LINUXGAMES

Phoronix has reviewed the Power Color X800XL:

Although ATI’s X1000 series graphics processors have stolen a great deal of the attention off its predecessors, there remains no Linux 3D support at this time for these latest red solutions. However, for Linux users with the present status of ATI’s proprietary drivers the X800 remains a respectable solution for those not looking to fall to the green team with their overwhelming Linux presence. Up on our review block today we have the X800XL 256MB from the folks over at Power Color.

An updated version of Rocks’n'Diamonds has been released. Rocks’n'Diamonds is an arcade style game based on Boulderdash from the Commorade 64 days. Fixes in this release include an important bugfix as it fixes the ability for people to edit private levels with the level editor.

Download: [ Rocks'n'Diamonds 3.1.2 ]

Warp Rogue, a gothic science fantasy roguelike game, has been updated to release 0.5.0. The changelog is available in the download.

Download: [ Warp Rogue 0.5.0 ]

Laminar Research has released the Linux version of X-Plane 8.21 that is only available on DVD.
Version 8.21 comes as an upgrade or full version together with the Global-Scenery package which requires 60 GB of harddisk space, and it shows! It is available from x-plane.com or the community website x-plane.org or local stores, the upgrade offer is limited. The next version, X-Plane 8.30 is available for testing as Beta and works like before as update for the full version or as time limited demo.

Complete new shining bling bling X-Plane 8.21 DVD-Installer Download: [ x-plane.com ]

The freeware X-Plane multiplayer plugin XSquawkBox was released as final version 1.0 two months ago, it lets you play with other X-Plane or Microsoft Flight Simulator pilots on VATSIM, IVAO and other networks with “real world” implications.

Download: [ XSquawkBox 1.0 ]

Version 3.2.0 of GoodWay, a flight planner for X-Plane was also released back in… May 2005. Although planned for last autumn, the unlocked Shareware features are still not available for Linux.

Download: [ GoodWay 3.2.0 ]

Silent Wings is another professional flight simulator but specialized in gliders that has seen four minor version updates last year with (guessing) lots of improvements and bugfixes. Also some new models and many new scenery packs have been released, even of formerly for extra payment considered places.
Silent Wings is Shareware with two weeks evaluation time (not “two weeks”, mind you) and interestingly, it is one of the few commercial games that are developed on Linux rather than ported from Windows, and development continues, as version 1.06 introduces the promised multiplayer support and turbulences. The current beta is at version 1.06-2.

Silent Wings 1.05 Download: [ full version | patches ]

The GPL radio controled model airplanes simulator CRRCsim is nearing the final 1.0, it hasn’t been mentioned here before, so be sure to check it out.

Download: [ CRRCsim 0.9.5 ]

If you think pure simulators are boring, then have a look at the newest build of YS Flight Simulation 2000, with guns, missions, multiplayer. Don’t ask for good graphics.

Download: [ YSFLIGHT 20050402 ]

“Noo, not here too!” you scream, but it’s useless.
Today, LinuxHardware.org is back after a long wait with a marvelous test as expected, comparing today’s released AMD Athlon 64 FX-60 with intel’s Pentium Extreme Edition 955 that will be available on January 16 along with a new chipset, both dual core chips and adding the fastest single core CPUs from both sides for good measure.

Go right ahead to the article if you are really willing to spend a grand on a CPU.

A new version of everyone favorite open source implementation of the Windows API, Wine has been released. Changes in this release include:

• A number of MSI fixes.
• More improvements to the IDL compiler.

Download: [ Wine 0.9.5 ]

pyroCPU let us know that they have conducted benchmarks with ATI’s PowerPlay utility:

Introduced in ATI’s v8.19.10 proprietary display drivers for their RADEON series was support for PowerPlay. For the uninitiated, ATI’s PowerPlay allows the user to specify various “power-states”, or rather various frequencies and voltages at which the card can operate. The purpose for these various performance levels is ultimately to allow mobile users to save on battery life through running at reduced speeds when not performing strenuous 3D tasks.

