LINUXGAMES

Ryan “icculus” Gordon has released the Linux demo for Unreal Tournament 2004. Multiple mirrors are available; the md5sum for the file is

da200b043add9d083f6aa7581e6829f0

Unreal Tournament 2004 Demo Download: [ icculus.org ]

Atari has announced that Epic Games’ upcoming FPS combat title Unreal Tournament will have a special DVD-ROM edition released concurrent with the CD-ROM edition:

Atari appears ready to test the DVD waters again, as it’s preparing a special 2-DVD-ROM edition of Unreal Tournament 2004, slated to be released at the same time as the CD-ROM version. Although we weren’t given any definitive prices, it’s expected that the DVD-ROM version will retail for $59.95, compared to $39.95 for the CD-ROM edition.

Why do a DVD version of UT 2004, you might ask? The rationale becomes obvious once you find out that the CD version of the game is shipping on 6 discs. (The minimum installation reportedly takes up a whopping 5.5 GB of hard-drive space.) All 6 CD’s fit nicely on disc 1 of the DVD set, which (if nothing else) should make the installation easier and reduce the risk of misplacing or scratching various CD’s.

This frees up disc 2 of the DVD set for a variety of special features not included with the CD set, including a number of behind-the-scenes interviews at Epic showing the making of UT 2004.

[...]

If the extra DVD features don’t seem worthy of the extra bucks, Atari is also bundling a Logitech headset with this special edition of UT 2004. The game has a number of features that make use of the headset, from voice-over-IP communication with other players, to voice recognition software that allows players to shout orders at computer-controlled bots in the single-player action.

Gamespy also has a new preview of UT2K4 up.

Moreover, the Windows demo was released earlier today; Epic’s Daniel “Hot Dog” Vogel gave a SITREP on the Linux demo at Shacknews:

Ryan is currently tracking down a last minute Linux client bug with vehicles. I don’t think he’s slept since Monday…

Thanks in advance to icculus for all his hard work! We’ll update as soon as the Linux client/server package is available.

Fans of First Person Shooters will be happy with a new beta of Legends to challenge your friends and foes with. Legends is based on the Torque Gaming Engine from GarageGames.Highlights of this release include the following:

• Revamped Interior Rendering
• New gametype: War
• New gametype: Arena
• Mission Map
• Turrets
• New Weapon Model
• Team Skins
• New HUD Design + Elements
• In-Game Player/Server Options

Download: Legends 0.4.0 Beta

The GGZ Gaming Zone, a network game architecture based entirely on Open Source software, has been updated to version 0.0.8.New features in this release include:

• Overhauled project website, integrating player rankings and game information
• Python package as an alternative to C/C++ game development
• Chatbot game support and other enhancements
• New game clients: KCC (Chinese Checkers), Escape/SDL (Escape)
• New game server: Tuxman

Download [ GGZ 0.0.8 ]

Fans of the strategy-styled gaming like the Battle Isle series might be interested in the new release of Advanced Strategic Command. Changes in this release include:

• Replays should issue no false alarms any more and have an improved inconsistency detection
• Improved AI
• TPWM decoding for importing BI3 maps
• Fixed: airplane crash messages reported wrong coordinates
• Autotraining only trains units with max ammo
• Units can be given names
• Removing mines now consumes movement points
• Building entry now has constant movemalus
• Increased ammo production cost
• Resource transfer between players now issues a message for the providing player
• Fixed: unit could attack after movement (with RF on) although “no attack after move” property was set
• Buildings: new properties: “ExternalResourceTransfer”, “ExternalAmmoTransfer”
• Container: Movemalus override for unloading
• Fixed: resource sink building not working

Download: [ Advanced Strategic Command 1.14.0 Source Code ]

Cybrid has posted yet another review, this time reviewing Triple A. TripleA, for the unknown, is a clone of the popular Axis and Allies boardgame.

Microsoft has released the source code to Allegiance, a game that is a mix between Team Fortress, EverQuest, Wing Commander, and Homeworld, as the review that the FiringSquad has done states.Weighing in at 511MB, can someone report on the license that Microsoft has given this release?

Download [Allegiance Source Code]

Xenocide is a roguelike game with a science fiction theme. It appears to be under heavy development, but you can download a binary-only Linux version. There is also special build for ARM-based PDAs.

Download page

Atanks, a clone of the popular Scorched Earth, has been updated to version 1.1.0. Changes in this release include:

• command line switches to set the screen/window size and 16 or 32-bit colour
• large improvements to AI
• two new items to counter the effect of permanent armour increases
• a shopping trolley system in the shop and the ability to sell items back

Download [ Atanks v1.1.0 ]

The very addictive Neverball, where your job is roll a ball thru an obstacle course before time runs, has been updated to version 1.1.0.Changes in this release include doubling the number of levels for you to play and many visual enhancements and tweaks.

