LINUXGAMES

Fans of Quake II might be interested in the new version of Quetoo, an enhanced Quake II engine. Major changes in this release includes:

• R1Q2 Protocol 35 support (client-side only).
• Integrated refresh and renderer core (relies on SDL). – This brings improved player movement and bandwidth savings to clients, while the latter simplifies the engine’s design and helps speed execution. Quetoo is now benchmarking up to 140% faster than the original game.

Download: [ Quetoo 0.6.0 ]

The Thousand Parsec project released version 0.2.1 of the wxPython client for their turn-based space empire building game, which is similar to Stars! and Galactic Civilizations.

New features:

• Client can now be started with a URL and it will fill in the connect box.
• Client registers for Thousand Parsec URLs, meaning you can click URLs in a web browser and it will start the client.

Bug Fixes:

• Progress bars not reaching completed state.
• Pause when downloading initial media information.
• No media on non-english language systems.
• Bug in resource information download.
• Client support libraries requiring setuptools.

Download: [ sourceforge.net ]

Version 1.5 of the popular Unreal Tournament 2004 mod, TO Crossfire 1.5 , has been released. This release which features two new maps has the following updates to gameplay.

• Reward system tweaks (2×750 for first loss, 2×750 for second and 3×750 for third consecutive loss)
• Ingame admin system added
• Hostage crouch pose
• Hostage pushable by players
• Increased hostage running speed
• Increased jump height when scoped
• Increased running speed
• Increased crouch walk speed
• Tweaked air control
• Tweaked strafe speed
• Mac/Linux torso twist bug fixed
• Reward when killing hostage bug fixed
• Added faster running when holding the knife

Download: [ TO Crossfire 1.5]

Version 2.0.5 of Warzone Resurrection, an enhanced version of Warzone 2100, has been released. This release should fix all those nasty bugs with singleplayer and tutorial games in 2.0.4. New features in this release include:

• Beacons for skirmish and multiplayer (to mark places for allies)
• Mac savegames are now compatible to savegames from other OS’
• Basic map editing in debug mode
• –noshadows: switches off shadows for better performance (–shadows enables them again)
• –nosound: switches off sound (–sound enables it again)
• –viewport changed to –resolution

Download: [ Warzone 2100 2.0.5 ]

Over at AtomicGamer, our very own Marv “WAR” Malkowski Jr has posted his experience installing Yellow Dog Linux on a Sony PlayStation 3. In addition to providing helpful tips for would-be PlayStation Linux users, Marv talks about how he dealt with a couple of glitches he encountered during the installation process.

As a future PlayStation 3 owner, I’m looking forward to this very same tinkering sometime this year. I hope that in the end I can conclude, as Marv does, that it’s an interesting and worthwhile excursion.

Bongfish sent in the following announcement:

Fed up with so called snowboarding games from past generations? Got enough of those button mashing gameplay mechanics from the 1980ies? Be aware, the saviour is near! Bongfish announces STOKED RIDER – Alaska Alien, the very first next generation snowboarding game. No more limits, no more senseless gimmicks. Just choice, challenge and fun.

Equip your alien rider and drop him at the highest peaks of tremendous mountains. Wherever you want. Explore a never seen before terrain inspired by Alaska’s impressive summits or match online with your friends and players from around the globe. New equipment doesn’t only look good, it really makes you better. And you will get better yourself. Those times, where you can start a run, grab a cup of coffee and the rider reaches the bottom of the valley by himself, are over. Snowboard gaming is about the gamer. STOKED RIDER: Alien Alaska will challenge YOU.

The STOKED RIDER series was played by more than 600.000 players around the world over the last six years! Stoked Rider – Alaska Alien was released for Windows last week, now it will take it’s next step and is heading for a Linux-release in Q1 2007.

The site also has a video trailer and screenshots.

There has been a release of Neverwinter Nights and the first two expansions in German on some magazines of Computec Media as follows:

Neverwinter Nights on PC Games 12/2006 and PC Action 2/2007.
Neverwinter Nights: Der Schatten von Undernzit on PC Games Hardware 12/2006 and PC Games 2/2007.
Neverwinter Nights: Die Horden des Unterreichs on PC Action 12/2006 and PC Games 1/2007.

Also Germany’s computer magazine with the best reputation c’t of the Heise Zeitschriften Verlag put a special edition of Shredder Classic on issue c’t 25/2006 with the restriction of not being able to exchange the engine used, which won the Computer Chess World Championship in 2001.

Version 1.4 of Tribal Trouble, anaward-winningreal-time strategy game, has been released by Oddlabs. Changes:

• It is now possible for each tribe to have 200 units.
• The screen will no longer scroll when drag selecting on the edge, and it isnow possible to scroll with the keyboard arrows while in free view mode.
• If something happens in a chatroom that you are not currently looking at, thetab will change color.
• When a game is created, a message will show in the chatroom. The game list isalso auto updated now.

Screenshots: [ View] Download: [ Demo |Full Version($29.95 USD) ]