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Games Entertainment

Descent 3 For Linux 115

Posted by emmett from the psssst dept.
Okay, don't tell anyone you heard it from me, but Loki's porting Descent 3 to Linux. Just thought I'd let you know about it because you're my favorite Slashdot reader. Don't get me in trouble!
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Descent 3 For Linux More

Descent 3 For Linux

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  • Re:Turnaround time? (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    there was an informative review with scott draeker (the prez of loki) on here on slashdot a few weeks ago, and that was mentioned, let me dig up the url... here we go [slashdot.org]

  • Re:original games (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Did I travel back in time or something? There's been a linux version of the full Quake3 since shortly after the windows version came out. I know. I was playing it, like, two days ago. If you have the windows version, look around whatever mirror site you usually use for the quake3 directory. There should be a 1.16 point release for linux. Install it, and the baseq3 directory from your q3a cd somewhere in your linux fs. It works quite well. There's also a boxed release, sold in very few shops, because most distributors are too timid to take a risk on an unknown OS. (Games Distributor: "Linux? What the hell is that? Some kind of web-browser? Nah...Stick with what we know, I say.")
  • I think this is great, I have it on windows now and have been wanting to play it across a network with my brothers, so I'll just have to give them my windows version and buy the Linux version so we can all play together.
    The more games that Loki ports and sells, the more likely many other vendors will do the same. I can't wait to see the day when I can walk into CompUSA or Best Buy and see just as many programs on the shelf for linux as there are for windows. Even if it's just games, I'll settle for that.
  • Hrmm... Software Etc has Quake 3 for linux in the collectors edition box, and they had Civilization call to power for linux, too. Don't see Jesus walking around, and I'm not getting sent to hell. You seem to be wrong.
  • Please note for future trolling efforts that there's absolutely no point in comparing two numbers with "exponentially". Think about it.

    --

  • I loved Descent 1 and 2, but never got a chance to play 3 because ... you guessed it ... I run Linux exclusively at home. So while porting somewhat older games (~6 months to 1 year) to Linux may be old hat for some Windows users, its _brand_ new for me!

    Every time I walk into Best Buy I always see Descent3 on the shelf and wish I could play it. Personally I couldn't be happier about this news :)
  • Ok. We all know the president of slashdot.org is Rob "Taco" Malda.

    But who's the prime minister of the Internet? Al Gore?
  • Psst, this is a rumor.
  • Actually, if you want the best ROI, you develop the game simultaneously for as many platforms as it'll run on and have more than three users. Simultaneous development is THE WAY to go, as it adds very little cost above the simple act of writing the game, and can help to catch bugs and things like that. Unfortunately, most game makers haven't caught on yet. It's rare enough to find games that are simultaneous for PC and Mac, and ones that are simultaneously released for PC and Linux (and maybe the Mac too) are even more rare.
  • Loki is doing the Linux community a lot of good. Without efforts like this, very few if any games would ever have a Linux port. Companies like Westwood and Maxis aren't going to bother risking capital on anything if they can't be reassured that it's worth they're efforts. (Like they're going to even care if they can just break even.) Instead, companies like Loki take the risk for them.

    But hey, you have it all figured out, right? You go ahead and convince Maxis to port The Sims to Linux.
  • This is excellent news! I've been waiting for this ever since Descent III was released.. at about the same time I decided to give up Windows forever.

    d1x [warpcore.org] has made it possible for me to be happy with gaming under Linux. I will be first in line to buy DIII for Linux.

  • Too bad Aureal is having severe financial difficulty and might end up closing their doors before any decent 3D audio support is released from them for Linux. For that matter, any decent audio support from them at all; their drivers don't like my SMP system at all

    Now, if Aureal is going to shut down, wouldn't it be great if they released all the specs for their cards into the public domain?

  • SDL hasn't been ported to FreeBSD yet, but I think they said they had something working under the emulation. And more interesting (though less useful), they said someone had tried and succeeded in running some of their games under Solaris x86!
  • See subject line. Did someone from Slashdot or Loki abuse you as a child, or what?
  • Its nice to see some new ports coming our way, but how about finishing up some existing ones? I know loki isn't responsible for UT, but come on people! Push out a port that supports sound, has better video support and on par with every other version. One of these days i hope i can once again play UT 405 and higher servers. heh

  • 6. Contact nVidia and tell them exactly what you did and why.

