LINUXGAMES

COR Entertainment has released a new mini-patch for Alien Arena 2006 (screenshots), a standalone online deathmatch game:

This patch is a prelude to the next version of the game, which will be released in the not to distant future, and includes new alt-fires (every weapon now has one), and greatly enhanced bot AI. Easy skill level bots are now considerably easier for the novices, and the harder skill level bots have been made even more intelligent, and will use alt-fires in the right situation, circle strafe with certain weapons, taunt you mercilessly, as well as rocket and strafe jump about the levels.

Alien Arena 2006 Mini-Patch Download: [ planetquake.com ]

A new build of Xe, a multi-system emulator (a list of supported systems and features can be found here), is now available. Changes:

• [Xe] Implemented RAM Cart option.
• [Xe] Implemented Memory Card option.
• [Xe] Implemented machine specific options.
• [Xe] Changed status bar display to include Memory Cards.
• [Xe/Linux] Doubled sound buffer fragments.
• [Mark III] Implemented option to disable YM2413.
• [PC Engine] Implemented option to disable PC Engine CD.
• [PC Engine] Implemented 6-Button Pad.
• [PC Engine] Implemented Ten No Koe Memory Bank support.
• [PC Engine] Changed BRAM from 8KB to 2KB.
• [PC Engine] Merged with Super Grafx.
• [PC Engine] Swapped Super Grafx VDC1 and VDC2.
• [Mega Drive] Implemented option to disable Mega CD.
• [Mega Drive] Implemented 6-Button Pad.
• [Mega CD] Implemented RAM Cart support.
• [Neo Geo] Implemented Memory Card support.
• [Neo CD] Implemented a rarly used CD command. (Update 11/11/05)
• [Neo CD] Implemented CDZ copy protection. (Update 11/11/05)
• [Game Boy] Implemented Mono Only mode.
• [Neo Pocket] Implemented Mono Only mode.
• [Wonder Swan] Implemented Mono Only mode.

Also, a reader let us know that he has setup a support forum for Xe; a FAQ is included.

id Software has released version 1.0.5 of Quake 4 for Linux (FAQ). Changes:

• GENERAL:
  • Copied map files can now be overwritten/deleted without quitting first.
  • The console command “com_allowconsole” will stay set after leaving the game.
• INTERFACE:
  • Improved Game Browser sorting and filtering: You can sort by up to three criteria, which will be displayed just under the server list, with the more recently clicked criteria sorting first. For example, to sort by ping time, then number of players, then gametype, click them in the reverse order: Click “GAMETYPE,” then “PLAYERS,” then “PING.” The server list will be sorted by the fastest ping, then the servers with the fewest players, then the gametype. Clicking a category more than once will keep its position as the primary sorting criteria, but will change the sorting order. After cycling through all available sort types, clicking the category a final time will remove it from the sorting. Each criteria has specific behavior with one or two clicks, as listed:
    • Favorite Server: Display only favorites, or only non-favorites.
    • Password Enabled: Display only locked server, or only unlocked servers.
    • Dedicated Server: Display only Dedicated servers, or only Listen servers.
    • Punkbuster Enabled: Display only PB-enabled servers, or only PB-disabled servers.
    • Server Name: Sort server names A to Z, or Z to A.
    • Ping: Sort by ping Low to High, or High to Low.
    • Players: Sort by Players High to Low, High to Low (non-full), Low to High, or Low to High (non-empty).
    • Gametype: Sort by Deathmatch, Team DM, Tournament, CTF, or Arena CTF.
    • Map: Sort by map CTF1 to DM9, or DM9 to CTF1.
  • The Game Browser now displays more than 1000 servers.
  • Fixed a problem with the refresh time on the Game Browser.
  • Added a Game Browser filter for full or empty servers.
  • Players can now connect to a server while the Game Browser is refreshing.
  • Game Browser sorting will display the correct server information without the need to refresh the list.
  • Clicking anywhere on the scrollbar except the button itself will advance a page up or down instead of shifting to that position.
  • Non-full server sorting now disregards full servers.
  • Game Browser hover window updates when sort order is changed.
  • Fixed a Game Browser slowdown issue with high numbers of servers.
  • Added Game Browser server list scrolling with the mousewheel, keyboard arrows up/down, and keyboard Page Up/Page Down.
  • The Game Browser hover window will only appear when mousing over a highlighted server.
  • Sorting by server name will now ignore colored names, brackets, etc.
• MULTIPLAYER:
  • The dedicated server window will now be titled with the si_name setting instead of “Quake 4″.

