LINUXGAMES

The full source code to Quake 3: Arena (and associated tools) has been released under the GNU General Public License by id Software. Notes:

A short summary of the file layout:

code/ Quake III Arena source code ( renderer,game code, OS layer etc. )
code/bspc bot routes compiler source code
lcc/ the retargetable C compiler ( produces assembly to be turned into qvm bytecode by q3asm )
q3asm/ assembly to qvm bytecode compiler
q3map/ map compiler ( .map -> .bsp ) – this isthe version that comes with Q3Radiant 200f
q3radiant/ Q3Radiant map editor build 200f ( common/ and libs/ are support dirs for radiant )

While we made sure we were still able to compile the game on Windows, GNU/Linuxand Mac, this build didn’t get any kind of extensive testing so it may not workcompletely right. Whenever an id game is released under GPL, several projects start making the source code more friendly to nowaday’s compilers and environements. If you are picking up this release weeks/months/years after we uploaded it, you probably want to look around on the net for cleaned up versions of this codebase as well.

Projects based on this source will be tracked at Liberated Games.

Quake 3: Arena 1.32b Source Download: [ idsoftware.com | 3D Downloads | icculus.org ]

Runesoft Entertainment let us know that they are presenting games at this year’s Games Convention, a gaming industry trade show (akin to E3) in Leipzig, Germany, which runs from August 17th through the 21st. The Linux version of Northland is on display; they are located at the stand of Runesoft’s partner company Magnussoft in Hall 3 (Stand B10).

Thanks to readers for letting us know about the new ATi driver release. Version 8.16.20 (release notes / FAQ). New features:

• This release of the ATI Proprietary Linux driver provides a noticeable performance increase for all supported ATI Workstation products.
• This release improves automatic detection of display devices when connected to an ATI graphics adapter. This allows for the display device to be configured using its Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) or to manually configured. For more information, refer to /usr/share/doc/fglrx/configure.html once the driver is installed.
• This release of the ATI Proprietary Linux driver introduces driver compatibly with Linux 2.6.12 kernel.
• The latest ATI Proprietary Linux driver now provides support for building the driver kernel module on systems with GCC 4.0
• The Debian and Ubuntu operating systems are now supported by the ATI Installer Package Generator. Updates have occured to the SuSE package generation.

• The operating system no longer fails to respond when rendering HDTV or larger video files
• Having two monitors connected to an ATI graphics adapter no longer results in the mouse cursor appearing on both displays simultaneously
• Panning on the secondary display device is now available when using pseudocolor visuals and having clone mode enabled
• The Red Hat Enterprise Linux workstation 4 Update 1 operating system no longer fails to respond during driver load up on systems having four or more gigabytes of system memory
• Overlay support is now available when using a 64 bit operating system
• A slow decrease in available memory (memory leak) for PCIe systems is no longer experienced

ATi Driver 8.16.20 Installer Download: [ x86 | x86-64 ]
ATi Driver 8.16.20 x86 rpm: [ XFree86 4.1 | XFree86 4.2 | XFree86 4.3 | X.Org 6.8 ]
ATi Driver 8.16.20 x86-64 Driver: [ XFree86 4.3 | X.Org 6.8 ]

Lawrence Gold wrote in to announce the release of the multiple aardvark machine emulator, xmame, and xmess 0.99. Changes in this release:

• Everything from MAME 0.99 and MESS 0.99.
• The SVGAlib target no longer fails silently under certain conditions. (Hans de Goede)
• Removed some unnecessary calls to exit() and fixed a few memory leaks in the X11, Xv, and effects code. (Hans de Goede)
• The SVGAlib driver now handles __svgalib_tty_fd == -1. This allows it to work with newer releases of SVGAlib. (Hans de Goede)
• Removed “-xv/-xvext” from the manpage. Bugzilla bug 535. (Erik Hovland)
• Updated the joystick types in the manpage. Bugzilla bug 737.
• Fixed some typos in the documentation. Bugzilla bug 738. (Erik Hovland)

I finally had a chance to pound out an article regarding this year’s QuakeCon event; included are looks at Quake 4‘s singleplayer and multiplayer modes, as well as a summary of id Software technology guru John Carmack’s keynote speech. Of special note was the announcement that the Quake 3: Arena source code will be released shortly, hopefully as soon as next week.