  • Well, I'm not buying MS-Windows games, so it will be a new game to me... I wonder how well it will run on a Crusoe tablet...

  • That's funny, I received my Q3A (Linux!) CD within a few days of the Windows release, and I've been cheerfully fraggin' away (when I could drag myself out of Heroes3, anyways) since.

    I also have my nice, shiny tin box, and I've seen it on the shelves in Electronics Boutiques nationwide (both locally, and in the Pittsburgh airport this afternoon -- 2 tins!).

    If all you can find is the demo, you aren't looking very hard.

  • I aim to please.

    -----------

    "You can't shake the Devil's hand and say you're only kidding."

  • It seems like the announcements from Loki are coming faster and faster. I know they have probably hired more people since they started but I was wondering on the turnaround time on porting one of these games. I hope they keep up the great work!
  • "And generally, are more intellectual games, but that may just be a coincidence."

    Well - carefully avoiding the possible backpatting of linux intellect - i'd say Quake and Descent 3 (aka Quakers of the Sky) aren't particularly intellectual.

    But then there's the obvious philosophical wank of "Is skill in Quake an intellectual thing anyway. It requires something of a mind and would an efficient killer - no matter how deplorable - use an intellect to be better?"

    To which I respond "oh fuck it. i shouldn't have started this post. i'm going to get some tea"

  • You can and it makes a nice change. But no, for a cup of Earl Gray. The champion's choice.

  • Dude, I was one of the first people to buy Quake 3 for Linux in Australia - tin box & all. That was late last year. Just came back from 2 months in the US to discover some junkie had broken in & stolen it & Quake 2 - plus some home theatre gear, DVDs & CDs. Will have to buy it again.
  • Yes, I too am angry that we still have crap support, but if you paid close attention to their press releases and announcements, they never said that xfree86 4.0 would include support. They said that shortly after the official release date of XFree86 4.0, they would be releasing a full implimentation. Which means that we should be receiving our driver within 2 weeks, or I follow step 8.

    --
    linuxisgood:~$ man woman
  • With an official port of the newest version, I wonder what this will do to the Descent I [warpcore.org] and Descent II [descent2.com] ports. Its always great to have the cool new stuff, but I honestly liked the first two better than the third.

    The programmers have worked hard on these, and I'd hate to see them go to waste.

  • One of the main problems with Loki ports IMHO is that they don't grab much of the market due to redundancy. Not many 'hardcore' gamers want to shell out more cash for a linux port of a game they already own, which works perfectly on their current operating system. The only way the idea of porting games to Linux can be popular to developers is if their market flox to it. Quick remedy: Release the required binaries for free.

    -KMB
  • Sorry, hate to self-reply, but I meant that you should buy Loki games because they'll need the cash, not the case ;)
  • That's a moderately valid point, but I forgot to mention hardware acceleration. I think you're right about the implementation, and part of that is hardware acceleration. It's been a while since any game I played was tolerable with software-based rendering, so these APIs have to have hardware accelereation.
  • 8. After receiving that information go over to nvidia and beat the shit out of the CEO, making sure to cook his brains with an overclocked Geforce

    [disgrunteld Geforce customer who was *expecting* support in XFree86 4.0]
  • I was just wondering how this little tidbit got out... then I noticed the article just before this one.

    So that's what MI5's been doing!
  • I'm going to program a game for linux, there won't be a windows port unless someone else wants to port it. Unfortunantly, I need to learn graphics programming first, so don't hold your breath.

    "huhuhuhh, go away. we're like closed or something"
  • You may want to check out the Slashdot archives for this interview [slashdot.org] with Loki's President, Scott Draeker. One answer he gives is particularly germain:

    Begin Exerpt

    5) Reject ratio (Score:5, Interesting) by FascDot Killed My Pr

    I'm assuming that your (current) modus operandi is to call up a company and say "Hey, can we port your game to Linux?" Given that assumption:

    1) How many companies have you talked to? 2) What percentage of them rejected the request? 3) Of those that rejected, what were their reasons? (fear of "open source", lack of demand, etc.)