The idDevNet site has been updated with a Q4SDK section; most of the editor pages don’t apply to our version, but there is a page on compiling the SDK under Linux.

edit: id’s Timothee Besset updated his .plan file with some additional notes:

Now to answer a few frequently asked questions about the GNU/Linux version:

- Linux clients can’t play on pure Windows servers ‘out of the box’. Even with this update, Windows server still need to put a game pak in their path so Linux clients can join in. This is documented in the Quake 4 GNU/Linux FAQ.

- The builtin level editor will not be available on Linux. As was the case with Doom 3, it is too heavily dependent on Win dows APIs to be ported. I would advise anyone interested in content creation for Quake 4 on GNU/Linux to help add support in GtkRadiant.

Quake 4 1.0.5 Download: [ 3D Downloads | zerowing BitTorrent | Fileshack |ftp.id ]
Quake 4 Linux SDK Download: [ 3D Downloads | zerowing BitTorrent | Fileshack | ftp.id]

Speaking of Java games, version 0.3.2.0 of Ophiuchus, a multiplayer strategy project inspired by Master of Orion, has been released. Changes:

• Greatly improved AI.
• Network play now supports more than 2 players.
• Three new commands: “nobuild”, “disengage” and “stay”, which can be used to undo commands already given.
• A new rule that if your fleet “retreats under fire”, it loses 1/3 of its ships.
• A great deal of internal changes and improvements.

Ophiuchus 0.3.2.0 Download: [ zarkonnen.com ]

Sun Microsystem’s chief gaming officer ChrisMelissinos spoke with NextGeneration about Java’s utilization in game development:

“We released Java bindings for OpenGL for high performance graphics, bindingsfor OpenAL for high performance audio and JInput, for controller and inputdevice communications. Within a month of release, the community ported them toLinux and OS X. From there, we’ve seen several small companies deliveringcommercial products based upon these APIs with Java technology as theirfoundation,” says Melissinos

The touted benefit here being, applications using these APIs run on alldesktops. A developer or publisher gets support for Macs, Linux and Windows,without having to rewrite any of the code and no necessary optimizations. TheAPIs allow Java to reach outside of its language and speak directly to thehardware, exactly the way C++ does.

It has been reported that version 1.3.7 of Holotz’s Castle has been released. Changes include:

• Added Czech translation.
• Updated German translation.
• Various Bugfixes.

Download: [ Holotz's Castle 1.3.7 ]

Fans of Battle of Wesnoth might be interested in an additional campaign, Elven Heroes, which has been released. This campaign includes new elven units, factions, and an elven map selection.

Download: [ Elven Heroes Campaign 0.41 ]

After the release of their demo for Cold War, Mindware Studios’ Patrik Rak made a forum post concerning the Linux retail version’s publishing status:

We are discussing the possibilities of releasing this on Linux with Dreamcatcher and LGP. The Dreamcatcher has rights for other platforms as well, but they might agree to let LGP to publish it for them as a subcontractor. I’ll keep you all posted. IMHO the full Linux version is just a matter of time.

Cold War is a stealth-oriented action title set in the USSR of the 1980′s (screenshots).

Version 1.3.0 of IntroversionSoftware’s (who also developed the Linux game Uplink) real-time strategy game Darwinia (screenshots) has been released. Theretail version of Darwinia can be ordered here; there’s also a newdemo available:

The new demo is designed to be two things at once- on the one hand its a blazing introduction to Darwinia for new players who’ve never seen it before, complete with scene-setting introduction andtutorial, but on the other hand it’s also the next chapter in the story of theDarwinians. The action takes place AFTER the full game has concluded, meaningthe new demo serves as both an introduction (to new players) and an epilogue(to old players). So even if you’re a Darwinian veteren we’d still like toencourage you to play the new demo through to completion – there’s stuff inthere for you, and we’re sure you’ll have a good time.

Darwinia 1.3.0 Downloads: [ Demo 2 | Retail Patch ]

Version 2.0.7 of Freeciv, the venerablecivilization strategy game (screenshot), is now available. Changes:

• Cannot rehome homeless units.
• Fixed bug when city bonuses (shield, gold, etc.) became negative.
• Send messages (for instance, about failed observer creation) to detachedplayers.
• When choosing a tech to research at random, prefer one that works towardthe goal.
• Don’t allow duplicate entries in the ruleset.
• Fix some bugs caused by duplicate entries in civ1 and civ2 rulesets.
• When closing the client, don’t interrupt the running server. This fixesa bug where the server could be interrupted in the middle of a save.
• Fixes for some nations and nation flags.
• Some translation updates.
• Update the mapview selection rectangle when redrawing is done.
• Fix bug with transported units and watchtower vision.
• Improve the Freeciv desktop entry.
• Fix a bug where using the mouse scroll wheel could completely break theclient.
• Fix a bug with discovery of techs in huts.
• Don’t allow observers to be put on teams.
• Fix a bug with sorting of techs in the intel dialog.
• Send a notification when the game starts.

