Thanks to a reader for letting us know about NAEV, a 2d space game that combines elements from the action, RPG and simulation genres. Changes in the most recent version (0.3.8):
Nebulae generation speed up by a factor of 3.
Lua console implemented.
You can now bribe planets.
Debris implemented.
News is implemented.
New graphics.
New missions.
New songs.
New systems.
New graphic.
Fixed planet lighting.
Remodelled the entire ship spawning system.
Incorporated map into the mission computer and mission information window.
Changed how map markers work.
AI improvements.
You can now make the game window scale itself with “scalefactor = 2.” in your conf file.
Linux Game Publishing has announced that Sacred: Gold Edition has gone, well, gold:
Get your swords and spellbooks ready, Sacred: Gold Edition is here and ready to order! Adventure through a massive land in the biggest RPG to come to Linux. Join other players online in collaborative adventuring as you seek to rescue the land of Ancaria from its evil nemesis!
There’s an older review of the PC version of the game here at GameZone.
Frictional Games, the developers of the survival-horror genre Penumbra series, have posted a teaser for their next project, which has the mysterious moniker of “Unknown”:
Quake 4 Reborn is a collection of realism mods for Raven Software’s science-fiction shooter intended to enhance player damage, weapons balance, and enemy AI.
The long-running Freeciv project has released version 2.1.9 of their empire-building strategy game with features ported over from the Warclient multiplayer enhancement effort.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun pointed out an upcoming real-time strategy game, Achron, with an unusual and unique mechanic:
It’s a game that takes the impossible notions of cross-time war that we see juggled so cleverly in time-travel science fiction, and turns them into a practical gaming model. This is seriously smart game design, and, potentially, it provides a model for “real-time” time travel in all kinds of games, not just strategy games.
TransGaming sent in notice that they’ve released Cedega version 7.1.1, an implementation of the Windows OS API on Linux with an emphasis on game compatibility, for their subscribers:
Cedega 7.1.1 addresses a number of issues with Cedega Certified titles such as Bioshock, Left4Dead and Steam, re-Certifies EVE Online and provides a significant improvement to Alt-Tab functionality.
The biggest news in 7.1.1 is that the Cedega Gaming Service has re-Certified EVE Online for play under Linux. With the latest release of Apocrypha, EVE players are welcomed with an all new first player experience, delicious graphics and one of the most expansive and in-depth space environments available. If you haven’t tried EVE Online yet you can get a Free 14 Day Trial by visiting the EVE Online website.
Completely redone HUD and user adjustable scoreboard
Totally rewritten Client/Server communication to cut the bandwidth usage in half
New gamemode “Race”. Try to get from start to end of a level as fast as possible. Available as free-for-all and team variant. Further allows to play with or without a qualification period.
Added several new weapons (on-hand Grappling Hook, Port-O-Launch, T.A.G. Seeker, Heavy Laser Assault Cannon, Rifle)
Map editor NetRadiant included
Improved all effects for eye candy and tweakability
All maps recompiled with external lightmaps which allow for much crisper shadows
Added maps desertfactory (DM, TDM, MinstaGib), racetrack (Race) and made aggressor support Key Hunt
New player sounds, announcer sounds/voices, textures, crosshairs, weapon models, effects and menu skins
Added support for video capture to OggTheora
Integrated the Havoc mod into the menu! Havoc servers use quite different physics and weapons, give it a try!
Fixed a crash with ATI drivers on shutdown or vid_restart
Fixed several problems with lagging gameplay/crashes/wrong display of effects
Improved bots (teamworking, bunnyhopping, swimming, better way finding, support for ladders, less CPU usage, faster map loading)
Better visual display of carried items (Strength, Shield, flags and keys)
Better parental guidance support with cl_gentle and cl_nogibs
Lots of tourney-related features (timeout/in, spectator-slots, allready, warmup mode, lockteams, unlockteams, movetoteam_red/blue/…, nospectators, records, cointoss)
Added some effects customization options like cl_casings, cl_weaponpriority
Many more map entities allowing for more dynamic maps
Restructured and improved menu: demos menu and multiple campaigns are back, also added an advanced menu containing ALL settings of the game
Envizions announced that it is taking orders for an open-source Linux gaming system, and will start shipping beta units to game developers, resellers, and software partners on April 10. The EVO Smart Console is based on a 2.4GHz Athlon, and includes a Fedora-based Linux distro.
I’m curious though, how they’re implementing the gamepad support for Tremulous as I’ve only recently started investigating support for gamepads in ioquake3.
Perhaps as a friend suggested they’re using a gamepad-axis-to-mouse-movement converter piece of software. I can’t imagine that will work anywhere near as well as real support. Oh well. Lets hope it isn’t vaporware and that they submit patches back to the original authors of the code they use.
Update 1: Ok I’m calling bullshit and probable scam on this thing, check out this goofy statement on the page where they list out some Linux games:
And the whois is to some random guy named Derrick Samuels in Alabama with an AOL address. There is an office there, but who knows if they’re doing anything but counting their money and seeking more investors.
I can’t find anyone else associated with it besides the guy who is listed in the whois contact. While I’m all for small business, no real business that can ship consoles is going to have an AOL e-mail address or only one employee. This is speculation beyond the fact that there isn’t anything else behind Envizions that I can find. No other people or locations or even any hands-on press accounts of the console itself.
Yes, someone could easily make their own small form factor PC these days, load some software, and sell it. However, all my internet detective work says scam. Do not give Derrick Samuels your money unless you read a hands-on review of this thing that is positive from a legitimate site.
We’ll update you guys later if we find out anything more about it. I would very much like to be wrong.
Is now available, but who cares. Also, instead of going to Phoronix I’m now moving to happypenguin. I wish the team at Phoronix the best but the pay at happypenguin was better. Plus, I’m getting a free boxed copy of Xbill now.
Ryan “icculus” Gordon has updated his .plan with some information on Unreal Tournament 3. I don’t really know what it is and I don’t care, it is somewhere in there. Honestly this is my last post for LG as of next week I’m writing for Phoronix.