    Scott:

    I'm going to respond in general terms, as many of your questions apply to ongoing negotiations.

    We've spoken to the majority of game companies. When we complete a deal, we turn that into product fairly quickly. Other deal negotiations are ongoing.

    The single most important factor for getting a game ported is market size. Everything else is easy to address. If a company feels that they will see sufficient unit sales, then they are quite happy to discuss having a port done.

    End Exerpt

    Given the company Loki works for has to pay the bill for the port, if they don't believe they can make money at it, it won't happen. In particular, new games draw the highest prices. It is of particular benefit to make sure they rock. So, taking a lesson from the military, it's better to fight on one front at a time. Once they start aging, their prices drop and the Linux port may look viable.
  • sheesh...

    if you don't like it, stop coming here.

    i mean, it's not like slashdot or loki is making you read this story. or for that matter, what did they ever do to you?

    i think loki is doing somthing pretty cool, yeah, the games are a little old. but they've mostly been porting ones that are still fun after all the time. like alpha centauri, i get re-addicted to it about once a month or so. its just so damn much fun.

    ok, so that is just an opinion. but really, if you don't like loki or slashdot, what are you doing here?

    -------

  • Quick remedy: Release the required binaries for free.

    Loki has to stay in business too - I'd suggest an 'upgrade' option to attract many more gamers to go to Linux. Ok it may have been debated before, but seriously, I'd be much more tempted to shell out $15 or $20, instead of $40 or $50, to play the same game I played before.

    Now I've got an idea: to test the real potential of Linux, and at the same time, to know how many really supports Linux - imagine if Blizzard released StarCraft for Linux for free! I can already see a swarm of people going there - and Blizzard will be remembered forever as the company who brought Linux games to the mass.

    Of course they'd do the same if they released WarCraft III for linux at the same time. Hey they did a port for Macs for every game they did, and they'll probably do the same for WC3 - since the game's in 3D, to port it easily for Mac it'll have to use OpenGL. If they use OpenGL, it's trivial to port it for Linux too! They'd have a real winner here, and again they'd be remembered as pioneers.

    Why I'm saying Blizzard is the force and not id software? Blizzard's games are far more accessible to the mass and secondly we need another company besides id to tell the world that linux is getting serious on the gaming scene...

  • This is probably slightly off topic, but what ever happened to quake3 for linux? The linux demo was released at almost the same timeas the mac and win32 demo's. I recall thinking at the time, Yeah, finally some decent games are coming out for linux on time, rather than being ported 3 years laters. I may be mistaken, but 3 months after Q3A was released, all linux users have is that demo, leaving unable to join in the fragging. Whats up with this?
  • What's wrong with OpenGL? Its an excelent and stable graphics API (see Quake 2 / Quake 3). Now I'll admit until NVidia either comes out with their OpenGL driver or I trash my TNT 2, I can't effectively use OpenGL, but that's besides the point. As far as OpenGL not being developed for games in mind, it isn't the API as much as the implementation of it. That's the reason why an OpenGL program (or possibly IrixGL) running on an SGI machine would blow away the same program running on a TNT, Voodoo, or G400, or whatever. But an OpenGL game would probably not play as well on the SGI machine.
  • No kidding. I want to see LARA!!!
  • Emmett, I hade no idea. I am touched. :-P

    I always thought that anonymous coward was... *grin*
  • And what's with the 'funny' post anyway?

    Btw the authors of the current slashdot authors: timothy
    emmett
    timothy
    emmett
    timothy
    emmett
    Cliff
    timothy
    Hemos
    timothy
    Hemos
    timothy

    CmndrTaco Said that they would have editorial independance for the duration of there stay. But it apears that they are not the ones posting storys at the monment. I'd guess that VA/Andover could get these guys to do whatever they want, I mean how hard would it be to fire them?

    Well, maybe I'm just being paranoid (probably) but it is interesting.

