LINUXGAMES

Sauerbraten, the game based upon Cube and often referred to as the next-generation version of this fast-paced FPS or RPG game, has today released a new version of its open-source game/engine. Although there is no official press release or statement yet, it simply says “lots of multiplayer related new stuff!”. This is the first release for the year and since November of last year.

Screenshots: [ View] Download: [ Sauerbraten 2006_01_31]

Bochs, a highly portable open source IA-32 (x86) PC emulator, has been updated to release 2.2.6. Changes in this release include:

• several APIC and I/O APIC fixes make SMP Bochs booting Windows NT4.0 in SMP configuration (Volker, Stanislav)
• critical APIC timer bug fixed (Volker Ruppert)
• several fixes in the hard drive, keyboard, timer, usb and vga code (Volker)
• fixes in Bochs debugger (Stanislav Shwartsman)
• obsolete SMP BIOS images removed (MP tables created dynamicaly)
• new userbutton shortcut “bksl” (backslash)
• enabled #PCE bit in CR4 register, previosly setting of this bit generated #GP(0) fault (Stanislav Shwartsman)
• enabled LAHF/SAHF instructions in x86-64 mode (Stanislav Shwartsman)
• determine number of processors in SMP configuration through .bochsrc file
• new .bochsrc option to choose number of processors to emulate
• new configure option –enable-smp to configure Bochs for SMP support, the old –enable-processors=N option is deprecated
• fixed bug in PMULUDQ SSE2 instruction (Kevin Lawton)
• enable VME (virtual 8086 mode extensions) by default if cpu-level >= 5
• enable Bochs disassembler by default for all configurations (Stanislav)
• win32 installer script improvements (Volker)
• ips parameter moved to new cpu option
• show IPS value in status bar if BX_SHOW_IPS is enabled (Volker, Stanislav)
• updated Bochs instrumentation examples (Stanislav Shwartsman)
• user and development documentation improved

Download: [ Bochs 2.2.6 ]

A new minor version of ScummVM has just been released. Apart from the usual bugfixes, the Release Notes mention that more international versions were added and Humongous Entertainment games are better supported.

Screenshots: [ View ] Download: [ ScummVM 0.8.1 ]

Oolite, developed as an homage to Elite, has a new stable release: version 1.62. Elite was an open-ended space trading/combat game; Oolite follows in Elite’s footsteps, but with OpenGL graphics, expansion packs (new ships and missions can be created with a text editor and free 3D design packages) and new equipment which wasn’t available in the original Elite. Changes:

• New and improved equipment.
• Overhauled collision physics.
• Ships entering hyperspace now leave temporary witchspace wormholes between systems.
• Improvements to gameplay including new scripting routines and enhancements to ships’ AIs.
• Better compatibility with the vast range of Oolite Expansion Packs
• Many more bugfixes and improvements to gameplay.

Existing players can update the game via rsync by running ‘oolite-update’ in a Terminal window. The forum can be found at http://oolite.aegidian.org/bb.

Oolite-Linux 1.62 Download: [ berlios.de ]

A new version of X-Plane was released some days ago with greatly improved performance, frame rates have almost doubled and load times have been reduced while a lot of other changes were made too.
As always, the installer fetches the demo that restricts the joystick use to six minutes if the full version isn’t installed, the improved graphics from the Global-Scenery is not shown in the demo though.

Screenshots: [ View ] Download: [ X-Plane 8.32 ]

Lost Labyrinth, a roque-like RPG, has been updated to release 2.3.4. This release includes the following fixes and enhancements:

• Wine and Beer were added as new items which may cause the character to get drunk.
• Running Water was added as a new labyrinth field type, and it gives 10 thirst points back.
• Metamagic was implemented.
• Metamagic spells do not end the turn and affect the next cast spell.
• Three new metamagic spells were added:
• Tunnel, which allows a spell to be cast through walls;
• Extend2, which doubles the duration of a spell;
• Quickening, which keeps a spell from costing the turn.

Screenshots: [ View ] Download: [ Lost Labyrinth 2.3.4 ]

Another minor release of Stendhal has been announced. Changes and fixes in this release include:

• Fixes a null pointer bug in creature logic.
• Fixed the drink and food queue so you can consume potions even if full.
• Speeds up client and changes sync event management so the game is less laggy. Now you can buy several items in a batch (e.g. buy 5 potions).
• Items bought are automatically stacked.
• Sheep heal themselves slowly.
• Admins are now denoted with yellow names.
• NPCs don’t say goodbye if you are not talking to them.
• Portals are walkable now.
• Giant rat corpses are bigger.
• Monsters talk (but don’t chat).
• Ambient sounds have been added.
• ATK and DEF loss on death have been fixed.

Download: [ Stendhal 0.44 ]

Defendguin 0.0.11 has been released. Defendguin is an Open Source, SDL-based clone of the side-scrolling arcade shooter “Defender”, but with a Linux theme.

The new release now includes a basic high score feature and rudimentary joystick configuration in the Options screen. All graphics files have been converted to proper indexed bitmaps, reducing total storage needs by about 1.0MB. Additionally, artifacts where the colorkey wasn’t just right (white blobs on 24bpp or 32bpp displays) have finally been removed.

Screenshots: [ View ] Download: [ Defendguin 0.0.11 ]

A remake of the classic Thrust game from the Commordore 64 era has been brought to our attention. The objective of this game is to lift the Klystron Pod from the bottom of a cave and return it safely to space.

Download: [ Thrust 0.89f ]

According to a forum post, one of the S2 Games developers expects the Linux client of Savage 2: A Tortured Soul to be available at launch time.

This multiplayer game consists of two teams, humans and beasts on Newerth, on each side with one strategy player that builds, orders necessary things, delegates while the other players fight each other in a third person view if they are not in search of experience points or important items.

