LINUXGAMES

Version 1.5 of the OpenGL billiards game FooBillard has been released. Changes and or fixes for this release include:

• holes adjusted to norm-sizes (and positions)
• ball colors adjusted to normed colors
• bugfix: create/free_pooltexbinds in MENU_ID_RGSTEREO_ON callback removed
• create_pooltexbinds capsuled from code (only create_texbinds)
• configure and spec files patched for “make srpm” (thx to Michal Ambroz)

Download: foobillard-1.5.tar.gz

Bill Kendrick wrote in to point out that there is a review up of “Strategic Assault” a port by Eon Games of Xen Game’s PocketPC version of the game, by InfoSync. You can check out the review here: http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/1877.html.

Now that E3 is over, a wrap-up of sorts seems pertinent.

First off, Doom 3 had, by far, the most coverage of any of the (Linux) games displayed at E3. An official Doom video was released which gives some background of the entire Doom series, some interview footage of John Carmack and Trent Reznor, and in-game Doom 3 footage. Unfortunately, the movie was released in Quicktime and WMV formats so many of you will have to be content to look at the screenshots snagged from it. Otherwise, for the tainted, the Crossover plugin should work for the Quicktime version and I’ve been told that mplayer and aviplay should play the WMV. Also, there are four semi-official high-resolution screenshots of the game.

Other than that, Shacknews posted a little blurb from Carmack stating that Doom 3 was only shown running at medium quality at E3, Wired has an audio interview with Carmack and Reznor, and soooo many sites have posted their impressions/(p)reviews: ActionTrip, Computer and Video Games, FiringSquad, GameSpy, GameHelper, Gamers.com, Games Domain, GameSpot 1, GameSpot 2, MSNBC, PC.IGN, Well-Rounded Entertainment

The second game receiving quite a bit of attention was Neverwinter Nights. Neverwinter Vault posted a 40 second+ video (low-res, high-res) of in-game footage of NWN. Again, there are a lot of articles covering this game:ferrago.co.ukFiringSquad,Frictionless Insight, Gamers Pulse,Games Domain, GamesFirst, GameSpot,GameSpy.Neverwinter Vault

Finally, the RtCW expansion was (p)reviewed by GameSpot and pc.ign.com while Project Nomads (whose Linux status is still uncertain) was also covered by GameSpot.

Whew.

funthing wrote in to announce that version 1.0 of the arcade game auriferous (screenshots: 1 | 2 | 3) has been released. auriferous is written using Clanlib so be sure to install the appropriate packages before trying the game out.

auriferous 1.0 source: auriferous-1.0.tar.bz2

falvious wrote in to announce that a new site called Linuxgaming has been started. It is an attempt to create a Linux gaming community in the UK.

Martijn from [LnX] Games wrote in to announce a few reviews that they have posted:

I would like to let you know that we have a review of Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast online, together with some WineX 2.01 pages…

The review covers the game, playability, graphics and engine-integration, plus includes a separate page with instructions on how to make JKII work on your Linux box.

The WineX-pages cover WineX, with a short historyline, current usability plus installation-instructions and -caveats.

You can find the JK2 review at: www.penguinpower.nl/pcontent/jediknight.php
WineX at: www.penguinpower.nl/pcontent/winex.php

These pages are, as most of the content on [LnX] Games, written in the Dutch language (from the Netherlands, that is ;-).

Per I. Mathisen wrote in to point out that version 1.12.2 (a 1.13.x beta) of the open source Civilization clone Freeciv (screenshots) has been released; changes include:

• can automate workers and specialists in cities
• sound support
• new tileset called “isotrident” has been made the default
• new and improved city dialog in gtk client
• GTK 2.0 version of the client
• intelligent city name suggestions

Freeciv 1.12.2 source: freeciv-1.12.2.tar.bz2

Mark Hagan from Livepc.tv wrote in to let us know about an article he wrote: Linux Gamers: The Key to Success.

[I have] posted an excellent article which makes the comparison of gaming on a Windows machine, versus gaming on a Linux machine (and the effects that gamers have on the market of hardware and software.) Included are a Quake III Arena for linux howto (first on the net), Quake III Arena benchmarks on both a Linux and Windows machine, and lots of screenshots!

Version 1.0.5 of the children’s educational suite GCompris (screenshots) has been released; changes include:

• new reversecount board
• new canal lock board
• new geography board
• improved the shape board concept
• added a level to the double entry board where the line/column destination is spoken for each item
• changed the pointer to make it easier to click

GCompris 1.0.5 downloads: @ sf.net

Matthew Miller wrote in to announce thathe has release version 1.9.5 of IceBreaker:

IceBreaker (my Jezzball-inspired game for Linux and others) is nearing the2.0 release. There are lots of little and medium improvements everywhere,but the big thing is the support for themes — different colors, sounds, andsprites. I’ve just released 1.9.5, which I’ve tagged as a “public beta” withtwo purposes — first, to get a lot of people to look at the work inprogress to shake out bugs, and second, to get people to develop and submitmore cool themes. I’d appreciate any help Linux Games readers can provide.