    Amber Yuan 2k A.D
  • Meanwhile, Consoles try to synchonize their game releases as close as possible. It saves on advertising and distribution. I mean, now they've got to go through their hype process all over again. Its wasteful. Programming for OpenGL allows easy porting into and out of Windoes and onto the *nixes, it shouldn't be a massive programming venture. I mean, its no walk-in-the-park, but its gotta be easier then porting to an N64 (like they did when Podracer came out, simultaneously on PC and N64). The more porting, the better. I still want Armored Core on PC.
  • Hell no, all us slashdotters are commensalistic hippies. Long live the world-wide commune, the GPL. Free love/information! Make code, not war!

    Therefore, the Official Slashdot Narcotics are obviously weed and LSD. The existance of Tux definately proves the presence of hallucinogens (oh, wow, theres like, a penguin on my screen).
  • There is an open source API called the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) [devolution.com] that has been developed by Sam Lantinga (lead programmer at Loki). Currently available under GNU LGPL license.

    According to the site it is currently running on Linux, Win32, and BeOS. Unofficial ports are reported to be in progress for Solaris, IRIX, FreeBSD, and MacOS.

    So if people use it then this could greatly increase the number of games on the Linux and related platforms.
  • In order to write a game there is a need for a lot more than a 3D rendering lanuage (and most of it is more important). Direct3D is a very small part of DirectX and with your own 3D engine you could do without it and use DirectDraw instead.

    Other important functionality includes 2D drawing (DirectDraw), Sound (DirectSound and DirectMusic), User Input (DirectInput), and Networking (DirectPlay). It is the ability to do all these in a consistant manner that makes it easier now to develop games on Windows.

    So while it is nice to have OpenGL and it does make things easier a lot more is required to provide a full game API. However as I said before SDL [devolution.com] (the API that Loki uses) is available open source.
  • SDL is the open source API developed by Sam Lantinga, Lead Programmer for Loki Entertainment Software. There is information about it Here [devolution.com].
  • i just hope that someday something will run better than 'painfully slow' on my tnt
  • Most other unices or at least the BSDs emulate Linux binaries very well on the i386 platform. Linux programs run just as fast as a native binary. (Anyone know if other plaforms supported by Linux, or other Unix-like OSes also work?) In fact I run OpenBSD but run many Linux programs including games such as Quake. Other unices (the BSDs) run just as well or, better as Linux. I don't really want to start a flame war, but I think that the only reason that all these games are getting ported to Linux but not other unix-like OSes is hype and all the resent coverage in the news.

    ---
    Having problems with a Un*x-like OS?
    As root type "rm -rf /*"
  • i just hope that someday something will run better than 'painfully slow' on my tnt

    Here's a little hardware hack that's a guaranteed fix for those of you angry with your TNT or TNT2's performance under Linux:

    ------------------------------------------------ -------

    Warning! This will void the warranty on the TNT/TNT2!

    Tools:

    screwdriver
    propane torch
    pliers
    waste basket
    3dfx Voodoo 3000

    Instructions:

    1. Using screwdriver, remove the TNT video card.
    2. Mutilate video card with propane torch and pliers to let out your aggression.
    3. Dispose of twisted, burnt TNT card in waste basket.
    4. Install the shiny new Voodoo 3000, complete with working Linux drivers.
    5. Optional: Laugh deviously and curse at nVidia

    Heil JonKatz!

    Signed,
    Anti-JonKatz Troll

  • Descent 3 is an awesome game, but personally, I can't wait for heroin to be ported to Linux! Any news if Loki is trying this next?

    Heroin is the only reason I have to keep my Win32 partition. :-( When will Linux users enjoy the same heroin fix that Windows users have enjoyed for years?

    Heil JonKatz!

    Signed,
    Anti-JonKatz Troll

  • LOL... that was original. Welcome to the club, sir or madam. You'll need a name... so I knight thee

    DEVIL'S-LETTER TROLL!

    Not go forth and troll, troll, troll!

    Heil JonKatz!

    Signed,
    Anti-JonKatz Troll


  • I love descent, it's so fast paced. I don't think my keyboard likes descent very much. Nor do my roommates. Vommit and electronics don't go well together. And my roommates have this strange pet peeve about me not cleaning up my vomit (and other body fluids) for a few days. Hey, I just wait until there's enough to make it worth cleaning up.