QuakeCon 2005 Report

The newly-launched studio Game-Arena Entertainment sent in a press release announcing the development of two MMORPGs for Linux, Age of Darkness and Ashbrook Prime:

Age of Darkness combines several innovative features including a revolutionary death system, an extremely advanced AI, dynamic quest generation and player-run cities. Both games will be available for Windows, Mac and Linux users.

“We believe these games will cause quite a stir in the MMORPG community; we’re taking chances that the big-guns won’t even consider for fear of alienating their audience.” The games are expected to launch as a package in the second quarter of 2006.

Screenshots and additional info can be found here; there are also forums.

The hardware site Phoronix recently posted a review of the NVIDIA GeForce 7800GTX with the new driver release which fixed some performance issues the previous revision had with this card series, as their benchmarks demonstrate.

A reader pointed out (a while back) that the Cold War website had launched at http://www.coldwar-game.com/; Cold War is a tactical espionage action game where the player must escape detection in Soviet Russia while attempting to uncover a conspiracy against global stability. The site features a trailer, links to developer diaries, screenshots, and even a wallpaper.

Gamespot posted a hands-on preview of the game last month; it was stated earlier this year that the Linux version of Cold War was running well, but the distribution method was up in the air.

A new release of Scorched3D (screenshost), version 39, is now available. Scoreched3D is a 3D remake of the classic game Scorched Earth; changes include:

• 3D Positional Sound
• Ambient sounds
• Birds and flying models
• Reduction in player lagging timeout

Scorched3D v39 Download: [ scorched3d.co.uk ]

The maintainer of the Linux Gamer Guide Wiki let us know that they’ve added new content since the guide was announced (28 pages worth).

Tremulous version 1.0 (screenshots) has been released:

Tremulous is a total conversion for Quake III: Arena that blends real-time strategy elements with first-person combat in a futuristic setting. Players may fight as either aliens or humans, choosing between dozens of unique abilities or helping their team by constructing bases out of a multitude of buildable structures.

Tremulous also makes several enhancements to the the Quake 3 engine including a powerful particle system, an enhanced head-up display, and a flexible map system including animated mapobjects and light flares. These changes and the rest of the Tremulous source code are made available to the public under the Open Source Mod License.

The manual can be read online.

Tremulous 1.0 Download: [ tremulous.net ]

The version 4.02 patch for CodeRED: Alien Arena (screenshots), a free online deathmatch game, has been released; changes include:

• Spectator mode added.
• Bots show up in server lists.
• Blaster damage increased(highly requested).
• Vaporizor ammo bug fixed.
• Windows versions get the two new maps(Linux already had them).
• Custom map downloading re-enabled and speed increased.
• Various minor tweaks and bugfixes.

CodeRED: Alien Arena 4.02 Download: [ planetquake.com ]

I’ve been out of the loop lately due to other obligations, but I plan on making it up to you guys this week: I’ll be making my annual pilgrimage to QuakeCon tomorrow; among the featured games I’ll be checking out is the id Software and Raven Software shooter Quake 4:

id Software(tm) andActivision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) give multiplayer gaming a shot of adrenalinewith the announcement that QUAKE 4(tm) multiplayer will be unveiled at the10th Annual QuakeCon – the nation’s largest and most legendary video gamefestival and tournament.

[...]

QUAKE 4 marks the return of id’s trademark deathmatch-style multiplayerformula. Online gameplay action in QUAKE 4 is based on the speed, style andoverall multiplayer feel found in the popular QUAKE III Arena®, and allowsgamers to play in Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Arena, CTF and Tournamentmodes on the Strogg or Marine teams.

NVIDIA has released version 1.0-7676 of their Linux display driver (x86 README / x86-64 README). These drivers are a minor update, and only have this one change:

• Fixed GeForce 7800 GTX clocking problem that affected 3D performance.

Ryan “Icculus, Queen of Naboo” Gordon announced in his .plan that he has made an initial port of the anthropomorphic-fighting-adventure game Lugaru:

Lugaru:
 Hey, that didn’t take long at all.
http://icculus.org/~icculus/dotplan/lugaru_linux_firstrun.jpg

Just recently icculus has also asked for possible testers of the new port to e-mail him.