Download [ NeverBall 1.1.0 ]

Fans of Battle for Wesnoth will be pleased with a new release of this turn-based strategy game.Changes in this release include the following:

• a turn-to-stone ability
• changes to the invisibility behaviour
• 2 new units: a Thug and Poacher
• tweaks to the Dwarvish units
• skirmish ability for the Fencer and Duelist
• ability for Rebels to recruit Dwarves and Loyalists to recruit Horsemen in multiplayer

Download: [ Battle for Wesnoth ]

On January 29th, 3DGPU.com conducted an IRC question and answer session with representatives from Epic Games (when did they drop the Mega- from their company title incidentally?) and NVIDIA concerning their upcoming first-person shooter Unreal Tournament 2004. Also in attendance was Ryan “icculus” Gordon. During the chat (the log of which can be found here) a few questions were asked about the state of the UT2K4 Linux port:

<DrSiN[EPIC]> Linux and Mac are being developed at the same time. I beleive all 3 will have voice over ip, but only Win32 has text to speech

[...]

<MarkRein[Epic]> Floam|LinuxGuy–> I already said Linux will be in the box (there will be a Linux demo before release as well)

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<DrSiN[EPIC]> Icculus is Ryan Gordon.. He’s handling the Linux and Mac ports as well as 64bit UT

[...]

<MarkRein[Epic]> Hey folks, I made a mistake on a previous answer. It seems we will need to do 64bit Linux support after all because 32-bit OpenGL apps won’t run on 64-bit Linux. Icculus (Ryan Gordon) can elaborate on this as he’s the guy who does that stuff. Thanks for coming Ryan! Feel free to comment!

[...]

<MarkRein[Epic]> Wow, Ryan is a brave man. He’s doing 32bit Linux, Macintosh and 64bit Linux. Yikes, that’s a lot of work!

[...]

<icculus> Ok, about the 64-bit Linux stuff, we’re going to do it, but it’s not going to be mega-optimized the first time through…largely we want to show it can be done and get a feel for what the bug reports and system configs look like.

[...]

<icculus> badsdaf: We get requests for non-win32 versions of unrealed (Editor’s note: the Unreal engine level editor) a lot, but the current codebase is just one big mass of Windows code, so it’d be more of a rewrite than a port for ut2004.

[...]

<icculus> [r-]Jagobah: There will be an OpenGL renderer in UT2004…we need it for the Mac and Linux ports, so it’s not going away.

I’ll put up more information about UT2K4 itself (gameplay modes and what not) when I get a chance later today.

TripleA version 0.3.1, which was inspired by the board game Axis and Allies, has been announced; the primary change has non-active players viewing an ongoing multiplayer game in history mode.

TripleA 0.3.1 Download: [ sourceforge.net ]

An alpha release of Globulation 2, a GPL-ed real-time strategy game project in which the developers aim to reduce the importance of micro-management, is now available. The site is down at the moment, but be sure to check it out as soon as it comes back up.

Version 0.2.10 of GNOME War Pad, a VGA Planets client for GNOME 2, has been released. Changes:

• Several code optimizations on GUI updates
• Planet and ship marks restyled
• Planets are shown as circles, ships as triangles oriented depending on their heading
• First implementation on ship data: right-click on them to check for their info
• Implementation of GwpLocation, a new object to group other objects on the starchart that are on the same place
• Several bug fixes on the new data objects

GNOME War Pad 0.2.10 Download: [ lunix.com.ar ]

Sam Lantinga (formerly of Loki, currently of Blizzard) has posted this announcement that a contest is being held to create a new logo for the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL for short). The requirements for appropriate submissions are:

• Looks really good.
• More representative of SDL than the old one. (I suppose he means this image.)
• Vectorized would be preferred but a 1600×1200 PNG would also be acceptable.
• Uses a white/transparent background for better commercial use, for example on game boxes and T-shirts.

You can view the current entries at the contest page and submit your own entries to contest@libsdl.de. Also, for reference, the SDL FAQ points to this page of unofficial logos created by the community at some point in the past.

I figure that all you high-brow, articulate art critics lambasting the new LG can turn that negative energy into positive effort and come up with something nice for the community.

UPDATE:As pointed out in the first comment below, the contest’s submission phase has apparently ended and the voting phase has begun. I checked the date on the email from Sam and it’s dated 30 January 2004, so we aren’t completely to blame. Oh well. The focus on positive effort has been called off and negativity can flow freely again as you argue over the various designs. Enjoy.

BomberClone, with a simple concept of running through levels and trying to bomb people, has been updated to release 0.11.1. You can view the changelog for full details.