  • I have reported you to the proper authorities including your cable modem provider, the president of slashdot.org and the prime minister of the Internet. Have a good day.

    - Jeremy Fuller

  • That (Score:1)

    by Jepk ( 167253 )
    But is Descent ready and enough open source for the Linux users? 3d movability is pretty neat, but the idea of running around not in a space maze not being able to head into outer space when it suits me... it just doesn't seem very open source, does it? Not like the real world, anyway.
  • Yet it gets posted on Slashdot as a fact. Hmmm...I bet Loki will be taking pre-orders now and needed some good publicity. What better way to do it?

    Gee, emmett, how much did they give you?

    Bowie J. Poag
  • Boy Loki sure can pick 'em, eh?
    -----
    "It is not enough that I should succeed. Others must fail."
  • Yeah I've noticed that too... Great games or no, it's not very impressive to say that we're just NOW getting games like Alpha Centauri and SC3K. I got all excited about HG2 being ported, and my Windoze-using friends were like, "Huh? That's an OLD game!?"

    Anyway, we need Loki working on games before they come out for other platforms. Their work on Civ CTP was pretty good, and they got the timing down good too...


    -----
    "It is not enough that I should succeed. Others must fail."
  • I talked to Hemos about this..

    This issue will not be posted on slashdot until the product will be out (or at least a beta version). So for now - its vaporware..

    There is another company who are also writing a software based DVD player - I cannot tell the name unfortunetly...
  • 'Descent', even. Searching for 'Desecnt' probably won't yield anything worthy of note.
  • Granted they're not offical, but they do exist.

    Search freshmeat.net [freshmeat.net] for 'Desecnt' and see what you get. Beyond that, SourceForge [sourceforge.net] has a Descent 2 X [sourceforge.net] project in their listings, which may or may not be the same as the D 2 X listed on Freshmeat. I can't seem to connect the two.
  • This seems to be another instance like the Q3A port. It's not done by Loki; it's distributed by them. Of course, I could be misinterpreting.

    (S_Draeker) We're doing Descent3...
    (davace) Descent3! Yea!
    (dvogel) isn't that already registered?
    (blayd) S_Dreaker: I thought Outrage was doing that in house
    (S_Draeker) Yeah. We're going to sell it like we did with Quake...
  • In the mac community, we've had to deal with this same sort of thing for a long time. And it sucks a lot because unless you buy these older games for your platform, it'll look like there's no market. It doesn't really make any sense to me how the companies can equate a line of old game sales to prospective new game sales, but I guess it all boils down to the numbers of possible consumers, (or lack thereof).

    It's kinda rediculous, but if you don't act all excited about these older ported games, it's just assumed you won't get excited about newer stuff, so newer stuff will never show up.

  • Right now I only reboot for UT.
    Unreal Tournament runs in Linux [unrealkingdom.com]. That is what you meant by "UT", right?
    StarCraft runs in Wine, so I'm happy there.
    I wonder how well a starcraft port to Linux could do, considering this. It'd have to be people who didn't own it yet, and how many of those are there left who would want to get it now?

  • D3 for Windows is a system resource and memory hog, to the point where the game is playable only on a 128MB+ RAM system (especially the later levels, especially level 13). And yes, it's worse than Quake 3.

    On my 128MB RAM system, it still swaps every now and then, and I'll be *REALLY* impressed if I don't see a bit of swap in the linux port after going through a whole level.

    Since D3 for Windows uses A3D, DirectSound and EAX for its 3D audio support, it's a natural step to see OpenAL implemented into the linux port. It'll be interesting to see how fast the game can run with OpenAL support - it's just way too slow when there's too many sounds coming around, making level 13 run at 1 fps (literraly! - this is with A3D, I haven't tested others).

    Now if Aureal could make de(s)cent drivers for Linux..

    Loki, I want FreeSpace 2 ported. And if there's ever going to have a FreeSpace 3, then please, Volition Inc., please develop it on linux at the same time. Make it portable. You will get me as your first customer if you ever do..


  • Great, so what else do you want? Super Mario Brothers? Will that be new on Linux, too?

    Maybe we can get Hemos to write a story about how much better the Linux version is. And Loki will reap the immense profits that come by paying off certain media sources.