IceBreaker 1.9.5 downloads: @ www.mattdm.org

Version 0.10.0 of the turn-based, Risk-inspired strategy game Tenes Empanadas Graciela (screenshots) has beenreleased; changes include:

• includes the new theme Draco
• new play mode: Fog of War
• new toolbar, with usefull info
• added a way to localize the countries
• robots can be launched in the server
• all translations are up-to-date

TEG 0.10.0 source: teg-0.10.0.tar.gz

Bill Kendrick of NBS wrote in to announce the release of an alpha version of Entombed! (screenshots)

In case folks feel like poking around with it, I’ve released an alphaversion of Entombed!

It includes levels, one or two players, nifty special effects on thetitle screen (possibly CPU hogs… let me know :^) ), music and soundeffects.

It lacks score, lives, or any real point. :)

Entombed! is a one- or two-player maze game based on the classic Atari 2600 game Entombed.

Entombed! alpha source: entombed-2002.may.23.tar.gz

Version 2.74 of the Mars settlement sim Mars Simulation Project (screenshots) has been released; changes include:

• general unit inventory system
• medical system
• malfunction/repair system
• EVA operations
• specialized rovers
• chart/graph capability in monitor tool

Mars Simulation Project 2.74 source: MarsProject_2.74.tar.gz

Lutz Sammer wrote in to announce that version 1.17 of the RTS game engine FreeCraft (screenshots) has been released; changes include:

• source and media license has been changed to GPL
• complete network code rewritten to support internet play
• removed many hardcoded stuff, nearly everything is now configurable with
• our scheme scripts
• menus and network menus are added
• complete new AI for computer player written
• now supports playing campaigns with showing pictures and level briefings
• can cast all original spells
• can play background music in MOD/OGG/MP3 format or from CD-ROM
• kills are counted and the units can
• collect experience points
• supports loading everything from ZIP files
• the screen can be split into multiple viewports
• the improved GUI supports double click, modifier clicks and long clicks
• bugfixes

FreeCraft 1.17 downloads: @ sf.net

Version 2 of the dungeon-creating library DungeonMaker has been released; changes include:

• improved code
• more functionality
• now makes dungeons as well as labyrinths, creates rooms, and places MOBs and treasure
• introduced Tunnelers and Roomies that make traditional underground dungeons

DungeonMaker 2 source: DM2Release.tgz

Sam Lantinga announced that the SDL Website has had a new back end written for it (in PHP and PostgreSQL). The new system allows project maintainers to update details for their project on the SDL site. Also, the format of the games page has been tweaked a bit.

r0gu3 wrote in to announce the release of gl passthru (screenshot):

This is an opengl passthrough library to enable one X server to target its glx(and opengl) calls onto another xserver… One of the designed uses of this is to have multiple people playing quake3 (and other games) on a single pc… This is the first release of this library, and I need people to play with it to work out the kinks.

Worth noting is the license that this is released under (not GPL):

This is an alpha release… Do not distribute the opengl library… it will probably be obsolete by then… This library is free to use by home users for noncommercial uses… IT MAY NOT BE SOLD OR REDISTRIBUTED!!! It comes with NO liabilities or guarantees, If it makes your computer blow up its all your fault… All i guarantee is that it worked for me…

gl passthru 0.0.2-alpha download: libGL.so.0.0.2.tar.gz

Version 1.32 of Return to Castle Wolfenstein has been released (despite the lack of a file on id’s official FTP server). Changes include:

• net protocol bump
• new map mp_tram
• general game code fixes
• updated rotate.cfg to set correct gametype and rotate on the new maps (trenchtoast, ice and tram)
• some fixes to sv_pure server kicking clients when it should not

RtCW 1.32 downloads: wolf-linux-1.32.x86.run (LG / 3DD)
Blue’s News‘ FTP (and mirrors)

Update by Al (Mon May 27 15:13:39 CDT 2002): The id FTP server also has the update now.

Version 0.0.6 of the pinball simulator Emilia Pinball (screenshots: 1 | 2) has beenreleased; changes since version 0.0.4 include:

• gcc-3.1 support added
• nicer fonts
• additions to the default level
• bugfixes

Emilia Pinball 0.0.6 source: pinball-0.0.6.tar.gz

Version 1.2.4 of the audio mixer library SDL_mixer has been released; changes include:

• updated the CodeWarrior project files
• added a function to query the music format: Mix_GetMusicType()
• added a function to load audio data from memory: Mix_QuickLoad_RAW()
• cleaned up threading issues in the music playback code
• fixed deadlock introduced in the last release

SDL_mixer 1.2.4 downloads: @ www.libsdl.org