A reader let us know that Airline Tycoon Deluxe, which has been listed with “final candidate” status on the RuneSoft website for quite a while now, has now arrived at Tux Games. Airline Tycoon Deluxe is an economic simulation game where the player is tasked with managing an airline; features include airplane purchasing/maintenance, route plotting, financial management (such as offering shares on the stock market), and sabotage(!) against competitors.

Decane (formerly indies@work) released the 1.0 shareware version of their family friendly multiplayer game SuperMaze.

SuperMaze is a simple humorous nonviolent 3D hunt-and-shoot game using Smilies as the main actors in a maze style environment. It utilizes the well known Torque Game Engine, is fully networked with up to 16 players and multi platform.
The registered version of SuperMaze is available for 10 Euro from share*it! and unlocks the map editor.

SuperMaze 1.0 Download: [ Decane ]

Nemoder pointed out a DOOM³ total conversion that I had to pass along.
It is called Into Cerberon: Descent into DOOM³, which says it all. Here is what the team lead announced:

I really do apologize to the Mac and Linux fans out there, I really had no idea people would be so eager to play something that we ourselves considered buggy and merely a play-test. As a result of seeing many “:(” smilies in e-mails and on IRC, we rushed into production a Linux version of IC 0.0.1 to satisfy the penguins among us.

Since the package is different, multiplayer games will most likely not work between different platforms yet.

Download: [ Into Cerberos 0.0.1 ]

A reader pointed out the release of Slide and Stack, a logic/puzzle game similar to a Rubix cube.

Slide and Stack Download: [ xairnet.com ]

Python Kye, is a clone of the classic Kye which is an unusual little puzzle game that uses variety of different types of objects that you need to figure out their behavior for and then put to use. This 0.5 release of the game has the following changes:

• diamonds glitter now, like they do in the original Kye
• undo feature for the editor
• context-sensitive enabling and disabling of editor menu items
• warnings about problems with levels when saving

Download: [ Python Kye 0.5 ]

Phoronix let us know about some benchmarks they’ve run:

We have wrapped up our Linux testing in the eVGA e-GeForce 7800GT CO 256MB review. Not only have we tested this G70 card that runs at above normal frequencies but we have also ran additional comparison benchmarks with a GeForce 6600GT in SLI AFR, eVGA 6800GT 256MB, and the 7800GT card at overclocked speeds. In the article it can be seen where the various NVIDIA cards perform under Linux and where they hold up respectively with their AA and AF modes.

A community patch (developed by the WGW Project Division with the permission of Human Head Studios) has been released for the Rune expansion pack, Halls of Valhalla. Changes include several new maps, crash protection, and server-side support for client downloads.

Rune: HOV 1.08 Download: [ 3D Downloads | 3D Gamers | VGPro | WGW Project ]

We have recieved word that a new patch has been released for Alien Arena 2006. Alien Arena is a free online deathmatch game based on the Quake 2 engine. The full changelog can be viewed here

Download: [ Alien Arena 2006 Patch ]

Thanks to me for pointing out that XGI has released version 1.04.13 of their Linux driver supporting the Volari V3XT, V5, V8, and V8 Ultra graphics cards. This release adds 3D functions and support for Linux 2.6.

XGI Volari Driver 1.04.13 Download: [ xgitech.com ]

Linden Labs’ Cory Ondrejka updated his blog last week with news of a live demonstration of Second Life running in Linux, on a laptop using an ATi card.

Triple A 0.7.3, a clone of the board game, “Axis and Allies”, has been updated to release 0.7.3. A changelog could not be located for this release.

Download: [Triple A 0.7.3 ]

S.C.O.U.R.G.E. , an rouge-like game, has been updated to version 0.12. The extenstive changelog can be found here to view all the update and changes in this release and plans for future releases

Download: [ S.c.o.u.r.g.e. v0.12 ]

The Independent Games Festival has announced the finalists for their 2006 competition awards. Several Linux games have been nominated:

• Darwinia
• Professor Fizzwizzle
• Tribal Trouble

All finalists are eligible for the IGF 2006 Audience Award, and Darwinia and Professor Fizzwizzle are up for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. The winners will be announced on March 22.