Freeciv 2.0.7 Download: [ freeciv.org ]

Ashridah let us know about the source code release for Strange Adventures in Infinite Space. As with most source releases, the data files aren’t free. However, with this release, the game has already been ported from Direct X to SDL, and it is GPL’d instead of some random awful license from their lawyer department. No makefile yet, only an MSVC project file. It does come with the demo data files, though those aren’t under the GPL. There is an added bonus too, if you make it go under Linux, Crusader won’t change linuxgames.com to an Earth-2 fansite!

Strange Adventures in Infinite Space Download: [ digital-eel.com ]

Phoronix, a hardware review site, sent in the following:

With the release of the ATI Linux v8.19.10 display drivers earlier in the day, we have performed a driver comparison demonstrating ATI’s advances over the last couple of driver releases when it comes strictly to their frame-rate performance. The drivers used in this quorum are the v8.16.20, v8.18.6, v8.18.8, and the most recent v8.19.10 release. Not only has this most recent release offered improvements in the packaging support, but there is also a new feature for mobile users, which allows them to run their GPU at different power-stages to save on battery life while adjusting the processing power. Read more here.

Version 8.19.10 of ATI’s displaydriver for 32-bit and64-bit x86 Linux systems. This build fixes a 3D acceleration issue caused by drmMapfailures on 64bit Novell Linux Desktop 9 SP2 and 64bit Ubuntu Breezydistributions. New features:

• PowerPlaySupport
• fgl_glxgearsUpdate
• InitialSuspend and Resume Support

Additional information can be found in the release notesand FAQ.

ATI Driver 8.19.10 Download: [ ati.com ]

PCBurn has reviewed OOlite for Linux and created a getting started guide. OOlite for Linux is a remake of the venerable Elite space trading game.

The maintainers of the Linux Gaming Wiki sent out the following:

The Linux Gaming Wiki is issuing a call for help. With reliable admins and a solid template structure in place, the wiki needs volunteers to finish their extensive list of Game Placeholder Pages. If you’d like to help out, visit the Linux Gaming Wiki and check out the “Helping The Wiki” section on the front page. Come and finish your favorite game’s page today! Thanks!

Sh version 0.8rc0, the first release candidate for the upcoming Sh 0.8, has been released. Sh is a metaprogramming language for programmable GPUs; new features and changes can be found in the release notes. Notably, 0.8rc0 includes an API that matches the Metaprogramming GPUs with Sh book.

Sh 0.8rc0 Download: [ libsh.org ]

Version 0.9.1 of Wine, the Windows application compatibility layer, was made available. Changes aside from the usual bugfixes:

• Support for Find function in regedit.
• Winelib app to eject a CD.
• Many MSI improvements.
• Better support for running text-mode apps without X.
• Improved support for various code obfuscation tools.

Information on a given application’s compatibility with Wine can be found in the App Database.

Wine 0.9.1 Download: [ winehq.com ]

TransGaming Technologies has announced the release of Cedega 5.0 (screenshot) for their subscribers. Features mentioned include support for Battlefield 2, Dungeon Siege II, City of Villains, Madden NFL 2006, World of WarCraft, Half-Life 2, and Guild Wars. Additional information can be found in the release notes.

Also, linuX-gamers.net has posted a review which examines the installation/setup process.

Version 1.8.0 of Lost Labyrinth, a roguelike game (screenshots) has been released. Changes include two new special levels and seven new monsters.

Lost Labyrinth 1.8.0 Download: [ toybox.de ]

Phoronix has conducted an interview with Jeryuan Yan of XGI Technology concerning their Linux driver improvements and future hardware offerings:

Phoronix (Michael Larabel): Since we last spoke with you for an interview a few months back, have there been any notable advancements over at XGI, whether it be software or hardware related, that you would like to share at this time?

XGI Tech (Jeryuan Yan): I would like to update that our Volari 8300 will support Linux in December. This product is going to launch in November in Beijing. The source code will also release to the OSS community very soon.