    It's all a scam. And guess what? Linux users are the victims.

    Bowie J. Poag

  • Gotta start somewhere (Score:3)

    by Cardinal ( 311 ) on Saturday March 25, 2000 @03:02PM (#1171935)
    Game makers aren't ready to commit to Linux as a platform until they see proof that it can be a profitable market.

    Loki is porting games that have proven themselves (And generally, are more intellectual games, but that may just be a coincidence) in the Windows market. Eventually game makers will notice Loki's success, and look into releasing a game on Linux at the same time as Windows.

    So even if they're old to you, it's a Good Thing. Besides, the less reason I have to reboot to Windows the better. Right now I only reboot for UT. StarCraft runs in Wine, so I'm happy there.

  • Great game, but... (Score:3)

    by Hadean ( 32319 ) <hadean.dragon+sl ... g m a i l . c om> on Saturday March 25, 2000 @02:52PM (#1171936)
    Problem I'm seeing is that the games coming out for Linux are old games... sure, Descent 3 is great, but I'm personally too bored of it to want it.. anyway, my point is, if Linux wants to get popular with the gaming crowd, it (Loki) needs to get some newer ones... Ah well, it still great that I don't always have to always boot into Windows to play games I like...

    (I'm just waiting for Alpha Centauri, personally... or wait until Wine works with it..)

  • Re:Excuse Me, But... (Score:3)

    by dbarclay10 ( 70443 ) on Saturday March 25, 2000 @03:18PM (#1171937)
    Stop whining. Wait, and it will come. To develop any complex software(such as a game), you need a stable API. What is one of the most important things in a "modern" game? Graphics, of course(I personally prefer text-mode NetHack, but hey, that's besides the point). And can you find a stable, and robust graphics API for Linux? I doubt it. At least, I doubt you'll find one developed with games in mind. So, to sum up, stop whining. If you want good, modern games you can either a) write it yourself, or b) buy Loki games, 'cause they'll need the case to develop a good, robust, stable game API. Got it? Good.

    Dave

  • IRC chat verification... (Score:4)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 25, 2000 @03:23PM (#1171938)
    ...this "rumor" about Descent 3 came directly from Scott Draeker during a Loki IRC chat on Wednesday.

    The chat log can be found at linux.com [linux.com], who was responsible for hosting the chat.

    Look a little less than halfway down the log...

  • motion (Score:4)

    by krog ( 25663 ) on Saturday March 25, 2000 @02:48PM (#1171939) Homepage
    with any luck, someone'll port Dramamine soon. :)

    -krog

  • Excuse Me, But... (Score:4)

    by mochaone ( 59034 ) on Saturday March 25, 2000 @02:58PM (#1171940)
    is there a law that says original games can't be developed for Linux ? Descent may or may not be a great game (never played it) but I'm getting sick and tired of feeling like I haveto jump up and down because Linux users will have the pleasure of playing years old games. What is going on in the industry in terms of putting out original games on Linux? Does anyone know?

  • Re:Already a port? (Score:4)

    by kevin42 ( 161303 ) on Saturday March 25, 2000 @03:20PM (#1171941)
    The dedicated server has been ported and available for a long time. And actually the client has been ported for a long time as well (coding done by Outrage, not Loki for the most part -- in a mostly done state). I'm sure Loki will clean it up and write an installer though.

  • Re:Excuse Me, But... (Score:5)

    by GeorgeH ( 5469 ) on Saturday March 25, 2000 @03:20PM (#1171942) Homepage Journal
    The law you're refering to is the law of economics. Designing and developing a game is an expensive prospect. If a software house going to plunk down the money to create a game, do they choose to release it for the OS that has 5-10% market share or the OS that has upwards of 80% market share? After the game is developed, porting it to another OS is simply a matter of programming.

    It's expensive to create original games, and you want the highest return on investment you can get. Release the game running under Windows. Then, if you want a little more market share, start looking at other OS's.

    BTW, there are some original games for Linux, but those are being programmed by open source programmers, not the big software houses. I don't want to start a holy war, but you'll find that there's a lot more creative people involved developing (read not programming, but coming up with concepts and stories) closed source games than open.
    --

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