There is a new pseudo-stable release of Crystal Space, an open source and portable 3D engine, and the Crystal Entity Layer. Changes include:

• The VBO (vertex buffer object) extension is now enabled by default (except on a few 3D card/driver combinations where we know that it doesn’t work properly).
• There is a new foliage generator.
• The old crossbuilder/model loader system has been removed. Instead CS can now load MD2 and 3DS files natively through the normal loading system.
• The ball mesh has been removed.
• A lot of memory leaks have been fixed.
• The particles mesh has been considerably improved in performance.
• There is a new more generic event system.
• The render priority system has been changed.
• A new scene node system has been implemented, bringing Crystal Space closer to being a real scene graph.
• The software renderer has been completely rewritten.
• Compared to the last pseudo-stable the python plugin is now actually working here.
• There is a new Bullet physics plugin (alternative to ODE).
• There is a totally new sound system. The old sound system will soon be removed. The new sound system is more stable but at the moment doesn’t have any hardware accelerated versions (i.e. no OpenAL or related).
• The lightmap format has changed! This means that you will have to relight all your levels.
• A new CEGUI based window system has been added.
• Lots of bug fixes including fixes for 64-bit computers.

The developers request that you visit the project forums to report issues.

Crystal Space 0.99 Download: [ crystalspace3d.org ]

A newly formed project called OpenRTS has been brought to our attention. The project is an attempt to create an open source realtime strategy game. This new group is currently looking for people to join up to help their cause. A propotype of the game featuring isometric graphics and network code has been created.

Screenshots: [ View ] Download: [ OpenRTS 0.1 ]

Name/Version: Arcus 0.3.1
Summary: Arcus is a Rubik’s Cube Simulator featuring 3D display and cube manipulation.
Screenshots [ View ] Download [ Arcus 0.3.1 ]

Name/Version: Enemy lines 3 1.1
Summary: Semi-abstract first person 3d-shooter game where you shoot evil robots when they get too close.
Screenshots [ View ] Download [ Enemy lines 3 1.1 ]

Name/Version: JOYCE 2.1.9
Summary: KOYCE emulates the Amstrad PCW using SDL. Changes in this release are bugfix to the new folder support in 2.1.8, and some changes to allow compilation on Mac OS X.
Screenshots [ View ] Download [ JOYCE 2.1.9 ]

Name/Version: Warp Rogue 0.5.1
Summary: Warp Rogue is a gothic science fantasy roguelike game. It is based on pen and paper RPGs and features complex game mechanics and a consistent theme.
Screenshots [ View ] Download [ Warp Rogue 0.5.1 ]

TeleFragged had an opportunity to head over to Splash Damage and got a first hand look at Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. Check out the preview posted over at TeleFragged to see what they thought.

I do not remember this game personally but a clone of Frog Bog called Batrachians has been released. Fixes in this release from the previous release includes few compilation and portability problems.

Download: [ Batrachians 0.1.1 ]

We have recieved this press release about Northland from RuneSoft having gone gold.

Gamers on the Linux platform will soon be able to join Bjarni and his friends in their mission to save their homeland from mysterious serpent creatures, as Northland Linux has gone gold and should be available by February 2nd.

Northland tells the story of Bjarni the Viking.

The story begins where the plot of “Cultures 2 - The Gates of Asgard” ended. After perilous adventures our four heroes defeated the Midgard serpent and thus saved the world. A great celebration began and everyone was happy and content.

But only a very short time later the peace was disturbed by a call for help from their friend Hatschi. Hatschi’s homeland was plagued by mysterious monstrous serpent creatures, which spread chaos and destruction through the country. Without hesitation Bjarni and Crya hurried to help him and stumbled right into a new adventure, in which the sly god Loki will play an important role…

Northland features:

• Stand-alone Adventure Strategy game.
• Single player campaign with 8 missions including several sub missions.
• The exciting plots tells the story of Viking God Loki who tried to take revenge on Godfather Odin for his banishment from Asgard to Earth. For that he abuses our four human heroes with his intrigues and traps.
• 8 additional free single player missions (non campaign).
• 3 difficulty levels to make the game fun for everybody from beginners to experts.
• Special effects like weather effects, fog, ghost units etc.
• Based on the enhanced technology of “Cultures 2 - The Gates of Asgard”; enhanced AI.

A minor release of Stendhal has been announced. Changes and fixes in this release include:

• Configuration files are stored now in ~/stendhal.
• Carmen at Semos now sells potions and antidotes.
• Venomous rats are now weaker. Their poison hurts less and the antidote gives immunity for two minutes.
• Inventory bug was worked around by disabling left button dragging.
• Temple, Blacksmith, Kanmararn entrace, Or’ril dungeon level 3, and Jail areas were added along with six new creatures.

Screenshots: [ View ] Download: [ Stendhal 0.43 ]

A month after their last release, a new version of GalaxyMage has been announced. Highlights in this release include:

• Random map and scenario generation
• New character classes
• New abilities (including a wide variety of status effects)
• Joystick support
• Partial translations into French and Spanish
• More challenging AI

Screenshots: [ View ] Download: [ GalaxyMage 0.2.0 ]

A reader wrote in reporting a new version of Trigger. This high customizable rally racing game allow you to add additional cars and levels of your own design and by default comes with sequence of 6 courses, with increasing levels of difficulty. This release will be the last one from the original developer.

Download: [ Trigger 0.5.2 ]

People who are into mechs might be interested in the new release of GearHead: Arena. In this rogue-like game, you explore a world in the future after a nuclear war and determine the future of the human race.

Screenshots: [ View ] Download: [ GearHead: Arena 1.001 ]