A new release of VDrift, an open source driving simulation with drift racing in mind, has been brought to our attention. Changes in this release include:

• Track selector and a new track: Catalunya, Spain
• Improvements to the replays – they now remember tracks and are more accurate
• Ability to change color of cars
• “New Game” menu
• Splash screens with logos

Download: VDrift 2005-08-02

On Saturday, August 13th (10:00AM Eastern Daylight Time), COR Entertainment will be hosting their first CodeRED: Alien Arena online tournament. Winners of the FFA and 1v1 contests will receive a brand new Logitech optical mouse; following these matches will be TDM, CTF, and Bot Slaughter for fun and bragging rights. Anyone interested in playing will need to sign up at the COR forums.

The Linux version of CodeRED: Alien Arena is available here.

Ryan “icculus” Gordon updated his .plan this past weekend to announce the release of a test patch for Unreal Tournament 2004 that adds render-to-texture support:

Some things this fixes:
– The scoreboard in DM-Morpheus3.
– Motion blur in Red Orchestra and UnWheel, etc.
– Realistic player shadows.
– The Hellbender license plate.

Some notes, first:
– This is Linux only right now; MacOS doesn’t have the GL extension I want, at least not as of 10.4.2. The second it shows up in the OS, I’ll pull the trigger there, too.
– You MUST have version 3355 installed. Earlier (and later, later) versions WILL NOT WORK, and the GAME WILL CRASH. You have been WARNED.
– You MUST have Nvidia’s latest drivers, or this WILL NOT WORK (although it will probably work like it does now, no render targets). ATI’s drivers, or anyone else’s, will probably work if they support the OpenGL extension GL_EXT_framebuffer_object.
– You MUST set “UseRenderTargets=True” in the “[OpenGLDrv.OpenGLRenderDevice]” section of your UT2004.ini, or it WILL NOT WORK.
- To get realistic shadows, you also have to set “bPlayerShadows=True” and “bBlobShadow=False” in the “[UnrealGame.UnrealPawn]” section of your User.ini…the GUI config will not let you set this in 3355 (but the next official patch will correct this). You can also enable vehicle shadows in User.ini.
- Realistic player shadows (or even blob shadows) won’t render on terrain on the Nvidia drivers, because of their 4 TMU limit for fixed-function pipeline apps. There is no fix planned for this at this time. Go buyan ATI card if it bothers you, and mail the receipt to Nvidia’s engineering department.
- The DM-Morpheus3 scoreboard renders strangely in Windows too; this is not an OpenGL renderer bug, it matches the behaviour of the Direct3D renderer.
- Red Orchestra’s motion blur now works (and, unrelated, their splash screen got fixed, too), but the sniper scope is still broken; use the “texture” setting and not “model” for the sniper scope in the options. This is my bug, to be considered later.
- This was not built on the Holy Build Box. If it refuses to start up on your machine because of a glibc conflict, etc, sorry. Wait for an official patch.
- This was built with all my gcc4 mangling from MacOS/x86, and all my Win64 changes…there is a LOT of code changed over 3355, so if it crashes, too bad, wait for an official patch.
- This is x86 only. amd64 will not be forthcoming until, you guessed it, an official patch. If you write me asking for an amd64 build, I will delete it without replying.

UT2004 Test Patch for v3355 Download (unpack it in your game’s System dir, overwriting ut2004-bin):[ icculus.org ]

Version 2.0.4 of the venerable civilization strategy game Freeciv (screenshot) has been released; changes:

• Fix some buffer underruns on the terrain array (this bug could have been the cause of arbitrary crashes on some platforms).
• Don’t automatically pop up the city dialog when in observer mode.
• Treat an alt-left click the same as a middle click, to allow two-button mice to work on windows (GTK-2 client).
• Fix a bug – when a city was transferred/conquered twice the client sometimes wouldn’t get an update about the second exchange.
• Fix the behavior of Granary and Pyramids in the Civ2 compatibility ruleset.
• Fix Pyramids so they are no longer cumulative with Granary.
• Fix a minor bug that prevented 2.0 savegames from working properly with 1.14 Freeciv.

Freeciv 2.0.4 Download: [ freeciv.org ]

Version 0.20 of Glarf (screenshots), a platformer which utilizes Pygame, has been released; changes:

• added music
• added new powerups and weapons
• fixed “artifacts left on previous seam” bug
• fixed “death from going off the top of the screen” bug

If you’re interested in contributing to the project, there’s a tasklist here.

Glarf 0.20 (Source) Download: [ geeky.net ]