thanks to Matt for letting us know thatid Software’s John Carmackposted toSlashdot about the recent Quake 2 sourcerelease:

Thanks for the kind comments, it helps me brace a bit for some of the really vile hate mail that is already starting to come in from the people worried about cheating.

Bill Heineman is preparing the mac source code for Q2 for a release.

We will see about getting the 3.21 changes we missed into an updated release.

I am also happy to say that another old game’s code will be released under the GPL soon. We can always hope that it becomes a trend…

id’s Robert Duffy also posted about the updated 3.21 source in the same thread:

3.21 Will be out soon, Timothee located it and repacked the zip. Should be up soon.

Just a quick FYI, the Linux single-player portion of Return to Castle Wolfenstein is currently in beta-testing, so it shouldn’t be too long before the binaries are declared stable and released. To tide you over until then, here’s two screenshots:

     

From all of us on the LG staff to our readers, have a safe and happy holiday season this year. Ya’ll are the reason this site exists. and you have our deepest thanks for putting up with us for the past 4 years :).

The fastest programmer on Earth, relnev, let us know that he’s released version 0.0.5 of hisQuake 2 sourceport (http://icculus.org/~relnev/main.php). Changes:

• Updates to Linux Makefile (it was missing a few files).
• Added ref_softsdl.so (Software SDL Renderer).
• Added ref_sdlgl.so (SDL OpenGL Renderer).
• Fixed the texture wrapping with movies.
• Enabled the OpenGL extensions under Linux.
• Added support for GL_ARB_multitexture.
• Mouse Wheel (SDL buttons 4 and 5).
• Fixed bug with changing the sound options in game (using the menus).
• Fixed Makefile to build both build_debug and build_release by default.
• Better SDL de/initialization (fixes crashes for some people).
• Removed trailing ‘r’s from files; removed a few files.

Relnev’s Quake 2 Source:
http://icculus.org/~relnev/files/quake2-r0.0.5.tar.gz

Linux Game Publishing sent this announcement in:

LGP is proud to announce that our first product, Creatures InternetEdition is now shipping to retailers!

id Software’s John Carmack updated his .plan to announce that he is releasing the Quake 2 source code under the GNU General Public License:

The Quake 2 source code is now available for download, licensed under the GPL.

ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/source/quake2.zip

As with previous source code releases, the game data remains under theoriginal copyright and license, and cannot be freely distributed. If youcreate a true total conversion, you can give (or sell) a complete packageaway, as long as you abide by the GPL source code license. If your projectsuse the original Quake 2 media, the media must come from a normal, purchasedcopy of the game.

I’m sure I will catch some flack about increased cheating after the sourcerelease, but there are plenty of Q2 cheats already out there, so you arealready in the position of having to trust the other players to a degree. Theproblem is really only solvable by relying on the community to police itself,because it is a fundamentally unwinnable technical battle to make a completelycheat proof game of this type. Play with your friends.

The Quake 2 engine is the successor to the Quake, DOOM, and Wolfenstein 3-D engines, which have also been released to the public; Carmack had commented on a Q2 source release earlier this year.

Version 1.31 of Quake III: Arena has been released by id Software.

Changes:

• fixed Doppler effect
• changed protocol from 66 to 67
• fixed simple developer 1 cvar cheat hack
• changed a few warnings to developer warnings
• rcon commands no longer fragment, sent buffered to the rcon client
• fixed connection issues / broken userinfo
• only printing R_AddPolyToScene warnings with +set developer 1
• various dedicated server issues fixed
• fixed sound crash, going around memset bug in glibc i586/i686

Quake 3: Arena 1.31 Download:
ftp.idsoftware.com

Mirror: 3D Downloads

Thanks to Freshmeat, I ran across KXL, a library aimed to allow easy game development under Linux/X. On the same site, there are five games listed that use the library:

• Grande 0.2, a ZANAC-like game
• Geki5 0.3.0, a Galaxian-like game
• Geki2 2.0.3, a 2D vertically-scrolling shoot-’em-up
• SpaceAryarya 1.0.2, a 2D/3D shooting game
• Geki3 1.0.2, a 2D horizontally-scrolling shoot-’em-up

Screenshots, the source code, source RPMs, and binary releases of each of the games are available from the games page mentioned above.

KXL 1.1.4 downloads: www2.mwnet.or.jp/~fc3srx7/kxl1xx.html

Avatar from Evil3D wrote in to let us know that he has reviewed the Athlon XP-based workstation, the Altura 1800+, from PogoLinux. The review covers the hardware included, the pre-installed OS (RH 7.2), included support, among other things. The obligatory Q3A benchmarks are on page 8.

Thomas from ToMMTi-Systems wrote in to let us know that he has written a small guide on how to use the ATi Radeon 8500 under Linux. The guide is in German and it covers configuring the kernel appropriately, downloading, configuring, and compiling X, and gives a sample XF86Config file.

Version 0.1.4 of the turn-based strategy game FreeLords has been released; changes include:

• cleanups of compilation issues
• updates to get FreeLords working with ParaGUI 1.0.0beta1
• added class CityOccupationDialog
• added class PG_FileDialog

FreeLords 0.1.4 source: freelords-0.1.4.tar.gz

Version 1.3 of the Python wrapper for SDL Pygame has been released; changes include:

• fixes a few drawing bugs and loose ends
• adds a higher level sprite module to help manage game objects
• framerate controlling clocks
• improved communication with other python imaging libraries
• three new tutorials

Pygame 1.3 source: pygame-1.3.tar.gz

Linux Game Publishing sent in the following note regarding their second release and a contest related to it:

On Janurary 2nd we will announce the title of our second release.Until that time we are running a competition. Send an email to competition@linuxgamepublishing.comand guess the title. Any correct answers will be entered into a prizedraw for a free copy of the game. This copy will be the first copy offof the printing machine, will be signed by the development team, andwill be labeled as the first copy printed. A truly unique prize!

Antti from RedLynx wrote in to let us know that they have released a “freeware” (no source) version of LinuxPhobia (Phobia II Dawn) for Linux (screenshot). LinuxPhobia is a top-down alien massacre game.

LinuxPhobia 1.0 download: linuxphobia-1.0-i386.tar.bz2 (README)

Also, Bernd from Holarse wrote in to let us know that they have published a short article (in German) on LinuxPhobia. The article includes some background on the game and a couple screenshots.